Chapter 11: The Secret He Kept
1620 Words
Alessia’s POV
The chapel doors burst open.
Everyone turns.
Dante moves before I can even react.
He grabs my arm and pulls me behind him.
“Stay behind me.”
His men immediately raise their weapons.
The stranger stands in the doorway.
He doesn’t look afraid.
He looks at Dante.
Almost amused.
My heart pounds.
Dante’s body goes completely still.
He knows him.
“You,” Dante says.
The stranger smiles.
“Still protecting her, De Luca?”
I look at Dante.
“Who is he?”
Dante doesn’t answer.
“Leave,” he says.
The stranger laughs.
“You still give orders like nothing has changed.”
Dante takes a step forward.
“I won’t ask again.”
The man’s smile disappears.
He looks at me.
“You really haven’t told her?”
My stomach tightens.
“Told me what?”
Dante turns toward me.
“Alessia, don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
The stranger answers for him.
“Ask him what happened eight years ago.”
Eight years ago?
I look at Dante.
His jaw tightens.
“What happened eight years ago?”
He says nothing.
The stranger takes a step backward.
“Ask your husband.”
Then he turns and disappears through the doorway.
“Find him!” Dante orders.
Several guards rush after him.
I turn back to Dante.
“You know him.”
“Alessia…”
“You know exactly what he was talking about.”
His expression hardens.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“We’re leaving.”
I stare at him.
“You’re not answering me.”
“I will.”
“When?”
He looks at me.
“When you’re safe.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“I was just shot at during my wedding.”
His eyes darken.
“I know.”
“So don’t tell me to wait.”
Before he can answer, Matteo rushes toward us.
“Boss.”
Dante turns.
“What?”
“We couldn’t find him.”
Dante’s expression becomes colder.
“Search the grounds.”
“We already did.”
“Then search again.”
Matteo hesitates.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“The missing guard.”
My stomach drops.
“What about him?” Dante asks.
“We found his phone.”
“Where?”
“The east corridor.”
Dante looks at Matteo.
“Was he there?”
“No.”
“Find him.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Dante turns to me.
“Stay with Sofia.”
“No.”
His eyes narrow.
“I’m coming.”
“This isn’t safe.”
“Neither is staying here.”
For a moment, we stare at each other.
Finally, Dante nods.
“Stay beside me.”
I follow him.
****
Dante’s POV
The east corridor is almost empty.
Matteo leads us to the spot where they found the phone.
I pick it up.
The screen is cracked.
“Any calls?”
“Nothing useful.”
“Security footage?”
Matteo hesitates.
“Someone disabled the cameras.”
My eyes narrow.
“For how long?”
“Three minutes.”
Three minutes is enough.
Someone knew exactly where the cameras were.
“Who had access?”
“Security staff. Senior men. You and me.”
I look at him.
“So someone inside helped them.”
“Yes.”
Alessia stands behind me.
I don’t look at her.
I already know what she’s thinking.
If someone inside helped the attackers, then nobody in this estate can be trusted completely.
“We’ll find him,” I say.
Matteo nods.
Then I hear footsteps.
A guard approaches.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found something near the west entrance.”
He hands me a photograph.
I recognize it immediately.
Alessia’s photograph.
The same one she dropped in my study.
I turn it over.
Three words are written across the back.
Next time, we won’t miss.
My jaw tightens.
Alessia sees my face.
“What does it say?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
She steps closer.
“Dante.”
I hand her the photograph.
She reads the words.
Her face goes pale.
“They’re coming for me.”
“Yes.”
“Who are they?”
“I don’t know.”
She looks at me.
“You’re lying.”
I don’t answer.
Because there is something I haven’t told her.
Something I hoped she would never have to know.
****
Alessia’s POV
I find Dante in his study later that evening.
He’s standing beside his desk, looking through several papers.
He looks up.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I need answers.”
He puts the papers down.
“About what?”
“The man in the chapel.”
His expression changes slightly.
“You know him.”
