Chapter 5 - The Gala at the Art Institute
Two months later, the Grand Gallery of the Chicago Art Institute was ablaze with crystal light, classical string quartets, and the hushed chatter of the city’s elite.
High-ranking politicians, wealthy tech moguls, and cultural philanthropists mingled beneath soaring marble arches, sipping champagne and admiring priceless oil paintings.
At the center of it all, standing near the grand staircase in a breathtaking emerald-green silk evening gown that hugged her figure with understated elegance, was Tessa Vance.
As the newly appointed director of community outreach and executive operations for Marquetti Enterprises—a newly minted philanthropic arm dedicated to funding medical access and arts education for hearing-impaired children—she moved through the crowd with effortless grace, holding a crystal flute of sparkling water.
Leo, wearing a sharp miniature tuxedo with a bright red bow tie, stood beside her, excitedly signing descriptions of a massive marble sculpture to a group of smiling museum curators who eagerly nodded and signed back.
From the upper balcony, leaning against a polished stone balustrade with a glass of scotch in his hand, Salvatore watched them.
The jagged scar along his jawline caught the gallery lights, but his face was completely relaxed, stamped with a quiet, profound contentment that no amount of power or money could ever buy.
Tessa glanced up, catching his eye across the crowded hall.
Through the sea of tuxedoes and glittering diamonds, Salvatore raised his glass in a silent toast. Then, slowly, with deliberate, graceful precision, his fingers formed three simple signs across the distance:
I. Love. You.
May you like
Tessa’s heart skipped a beat. She didn't look away, nor did she care who in Chicago’s high society was watching. She smiled, raised her hand, and signed back with all her heart:
Always.
