Chapter 13 - THE MAN WHO LEARNED TO ASK
Dante Morello had spent most of his life giving orders.
He'd inherited power young.
He'd learned to survive by controlling every detail.
But Vivien Cross didn't respond to commands.
She responded to honesty.
When Dante invited her to dinner, she hesitated.
“Are you asking as a patient?”
He smiled.
“No.”
“As a man who thinks he owes me something?”
“No.”
She folded her arms.
“Then what?”
Dante took a breath.
“As a man who likes you.”
Vivien stared.
Then smiled.
“That's better.”
Their first dinner was at a small Italian restaurant.
No private dining room.
No entourage.
Dante wore a simple dark sweater.
Vivien wore a blue dress she'd owned for three years.
They talked.
About childhood.
Family.
Work.
Dante told her about Nico.
About Gabriel.
About the guilt he carried.
Vivien told him about her mother.
Her brother.
The exhausting beauty of caring for sick children.
At the end of the evening, Dante walked her to her car.
“Vivien.”
She turned.
“I don't know how to do this.”
She smiled.
“Do what?”
“Be ordinary.”
Vivien laughed softly.
“Then start with showing up on time.”
Dante smiled.
“And don't bring bodyguards to dinner.”
He nodded.
“Understood.”
She stepped closer.
“See? You're learning.”
And for the first time in years, Dante felt hopeful.
May you like
Not because he'd won something.
But because someone had invited him to become better.
