Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO WANTED THE THRONE
Isabella's family had built its influence through money, marriages, and carefully chosen alliances.
Her father, Carlo Columbo, had long believed that the Moretti organization should belong to someone more ambitious than Dante.
Lorenzo had been difficult to manipulate.
Dante was grieving.
And Isabella had been positioned to become his wife.
The engagement was supposed to secure access to Moretti assets.
But the investigation revealed a more dangerous plan.
Financial records showed that Victor and companies connected to Carlo had been moving money through fraudulent contracts.
Several transactions appeared designed to weaken Moretti businesses while enriching the Columbo family.
Isabella had been promised control of a luxury development project.
Victor had been promised a senior leadership position.
And Dante?
He was supposed to become incapable of stopping them.
During questioning, Isabella eventually admitted she had participated in the plan to incapacitate Dante.
She claimed she believed the substance would only make him temporarily ill.
Investigators were not persuaded to accept her explanation without evidence.
Dante learned of her statement through his attorney.
He sat silently.
Thomas looked at him.
“Are you all right?”
Dante laughed bitterly.
“No.”
He stared at the engagement ring Isabella had returned.
“I was going to marry her.”
Thomas said nothing.
Dante continued.
“I thought she loved me.”
Thomas looked at him.
“Sometimes people love what someone can give them.”
Dante closed the ring box.
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For years, he'd believed betrayal came from enemies.
Now he understood that the most dangerous betrayals often came from people who knew exactly where you were vulnerable.
