Chapter 3
Dominic did not look down at Vivienne. He slowly turned his head, scanning the stunned ballroom. Across the floor, six men in tailored dark suits who had been standing near the perimeter security posts immediately snapped to attention, placing their hands respectfully in front of them.
Dominic looked back down at the manager, his deep, gravely voice breaking the silent hall with ice-cold precision.
"Now tell them who this hotel belongs to," Dominic said quietly.
The manager raised his head, turning to face the frozen crowd of billionaires, politicians, and socialites.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the manager announced clearly. "The Grand Bellevue Hotel, along with the land beneath it and the parent holding company, is the private property of Mr. Dominic Valerio."
A collective gasp echoed across the room.
Vivienne, sitting among the ruined flowers with her fair cheek burning bright red, felt the blood completely drain from her face. Her breathing became shallow as the reality crashed down upon her.
The man she had just insulted, humiliated, and doused in champagne wasn't a lost bouncer or a stray gatecrasher. He was Dominic Valerio—the legendary, legendary Mafia boss who had consolidated the entire underground economy fifteen years ago before vanishing into thin air.
Dominic dropped his soaked jacket onto the floor beside her.
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"Clean this up," Dominic said to the manager, his tone as flat as a winters night. "And clear the VIP table."
Without giving Vivienne a second glance, he turned and walked toward the private executive elevators at the back of the hall.
