Chapter 104 The assistant holds the key
The pawnshop owner stood stiff behind the counter, watching the two brothers like a mouse cornered by wolves. His nervous fingers tapped the wooden counter, and sweat beaded across his forehead even though the room wasn’t warm.
Dante had never looked calmer yet never looked more dangerous.
Luca stood beside him with his hands in his pockets, observing quietly, though the look in his eyes said he wasn’t in the mood for games either.
“Return the necklace,” Luca said simply.
The pawnshop owner shook his head quickly. “I. I can’t. I paid for it fairly, sir. She said her mother needed money urgently for surgery. I made a legal purchase. I cannot return it just because.”
Dante cut him off with a soft laugh.
Soft, but sharp laugh. Soft, but full of disbelief at how stupid he had been.
He raked a hand through his hair and leaned forward on the counter. “So you’re saying a random girl, who doesn’t own this necklace walked in, spun a story, smiled at you, and you bought it?”
“I…I asked no questions, sir.”
“Clearly,” Dante murmured. His eyes hardened. “Because if you did, you would’ve known the mistake you made.”
The man swallowed. “Sir.”
Dante pulled out his phone and placed it on the counter. He swiped through photos and turned the screen to the pawnshop owner.
A picture of Dante’s mother wearing the necklace.
A second picture of Sienna wearing it.
“This necklace,” Dante said quietly, “was found on the ground where the last woman wearing it was taken.”
The man paled.
Dante leaned closer. “Hours later, somehow it was sold in your shop.” His voice dropped lower, colder. “Explain that.”
The man’s mouth opened and closed like he was swallowing air. “I..I didn’t know..sir, please. Please don’t involve the police. I didn’t know anything about a kidnapping. Please.”
“Then, return it,” Dante said again.
This time the man didn’t argue. His hands shook as he hurried to the back room, returned with the necklace, and placed it carefully in Dante’s hand.
“I am begging you, sir,” the man whispered. “Say nothing to the police. I will lose everything.”
“You should be more worried,” Luca said quietly, “about the girl who sold it.”
The pawnshop owner nodded violently. “Yes, yes..she was the one in the photo.” He pointed at Isabelle’s picture on Dante’s phone. “She sold it.”
Dante didn’t say anything. He didn’t have the strength.
He just stared at the necklace.
The same necklace Sienna had tried to return to him. The same necklace he had given her as a sign of his love for her. The same necklace he refused to believe she hadn’t pawned.
His throat tightened painfully.
How many times had she told him she was telling the truth?
He never listened.
He dragged in a shaky breath. “Thank you,” he said tightly.
Then he and Luca left the pawnshop.
They walked in silence until Dante stopped on the sidewalk. He turned to Luca, his jaw clenched hard.
“How did you find out?” Dante asked.
Luca didn’t look surprised by the question. He expected it.
He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You really want to know?”
“Tell me.”
Luca looked down the street for a moment, as though replaying everything in his mind.
“Last night,” he began slowly, “after the police station, I went home but I couldn’t rest. I kept thinking about what I would have done to help Sienna. What I could do for her. Something, anything that might have made her smile if she were safe.”
Dante swallowed at the mention of her smile. Just hearing her name felt like a blade through his chest.
Luca continued, “While I was thinking, I got a text from my private investigator. I had asked him to get information about the necklace. Well, I met with him and he told me they found the necklace. And who sold it.Then, he gave me the address of the pawnshop.”
Dante stiffened. “A private investigator? Who is he? Can he be trusted?”
“Someone who doesn’t want their name involved and I trust him,” Luca said, his tone flat. “He’s been following Isabelle and her assistant for a while.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Because,” Luca said with a humorless smile, “Isabelle’s assistant runs her mouth too much. She bragged about a lot of things she should’ve kept quiet.”
Bragged? Dante felt something cold crawl up his spine.
“What things?” he asked.
Luca didn’t answer immediately. He looked Dante straight in the eyes.
“That she did everything for Isabelle. Everything. Even the dirty work.”
Dante felt his stomach drop.
Luca continued, “My investigator said they hacked into her laptop. They tracked her locations. They saw deleted files.”
“Files of what?” Dante asked quietly.
Luca looked away for a second, then back.
“A video,” he said. “The original video of Isabelle at the pawnshop.”
Dante’s breath caught.
“Another copy was in her recycle bin,” Luca finished. “A copy she didn’t delete properly.”
For a moment, the world around Dante seemed to go silent.
Completely silent.
He didn’t even hear the cars passing.
Just the words spinning in his mind. “She told me the truth. I didn’t listen. I believed Isabelle. I believed the lies and failed the only woman who cared about me.”
He clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms.
“What happened to the assistant?” Dante asked.
“We didn’t confront her,” Luca said. “Well, there was no need. Once I knew which pawnshop it was, I came here immediately. I was going to get the necklace back and wait for Sienna, but..” His voice trailed off. “I remembered she was missing.”
Dante nodded slowly.
He had tossed her aside like trash. He had accused her. He had broken her heart. He had failed to protect her.
And now she was missing. Because of him.
Dante’s voice cracked. “Thank you, Luca.”
Luca nodded.
Dante then looked him straight in the eye. “I need to see Isabelle’s assistant.”
There was a long silence, Luca just stared at Dante.
Then Luca answered quietly, “Do you think she might lead us to Sienna?”
The air around them seemed to tense at his words.
Dante put the necklace in his pocket and exhaled shakily. “Let’s move.”
They began walking toward the car, but before they reached it, Dante’s phone buzzed.
He pulled it out.
A new message from an unknown number.
He opened it. There was no text.
Just a single image.
Dante’s blood turned to ice. His heart slammed.
The image was blurry. but unmistakable.
It was Sienna tied to a chair.Her head slumped forward.Her hair covering part of her face.
A masked figure standing behind her, watching her.
Dante felt the world tilt.
He froze, unable to breathe.
Then a second message came in.
“If you want her alive, stop digging and marry Isabelle.”
Dante’s breath hitched painfully.
He stared at the screen, disbelief and horror crashing into him.
Beside him, Luca asked quietly, “What is it?”
Dante didn’t answer.
He simply turned the phone so Luca could see.
Luca’s face changed instantly.
His jaw locked. His eyes darkened.
He whispered one word. “No.”
Neither of them moved.Neither blinked.
The message felt like a fist around their throats.
Dante finally swallowed and pocketed the phone.
His voice was hoarse. “We need to find the assistant now.”
Luca nodded.
They walked toward the car with quick steps, neither speaking, both knowing exactly what the other was thinking.
This wasn’t a random kidnapping. This wasn't a coincidence. This wasn’t an accident. Someone was playing a dangerous game.
And Sienna was the bait.
As Dante opened the car door, another message buzzed.
He checked it.
Another unknown number and a threat message. “You have 48 hours to marry Isabelle”
Dante’s entire body went cold. Ice cold.
He gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Luca climbed in beside him, staring straight ahead.
“Drive,” Dante said softly. “Before time runs out.”
Luca didn’t need to be told twice.
He slammed the door shut.