Chapter 1 - THE BLACK CYLINDER
“Don’t touch it.”
Maya’s voice cut through the banquet hall.
Roman Sokolov stood frozen beside the ruined wedding cake.
The small black cylinder rested against his shoe.
Dark icing dripped from the second tier.
Hundreds of guests stared from behind crystal glasses and white roses.
Elena took one step backward.
Her face had gone pale beneath her perfect makeup.
“She destroyed our wedding cake,” she said.
“Why is everyone standing there?”
“Get that child out.”
Two security guards moved toward Maya.
Roman lifted one hand.
They stopped immediately.
“No one touches her.”
His voice was quiet.
That made it worse.
Maya tightened both hands around the brass fireplace poker.
Julian Cross stood near the ballroom doors.
His expression remained calm.
Only his right thumb moved.
It tapped twice against his index finger.
Maya noticed.
A man beside the string quartet quietly reached inside his jacket.
Roman noticed him too.
“Hands on the table.”
The man froze.
Roman’s guards surrounded him.
Elena forced a laugh.
“This is ridiculous.”
“A child broke a cake.”
“That thing could be a decoration.”
Maya shook her head.
“It wasn’t there when the cake arrived.”
Elena’s eyes snapped toward her.
Maya saw the mistake.
So did Roman.
Roman looked down at the cylinder.
A tiny red light blinked beneath a layer of black icing.
Once.
Twice.
Viktor, Roman’s head of security, moved forward.
“Boss, step away.”
Roman did not move.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Julian finally spoke.
“It could be dangerous.”
Maya looked directly at him.
“You already know what it is.”
A ripple passed through the guests.
Julian smiled.
“That is a serious accusation from a frightened child.”
“I’m not frightened.”
Maya’s voice trembled.
But she did not look away.
Julian’s smile thinned.
Roman turned toward Viktor.
“Clear the room.”
Elena grabbed Roman’s arm.
“No.”
Her answer came too quickly.
Roman looked at her hand.
She released him.
“I mean, think about the guests.”
“The press is outside.”
“This wedding is already becoming a scandal.”
Roman’s gaze hardened.
“You are worried about a scandal?”
“There may be a device inside our cake.”
Elena swallowed.
“It could be harmless.”
Maya reached into her apron.
She pulled out the crimson-stained cloth.
The pearl sequin still clung to one corner.
“This fell near the cake.”
Elena’s eyes dropped to it.
Her bridal gown glittered under the chandeliers.
Hundreds of tiny pearls had been sewn into the fabric.
One was missing near her right wrist.
Sarah saw it.
Her face collapsed.
“Maya,” she whispered.
“Come here.”
Maya moved toward her mother.
Julian stepped between them.
Roman’s voice became colder.
“Move.”
Julian slowly obeyed.
Viktor crouched beside the cylinder.
He held a small scanner over it.
The screen flashed.
His face changed.
“What?”
Roman asked.
Viktor stood.
“This isn’t a bomb.”
Elena released a breath.
Then Viktor looked at Maya.
“It’s a biometric injector.”
The room went silent again.
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“Explain.”
“It was designed to activate when the cake knife touched the first tier.”
“It would have released a liquid through the handle.”
Roman looked at the gold-plated knife still in his hand.
A thin black wire ran beneath the frosting.
The wire ended beneath his thumb.
Maya stared at the knife.
Elena slowly backed toward the ballroom doors.
Viktor pointed at the cylinder.
“The device needed a target.”
“It was programmed for someone’s skin temperature and grip pattern.”
Roman’s jaw tightened.
“Whose?”
Viktor looked at the scanner.
Then he looked up.
“Yours.”
May you like
At that exact moment, every light in the mansion went out.
And somewhere in the darkness, Maya heard her mother scream.
