The boardroom was colder than the war had ever been. At least in a war, people were upfront about wanting you dead. Here, they smiled. I was at the long glass table, with Dante at my right and twelve men across from us who had made their careers on numbers and leverage instead of bullets. The name “Moretti” had been put neatly on the merger papers. Beside it, in bold, sat Dante’s corporate empire. Power appeared a little different in the day. “This consolidation,” one of the senior board members said, adjusting his glasses, “will draw attention.”“It already has,” Dante said calmly. The man gave a single nod, then glanced at me so briefly that he returned his gaze to Dante.“We need stability.” “You have it,” I said. His eyes returned to me, and there was a faint flash of surprise. Another executive leaned forward. “This, with respect, is not just a get-it. The Moretti holdings carry history, too.”“So does yours,” I replied evenly. A few men shifted in their seats. Dante sa
Last Updated : 2026-03-02
