Elodie’s POV~
"But I don’t have an invitation..."
Cara hesitated, biting her lip. "The invitations for this auction went out half a month ago. It’s not easy to get one now, but if you really want to go..."
She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t have to.
I knew exactly what she was suggesting that I ask Dante.
I felt my jaw tighten. The idea of asking him for anything made my skin crawl. But this was for my grandmother. And if swallowing my pride ant finding her the perfect gift, then so be it.
"I’ll figure it out," I said quietly.
Cara gave a sympathetic look but didn’t push.
---
Around 9 p.m., after we parted ways, I drove back to Dante’s villa.
The house was lit up when I arrived, which ant he was ho. I found him exactly where I expected,in his study, the door half-open, the glow of his computer screen casting shadows across his face.
I knew he didn’t like coming into his study. He’d never said it outright, but I’d learned over the years to read the signs. The way his shoulders would tense. The way his answers would get shorter, colder.
So I stayed in the bedroom instead, curling up on the bed with a book, waiting.
The hours crawled by.
Midnight ca and went.
Finally, around 1 a.m., I heard his footsteps in the hallway.
The door opened, and Dante walked in, looking as composed as ever despite the late hour.
I set my book aside and looked up at him.
He noticed imdiately, pausing as he loosened his tie. "Is there sothing?"
I didn’t waste ti with small talk. "I heard there’s a charity auction in two days—"
"You want an invitation," he said, cutting off.
It wasn’t a question.
"Yes."
He pulled the tie free and draped it over the back of a chair. "Got it."
That was it. No hesitation. No questions about why I wanted it or what I was planning to buy.
Just... got it. I blinked, caught off guard by how easy that had been.
"Thank you," I said carefully.
He didn’t respond. Just turned and headed to the closet, then disappeared into the bathroom a mont later.
I sat there for a second, still processing, then shook my head and lay down.
The sound of running water filled the room, and exhaustion finally caught up with .
I was asleep before he ca back out.
---
The next evening, I left work early and headed back to the villa.
Dante wasn’t ho yet, but Liora was.
The mont she saw , she launched herself into my arms, her face lighting up. "Mommy! Can you make sothing yummy for dinner? *Please?*"
I laughed despite myself. "What do you want?"
"Anything! As long as you make it!"
"Alright, alright. Go wash your hands."
She squealed and ran off, and I headed to the kitchen, rolling up my sleeves.
It felt good. Normal again. Like I was just a mom making dinner for her daughter, and nothing else mattered.
After we ate, I was cleaning up when the butler appeared in the doorway.
"Madam, soone just dropped this off for you."
He handed a sleek envelope.
I wiped my hands on a towel and opened it, only to see two invitations to tomorrow’s charity auction.
Dante had co through.
I stared at them for a mont, sothing complicated twisting in my chest.
He actually did it.
But if he’d sent them over... did that an he wasn’t coming ho tonight?
I was still thinking about it when my phone buzzed twice.
I pulled it out and saw Cara’s na on the screen and saw that she had sent in two ssages.
I opened them... and just froze.
It was a screenshot. From Sienna’s social dia.
The image showed her in profile, smiling that soft, dreamy smile she always wore when she wanted to look effortlessly beautiful. Behind her, fireworks exploded across the night sky in bursts of gold and red and blue.
The caption read: The fireworks festival tonight was beautiful.
I stared at the photo.
In the background, I could make out other couples, people holding hands, wrapped up in each other, bathed in the glow of the fireworks.
It was clearly a date spot.
A romantic one.
And Sienna looked happy. Radiant, even in it.
Because she wasn’t alone, she was with Dante.
My stomach dropped.
He hadn’t co ho because he was out with her. On a date. Watching fireworks like they were any other couple in love.
And he hadn’t even brought Liora. Just the two of them.
I stared at the screenshot, my face carefully blank, though sothing cold and bitter was curling in my chest.
I typed back to Cara.
: Did you follow Sienna?
Otherwise, how would she even have this screenshot?
Her response ca quickly.
Cara: I have a friend who knows her. She ntioned it, so I asked her to send it to .
What Cara didn’t say, but what I could read between the lines, was that her friend was probably envious of Sienna.
Because everyone in their circle knew by now. Sienna had hooked up with Alpha Dante Wilson. And Dante loved her. Treated her like she was precious. Like she was the only woman in the world.
I set my phone down and picked up the invitations again, turning them over in my hands.
Two.
One for . One for...?
I opened my ssages again.
: Want to go to the auction with tomorrow?
Cara’s response was instant.
Cara: YES! We MUST go!
I smiled faintly. At least I wouldn’t be alone.
---
That night, Dante didn’t co ho.
I’d already guessed he wouldn’t.
After all, he was out with her. Watching fireworks. Probably doing more than that. Probably having the kind of night I used to dream we’d have.
But at least it ant I could sleep alone in the bedroom without the awkwardness of sharing a bed with a man who didn’t want there.
---
The next evening, Cara and I got dressed up.
We were wearing nothing too extravagant because I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard but we both looked good. Elegant, at least and put together.
The kind of won who belonged at a charity auction, even if I felt like an imposter.
When we walked into the hall, I could feel eyes on us. Lingering and assessing us. Cara was known in these circles. She’d been to these events before, knew the players, knew the ga.
But as for , I was new. And people were curious.
Who is she? Which family does she co from?
I kept my head high and followed Cara to our seats in the middle-back section.
We weren’t early, but we weren’t late either. The auction was set to start in just a few minutes.
I was settling into my chair, smoothing down my dress, when I heard a ripple of noise from the front row.
Whispers and excited murmurs filled the air and Cara and I both turned to look.
And my entire body went cold. Lo and behold, as though my life decided to ceaselessly torture with these two, I saw Dante and Sienna. They were walking in together, side by side, like they owned the place.
Cara’s voice was quiet beside . "It’s Dante and Sienna... They’re here too."
She turned to , her eyes wide. "Did you know they’d be here?"
I shook my head slowly, my throat tight. "No."
He hadn’t told . He hadn’t even entioned it.
Hadn’t thought I needed to know.
I watched as they took their seats in the front row, the front row, of course, because that’s where people like Dante Wilson sat and the whispers around us grew louder.
"At the last banquet, President Bellini spent over three million on her outfit alone."
"And look at her now. That dress is from Imms. You know, the designer who only makes three pieces a year? Each one costs upwards of two million."
"He’s spent tens of millions on her in just a few months. He’s really willing to splurge on her."
"Lucky woman."
I felt Cara’s hand on mine, squeezing gently. But I didn’t look at her. I... I just couldn’t.
Because I was too busy watching Sienna lean in close to Dante, whispering sothing in his ear that made him smile.
That small, rare smile that I used to think was mine. But it never was. It was always hers.
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