Chapter 7 - The Trap is Set
When Adrian returned to the Bedford estate and laid out the plan, Catherine didn't shrink away. The fear that had defined her existence for ten years seemed to have evaporated, replaced by a cold, burning desire for justice.
"I want to be there," she said, her voice steady and resolute. "I don't want you to fight this war for me in the dark, Adrian. I want to look Dominic Valenti in the eye when his world ends."
"It's dangerous, Catherine," Adrian cautioned, stepping close to her, his hands coming up to rest gently on her shoulders. "Valenti will be cornered. A cornered animal bites."
"Then let him bite," she said, looking up at him with absolute trust. "You'll be next to me. I'm not afraid anymore."
The intimacy between them was undeniable now. Adrian leaned down, his forehead resting against hers for a brief, breathless moment. "I won't let a single hand touch you. I swear it on my life."
For the next twenty-four hours, the estate became a whirlwind of preparation. Adrian’s trusted designers arrived under heavy guard, bringing with them a selection of the finest evening gowns in Manhattan. Stylists, swear to absolute secrecy, prepared her for the grand stage.
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Meanwhile, Marco worked with Adrian’s cyber-security teams to sync Arthur Sterling’s digital files with the main projection system inside the Plaza Hotel’s Grand Ballroom.
They weren't just going to arrest Valenti. They were going to publicly execute his reputation, his finances, and his power structure in front of the very people who protected him.
