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The morning sun filtered through the centuries-old stained glass of St. Jude’s Cathedral, casting jagged patterns of sapphire and crimson across the polished mahogany pews. / Chapter 4 / 30

Chapter 4 - THE ARRIVAL AT ST. JUDE’SThe black Mercedes-Benz slid quietly to a stop across the street from St. Jude’s Cathedral. The rain had cleared, leaving the wet cobblestones gleaming under the midday sun. Valet attendants in crisp black suits were rushing back and forth, parking luxury vehicles while paparazzi snapped photos of local Chicago elites streaming through the cathedral doors.

Inside the car, Mia adjusted the blanket around baby Clara, who let out a soft, sleepy yawn.

We’re here, Marco said, putting the car in park but keeping the engine idling. You want me to come inside with you?

No, Marco, Mia said, her voice calm and resolute. Stay here with Clara. Keep the doors locked. If I’m not back out in forty-five minutes, call District Attorney Sterling directly and tell him the package has been delivered.

Understood, Marco nodded, checking his sidearm discreetly beneath his suit jacket.

Mia opened the car door and stepped out onto the Chicago pavement. She wore a tailored charcoal wool coat over a simple black dress, her sunglasses hiding the slight fatigue lingering around her eyes, but her posture was straight, unyielding, and terrifyingly composed. She didn't look like a woman recovering from major surgery; she looked like an executioner walking toward the guillotine.

As she crossed the street toward the cathedral steps, the heavy oak doors were just beginning to close, muffling the opening chords of the traditional wedding march.

An oversized security guard with a broad chest and a stern expression stepped into her path, blocking the entrance.

Invitation only, ma'am, the guard said flatly, holding out a hand. Private ceremony. You’ll need to check your invite with the greeter around the back.

Mia didn't flinch. She slowly lowered her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose, fixing the guard with a cold, piercing stare that made him instinctively step back half a step.

I don't need an invitation, she said, her voice carrying an icy authority that commanded immediate attention. Tell Ryan Brooks his first wife is here to deliver a wedding gift. And trust me—he won't want to miss it.

The guard hesitated, unnerved by her eerie composure, before muttering into his lapel mic. Vance... guest at the back doors claiming to be the ex-wife.

From inside the vestibule, Julian—who had stepped out to check on the seating arrangements—froze. He pushed past the guard, stepping out onto the steps, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief as he saw Mia standing there in the sunlight.

Mia? Julian stammered, his face draining of color. What the hell are you doing here? Ryan said you wouldn't dare—

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The pressurized air of the cabin suddenly felt thick, heavy, and suffocating. My lungs burned as I fought the urge to grab Julie by her linen collar and force the rest of the truth out of her right there at thirty thousand feet.

The pressurized air of the cabin suddenly felt thick, heavy, and suffoca...

The heavy oak door of the master suite swung wider, letting out a sharp draft of chilled air that smelled faintly of expensive bourbon and cold rain. Lorenzo Moretti did not blink.

The heavy oak door of the master suite swung wider, letting out a sharp...

The rain in the lower district did not fall; it drifted like smoke, slicking the asphalt and carrying the smell of coal smoke and rotting citrus from the wholesale market two blocks down.

The rain in the lower district did not fall; it drifted like smoke, slic...

Ryan talks too much, Mia interrupted smoothly, brushing past him before he could react. And it’s time he learned how to listen.

Before Julian could grab her arm, Mia pushed open the heavy cathedral doors and stepped into the sanctuary.

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Chapter 5 - THE PROCESSION INTERRUPTEDInside the cathedral, the air was thick with the scent of white lilies and burning frankincense. Two hundred high-society guests sat in absolute silence, turning their heads as the organ swelled to its crescendo.
Chapter 6 - THE PATERNITY BOMBThe silence in St. Jude’s Cathedral became absolute—a heavy, suffocating vacuum where nobody dared to breathe.
Chapter 7 - THE FALL OF AN EMPIREPanic erupted inside St. Jude’s Cathedral.
Chapter 8 - THE RECKONING AT THE DRAKE HOTELBy one o'clock in the afternoon, the grand ballroom of the Drake Hotel—booked for three hundred guests, lavish floral arrangements, and a five-tier wedding cake—was completely empty.
Chapter 9 - THE NEW DAWN AT GREENWICHTwo weeks later, the crisp Chicago air gave way to a brilliant Indian summer afternoon.
Chapter 10 - THE ETERNAL QUEENThe sun dipped below the tree line, painting the sky over the Greenwich estate in brilliant shades of amber, violet, and gold.

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