Chapter 184 – The Truth He Buried

Chapter 184 – The Truth He Buried

Lila POV
My hand was still shaking when the call ended.
I didn’t even remember pressing the button.
The line just… went dead.
And I stood there, frozen, staring at my phone like it might ring again if I didn’t breathe too loudly.
“Lila?”
Marco’s voice sounded far away.
“Who was that?”
I couldn’t answer.
Not because I didn’t want to.
But because I didn’t know how.
How do you say something like that out loud?
How do you explain a voice you thought you lost forever… suddenly calling your name like nothing ever happened?
“Lila.”
Marco stepped closer, his tone sharper this time.
“Talk to me.”
I swallowed hard.
“…It was him.”
Silence.
“What?” Marco asked.
“It was Enzo.”
The words felt unreal even as I said them.
Marco’s expression changed instantly.
“That’s not possible.”
“I know his voice.”
“It could be someone else.”
“It’s not.”
“Lila—”
“It’s not,” I repeated, firmer now.
The room felt too small.
Too tight.
Like the walls were closing in with every second.
Marco ran a hand through his hair.
“Did he say anything else?”
I shook my head.
“Just my name.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s enough.”
Silence fell between us again.
Then Marco exhaled slowly.
“This changes things.”
“It doesn’t change anything,” I said.
“It confirms everything.”
My chest tightened.
“Dante knows.”
Marco didn’t argue.
Because he knew it too.
“He’s been lying this whole time,” I continued, my voice steady but cold.
“Yes.”
“He watched me break down. He watched me… mourn him.”
Marco looked away for a second.
“And he said nothing.”
“No.”
Something inside me snapped.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just… quietly.
Like a final thread breaking.
“I’m going to him,” I said.
Marco looked back at me immediately.
“Lila—”
“I’m not asking.”
He studied my face.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“You’re hurt.”
“Yes.”
“And you still want answers.”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
Marco let out a breath.
Then nodded once.
“Alright.”
“Take me to him.”
“I don’t know where he is.”
“Then find him.”
Silence.
“I will,” he said finally.
“But when you face him… don’t expect him to make it easy.”
“I don’t need easy.”
I just need the truth.
The ride felt longer than it should have.
Even though Marco drove fast.
Even though the city lights blurred past the window.
Even though my heart didn’t slow down once.
When we finally stopped in front of the mansion, I didn’t wait.
I opened the door and stepped out immediately.
“He’s inside?” I asked.
Marco nodded.
“He just got back.”
Good.
Perfect.
Because I wasn’t going to wait another second.
I walked straight inside.
No hesitation.
No fear.
The guards didn’t stop me.
They never did.
The house felt the same.
Cold.
Quiet.
Too familiar.
But tonight—
It felt different.
Tonight, I wasn’t here as someone trapped.
Tonight, I was here for answers.
“Dante!”
My voice echoed through the hall.
No response.
“Dante!”
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
And then—
He appeared.
Standing at the end of the hallway like nothing had changed.
Like everything was normal.
Like he didn’t just destroy everything I believed.
“You’re back,” he said calmly.
I let out a short laugh.
“Is that all you’re going to say?”
His eyes flickered slightly.
“What do you want, Lila?”
I walked toward him.
Each step steady.
Each step heavier.
“I want the truth.”
Silence.
“You already have it.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No,” I said firmly. “I have lies.”
His expression hardened slightly.
“You’re overreacting.”
I stopped right in front of him.
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“Then explain the money.”
That got his attention.
A pause.
Small.
But enough.
“What money?” he asked.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend you don’t know.”
“I don’t.”
“Marco found the transfers.”
Silence.
“Offshore accounts,” I continued. “Clean. Hidden. Paid right after the accident.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
“It proves everything.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“It proves you were involved.”
“I was handling the situation.”
“By paying people?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“To clean up the mess.”
“Or to make him disappear?”
Silence.
His eyes locked onto mine.
Sharp.
Careful.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I do.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I spoke to him.”
That—
That made him freeze.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
“You’re lying,” he said.
“I’m not.”
“You’re confused.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re emotional.”
