CHAPTER 211 The Woman in Black
*Joy*
Liam’s eyes swept the crowd, sharp and calculating, like a hawk searching for prey. His gaze finally settled on Link, who had his arm slung around Lisa’s waist, laughing with Xavier, Cristos, and Dan. Their voices mingled with the hum of the guests, a low buzz under the springtime sky, where the scent of roses lingered like a heavy perfume.
My eyes scanned the guests, looking for Sebastian. *Where did he go*?
As I searched for him through the crowd, my eyes caught something else—a woman in a sleek black skirt suit, a small black cocktail hat perched above her dark brown hair, its delicate veil hiding her eyes. She hovered near the group, a shadow among the bright dresses and tuxedos, her presence tugging at my memory. She felt familiar, like a name on the tip of my tongue, but the veil obscured her face, leaving only a whisper of recognition. My stomach tightened, a warning I couldn’t place.
“Right this way, Lorenzo,” Liam said, his voice cold and tight, like a wire pulled taut. “Let’s get this over with so I can enjoy my wedding reception.” He grabbed my hand, his grip firm, possessive, and led me through the crowd of guests, their smiles and congratulations washing over us like a tide. Lorenzo followed close behind, nodding and flashing charming grins at the well-wishers, his white tuxedo gleaming like a beacon in the sea of pastels and blacks. We moved toward Link, the air thick with unspoken tension.
Liam cleared his throat behind Xavier, and the five of them—Link, Lisa, Xavier, Cristos, and Dan—turned their heads toward us, their conversation halting like a record scratch. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but business can’t wait,” Liam said, his tone clipped, all business.
“If it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Cohen! Dom, sends his apologies. He has an emergency to take care of. Ooh, who’s your friend?” Cristos asked, his voice bright with mischief. Before Liam could make introductions, Cristos shoved him aside with a playful nudge and thrust out his hand, grinning wide. “Hi! I’m Chad Hendrix Palmer. But you can call me Chip for short. I’m the proud owner of the local pub, and I’m Virtue’s best friend when Kiki’s not around, that is.”
Lorenzo chuckled, grabbing Chip’s hand and shaking it with enthusiasm, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement. “My, my. Another man with good taste. I’m Lorenzo, Lorenzo Ortiz.” My gaze darted to Lisa’s face, and for a fleeting moment, I saw recognition flicker in her eyes, a shadow of fear or surprise at the sound of his name. My heart skipped—*she knew him*, or at least his name, and that knowledge hung between us like a storm cloud.
“Lorenzo, I’d like you to meet my friends,” Liam said, his voice smooth but edged, like a blade wrapped in velvet. “This is Bo Xavier, Lisa Murdock, and Attorney Lincoln Murphy. Of course, you know Dan.” I watched Lorenzo shake their hands, studying him closely, waiting for a spark of recognition when he reached Lisa. But his smile stayed warm, genuine, as if he didn’t know her at all.
*Of course*. Liam had introduced her as Lisa Murdock, not Lisa Brent. Lorenzo didn’t know the name, or he was playing a better game than I’d expected. My fingers twitched, itching to unravel the truth.
“Nice to meet you, Lorenzo. I'm Lincoln Murphy, but you can call me Link for short,” Link said, shaking Lorenzo’s hand with an easy grin, his confidence unshaken.
“Ah, yes. *Link*,” Lorenzo said, letting go, an evil glint sparkling in his eyes. “The one I need to speak with. Shall we conduct business? I, for one, am starved.”
Liam didn’t let go of my hand, his grip tightening as he addressed the crowd. “Friends and family, please proceed to the garden. Refreshments and food will be served.” His voice carried authority, and the guests began to move toward the archway at the side, their chatter rising like a flock of birds taking flight. Liam motioned to Lorenzo to follow us toward the mansion, its walls gleaming under the afternoon sun, promising secrets within.
