Chapter 9
DANTE’S POV
Aria opened her mouth to say something to the elders, and something inside me snapped
This had gone too far. Way too far.
“Just shut up!” I shouted at her, my voice echoing in the suddenly quiet hall. I saw the shock on her face. quickly replaced by hurt, but I couldn’t stop now. The embarrassment was burning through me like wildfire.
Without thinking. I grabbed her hand and started pulling her away. This time, I made sure my grip was iron- tight. There was no way she was slipping away, not until we were out of this mess
“Dante, let go!” Aria hissed, struggling against my hold Leave me alone!!
I I
1 ignored her protests, feeling self conscious as I felt the eyes of everyone in the hall on us. The whispers started as soon as we passed, but I kept my eyes straight ahead. Just a few more steps
Finally, we burst out of the hall. I didn’t stop, though, not until we were far enough away that I was sure no one could overhear us. Only then did I release my grip on Aria’s wrist.
She quickly pulled her hand away the moment I let go, rubbing her wrist and glaring at me. The look in her eyes held something else I couldn’t quite place.
“I’m…I’m sorry,” I stammered, suddenly feeling like a complete idiot. “I just had to get you out of there. You were going to…”
“Where have you been for the past two months?” Aria cut me off, her voice sharp
I blinked, caught off guard. Of all the things I expected her to say, that wasn’t even on the list.
“What?” I asked, sure I must have misheard.
“You heard me.” she said, her eyes never leaving mine. “Where have you been, Dante? You’ve been gone for two months, and now you show up suddenly and Linda moves in with us.”
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to gather my thoughts. “L. Look, it’s complicated, okay?”
“Try me,” Ana said, crossing her arms
I sighed. “Fine. The Griffith family company is hosting a grand jewelry gala a month from now. It is going to showcase items blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.”
Ana’s eyes widened slightly at this, but she didn’t interrupt.
“I’ve been gathering information, and preparing for the event,” I continued: “It’s it’s important that I attend. That we attend,” I quickly added.
“And you couldn’t tell me this before you left?” Aria asked, her voice softer now but still laced with hurt.
I looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “It was sensitive information. I couldn’t risk.”
“Risk what, Dante?” she pressed. “That I might tell someone? That I might ruin your big plans?”
“No! That’s not…” I trailed off, feeling frustrated. How could I explain the situation without revealing too
+25 BONUS
much? “Look, Aria, there’s a lot more going on here than you know. More than I can tell you right now.”
She was quiet for a long moment, and when I finally worked up the courage to look at her again, I saw
tears glistening in her eyes.
“You don’t trust me,” she said softly. It wasn’t a question.
“Aria, that’s not true,” I insisted, reaching for her hand. She pulled away before I could touch her.
“Isn’t it?” she asked. “You disappear for two months without a word, and here you are telling me y gone to prepare for some event?”
I felt my own temper rising. Why couldn’t she just believe me?
you had
“I am not lying, Aria,” I insisted, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “Why on earth would I lie about this? It’s not like you would beat me up or something if I told you the truth.”
Aria wasn’t buying it. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “Oh really? Then why do I get the feeling that there’s more to this story?” She paused, and I saw something change in her expression. “Were you with Linda during that time?”
The accusation caught me off guard. How did she come up with such…? No, I couldn’t let her see much that made me feel anxious.
how
“What? That’s ridiculous,” I scoffed, trying to keep my voice steady. “Why would you even think that?”
Her laugh was bitter. “Oh, I don’t know, Dante. Maybe because I am not as stupid as you seem to think I am. I know Linda’s pregnant.”
Shit!! She knew. How long had she known? I opened my mouth, then closed it again, at a loss for words.
“You… you know?” I finally managed to choke out.
“Of course I know,” Aria spat. “Did you think you could keep it a secret forever? Were you ever going to tell
me?”
I felt overwhelmed with guilt. “I was going to tell you, I swear. It’s just… things have been so distant between us lately. My feelings have been all over the place.”
“Your feelings?”
“her voice rose. “What about my feelings, Dante? Did you ever stop to think about how this might affect me?”
Something inside me snapped. Before I could stop myself, I was stepping towards her, my voice low and dangerous. “Listen to me, Aria. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m warning you now. Don’t you dare try anything against Linda’s child. Do you understand me?”
She flinched as if I had slapped her. The hurt in her eyes was quickly replaced by a look of shock. “Is that what you think of me?” she whispered. “That I would hurt an innocent child?”
I felt a twinge of regret, but I pushed it aside. I had to protect Linda and the baby, no matter what.
“Damn you Dante! you have no idea what I’m going through,” Aria continued, her voice cracking. “No ideal at all. How could you?”
I rolled my eyes, my patience wearing thin. “Oh, come on, Aria. Don’t be so petty. This isn’t just about you, you know.”
Chapter 9
+25 BONUS
The moment the words lo
my mouth, I knew I had gone too far. Aria’s face crumpled, and for a second, I thought she might cry. But then she straightened her shoulders, and when she looked at me again, her eyes were cold.
“Petty?” she repeated, her voice eerily calm. “You think I’m being petty?”
I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly wishing I could take back my words. “Aria, I didn’t mean…”
But she cut me off. “No, I think you did mean it, Dante. I think you meant every word.” She took a deep breath, and I saw her hands trembling at her sides. “You know what? I can’t do this anymore.”
A chill ran down my spine. “What are you saying?”
Aria met my gaze. “I am saying that maybe we should get a divorce.”
The word hung in the air between us, heavy and final.
“A what??” I said, my voice barely audible.
