Chapter 12 - THE CHOICE
Emergency lights flashed red.
Men shouted.
Metal crashed.
Sophia threw herself sideways, trying to tip the chair.
Anthony did the same.
“Dad!”
“I’m trying!”
A gunshot hit the concrete beside them.
Anthony kicked Sophia’s chair hard.
It tipped.
Pain shot through her shoulder.
Her wrists were still tied.
Then Anthony rolled toward her and used the sharp edge of his broken chair bracket to cut the plastic restraint.
“Go!”
“What about you?”
“Go!”
Sophia ripped one hand free.
Across the warehouse, Dante fought one of Vanessa’s men.
Enzo and his team had entered through a loading bay.
Vanessa was running toward the river exit.
Sophia freed her other hand.
Then she saw a man behind Dante raise a gun.
“Dante!”
He turned too late.
Anthony slammed into the gunman.
The shot went off.
Anthony fell.
“DAD!”
Sophia ran.
Dante reached the gunman first and knocked the weapon away.
Enzo’s men secured him.
Sophia dropped beside her father.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“No. No, no, no.”
Anthony tried to smile.
“Kid…”
“Don’t talk.”
“I was useful.”
“Shut up.”
“I finally did one thing right.”
Sophia pressed both hands against the wound.
“You don’t get to die and call that redemption.”
He coughed.
“That sounds like your mother.”
“Then listen to her.”
Dante crouched beside them.
“Ambulance is coming.”
Sophia looked at him.
“Vanessa.”
Enzo shouted from the far side.
“We have her!”
Vanessa screamed as two guards dragged her back inside.
Her perfect dress was torn.
Her hair had come loose.
For the first time, she looked human.
And terrified.
She saw Dante.
“You think this is over?”
Dante stood.
“Yes.”
“My father will destroy you.”
“Then he should get in line.”
“You’ll regret choosing her.”
Sophia stood too.
Dante looked at Vanessa.
“I didn’t choose Sophia.”
Sophia’s heart twisted again.
Dante continued.
“Sophia chooses herself.”
He looked at her.
“And if I’m lucky, one day she might choose me.”
Vanessa stared at him.
Then laughed bitterly.
“You really are weak.”
Dante shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward Anthony, toward Sophia, then toward Enzo’s men collecting weapons and evidence.
“For the first time in my life, I’m done being afraid of what happens if I say no.”
Police sirens approached.
Clean officers this time.
Federal investigators already had copies of the Genovese ledger.
Enzo had made sure of it.
Vanessa finally understood.
The leather case Dante had brought was empty.
The real evidence had been delivered hours earlier.
Her face went white.
“You set me up.”
Dante said nothing.
He didn’t need to.
Anthony survived surgery.
The bullet missed his heart by less than an inch.
Elena recovered too.
Vanessa was charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, bribery, and attempted murder.
Several Genovese businesses were raided.
Three public officials resigned before sunrise.
Two police captains disappeared before federal agents could reach them.
And Dante Moretti?
He became the most hated man in several expensive offices across New York.
Two months later, Sophia stood in Elena’s kitchen.
Her three-month contract had ended that morning.
Dante entered.
“You packed.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to leave.”
“I know.”
His face tightened.
“But you’re going.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sophia looked at him.
“Because if I stay today, I’ll never know whether I stayed because I wanted you…”
She swallowed.
“…or because you saved me.”
Dante said nothing.
Sophia picked up her suitcase.
His voice stopped her.
“Will I see you again?”
She looked back.
May you like
“I don’t know.”
And for the first time in his life, Dante Moretti had no power over the answer.
