The words lingered in the lavish air, sharp as broken glass. "You have just ruined yours." It wasn't a threat; it was a statement made with the cold finality of a judge's gavel.
I tightened my grip on Aria's arm. "We're leaving," I said, my voice firm despite my uncertainty. I pulled her toward the elevator, my heart racing. I just needed to get her out of this sterile, lifeless penthouse, away from him. We could talk and sort things out, but not here. Not under his suffocating gaze.
"No, you're not," Dante replied. He stayed still, his voice measured, but the command was clear. His authority didn't require volume. Leo, the quiet bodyguard, shifted his weight, blocking our path to the door without moving an inch.
"You can't keep us here," I retorted, facing him. "This is kidnapping."
A humorless smile crossed his lips, cold and fleeting. "On the contrary, Miss Rossi. It is protection. The people who put me in that hospital bed won't leave a job unfinished. They know the attempt failed. Now, they will be looking for leverage, a weakness."
His piercing green eyes turned to his sister for a moment, and I caught a glimpse of real fear in them, a vulnerability that took my breath away. Just as quickly, it vanished, hidden behind layers of control.
"Aria's days as a normal student are over," he continued flatly. "And you, because you saved me and are her closest friend, are linked to this situation. To them, you are a person of interest. Leaving this building would be unwise."
"I'll take my chances," I said, lifting my chin. "Aria and I can handle ourselves."
Aria squeezed my hand, her face conflicted. "Bella, he's right," she whispered, trembling. "You don't know what these people are like. I've lived with this shadow my whole life."
"I'm not afraid of shadows, Aria." I kept my gaze on Dante. This was more than safety; it was a clash of wills. He wanted control, and I wouldn't be a pawn in his game.
Dante seemed to understand my challenge. He gave a slight nod to Leo. "Leave us," he ordered. Leo disappeared as quietly as he had appeared.
Dante then turned his back to us and walked over to a sleek black bar in the corner, pouring himself a glass of water with calm, deliberate movements. "You two should talk," he said without looking at us. "I have a call to make." He walked into an office, the heavy door closing behind him, leaving Aria and me alone in the vast, eerie silence.
As soon as he was gone, my fight faded, replaced by hurt and confusion. I released Aria's arm and sank onto one of the cold leather sofas.
"Why?" I asked, the single word carrying a thousand questions. "Why didn't you ever tell me, Aria? We shared everything. Did you think I couldn't be trusted?"
Tears gathered in her eyes as she sat beside me, wringing her hands in her lap. "No, Bella, never. It was quite the opposite. I didn't tell you because I trusted you, and I wanted to shield you from… all of this." She waved her hand around the penthouse, at the cold luxury that felt more like a prison than a home.
"This is my reality," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Since our parents were murdered, Dante has done everything to build a fortress around me. He created this global empire not just for power but for safety. He wanted me to have what he never did: a normal life, a chance to go to school, to make real friends, to fall in love, without the Moretti name hanging over my head like a curse."
She took a shaky breath. "Telling you would have meant dragging you into danger. It would have meant this life," she glanced around again, "infecting yours. I couldn't do that to you. You're the best friend I've ever had, the only part of my life that felt real and separate from him. I was selfish. I wanted to keep you in the light for as long as I could."
Her confession was painful and raw. I could see the years of loneliness she had faced, the weight of a secret that shaped her entire life. My anger at her deception began to fade, replaced by deep sympathy for my friend. She hadn't lied to hurt me; she had lied to protect me.
I pulled her into a hug, comforting her as she sobbed against my shoulder. "I'm not mad at you," I whispered, meaning it. "I'm mad at him. At this whole situation."
She sniffled and pulled back to look at me. "He's not what you think, Bella. The world sees a monster, a ruthless machine. But I see the ten-year-old boy who held my hand in that dark closet, who promised he would never let anything bad happen to me again. He's kept that promise. Everything he does, every company he crushes, every enemy he destroys… he does it to keep that promise."
I wanted to argue. I wanted to say that good intentions didn't justify cruel actions. But looking into her earnest, pleading eyes, I held my tongue. She loved her brother, and for her sake, I would try to understand.
We sat in silence for a few more minutes, the weight of our situation sinking in. The office door opened, and Dante stepped out. His face was grim, his jaw set tight. Whatever he had heard on that call wasn't good.
"The apartment is no longer an option," he said, his voice leaving no room for disagreement. "My security team is there now, packing your things. They will bring them here."
My defiance surged again. "I'm not staying here. I'm not your prisoner, Moretti."
He walked towards me until he stood right in front of the sofa, forcing me to look up at him. He was an imposing figure, using his height to his advantage.
"A car belonging to a rival organization was seen on your street less than an hour ago," he said, his voice a low, frightening rumble. "They have been watching you. They have been watching my sister. For how long, we don't know. But your life as you knew it ended the moment you became Aria's best friend. You just didn't know it yet."
He crouched slightly, bringing his face level with mine. His green eyes burned with an intensity that was both frightening and captivating.
"So you can call it a prison. You can call it a cage. I don't care. All that matters is that you and my sister are safe. You will stay here, under my roof and under my protection, until I have dealt with the threat." He paused, the silence thick with unspoken challenge. "You do not have a choice."