Chapter 4 - The Stolen Life
Dante’s jaw locked so tightly that a muscle jumped near his neck tattoos.
"She makes my daughter scrub floors?" Dante asked, his voice dropping to a terrifying, deadly whisper that barely carried over the hushed whispers of the wealthy guests.
"She's a liar!" Victoria shrieked, completely losing her elegant composure. "She’s a jealous, pathetic maid trying to ruin our wedding! Security! Throw this trash out of my house!"
Two heavily armed guards stepped forward from the shadows, but Dante simply raised one hand. The guards instantly stopped, freezing in place. They didn't work for Victoria. They worked for the man in the black suit.
Dante slowly knelt back down on the glossy marble floor, completely ignoring his expensive trousers. He gently took the heavy silver tray from Claire and set it on the floor, then reached out to his daughter.
"Lily," Dante said softly, stripping away all of his terrifying authority just for her. "Look at me, baby. Has Victoria been hurting you?"
Lily looked at the woman in the red dress, then at her father. "She said if I told you, she would send me to the bad place."
Dante felt a physical ache in his chest. "What bad place?"
"The place with the tall fences," Lily cried softly, rubbing her wet eyes. "She said I'm a burden. She said you don't love me anymore because I look too much like Mommy. She said as soon as she signs the papers, I'm going away forever."
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Dante stood up slowly. He didn't yell. He didn't curse. He turned to Victoria, who was now physically backing away, her eyes darting frantically toward the ballroom exits.
👉 What terrifying secret is hiding inside Victoria's designer purse?
