Chapter 77 – Queen in Black
****Isabelle’s POV****
The black silk clung to me like a second skin, every fold and shadow calculated, deliberate. It wasn’t a dress—it was armor. Not of steel, but of perception. In this world, perception was stronger than any weapon. People killed for less than the impression of power, and tonight, I wasn’t just standing in Dante’s shadow. I was standing beside him.
I could hear my heels against the marble floors of the grand hall as we entered together, Dante’s hand resting lightly on my lower back—not possessive, but anchoring. The air around us shifted, the quiet hum of conversation fading into a hush that felt almost tangible. Every gaze turned toward us, their weight heavy and assessing.
The crown of the mafia king might have been on his head, but th
