Chapter 8 - The Woman Behind Twenty-One Years of Betrayal Kidnapped Bella on Her Wedding Day—But She Had No Idea Bella Was Already Ready for WarBella and Dante had planned a small wedding.
Family.
Friends.
No media.
No business.
Just them.
But Victoria attacked before the ceremony.
Bella disappeared.
Dante arrived at the hotel too late.
Her wedding dress lay on the floor.
Beside it was a note.
Bring the deed.
Come alone.
Dante went.
He found Bella inside the old Belladonna warehouse.
Victoria stood behind her.
Elegant.
Calm.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
“You're Lucia's daughter.”
Bella stared.
“And you're the woman who destroyed my family.”
Victoria smiled.
“Families destroy themselves.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
Bella laughed.
“Everyone wants me.”
“You have something they don't.”
“What?”
“Choice.”
Bella frowned.
Victoria continued.
“Your mother chose Dante's father.”
“Against you.”
“Yes.”
“You killed her.”
“I didn't.”
“Then who?”
Victoria smiled.
“Your mother killed herself.”
Bella stared.
“What?”
“She chose death rather than surrender.”
Victoria paused.
“That is not murder.”
Bella's fists tightened.
“You arranged it.”
“I arranged the circumstances.”
“You're a monster.”
“I've been called worse.”
Dante entered.
“Let her go.”
Victoria laughed.
“You always were predictable.”
Dante stood still.
“What do you want?”
“The hotel.”
“No.”
“The trust.”
“No.”
“Your life.”
Dante hesitated.
Bella immediately understood.
Victoria didn't want the hotel.
She wanted Dante to surrender.
She wanted him broken.
Bella looked at Dante.
“Don't.”
Victoria smiled.
“She cares about you.”
Bella nodded.
“Yes.”
Dante looked at her.
“I love you.”
Victoria screamed:
“Enough!”
She raised a gun.
Bella moved.
She knocked the weapon away.
A fight erupted.
Dante tackled one guard.
Bella grabbed the other.
Victoria tried to escape.
Marin appeared.
He blocked the exit.
“You're done.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You.”
Marin smiled.
“Surprised?”
She backed away.
Dante approached.
Victoria pulled another weapon.
Nico shot it from her hand.
Police entered.
Victoria was arrested.
The twenty-one-year secret was finally exposed.
Lucia had not been killed by the Morettis.
She had died while escaping.
Alessandro had covered it up.
Victoria had manipulated the aftermath.
Marcus and Salvatore had exploited it.
Everyone had used the family's pain.
But none of them could control Bella anymore.
That evening, Bella returned to the hotel.
Dante found her on the balcony.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“I think so.”
He stood beside her.
“The wedding?”
She smiled.
“Still happening.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
He laughed.
“Tomorrow?”
“I've waited long enough.”
He took her hand.
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“That's all?”
She smiled.
“I love you too.”
The next day, they married.
No empire.
No weapons.
No secrets.
Just two people who had survived a world that expected them to lose.
But happiness brought one final surprise.
Bella was pregnant.
Dante stared at the test.
“Twins?”
Bella laughed.
“Apparently our families like dramatic pregnancies.”
May you like
He hugged her.
For the first time in his life, Dante cried.
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