Chapter 2 - The Portrait of Isabella
Dante didn't answer right away. He turned his head slowly toward the large, gold-framed vintage portrait hanging near the liquor shelf display.
The portrait displayed a stunning brunette woman wearing an ornate black lace dress, her gentle eyes, subtle cheek dimple, and dark wavy hair identical to the young waitress standing before him.
Elina followed his gaze, gasping softly as her breath caught in her throat. "That portrait... who is she?"
Dante’s formidable, hardened expression cracked into a rare, quiet terror. "Her name was Isabella... my late wife."
Elina looked back and forth between the vintage painting and the innocent baby sleeping soundly against her shoulder. "She looks... exactly like me."
Dante stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto Elina's with intense, dangerous authority.
"You’re not going back to work tonight, Elina," Dante stated in a chilling, decisive whisper. "You're coming home with me."
Before Elina could protest, Dante’s bodyguards stepped in front of the restaurant exits, blocking any path of retreat.
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She was terrified, completely unaware that her sudden encounter with the mafia boss was no coincidence, but the opening move in a dark game orchestrated by the people she trusted most.
👉 Read Part 3 to learn how Elina ended up working at Ristorante Orelio.
