Chapter 5 - The Blood Wedding
Within twelve hours, the grand ballroom of the Vale estate was transformed into a dark, opulent sanctuary. Velvet red drapes hung from the ceilings, illuminated by hundreds of white candles.
Outside, heavy security details circled the grounds. Inside, high-ranking syndicate members—capos, bosses, and underworld brokers—filled the seats, whispering in shock about the sudden union.
Hannah stood before a full-length mirror in a private dressing room. She wore an off-the-shoulder lace wedding gown, simple yet breathtaking. Her hair was styled in soft waves, and around her neck hung a velvet choker hiding the subtle bruise from Viktor’s guard.
The door opened, and Dominic walked in. He wore a tailored black tuxedo, looking impossibly handsome and lethal.
When his eyes fell on Hannah, he stopped dead in his tracks. For three seconds, the ruthless mob boss was completely speechbound.
"You look... incredible," Dominic said, his voice unusually low.
"I look like a bride walking into a lion's den," Hannah said, trying to joke, though her trembling hands betrayed her nerves.
Dominic walked up behind her, placing his large hands gently on her shoulders. "I swear to you, Hannah, on my life and my soul, no harm will ever come to you. You are taking on my world to save my children. I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret this."
"Just promise me one thing, Dominic," she whispered, turning to face him. "No secrets. No slaughter in front of the girls."
"I promise," Dominic said sincerely.
"It’s time, Boss," Marco announced at the door.
The wedding marched forward with dark elegance. Hannah walked down the aisle alone, holding her head high despite the hostile glares of the syndicate elites and Eleanor Vale’s burning hatred. At the end of the altar, Lily, Grace, and Emma stood in matching rose-gold flower-girl dresses, throwing flower petals on the floor, giggling as Hannah approached.
The syndicate priest recited the ancient vows in Latin and English.
"Do you, Dominic Vale, take Hannah Mercer to be your lawful wife, the Matriarch of the Vale Empire, and the mother of your bloodline?"
"I do," Dominic said, looking directly into Hannah’s eyes with unwavering certainty.
"And do you, Hannah Mercer, accept the blood vow, to protect the family, honor the Don, and mother his heirs?"
"I do," Hannah said clearly.
"By the authority of the syndicate and the holy church, I pronounce you—"
CLANG!
The heavy double doors of the ballroom were slammed open.
A tall, breathtakingly beautiful woman with dark hair, dark lips, and a silk red dress stepped inside, flanked by six heavily armed Moretti enforcers.
Julianna Moretti had arrived.
"Stop this pathetic circus!" Julianna shouted, her voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings. "That wedding is invalid! I am the mother of those children!"
The ballroom erupted into chaos. Guns were drawn instantly on both sides. Syndicate guests ducked behind chairs, shouting in panic.
The triplets screamed, scrambling behind Hannah’s wedding dress.
Julianna strutted down the aisle, her heels clicking loudly against the marble floor. She looked at Hannah with absolute condescension. "Look at you. A cheap waitress playing dress-up in my house."
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Dominic stepped between Julianna and Hannah, drawing his silver gun and pressing the cold barrel directly against Julianna’s forehead.
"Take one more step toward my wife," Dominic growled, his voice vibrating with absolute lethality, "and I will blow your brains all over this aisle."
