Chapter 182 – The Question He Won’t Answer

Chapter 182 – The Question He Won’t Answer
Lila POV

The door hadn’t even fully closed behind him before my body moved on its own.
“Dante.”
My voice came out sharper than I expected.
He stopped.
Just one step away from leaving.
But he didn’t turn around.
That alone told me everything.
If he had nothing to hide, he would face me.
“Did you fake his death?”
The words left my mouth before I could soften them.
Before I could think.
Before I could stop myself.
Silence fell over the room like something heavy.
Dante didn’t move.
Didn’t breathe.
Didn’t answer.
But something in the way his shoulders stiffened—
Something in the way his hand tightened slightly at his side—
It was enough.
Still, I needed more.
I took a step closer.
“Answer me.”
Nothing.
“Dante.”
My voice dropped, steadier now.
“Did you fake Enzo’s death?”
Slowly—
He turned around.
And when our eyes met—
I felt it.
That shift.
That crack.
Small.
But real.
“No.”
The answer came out calm.
Controlled.
Too controlled.
I let out a quiet breath.
“You’re lying.”
His jaw tightened.
“I’m not.”
“Then look me in the eyes and say it again.”
He didn’t hesitate.
“I didn’t fake his death.”
And yet—
His eyes.
They didn’t match his words.
They were too guarded.
Too careful.
Like every emotion was locked behind something he didn’t want me to see.
I stepped closer.
Close enough to feel the tension between us.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
“After everything?”
“After everything.”
I shook my head slowly.
“No.”
Something flickered across his face.
Frustration.
Maybe anger.
Maybe something else.
“You’re letting your emotions control you.”
“And you’re hiding something.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Silence.
Then—
“Why are you so desperate to believe he’s alive?” Dante asked suddenly.
The question caught me off guard.
“Because I know him.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is to me.”
“You saw the accident.”
“I saw the crash.”
“You saw the fire.”
“I saw chaos.”
“You saw him bleeding.”
My chest tightened.
“Yes.”
“Then what exactly are you holding on to?”
I swallowed.
His voice was calm.
But it felt like he was trying to push me somewhere.
Somewhere I didn’t want to go.
“I didn’t see him die.”
That stopped him.
Just for a second.
“I didn’t see his face,” I continued. “I didn’t say goodbye. I didn’t… I didn’t get proof.”
Dante’s gaze didn’t leave mine.
“That doesn’t mean he’s alive.”
“No,” I said quietly. “But it doesn’t mean he’s dead either.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
I took a breath.
Then asked the question that had been sitting in my chest since the beginning.
“Why were you the only one allowed to identify him?”
His expression didn’t change.
“It was necessary.”
“For who?”
“For the family.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is.”
“No,” I said firmly. “It’s an excuse.”
His jaw tightened again.
“You’re overthinking this.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“Then explain it to me.”
“I already did.”
“No, you didn’t. You gave me half-truths.”
“I gave you what you needed.”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
“It is when it involves this family.”
I laughed softly.
Bitter.
“T here it is.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“What?”
“The real reason.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You didn’t tell me the truth because you didn’t want me involved.”
“You shouldn’t be involved.”
“I already am.”
“You don’t understand the situation.”
“Then make me understand.”
Silence again.
And this time—
It stretched longer.
Deeper.
Like he was choosing every word carefully.
Or choosing not to speak at all.
I stepped even closer.
Close enough that I could see the faint exhaustion in his eyes.
“You knew something was wrong from the beginning, didn’t you?”
He didn’t answer.
“You knew the accident wasn’t just an accident.”
Still nothing.
“You knew someone was targeting us.”
Silence.
“And you still didn’t tell me.”
His voice came out lower this time.
“I was protecting you.”
I laughed again.
“That’s funny.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s exactly what you said before everything fell apart.”
His gaze hardened.
“And I meant it then.”
“And now?”
“I still do.”
“Protecting me by lying?”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“That’s not protection.”
“It is in our world.”
“No,” I said. “It’s control.”
He didn’t deny it.
That was the worst part.
“You don’t get to decide what I can handle,” I continued.
“I do when your life is at risk.”
“My life is already at risk.”
“Because you’re making it worse.”
“By asking questions?”
“By digging into things that will get you killed.”
“Like Enzo?”
The moment his name left my mouth—
Something shifted again.
Subtle.
But undeniable.
I didn’t miss it.
“You keep reacting when I say his name,” I said quietly.
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“It means everything.”
“It means nothing.”
“Then why can’t you talk about him?”
“Because he’s dead.”
“No.”
His patience snapped slightly.
“Yes.”
“No,” I repeated, firmer this time.
Silence.
Then—
I said it again.
