Chapter 5
Julian’s POV
One week later.
Three black Rolls-Royces pulled up outside the Venti family villa.
Julian stared out the window of the Rolls-Royce, his jaw tight. Anger, jealousy, humiliation—it was a bitter cocktail churning in his gut.
"Sir, shall we proceed?" the driver asked.
Julian nodded.
The cars rolled slowly toward the main entrance of the estate.
Seraphina's father—old man Venti—was waiting on the steps.
The old man's face was a mask of stone.
Julian got out of the car, straightening his suit.
"Mr. Venti. I'm here for Sera."
The old man didn't respond.
"We had an arrangement," Julian said, walking up the steps. "Where is she?"
"She's not here."
"What do you mean, not here?" Julian frowned. "We agreed on today—"
"She's back where she belongs," the old man cut him off.
"Where she belongs?" Julian was getting more confused. "What place is that?"
"Chicago."
Julian felt a wave of dizziness.
"What… what is she doing in Chicago?"
The old man's voice was as cold as iron. "She went back to her husband."
"Impossible!" Julian roared. "She wouldn't leave me. She loves me!"
Old man Venti let out a short, harsh laugh.
"Loves you?" he repeated, as if it were the funniest joke in the world. "Young man, do you have any idea what you're talking about?"
"Of course I do!" Julian's eyes were red. "We grew up together! I know her!"
"Know her?" The old man's smile turned mocking. "Do you know who she is now?"
Who she is?
"What are you talking about? She's your daughter."
The old man was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"Astor," the old man said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Do you want your entire family shipped back to the East Coast in matching coffins?"
In coffins?
The words sent a chill down Julian's spine.
"What are you saying?"
"You think she's the same naive little girl from two years ago?" The old man's eyes became dangerous. "You think she'd wait around for your handouts?"
"They weren't handouts! I came to give her the best life!"
"The best life?" Old man Venti roared with laughter. "A quiet house where she has to use the back door?"
The color drained from Julian's face.
How did he know?
"Young man, do you really think my daughter is hurting for your pathetic charity?"
"What does she have without me?" Julian shot back. "A cheap bracelet from some Italian muscle?"
The old man's laughter died.
His gaze turned lethal.
"Muscle?"
"Yes! That Angelo!" Julian was getting worked up. "I know she found a new man! But so what? What can some hired muscle give her?"
Old man Venti just stared at him, as if looking at a dead man.
"You want to see her?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then go get her. She's on the top floor. Of the Moretti Tower."
Moretti Tower?
The name filled Julian with a sense of dread he couldn't place.
"What… what tower?"
"The biggest one in Chicago."
Julian stood on the steps, his mind a total mess.
Moretti... he'd heard that name somewhere before.
Half an hour later, at the main Astor residence.
Julian burst into his father's study.
"Father! I need you to do something for me!"
His father looked up from his desk. Annoyance flickered in his eyes.
"What is it?"
"The Moretti Tower!" Julian was out of breath. "I need to know what that place is! Sera is there! I have to go get her!"
The pen in old Mr. Astor's hand fell to the desk.
Julian's father stared at him, the blood draining from his face.
He looked at his son as if he were already a ghost.
"Moretti?" he whispered, the name tasting like ash in his mouth.
"Dante Moretti? Are you out of your goddamn mind? He's not a man, he's a fucking monster. And you went after his wife?"
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