Chapter 4 - The Gala Trap
Dominic did not confront Bianca.
That surprised everyone who knew him.
Especially Bianca.
He folded the card and placed it inside his jacket.
Then he returned to Mara.
“Dance with me.”
“What?”
“Dance.”
“Dominic, somebody just—”
“I know.”
His voice softened.
“But whoever did this wants you watching the walls instead of living your life.”
Mara stared at him.
Then placed her hand in his.
They walked onto the dance floor.
People noticed.
Dominic Serrano rarely danced publicly.
Tonight he did not care.
His hand rested lightly against Mara’s back while they moved beneath crystal chandeliers.
“You’re shaking,” he whispered.
“So are you.”
“I’m angry.”
“I know.”
“Are you afraid?”
Mara thought about it.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to leave?”
She looked toward Bianca.
“No.”
Dominic smiled.
“That’s my wife.”
Across the ballroom, Celeste approached Bianca.
“What did you do?”
Bianca frowned.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“The card.”
Bianca’s expression flickered.
Celeste saw it.
“You promised you stopped.”
“Keep your voice down.”
Celeste stared at her cousin.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Bianca grabbed her arm.
“Then stop acting guilty.”
Celeste pulled away.
Unfortunately for Bianca, someone else had seen the exchange.
Isabella.
Minutes later, Isabella found Dominic.
“Your sister needs to speak with you.”
“Where?”
“Library.”
Dominic looked at Mara.
“I’m coming,” she said.
He hesitated.
“No more rooms where people discuss me after I leave.”
Dominic nodded.
Together they entered the private library.
Celeste stood near the fireplace.
She looked nothing like the confident woman from the boutique.
“I owe Mara the truth.”
Mara folded her arms.
Celeste swallowed.
“It started with me.”
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“The comments?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Celeste looked at Mara.
“Jealousy.”
Mara blinked.
“Of me?”
Celeste laughed sadly.
“You came into this family without trying to impress anyone. Mother liked you. Staff liked you. Dominic became happier.”
“That made you angry?”
“It made me feel replaceable.”
Dominic stared at his sister.
Celeste continued.
“I spent my entire life being told that being a Serrano meant being perfect. Perfect clothes. Perfect posture. Perfect marriage.”
Her voice broke slightly.
“My marriage failed anyway.”
Mara’s anger softened, but only slightly.
“That doesn’t give you permission to hurt me.”
“I know.”
Celeste nodded.
“I made comments. I suggested dresses. I told Bianca you needed help fitting into our world.”
“And the cards?” Dominic asked.
Celeste shook her head.
“I never wrote them.”
“Why should we believe you?”
“Because after the third dress, I stopped.”
Mara frowned.
“No, you didn’t.”
“I stopped criticizing you directly.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
Celeste looked ashamed.
“But Bianca didn’t.”
Dominic turned.
“What does Bianca want?”
Celeste looked toward the closed door.
“She wants Mara gone.”
“Why?”
Celeste hesitated.
“Because she believes Mara cost her family millions.”
Dominic frowned.
Then he remembered.
Three years earlier, Dominic had canceled a proposed development project involving Bianca’s father.
The project would have demolished a block containing several small businesses.
Mara had opposed it.
Dominic had listened.
The development collapsed.
Bianca’s father lost a fortune.
“She blamed Mara?”
“Yes.”
Mara stared at Celeste.
“And you helped her?”
“At first I thought it was gossip. Then jokes. Then suggestions.”
Celeste’s eyes filled.
“I didn’t realize what she was doing until it had already become cruel.”
Dominic’s voice turned cold.
“You realized.”
Celeste looked at him.
“You simply didn’t stop her.”
Silence.
Then the library door opened.
Bianca stood there.
Apparently she had heard enough.
“Wonderful.”
Nobody moved.
Bianca looked at Mara.
“You finally got exactly what you wanted.”
Mara stared at her.
“What did I want?”
“Dominic choosing you over everyone.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“This has nothing to do with choosing.”
“It has everything to do with choosing!”
Bianca’s composure shattered.
“You changed him.”
Mara shook her head.
“No. You just don’t like that he can say no to you.”
Bianca’s face tightened.
Dominic almost smiled.
There was the Mara he remembered.
Bianca turned toward him.
“My father lost eighteen million dollars because of her.”
“Your father lost money because the project was bad.”
“She interfered.”
“She asked me whether destroying forty businesses was worth building another luxury tower.”
“And you listened.”
“Yes.”
Bianca laughed bitterly.
“Exactly.”
Mara finally understood.
This had never been about her body.
Her body had simply been the weapon Bianca discovered would hurt her most.
“You wanted me to leave him.”
Bianca said nothing.
“You thought if you made me ashamed enough, I would disappear.”
Silence.
Mara stepped closer.
“You almost succeeded.”
Dominic looked at her.
That admission hurt.
Mara continued.
“But not tonight.”
Bianca walked out.
Dominic’s security director followed.
Not to threaten her.
To make certain she left the private event.
Mara turned toward Celeste.
Her sister-in-law looked hopeful.
Mara shook her head.
“I’m not ready to forgive you.”
Celeste’s face fell.
“But I’m willing to believe people can change.”
Celeste nodded.
“That’s more than I deserve.”
Mara and Dominic returned to the ballroom.
The orchestra began another song.
For the first time that evening, Mara forgot people were watching.
Near midnight, Dominic’s assistant approached.
“Sir.”
He handed Dominic a phone.
An email had arrived.
Anonymous sender.
Attached were photographs of Mara.
Dozens.
Taken over six months.
Outside restaurants.
Entering boutiques.
Walking alone.
Dominic’s blood ran cold.
The cards had been cruel.
But this was different.
Someone had been following his wife.
May you like
And Bianca had already left the building.
---
