Sienna's Perspective
That evening's grand banquet was held at the Falcone estate.
Dante hosted this lavish party to celebrate the impending arrival of his heir, our child.
Tonight, he played the ultimate protector, refusing to leave my side for a moment.
As he gently kissed my knuckles, I saw the mob wives whispering enviously.
They saw a loyal king.
But beneath the disguise, I saw nothing but a greedy fraud.
Midway through the grand banquet, Dante excused himself to meet with an allied captain in a private room upstairs.
He didn't come back.
Nearly an hour later, Dante's consigliere approached my table, pale-faced.
"He's unreachable, and we're facing a serious security breach," he murmured, sweating profusely. "He threatened to kill anyone who interrupts this meeting. Please, you have to find him."
I climbed the grand staircase, searching the quiet upstairs rooms of the estate.
As I neared the coatroom, I froze, hearing a sickeningly familiar sequence of sounds.
With trembling fingers, I eased the wooden door open a crack.
Through the narrow gap, I saw Dante and Lucia tangled together.
Nausea surged as I heard Dante promise, breathless, to buy Lucia diamonds.
Even more infuriating, he reached for my custom cashmere coat, casually draping it over his mistress's bare shoulders like a temporary blanket.
My hands clenched into fists.
Before the pain could completely consume me, a cold instinct took over.
Slowly, I uncurled my fingers, forced myself to turn, and silently walked away.
Half an hour later, Dante finally returned to the bustling ballroom.
He sat down casually beside me, his skin radiating the scent of betrayal.
I didn't look at him. Instead, I stared at a folded cocktail napkin.
A handwritten note from Lucia.
"He only loses control for me. You wear the crown, but I hold his leash."
