Chapter 2 - The Silent Predator
Lorenzo Moretti did not smile. He didn’t need to. In Chicago’s underworld, a smile was a weakness, an admission that you cared what the world thought of you. Tonight, standing at the head table of his own engagement gala, he looked out over a sea of politicians, businessmen, and capos who all wanted a piece of his grace.
Beside him, Isabella glowed. Her custom Vera Wang gown caught the chandelier light like spilled starlight. She played her part to perfection, laughing softly at a stale joke told by a corrupt city councilman, leaning into Lorenzo's shoulder with practiced intimacy.
"You look breathtaking, Isabella," Lorenzo murmured, his voice a low, gravelly baritone that vibrated right through her spine.
"Everything is perfection, Enzo," she purred, her fingers tracing the lapel of his tailored Armani suit. "Our futures... finally aligned."
Lorenzo’s dark eyes narrowed slightly, scanning the room. Something felt off. It wasn't a tangible threat—his instincts were too sharp for that. It was an absence.
"Where are the children?" he asked casually, his gaze never leaving her face.
Isabella didn't flinch. Not a single muscle in her immaculate face twitched. She had rehearsed this moment a hundred times.
"The nanny put them to bed hours ago, darling," she said with a soft, affectionate sigh. "They were overstimulated by the commotion. I checked on them myself right before the ceremony. They’re fast asleep."
Lorenzo held her gaze for three long, agonizing seconds. He knew Isabella was ambitious. He knew she came from an East Coast family that viewed marriage as a corporate merger. But she had never lied to him directly—or at least, she had never been caught doing it.
May you like
"See that they aren't disturbed," Lorenzo said flatly, turning his attention back to his glass of scotch. "They are my blood. Anyone who touches them answers to me."
Isabella’s smile didn't waver, but underneath the table, her manicured nails dug so hard into her palms that the skin broke. Let them sleep, she thought bitterly. Soon, they won't wake up at all.
