Chapter 3 - The Mafia Boss Walked Into His Engagement With Another Woman—But His Pregnant Maid Was the One Holding the Secret That Could Destroy Them AllBy six the next evening, the Moretti estate looked untouched.
That was intentional.
Broken windows had been replaced.
Blood removed.
Furniture restored.
Flowers filled the ballroom.
Two hundred guests arrived believing they were attending the engagement celebration of Dante Moretti and Isabella Romano.
They had no idea the estate had been a battlefield less than twenty-four hours earlier.
Harper stood upstairs wearing a black dress.
Not a maid’s uniform.
Not an evening gown.
Something simple.
Something that allowed movement.
Dante entered.
He stopped when he saw her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
“You look…”
“What?”
He almost smiled.
“Dangerous.”
“Good.”
His gaze dropped to her stomach.
The dress could not hide it completely anymore.
“You can still leave.”
“So can you.”
“I can’t.”
“Neither can I.”
Dante approached.
“I spent all night thinking about what you said.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“You’re sarcastic when frightened.”
“I’ve learned from you.”
He stopped in front of her.
“After tonight, you’re free.”
Harper frowned.
“What?”
“Your father’s debt is erased.”
“It never existed.”
“I know.”
“All records tying you to this family will be destroyed.”
“Dante.”
“You can go back to nursing school.”
“Stop.”
“I’ll make sure you have—”
“Stop.”
He did.
“You’re doing it again.”
“What?”
“Deciding my future.”
Dante looked away.
Harper touched his chest.
“I may leave.”
His face tightened.
“I may stay.”
Hope appeared before he could hide it.
“But I decide.”
He nodded.
“You decide.”
“And the baby?”
“Our child.”
“Our child,” she corrected. “Not the Moretti heir. Not your possession.”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
Then relaxed.
“Our child.”
“Good.”
He touched her cheek.
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Have something I’m afraid to lose.”
Harper smiled sadly.
“Welcome to being human.”
Then she walked toward the ballroom.
Isabella arrived at seven.
She wore white.
Of course she did.
The crowd admired her.
Cameras flashed.
Dante stood at the front of the ballroom.
Harper watched from the balcony.
Carmine was nowhere visible.
That worried her.
William and Rosalia were already in Manhattan retrieving the safe-deposit box.
Felix monitored communications.
Everything depended on timing.
Isabella reached Dante.
“You look unhappy.”
“I usually do.”
She smiled.
“After tonight, none of this matters.”
Dante looked at her.
“What happens tonight?”
“You become my husband.”
“This is an engagement.”
“Details.”
Music began.
Then the lights went out.
Guests screamed.
Emergency lighting activated.
Every exit locked.
Carmine’s voice came through the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
Dante looked upward.
Harper’s heart pounded.
“Forgive the interruption.”
Screens descended around the ballroom.
Financial records appeared.
Photographs.
Transactions.
Evidence of Moretti crimes.
Guests began shouting.
Carmine continued.
“For years, Dante Moretti has pretended to be a businessman.”
Dante remained motionless.
“But tonight, the truth ends him.”
Harper understood.
Carmine had not planned to kill Dante physically.
He intended to destroy him publicly.
Police sirens sounded outside.
Federal agents.
Media vans.
Carmine had leaked everything.
Then Isabella smiled.
“You lose.”
Dante looked at her.
“No.”
He glanced toward the balcony.
“You do.”
Harper stepped forward.
Every screen changed.
Carmine’s files disappeared.
Another set replaced them.
The real ledger.
Carmine’s accounts.
Payments to Romano gunmen.
Transfers connected to the bombing that killed Dante’s father.
Bribes.
Blackmail.
The false Sullivan debt.
Everything.
Carmine shouted through the speakers.
“What did you do?”
Harper picked up a microphone.
“You wanted the key.”
The ballroom turned toward her.
She held it up.
“So we opened the box.”
Dante almost smiled.
Harper continued.
“And we made copies.”
Isabella went pale.
“You stupid little maid.”
Harper looked down at her.
“No.”
She removed her old employee badge.
“I was a maid.”
She placed it on the balcony railing.
“But that was never all I was.”
Federal agents entered.
Carmine attempted to escape.
Rosalia was waiting.
She walked him into the ballroom at gunpoint.
The crowd erupted.
Dante stared at his mother.
Carmine looked around desperately.
Then at Isabella.
“Do something!”
Isabella backed away.
“Father?”
Enzo Romano entered behind federal agents.
Alive.
Bandaged.
And furious.
He looked at Isabella.
“You brought war into my family for Carmine Moretti?”
Isabella’s confidence vanished.
“Dad—”
“You told me the child threatened the treaty.”
“She does!”
“No.”
Enzo looked at Harper.
“She threatened your wedding.”
Silence.
“And you confused your pride with my family.”
Isabella began crying.
Dante stepped forward.
“This engagement is over.”
Isabella stared.
“You can’t.”
“I just did.”
“You’ll start a war.”
Enzo answered.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
The Romano patriarch looked at Dante.
“The Romano family accepts dissolution of the agreement.”
Carmine screamed.
“You coward!”
Enzo ignored him.
“The shipping agreement can be negotiated without marriage.”
Dante nodded.
“As it should have been from the beginning.”
Federal agents took Carmine away.
Isabella remained.
She looked at Harper.
Pure hatred filled her face.
“This isn’t over.”
Harper met her stare.
“Yes.”
She touched her stomach.
“It is.”
But Isabella smiled.
And Harper realized too late that Isabella was holding something.
A small remote.
She pressed it.
An explosion tore through the east side of the estate.
The floor moved.
Glass shattered.
People screamed.
Dante looked toward the smoke.
Then at Isabella.
“What did you do?”
She smiled through tears.
“If I can’t be Mrs. Moretti…”
Another explosion shook the house.
“…there won’t be a Moretti house left.”
Dante grabbed Harper.
May you like
The ceiling cracked.
And the chandelier began to fall.
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