“I’m right.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Then—
His voice dropped.
“What did he say?”
My chest tightened.
So he believed me.
“Nothing,” I said. “Just my name.”
That was enough.
Dante looked away for a brief moment.
And that—
That was all I needed.
“You knew,” I said quietly.
He didn’t answer.
“You knew he was alive.”
Silence.
“You knew and you said nothing.”
Nothing.
“You let me believe he was dead.”
His jaw clenched.
“You watched me suffer.”
His voice came out low.
“I was protecting you.”
I laughed.
Bitter.
Again.
“Stop saying that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It is.”
“You don’t protect someone by lying to them.”
“You do when the truth will destroy them.”
“I was already destroyed.”
Silence.
“I buried him,” I said, my voice shaking now. “I stood there and said goodbye to someone who wasn’t even dead.”
Dante didn’t move.
“Do you know what that feels like?” I asked.
No answer.
“Do you?”
Nothing.
My chest rose and fell quickly.
“You don’t get to decide what I can handle.”
“I do when your life is at risk.”
“My life was already at risk!”
“Yes!”
His voice rose for the first time.
And it shocked both of us.
“Everything was at risk,” he continued, his tone sharper now. “The family. The business. You.”
“Then tell me the truth!”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why not?!”
“Because you wouldn’t understand!”
“Then make me understand!”
Silence.
Tension.
And then—
Something snapped in him.
I saw it.
The control.
The calm.
Gone.
“I saved his life.”
The words hit like a gunshot.
Everything went still.
My breath caught.
“What…?”
“I saved him,” Dante repeated, louder this time. “If I didn’t, he would be dead.”
My heart pounded in my chest.
“What are you talking about?”
“He was targeted.”
“I know that.”
“No,” Dante said sharply. “You don’t know anything.”
“Then tell me!”
“They were going to kill him.”
“Who?!”
“People you don’t even know exist.”
Silence.
“They set everything up,” he continued. “The accident. The attack. It wasn’t random.”
My chest tightened.
“Then why fake his death?”
“Because it was the only way to keep him alive.”
The words echoed in my head.
The only way.
“You’re lying,” I whispered.
“I’m not.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you would have gone after him.”
“Yes!”
“And that would have gotten you killed!”
“I don’t care!”
“I do!”
Silence.
Heavy.
Sharp.
“You don’t get to decide that,” I said quietly.
“I already did.”
My chest tightened painfully.
“And Enzo?” I asked. “Did he agree to this?”
A pause.
Too long.
“Yes.”
That hurt.
More than anything.
“He chose this?” I whispered.
“Yes.”
“He chose to leave me like that?”
“He chose to survive.”
My hands clenched.
“He could have told me.”
“No, he couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because the moment you knew… you would become a target too.”
“I already am!”
“Not like this.”
Silence.
I shook my head slowly.
“No…”
“Yes.”
“No,” I repeated. “There’s more.”
Dante didn’t respond.
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“Lila—”
“There’s always something you’re not telling me.”
His expression darkened again.
“This is not a game.”
“I know that.”
“Then stop acting like it is.”
“Then stop hiding things from me.”
Silence.
I took a step closer.
“You said he’s not the same.”
Dante didn’t answer.
“What does that mean?”
Nothing.
“Dante.”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
His jaw tightened again.
And then—
Slowly—
He said,
“The man you knew… had to disappear.”
My heart dropped.
“Why?”
“Because if he didn’t…”
A pause.
Cold.
Final.
“He wouldn’t survive what comes next.”
My breath caught.
“What comes next?”
Dante looked at me.
Straight.
Unblinking.
And for the first time—
There was no hesitation.
No lie.
Just something dark.
Something dangerous.
“War.”
The word settled heavily between us.
My chest tightened.
“What war?”
But Dante didn’t answer.
Instead—
He stepped closer.
Lowering his voice.
And said something that made my entire body go cold.
“They’re already watching you.”
My heart stopped.
“What…?”
And then—
Before I could say anything else—
A loud crash echoed from outside.
Followed by shouting.
Gunshots.
And Marco’s voice—
“Lila! Get down!”