Chapter 10 - The Gala
The underground casino in the meatpacking district was a fortress of sin and luxury. The massive warehouse had been converted into a glittering ballroom, packed with high-rolling criminals, corrupt politicians, and rival syndicate bosses.
Leo stood on a raised balcony overlooking the floor, a champagne flute in his hand. He wore a white tuxedo, playing the role of the new king perfectly. He was just about to step up to the microphone to make his grand announcement when the heavy iron doors at the entrance slammed shut with a deafening boom.
The music stopped. The crowd fell silent.
At the top of the grand staircase, stepping out of the shadows, was Gabriel Thorne.
A collective gasp ripped through the room. Several men immediately dropped their drinks, shattering glass on the marble floor. Gabriel was supposed to be in a morgue.
But it wasn't just the ghost of the syndicate boss that stunned the crowd. It was the woman holding his arm.
Clara stood tall, radiating confidence in her emerald gown, the diamonds at her throat glittering under the chandeliers. She looked utterly flawless, commanding the attention of every single person in the room.
Leo’s face drained of all color. He gripped the balcony railing, his knuckles turning stark white. "It's a trick," he hissed to his guards. "Shoot him!"
Before Leo’s men could even draw their weapons, Victor and a dozen of Gabriel's loyal enforcers stepped out from the crowd, heavily armed and aiming directly at the balcony. The trap had been perfectly laid. Half the men in the room who Leo thought were loyal to him instantly switched sides the moment they saw Gabriel was alive.
"Hello, Leo," Gabriel’s voice boomed through the silent room, utterly devoid of mercy. "I hear you've been sitting in my chair."
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Gabriel slowly descended the staircase, Clara walking in perfect stride beside him. The crowd parted for them like the Red Sea, terrified of the sheer aura of power radiating from the couple.
Leo was trapped, outgunned, and outsmarted. The boy who had laughed at Clara in the emergency room was now trembling in fear.
