Chapter 12 - The Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner was held in the glass-enclosed dining room of the estate. Outside, a gentle snow began to fall, blanketing the pines—a stark contrast to the blizzard Chloe had vanished into on the day of her interview.
Toasts were being made.
Evelyn Mercer, the former secretary whom Lorenzo had protected years ago, stood up holding a glass of wine. She had traveled from Wisconsin for the wedding.
“When I first met Lorenzo Rossy, I was terrified of him,” Evelyn said, drawing a chuckle from the crowd. “But when danger came, he didn't hesitate to protect me. He just forgot to tell me he was the good guy.”
Lorenzo smiled tightly, holding Chloe’s hand under the table.
“And then came Chloe,” Evelyn continued, raising her glass toward her. “The woman who didn't run. The woman who looked at the big, scary mafia boss and said, ‘Excuse me, your spreadsheet is wrong.’”
The room erupted into laughter. Chloe hid her face against Lorenzo’s shoulder, blushing furiously.
“To Chloe and Lorenzo,” Evelyn cheered. “May your ledgers always balance, and may your love always multiply.”
“Cheers!” the room echoed.
Later, near the fireplace, Matteo cornered Chloe. He handed her a small, velvet pouch.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“A wedding gift. From me.” Matteo looked distinctly awkward.
Chloe opened it. Inside was a beautiful, custom-made silver pen. It was heavy, perfectly balanced, and engraved with her initials.
“It’s beautiful, Matteo,” she said softly.
“It’s also a tactical defense weapon,” he muttered, looking away. “The cap is reinforced titanium. You can break glass with it. Or a nose. Just in case.”
Chloe burst into laughter and hugged the terrifying head of security. Matteo stiffened, patted her awkwardly on the back, and quickly retreated.
May you like
“I think he likes you,” Lorenzo said, coming up behind her.
“He just wants to make sure his boss’s wife is heavily armed in the office,” Chloe smiled, clicking the pen. “It writes like a dream, too.”
