Chapter 2 - THE ENTRANCE THAT STOPPED THE ROOM
Elena barely had time to understand the photograph before music drifted up from the ballroom below.
The reception had started.
Dante held out his hand.
“We can stop now.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
“You know more than you did ten minutes ago. If you want to leave, my driver will take you anywhere.”
No pressure.
No threat.
That somehow made the decision easier.
Elena took his hand.
“Let’s go downstairs.”
Dante slid the emerald ring onto her finger.
Not as a promise.
As armor.
When the elevator opened on the ballroom level, two security men moved ahead of them.
The reception was loud when Elena approached.
Glasses clinking.
Laughter.
Music.
Then Dante stepped through the doors.
The change was immediate.
Not silence at first.
Recognition.
One man near the bar stopped speaking.
Another stood straighter.
A silver-haired banker lowered his drink.
Someone whispered:
“Salvatore.”
Then Dante entered fully with Elena on his arm.
The ballroom went silent.
Marcus saw her first.
His champagne glass stopped halfway to his mouth.
Vivien followed his gaze.
Her smile vanished.
Patricia Aldridge stood near the head table wearing the expression of a woman watching reality violate a rule she had written herself.
Dante ignored all of them.
He leaned toward Elena.
“Smile only if you want to.”
She did.
Not for them.
For herself.
A hotel manager hurried forward.
“Mr. Salvatore, we weren’t informed you would attend.”
“I changed my plans.”
His hand rested lightly at Elena’s back.
The manager’s eyes moved to her ring.
Then widened.
“Of course.”
Vivien recovered first.
She crossed the ballroom with Marcus beside her.
“Elena.”
Her voice was sweet again.
Too sweet.
“What a surprise.”
Elena looked at her.
“Apparently tonight is full of them.”
Vivien’s gaze moved to Dante.
“I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Dante offered no hand.
“Dante Salvatore.”
Vivien’s father, Victor Laurent, had just approached.
At the name, he stopped.
The color drained from his face.
Dante noticed.
So did Elena.
Victor whispered:
“You.”
Dante’s expression became almost pleasant.
“Good evening, Victor.”
Marcus looked between them.
“You know each other?”
Victor recovered quickly.
“Business.”
Dante tilted his head.
“That is one word for it.”
Vivien’s grip tightened around Marcus’s arm.
Then Patricia’s eyes landed on Elena’s emerald.
Her expression changed.
“That ring…”
Dante looked at her.
“Yes?”
Patricia stepped closer.
“I’ve seen it before.”
Elena glanced down.
Dante had told her nothing about the ring beyond its value.
Patricia looked suddenly frightened.
“That belonged to Sofia Salvatore.”
Dante’s mother.
His face became unreadable.
Then Victor Laurent whispered something Elena was not supposed to hear.
“That ring disappeared the night Miguel Reyes died.”
Elena stopped breathing.
May you like
Her father’s name had just been spoken at her ex-fiancé’s wedding.
And Dante had clearly known it would happen.
