"Trust was a fragile thing, and in Dante's world, it was rarer than gold. Ava could feel it—the shadows around her weren't just heavy anymore, they were poisoned, laced with betrayal waiting to strike when she least expected it."
Ava's week had been long and heavy, the kind that sank into her bones. Working with Callahan & Co. Marketing was demanding more of her every day. New clients. New deadlines. A constant demand to prove herself, not just to her team but to Mr. Callahan himself, who had recently agreed to a partnership deal with Dante.
She knew eyes were on her. Some colleagues whispered that she had advanced because of her connection with Dante, not because of her skill. Others kept their distance, resentful but careful. It stung, but Ava told herself she could push through. She would push through. She couldn't let herself be defined by gossip.
Claire appeared at her desk with a bright smile and an exciting prospect, Ava felt her heart lift.
"Ava," Claire said, her tone bubbling with energy, "I've got something huge for you. A new client. He's a major investor, and he asked specifically to meet with someone sharp and creative. I told Mr. Callahan you'd be perfect for it, and he agreed."
Ava blinked. "Wait, what? A new client?,
Claire leaned closer, her voice dropping conspiratorially. "He wants to meet tonight. Discreetly. Over drinks, not at the office. He's private, but if you land him, Ava, this could mean a huge boost for your career."
Ava's chest swelled with both nerves and pride,she felt something was off but could not tell,Maybe this was the moment to silence the whispers about her connection to Dante but coming from Claire it doesn't feel right.
She smiled. "Alright. Where and when?"
The restaurant was upscale but quiet, nestled in a side street where shadows lingered under the glow of dim lanterns. Ava arrived dressed professionally but with a touch of elegance—a cream blouse tucked into a fitted skirt, her hair tied back in a neat bun.
She walked in, scanning the room for her supposed client. When her eyes fell on the man waiting at a corner table, her breath caught in her throat.
Ethan.
Her pulse spiked, and she froze. For a moment, the world tilted beneath her feet.
"Hello, Ava," Ethan said smoothly, rising from his seat with a smug smile. He looked almost the same as before—polished suit, dark hair combed neatly, eyes carrying that same arrogant gleam. "It's been too long."
"What the hell is this?" she demanded, her voice low and sharp. "Claire said I was meeting a client—"
"And you are," Ethan interrupted, his smirk deepening. "I am the client. I asked for you, specifically."
Her instinct screamed at her to turn and walk away, but Ethan lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Relax. This isn't personal. It's business. That's all."
Ava hesitated. If she left now, she risked looking unprofessional. Mr. Callahan might hear about it. And she desperately needed to prove herself.
Her jaw clenched. "Fine. We'll talk about business. Nothing else."
"That's all I want," Ethan said smoothly, gesturing for her to sit.
Reluctantly, Ava lowered herself into the chair opposite him.
The waiter arrived with a polished tray. Ethan waved him off and pushed a glass toward her. "I took the liberty of ordering for you. Your favorite—red wine, right?"
Ava narrowed her eyes.
She wanted to refuse it, but again, professionalism pressed at her. She couldn't afford to look paranoid. So she accepted the glass, lifting it carefully, taking a cautious sip.
The taste was rich, smooth. But beneath it lingered a faint bitterness she couldn't quite place.
Conversation began—on the surface, it was about marketing strategies, potential campaigns, Ethan's supposed interest in expanding his "business ventures." But his eyes never stopped studying her, predatory and calculating.
Minutes passed. Ava's eyelids grew heavy. Her vision blurred at the edges. She blinked, trying to focus, but the room swayed unnaturally.
Something was wrong.
Her hand trembled as she set the glass down. "What… what did you…?"
Ethan's smile was slow, poisonous. "Just a little persuasion. Don't worry, Ava. I won't hurt you. Not much, anyway."
Her stomach lurched with panic. She tried to rise, but her legs buckled. Ethan was there instantly, his arm sliding around her waist. To anyone else in the restaurant, it looked like a man helping his date who'd had too much to drink.
But Ava….. She tried to shove him away, but her strength was slipping.
"Let's get you somewhere private," Ethan murmured in her ear.
When Ava's eyes fluttered open again, she was in a dimly lit hotel suite. The curtains were drawn, the room heavy with silence. Her wrists felt weak, her body heavy, like lead pressed down on her chest.
Ethan stood near the bed, removing his jacket with deliberate slowness.
"Do you remember," he said conversationally, "how you used to look at me? How easy were you to please? Dante can't give you what I can. He doesn't know you like I do."
"Go to hell," Ava croaked, struggling weakly against the haze in her veins.
He chuckled darkly. "I'll take you there myself."
He leaned closer, his hand reaching for the buttons of her blouse. Ava's vision blurred, fear tightening around her throat—
And then the door crashed open.
"Ethan."
The single word cut through the room like a blade.
Dante stood in the doorway, followed by his men. His presence filled the space, his eyes burning with a fury so cold it froze Ethan in place. Behind him, Lorenzo and two others surged in, weapons drawn, ready to strike.
Ethan's smirk faltered. "Dante. What a surprise."
Dante's jaw clenched. "Step away from her. Now."
Ethan straightened, forcing a casual smile. "You misunderstand. We were just—"
He didn't finish. Dante's fist collided with his jaw so hard the sound echoed off the walls. Ethan staggered back, blood spraying from his lip.
"You think you can touch her?" Dante's voice was low, lethal. "You think you can drug her, corner her, and walk away breathing?"
Ethan wiped his mouth, his smirk returning despite the blood. "She'll never survive in your world, Dante. She's soft. Fragile. I'll break her, and when I do, you'll see it too."
Dante's eyes darkened to pure black fury. He turned to his men. "Take him."
Lorenzo and the others surged forward, pinning Ethan against the wall, fists slamming into his ribs, his gut, his face. Ethan grunted, blood spilling, but still he laughed—a broken, twisted sound.
"You can't protect her forever," he spat, even as a blow split his brow. " I—we'll ruin her. And when she's gone, you'll come crawling back to where you belong."
Dante ignored him. He bent to scoop Ava into his arms, her body limp but safe against his chest.
Her eyelids fluttered open just enough to meet his gaze. Fear shimmered in her eyes, but relief overpowered it.
"You're safe," Dante whispered fiercely, pressing his forehead to hers as he carried her out. "I've got you. No one will touch you again."
Behind him, the sound of fists meeting flesh continued. Ethan's laughter turned into strangled cries. Dante didn't look back.
For Ava, there was only forward.
Back at the mansion, Ava was laid gently in her room. A doctor was summoned immediately—Dante trusted no hospitals tonight, not when Isabella's hand was behind this.
"She'll be fine," the doctor assured after a tense examination. "She was drugged, but the dose was low. She'll be weak, disoriented, but she'll recover fully with rest."
Dante dismissed him with a curt nod. When they were alone again, he sat at Ava's bedside, his large hand cradling hers.
His heart burned—not with fear, but with rage. Isabella had crossed the line. Ethan had dared to touch what was his.
And Dante Moretti never forgave.
As Ava drifted into a safer sleep, Dante rose, his expression carved from ice. He looked to Lorenzo, who stood silently in the doorway.
"Find Isabella," Dante said, his voice lethal in its calm. "Watch her moves. And when she slips—because she will—I will end this."
Lorenzo nodded grimly. "Understood."
Dante turned back to Ava, his gaze softening for the briefest moment.
"You're mine," he whispered. "And I will burn this city to ash before I let anyone take you from me."
"Ava staggered back, her glass slipping from her hand as her gaze locked on the figure in the doorway. The venom in their smile told her everything. This wasn't just shadow anymore—it was poison, and it had finally found her."