Chapter 15 - The New Reign
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Dominic stood alone in the center of the ballroom. His mistress had fled. His wife had destroyed him. His men had abandoned him.
“Escort Mr. Vale to the service elevator,” Gabriel instructed the bodyguards, his voice dripping with condescension. “We wouldn't want him bothering the paying guests in the main lobby.”
The guards grabbed Dominic’s arms and dragged him toward the back of the ballroom. Dominic didn't fight back. The shock had finally paralyzed his nervous system. He was hauled away like a piece of garbage, his reign as the King of the Lake ending in total, absolute silence.
When the service doors closed behind Dominic, Gabriel turned to the ballroom.
The elite crowd held its collective breath. The power vacuum left by Dominic’s sudden removal was terrifying, but the presence of Gabriel Cross and the Moretti heir was infinitely worse.
Gabriel raised a glass of champagne from a nearby table.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Gabriel announced, his charismatic, dangerous voice filling the room. “I apologize for the interruption to your evening. Vale Holdings will undergo a minor restructuring over the weekend. All current contracts will be honored. All legitimate partnerships will remain intact. The only change is that you will no longer be dealing with a middleman.”
He turned to Evelyn, raising his glass to her.
“To the Queen,” Gabriel toasted.
The entire ballroom scrambled to grab their glasses. Politicians, syndicate bosses, and billionaires alike raised their champagne in a frantic, terrifying display of unified submission.
“To the Queen!” the crowd echoed, their voices trembling with fear and awe.
Evelyn did not smile. She did not raise a glass. She simply gave a slow, deliberate nod of acknowledgment, accepting the crown she had spent eight years hiding from.
“Let’s go,” Evelyn whispered to Gabriel, stepping away from the center of the room. “I need some air.”
May you like
Gabriel offered his arm, and she took it. They walked back down the aisle, the crowd parting for them once again, their heads bowed in respect. The Meridian Winter Gala had expected a corporate announcement. Instead, they had witnessed a bloodless coup.
As they walked through the heavy mahogany doors and into the quiet luxury of the Palmer House corridors, Evelyn let out a long, shuddering breath. The adrenaline was finally beginning to fade, leaving her physically exhausted but mentally sharper than she had ever been.
