He Left Her for Her Best Friend, but He Never Expected Who Would Walk Her Down the Aisle Next 23 24

Within forty-eight hours, Elena Reyes was the only name the city of Chicago cared to speak about.

Page Six, the Chicago Tribune, and every social media gossip channel exploded with photos from the Meridian Grand Hotel. Headlines blared: Billionaire Dante Salvatore Announces Engagement to Mystery Beauty at Rival's Wedding!

Vivien Aldridge’s extravagant wedding photos had been entirely pushed to the back pages, eclipsed by grainy, magnetic snapshots of Elena in her emerald velvet gown beside Dante.

By Thursday evening, Elena found herself stepping onto the red carpet at the annual Chicago Symphony Gala.

She wore a custom off-white silk crepe gown by Schiaparelli, accented with sapphires that matched Dante’s custom cufflinks. Her hair fell in glamorous Hollywood waves over one shoulder. beside her, Dante looked lethal in a midnight-blue tuxedo, his security detail moving like silent ghosts through the perimeter of the museum atrium.

""Remember your breathing,"" Dante murmured against her hair as camera flashes blinded them. ""You belong here.""

""I'm fine,"" Elena whispered back, surprising herself with how natural it felt to lean into his broad shoulder. ""Let them look.""

As they stepped into the champagne lounge, the crowd parted just as it had two nights before. But standing near the grand marble staircase were Marcus and Vivien. Vivien looked haggard despite layers of expensive foundation, her eyes burning with pure malice. Marcus looked visibly thinner, dark circles shadowing his eyes.

""Elena,"" Marcus called out, breaking away from his wife and hurrying toward them. ""Elena, wait. We need to talk.""

Two of Dante’s bodyguards immediately stepped into his path, their jackets shifting to reveal the heavy leather holsters beneath. Marcus froze, raising his trembling hands.

""Stand down, boys,"" Dante ordered quietly. He stepped forward, casually slipping one hand into his trouser pocket while keeping the other firmly on Elena's waist. ""Mr. Aldridge. How pleasant to see you enjoying your honeymoon period. How is married life treating your portfolio?""

Marcus ignored Dante, staring pleadingly at Elena. ""Elena, please. You have to listen to me. You don't know what you're doing. This man is a criminal! He's a mob boss, a killer! He's using you to destroy my family!""

Elena looked at the man she had loved for three years. In his eyes, she saw only panic, greed, and pathetic self-preservation. Not a single trace of genuine remorse for how he had broken her heart.

""You should know a great deal about using people, Marcus,"" Elena said coolly, her voice cutting through the hushed circle of onlookers. ""You used my loyalty when you were nobody. Then you used Vivien's trust fund when your reckless gambling failed. Dante hasn't used me for anything. He has treated me with more respect in two days than you did in three years.""

Vivien stormed up behind Marcus, her face flushed with fury. ""You arrogant little waitress! You think you won? You think putting on a borrowed dress and sleeping with a mafia thug makes you a lady? Everyone here knows what you are! You're white trash from the South Side, and when he gets bored of you, he’ll dump your body in the Chicago River!""

The room went dead silent. Several guests gasped in horror at Vivien's screeching outburst.

Dante didn't raise his voice. He didn't draw a weapon. He simply pulled a silver phone from his coat, tapped the screen twice, and held it to his ear.

""Romano,"" Dante spoke into the speaker. ""Aldridge Commercial Holdings. Call the ten-million-dollar demand note due immediately. Foreclose on their Michigan Avenue tower by nine o’clock tomorrow morning.""

Marcus’s jaw dropped. ""No... no! Dante, please! That will bankrupt us!""

Dante hung up the phone and looked down at Vivien with an expression colder than a winter grave. ""You have sixty seconds to remove your shrieking presence from this room before my men carry you out into the street. And if you ever speak to my fiancée again, Mrs. Aldridge, I will ensure your family loses everything down to the clothes on your back.""