Chapter 8 - The Red Coat Was a Lie
I confronted Sofia the moment we returned.
“You were in my apartment.”
She stared at the paused video.
“No.”
“That’s your coat.”
“It looks like my coat.”
“It is your coat.”
Dante stepped between us.
“Sofia.”
She glared at him.
“Don’t.”
Then she pulled out her phone.
“My car logs.”
Her vehicle had been at a law office downtown during the time Nolan recorded the video.
Isabella confirmed Sofia had been with her.
“So someone dressed like you?”
I asked.
“Or someone wanted you to think it was me.”
Marco enlarged the reflection.
The woman’s face remained blurry.
But a bracelet was visible.
Silver.
Three square stones.
Sofia’s expression changed.
“I know that bracelet.”
Dante looked at her.
“Who?”
“My cousin, Bianca.”
The name meant nothing to me.
It meant plenty to Dante.
Bianca Moretti had worked as chief financial officer of Moretti Holdings for twelve years.
She had access to corporate records.
Trust archives.
Lawyers.
And Dante’s private files.
Including my grandmother’s.
Bianca arrived that evening after Dante summoned her.
She looked offended rather than frightened.
“You think I sold confidential files?”
Dante placed the image in front of her.
Her eyes flickered.
Once.
That was enough.
“Where is the bracelet?”
Dante asked.
“At home.”
“Marco.”
Bianca stood.
“You’re searching my home?”
Dante’s voice stayed low.
“You brought danger into mine.”
Bianca laughed.
“Your house has always been dangerous.”
Then she looked at me.
“You have no idea what you kissed your way into.”
I stood.
“I know what Nolan did.”
“No.”
Her expression softened in a way that scared me more than anger.
“You know what Nolan wanted you to see.”
Dante stepped closer.
“What does that mean?”
Bianca’s eyes stayed on me.
“Ask Evelyn why Nolan chose that ballroom.”
My mouth went dry.
“He was invited.”
“No.”
Bianca shook her head.
“Nolan spent twenty thousand dollars for access.”
“To bring you.”
“Why?”
Bianca glanced toward Dante.
“Because he needed Evelyn to meet him.”
Silence.
I looked at Dante.
He looked genuinely surprised.
Bianca smiled.
“The kiss wasn’t part of Nolan’s plan.”
“But the meeting was.”
I felt suddenly dizzy.
Nolan had dragged me toward the exit.
But before that, he had insisted we attend.
He bought me the dress.
He chose the table.
He made sure we walked past Dante twice.
“Why would Nolan want me near Dante?”
Bianca’s answer came quietly.
“Because the consortium didn’t just need Evelyn Carter’s land.”
“They needed someone powerful enough to fight over it.”
May you like
“And they chose the Morettis.”
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