Chapter 4 - The Gala and the Trap
The annual Chicago Children's Hospital Gala was the biggest social event of the year, a place where the city's elite—and its underworld—gathered to pretend they were all saints.
Dominic was the primary sponsor of the event, a tradition he had kept in memory of his late wife, Victoria.
"You are coming with us, Beatrice," Dominic had announced two days before the gala.
"Dominic, I don't think that’s a good idea," Beatrice had protested, gesturing to her soft, full figure. "The press will be there. Your high-society friends. I’ll look like... well, I don't belong on a red carpet."
Dominic had stepped close to her, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. He had reached out, gently tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "You belong wherever I say you belong, Beatrice. And I want you there. Leo wants you there."
Now, standing in front of the full-length mirror in her suite, Beatrice felt like she was living in a fairy tale.
Dominic had sent a personal stylist to the house, along with a custom-made gown of deep emerald green velvet. The dress hugged her curves beautifully, cinching at her waist and flowing down to the floor in elegant folds. The color made her hazel eyes pop, and her hair was styled in a classic, soft updo with a few curls framing her face.
When she walked down the grand staircase, Dominic was waiting at the bottom, dressed in a flawless black tuxedo. Beside him stood Leo, looking adorable in a miniature version of his father’s suit.
Dominic froze as he looked up at her. His eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he took in her appearance. For a long, breathless moment, he didn't say a word.
"Is it... is it too much?" Beatrice asked nervously, clutching her hands in front of her.
Dominic walked to the bottom of the stairs, extending his hand to her. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Beatrice," he said, his voice raw and sincere.
Beatrice’s heart soared. She took his hand, his warm, strong fingers wrapping securely around hers.
The gala was held in a massive, glittering ballroom downtown, filled with crystal chandeliers, ice sculptures, and hundreds of guests in designer gowns and tuxedos. As Dominic entered the room with Beatrice on his arm and Leo holding his other hand, a hush fell over the crowd.
The whispers started immediately.
"Is that the nanny?" "She’s... well, she’s not what I expected." "Where did he find her?" "She looks like a commoner."
Beatrice held her head high, remembering Dominic’s words. She focused on Leo, who was holding her hand tightly, looking a bit overwhelmed by the crowd.
"Don't listen to them," Dominic whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her neck. "They are sheep. They only know how to bleat."
As the night went on, Beatrice found herself actually enjoying the event. She took Leo to the chocolate fountain, laughing as he got a speck of chocolate on his nose, and helped him make a small drawing on a napkin to leave at the donation table.
Suddenly, a cold, familiar voice broke her peace.
"Well, well. Look who managed to squeeze into a dress."
Beatrice turned around to find Cassandra DuPont standing there, wearing a sheer, diamond-encrusted gown that left little to the imagination. Beside her was a tall, older man with a cruel smile—Don Lucchese, the head of the rival crime family.
"Cassandra," Beatrice said quietly, keeping her voice calm.
"I see you’ve made yourself quite comfortable in Dominic’s house," Cassandra sneered, her eyes raking over Beatrice's body with disgust. "But don't get too attached, darling. A man like Dominic doesn't keep a servant in his bed for long. You're just a temporary distraction. A fat, clumsy band-aid on his grief."
"That is enough, Cassandra," a dark, booming voice commanded.
Dominic appeared beside Beatrice, his expression so terrifyingly hostile that several nearby guests took a step back. He glared at Don Lucchese. "You are on my territory, Lucchese. Keep your dog on a leash."
Don Lucchese laughed, a dry, rattling sound. "Just checking out the new addition to your family, Romano. I must say, your tastes have... changed. Victoria must be turning in her grave."
Before Dominic could react, a loud, high-pitched scream echoed from the lobby of the ballroom.
"Fire! There’s a fire in the kitchen! Everyone get out!"
Chaos erupted instantly. The crowd panicked, screaming and running toward the exits in a desperate, stampeding rush.
In the madness, Beatrice was pushed violently to the side, her hand slipping from Leo’s grip.
"Leo!" she screamed, trying to fight her way back through the crowd.
"Beatrice!" Dominic yelled, his hand reaching out for her, but a wave of panicking guests pushed them further apart.
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Beatrice looked back and saw a man in a dark hoodie grabbing Leo from the edge of the crowd. The boy was struggling, his little hands reaching out in terror.
Without a second thought, Beatrice threw off her heels. Ignoring the pain of the cold floor, she lunged through the crowd, running directly toward the kidnapper.
