Chapter 5 - THE FIANCÉE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Dante didn't confront Isabella immediately.
He wanted facts.
Not another argument that Victor could dismiss as confusion.
The next morning, he asked Rachel Donovan to review the financial and legal arrangements connected to his upcoming marriage.
Rachel discovered something unusual.
Several documents prepared for the wedding would give Isabella expanded authority over certain family trusts if Dante became medically incapacitated.
Dante stared at the paperwork.
“Why?”
Rachel looked at him.
“That's a question for the people who drafted it.”
“Victor?”
“Yes.”
Dante closed his eyes.
That evening, Isabella joined him for dinner.
She smiled.
“Seven weeks.”
Dante looked up.
“What?”
“Until the wedding.”
He nodded.
She reached across the table.
“Are you excited?”
Dante studied her.
“Why do you want to marry me?”
Isabella blinked.
“What kind of question is that?”
“An honest one.”
She laughed nervously.
“Because I love you.”
Dante nodded.
“Then why were you discussing my prescriptions on the phone?”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“I heard you.”
She withdrew her hand.
“Dante, you misunderstood.”
“Then explain.”
She looked away.
“I was worried about you.”
“With whom?”
Silence.
Dante leaned forward.
“Isabella.”
Her eyes filled.
“Victor.”
Dante went still.
“Why?”
She swallowed.
“Because he said you were getting worse.”
Dante stared.
“And you believed him?”
She nodded.
“Of course.”
He looked down.
Then asked:
“Did you know about the object in my neck?”
Isabella froze.
For one second, the room was silent.
Then she whispered:
“What object?”
Dante watched her carefully.
May you like
He couldn't tell whether she was lying.
And that frightened him more than anything.
