Chapter 13 - Secrets by the Fireside
Following the gala, we returned to the Lake Geneva estate for a quiet weekend away from the city’s demands.
A light snow had begun to fall, dusting the evergreen trees and the frozen shore of the lake in pristine white. Inside the great room, a roaring fire crackled in the stone hearth, casting a warm, golden glow across the room.
We sat together on an oversized plush sofa wrapped in a soft cashmere blanket. Dante had his arm around me, a glass of vintage red wine resting on the table, while I leaned against his shoulder, listening to the peaceful sound of the burning wood.
“Dante?” I spoke softly.
“Hmm?”
“Do you ever regret walking away from the underworld power your family held?”
Dante looked into the dancing flames for a quiet moment before turning his gaze to me.
“Never for a second,” he answered without hesitation. “My father spent his entire life looking over his shoulder, trusting no one, dying alone in a cold hospital room with enemies circling his bed. That isn't power, Harper. That’s a prison.”
He reached over, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
“Real power is being able to protect what truly matters. Real power is being able to build a future where you wake up every morning in peace, knowing that the person you love is safe, happy, and beside you.”
I smiled, feeling a profound wave of warmth settle deep inside my soul.
“I have a surprise for you,” I said, my heart suddenly fluttering with excitement.
Dante raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “A surprise? You’ve been managing all our accounts; I thought I knew every move you made.”
May you like
“Not this one.”
I reached into my pocket and handed him a small, white envelope tied with a silver ribbon.
