Chapter 30
Chapter 30
That single word sent ripples through the room. Vincent inhaled sharply. Marcus’s jaw dropped. The other family heads shifted in their seats, some leaning away as if distance could protect them from the revelation.
Ghost. The phantom that controlled ports across three continents. The shadow that
could make governments bend to his will. The figure so mysterious that most believed he was just a myth.
And he’d been right beside me all along.
Adrian’s lips curved into a slight smile as he turned to face the room. “Took you long enough.” His voice carried the same warmth I’d grown familiar with, yet held an edge I’d never heard before.
He strode past Primo, who stood frozen like a statue, and made his way to the head of the table. The other family heads
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scrambled from their seats, creating space between themselves and him as if he carried a contagious disease. Their faces displayed a mix of fear, awe, and disbelief.
Adrian settled into the large leather chair in the middle with the casual grace of someone who belonged there. His fingers traced the armrests, and he looked completely at home despite the tension crackling through the air.
I watched as the man I thought I knew transformed before my eyes.
The silence stretched, heavy and thick. No one dared to speak first. Even Vincent, usually so composed, gripped the edge of the table with white knuckles.
Looking at him now, I understood why so few knew his true identity. He wore his personas like perfectly tailored suits, switching between them with devastating effectiveness. The Ghost wasn’t just a title – it was a masterpiece of deception that had fooled the most powerful criminals in the
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world.
And I’d been sharing coffee with him.
Adrian’s gaze swept across the room, his eyes darkening at the sight of several family heads half–bowed in deference. “Stand up straight. I despise groveling.” His voice cut through the air like a blade wrapped in silk.
The heads snapped to attention, their spines straightening as if pulled by invisible strings.
His attention fixed on Primo, who still stood rigid near the door. “Still think I’m an impersonator, Chromos? Or has reality
finally pierced that thick skull of yours?”
Primo’s face contorted with rage. “You fucking bastard! You piece of-”
Before he could finish, three distinct clicks echoed through the room. The Yakuza head, Tanaka, pressed his gun to Primo’s temple. The Bratva leader, Volkov, aimed at his heart, while the head of the big one
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family targeted his knee. They moved with such synchronized precision, it was clear they’d been waiting for this moment.
Adrian’s laugh filled the room – not the warm chuckle I’d heard over coffee, but something darker, more dangerous. It was the kind of laugh that made my skin crawl, that reminded me of predators toying with their prey.
“Careful now,” Adrian said, leaning back in his chair. “Your father taught you better manners than that.”
Adrian’s eyes found mine, and the predatory gleam softened for a moment. “You know what your biggest mistake was, Primo? Besides the obvious idiocy of crossing me?” He stood, walking around the table with measured steps. “You had something precious, and you treated it like
trash.”
My breath caught in my throat as he continued.
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“Asteria Mitchell. The woman who outmaneuvered your security, escaped your compound, and managed to not only survive but thrive.” Adrian’s voice carried a note of pride. “While you were busy playing your games, she was ten steps ahead. I watched her piece together plans that would make seasoned strategists weep.”
Primo struggled against the guns still trained on him, but Adrian ignored him.
“A few days. That’s all it took for her to capture my attention completely. Her mind, her strength, her unwavering spirit.” Adrian’s gray eyes locked with mine. “The way she refuses to break, no matter what life throws at her.”
The room fell silent except for Primo’s ragged breathing.
“And you, in your infinite stupidity,
betrayed her trust. Tried to cage a force of nature.” Adrian shook his head. “I’ve spent years building an empire in shadows, seen the most cunning players try to claim
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power. Yet none of them showed half the potential I saw in her within minutes.”
He turned back to face the room. “She’s not just another player in our world,
gentlemen. She’s the one person I want standing beside me. The only one I’ve ever considered worthy of knowing both sides. of who I am.”
My heart hammered against my ribs as his words sank in. The most powerful man in the room – perhaps in the entire criminal underworld – had just declared his intentions toward me in front of every major family head.
My heart nearly stopped as Adrian dropped to one knee before me, right there in front of the most dangerous people in the criminal world. His gray eyes locked with mine, filled with an intensity I’d never seen
before.
“Will you marry me, Asteria? Become my queen and rule alongside me?”
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The room spun. The Ghost – the most feared and powerful figure in the criminal underworld – was asking me to be his wife. My mind raced through every moment we’d shared, seeing them in a new light.
But this wasn’t just about love. This was about power, about cementing alliances, about changing the face of the criminal world forever.
I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze. “I will.” The words came out strong and clear, echoing in the silent room. “But first, you need to show me everything you’re worth. Prove to me that this isn’t just another power play. Show me the man behind both masks – the art dealer and the Ghost. Only then will I marry you.”
Gasps filled the room. No one spoke to the Ghost like that. No one dared to make demands of him.
Adrian threw his head back and laughed – a real laugh this time, full of genuine joy. “This.” He gestured at me, still grinning.
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“This right here is exactly why I want you
as my queen. The courage to stand your ground, even against me.” He rose to his feet, taking my hand in his.
“Challenge accepted, my love.”