Chapter five
799 Words
The next seven days went by in a blur of silk, lace, and ruthless coordination. Alexander didn't do anything half hearted. If we were throwing a fake wedding to break the internet, he was going to make sure it looked like the royal wedding of the underworld. Top designers, elite catering, and heavy security were coordinated right from his living room.
But today wasn't about the flowers. Today was about delivering the weapon.
I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of Alexander’s study, watching a heavy rain beat against the glass. It reminded me of the night he found me, but I didn't feel like that freezing, broken girl anymore. I was wearing a tailored black blazer dress, my hair perfectly done.
Alexander walked in, holding a heavy, midnight-black envelope embossed with a pure gold wax seal. It looked elegant, expensive, and completely lethal.
"It’s ready, love," he murmured, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips. "The official announcement just hit the media. The entire city knows the Southern syndicate is merging with the Vance name. Now, for the final touch."
He handed me the envelope. Inside was the beautifully crafted wedding invitation.
Alexander Sterling & Elena Vance.
"Are you sure you want to send it directly to his headquarters?" I asked, looking up into his dark eyes.
"Oh, absolutely," Alexander chuckled, leaning against his mahogany desk. "Xavier is already bleeding territory because he’s too distracted looking for you. This will push him right over the edge."
I smiled, sealing the envelope with a sense of pure satisfaction. "Send it."
Xavier’s POV / The Northern Syndicate Headquarters
Xavier sat behind his massive oak desk, the room pitched in near-darkness. The floor was littered with broken crystal glass and empty whiskey bottles. For the past week, he hadn't slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard Mia’s sneering confession, followed by Elena’s cold voice echoing in that boutique: Ex-wife, you moron!
The regret was eating him alive. He had hunted for her everywhere, but Alexander Sterling’s security network was a steel fortress. He couldn't get a single tracker near her.
Suddenly, the heavy doors to his office burst open. His right-hand man, look pale and sweating, rushed in.
"Boss... you need to see this," the man stammered, placing a heavy, gold-embossed black envelope directly on the desk, alongside a tablet displaying the morning’s breaking news headlines.
Xavier’s eyes locked onto the tablet screen.
SOUTHERN DON ALEXANDER STERLING ANNOUNCES ROYAL WEDDING TO ELENA VANCE.
"What?!" Xavier roared, his heart dropping into his stomach as his blood turned to ice.
He snatched the black envelope, tearing it open with trembling hands. He pulled out the card, staring at his ex-wife's name beautifully scripted right next to his fiercest rival. The date was set for the upcoming weekend.
They were getting married.
"No... No, this is impossible! She loves me!" Xavier screamed, a violent wave of possessiveness and fury roaring through his veins. He swept his arm across the desk, sending the tablet, the paperwork, and the remaining whiskey bottles crashing to the floor.
He dropped back into his chair, gripping his hair as tears of pure rage and agony burned his eyes. He had thrown his innocent queen into the dirt, and now, the most powerful man in the underworld was putting a crown on her head.
"Elena..." he choked out into the empty room, holding the invitation tight enough to crush it. "You're mine. I won't let him have you."
Elena's POV
Back at the mansion, Alexander’s phone buzzed with a notification from his tech team. He glanced at it, then looked up at me with a satisfied grin.
"The invitation was just delivered," Alexander said, walking over to where I stood. "My men say the top floor of his building sounds like a war zone. He’s losing his mind, Elena."
I let out a soft laugh, a profound sense of closure washing over me. The man who had physically and emotionally abused me, the man who had pointed a gun at my face, was currently weeping over my departure. And he hadn't even seen the main event yet.
"Let him burn," I said softly, turning to Alexander.
Alexander stepped closer, his hands sliding naturally to my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. The teasing, playful smirk was gone, replaced by an intense, burning gaze that made my heart skip a beat.
"The ceremony might be fake, love," he whispered, his deep voice vibrating against my skin as his breath fanned my lips. "But remember... you belong in my castle now. And I don't ever plan on letting you go."
- Writer
