Chapter 1 - THE WARNING HIS MOTHER HAD WAITED YEARS TO GIVE
Lucia Moretti’s hands trembled before she signed the next sentence.
Emma almost wished she had not understood it.
The elderly woman looked at Dante, then at the six men around the table.
Her expression changed from sadness to fear.
One of the men sitting at this table helped kill your father.
Emma stopped breathing.
Dante noticed instantly.
“What did she say?”
Nobody moved.
Emma looked at Lucia.
The older woman gave a small nod.
Translate it.
Emma swallowed.
“She said… one of the men at this table helped kill your father.”
The room changed.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
Three men stiffened.
One reached toward his jacket.
Dante’s bodyguards moved faster.
“Hands on the table,” Dante said.
Quietly.
Nobody argued.
Emma had never heard seven words sound so dangerous.
Dante looked at his mother.
“My father died from a heart attack.”
Lucia shook her head violently.
Her hands moved.
No.
Then:
He was poisoned slowly.
Emma translated.
Dante’s face became unreadable.
“Who?”
Lucia looked around the table.
There were six guests.
Rafael Conti.
Victor Bellini.
Michael Santoro.
Enzo Ricci.
Carlo Vieri.
And Dante’s uncle, Matteo Moretti.
Lucia’s eyes stopped on Matteo.
Emma’s stomach dropped.
Dante followed his mother’s gaze.
“Uncle?”
Matteo laughed.
“This is absurd.”
Lucia raised her hands again.
Faster now.
He knew.
Emma translated.
Matteo’s smile disappeared.
“Knew what?”
Lucia signed:
Your father discovered someone was stealing from the ports. Weapons. Money. People.
Dante stood.
Everyone else remained seated.
“What people?”
Lucia looked at Emma.
The next sentence came slowly.
Girls.
Emma felt sick.
“Human trafficking,” she whispered.
Dante’s expression went cold.
His criminal reputation suddenly meant nothing compared to the look in his eyes.
“My father never allowed trafficking.”
Lucia nodded.
That is why they killed him.
Matteo stood.
“This dinner is over.”
Dante turned.
“No.”
His uncle stopped.
Dante’s voice stayed soft.
“You sit.”
Matteo stared.
Then slowly sat.
Lucia reached beneath the table and removed something from her purse.
A tiny brass key.
She placed it in Emma’s palm.
Emma looked at her.
Lucia signed:
Do not give this to Dante yet.
Emma’s heart jumped.
Why?
Lucia answered before she asked.
Because I don’t know who he can trust.
Dante noticed the exchange.
“What did she give you?”
Emma froze.
Lucia squeezed her hand beneath the table.
Then signed with only one hand where Dante could see:
Medicine.
Emma understood.
A lie.
The first lie Lucia had told her son all night.
Dante looked unconvinced.
But before he could question it, one of the restaurant’s security men rushed into the room.
“Mr. Moretti.”
Dante turned.
“What?”
“There’s been an incident at your mother’s residence.”
Lucia went pale.
“What incident?”
The man hesitated.
“Someone broke in.”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
“Was anything taken?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
The guard looked at Lucia.
“Her late husband’s private journal.”
Lucia closed her eyes.
Then she signed one sentence to Emma.
May you like
They know I finally spoke.
And when Emma translated it, Dante looked around the table as if every man there had just become a suspect.
