Chapter 4 - Under the Chandelier|
Raphael’s dark eyes locked onto the broken glass on the floor, then swept the immediate radius for the server. The waiter was long gone.
"What did you have?" Raphael demanded gently, his chest rising and falling in heavy, ragged breaths.
"One... one sip," Elena whispered, her eyes struggling to focus on his features. "The sparkling wine..."
Raphael's face transformed into a mask of pure, terrifying authority.
"Call 911!" he roared across the quieted room.
He turned toward Marco Donnelly, his head of corporate security, who was already pushing through the shocked circle of billionaires and socialites.
"Marco! Nobody touches that table!" Raphael ordered, his voice echoing under the high ceilings. "Preserve that broken glass!"
"On it," Marco replied crisp, instantly placing himself between the crowd and the spill.
Raphael glared at the hotel’s trembling event manager. "Lock down all service corridor security feeds right now. Do not overwrite, delete, or move a single frame. The police are coming."
"Sir, this is a private event—" the manager stammered.
"Do it now!" Raphael barked.
Elena’s hand drifted downward, pressing hard against her lower abdomen.
"The baby..." she whimpered softly, a tear cutting through her makeup. "Raphael, the baby..."
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The billionaire’s ruthless composure shattered completely. For the first time since she had known him, raw terror broke through his stoic surface.
"Stay with me, sweetheart," he murmured, pulling her closer as the faint sound of sirens began to cut through the soft rain outside. "I’m right here. I’ve got you."
