Rebirth: In the arms of my Ex's Uncle

Chapter 13

A week passed in something resembling a routine. I continued working at Tom's warehouse, gradually bringing order to his chaotic business operations. True to his word, Dante arranged for visible security—a woman named Ria who looked like she could snap a man's neck without breaking a sweat, but who also had a surprisingly dry sense of humor.

"You don't look like a typical bodyguard," I'd told her on the first day.

She'd smirked. "That's the point. The ones who look the part are the first to get taken out."

Ria shadowed me discreetly, always within sight but never hovering. She accompanied me to and from work in the car Dante continued to provide despite my insistence that I could pay for my own transportation once I received my first paycheck.

"Consider it part of the security package," he'd said, smoothly overriding my objections.

I hadn't seen any more threatening notes, and Luca had stopped calling, which should have been a relief. Instead, the silence made me uneasy, like the calm before a storm.

I spent my evenings in the apartment, researching Dante's business dealings and his history with Luca. There wasn't much publicly available—Dante was notoriously private—but I pieced together the basics. Vanguard Corp had started as a small investment firm and grown into a diversified enterprise under Dante's leadership. They operated in many of the same markets as Moretti Enterprises but with a reputation for ethical business practices and long-term thinking, the opposite of Luca's s***h-and-burn approach.

There were rumors of bad blood between the two, beyond the usual business rivalry. Some speculation about a deal gone wrong years ago, but nothing concrete. Whatever the full story was, Dante wasn't sharing it yet.

I was settling into the apartment, gradually making it feel more like my space than Dante's property. I'd rearranged some furniture, added a few small touches like a throw blanket I'd found on sale and fresh flowers I bought weekly. It wasn't much, but it helped me feel less like a guest and more like I belonged.

I was sitting cross-legged on the couch reviewing inventory spreadsheets when there was a knock at the door. I checked the peephole to find Dante standing there, a bottle of wine in one hand and a paper bag that smelled deliciously of food in the other.

I opened the door, raising an eyebrow. "Unannounced visits now?"

He had the grace to look slightly abashed. "I should have called first. I thought you might be hungry."

My stomach chose that moment to growl audibly. I hadn't eaten since lunch, too engrossed in my work.

"Fine," I said, stepping aside. "But only because whatever's in that bag smells amazing."

He smiled, walking past me into the apartment. "Italian. From a little place in Little Italy that doesn't do delivery. I had to promise the owner my firstborn to get takeout."

I snorted, closing the door. "Somehow I doubt that's how it went down."

"You don't think I'm charming enough to bend the rules?" He set the food and wine on the coffee table, noticing my laptop and papers spread out. "Working late?"

"Just trying to get ahead. Tom's systems are a mess." I started clearing space, setting my work aside.

"You don't have to stop on my account."

"It's fine. I could use a break."

He went to the kitchen, returning with wine glasses and plates. There was something oddly domestic about the scene—the two of us setting up an impromptu dinner in the living room, him moving comfortably through what was technically his space but had become mine.

"So," I said as we settled on the couch with our food, "is this a social call or a business meeting?"

Dante poured the wine, handing me a glass. "Can't it be both? I thought we should discuss next steps, but I also wanted to see how you're settling in."

"I'm fine. The apartment is comfortable, the job is going well." I took a bite of pasta, closing my eyes briefly at the flavor. "God, this is good."

"I'm glad you approve. About both the food and the arrangements."

I studied him over the rim of my wine glass. He looked tired, I realized. There were subtle shadows under his eyes, a slight tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there before.

"Rough week?" I asked.

He seemed surprised by the question. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual corporate battles."

"Against Luca?"

"Among others." He set his plate down, leaning back. "Which brings me to why I'm here. I think it's time we moved forward with our plan."

I raised an eyebrow. "Our plan? I don't remember agreeing to anything specific yet."

"True," he acknowledged. "Let me rephrase. I think it's time I shared my plan, and you decided if you want to be part of it."

I set my own plate aside, curiosity piqued. "I'm listening."

