The Mafia King Took His Mistress to the Gala, but His Wife Walked In Beside the Man Who Could Take Everything From Him

On Thursday morning at ten o'clock, the Chicago City Council held its emergency session to award the eighty-million-dollar South Terminal expansion project.

The press gallery was packed with reporters, harbor executives, and television crews.

News of Dominic Vale’s sudden resignation and the impending dissolution of Vale Holdings had sent shockwaves through the Midwest business community over the past forty-eight hours.

At 10:15 AM, the doors of the council chamber opened.

Evelyn Cross walked down the center aisle, accompanied by Gabriel and a team of six senior maritime engineers.

She was dressed in a charcoal wool suit, her hair styled with effortless elegance, holding a thick, navy-blue leather dossier stamped with the gold seal of Cross Maritime Logistics.

The room erupted into quiet murmurs as reporters leaned over the balcony railing to take photographs.

At the front dais, the City Council President tapped his gavel, calling the session to order.

“The floor recognizes Cross Maritime Logistics for the primary presentation on the South Terminal development,” the President announced.

Evelyn stepped up to the podium, placing her dossier flat on the oak counter.

She didn't use notes. She didn't look nervous. She looked directly at the city council members, her voice ringing clear, powerful, and utterly authoritative throughout the vaulted chamber.

“Members of the Council,” Evelyn began, her green eyes sweeping over the dais. “For the past eight years, the South Terminal project has been stalled by bureaucratic corruption, forged environmental permits, and sub-standard engineering proposals submitted by Vale Holdings.”

She paused, letting the weight of her words settle over the quiet room.

“As the majority owner and newly appointed Chief Executive of Cross Maritime Logistics—formerly Vale Holdings—I have personally revoked all previous permit applications,” she continued smoothly. “We have resubmitted a fully audited, privately funded three-hundred-million-dollar infrastructure proposal. We are guaranteeing four thousand union jobs on the South Side, full environmental restoration of the Calumet basin, and zero taxpayer dollars required.”

The council members looked at each other in shock.

A three-hundred-million-dollar private proposal was unheard of in the city’s history. It was a project that would secure Chicago’s position as the dominant logistics hub of North America for the next half-century.

When Evelyn finished her fifteen-minute presentation, there was a moment of absolute, breathless silence in the chamber.

Then, starting with the head of the Dockworkers Union sitting in the second row, the entire room stood up and broke into thunderous applause.

Gabriel Cross stood near the wall, his arms folded across his chest, watching his sister accept the congratulations of the city leaders.

Beside him, Marcus leaned in close.

“She’s better at this than her father was, Mr. Cross,” Marcus whispered.