THE REAL PROPOSAL
PART ONE: THE SETUP
8:47 PM — Dante’s Private Penthouse
Aria didn’t know why Dante had asked her to dress up. It was a Saturday night, and usually Saturdays meant family time. Luca with Lucia, learning to cook. The three of them curled together watching movies. Normalcy.
But when Dante came to the bedroom and saw her in the black dress she’d chosen something elegant but not formal, something that showed she’d made effort without making it obvious his expression shifted.
“You’re beautiful,” he said simply.
“I’m suspicious,” Aria replied. “What are you planning?”
“Dinner,” Dante said. “Just dinner. Just you and me.”
She studied his face, reading for tells. But Dante had spent decades controlling his expressions. He’d mastered the art of the blank face when he needed
