His Ceremony on Her Sacred Ground

I am Calvert Caruso, the head of the Caruso family of Chicago. And now, I was organizing a baptism for a child. A child my husband—the family's Underboss—had with his mistress.

My political marriage to Jarren Valachi had lasted for five years. In those five years, I had elevated him from a nobody to the feared Underboss of the family, and I had borne him an heir, Luca.

Yet, he would never grant me the ceremony that would officially make me Donna at the Lake Geneva estate my father left me—our family's most sacred ground. It was always, "Next time, Calvert." Until I received an invitation from Jarren's mother for a "family matter."

Also present was a young woman named Cassie. With a shy smile, she was basking in the delusion of becoming the next Mrs. Valachi.

"Jarren chose this place himself," she said softly. "He insisted on holding the baptism for our child here."

I flipped open the agenda in front of me, my gaze fixing on the name of the estate.

It was the sacred ground of the Caruso family. The place I had mentioned to Jarren countless times for my own induction ceremony.

Just as I was about to sneer at her audacity, another line on the agenda struck me like a physical blow.

Jarren Valachi would announce Cassie as his "true partner" at this ceremony.

My fingers stilled on the smooth paper.

The girl across from me was basking in her bliss. She added gently, "We've only been together for a few months, but he said he wants to give me and our child the grandest ceremony imaginable, to make a statement."

A faint, cold smile touched my lips as my eyes locked onto the handsome face I once thought I knew.

After all this time, the day Jarren dreamed of replacing me had finally arrived.

Unfortunately for him, he had picked the wrong opponent.

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1

I set the file down, my eyes lingering on the woman across from me.

She was young, with pale skin and a cultivated fragility.

My deliberate silence stretched between us, and I watched her begin to fidget.

Cassie Doyle's voice was tentative when she finally broke the silence. "Calvert… is something wrong with the plans for the ceremony?"

I leaned back in my chair, my gaze drifting over her, then settling on the necklace she wore—one of Jarren’s.

"No, nothing's wrong," I said. "I was just thinking that the tattoo of his family vows on his arm has looked a little different lately."

Cassie’s head dipped guiltily, and she stammered, "I... I don't think so. You must be mistaken. He swore he's never added anyone's initial to it!"

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake. Her body went rigid.

I lowered my gaze and let out a soft, knowing laugh.

One casual remark and she'd already given the whole game away. Jarren’s taste in women was as pathetic as ever.

I pretended not to have heard her slip, tapping my finger on the photo of the estate and smoothly steering the conversation back.

"Miss Doyle, why this place? As far as I know, this estate isn't open to the public."

Seeing that I wasn't pursuing the matter, she visibly relaxed, a hint of pride creeping into her tone.

"Jarren chose it. He said it took him a long time to convince the family elders to open this sacred place for me. He’s always dreamed of starting a new future with the woman he loves, right here."

She looked up at me, the undisguised triumph in her gaze.

"He told me... he'd made promises to other women, but never here. He never even considered it. Then he met me. And he knew. I was the one he wanted to claim in front of the whole world, right here."

As she lost herself in that fantasy, I let my eyelids fall, masking the cold fury in my gaze.

If I didn't know any better, I might have thought she was deliberately provoking me.

I had agreed to the political marriage with Jarren because, while I was busy with the family's dirty work, he was the first man to promise me a future.

He had once held my hand, patiently describing the ceremony that would be ours.

Sunlight would pour through the stained-glass windows. We would stand in this estate, receive the deference of our entire organization, and complete the transfer of power.

He said he wanted to give me the highest honor in the prime of my life. For that promise, I waited five years.

Now, he was finally holding a ceremony here.

In a place he had described to me countless times. Except the woman by his side was some girl he'd only known for a few months.

I let out a soft laugh. "What a touching story."

If that man wasn't my husband, it would indeed be a beautiful story.

Perhaps my apparent praise helped Cassie regain her confidence. She began to show off her connection to Jarren.

"That night, there was a conflict within the family. I saw him outside the ER. One of his Made Men was injured," she paused, correcting herself slightly. "He was clutching the doctor's arm, pleading with them to save his man's life. Seeing how loyal and devoted he was, I went over to comfort him."

She pursed her lips, a shy smile playing on them.

"He said it was my courage and purity in that moment that made him fall for me."