Chapter 3 - The Midnight Blast
"Don't take the first bite!"
Maya’s childish voice ripped through the elegant silence of the banquet hall.
The guests froze in shock, turning their heads toward the commotion.
Maya sprinted across the polished hardwood floor, her tiny shoes slapping against the wood.
She swung the heavy brass poker with all the strength her small body could muster.
The brass head smashed directly into the second tier of the cake.
The sound of tearing fondant echoed like a gunshot.
Dark icing and red velvet sponge exploded outward, showering the pristine dance floor.
The crowd gasped in collective horror.
A small, black, cylindrical device tumbled out of the ruined cake.
It bounced twice and rolled to a complete stop right against Roman’s polished leather shoe.
The entire room held its breath.
Elena’s flawless bridal mask completely shattered.
"She’s just a child," Elena stammered, her voice thin, panicked, and entirely fake.
"Someone get her out of here!"
Maya stood tall, her knuckles white around the handle of the poker.
She locked eyes with the terrifying bride.
"He can't touch it either," Maya declared loudly.
Roman stared down at the device, recognizing the pressure-trigger mechanism immediately.
If the knife had pressed down on the cake, the weight would have detonated it.
Julian Cross realized the game was over.
The fixer’s calm demeanor vanished as he reached inside his tailored jacket.
"Kill the boss!" Julian screamed at the top of his lungs.
The elegant wedding instantly transformed into a chaotic warzone.
Five men in the crowd, disguised as guests, drew hidden firearms.
But Roman’s men had been waiting for this exact signal.
Viktor burst through the kitchen doors with an assault rifle.
"Get down!" Viktor roared.
Gunfire erupted, shattering the crystal chandeliers above.
Screams filled the air as the wealthy elite scrambled under tables.
Roman kicked the rolling cake cart directly at Julian, knocking the fixer off balance.
In the midst of the flying bullets and shattering glass, Roman grabbed Maya by her apron strings.
May you like
He pulled the little girl behind a heavy overturned banquet table.
The beautiful wedding had become a slaughterhouse.
