Chapter 11 - THE ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
The news sent shockwaves through the upper crust of Chicago society.
Less than forty-eight hours after Serena Montigue’s sudden departure and her family’s financial collapse, the Blackwood Syndicate released an official public statement: Victor Blackwood was to marry Lilianna Vance.
To the public, she was presented as an heiress of an old-money estate who had spent years living quietly out of the spotlight. To the city’s underworld, she was known as the woman who had bled on the marble floor to save the Blackwood heir.
"Are you nervous?" Victor asked, standing behind Lilianna in her private dressing room on the estate's second floor.
Lilianna looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She wore a floor-length emerald green silk gown that brushed softly against the floor. On her left ring finger, the six-carat black diamond sparkled under the warm chandelier light.
"A little," Lilianna admitted softly, turning her head to meet his gaze. "A week ago, I was wearing a plain uniform and feeding Ethan in the kitchen. Tonight, I’m stepping into your world."
Victor stepped closer, resting his large hands gently on her shoulders. "It isn't just my world anymore, Lilianna. It’s ours. No one in that room will dare question your place."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a delicate velvet pouch. From it, he drew a breathtaking vintage necklace made of platinum and crushed emeralds—an heirloom that had belonged to the Blackwood family for three generations.
May you like
He fastened it around her neck, his warm fingers brushing against her skin.
"Ethan is sleeping soundly upstairs under double security," Victor whispered into her ear. "Tonight, we show Chicago who rules this city."
