Chapter 8 - The Trust Broken, The Trap Sprung
Valeria backed away toward the door, but two heavy-set Moretti guards stepped into her path, blocking the exit.
"This is a lie! A setup!" Valeria screamed, her elegant facade completely shattering. "Dante, you're going to believe a disgruntled secretary and a senile doctor over me? The St. Clair family has been loyal to you for decades!"
"Your family has been draining my shipping accounts for decades," Dante replied, tossing a fresh stack of financial forensic audits onto the table. "My mother discovered it. She was going to cut you off and hand the evidence to the federal authorities. So you had her killed, framed the nurse who tried to question the dosage, and then wormed your way into my bed to ensure the Moretti fortune would protect your crimes forever."
Valeria looked at Clara, her eyes burning with pure venom. "You... you miserable little bitch. You ruined everything!" She pulled a small, silver-plated derringer pistol from her evening clutch, aiming it straight at Clara.
Before she could even pull the hammer back, Dante moved with terrifying speed. He crossed the room, grabbed Valeria’s wrist, and twisted it until the gun clattered harmlessly to the floor. He squeezed her wrist until she dropped to her knees, gasping in pain.
"You dare bring a weapon near her? Near her child?" Dante hissed, his voice vibrating with a protective rage that shocked even himself. "Marcus, take her. Deliver her and Hallow to Director Vance at the Federal Bureau. Give them the unredacted files. I want the St. Clair family stripped of every asset, every title, and buried in a federal penitentiary for the rest of their miserable lives."
As Valeria was dragged out screaming and cursing, the grand room fell silent. Lily ran over to Clara, hugging her waist. Clara held her tight, looking up at Dante.
May you like
"Thank you," Clara whispered.
Dante looked down at her, the hard lines of his face softening into something warm, genuine, and profoundly human. "No, Clara. Thank you. You brought my mother back to me."
