Chapter 9

After Rhea’s conversation with Dante and Izzy, she reentered the gathering.

The Moretti estate was alive with people. The funeral reception of her father had drawn in countless guests. Some of them were family and some were allies, but there were still some people who came to assess the power shift in the Moretti empire and if it was for the taking.

Her conversation with Dante still pressed at the back of her mind. He did not even give her the chance to grieve her father properly; instead, all he could do was to reiterate to her the importance of her secret mission.

Before she met with Dante today, she had already believed her husband and his family were innocent. But now, he had planted the seed of doubt, twisted her grief into a weapon, and now she had to return to the Vitale estate with those thoughts simmering beneath the surface.

“Rhea?”

She heard her name. It was a familiar voice.

She turned slowly, her gaze locking onto the man standing a few feet away. Alexander Moreau.

Her ex-boyfriend.

He looked as handsome as before. He styled his dark brown hair in an effortless way. The black tailored suit he wore accentuated his hazel eyes. These were the features Rhea once adored in this man. But, oh, did he break her heart?

In fact, she was yet to even heal before she found herself in this marriage situation with Adrian.

He walked towards her.

“I’m so sorry,” he said softly, stepping closer. “For your father. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now.”

Rhea inhaled sharply, forcing down the sudden rush of emotions.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said; her voice was calm but firm.

Alex chuckled. “You think I’d miss this? I had to see you. I had to make sure you were okay.” He swept a quick glance at her. “You look…different.”

Of course, she did. She wasn’t the same woman who had once believed in love, who had let herself be vulnerable only to be shattered in return.

“I’m not okay, Alex. I literally just lost my father.” She scoffed.

“I’m sorry I asked that. I don’t expect you to be okay.” He apologized

“You look as beautiful as ever, Rhea.”

“I’m married now,” she said to him. It was not because she was happy she was married, but she needed to say something to make him feel bad.

His expression twisted into something bitter. “Yeah. I heard.” His voice dropped lower but was still sharp. “To ‘him’.”

He said the word “him” with a mixture of jealousy and sarcasm.

Rhea crossed her arms, she looked fed up. “What do you want, Alex?”

His jaw tightened. “I wanted to see you, mi amor. To tell you I never stopped thinking about you.” He swallowed hard. “I made a mistake, Rhea. I was stupid, but I swear… ”

“You cheated on me,” she cut in; her voice was as cold as ice. “There’s nothing more to say.”

Alex exhaled, frustration showing on his face. “I was drunk. It didn’t mean anything… ”

“It meant everything,” Rhea shot back. She clenched her fists. “And now you think you can show up at my father’s funeral and undo the past?”

“I can’t change what happened,” Alex admitted, his voice quiet. “But I can tell you that I regret it. And I would do anything to fix it.”

Rhea shook her head. “There’s nothing to fix. My life has changed. I’ve changed.”

Alex’s eyes darkened. “You don’t love him.”

A sharp, cruel laugh left Rhea’s lips. “You don’t know anything about my marriage.”

His lips curled into a smirk. “I know it’s a business deal. That man doesn’t love you. And you sure as hell don’t love him.”

“Be careful, Alex,” she warned, lowering her voice.

“Or what?” He stepped closer, taking Rhea’s hand into his. “He’s dangerous, Rhea. I looked into him. Adrian Vitale isn’t a man you want to be tied to.”

“So if my husband, Adrian Vitale, is as dangerous as you claim he is, you think the solution is to get back with you?” she asked sarcastically.

She noticed Alex’s eyes were looking over her shoulders. Like he was looking at someone else.

Rhea turned her head just in time to see Adrian approaching; his movements were slow and deliberate. He moved like a predator who had just caught his prey in its den.

He strode toward them with a sort of authority that silenced an entire room. His eyes burned with anger.

“Who the fuck is this?”

Rhea barely had time to answer, and before she knew it, Adrian was standing between them. His body immediately cut off the space between her and Alex.

Alex was tensed but tried not to show it. “I was just offering my condolences.”

Adrian tilted his head, and he smirked wickedly. “Offering condolences,” he repeated. “Funny. From where I stood, it looked like you were trespassing.

Adrian sneered at him. “You don’t belong here. piccoletto.”

Alex squared his shoulders; he would not cower to him, even though he just called him a little boy. “I think Rhea can decide that for herself.”

Adrian let out a low chuckle. “You think I give a damn about what you think?”

His voice was calm and collected but was also charged with something dangerous beneath the surface.

Alex’s jaw tightened, but Adrian had already dismissed him.

Instead, he turned to Rhea; his gaze was slow but commanding.

“We’re leaving,” he said; the authority in his tone was very palpable.

Rhea looked up to Adrian in shock, hating the public display. “The reception isn’t over.”

Adrian took a step closer, invading her space completely.

“It is for you,” he murmured into her ears. She felt his warm breath on her neck, and the cologne he was wearing turned her on.

The words he said were laced with something possessive, like he was claiming her.

Alex moved slightly in their direction, as if he wanted to intervene and save her, but Adrian’s head snapped toward him.

“Walk away,” Adrian said. And you could hear it loud and clear, a threat wrapped as a warning.

Alex hesitated; he shot a glance at Rhea. But Rhea’s face was expressionless; if anything, her face gave him the same warning Adrian just gave him. He exhaled and stepped back.

Adrian didn’t spare him another glance. Instead, he took Rhea’s wrist, firm but not painful, and led her through the murmuring crowd.

All eyes were on them, but no one dared to raise a voice.

The power shift was undeniable.

As they left the Moretti ballroom where the reception was taking place and stepped outside, Adrian’s men tried to follow their boss.

“Stay back!” he roared at them.

“Give me the keys to the G-wagon.” Adrian demanded.

One of the men threw the car keys at him, which he caught with his left hand with so much steeze while still using his right hand to lead Rhea.

When they had entered the car, he turned the ignition and sped off the Moretti estate.

Rhea wasn’t sure what unnerved her more: the fact that Adrian had claimed his dominance so effortlessly or the fact that some part of her hadn’t resisted.