LOGINShare
Chapter 9
Latest chapter
The Last Choice Chapter 9
A few weeks later, Dante's father sent a message through Augustus Voss: "The girl is no longer our concern—for now." Damien's father had negotiated a quiet truce, offering shipping rights to Moretti's ports in exchange for dropping the matter. But the old man's final words were, "We do not forget."I learned all this from Damien, who told me calmly over tea. "My father handled it. We're neutral, but we're not weak." He squeezed my hand. "They won't touch you while I'm here."One year later, we had a small wedding in the South. I didn't invite my parents. I didn't know if they knew. I didn't care. Damien's father attended, gave a toast. Vera officiated. We kept it private, far from the coast.An hour before the ceremony, my phone buzzed. A number I didn't recognize. One line. "Heard you're getting married. Be happy."I didn't reply.Across the city, Dante sat alone in his apartment. The screen lit his face. He stared at the sent message. Read it. No reply. He smiled bitterly. Tears in h
The Last Choice Chapter 8
I looked up. "What are you talking about?""Dante." She leaned against the frame. "The night of the wedding, at the hotel. I told him I regretted rejecting him. I even spoke to Don Moretti—he was interested. But Dante said no."She paused. "Then he spent a month looking for you. Using family resources. Every lead. Every informant. Until he found this place."She straightened up, something unreadable in her eyes. "So. You finally beat me. Happy?"The wheel slowed. I stepped on the pedal and it spun again. "No."She tilted her head. "Why not?"I looked at the clay. "Twenty-six years, Grace. I was always second. He chose me once, and I'm supposed to feel like I've won?"She didn't answer."Go home, Grace. I know I'll never be you. I don't want to be. You shine your way. I'll shine mine. It's small. But I can see it."Grace's mouth twisted. "You're still just second-rate, Eleanor. Don't pretend you're some philosopher."Her heels clicked away.The door stayed open. Dante was standing in th
The Last Choice Chapter 7
Dante stood first. Thinner than I remembered. Behind him, two of his father's men flanked the entrance. My parents stood beside them, my mother's lips bloodless, my father's face carved from stone.His gaze hit the roses. Moved to Damien. Settled on me. Silence.My mother broke it first. "Eleanor. You disappeared on your wedding day. Do you know what you did to the Moretti name? Don Moretti himself has given Dante one week to bring you back—and that week is almost up."Dante's voice was low. "And who is this?"Before I could answer, my mother cut in. "Is this why you ran? You found someone else? You're not smart, Eleanor, but I didn't think you were this cheap."I stood still. Roses in my hands. Damien glanced at the group, then at me. "I'll be in the back if you need me," he said quietly, and walked away. One of Dante's men moved to follow, but Dante held up a hand. "Leave him."Dante's eyes stayed locked on me. "Eleanor. Come home. My father is willing to overlook this if you return
The Last Choice Chapter 6
The South. Damp air. Clay and moss. I set up my wheel in Vera's courtyard. Clay spun under my hands, taking shape, taking weight. I found the rhythm I'd never found in spreadsheets.Vera appeared with tea. "You're better than I am now. After two weeks."I smiled, kept working. Pottery makes sense. It's not like people.I was always good at art. I'd forced myself into a "smart" child's mold-read, crammed, cried-while my hands ached for clay. People started noticing my work. A local collector bought a teacup. Posted it online. Then came orders. Before I left, I was the assistant who couldn't read spreadsheets. The girl everyone called dumb. Dante said I couldn't do anything. My parents said I'd never be Grace.But people were paying for my work now. Someone wanted my hands. Maybe I wasn't so worthless.Then a quiet man showed up at the studio with a little boy. The boy was seven, maybe eight. Silent, distant. But his hands went straight for the clay. The man-tall, soft-spoken-asked, "Is
The Last Choice Chapter 5
Dante searched the venue, corner to corner. The dressing room. Empty. He called my number. It rang once, then died. He called again. Off. For the first time, his face shifted from confusion to something hollow.His own father, Don Moretti, arrived with his capos. The old man's voice was ice. "You let the bride walk out on our family's name. I gave you one week to bring her back quietly, or I send my own men. You have six days left."Dante's jaw tightened. "I'll find her."He didn't use the family's network right away—he tried private investigators first. But after three days of nothing, he caved. He tapped the informants, the airport logs, the credit card trail. In less than a week, they traced me to a small pottery town in the South.My parents showed up behind him at the hotel. "No luck?"His voice cracked. "She never came. She left days ago."He walked out with shaking hands. Grace caught him at the door. She looked stunning, trophy in hand. She hesitated. "Dante. I wasn't going to
The Last Choice Chapter 4
The room went silent. Then Dante's voice, steady and soft. "You won't be alone."My door opened. He stood in the doorway. "Eleanor. The ceremony is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Grace. Can we move the wedding to the evening?"I almost laughed. As if weddings happened twice. One of the maids muttered, "Weddings at night? That's only for second marriages." My mother snapped. "Don't be superstitious. We don't believe in that nonsense."Dante's eyes were gentle. "Eleanor. You understand. You've always been the reasonable one."I looked at him. I remembered when I'd won a painting competition as a child. I'd begged my parents to come. They said Grace's speech contest was more important. Dante had promised he'd be there. He went to Grace's contest anyway. I stood alone on stage, surrounded by strangers' applause. I was still standing alone."Fine. Evening is fine."There was no wedding without the bride. So what did it matter?They celebrated that night. Glasses clinked. Plans were ma
You may also like
The Heir They Denied
Shirley19.3K viewsI Married His Enemy and Watched Him Burn
Peachy38.1K viewsThe Day We Signed the Divorce Papers
Lynette Woods9.3K viewsThe Bride Adrian Couldn’t Keep
Velvet10.2K viewsThe Seventh Casing
Adam146 viewsHe Chose Childhood Sweetheart, I Married the Don
Grace3.9K viewsThey Chose My Sister as the Bride
Rosemary3.9K viewsMy Husband of Seven Years Says I’m His Ex-Wife
Bagel1.2K views
