{Elena’s pov}
I had escaped from the estate going down to Naples to see for myself the exact thing Dante had told me under the magnolia tree.
The dockyard smelled of salt and rust, the sharp wind cutting against my skin as I stepped into the shadow of the warehouse. My pulse thudded loudly in my ears, but I kept walking. I had to know the truth.
Dante had promised me I’d find it here.
His words still echoed in my mind, clear and steady from the night before.
“You think Nico saved you at that auction?” His voice had been soft but hard-edged as we stood beneath the magnolia tree. “You think he stumbled in to be your hero?”
He leaned closer, eyes locked on mine. “He arranged it, Elena. He sold you.”
My breath had stopped in my chest.
“What are you talking about?” I had whispered.
D
