Chapter 8 - The Gala at St. Jude’s
Three weeks later, the grand ballroom of the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan glistened under crystal chandeliers for the annual Westchester Children's Charity Gala—an event sponsored by the city's highest elite, including the Moretti Foundation.
The venue was filled with high-society figures, reporters, and political heavyweights. Security was tight, but discreet.
Dominic walked through the entrance looking commanding in a tailored black tuxedo. Beside him, holding his arm, was Sophia.
She took the room's breath away.
Sophia wore an elegant emerald-green silk gown that sculpted her graceful frame, her dark hair styled in soft waves over one shoulder. A simple diamond pendant rested against her collarbone—a personal piece from the Moretti vault that Dominic had placed around her neck himself before they left the estate.
She walked with quiet confidence, no longer the timid housekeeper who hid in the corridors, but a woman who stood proudly beside the most formidable man in New York.
Beside them, Ethan wore a miniature tux, holding little Lily’s hand. Lily was practically glowing in a puffy white dress with a yellow ribbon around her waist, her small eyes wide as she stared at the three-tiered chocolate fountain in the center of the hall.
"Remember the rules, Ethan," Dominic murmured, bending down slightly. "Keep Lily close to you and Julian at all times."
"I will, Dad," Ethan said solemnly, taking his role as big brother very seriously.
As the children were escorted toward the private family VIP balcony by Julian and two trusted guards, Dominic led Sophia toward the center of the ballroom, where Senator Arthur Corradi was holding court with a group of wealthy donors.
When Corradi saw Dominic approaching with Sophia, his eyes narrowed, a cold, mocking smile appearing on his face.
"Dominic," Corradi said smoothly, raising his glass of champagne. "And this must be the lovely woman we’ve heard so much about. Miss Carter, isn't it? The former... head of domestic staff?"
The subtle insult was deliberate, designed to humiliate Sophia in front of New York society.
Sophia didn't flinch. She met the senator’s gaze with calm, clear eyes. "Former head of domestic staff, Senator. Which means I know exactly how to spot trash when it’s standing right in front of me."
A quiet gasp rippled through the surrounding elite.
Dominic’s lips twitched into a suppressed smirk, his hand tightening affectionately around Sophia’s waist. "My partner has an exceptional eye for detail, Arthur. Just like her daughter."
Corradi’s face darkened, but he recovered quickly, taking a sip of his drink. "Enjoy the evening, Dominic. Charity events can be so... unpredictable."
Corradi turned and walked away into the crowd.
Sophia leaned closer to Dominic, her voice dropping into a low whisper. "He’s planning something tonight, isn't he?"
"Corradi thinks he arranged for a corrupt security team to switch out the floor staff on the VIP level twenty minutes ago," Dominic whispered back, his dark eyes tracking Corradi’s movement across the room. "He believes his men are going to stage an 'accidental' fire alarm, isolate you and the kids in the private lounge, and hold you to force me to surrender the Karras ledgers."
Sophia’s heart hammered against her ribs, but she didn't show fear. "And what’s actually going to happen?"
Dominic looked down at her, his eyes filled with absolute confidence. "What’s actually going to happen is that Julian replaced Corradi’s hitmen an hour ago with our own men. Corradi is walking into his own execution—politically and legally."
Suddenly, from the far side of the ballroom near the VIP access corridor, a small commotion broke out.
"Wait! Stop her!" a voice called out.
Dominic and Sophia turned quickly.
Little Lily had slipped past the velvet ropes of the VIP balcony, running straight toward a tall man in a waiter’s uniform who was carrying a silver tray near the service doors.
"Lily!" Sophia called out, stepping forward.
The waiter froze as the toddler ran right up to him, pointing her tiny finger directly at his right hand.
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"Mommy! Look!" Lily shouted in her clear, ringing toddler voice that carried across the quieted ballroom. "He has the lion ring! The lion ring from the cold room!"
The room went completely still.
