Chapter Three: Answers That Refuse to Appear
1211 Words
Dante hesitated.
It was brief.
Barely noticeable.
But Lina saw it.
Of course she did.
Artists were trained to catch the things other people missed — the slight shift in posture, the flicker in someone’s eyes, the half-second where confidence cracked just enough to let the truth peek through.
And Dante had cracked.
Just a little.
Which meant one thing.
Her question mattered.
Interesting.
Lina crossed her arms carefully, trying not to show how much her ribs were still staging a protest. Her body still remembered the impact, the chaos, the sound she had never wanted to hear again.
And the voice.
His voice.
The same calm voice now standing in front of her.
“Well?” she said.
Silence.
Dante turned away from her instead of answering, walking toward the window like the view outside B
suddenly deserved his full attention.
Classic.
Ignore the question and hope it disappears.
Lina rolled her eyes, though a small knot of unease tightened in her stomach. Men who could order someone killed without raising their voice were not exactly the kind you pushed too hard.
“Oh come on,” she said. “You can’t just drop a marriage ultimatum on someone and then act mysterious.”
Still nothing.
She watched his back.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
The kind of posture that suggested he had never once in his life been told no.
Which made her refusal even more satisfying.
Even if a very small, very sensible part of her brain whispered that powerful men might react badly to being challenged.
“Let me guess,” she continued, pacing slowly despite the soreness in her side. “Political alliance? Secret inheritance? Ancient family curse? I’ve read enough books to know weird marriage deals are never simple.”
Dante spoke without turning around.
“You read too much.”
“I’m an art student,” Lina replied. “Reading and suffering are part of the curriculum.”
That earned her a brief glance over his shoulder.
It wasn’t a warm look.
But it wasn’t annoyed either.
More like he was trying to figure out what kind of creature had wandered into his carefully controlled life.
Join the club, Lina thought.
Because she was wondering the exact same thing about him.
“So you’re not answering,” she said.
“No.”
“Great communication skills.”
Lina wandered toward the bookshelf near the wall, pretending to inspect the titles while secretly studying the room.
Old books.
Leather bindings.
First editions, if her guess was right.
Whoever this man was, he wasn’t just rich.
He was the kind of rich that had history attached to it.
The kind of family that built empires.
Which made her even more suspicious.
Because people like that didn’t marry random art students.
Not unless something bigger was at play.
She pulled out a book halfway, then slid it back.
“Okay,” she said thoughtfully. “Let’s assume for a second that I’m crazy enough to consider your offer.”
Dante turned slightly.
His attention sharpened.
Lina noticed immediately.
Oh.
So he was listening now.
Interesting.
She leaned against the shelf casually.
“What exactly would this marriage involve?”
“Appearances,” he said.
“That’s vague.”
“You would be my wife publicly.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“And privately?”
“You would live here.”
Lina blinked.
Then laughed once, though it sounded more nervous than amused.
“Oh sure,” she said. “Because that makes perfect sense. I’ll just move in with the mysterious man who executed someone yesterday. Totally normal life decision.”
Dante didn’t react.
“Also,” she added quickly, gesturing vaguely, “I have a life. A very chaotic one, but still. I have school. I have assignments. Professors who already think I’m irresponsible. I have a mother who worries if I’m five minutes late.”
She paused.
“And I have a brother I’m supposed to be looking for.”
Her voice softened slightly on that last part.
“So unless your marriage contract includes flexible class schedules and permission to search half the city for Marco, I’m not sure how this arrangement is supposed to work.”
Dante watched her.
Silent.
Which somehow made the room feel smaller.
She shifted under his gaze, suddenly remembering again exactly what kind of man she was talking to.
Right.
Dangerous criminal.
Focus, Lina.
She pushed off the shelf, walking closer again.
“And after a year?” she asked.
“You leave.”
“Just like that?”
“Yes.”
“No consequences?”
“No.”
Lina tilted her head.
“Forgive me if I don’t immediately trust a man whose job description apparently includes executions.”
Dante’s expression hardened slightly.
“That man betrayed people under my protection.”
“Ah,” Lina said slowly.
That explained the anger she had heard in his voice.
Not loud anger.
Not screaming.
But the quiet kind.
The dangerous kind.
Still didn’t make her feel better about the situation.
“Okay,” she said, raising both hands slightly. “Let’s revisit option one. The disappearing act.”
“You would not survive long.”
“Optimistic.”
“Realistic.”
She sighed dramatically.
“You’re really not selling this whole marriage idea very
well.”
“I am not trying to.”
"Well that’s refreshing.”
Lina wandered toward the window now, peeking outside.
The view made her blink.
Gardens.
Huge ones.
Trees lined neatly like soldiers.
A long driveway that stretched far beyond the gates.
Yeah.
Definitely rich rich.
“Wow,” she murmured. “This place could fit my entire university building inside it.”
Dante said nothing.
She pressed her forehead lightly against the glass.
And suddenly—
A thought hit her.
Hard.
Her mother.
Her stomach twisted.
Her Mom was probably pacing the living room right now.
Calling Lina.
Calling anyone who might have answers.
And Lina was here.
In a mansion owned by a mysterious criminal who thought forced marriage was a reasonable solution to problems.
Great.
Just fantastic.
She closed her eyes briefly.
Marco.
Where are you?
Her chest tightened.
Lina turned back slowly.
Dante was still watching her.
Waiting.
Calm.
Patient.
Like he had already decided how this story would end.
Which irritated her more than it should have.
She crossed her arms again.
“Well,” she said.
“That changes absolutely nothing.”
Dante lifted an eyebrow slightly.
“You refuse.”
“Yes.”
“Even knowing the alternative?”
She swallowed.
Because yes.
She was scared.
Any sane person would be.
But something stubborn inside her refused to let this man think he could simply decide her future like it was a business arrangement.
“My answer,” Lina said, forcing her voice to stay steady, “is still no.”
The room went quiet.
Heavy.
Tense.
Dante studied her for a long moment.
And somehow that silence felt more dangerous than
any threat.
Lina’s heart hammered against her ribs.
But she didn’t look away.
Because if this man thought she was going to scare easily—
He was about to be very disappointed.
And deep down, she had the unsettling feeling that this conversation…
Was only the beginning.
- Writer