Dante stood, walking to his briefcase which he'd set by the door. He returned with several file folders, laying them on the coffee table.

"Luca's company is in trouble," he began, opening the first folder to reveal financial statements and market analyses. "He's overextended, taking on too much debt for rapid expansion. Several of his recent projects have underperformed, leaving him cash-strapped."

I leaned forward, scanning the documents. "How did you get these? These are internal reports."

"I have sources," he said dismissively. "The point is, Luca is vulnerable right now. He's counting on a few key deals to save him from potential bankruptcy."

"The Technovision merger," I said, the pieces clicking together.

Dante looked impressed. "You've been paying attention."

"Of course I have. I helped set up the initial meetings before..." I trailed off, not wanting to revisit the past. "I know how important that deal is to him."

"Exactly. Technovision has a revolutionary new chip design that would put Moretti Electronics years ahead of competitors. Luca's betting everything on acquiring them."

"And you want to stop him," I guessed.

"Better." Dante's eyes gleamed. "I want to take the company for myself, right out from under him."

He opened another folder, showing me projections and strategy documents. "Vanguard Tech would be a better home for Technovision. We have stronger financial backing, better research facilities, and most importantly, we don't exploit our acquisitions the way Luca does."

I scanned the papers, impressed despite myself by the thoroughness of his planning. "So what's the problem? Make a better offer."

"It's not that simple. Technovision's CEO, Howard Chen, has personal ties to Luca. They went to business school together. The deal is practically handshake-sealed already, though nothing's been signed."

"And this is where I come in," I realized.

"You know the details of Luca's offer. You know his strategy, his vulnerabilities, the pressure points we could exploit."

I sat back, taking a sip of wine as I considered the implications. "You want me to help you steal a billion-dollar company from my ex-husband."

"I want you to help me save a brilliant team of innovators from being bled dry by a man who doesn't understand or respect what they've built," Dante countered. "The fact that it would devastate Luca financially is merely a... happy side effect."

I laughed despite myself. "At least you're honest about the revenge aspect."

"I've never pretended otherwise." He leaned forward, eyes intense. "Luca deserves to fall, Vivian. For how he treated you, for how he does business, for who he is at his core. And I want to be the one who pushes him over the edge."

The phrasing sent a chill through me, too reminiscent of my death in the other timeline. But I pushed the thought away, focusing on the present.

"What exactly would I have to do?" I asked.

"Share information. Help me craft a counter-offer that addresses Technovision's concerns before they even voice them. Give me the edge I need to convince Chen that Vanguard is the better partner."

"And if I do this? What do I get out of it besides the satisfaction of seeing Luca suffer?"

Dante's expression turned serious. "A job. A real one, with Vanguard, at a level commensurate with your experience and abilities. Financial security independent of whatever you eventually get in the divorce settlement. And my continued protection from Luca's retaliation, which will be considerable when he realizes what's happened."

It was a generous offer. Too generous, perhaps.

"Why go to all this trouble?" I asked. "You could hire corporate spies, find other sources inside Moretti Enterprises. Why me specifically?"

Dante was quiet for a moment, studying me with an intensity that made me shift uncomfortably.

"Because you understand Luca in ways others don't," he said finally. "You've seen him at his worst and his most vulnerable. You know his patterns, his reactions, his blind spots. That's invaluable."

It wasn't the whole truth. I could sense he was holding something back.

"And?" I prompted.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And because you deserve to be part of his downfall. Because after everything he put you through, you should get to watch him lose everything that matters to him."

There was a vehemence in his voice that surprised me, a personal edge to his anger that went beyond business rivalry.

"This feels very personal for you," I observed. "Is there something you're not telling me about your history with Luca?"

"Many things," he admitted. "Some of which you'll learn in time. But for now, let's focus on the task at hand."

He was deflecting, but I decided not to push. For now.

"I need time to think about this," I said.

"Of course. But not too much time. The Technovision deal is moving forward. We have perhaps two weeks before it's finalized."

I nodded, gathering the documents to review more thoroughly later. "I'll have an answer for you soon."