Chapter 7 - the confrontation in the grand foyer
By one o'clock that afternoon, a sudden rainstorm began to lash against the high stained-glass windows of the Moretti estate.
Inside the grand foyer, the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense.
Valentina Moretti stood near the marble fireplace, wearing her black designer dress, holding an expensive leather travel bag in her gloved hand. Standing beside her was Arthur Hale—her fifty-five-year-old financial advisor—looking frantically at his wristwatch.
"Where is the driver, Arthur?!" Valentina demanded, her voice shrill with panic. "Vance promised the car would be here ten minutes ago!"
The heavy front doors of the mansion were suddenly kicked open!
Dante walked into the foyer. Wrapped in his dark wool overcoat, his posture broad, dark, and utterly unshakeable, he stepped across the threshold, flanked by six armed Moretti guards.
Behind him walked Giulia, holding little Mia securely in her arms.
Valentina went pale as paper, dropping her leather travel bag onto the marble floor. "Dante... you're back early..."
Dante walked slowly up the center of the foyer, his polished black shoes striking the stone floor with heavy, rhythmic weight. He pulled the clear glass bottle of poison from his coat, tossing it onto the marble floor where it rolled to a stop right at Valentina's high heels.
"Chiara left a message for you from the grave, sister," Dante said, his deep voice carrying a lethal thunder that echoed off the high ceilings.
Arthur Hale gasped, taking a step back toward the side exit, but two broad-shouldered enforcers blocked his path instantly, pinning him against the wall!
Valentina stared at the glass bottle on the floor, tears of pure terror and guilt finally spilling down her beautiful face. "Dante... please! Listen to me! I didn't want her to die! Arthur told me it was just a sedative to make her sleep so we could transfer the shares!"
"You poisoned my wife for money, Valentina," Dante growled, each word heavy as lead as he stepped up to her. "You let her suffer for weeks while you sat at my dinner table."
"Dante... I am your sister! Your own blood!" Valentina wept hysterically, falling onto her knees on the cold marble floor.
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"You ceased to be my blood the day you put poison in her tea," Dante said coldly.
He motioned to the federal agents stepping through the front doors. "Take them both into federal custody. Hand over Chiara's full audio recording to the District Attorney."
