Chapter 1 - The Woman Who Was Supposed to Die
At 11:47 p.m., Beatrice Gallagher discovered that Dominic Rossi had ordered her death.
The proof arrived in a text message from an unknown number while she stood beneath the flickering lights of Chicago’s Union Station.
DON’T TAKE THE 12:10 TRAIN. ROSSI’S MEN ARE WAITING AT THE PLATFORM.
Bee read the message twice.
Then she looked through the rain-streaked windows toward the street, where a black SUV idled beneath a traffic signal.
She recognized the vehicle.
It belonged to Lorenzo Costa.
For five years, Bee had managed Dominic’s appointments, negotiated with hostile business partners, reorganized his finances, and quietly prevented his enemies from destroying him. She had sacrificed sleep, friendships, and the possibility of an ordinary life for a man who had never once asked what she wanted.
And an hour ago, that man had looked her in the eyes and ordered her out of Chicago.
One suitcase.
No company devices.
No explanation.
Bee had obeyed because she knew the four guards standing behind Dominic were planning to kill him.
She had lied to save his life.
Now someone had decided that the lie made her disposable.
Her phone vibrated again.
THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. TRUST NO ONE WEARING A ROSSI SECURITY BADGE.
Bee’s fingers tightened around the device.
She had spent the last twelve days gathering evidence of Lorenzo’s betrayal, transferring vulnerable assets, and building a secret archive that could expose the entire conspiracy.
But the archive wasn't on her laptop.
It wasn't in a bank vault.
It was hidden somewhere nobody would ever think to look.
A train announcement echoed through the station.
Bee turned toward the exit instead of the platform.
Then she noticed a man sitting beneath the departure board.
Gray coat. Black gloves. A silver ring shaped like a serpent.
May you like
She had seen that ring before.
On the hand of the man Dominic had buried six years ago.
