Chapter 102 What belongs to her
Luca still stared at Isabelle, stunned she was even standing there in the police station. Her cold smile still lingered on her face, like she enjoyed being somewhere she shouldn’t be.
“How… how did you even find us?” Luca asked slowly.
Isabelle laughed softly, a high, delicate sound that didn’t match the darkness in her eyes. “Oh, Luca,” she said, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve. “A woman’s heart always knows where to find what belongs to her.”
Her words made Luca’s stomach tighten.
What belongs to her? Dante? The family?
Or the situation?
He couldn’t tell.
Then her smile vanished. Her face hardened instantly. “Stop asking me questions. I didn’t come here for small talk.”
Luca didn’t respond.
Isabelle scanned the station, and then asked abruptly, “Where’s Dante?”
“He… he left a few minutes ago,” Luca replied cautiously.
“Of course he did,” she said under her breath. “He always runs when things are difficult.”
Luca’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue.
Isabelle reached out and touched his arm lightly, a gesture that felt fake and meant to control. “Thank you, Luca. And get ready for the wedding. There’s a lot to do.”
Before Luca could even react, she was already walking away on her high heels, leaving a faint perfume and an even stronger feeling of disgust behind.
Luca exhaled heavily.
He didn’t like her. He didn’t trust her.
And the way she acted when Sienna was missing, it wasn’t normal.
And it wasn’t human.
At Dante's villa, Isabelle didn’t bother knocking. She barged into Dante’s bedroom like it was hers, slamming the door behind her so hard it echoed through the hallway.
Dante was sitting on the edge of his bed, hands clasped together, staring at the floor. He didn’t even look up at her.
Isabelle stood in front of him, arms crossed, breathing hard. “Is this how you plan to ridicule our families?” she snapped. “Is this how you plan on humiliating me? Your fiancée?!”
Dante didn’t respond. He didn’t even blink.
He looked exhausted. He stared at the sea. His mind was somewhere else entirely.
Her voice rose even louder. “Say something, Dante! Or is this your new habit? Running away and ignoring your responsibilities?”
Still nothing.
His silence only enraged her more. Her hands shook with anger. Her eyes filled with frustration and jealousy.
Finally she stepped closer, her voice sharp and cruel. “You know what? Sienna’s disappearance is a blessing. It means luck is on our side. Now you can finally marry me without distractions. Do you even love me?”
Slowly, Dante lifted his head.
His eyes looked dead, cold and flat.
Nothing like the Dante she thought she owned.
She moved closer, expecting softness, sympathy or something like a romantic gesture from him.
Instead he spoke calmly, tiredly. “That’s the question you should ask yourself,” he said. “If you truly love me.”
Isabelle froze.
The words hit her like a slap.
Before she could recover, Dante stood up, walked straight past her, and headed for the hallway.
“Dante!” she yelled, chasing after him. “Don’t you walk away from me! I’m talking to you!”
He didn’t turn back. He didn’t answer. He didn’t even flinch.
He reached his study, stepped inside and slammed the door shut.
The lock clicked.
Isabelle pounded on the door with both fists. “Open this door! Open it right now!”
Dante pressed his back against the door, breathing hard.
“Coward!” she shouted. “Do you think locking me out makes you a man?!”
He closed his eyes. He needed silence.
He needed to breathe. He needed Sienna not to be gone.
Isabelle kept screaming, but her voice slowly faded down the hallway when she realized he wasn’t coming out.
He was finally alone.
The room felt different tonight. It was darker, smaller and heavier.
Dante dropped into the chair behind his desk and buried his face in his hands.
His thoughts raced too fast to control.
If I didn’t let her go. If I didn’t push her away. If I kept her close, she’d be safe.
She’d be here. She’d be alive.
His chest ached painfully, as if someone was squeezing his heart with icy fingers.
He pushed up from the chair and walked toward the window.
The night looked endless. And Sienna felt even farther.
What if they raped her? What if they hurt her? What if she’s dead already? What if I never see her again?
He gripped the edge of the window frame until his knuckles went white.
His phone buzzed.He looked down.
It was a message from Isabelle. “The appointment you missed has been rescheduled for tomorrow morning. Wear a suit.”
Dante let out a rasp of bitter laughter.
A suit? Who wears a suit to see a bridal dress designer? Why would he even do that while Sienna was somewhere alone, terrified, and hurting.
He threw the phone onto the desk with a loud bang.
His breathing grew harsher and angrier.
He didn’t care about the wedding. He didn’t care about merging companies. He didn’t care about the plans Isabelle’s father had made with his father.
He only cared about Sienna being safe.
He hated himself for letting her go.For losing her. For not protecting her.
And he hated the feeling that this wasn’t random. That someone wanted her hurt.
Someone wanted her gone.
But who? His father? Isabelle? Someone from Sienna’s past? Someone after him?
Nothing made sense.
He rubbed his forehead. He felt sick.
He felt lost.
And he felt like time was slipping away too fast.
Meanwhile in Luca's villa,The atmosphere in the villa didn’t feel like Luca’s home anymore, it felt like a mourning ground.
The usually lively staff members moved in silence, walking like ghosts, not making eye contact with one another.
Even the air felt cold.
Luca dropped onto the couch in his dim living room and opened a bottle of wine with shaking fingers. He didn’t bother with a glass. He took a long drink straight from the bottle.
The wine burned going down.
But he needed it.
He needed anything that could quiet the guilt tearing him apart.
Sienna’s face kept flashing through his mind.Her smile. Her laugh. Her soft voice.
The way she stood next to him in the supermarket earlier.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Why did I ask her to come with me? Why did I forget my damn keys? Why did I leave her alone?
He took another deep gulp.
He couldn’t forgive himself. If something happened to her, If she was dead.
He’d never forgive himself.
He leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
For the first time in a long time, he felt helpless.
Completely helpless.
His phone buzzed loudly on the table, snapping him out of his thoughts.
He grabbed it quickly, hoping it was Dante or the police.
But the message wasn’t from either of them.
It was a message from his private investigator. “We've found it.”
Luca sat up straight. His breath caught.
His heart thudded in his chest.
Found what? Was this about Sienna? Was she found?
The wine bottle nearly slipped from his hand.
He stared at the message again, horrified and confused.
Then he stood up, slowly and cautiously.
Like he was afraid the ground would collapse under him.
He swallowed hard.
What exactly had been found?
Before he could reply, before he could think.
His phone vibrated again.
Another message. “Let's meet at the usual place.”