Chapter 3 - The Black SUV
Ten minutes later, I was being led out of the grand venue, holding Giovanni’s arm while my small five-year-old daughter, Lily, clutched my purple dress, clutching her gray stuffed rabbit in her other hand.
My father had tried to run after us in the lobby, begging to talk, while Tyler and Vanessa were surrounded by angry relatives demanding answers about the missing millions.
Outside, the Chicago wind was howling off the river.
A fleet of three pitch-black, bulletproof SUVs sat idling at the curb. Four muscular men in black suits stood guard, opening the rear door of the center vehicle the moment Giovanni approached.
"In," Giovanni said gently, placing his hand over Lily’s head to protect her from the cold rain.
I climbed inside the warm, leather-scented interior, pulling Lily into my lap. Giovanni slid in beside us, closing the heavy door with a solid thud.
"Mommy," Lily whispered, her large hazel eyes wide with wonder as she looked at Giovanni’s scar. "Is the tall man a prince?"
Despite the insane adrenaline surging through my blood, I let out a breathless, nervous chuckle.
"No, sweetie," I murmured, staring at the massive diamond ring weighing down my left hand. "He's... a stranger."
Giovanni turned to look at Lily. The terrifying, cold demeanor he had displayed in the ballroom vanished completely, replaced by a soft, genuine smile that transformed his entire face.
"I'm not a prince, Lily," Giovanni said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, unopened box of chocolate truffles. "I'm just a friend who wants to make sure your mommy never has to cry at weddings again."
Lily’s eyes lit up as she took the chocolates. "Thank you, Mr. Scar-Man!"
"Lily!" I gasped in embarrassment.
Giovanni laughed—a deep, rich sound that relaxed the tension in my shoulders. "It's fine, Jessica. Kids tell the truth. Grown-ups are the ones who lie."
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I narrowed my eyes at him, the luxury of the SUV disappearing as reality crashed back over me.
"Speaking of lies," I said, setting Lily beside me on the wide bench seat. "You just told two hundred people we were married in Naples. You gave me a ring worth more than my apartment building, and you revealed corporate fraud that broke up my cousin's marriage! Who are you really, Giovanni?"
