Chapter 3 - The Anniversary Call
Luca slowly turned his head back toward Allison. “Is that right, Allison?”
She nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Yes, Luca.”
Vanessa violently rolled her eyes, her face flushing with anger. “For heaven's sake, Luca! Are we seriously interrogating the staff because Allison can't control her own hysterical emotions?”
Luca studied his fiancée for a long, heavy moment. “What exactly has Allison done to you, Vanessa?”
Vanessa hesitated. Her arrogant posture faltered for just a fraction of a second. “She made an accusation. Something completely ridiculous.”
Luca stood perfectly still, waiting.
Vanessa looked down the table toward Adrian. For the first time all evening, her confident, mocking smile completely disappeared.
“She accused me of having an affair with her husband,” Vanessa scoffed, trying to sound dismissive.
The entire dining room went dead silent. You could hear the wax dripping from the candles.
Adrian Romano slowly closed his eyes, his jaw clenching tight. I felt the heavy silver tray slipping between my sweaty fingers.
Adrian wasn't just a random dinner guest. He had been Luca Moretti’s absolute closest friend since childhood. Adrian had stood right beside Luca at his father’s funeral. He was the man who helped manage the Moretti family’s legitimate restaurant fronts. And he had been married to Allison for seventeen years.
Their seventeenth wedding anniversary had been the previous Tuesday.
Luca looked toward his best friend. “Adrian?”
Adrian kept staring at his expensive porcelain plate.
“Look at me,” Luca commanded, his voice dropping an octave.
Adrian finally raised his head. He looked pale, sweating under the chandelier lights. “Yeah, Luca?”
“Is there something you need to tell me?” Luca asked smoothly.
Vanessa laughed nervously, clutching her silk napkin. “Luca, please don't encourage this paranoia. Allison has been suspicious of Adrian for months.”
Allison slowly stood up from her chair. Her hands were shaking violently.
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“Because he’s been coming home after midnight every single night,” Allison said, her voice echoing in the quiet room.
👉 What dark secret is Allison about to reveal about her wedding anniversary?
