Chapter 2
Beside Grant’s left shoulder sat Camilla Reed, his newly minted fiancée. She was the very picture of high-society perfection, draped in an elegant satin evening gown that flowed flawlessly over her fair skin. Diamond earrings caught the luminous light, matching the massive engagement ring that rested heavily on her left hand. She maintained a polished, affectionate public smile, greeting the capos and politicians with practiced grace. Yet, beneath the glittering diamonds and the satin, a bitter impatience festered in her heart.
To Grant's right sat his five-year-old daughter, Nora. Dressed in a formal party dress, a soft cardigan, and little flats, she looked incredibly small amidst the towering mafia figures.
The heavy mahogany doors leading to the kitchens swung open, and Sylvie emerged. Her breath was unsteady, her chest heaving slightly beneath her fitted black dress. She moved with urgent, careful grace toward the head table. In one hand, she balanced a silver serving tray; in her other arm, she securely supported a bundle of thick kitchen towels. Hidden within the folds was Teddy, a three-month-old puppy, shivering violently against her chest.
Sylvie stepped up to the nearby side table. With practiced elegance, she placed the silver serving tray down, never loosening her protective grip on the freezing animal.
Nora immediately noticed the bundle. The little girl reached out her small hand, her fingers gently touching the thick towel. Grant, whose sharp eyes missed absolutely nothing, turned his head. His gaze caught the violent, unnatural shivering of the bundle in his housemaid's arms.
Grant lowered his crystal glass to the walnut table. He looked directly into Sylvie’s expressive eyes, his angular face becoming entirely still. Sylvie met his gaze with a small, unsteady breath, her vulnerability radiating in the warm golden light.
"Sylvie. Why is Teddy shaking?" Grant asked.
His deep, low voice cut through the ambient noise of the banquet. Every single dinner guest stopped eating and speaking, turning their heads toward the mafia boss in total, suffocating silence.
Camilla smoothly adjusted her posture, addressing Grant with a faint, reassuring half-smile. Her eyes briefly avoided the shivering puppy before returning to lock onto Grant's face.
"Sylvie left Teddy outside, darling," Camilla said smoothly, her voice dripping with manufactured pity. After speaking, she gave Sylvie a sharp, venomous warning glance.
Sylvie did not flinch. She held Teddy closer to her chest without tightening her grip, shielding the tiny animal. She looked directly at Grant, ignoring the fiancée entirely. Nora kept her small hand pressed against the towel, offering the puppy silent comfort.
"I found Teddy in the freezer," Sylvie said, her voice quiet but ringing with absolute clarity.
Nora looked directly at Camilla, her young, fair face scrunching in small, innocent confusion at the woman's explanation. Her voice remained small and matter-of-fact in the dead silent room.
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"You told me to lock Teddy," Nora said.
Grant briefly looked toward his young daughter, and then at Sylvie, his eyes filled with restrained concern. Slowly, he shifted his gaze toward Camilla. The turn of his head was deliberate and lethal. His sharply defined jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. He locked his cold, unwavering stare onto the woman in the satin gown, letting the heavy, suffocating silence execute her entirely.