“He’s someone from my past.”
“What does he have to do with my family?”
Dante says nothing.
I step closer.
“He mentioned eight years ago.”
His eyes meet mine.
“What happened?”
“Alessia…”
“No.”
I shake my head.
“I’m done being told to wait.”
He stays silent.
“My father said you were the only way to keep me alive.”
Dante looks away.
“What was he protecting me from?”
“People who wanted something your family had.”
“What?”
“A name.”
I frown.
“A name?”
“Yes.”
“Whose?”
Dante’s jaw tightens.
“The man who ordered your family’s death.”
I stare at him.
“My family’s death?”
“They were supposed to die.”
“But they didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Your father made a deal.”
“With you?”
“Yes.”
My chest tightens.
“What kind of deal?”
“One that kept you alive.”
I shake my head.
“You keep saying that, but you won’t tell me why.”
“Because the truth will put you in more danger.”
I laugh bitterly.
“Someone just tried to kill me, Dante. I’m already in danger.”
He doesn’t answer.
I look around the study.
Then I see it.
A photograph on his desk.
I walk toward it.
Dante’s eyes follow me.
I pick it up.
My breath catches.
It’s my father.
He’s standing beside another man.
I know that face.
I’ve seen him in old family photographs.
I turn the picture over.
A date is written on the back.
Eight years ago.
Underneath it is a name.
The same name Dante just mentioned.
My fingers tighten around the photograph.
“Who is this?”
Dante doesn’t answer.
“You know him.”
“Put the photograph down.”
“No.”
“Alessia.”
“What happened eight years ago?”
He walks toward me.
I don’t move.
“Tell me.”
His voice is quieter now.
“Your father didn’t know who he was.”
I stare at him.
“What?”
“He trusted the wrong person.”
“And you knew?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Dante’s eyes stay on mine.
“Because I was there.”
My heart skips.
“You were there?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
For the first time, Dante looks tired.
“Your father discovered the truth too late.”
“What truth?”
Before he can answer…
BANG!
The window behind him shatters.
I scream.
Dante grabs me and pulls me to the floor.
Glass scatters across the room.
He covers me with his body.
“Stay down.”
My hands shake.
“Dante…”
“Don’t move.”
He looks toward the broken window.
His face is completely different now.
Cold.
Focused.
Dangerous.
Matteo bursts into the room.
“Boss!”
“Where did it come from?”
“East wall.”
“Find them.”
Matteo nods and runs out.
Dante looks down at me.
“Are you hurt?”
I shake my head.
“No.”
He checks me anyway.
Then I notice something.
The bullet didn’t hit me.
It hit the wall behind Dante.
I look at him.
“Who were they shooting at?”
He doesn’t answer.
My heart sinks.
“Dante.”
His eyes meet mine.
“They weren’t shooting at you.”
I stare at him.
“Then who?”
He looks toward the broken window.
“Me.”
Silence.
Someone wanted Dante dead.
I look down at the photograph still in my hand.
Eight years ago.
My father.
The man who wanted my family dead.
And Dante.
All connected.
I look back at him.
“What happened eight years ago?”
Dante doesn’t answer.
But this time, I don’t let him walk away.
“I won’t stop asking.”
His eyes stay on mine.
“I know.”
Suddenly, footsteps rush through the hallway.
Matteo appears at the door.
“Boss.”
Dante turns.
“What?”
“We found the missing guard.”
I let out a breath.
“Where?”
“In the old storage room.”
Dante’s expression remains hard.
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Then bring him here.”
Matteo hesitates.
“There’s a problem.”
Dante’s eyes narrow.
“What?”
Matteo looks at me before answering.
“The guard says he wasn’t working alone.”
Silence fills the room.
Dante steps forward.
“Who was with him?”
Matteo’s face is tense.
“He says it was someone who works for you.”
My blood runs cold.
Dante says nothing.
Neither do I.
Because suddenly, the biggest danger isn’t outside the estate.
It’s already inside.
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