Chapter 5
The silence in the grand foyer was a physical weight, pressing down on the chests of the fifty elite guests who dared not draw a breath. The warm golden light from the chandeliers suddenly felt incredibly harsh and exposing, stripping away the glamorous facade of the Christmas Eve reception to reveal the rotting core of a massive betrayal.
Dante Voss did not break his cold, unwavering stare. The absolute stillness of his broad shoulders was far more terrifying than any outburst of rage. He stood between his exhausted father and the woman who had attempted to erase him.
"Silas," Dante said. His deep, controlled voice broke the silence, carrying perfectly across the vast marble floor.
The senior capo immediately stepped forward from the crowd, his face pale, unbuttoning his tailored suit jacket to reveal the dark holster beneath. "Yes, Boss."
"Seal the estate," Dante commanded, his tone absolute. "Nobody leaves. Lock the gates. Secure every exit."
"Dante, please, you have to listen to me!" Elena shrieked, abandoning her polished demeanor completely. She lunged forward, her hands grasping at the air, her emerald satin gown rustling loudly. "He was stealing from you! Arthur was losing his mind! He was squandering the family funds! I was protecting the syndicate! I was protecting our future!"
"Are you truly attempting to justify the imprisonment and attempted murder of my father by claiming financial prudence?" Dante asked quietly.
He didn't wait for her to formulate another pathetic excuse. He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the fifty guests—the capos, the politicians, the wealthy relatives—who were frozen near the velvet seating.
"Are all of you waiting for a formal invitation to vacate my foyer?" Dante asked the crowd, his deep voice carrying a cold dismissal. "This reception is concluded. Move to the formal dining hall and wait there until you are cleared by my security detail. Anyone who attempts to leave the property will be considered an accomplice to this treason."
The spell broke. The elite guests scrambled to obey, eager to escape the unpredictable wrath of the mafia boss. Heels clicked frantically and polished shoes slid against the cream marble floor as they hurried out through the grand archways. Within minutes, the vast, luxurious foyer was entirely empty of civilians, leaving only a few trusted tactical guards, Dante, Arthur, Evelyn, Nora, and the trapped fiancée.
Elena backed away until her spine hit the edge of a heavy silk drape. The bright, luminous light of the room offered her no shadows to hide within. She looked wildly around the cavernous space, desperately seeking an ally among the heavily armed guards, but the hardened men refused to meet her eyes. The accusation of hiding the former boss in a trunk had severed any political ties she held in that room.
"I did it for you, Dante!" Elena cried out, real tears of panic finally spilling over her cheeks, ruining her elegant makeup. "You demand perfection in this house! You couldn't be burdened with a sick, aging man while you were trying to solidify your power! I took the burden upon myself!"
"Do you believe you have the right to decide who lives and dies in my family?" Dante asked, his deep voice remaining terrifyingly calm, completely devoid of the hysteria radiating from the woman before him.
"You need me!" Elena shrieked, grasping at the last shreds of her political power and family influence. "My family controls the western distribution lines! We built this alliance together! If you break this engagement, my father will start a war that will burn this city to the ground!"
"Do you think the threat of a war frightens me more than a monster sleeping in my bed?" Dante asked softly.
He reached into the inner pocket of his tailored dark suit and withdrew a heavy, encrypted mobile phone. He raised it to his ear.
"Marcus," Dante said into the receiver. "Bring a detail to the grand foyer. We have a prisoner."
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"No! Please, Dante! You can't put me in a cell!" Elena screamed, kicking off her expensive heels and scrambling backward. "I am a Cross! My father will kill you!"
"Let him try," Dante replied quietly, turning his back on her entirely to face his father.
