Chapter 13 - A Bride Without a Wedding
The next forty-eight hours passed in a blur of meetings, evidence reviews, and increasingly grim conversations with federal investigators.
By Monday morning, the Bellwether archive had become the center of a sprawling investigation.
But Ethan was still missing.
Elena Ward remained unaccounted for.
And Adrian Castellano had disappeared from his known residences.
Then an invitation arrived at Griffin's mansion.
White envelope.
Heavy cream paper.
Gold lettering.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A PRIVATE FAMILY CELEBRATION.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of me.
Taken at Grand Central.
Beneath it, someone had written:
GRACE HOLLOWAY WILL BECOME A CASTELLANO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I stared at Griffin.
"What is this supposed to mean?"
He read the invitation.
His expression became dangerous.
"Adrian's idea of a joke."
"There's a venue."
The card listed an old Castellano-owned estate outside the city.
And a time.
Seven o'clock.
That evening.
Marco entered.
"Boss, Adrian released a message through one of his attorneys."
"What message?"
"He wants a private meeting. You, him, and Grace."
"No," Griffin said immediately.
I looked up.
"What's the offer?"
Marco hesitated.
"Ethan and Elena in exchange for the archive."
I felt my pulse quicken.
Griffin shook his head.
"It's a trap."
"Obviously," I said.
He looked at me.
"But that doesn't mean we ignore it."
"Grace."
"We have two people to rescue."
"Not by putting you directly in Adrian's hands."
I folded the invitation.
"Then we coordinate with Naomi."
For the next several hours, we worked through a controlled response.
Federal investigators established surveillance around the estate, while Griffin's attorney coordinated communications and evidence preservation.
No one intended to surrender the original archive.
But Adrian believed we might.
At six forty, I stood inside the mansion's enormous dressing room.
Rosa had brought me a simple ivory dress and a warm coat.
I stared at the mirror.
"This feels absurd."
She adjusted the collar.
"Sometimes the only way to face a monster is to let him think you're not afraid."
I smiled faintly.
"That's surprisingly dramatic advice."
"I raised two Castellano boys, sweetheart. Drama is practically my profession."
I turned toward her.
"Did you know Thomas?"
Her eyes softened.
"He was a kind man. Not perfect. But kinder than people believed."
"And Adrian?"
Rosa's expression changed.
"Adrian always wanted to be chosen first."
"By his father?"
"By everyone."
She touched my cheek.
"Griffin spent his childhood protecting his younger brother. Even when Adrian didn't deserve it."
I looked down.
"He's still trying."
"Yes."
Rosa sighed.
"But perhaps tonight he'll finally understand that loving someone doesn't mean allowing them to destroy you."
When I entered the hallway, Griffin stood near the staircase.
He wore a black three-piece suit.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"I'm aware."
I looked at my dress.
"It's not too much?"
"No."
He approached slowly.
"You look beautiful."
My cheeks warmed.
"You're making this difficult."
"That seems to be our specialty."
He gently took my hand.
For one strange moment, standing beneath the chandelier, we looked like a couple preparing to attend a wedding.
Instead, we were preparing to confront a man who wanted both of us destroyed.
"Grace."
I looked up.
"If anything happens tonight—"
"Don't."
"Let me finish."
His eyes held mine.
"I want you to know that meeting you was the first time in years I imagined having a future I actually wanted."
My throat tightened.
"Griffin."
He reached into his pocket.
My heart stopped when he produced a small velvet box.
"Absolutely not," I whispered.
He smiled.
"Relax. I'm not proposing during a criminal investigation."
"Good. Because that would be terrible timing."
He opened the box.
Inside was a delicate silver necklace.
A tiny star hung from the chain.
"My father gave this to my mother when they married. She left it to me."
I stared.
"Why are you giving it to me?"
"Because I want you to have something that belonged to the family before everything became complicated."
I touched the pendant.
"It's beautiful."
He fastened it around my neck.
Then he kissed me.
Slowly.
Tenderly.
As though neither of us wanted to admit how frightened we were.
When we separated, he rested his forehead against mine.
"No matter what Adrian says tonight, you choose your own future."
I nodded.
"And so do you."
Outside, Marco started the car.
May you like
Seven o'clock was approaching.
And somewhere beyond the mansion gates, Adrian Castellano was waiting with two hostages and a celebration that nobody had agreed to attend.
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