Chapter 178 Checkmate

Chapter 178 Checkmate
Cherry POV

The champagne flutes gleam under the chandeliers, catching light like tiny prisons. I shift my weight, scanning the surroundings. Christina kicks—sharp, insistent—as if sensing the electricity crackling beneath the polite veneer.

That's when I see it.

Theodus, hovering near the hors d'oeuvres table, passes something small to Thomas. A flash of white paper, maybe an envelope. Rebecca receives hers moments later, tucked beneath a napkin with practiced ease. My pulse quickens. And Russell, standing by the bar, his gaze locked on a server I don't recognize. They exchange a nod. Subtle.

I catalogue the room with fresh eyes. Three men in tailored suits linger too close to exits. Their jackets hang oddly—weighted. Armed.

The realization crashes over me like ice water. This is Russell's move. Tonight, they're not here to give us a chance to destroy them. They're here to eliminate.

My breath catches. Nicholas tightens his grip on my waist, mistaking my tension for discomfort. "You need to sit down," he murmurs.

A war wages in my chest. Motherhood screams at me to flee. But if I tell Nicholas now, knowing his nature, he'll shield me and whisk me away. We'd be safe—but we'd lose the chance to root out these traitors once and for all. I've clawed my way into this family's heart, earned the Blood Ring on my finger. I'm not just Nicholas's wife-to-be; I'm a Salvatore. If I run, the rot festers. If I stay, I fight for our future. My hands tremble, but I clench them into fists. I'll bear the risk. For him. For her.

I lean close to Sonya, my shadow and confidante, her sharp eyes already on me. "Get Kyle," I whisper, voice barely audible over the clink of champagne flutes. "Tell him to take Nicholas out of here. Say I felt ill, had to be rushed to a hospital. Make it convincing." Her brow furrows, a flicker of knowing protest in her gaze, but I harden mine. "Now."

She hesitates, then nods, slipping through the crowd like a wraith. My heart thuds as I watch her go, knowing what I'm sacrificing. If this goes wrong, I'm alone. But I can't think of that. Sonya returns moments later, her expression grim but steady. "It's done. Kyle's got him out. But I'm staying with you, Cherry. I'm not leaving you to face this alone."

A ghost of a smile tugs at my lips, bitter and grateful. "Thanks, Sonya." I move to the center of the ballroom, my heels clicking against marble. Conversations falter. Heads turn.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I call out, my voice slicing through the murmurs. "If I could have everyone's attention."

Russell's head snaps toward me. Theodus goes still.

"I'd like to discuss a small matter of family business." I let the words hang, cold and deliberate. "Specifically, the matter of loyalty."

Russell's mouth curves into something ugly. "Where's Nicholas? Too much of a coward to face me himself?"

"Nicholas isn't coming." I meet his gaze, unflinching. "I sent him away. Because tonight, Russell, I'm here to deal with traitors."

The room erupts. Gasps. Muttered curses. But Russell throws his head back and laughs—a brittle, vicious sound. He doesn't even bother to hide it now.

"You?" He steps forward, hands spread wide. "A pregnant girl thinks she can deal with me?"

"Not just you." I nod toward Theodus. "Your accomplice, too."

Theodus doesn't flinch, but his bodyguards shift. The fake servers reach beneath their jackets. Guns appear—cold metal glinting under soft light.

"After tonight, I take the Salvatore name for myself. This is a bloodbath. Anyone uninvolved, get out now," Russell announces, his voice booming. "Stay means you're loyal to them, and I'll slaughter you all."

Guests scatter like frightened birds, heels clicking, murmurs rising to panicked shouts. Within moments, the hall empties of bystanders. Only Russell, Theodus, a dozen of their armed lackeys, and a handful of elders remain—Thomas, Rebecca, and three others whose loyalty I can't gauge. They exchange quick, knowing glances, stepping closer to Russell, their choice made clear in the subtle shift of their stance.

Russell's gaze locks on mine again, demanding, "Last chance, Cherry. WHERE IS NICHOLAS?"

"I told you. Gone." I tilt my head. "But thank you for clearing the room. Saved me the trouble of asking."

"You're insane." His laugh is darker now. "You think you can take all of us? Alone?"

"Who said I'm alone?"

Sonya steps beside me, her hand moving to her jacket. She pulls out a small device. My heart pounds as she places it in my palm.

"It's ready," she says quietly.

I hold the detonator up, letting the light catch its edges. "I've rigged this hall with explosives tonight. Every exit, every window. You wanted to trap me, Russell?" I press my thumb against the button. "Congratulations. You're the one in the cage now."

Fear ripples through the group. One of Theodus's men takes a step back.

Russell's face twists. "You're bluffing. You wouldn't risk your baby."

I meet his eyes, and I let him see it—the part of me that's learned to kill without hesitation. The part Nicholas helped forge. The part that will burn the world to ash to protect my daughter's future.

"Try me."

His smirk falters for a heartbeat, but he holds his ground. I catch Sonya's eye, a silent signal passing between us. My thumb presses down.

The world erupts. A chain of explosions tears through the hall, starting at the doors, fire and deafening roars swallowing the space. Screams pierce the chaos as Russell's men dive for cover, dust and smoke choking the air. In the same split second, Sonya hits a hidden switch. The floor beneath me gives way—a trapdoor. I drop, a gasp escaping as gravity claims me.

Sonya follows, her body shielding mine as we plummet into darkness. Above, the inferno rages, flames licking at the edges of the hatch, heat and destruction raining down.