Chapter 16 - THE MIDNIGHT GALA
The annual Mayor’s Charity Gala was neutral ground. Politicians, socialites, and mob bosses mingled under crystal chandeliers, pretending their money was clean. It was Evelyn’s first public appearance as the official co-head of the Moretti syndicate. She arrived on Lorenzo's arm. He was moving a bit stiffly, but he looked as devastatingly handsome as ever in a classic black tuxedo.
Evelyn wore a backless emerald gown, diamonds glittering at her throat. As they walked down the grand staircase of the Field Museum, the room went quiet. Every eye was on the waitress who had conquered the underworld.
"Smile, Evie," Lorenzo murmured in her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "They are terrified of you."
"Good," she murmured back.
But the night was not just about appearances. The head of the Calabrese family, Don Antonio Calabrese himself, had flown in from New York. He approached them near the Egyptian exhibits, a ring of imposing bodyguards behind him. Antonio was an old man, shrewd and venomous.
"Lorenzo," Antonio nodded, then turned his dark eyes to Evelyn. "And the little waitress. You've caused me quite a bit of money recently, my dear."
"You shouldn't make bad investments, Don Antonio," Evelyn replied without missing a beat, her gaze unflinching.
Antonio’s smile was thin and cruel. "I offer peace. A split. Fifty-fifty on the port logistics. Accept it, or Chicago will run red with blood by morning. You have until midnight." He walked away, leaving a heavy, suffocating tension in his wake.
Lorenzo looked at Evelyn. "He's bluffing. He doesn't have the manpower in the city for a full takeover."
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"He's not bluffing," Evelyn realized, her eyes widening as she connected the dots. "He didn't come to negotiate. He came to distract us." She pressed her earpiece. "Marco! Check the southern borders. Now!"
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