A sudden whiff of expensive perfume hit me—rich, floral, and sharp, the kind that cost more than my car. It wrapped around me like a velvet curtain, heavy and unmistakable. Lorenzo caught it too. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, his face softening for a moment. “Opera Prima,” he murmured, naming the scent with reverence. Then his eyes shot open, wide with alarm. “*Mierda*! Where is—” His words cut off as he jumped, his hand flying to the back of his neck. “Ow!” he exclaimed, his voice sharp with pain. “Something bit me.”
Just like that, the perfume vanished, leaving only the faint sweetness of roses in its wake. My eyes scanned the crowd behind Lorenzo, catching the woman in black, but she quickly disappeared, swallowed by the sea of guests.
“Must’ve been a bee,” Liam smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. “Probably took you as a threat.” He turned to Lisa, Xavier, Cristos, and Dan, his expression all business again. “We just need to dot some i’s and cross some t’s in my office. You *four* head on to the reception. Give us ten minutes, and we’ll start the program.”
“Can I come?” Lisa asked, her voice small, clinging to Link’s arm like a lifeline. Liam shook his head, his eyes hard. "Why not?"
“*Hija*,” Lorenzo interjected before Liam could answer, his tone warm but firm, like a father scolding a child. “This is a personal matter. Don’t worry, your boyfriend will be with you in no time.” His words carried a weight, a subtle warning that made my skin prickle.
Lisa’s eyes darted to me, pleading for help, her fingers tightening on Link’s arm. I raised my brows, weighing my options, then decided to act. “Let’s just sign whatever needs signing here, gentlemen,” I said, gesturing to the nearby chairs, their white cushions soft under the dappled shade of an oak tree. I leaned toward Cristos and whispered, “We just need a moment, Chip. Can you—”
Cristos nodded, catching my drift. He grabbed Lisa’s arm, gently pulling her away, and gave Xavier a playful shove. “Watch it,” Xavier hissed, stepping back with a scowl. I let out a soft laugh, masking the tension coiling in my chest.
“Dan, you too,” Cristos said, his voice firm but friendly. “Let’s give them some privacy.”
“But—” Dan started, his brow furrowing.
“Dan, give us a moment, will you?” Liam cut in, his voice low, like a warning growl. Dan nodded, his shoulders slumping, and followed Cristos toward the garden entrance, where roses spilled over the archway like a cascade of pink stars.
As they moved away, Link pulled a bundle of folded papers from his inner coat pocket, along with a sleek pen that gleamed in the sunlight. “Liam, the deed as promised, and the papers you had me draft,” he said, his tone professional but tinged with something I couldn’t quite place—caution, maybe, or defiance.
Liam took the papers, his fingers brushing Link’s with a deliberate slowness. “Virtue, honey, take these and sign on the dotted line,” he said, handing them to me with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. I sat in one of the chairs, the papers cool against my fingers, and pretended to focus, my pen hovering over the lines as my mind raced. These were the keys to his empire, disguised as routine documents, and I was the one holding the pen.
“Lorenzo,” Liam said, turning to him, his voice sharp, “before I give you this, I want to renegotiate.”
Lorenzo scoffed, his laugh sharp and bitter, like glass breaking. “Renegotiate? Young man, do you know how much trouble this piece of paper has caused us?” He turned to Link, his face twisting into a scowl, his eyes dark with fury. “And you… you have no right interfering in matters that aren’t yours to begin with. Do you know I am ordered—”
He didn’t finish. Suddenly, his hand flew to his chest, his face contorting in pain. He gasped, a ragged sound, and collapsed onto the moist grass, his white tuxedo stark against the green. The papers in my hand fluttered, my heart pounding like a drum as the world seemed to freeze, the air thick with the scent of roses and the shadow of secrets.
I glanced toward the crowd, searching for the woman in black, her perfume still lingering in my memory. Whoever she was, whatever she’d done, the game had just changed.
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