Chapter 4 Episode 4

Bella's heart raced at his cryptic response, her mind conjuring all the worst possibilities. She swallowed, forcing herself to maintain her composure under his intense gaze. She couldn't afford to show any weakness. Not now.

"Dante," she said, trying to steady her voice, "I didn't ask for this. I never wanted to be part of your world, let alone your wife. But now that I am... I deserve to know what's expected of me. I need to know what you want from me."

Dante remained silent for a long moment, his eyes never leaving hers. Then, slowly, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers interlacing in front of him. His face was still unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes-something darker, more dangerous.

"I want your loyalty, Bella," he said finally, his voice low and commanding. "You may not love me. Hell, I don't expect you to. But in this world, loyalty is everything. Betrayal is not tolerated. If you're going to survive here, you need to understand that."

Loyalty. The word hung in the air like a threat. Bella's chest tightened. Loyalty to a man she barely knew, a man she didn't trust? It felt impossible. But she also knew she had no choice. She was trapped in this world, and there was no escape without consequences.

"I'm not a traitor," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "I've never been."

Dante's eyes narrowed slightly, as if assessing the truth of her words. He nodded once, slowly, but there was no relief in his expression. Instead, there was something harder, something that told her loyalty wouldn't be enough.

"There's more, isn't there?" Bella pressed, sensing he was holding back.

Dante's gaze darkened further, and for a moment, she thought he might snap. But he didn't. Instead, he pushed his chair back and stood, towering over her with an air of cold authority.

"Come with me," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Bella hesitated for a second, her mind racing with uncertainty. But then she rose from her chair, her legs unsteady as she followed him out of the dining room and into the long hallway. Dante led her through the house, past doors that remained firmly shut, past windows that looked out onto the expansive estate beyond. The air was thick with silence, tension swirling between them as they walked in a heavy, unspoken understanding that whatever was about to happen would change everything.

He led her to a door at the far end of the corridor, a door she hadn't noticed before. Without a word, he opened it and gestured for her to step inside. Bella hesitated at the threshold, her stomach churning with apprehension.

"What is this?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"You wanted to know what's expected of you," Dante replied, his voice cold. "This is where you start to learn."

Bella's heart pounded as she stepped into the room. It was a dimly lit office, the walls lined with shelves of books and documents. At the center of the room was a large desk, scattered with files and papers. But what drew her attention was the man standing by the window, his back to them.

He turned as they entered, his eyes cold and calculating. Bella's breath caught in her throat. She recognized him from the rumors. It was Alessandro De Luca, one of the most feared men in Dante's organization. A man known for his ruthlessness and his loyalty to Dante.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, her voice shaky.

Dante moved to stand beside Alessandro, his expression as unreadable as ever. "You're about to understand what it means to be my wife," he said darkly. "This isn't just about loyalty, Bella. This is about survival."

Before Bella could respond, Alessandro opened one of the files on the desk and pulled out a photograph. He handed it to Dante, who glanced at it before passing it to her. Bella took the photo, her hands trembling as she stared down at the image.

It was a picture of a man she didn't recognize-young, with dark hair and a sharp, cruel expression. He was standing in what looked like a warehouse, surrounded by several other men. Bella's pulse quickened. Who was this?

"That man is Luca Ricci," Dante said, his voice like ice. "He's a rival of ours. And he's responsible for the death of one of my men last week."

Bella looked up at Dante, her confusion deepening. "What does this have to do with me?"

Dante's expression hardened. "Everything."

Alessandro stepped forward, his gaze piercing as he spoke. "Luca has been trying to undermine Dante for years. He's ruthless, and he'll stop at nothing to take control of the territory. We've been playing this game with him for too long. Now, it's time to end it."

Bella's heart pounded in her chest. "End it... how?"

Dante's eyes locked onto hers, and she could see the weight of his words before he even spoke them. "You're going to help me destroy him."

The room seemed to spin as Bella processed what he was saying. Her? Help destroy a man? She couldn't believe it. She was just a substitute bride, not some pawn in a mafia war. How could Dante expect her to do this?

"I... I don't understand," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You will," Dante said, his tone cold and resolute. "Luca Ricci doesn't know you. He doesn't know you're connected to me. That makes you valuable."

Bella's stomach twisted in knots. She felt sick, her mind racing with panic. "You want me to... what? Spy on him?"

Dante didn't answer immediately. Instead, he moved closer, his eyes boring into hers with a chilling intensity. "I want you to do whatever it takes to get close to him. To earn his trust. And when the time is right... you'll betray him."

Bella's blood ran cold. The gravity of what he was asking her to do hit her like a freight train. She was no spy. No assassin. She couldn't betray a man like Luca Ricci-she didn't even know how. And what if Luca found out? What if he suspected her?

Dante seemed to sense her hesitation, his expression softening-just slightly. "I know this is a lot to ask," he said, his voice quieter now. "But you wanted to know what was expected of you. This is it. You're my wife now, Bella. And in this world, wives are more than just pretty faces. They're assets. They're partners."

Bella's hands shook as she clutched the photo of Luca. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with fear and doubt. Could she really do this? Could she betray a man she didn't know, for a husband she didn't trust?

"I... I don't know if I can," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Dante's expression hardened again, his tone unforgiving. "You don't have a choice."

Bella felt the weight of his words like a crushing blow. There was no escape. No way out of this twisted game. She was trapped, caught between two powerful men-one who demanded her loyalty, and one she was being asked to destroy.

Her eyes flicked back to Dante, searching for any hint of mercy, any sign that he might change his mind. But there was none. His gaze was cold, unyielding.

"I'll give you some time to think about it," Dante said, turning toward the door. "But not too much time. We need to act soon."

As he and Alessandro left the room, Bella sank into a chair, her body trembling with fear and uncertainty. The photo of Luca Ricci lay in her lap, a silent reminder of the impossible task ahead.

Her world had just gotten a whole lot darker. And she had no idea how to survive it.