Chapter 10: The Attack on the Moretti Estate
1034 Words
The peaceful atmosphere that had surrounded the Moretti mansion only moments earlier disappeared completely when Dante’s warning reached everyone in the room. Aria stood frozen beside the table, trying to process the meaning behind his words because the idea that someone was coming after them felt impossible only a few minutes ago. She had walked into her childhood home expecting answers from her father, expecting a painful conversation about the past, but she never imagined that uncovering the truth would immediately put their lives in danger. The sound of her own heartbeat seemed louder than everything around her as she looked at Dante and noticed the seriousness in his eyes. For the first time, she understood that the world Dante lived in was not just about powerful families, expensive businesses, and dangerous reputations; it was a world where secrets could become weapons and where enemies were willing to destroy anyone standing in their way.
Dante immediately moved into action, his entire personality changing in a way Aria had never seen before. The calm and controlled billionaire who usually spoke with confidence was replaced by a man whose instincts were focused completely on protecting the people around him. He gave instructions to Marco with a quiet authority that made everyone in the room listen without hesitation, telling him to secure the exits, check the security cameras, and make sure every person inside the mansion was moved away from vulnerable areas. Aria watched him carefully because, despite everything she had believed about him, she could not deny that he knew exactly what he was doing. There was no panic in his movements, no hesitation in his decisions, and no selfish concern for his own safety, which confused her because it was completely different from the cold image she had created in her mind.
“Dante,” Aria said, stepping closer to him, “what exactly is happening?”
Dante looked at her, and for a brief second, his expression softened because he could see the fear she was trying desperately to hide behind her stubborn attitude.
“Someone wants to make sure the truth about your family never comes out,” he replied.
Aria shook her head slowly, still trying to understand.
“But why would anyone care about what happened twenty years ago?”
Dante’s eyes moved toward Luciano before returning to her.
“Because some secrets are more dangerous than weapons.”
The answer only created more questions in Aria’s mind, but before she could ask anything else, a loud sound suddenly echoed through the mansion. The sharp noise of broken glass coming from the lower floor immediately changed the atmosphere, causing everyone to react at once. Aria instinctively stepped backward, her body becoming tense as she realized the threat was no longer something happening outside the walls of the mansion. Someone had entered. Someone had crossed the security surrounding the Moretti estate. And now the danger Dante had warned her about was standing much closer than she ever imagined.
Luciano quickly moved toward his daughter, but Dante reached Aria first and placed himself between them and the direction of the sound. The action happened so naturally that Aria barely had time to react, but she noticed the way Dante positioned himself without thinking, as if protecting her had become an instinct rather than a decision. She wanted to argue with him, wanted to tell him that she did not need someone standing in front of her like she was helpless, but the seriousness in his expression stopped her. This was not the arrogant man who annoyed her with his commands. This was a man who had spent years learning how to survive dangerous situations and who was willing to place himself in danger before allowing someone else to get hurt.
“Stay behind me,” Dante ordered quietly.
Aria immediately frowned.
“I can protect myself.”
Dante looked at her.
“Aria, this is not the time to prove how stubborn you are.”
“And this is not the time to treat me like a child.”
For a moment, even during the danger surrounding them, Dante almost reacted to her answer with amusement. It was unbelievable to him that this woman could argue with him while someone was possibly attacking the building. Most people would be terrified, but Aria was still fighting for her independence. However, that was also what made her different. She did not see Dante Valentino as a powerful man who needed to be obeyed; she saw him as a person who could be challenged, questioned, and forced to explain himself.
Marco suddenly appeared at the entrance of the room with a serious expression.
“Dante, we have movement on the west side of the property.”
Dante’s face immediately became colder.
“How many?”
“At least six men.”
Luciano’s expression changed.
“They came for me.”
Dante looked at him.
“No.”
Everyone turned toward him.
“They came because of what you know.”
The statement created a heavy silence.
Aria looked at her father, realizing that the secret he had hidden for years was not only connected to the past but was powerful enough to bring danger into the present.
Dante reached for Aria’s hand without thinking, pulling her away from the open area and toward a safer position. The moment his hand touched hers, both of them paused slightly because neither expected the small action to feel so natural. Aria looked down at their hands, then back at him, confused by the strange mixture of safety and frustration she felt around him. Dante noticed her expression and slowly released her hand, returning his attention to the threat outside. But the brief moment remained between them, a quiet reminder that despite their arguments and differences, something between them was slowly beginning to change.
Outside the mansion, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.
Inside, Dante prepared for a battle.
Aria stood beside the man she once believed was her greatest threat.
And for the first time, she realized something terrifying.
The person she trusted the least might be the person who was fighting the hardest to keep her alive.
- Writer
