Chapter 69 The exchange of files
He entered the villa and shut the door behind him. He went to his study, and the air was cool and heavy. The curtains were drawn, the only light from the glow of his computer screen. He sat down slowly and plugged the flash drive in.
One video file. No title, no timestamp, no details.
His hands were tense as he clicked.
At first, nothing showed. Then the image sharpened.
He saw a car. And inside the car, a woman was sitting in the passenger seat.
And then, his heart lurched as the face of the woman became a little bit clearer.
It was Sienna.
The video was grainy, like it was shot from a distance, like a security camera. But there was no mistaking, the woman was Sienna. Her hair pulled back neatly, her familiar soft movements, the way her hand brushed her necklace when she was nervous.
She was talking to a man. He looked older, wearing a suit. The two spoke quietly. Then the man handed her a file.
Sienna hesitated, then passed him another one in return.
The camera zoomed slightly. It caught one word on the file’s cover, bold in black letters. VARON.
His name.
The image froze as the video ended.
Dante just sat there. The silence in the room was deafening.
He replayed it once. Twice. Again.
His eyes searched for something he’d missed, a clue, a reason, a hint. Anything.
But every time, it looked the same.
Sienna, the older man, the exchange of files and his name written on the file she handed over to the man.
He swallowed hard, his throat dry.
“What the hell is this?” he whispered.
Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like. Maybe the footage was edited. Or fake.
But if it was innocent, why hadn’t she told him?
He leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the paused frame of Sienna’s face. She looked calm, focused, and a little sad.
Something in him twisted.
He tried to push the thought away, but the image clung to his mind, her hand giving away something marked VARON.
He closed his eyes, the words on the note echoing in his skull. If you trust her, don’t watch this.
A knock came at the door.
“Dante?” Sienna’s voice echoed. Sounding soft and familiar
He stiffened. “Yeah?”
The door creaked open slightly. She peered in, holding a tray with tea. “You didn't eat anything after the interview. I thought you might need something.”
He quickly minimized the window, his heart pounding too loudly.
“Oh. Thanks,” he said, trying to sound normal.
She smiled, stepping closer. “Are you okay? You look pale.”
He forced a nod. “I’m just tired. I've been reading emails since we got back.”
Her gaze lingered for a moment, gentle, searching. “You shouldn't do this, Dante. You should be resting.”
Then she turned and left, closing the door quietly behind her.
The moment she was gone, he exhaled sharply. His hand trembled as he reached for the mouse again hovering over the paused video.
His chest ached. He wanted to believe her. He always had.
But trust didn’t erase the image in front of him.
The next morning, Sienna’s laughter drifted faintly from the living room, a soft, fragile, and human sound. Once, it would’ve made him smile. Now, it only left him restless.
He poured himself a drink, staring into the glass as ice clinked.
Every time he blinked, he saw it again, the man in the car. The file. Her eyes.
It gnawed at him like a hidden splinter he couldn’t pull free.
His thoughts circled darker places. Was she hiding something? Did she use him?
He shook his head sharply, angry at himself. “No. Sienna wouldn’t.”
He wanted to mean it. But doubt doesn’t need proof. Just a crack.
And this was a crack.
He didn’t hear the phone ring at first. When he did, it startled him. He checked the caller ID and saw an unknown number.
He hesitated before answering. “Hello?”
A familiar voice flowed through the line soft, slow, and honey-sweet.
“Dante,” Isabelle said.
His stomach tightened. “What do you want?”
“Relax,” she cooed. “I was just calling to see how you’re doing. I saw the latest photos of you and your nurse. You look happy.”
He closed his eyes. “Don’t start.”
Her chuckle was soft and sharp at once. “I didn’t say anything. But happiness doesn’t always last, does it?”
He didn’t answer.
She continued, her tone wrapping around his nerves like silk. “You’re a smart man, Dante. But you’ve always been too trusting. That’s why people hurt you, they see how easy it is to slip past your guard.”
He stayed silent, jaw tight.
Her voice lowered to a whisper. “You always choose women who betray you. You just don’t see it soon enough.”
His hand clenched around the phone. “Isabelle..”
She laughed quietly, almost pitying. “I’m not your enemy, darling. I’m just reminding you that some people wear sincerity like perfume. It fades when you get too close.”
Then the line went dead.
The quiet that followed was thick and heavy. He stood there, phone still in hand, heartbeat too fast.
He didn’t know what game Isabelle was playing, but her words slid perfectly into the hollow already inside him.
He went back to his desk, staring at the flash drive.
Sienna’s voice echoed faintly from the hall humming again, gentle, pure. He almost went to her. He almost told her everything.
But he didn’t move, a part of him wanted to know what had happened, another part of him doubted Sienna had good intentions.
Because Isabelle’s last words clung to his chest like frost. “You always choose women who betray you.”
He wasn't sure if he could trust her, he was beginning to regret everything. Loving her, trusting her, calling her his peace. It felt like his heart was bleeding again.
He began to question himself, what's inside the file? Who is that older man? Is Sienna a spy from his opponents? Was she trying to reveal another secret about him? Did she really come to Monaco to help him walk again?
These questions, he wants to get an answer from her. He just doesn't know what to trust or believe about her.