Chapter 8 - THE WEDDING TRAPThree weeks later, the city waited for the wedding.
The newspapers called it the most shocking wedding in New York history.
The ruthless Bellini heir was marrying the plus-size waitress who had exposed his uncle.
Some articles praised Evelyn’s courage.
Others called her a gold digger.
One magazine published a photograph of her before and after meeting Adrian, as though her body were evidence in a criminal trial.
Evelyn read the article once.
Then she used it to line the bottom of a trash bin.
Adrian watched from the doorway.
“You don’t have to read those.”
“I enjoy knowing who hates me.”
“Why?”
“It helps me decide who to outlive.”
He smiled.
Since the chapel, things between them had changed.
Adrian still carried a gun. He still gave orders. He still frightened most people who met him.
But with Evelyn, he tried.
He knocked before entering her room.
He asked before touching her.
He listened when she spoke, even when he disagreed.
The wedding had been his idea.
Not a public performance.
A trap.
Stefano’s remaining allies believed Adrian was vulnerable while grieving the collapse of the family. They planned to attack during the ceremony, eliminate him, and seize control of the Bellini empire.
Adrian wanted them to come.
Evelyn wanted to be part of the plan.
“You are not standing beside me while men shoot at the altar,” Adrian told her.
“I stood beside you while men shot at a records cabinet.”
“That was different.”
“You were hiding me behind your body.”
“I was protecting you.”
“I’m not asking you to stop.”
“Then what are you asking?”
“To trust me.”
Adrian looked at her for a long moment.
Finally, he nodded.
The wedding took place at Saint Celia’s Cathedral.
Hundreds of guests filled the pews. Politicians, business owners, family members, and people who had spent years pretending not to know what the Bellinis did all sat beneath the stained-glass windows.
Evelyn walked down the aisle in an ivory gown designed to fit her body instead of hide it.
The dress had a sweetheart neckline, long sleeves, and a dramatic train. Small red flowers had been embroidered along the hem.
Adrian stood at the altar in a black tuxedo.
He looked at her as if the entire cathedral had disappeared.
When she reached him, he took her hand.
“You look dangerous,” he whispered.
“I dressed for the family.”
His thumb brushed over her knuckles.
“Are you afraid?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“I’m enjoying you.”
The priest began the ceremony.
Evelyn noticed the first sign of danger when one of the ushers touched his ear.
Adrian saw it too.
His hand tightened around hers.
The music continued.
A man near the rear doors stood.
Another moved toward the side aisle.
Then the cathedral lights went out.
Screams erupted.
Gunfire cracked through the darkness.
Adrian pulled Evelyn behind the altar as security guards returned fire.
Glass shattered above them.
Evelyn crawled toward the sound of a child crying. A young girl had fallen beneath a pew. She dragged the child behind a stone pillar.
“Stay here,” she whispered.
The girl nodded, sobbing.
Across the cathedral, Adrian fought two attackers near the altar.
Then a familiar voice rang through the darkness.
“Adrian!”
Bianca stood at the center aisle.
She was wearing a dark veil and holding a gun.
Evelyn froze.
Bianca turned toward Adrian. “You were always too sentimental.”
Adrian raised his weapon.
Bianca smiled. “You won’t shoot me in front of your bride.”
“You stopped being family when you helped Stefano.”
“I helped him because you abandoned me.”
“You helped him because you wanted power.”
“I wanted you.”
“You wanted the crown.”
Bianca’s eyes flickered toward Evelyn.
“She will never understand your world.”
“No,” Adrian said. “She understands it better than you ever did.”
Bianca’s face twisted.
She raised her gun.
Evelyn saw the angle.
Bianca was not aiming at Adrian.
She was aiming at the little girl behind the pillar.
Evelyn moved.
She threw herself between them.
The gun fired.
Adrian tackled Bianca as the bullet struck the altar.
Security guards rushed forward and disarmed her.
The cathedral slowly quieted.
When the lights returned, Evelyn noticed a red stain spreading across Adrian’s white shirt.
She screamed.
He looked down.
“It’s not mine.”
Behind him, one of the guards lay wounded.
Then a second gunshot rang out.
A man near the balcony collapsed.
Marcus looked up.
“Sniper!”
Adrian pulled Evelyn beneath the altar again.
“Stay down.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“You’re going to the safe room.”
“No.”
His eyes burned. “Evelyn.”
“No.”
She had seen something near the balcony.
A small red scarf tied around the sniper’s wrist.
Her father’s letter had mentioned a woman with a red scarf.
“The witness,” Evelyn whispered.
“What?”
“The woman who saw everything.”
She pointed toward the balcony.
The sniper was not aiming at Adrian.
She was aiming at Bianca.
Adrian understood.
They moved together.
Marcus and two guards climbed the stairs while Adrian covered them. The woman with the red scarf tried to escape through a side door.
Evelyn ran after her.
The woman turned and raised her weapon.
Evelyn recognized her face from an old photograph.
Maria Santos.
Former secretary to Stefano Bellini.
Maria lowered the gun.
“I’m not here to kill anyone,” she said.
“You nearly killed Bianca.”
“She deserves to be afraid.”
“Tell me what you saw the night my father died.”
Maria looked toward Adrian.
He stood at the top of the stairs, his gun lowered.
“Tell them,” he said.
Maria’s lips trembled.
“Thomas Hart was alive when Stefano set the fire,” she said. “Adrian’s father came to stop him. Stefano shot him first. Thomas tried to escape. Stefano locked the car doors.”
Evelyn’s knees weakened.
Maria continued.
“Adrian delivered the box earlier, but he didn’t know what was inside. His father tried to warn him, but Stefano had already arranged for Adrian to be sent away.”
“Why didn’t you testify?” Evelyn asked.
“Because Stefano threatened my daughter.”
“Where is she now?”
“Safe. In Canada.”
Adrian stepped toward Maria.
“Will you testify?”
Maria looked at him.
“If you protect my daughter.”
“I will.”
She nodded.
Below them, police arrested the remaining attackers.
The wedding had become a battlefield.
But Adrian still held Evelyn’s hand.
The priest approached cautiously.
“Should we continue?”
Evelyn looked at Adrian.
His eyes were filled with blood, grief, and something warmer.
She turned toward the priest.
“Yes.”
Adrian blinked. “Evelyn—”
“You promised to marry me.”
“I promised before gunfire.”
“You’re a Mafia boss. Surely you can handle a little drama.”
His mouth curved.
They stood beneath the broken stained glass while sirens echoed outside.
Adrian placed the ring on her finger.
“I vow to protect you,” he said.
Evelyn shook her head.
“Don’t vow to protect me from everything.”
“What should I vow?”
“Stand beside me.”
He looked at her.
Then he repeated, “I vow to stand beside you.”
Evelyn placed the ring on his finger.
“I vow to tell you the truth,” she said.
“Even when it hurts?”
“Especially then.”
The priest pronounced them married.
Adrian kissed her while police lights flashed across the cathedral walls.
Outside, the city learned that the Bellini wedding had survived an assassination attempt.
May you like
Inside, Evelyn finally understood that revenge had brought her to Adrian.
But love had convinced her to stay.
