Chapter 27: 27

The gala was the kind of event that reeked of wealth and power—chandeliers dripping in gold, champagne flowing freely, and people dressed in tailored suits and designer gowns, pretending they weren’t criminals hiding in plain sight.

But they were.

And tonight, we were among them.

Dante walked beside me, his presence commanding even in a room filled with men who thought they owned the world. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his signature smirk in place, his gray eyes scanning the crowd like a predator selecting its prey.

I adjusted the diamond bracelet around my wrist, a part of the disguise I was wearing tonight. My silk gown hugged my curves, my makeup was flawless, and my hair was styled to perfection. I looked the part.

Now, I just had to play it.

Dante leaned down slightly, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. “Breathe, princess.”

I forced a smile, tilting my head toward him in what looked like an intimate moment. “I am breathing.”

His chuckle was low, dark. “You look good in this world.”

I turned my head slightly, meeting his gaze. “That’s because I know how to play the game.”

His smirk widened. “Let’s see if you can win it.”

The crowd buzzed with conversation, whispers of deals made in the shadows, power shifting hands over glasses of champagne. But my focus was on one person.

Elena Ricci.

She stood near the grand piano, laughing at something a man whispered in her ear. She was beautiful—dark hair, striking blue eyes, and the kind of effortless grace that came with privilege.

She was Ricci’s greatest weakness.

And she had no idea we were about to use her.

Dante’s fingers brushed against mine as he handed me a glass of champagne. “You know what to do.”

I swallowed hard, nodding. “Make her like me.”

Dante smirked. “Make her trust you.”

I exhaled, plastering a confident smile on my face as I stepped forward.

Time to start playing.

Elena noticed me before I spoke.

Her gaze flickered over me, curiosity sparking in her eyes. She recognized me as someone new, someone who didn’t belong in her carefully curated world.

Perfect.

I smiled. “You look like you could use a rescue.”

She blinked, then laughed softly. “Am I that obvious?”

I tilted my head, feigning amusement. “Men at these events always think they’re the most interesting thing in the room.”

Her lips curled. “You’re not wrong.”

I extended my hand. “Olivia.”

She took it. “Elena.”

Hook, line, and sinker.

The next hour passed in a blur of conversation, perfectly timed laughter, and shared secrets that weren’t really secrets at all.

Elena was smart. Observant.

But she was also lonely.

And lonely people were easy to manipulate.

I listened. I asked the right questions. I let her see exactly what she wanted—a woman who understood her, who wasn’t trying to use her.

But I was.

I just did it better than the rest.

Across the room, Dante watched us, his smirk small but satisfied.

We were winning.

But the game wasn’t over yet.

Elena excused herself to take a call, and the moment she was gone, Dante was beside me, his hand pressing against the small of my back.

His touch burned.

“You’re good at this,” he murmured.

I took a slow sip of champagne. “I told you I could play.”

His smirk deepened. “She likes you.”

“She trusts me,” I corrected.

Dante’s gaze darkened. “That’s even better.”

My pulse skipped.

Because I knew exactly what he meant.

Trust was the most dangerous currency in our world.

And we were about to use Elena’s against her father.

As the night stretched on, Dante and I moved through the crowd like a perfectly rehearsed act. To anyone watching, we were just another powerful couple—dangerous, untouchable.

But every word, every touch, every lingering glance was calculated.

We weren’t just blending in.

We were taking over.

And Ricci had no idea.

By the time the gala ended, I had Elena’s phone number saved in mine, her promises to meet for lunch echoing in my mind.

We had cracked the first layer of her world.

Now, we had to break it open.

Dante guided me toward the exit, his fingers trailing down my spine, his voice low. “You did good, princesa.”

I exhaled, my body still humming with adrenaline. “So what happens next?”

Dante smirked, his gaze flickering with something dark.

“Now, we take everything from Ricci.”

And for the first time, I didn’t just want revenge.

I wanted to win.

The night after the gala, I barely slept. My mind kept replaying every moment, every word exchanged, every calculated smile. I had played my part well. Elena Ricci had lowered her guard, let me in just enough for me to start unraveling her world.

Now, we had to use it.

Dante had left before dawn, handling business only he could take care of. That left me alone in the safe house, pacing the room, waiting for something to happen.

It didn’t take long.

My phone buzzed.

**Elena Ricci:** *Had fun last night. We should meet up soon. Lunch?*

A slow smirk curled on my lips.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Dante returned a few hours later, stepping through the door like he owned the world. Maybe he did. His suit was crisp, his hair slightly disheveled like he’d been running on adrenaline.

His eyes flicked to me immediately. “You’re awake.”

I raised a brow. “Did you expect otherwise?”

His smirk was lazy, but his gaze was sharp. “You should rest. Things are about to get interesting.”

I held up my phone. “They already are. Elena texted me.”

Dante stepped closer, curiosity flashing in his expression. “And?”

“She wants to meet for lunch.”

He hummed, rubbing his jaw. “She’s moving fast.”

I tilted my head. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

His smirk widened. “That depends on how good you really are.”

I stepped closer, lifting my chin. “I don’t fail, Castelli.”

His gaze darkened, something dangerous flickering in his eyes. “Then don’t start now.”

The restaurant Elena chose was exactly what I expected—high-end, secluded, the kind of place where the rich pretended their hands weren’t stained in blood.

I arrived first, dressed in a soft cream-colored dress, looking every bit the woman she believed I was. Not a liar. Not a threat.

Just a friend.

Elena arrived moments later, sliding into the seat across from me, her smile warm, genuine.

“I’m glad you came,” she said, setting her purse down.

I returned her smile. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

The conversation was effortless, flowing between sips of wine and perfectly plated food. She told me about her travels, her charity work, her frustrations with being underestimated.

She was just another girl trapped in a golden cage.

And she had no idea she was talking to the woman who was about to burn it all down.

Dante was waiting for me when I returned to the safe house, standing in the shadows near the bar, a glass of whiskey in hand.

I barely stepped through the door before he spoke. “How did it go?”

I smirked, dropping my purse onto the couch. “She likes me.”

Dante’s lips quirked. “I already knew that. Did she give you anything?”

I sat down, crossing my legs. “Not directly. But she trusts me. And she’s frustrated with her father. She thinks he’s too controlling.”

Dante’s expression sharpened. “That’s useful.”

I exhaled. “She doesn’t know what he really is.”

His smirk was slow, lethal. “She will.”

I swallowed. “What’s the next move?”

Dante took a sip of his whiskey, watching me over the rim of his glass. “We get closer.”

My pulse spiked. “How close?”

He tilted his head, studying me. “Close enough to ruin her father.”

A chill ran down my spine.

Because for the first time, I realized...

Elena Ricci wasn’t just a pawn in this game.

She was the key.

And I was about to use her to destroy everything she loved.

Days passed, each one pulling me deeper into Elena’s world. We met for coffee, shopped at exclusive boutiques, attended charity events where I smiled at people I planned to ruin.

And slowly, she let me in.

She told me about her strained relationship with her father, how he never listened to her, how she wanted to be more than just the pretty daughter in the background.

She was desperate to be seen.

So I made her feel seen.

It was terrifying how easy it was.

And then, one night, she invited me to her home.

The Ricci estate.

The lion’s den.

I hesitated for only a second before I answered.

**Me:** *I’d love to.*

Dante would be thrilled.

Because this?

This was our way in.

And once we were inside...

There would be no way out.