Chapter 22 - the poisoned chalice
the annual charity gala at the metropolitan museum of art was crawling with billionaires and corrupt politicians. tessa arrived wearing a stunning, tailored velvet gown that perfectly concealed the ceramic blade strapped to her thigh. gabriel shadowed her every move in a pristine tuxedo, his eyes scanning the elegant crowd for any signs of the lucchese assassins. as tessa approached the grand staircase, a waiter in a crisp white uniform offered her a crystal flute of vintage champagne. her highly observant mind instantly noticed the waiter's micro-expressions—his slight tremor, the dilated pupils, the sweat on his brow. she accepted the glass but did not drink. instead, she turned flawlessly toward a wealthy italian diplomat standing nearby, a man she knew was secretly funding the lucchese operations in america. with a charming, deadly smile, tessa offered him the glass as a gesture of goodwill. the diplomat's face instantly drained of color. he took a terrified step backward, completely exposing his own assassination plot to the entire room. before the panicked waiter could reach for a concealed weapon, gabriel had him pinned against a marble pillar, a suppressed pistol pressed firmly into his ribs. the game of shadows had violently escalated.
👉 what secrets will the terrified assassin reveal in the interrogation room?
