Chapter 5 - The Father Who Chose the Deal
The next morning, Elena returned to Lake Forest.
Not alone.
Dante insisted on driving.
Luca followed in another car.
When they reached the Russo mansion, Elena stared through the windshield at the house she had escaped seven months earlier.
Dante glanced at her.
“You want to leave?”
“No.”
“You hesitated.”
“I’m allowed to hesitate.”
“Fair.”
She looked at him.
“You don’t have to come inside.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Why?”
“Because Bellini threatened your father.”
“My father helped create this.”
“Then I’d like to hear his explanation.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“That sounds ominous.”
“It should.”
Her mother opened the front door.
For three seconds, she simply stared.
Then she covered her mouth.
“Elena?”
“Hi, Mom.”
Her mother rushed forward and pulled her into an embrace.
Elena stiffened.
Then slowly hugged her back.
“You’re alive.”
“Yes.”
“Your hair…”
“Will grow.”
Her mother pulled back and finally noticed Dante.
Her face changed.
“Mr. Moretti.”
“Mrs. Russo.”
Elena’s father appeared behind her.
Anthony Russo looked older than seven months ago.
But his voice remained hard.
“Get inside.”
Elena followed him into the study.
Her father closed the door.
Then slapped his palm against the desk.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Her mother flinched.
Elena did not.
“Yes.”
“You humiliated us.”
“I saved myself.”
“From what?”
“Marco.”
Anthony laughed bitterly.
“Marco Bellini offered you security.”
“He offered ownership.”
“He would have been your husband.”
“I didn’t want him.”
“You are my daughter.”
“And not your company.”
Anthony pointed toward Dante.
“And now you bring him into my house?”
Dante spoke quietly.
“She didn’t bring me.”
Anthony looked at him.
“I invited myself.”
“This is family business.”
Dante smiled without warmth.
“Bellini said the same thing.”
Anthony went pale.
Elena stepped closer to her father.
“Did Marco threaten you?”
Silence.
“Dad.”
Anthony finally sat.
“He controls two lenders holding our commercial debt.”
“So yes.”
“He didn’t make threats originally.”
“What happened?”
Anthony rubbed his face.
“After you disappeared, he demanded we complete the alliance.”
Elena stared at him.
“Without me?”
“Through business.”
“And when you couldn’t?”
“He started calling loans.”
Her mother whispered, “Anthony…”
“Enough.”
Elena’s anger rose.
“You knew what kind of man he was before you promised me to him.”
Anthony looked at her.
“I knew he was powerful.”
“You saw him hurt people.”
“I heard rumors.”
“You ignored them.”
“I was trying to protect this family.”
“By sacrificing me?”
Anthony’s face tightened.
“There are responsibilities that come with our name.”
Elena’s voice shook, but she did not lower it.
“Gabriel hated when you said that.”
Silence.
Her father looked away.
Elena continued.
“He wanted to build cars. You told him it embarrassed you.”
“Don’t bring your brother into this.”
“He taught me everything that kept me alive.”
Anthony’s eyes moved to Gabriel’s old watch on her wrist.
Something in him broke.
Very slightly.
“You wore his clothes?”
“Yes.”
“And worked as a mechanic?”
“For seven months.”
Anthony let out a slow breath.
“Gabriel would have loved that.”
Elena’s anger faltered.
Her father stared at the desk.
“I thought I was saving what he would have inherited.”
“You lost him.”
“I know.”
“And then you almost lost me.”
Anthony closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
It was the first time Elena had ever heard him admit being wrong.
Dante placed Luca’s folder on the desk.
Anthony looked at it.
“What is this?”
“Bellini’s insurance policy,” Dante said.
Inside were records of shell companies, fraudulent loans, bribery, and embezzlement.
Anthony looked up.
“Where did you get this?”
Dante replied, “You don’t want that answer.”
“You can stop him?”
“Yes.”
“What do you want in return?”
Dante’s expression hardened.
“Nothing.”
Anthony stared.
“Men like you always want something.”
Dante glanced at Elena.
“Not everything is a transaction.”
Elena noticed her father notice the look.
Anthony slowly closed the folder.
“You care about my daughter.”
Dante did not answer.
Elena’s cheeks warmed.
Her mother looked between them.
“Oh.”
Elena groaned.
“Mom.”
“What?”
“Please don’t.”
Anthony looked horrified.
“You?”
Dante calmly said, “Careful, Russo.”
Anthony stood.
“You’re nearly forty.”
“I’m thirty-seven.”
“That does not help.”
Elena stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Her father looked at her.
“Elena—”
“You do not get to choose another man for me.”
That ended the argument.
Anthony exhaled.
Then nodded.
Slowly.
“You’re right.”
Elena stared at him.
It was the second apology in five minutes.
A family record.
Dante’s phone rang.
Luca answered from the doorway.
His expression changed.
“Boss.”
Dante turned.
“What?”
“Bellini just took three million dollars out of one of his emergency accounts.”
“Where?”
“Cash.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
Luca continued.
“And one of his men was seen outside this property twenty minutes ago.”
Elena’s father went pale.
Dante moved immediately toward her.
“We’re leaving.”
Elena looked at her parents.
“What about them?”
“They’re coming too.”
Anthony frowned.
“I’m not running.”
Dante looked at him.
“You made one bad decision with your daughter.”
His voice became cold.
May you like
“Don’t make another.”
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