Chapter 183

• VALENTINA
• I stepped into the grand ballroom of the old downtown hotel, and for a second everything felt like a dream I hadn’t earned. Crystal chandeliers hung above us, throwing soft golden light over white tablecloths and tall vases of white orchids mixed with deep red roses. The string quartet played something slow and sweet in the corner, the notes floating through the air like they were meant just for us. My ivory gown hugged my body and flowed around my legs with every step, the fabric catching the light so it shimmered. Gustavo’s arm was steady under mine, warm and solid, and the diamond on my finger flashed bright whenever I moved my hand. I still couldn’t believe it sometimes—how we went from that brutal contract to this. My heart felt too full, like it might spill over if I looked at him too long.
• Guests turned as we walked in. Politicians in sharp suits, business people who ran half the city’s money, a few faces I recognized from the news. They smiled, raised their glasses, and the quiet wave of congratulations rolled over me. “To the happy couple,” someone called. Another voice added, “She’s a keeper, Gustavo.” I smiled back, cheeks warm, nervous excitement buzzing under my skin. Pride sat right beside the fear—the quiet worry that happiness like this could break in our world. But tonight I pushed it down. Tonight I wanted to feel it all.