Chapter 147

Alexander Pierce stood in the ballroom of the Grand Plaza Hotel, watching his security team transform the elegant space into a fortress. Men in black suits installed hidden cameras in crystal chandeliers. Others "The sniper teams will be positioned here, here, and here," his head of security explained, pointing to locations on the blueprint spread across a table. "Full view of all approaches. No one gets within a bundred The silent threats were always the deadliest.

His phone buzzed. Stefan Rodriguez's name flashed on the screen. Alexander stepped away from the security team to take the call.

"What do you have for me?" he asked without preamble.

"My contact at Bessonov's club just called," Stefan's voice was tense, urgent. "Rose met with Anton yesterday. Paid him a large amount of cash."

Alexander's grip tightened on the phone. "For what?"

"He wouldn't say exactly. But it wasn't just muscle. She asked for

something special. Something with 'impact."

A cold knot formed in Alexander's stomach. "Explosives?"

"Maybe. Or worse." Stefan paused. "You need to check everything that comes into that ballroom. Food deliveries, Flower arrangements. Staff uniforms. Everything."

"We already are." Alexander looked across the ballroom, where security personnel were using dogs to sniff every package, every decoration. "What else can you tell me about her tactics? How she thinks?" Stefan was silent for a moment. "Rose likes to strike where it hurts most. She won't just go after the building or random guests. She'll target what matters to Camille personally."

"The Phoenix Foundation donations."

"Yes. Or the people Camille cares about. You. Victoria. Maybe even her parents if they're attending.”

Alexander's jaw tightened. "They are."

"Then watch them closely. Rose knows hurting them would destroy Camille in a way that physical harm to Camille herself never could."

Alexander made a mental note to assign additional security to the Lewis family and Victoria. "Anything else?"

"Yes." Stefan's voice dropped lower. "Rose won't come herself. Not directly. She'll use someone else. Someone no one would suspect."

"Like who?"

"Someone desperate for money. Someone who needs a job. A waiter. A valet. A last-

minute replacement for a sick staff member."

Alexander turned toward the hotel manager, who was reviewing staff assignments nearby. "We'll

check every employee. Run background checks

on everyone who enters the building."

"It might not be enough," Stefan warned. "Rose is... creative. She thinks steps ahead."

"So do I," Alexander said firmly. "Keep working your

contacts. If you hear anything else, call me immediately." "I will."

After ending the call, Alexander summoned his team

leaders. In rapid succession, he ordered additional security measures: background checks on all hotel staff extended to family members and associates; bomb- sniffing dogs to check every guest as they arrived; facial recognition software programmed with Rose's features to scan the crowd continuously.

"Sir,"

leaders said hesitantly, "some of these measures are quite... intrusive. The guests

flatly. "Better uncomfortable guests

and returned to his duties. Alexander

would arrive to inspect the arrangements.

this

phone rang again.

her voice calm

turning the Grand Plaza into Fort Knox, Alexander assured her. "No one gets in without being thoroughly

1/4

Chapter 147

said. "He told me

"I'm handling it."

"I had another

stopped pacing. Camille rarely mentioned her nightmares, though he knew she still had them sometimes." About

was quieter now. "Everyone was there. Smiling. Celebrating. Then everything went dark. When the lights came back on, people were screaming.

Alexander said gently, though his own unease deepened. "The security we have in

him off. "I know it's just anxiety. But I can't shake this feeling, Alexander. Like we're missing

ballroom, at the dozens of highly trained security personnel, at

state-of-the-

equipment being installed. What could

again," he promised.

paused. "I love you, you

caught him off guard. "I love you

be careful. I'll see you

After they hung

voice had been subtle but unmistakable. Not fear for herself, but for him. For everyone she loved. With renewed determination, Alexander turned to the hotel's head of security. "I want to see the complete staff list. Everyone who will be in this building tonight.

hurried off, Alexander's phone buzzed with a text

texted back: "So

he returned to reviewing security

wasn't enough? What if Rose had found a way around

Camille's nightmare was a

***

in her apartment, staring at

seemed to shimmer

the hostess of

the year.

why did looking at it fill her

by the window, watching

can still cancel," she

would blame us,

"The hospital needs this funding. And I won't let Rose take

convinced. "Security reports just came in. Alexander has transformed the Grand Plaza into a military zone. But even he admits there are vulnerabilities. Staff changes. Deliveries.

try."

before," Victoria pointed out. "When he chose her over you.

Camille

bed, smoothing the silk of the gown with her fingertips.

up, meeting Victoria's gaze. "It felt so real. So... inevitable. Like

you know the ending but can't change

prophecies," Victoria said firmly. "They're just our

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