Chapter 7

Aria's POV

I stepped into the study, and Dante quietly closed the door behind me. The room was warm despite the cool night outside. A soft lamp illuminated the wooden desk while shelves filled with books stretched across one wall. Everything was neat and organized, just like him. I stood awkwardly near the door until he gestured toward the sofa. "Sit." I nodded and sat down. He walked to a small cabinet, poured two cups of hot tea, and placed one in front of me. "Thank you," I said softly. He took the seat opposite me, his calm eyes resting on mine. "You said you couldn't sleep." I wrapped my hands around the warm cup and smiled faintly. "Too many things happened today. I closed my eyes, but my mind refused to rest." Dante nodded as if he understood exactly how I felt. "You'll get used to this place." I looked around the study before shaking my head. "I'm not sure I will. Two days ago, I was worrying about my brother's hospital bills. Now I'm living in a mansion and preparing to marry a man I barely know. It still feels like a dream."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn't awkward; it was strangely comforting. I took a sip of the tea before gathering enough courage to ask the question that had been on my mind ever since we met. "Can I ask you something?" Dante looked at me calmly. "Of course." I took a deep breath. "Why did you choose me?" His expression remained unreadable, but I noticed he didn't answer immediately. "There are so many women who would gladly marry you," I continued. "Women from wealthy families who understand your world. Your mother would probably approve of any one of them. But instead, you chose me. Why?" Dante leaned back slightly, his fingers resting on the arm of the chair. "Tell me something first," he said. "Do you believe that some people are meant to meet?" His question surprised me. I thought about it for a moment before replying honestly. "I don't know. My grandmother used to believe that nothing happens by accident. She always said God has a reason for bringing people into our lives."

A faint smile appeared on Dante's face before disappearing just as quickly. "Your grandmother sounds like a remarkable woman." I smiled without realizing it. "She was. She raised me after my father died. Even when life was difficult, she never complained. She taught me to work hard, be kind, and never lose hope." Dante listened quietly without interrupting, his eyes never leaving mine. It felt as though every word mattered to him. When I finished speaking, I looked at him again. "You still haven't answered my question." He let out a slow breath before speaking. "The truth is... I didn't choose you by chance." My heart skipped. Before I could say another word, he continued, "But this isn't the right time to explain everything." I frowned. "You're hiding something from me." He didn't deny it. Instead, he met my gaze and said quietly, "I'm keeping a promise. One day, I'll tell you the whole truth. Until then... I need you to trust me."

Those words echoed in my mind. I didn't know why, but something in his voice told me he wasn't lying. The mystery surrounding Dante Moretti only grew deeper, and for the first time, I found myself wanting to uncover every secret he was trying so hard to protect.

I lowered my eyes to the cup of tea resting between my hands. Part of me wanted to keep asking questions until Dante finally gave me the answers I deserved, but another part told me he wasn't the kind of man who lied. If he said the time wasn't right, then there had to be a reason. I let out a quiet sigh and looked back at him. "You're very mysterious, you know that?" A faint smile appeared on his face. "I've been told that before." I couldn't help laughing softly. "I believe it." For the first time since meeting him, the conversation felt natural. There was no contract between us, no danger, no pressure—just two people talking in the middle of the night.

Dante took a sip of his tea before speaking again. "Tell me something about yourself." I blinked in surprise. "There's nothing interesting to tell." "I don't believe that." I thought for a moment before smiling. "When I was little, my grandmother planted a small garden behind our house. Every morning before school, she'd make me water the flowers. I used to complain because I wanted to sleep longer." Dante listened quietly. "One day I asked her why flowers needed so much care. She told me that beautiful things only grow when someone is patient enough to protect them." I smiled at the memory. "Back then, I didn't understand what she meant. I think I do now."

For a long moment, Dante remained silent. His eyes softened in a way I had never seen before. "She gave you a good heart," he said quietly. "Don't ever let this world take that away from you." His words caught me off guard. "You're talking as if this world is a dangerous place." He looked out the window toward the dark gardens. "It is." His answer was simple, but I could hear the weight behind it. I remembered the gunfire at the mansion, the blood on his shoulder, and the fear on the guards' faces. This wasn't the world I came from. It was his.

I looked at him carefully. "Does it ever get lonely?" He turned back to me, clearly surprised by the question. "What do you mean?" "People fear you. They obey you. But... do they really know you?" Dante didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gave a small, almost bitter smile. "No." That single word made my heart ache more than I expected. Behind the power, the wealth, and the reputation, he was just a man carrying burdens no one else could see.

The grandfather clock in the corner chimed softly, reminding us how late it had become. I stood up with an embarrassed smile. "I should let you get some rest. I've already kept you awake long enough." Dante stood as well. "You didn't." We walked toward the door together. As my hand reached for the doorknob, his voice stopped me.

"Aria."

I turned around.

"You asked me why I chose you."

I nodded.

He held my gaze for a long moment before speaking.

"Because from the moment I found you... I knew you were different."

Before I could ask what he meant, he opened the door for me.

"Good night."

I stepped into the hallway with my heart racing. His answer hadn't explained anything, yet somehow it had left me with even more questions than before.

Inside the study, Dante quietly closed the door again. He rested one hand on the desk and let out a slow breath.

"Just a little longer," he murmured to himself. "When the time is right... I'll tell you everything."

Outside, hidden in the shadows at the end of the hallway, a pair of eyes watched Aria walk back to her room.

The mysterious figure smiled coldly.

"So... she's already getting close to him."

The figure disappeared into the darkness before anyone noticed, leaving behind a silence that felt far more dangerous than the night itself.