Chapter 5 - Welcome Home, Husband
Vanessa was drinking champagne when Dante walked into his own house.
The glass fell from her hand.
It shattered.
“Dante?”
He removed his coat.
“Were you expecting someone else?”
She stared at him like she had seen a ghost.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
She rushed forward.
“Oh my God.”
Dante stepped aside before she could touch him.
Vanessa froze.
“Where have you been?”
“Thinking.”
“About what?”
“My marriage.”
Behind a hidden security feed, Marco and I watched from another room.
Vanessa recovered quickly.
“Dante, you’re injured.”
“I’ve been worse.”
“Let me call someone.”
“No.”
The doors opened.
Victor Salerno entered.
He stopped when he saw Dante.
That single reaction told us everything.
Dante smiled.
“Victor.”
“Boss.”
“You look surprised.”
“We heard about the accident.”
“Accident?”
Victor hesitated.
Dante noticed.
So did Vanessa.
Victor corrected himself.
“Crash.”
Dante poured himself water.
“Funny.”
“What?”
“Nobody said accident.”
Silence.
Then Julian Cross entered through the side door.
He saw Dante.
His face drained.
Dante laughed softly.
“And now the entire family is here.”
Julian turned toward Vanessa.
That was the mistake.
Dante’s expression hardened.
“Sit down.”
Nobody moved.
“I said sit.”
They obeyed.
Dante placed a tablet on the table.
Bellini’s security footage began playing.
Vanessa went white.
Julian stood.
“This proves nothing.”
A second recording played.
His phone call with Victor.
Then financial transfers.
Then photographs.
Victor looked toward the doors.
Moretti guards entered.
He stopped.
Dante looked at Vanessa.
“Why?”
She lifted her chin.
“You want the truth?”
“For once.”
“I spent eight years being Mrs. Dante Moretti.”
“You chose to marry me.”
“I chose power.”
Her eyes burned.
“But the power was always yours.”
Dante nodded slowly.
“So you decided murder would fix that.”
“You never loved me.”
“No.”
Vanessa flinched.
Dante continued.
“But I respected you.”
He glanced toward Julian.
“Until tonight.”
Vanessa laughed.
“And your little waitress?”
My heart stopped.
Dante’s expression changed.
“How do you know about Cara?”
Vanessa smiled.
“I know everything happening in my house.”
Marco whispered beside me.
“That’s bad.”
Vanessa reached into her purse.
Dante’s guards moved.
“Slowly,” he warned.
She removed a phone.
On the screen was a photograph.
Me.
Leaving the safe house.
Dante’s face became terrifyingly still.
Vanessa smiled.
“You protected the wrong woman.”
“No.”
Dante looked directly toward the hidden camera.
Toward me.
“I protected the only person in this entire mess who deserved it.”
May you like
Then the lights went out.
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