Semua Bab Shadows of Forbidden Desire-I slept with my mafia bro in-law: Bab 51 - Bab 60

The first thing Isabella noticed when she woke was that Dante was gone.She reached across the bed before opening her eyes fully.Cold sheets.Empty space.Her heart jumped.Then she heard his voice downstairs.Low.Controlled.Giving orders.She sat up.For several seconds, she simply listened.It was strange how quickly she had become accustomed to the sound of Dante's presence. His footsteps in the hallway. His voice on the phone. The quiet click of his cuff links in the morning. Even the occasional irritation in his voice when someone disturbed him.She had spent years living in a house where her husband's presence made her anxious.Now she lived with a man whose absence made her anxious.The difference was almost cruel.She got out of bed and wrapped herself in a robe.When she reached the study, the door was slightly open.Dante stood inside with three men.One of them was the head of his security team. Another was a man Isabella had never seen before. The third stood beside the

The gunshot shattered the room.Everyone moved at once.Dante grabbed Isabella and pulled her behind him.His men raised their weapons.Sofia dropped behind the sofa.The woman who had just claimed to be Isabella's mother froze in the middle of the room.For one terrible second, nobody knew where the shot had come from.Then another shot sounded.This one came from outside.A guard rushed through the doorway."Boss!"Dante turned."What happened?""Someone fired from the eastern wall.""Anyone hit?""No.""Find them."The guard disappeared.Dante remained between Isabella and the woman.His gun was raised.His eyes never left the stranger."Don't move."The woman slowly raised her hands."I didn't come here to hurt anyone."Dante's voice was cold."Then tell me who you are."The woman looked at Isabella."My name is Elena."Isabella's heart pounded."Elena what?"The woman swallowed."Elena Egbuchere."Isabella stared at her.Her mother's name.The same name she had seen written on ol

The message remained on Dante's phone.You have forty-eight hours.Find the vault.Or Sofia dies.Nobody spoke for several seconds.Sofia stared at the screen as though the words might change if she looked at them long enough."My mother," she whispered.Isabella moved toward her."We'll get her back."Sofia looked at her."You don't know that.""No."Isabella took her hand."But I'm not leaving you to deal with this alone."Sofia's eyes filled with tears."After everything I've done?""You're still my sister."The word made Sofia break.She covered her face.Isabella pulled her into an embrace.Sofia cried against her shoulder.Dante watched them.His expression remained hard, but something softened in his eyes.Then he turned toward Elena."You know where the vault is."Elena nodded."Yes.""Then we go."She shook her head."Not yet."Dante's patience disappeared."We have forty-eight hours.""And if you rush there, Lorenzo will kill her.""My patience isn't unlimited.""I know."El

The room remained silent after Dante read the final line.The inheritance is only the key.Isabella stared at the photograph.All this time, they had assumed the money was the reason behind everything.The trust.The marriage.The threats.The kidnappings.The murders.But if the inheritance was only a key, then what exactly was it supposed to unlock?Dante placed the photograph on the table."We've been looking at this wrong."Sofia wiped her eyes."My mother is still with Lorenzo.""I know.""And we have twelve hours.""I know.""Then we need to move."Dante nodded."But we're not going after Lorenzo yet."Sofia stared at him."Why?""Because he wants us angry.""He has my mother.""And that's why we can't rush."Sofia's expression hardened."Easy for you to say."Dante looked at her."If it were Isabella, I would already be on my way."Sofia paused."Then why aren't you?""Because I know Lorenzo."He pointed at the screen."He expects me to attack.""So?""So he has prepared for it

The rain had turned the road into a dark ribbon beneath the headlights.Dante drove without speaking.Isabella sat beside him, watching the trees blur past the window.Neither of them had mentioned the voice from the recording.Neither had mentioned Alessandro's face.There was too much to process.Behind them, Sofia sat with Elena.The silence inside the vehicles felt heavy.Finally, Isabella spoke."Do you think he's alive?"Dante knew exactly who she meant."My father?"She nodded."No.""Then why did he say he was sorry?""Because he knew he was going to die."Isabella looked down."I wish he had lived long enough to explain everything."Dante's hands tightened around the steering wheel."So do I."She reached across the space between them and placed her hand over his.He looked at her briefly."Thank you.""For what?""For staying."She frowned."Where else would I go?""Somewhere safe.""I'm not leaving you.""Isabella.""No."Her voice was firm."You don't get to decide that fo