Slower.
Clearer.
“You didn’t fake his death.”
A pause.
“But you know who did.”
That—
That hit.
His eyes changed.
Not fully.
But enough.
Enough for me to feel it in my chest.
“You’re reaching,” he said.
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“Then why won’t you deny it properly?”
“I already did.”
“No,” I said. “You avoided it.”
“I answered your question.”
“You avoided the real one.”
His gaze sharpened.
“And what is the real one?”
I held his eyes.
Didn’t look away.
Didn’t hesitate.
“Who helped him disappear?”
The room went completely still.
Even the air felt heavier.
Dante didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Didn’t breathe.
And that—
That silence—
That was louder than any answer.
“You know,” I whispered.
“No.”
“You do.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“Then swear it.”
That made him pause.
Just for a second.
“Swear that you don’t know anything about Enzo being alive.”
His jaw tightened.
“That’s unnecessary.”
“Do it.”
“I don’t need to prove anything to you.”
“That’s because you can’t.”
His eyes darkened.
“You’re crossing a line again.”
“Then stop me.”
Silence.
Tension.
The kind that pressed against my chest and made it hard to breathe.
I stepped closer.
Close enough that there was barely any space left.
“Look at me,” I said softly.
He did.
And for a moment—
Just a moment—
I saw something real in his eyes.
Not control.
Not coldness.
Something else.
Something human.
Something that made my heart hesitate.
“You know he’s alive,” I said quietly.
His lips parted slightly.
But no words came out.
“That’s why you won’t answer.”
Silence.
“That’s why you keep avoiding it.”
Nothing.
“That’s why you’re afraid.”
That—
That got a reaction.
His expression hardened instantly.
“I’m not afraid.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Of what?”
“Of what happens if I find him before you do.”
The words hung between us.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
And this time—
Dante didn’t hide it.
The truth.
It was right there.
In his eyes.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
And terrifying.
Because it meant one thing.
I wasn’t wrong.
I wasn’t imagining things.
I wasn’t chasing a ghost.
Enzo was alive.
And Dante—
Dante knew it.
My breath caught.
“You do know,” I whispered.
He didn’t answer.
But he didn’t deny it either.
That was enough.
“That means…” My voice trembled slightly. “Everything we believed… everything you told me…”
Silence.
“Was it all a lie?”
Finally—
He spoke.
Low.
Careful.
“Some lies are necessary.”
My chest tightened.
“For who?”
“For survival.”
“Yours?”
“Our family’s.”
“And Enzo?”
A pause.
Too long.
Too heavy.
“He made his choice.”
My heart dropped.
“What does that mean?”
“It means he knew what he was doing.”
“What did he do?”
Silence.
“Dante.”
Nothing.
“Tell me.”
His gaze held mine.
Unmoving.
Unreadable.
And then—
Quietly—
He said,
“If you keep looking for him…”
My breath hitched.
“You won’t like what you find.”
My heart pounded.
“Why?”
He didn’t answer.
“Why, Dante?”
Nothing.
“Is he in danger?”
Silence.
“Is he hurt?”
Nothing.
“Is he—”
“He’s not the same.”
That stopped me.
Everything inside me froze.
“What?”
Dante’s eyes stayed locked on mine.
Cold.
Serious.
Final.
“The man you’re looking for…”
A pause.
Sharp.
“Doesn’t exist anymore.”
My chest tightened.
“That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“No.”
“You’re holding on to something that’s gone.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I know him.”
“You knew him.”
The correction hit harder than I expected.
“He wouldn’t disappear like this.”
“He already did.”
“He wouldn’t leave me.”
“He already did.”
“No.”
My voice cracked.
“He wouldn’t.”
Dante didn’t soften.
Didn’t step closer.
Didn’t comfort me.
Because that wasn’t who he was.
“Then find him,” he said quietly.
The words caught me off guard.
“What?”
“Find him.”
I stared at him.
Confused.
Suspicious.
“You’re telling me to find him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His expression didn’t change.
“Because that’s the only way you’ll understand.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“Understand what?”
He held my gaze.
And this time—
There was no hesitation.
No avoidance.
No lies.
Just something cold.
Something final.
“Why he never came back.”
My heart stopped.
“What…?”
But Dante was already turning away again.
Walking toward the door.
And this time—
I didn’t stop him.
Because something in his voice—
Something in his eyes—
Told me that whatever truth I was chasing…
Was going to break me.
The door opened.
Then closed.
Leaving me alone again.
With one question echoing louder than everything else.
If Enzo is alive…
Then why hasn’t he come back to me?
And what exactly did Dante mean—
When he said…
The man I’m looking for doesn’t exist anymore?