Ariana’s POV

The fear... The fear of what Melissa could do... it was choking me. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She smiled. "How do you think he’ll react when he finds out his wife has been lying to him, and then when he finds out you met with Angelo behind his back?"

I stared at her. My heart was pounding. "You’re blackmailing me?"

"I’m giving you a choice. Sign the papers. Transfer the shares to your father, and I keep my mouth shut about all of this, and I disappear. You never see me again."

"And if I don’t sign?"

She leaned back. "Then I go to Dante and tell him everything.... And beg him to forgive me for our son, who is now the heir to his fortune, and then I watch as your perfect marriage falls apart. I watch as he questions everything you’ve ever told him. I watch as he looks at Asher with disgust. I watch as he takes Leo and the girls and leaves you with nothing."

"You’re a monster."

"I’m a survivor." She pushed the papers closer to me. "Sign them, Ariana. Sign them, and this all goes away."

I stared at the papers.

At the lines where I was supposed to sign away my husband’s company.

"I can’t do this," I whispered. "Dante will find out. He’ll know."

"Not if you’re smart, not if you’re careful. You sign, I take the papers. I give them to your father. He handles the rest. Dante never knows. His company takes a small hit, but he’ll recover. Life goes on."

"You’re stealing from him."

"I’m taking what I’m owed for the years I lost, don’t I deserve to win even if it’s once?"

I looked at her. "You can’t do this."

Her face hardened. "Sign the papers, Ariana, or I swear to God I won’t hesitate to destroy you."

I looked at the folder at the pen beside it, and at the life I was about to betray.

If I signed, I was stealing from Dante.

Lying to him.

Betraying everything we built.

If I didn’t sign, Melissa would tell him about Asher

I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let him doubt Asher. I couldn’t let him think for one second that our son wasn’t his.

I picked up the pen.

Melissa smiled. "Good choice."

My hand was shaking as I signed my name on the first page.

Then the second.

Then the third.

Each signature felt like a betrayal.

Each stroke of the pen felt like a knife in Dante’s back.

When I was done, I pushed the folder back across the table.

Melissa picked it up, flipping through the pages and checking each signature.

Then she smiled.

"Thank you, Ariana. Your father will be pleased."

"You stay away from my family," I said. My voice was cold. "You stay away from Asher, Leo, and all of them, or I swear I will find you. I will destroy you, and I will make sure you never see the light of day again."

Melissa stood up.

She tucked the folder into her bag. "You’re in no position to make threats, Ariana, but don’t worry. I got what I wanted. I have no reason to bother you anymore."

She walked toward the door. The door closed behind her.

I sat there for a long time.

Staring at the empty table.

I had just betrayed my husband and signed away pieces of his company.

But Asher was safe for now. Asher was safe.

I had to pretend everything was fine.

I stood up, and my legs were weak.

My phone pinged

Ariana? Where are you?

It was Dante.

I typed back. On my way, I’m sorry.

What had I done? What had I become?

I was protecting my son.

That’s what I told myself. I was protecting my family, I was doing what I had to do.

Dante’s POV

My phone buzzed on the table. I was still waiting for Ariana. She said she was on her way, which was an hour ago.

I picked up the phone it was an email from my lawyer.

Jonathan.

The subject line made my blood run cold.

URGENT: Share Transfer Notification

I opened it with my hands shaking. I read the words once.

Then again.

Then a third time.

They didn’t change.

Dear Mr. Russo,

This is to inform you that a transfer of 50% of your company shares has been initiated. The transfer is being made to Ricardo Melendez. The authorization bears the signature of your wife, Ariana Russo-Melendez.

I stared at the screen.

The words blurred.

50% of your company shares to Ricardo Melendez with Ariana’s signature.

No.

No, that couldn’t be right.