Chapter 7 - PLAYING THE PART
The Mayor’s Winter Charity Gala was the most exclusive event in Chicago, held in the glittering ballroom of the Drake Hotel. The room was packed with politicians, real estate tycoons, socialites, and old money.
Richard and Ethan Dawson were holding court near the bar, projecting an image of absolute dominance. Ethan was telling a carefully crafted story about his wife needing specialized psychological care at a remote facility, playing the tragic, supportive husband to perfection.
Then, the murmuring started.
It began near the entrance and rippled through the massive ballroom like a tidal wave. Conversations stopped. Heads turned. The string quartet seemed to falter for a fraction of a second.
Gabriel Moretti had arrived.
He looked devastatingly handsome in a bespoke black tuxedo, radiating power and quiet lethality. But it wasn't Gabriel that had the room whispering in shock.
It was the woman on his arm.
Claire Dawson—no, Claire Moretti—stepped into the ballroom looking like a queen. She wore a sweeping, emerald-green silk gown that clung perfectly to her curves, her dark hair pinned up in an elegant sweep. Around her neck rested a diamond necklace worth more than the Dawson penthouse, but the most blinding piece of jewelry was the wedding band and engagement ring on her left hand.
Gabriel’s hand rested possessively, warmly, on her lower back as they descended the grand staircase.
Across the room, Ethan Dawson dropped his champagne glass. It shattered on the marble floor, but nobody noticed.
"What is the meaning of this?" Richard Dawson hissed, his face turning a dangerous shade of red as he grabbed his son's arm. "Why is she with him? Why is she wearing those jewels?"
Gabriel guided Claire effortlessly through the crowd, parting the sea of elite billionaires as if he were Moses. Politicians rushed forward to shake his hand, their eyes darting to Claire in rampant curiosity.
"Governor," Gabriel greeted smoothly. "Allow me to introduce my wife, Claire Moretti. We were quietly married this afternoon."
The bomb dropped. The whispers erupted into a chaotic buzz.
Ethan pushed his way through the crowd, completely losing his composure.
"Claire!" Ethan shouted, stepping into Gabriel’s path. "What the hell are you doing?! Are you insane?!"
Gabriel stepped smoothly in front of Claire, shielding her with his body. The charming, polite facade he wore for the politicians vanished instantly, replaced by the terrifying aura of the underworld boss.
"Watch your tone when speaking to my wife, Dawson," Gabriel said softly, but the threat was so palpable the surrounding guests physically backed away.
"She's my wife!" Ethan snarled, pointing a trembling finger.
"Your divorce was finalized at nine o'clock this morning," Gabriel replied smoothly, pulling a folded legal document from his breast pocket and tossing it onto Ethan’s chest. "She married me at noon. Her name is Claire Moretti. And the child you abandoned in a hospital room is now under the legal, financial, and physical protection of my family."
Richard Dawson shoved past his son, glaring at Gabriel. "This is a sham! You coerced a vulnerable woman! I will have my lawyers rip this apart! You are stealing my granddaughter!"
"Your granddaughter?" Claire suddenly spoke up, stepping out from behind Gabriel’s protective frame. Her voice was steady, ringing with newfound confidence. "You mean the daughter Ethan handed me divorce papers over? The daughter he called a disappointment because she wasn't a boy? You don't care about Emma. You care about your ego."
The surrounding socialites gasped, hands flying to their mouths. The Dawson PR machine was being blown to pieces in front of the entire city's elite.
"You lying bitch," Ethan hissed, lunging forward.
Before Ethan could even blink, Gabriel had him by the throat.
The movement was so fast, so violently precise, that the crowd shrieked and fell back. Gabriel slammed Ethan backward onto a cocktail table, shattering the glass top.
Gabriel leaned over him, his hand clamped around Ethan's windpipe, cutting off his air.
"I warned you," Gabriel whispered, his voice dark and demonic. "I told you what would happen if you ever came near her again."
"Gabriel," Claire said softly, placing a gentle hand on his tense shoulder. "Don't. He's not worth it. Let's go home."
Gabriel stared into Ethan's terrified, bulging eyes for one more second. Then, he tossed Ethan aside like garbage.
He adjusted his cuffs, turned to Claire, and offered her his arm. "Of course, mia sposa. Let's go home."
As they walked out of the ballroom, leaving the Dawson family in absolute ruins on the floor, Claire realized something terrifying.
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She wasn't just playing a part anymore. When Gabriel had called her his wife, her heart had soared.
She was falling in love with the monster.
