Chapter 5 - The Sister Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Her name was Sofia Moretti.
Dante had not spoken it aloud in years.
When he finally did, his voice sounded different.
Not frightened.
Wounded.
"Sofia was twenty-four when she died."
Elena sat beside him in the warehouse office.
Outside, rain struck the old windows.
"Car accident?"
"That's what I was told."
"Did you see her body?"
Dante looked at her.
"No."
His father had handled everything.
Closed casket.
Private burial.
Dante had been overseas when the accident occurred.
By the time he returned, Sofia was already buried.
He had spent years blaming himself for not being there.
Now a video proved she had survived.
Marco began searching the files.
"We need to know where she is."
Elena watched Dante.
His face was emotionless.
But she had learned something tonight.
His stillness wasn't absence of feeling.
It was how he survived feeling too much.
She reached for his hand.
This time, Dante didn't hesitate.
He held hers.
Charles watched them from across the room.
Regret filled his expression.
"I did this."
Dante looked up.
Charles continued.
"If I hadn't agreed to Raymond's plan—"
"You did."
Elena's father lowered his head.
"And I'll spend the rest of my life regretting it."
Dante stood.
"Regret later."
Marco found another file.
"Boss."
A recent financial transfer.
Two million dollars.
Recipient: Sofia Moretti.
Dated yesterday.
"She's alive," Elena whispered.
Dante stared at the screen.
Then the warehouse lights went out.
Everyone froze.
Marco reached for his weapon.
A woman's voice came from the darkness.
"Hello, brother."
Dante stopped breathing.
Emergency lights flickered on.
A woman stood at the far end of the warehouse.
Dark hair.
Black coat.
A pistol lowered at her side.
Older than the woman in the recording.
But unmistakably the same person.
Sofia.
Dante stared.
Years of grief, anger, and disbelief collided behind his eyes.
"You."
Sofia smiled sadly.
"Me."
Dante raised his gun.
Elena touched his arm.
He didn't lower it.
"You let me bury you."
"I had no choice."
"Everyone has a choice."
"Father didn't give me one."
Dante's expression shifted.
"What?"
Sofia stepped closer.
Their father had discovered that Raymond was recruiting her.
Instead of trusting Dante, he had staged Sofia's death and sent her away.
But Sofia eventually returned.
Not to betray Dante.
To infiltrate Raymond's organization.
"The video?" Dante demanded.
"Staged."
"You said you wanted me dead."
"Because Raymond was recording me."
Marco frowned.
"Then why didn't you contact us?"
"Because Raymond had someone inside Dante's organization."
Dante looked at Marco.
Sofia shook her head.
"Not him."
"Who?"
She looked toward the laptop.
"Your lawyer."
Dante's face hardened.
That part matched.
Sofia continued.
"But he isn't the only one."
Silence.
"Raymond's attack tonight isn't his final move."
"What is?"
"Tomorrow morning, federal agents raid every Moretti property in Chicago."
Marco swore.
"Based on what?"
"Fabricated evidence."
Sofia looked at Dante.
"Raymond wants you arrested if he can't kill you."
"And Elena?"
"He'll take her during the chaos."
Dante stepped closer.
"Why?"
"The shares."
Sofia nodded.
"And something else."
She looked at Elena.
"Raymond believes Elena has the flash drive."
Dante immediately moved between them.
Sofia noticed.
"You really love her."
Dante didn't answer.
Elena did.
"He does."
Dante glanced at her.
For the first time, Elena didn't look away.
Sofia smiled faintly.
"Good."
She removed a phone from her pocket.
"Then you'll understand why we have to end this tonight."
She had Raymond's location.
An unfinished luxury tower near the river.
Top floor.
Raymond believed Sofia was bringing Elena to him.
It was their opportunity.
Dante refused immediately.
"Elena isn't going."
Elena crossed her arms.
"Dante."
"No."
"Stop deciding things for me."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
"I spent three years trying to keep you alive."
"Which was also stupid."
She stared at him.
"You are unbelievably difficult."
"I've been told."
"By your ex-girlfriends?"
Sofia looked between them.
"You two have an unusual marriage."
Marco murmured, "You missed three years."
Elena stepped closer to Dante.
"Raymond expects me. Without me, he knows it's a trap."
"I don't care."
"I do."
"Elena—"
"If we run, he keeps coming."
Dante knew she was right.
He hated it.
They created a plan.
Sofia would bring Elena.
Dante and Marco would enter through construction access.
Charles and Evelyn would remain behind and send copies of the evidence to multiple attorneys and federal contacts.
If anything happened, everything became public.
Before they left, Dante pulled Elena aside.
He removed the cream envelope from inside his jacket.
The divorce papers.
Elena stared.
"You had them with you?"
"I was bringing them to you when I heard you talking."
Her face fell.
"You signed them?"
"Yes."
She looked down.
Dante took the papers out.
Then slowly tore them in half.
Elena looked up.
He tore them again.
And again.
Pieces fell to the concrete floor.
"Dante."
"I thought freedom meant getting away from me."
His voice softened.
"I was wrong."
Tears filled her eyes.
"What does it mean now?"
"You deciding what you want."
Elena stepped closer.
"And if I want you?"
For perhaps the first time in his adult life, Dante Moretti had no answer.
So Elena gave him one.
She kissed him.
Not dramatically.
Not desperately.
Just softly.
Three years late.
Dante froze.
Then his hand touched her cheek.
The kiss deepened for one brief second.
When they separated, Elena rested her forehead against his.
"I should've done that three years ago."
"Yes."
She laughed through tears.
"You could pretend to disagree."
"I've lost three years. I'm done lying."
Then Sofia called from the doorway.
"We have to go."
Elena turned.
Dante caught her hand.
"Stay behind Sofia until you see me."
"I will."
"And Elena?"
She looked back.
"I love you."
Her eyes filled instantly.
"I love you too."
Forty minutes later, Sofia led Elena into the unfinished tower.
Raymond Cole stood waiting beside the windows.
He smiled.
"Finally."
Elena looked around.
Ten armed men.
No Dante.
No Marco.
Exactly according to plan.
Raymond extended his hand.
"Give me the drive."
Elena reached inside her coat.
Then Raymond smiled wider.
"You didn't really think Dante's plan was a secret, did you?"
Sofia froze.
Raymond turned toward her.
"And you didn't really think I trusted you."
Lights flooded the construction floor.
More armed men appeared.
Elena's heart stopped.
Raymond pointed toward a chair.
Someone was tied to it.
Dante.
Blood ran from his temple.
Elena stared in horror.
May you like
Raymond laughed.
"Now we can finally begin."
