Chapter 4 - The Winter Gala
The threat did not deter Gabriel from making his intentions clear to high society.
On the following Wednesday, the annual St. Jude Children’s Charity Gala was held at the Drake Hotel. It was the premier gathering of Chicago’s political elite, industrial barons, and syndicate kingpins operating beneath velvet masks.
Gabriel walked into the ballroom with Hannah on his arm.
Gasps rippled across the grand salon. Hannah was a vision in an emerald-green silk gown tailored specifically for her voluptuous curves, her fiery hair cascading over bare shoulders, wearing an antique diamond necklace that Gabriel had insisted belonged around her neck.
Whispers broke out instantly among the high-society women who had spent years trying to capture Gabriel Moretti’s attention.
"Who is she?"
"A nobody from the South Side."
"I heard she was a seasonal mall worker!"
Dr. Evelyn Price, Hannah’s former employer from the Lakeshore Clinic, emerged from the crowd, holding a flute of champagne. A sneer curved her lips.
"Hannah Brooks," Evelyn said smoothly, eyes raking over Hannah’s dress. "My goodness. You certainly moved on from pediatric therapy quickly. Did you finally find a client willing to overlook your... unconventional presentation?"
Hannah stiffened, memories of being humiliated and fired rushing back. But before she could speak, a broad, warm hand rested firmly on the small of her back.
Gabriel stepped forward, towering over Evelyn Price like an approaching storm.
"Dr. Price, isn't it?" Gabriel’s tone was polite, but his eyes carried the temperature of an Arctic winter.
Evelyn faltered, clutching her champagne flute. "Mr. Moretti... I was just—"
"You fired Miss Brooks because you claimed her warmth was bad for your aesthetic," Gabriel said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the circle of onlookers. "Tomorrow morning, my legal team is completing the purchase of your clinic's building. By noon, your lease will be terminated, and Miss Brooks will be appointed the director of a fully funded pediatric trust in Noah's name."
Evelyn’s face drained of color. "You can't do that!"
"I own the ground beneath your feet, Evelyn," Gabriel said softly. "Never insult the woman who gave my son his life back. Now get out of my sight."
Evelyn retreated in utter disgrace. Hannah turned to Gabriel, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
"You didn't have to do that," she whispered, her eyes shining.
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"I will tear down anything that ever made you feel small," Gabriel murmured, his gaze dropping to her lips. In the middle of the glittering ballroom, with hundreds of eyes watching, he pulled her flush against his chest and led her onto the dance floor, holding her as if she were the only precious thing left in the world.
***
