Chapter 10: A Tenuous Alliance

The sun was about to go down the horizon, giving out rainbow colors on the horizon. The yacht was bouncing gently on the water, the tension between Sophia and Dante was real and it was visible to the eyes. It had been days since the incident in the garden, and Sophia could no longer allow the questions to continue growing inside her anymore.

As the evening went on, she found him in his private lounge, looking out at the large ocean. His composure was sharp, his shoulders rigid, and his gaze distant.

"Dante," she called softly.

He sat there and didn't turn to face her, but instead shifted himself a bit as a sign to her that he was listening.

"Why won't you tell me the truth? About your family? About what's driving you to act this way?" she asked while moving closer to him.

His jaw tightened. "You don't know what you're asking, Sophia."

"I know more than you think," she replied to him immediately, her voice rising. "I've seen the files. I know about the attack on your family estate."

Dante turned sharply, his eyes filled with anger. "You've been checking into my past?"

"You left me no choice," she answered with a firm voice. "You're dragging me into your world, keeping me in the dark while you play this dangerous game. I deserve to know what's going on!"

Dante took a step forward, standing tall over her. "You deserve to stay safe. That's all. My past has nothing to do with you."

Sophia refused to back down. "Nothing to do with me? I'm living on your yacht, living in your house, I am surrounded by your secrets, and sometimes in danger because of your enemy attacks. How can you say it has nothing to do with me?"

His eyes softened for a small moment before getting hard again. "You don't understand. My family—" He stopped himself, the words seized in his throat.

Sophia saw he was about to relax and talk and she continued again. "Then help me understand. Tell me what happened to them."

Dante turned away, his fists held at his sides. "They were murdered," he said quietly. "All of them. My parents, my siblings... Everyone."

Sophia's breath seized. "Dante, I'm so sorry—"

"Don't," he cut her off, his voice cold. "Don't pity me."

"It's not pity," she said, her tone softening. "It's empathy. I can't imagine the pain you've carried all these years."

For a moment, it seemed like he might open up further, but then his composure came back up. "This conversation is over," he said with a firm voice, moving toward the door.

"No, it's not," Sophia said, her voice soft and firm. "I won't be a player in your revenge activities, Dante. If you can't trust me, then I can't stay."

He stood at the door backing her. "Then leave," he said, his voice was very silent.

Before Sophia could respond, a deafening explosion happened to the yacht. She stumbled, grabbing onto the edge of the table to make herself regain stability.

"What was that?" she asked with a louder voice.

Dante was already moving towards her, his expression shifting to one of firm determination. "Stay here," he ordered, but Sophia didn't answer him, following close behind as he ran toward the upper deck.

The scene was troublesome. Several armed intruders had boarded the yacht, their dark clothing moving smartly under the cover of night. Dante signaled to a group of his security team, who were already engaging the attackers.

Sophia's heart raced as she hid behind a small door, she watched as the fight happened and it was a horror show. Dante moved with precision, disarming one man with a fast twist and knocking another unconscious with a single punch.

Sophia spotted an intruder sneaking up behind Dante. Without thinking, she grabbed a nearby wine bottle and broke it at the man's head. It scattered on the man's head, and the intruder went down.

Dante looked back, his expression a mix of surprise and annoyance. "I told you to stay inside!"

"And let them kill you? No way!" she answered immediately, she took a piece of broken wood to defend herself.

They fought side by side, their movements surprisingly in synchronization. Sophia's fear went away due to the energy burst she was enjoying, and she managed to hold her own, defending herself against another attacker long enough for Dante to finish him off.

The fight was over as quickly as it had begun. The intruders were either unconscious or jumping into the water, leaving Dante and Sophia trying to catch their breath on the deck.

"You're reckless," Dante said, his voice low but not friendly.

Sophia looked at him. "And you're welcome."

Despite himself, Dante let out a small, almost friendly laugh. "Fair enough."

Back inside the yacht, Dante poured himself a drink, his hands still shaking slightly from the encounter. Sophia sat across from him, her arms crossed.

"Do you always have to be the hero?" she asked, breaking the silence.

He looked up, his expression softening. "Someone has to be."

Sophia hesitated, then said, "You can't do it alone, Dante. Whether you like it or not, I'm in this now. Let me help."

Dante looked carefully at her for a long moment before nodding slightly. "Fine. But you follow my orders. No more reckless moves."

Sophia smiled faintly. "Deal."

Their truce which wasn't concluded was interrupted by the sudden ring of Dante's phone. He answered immediately, his expression darkening as he listened.

"What is it?" Sophia asked when he hung up.

Dante hesitated before saying, "That was Stefano. He's uncovered something disturbing."

Sophia's breath seized. "What kind of trouble?"

Dante met her gaze, his eyes filled with unease. "He thinks someone close to me is working with my enemies."

The words remained in the air without reply because they hit her unexpectedly again. Sophia's mind raced, her own secrets were threatening to come out.

"Do you trust him?" she asked cautiously.

Dante's jaw tightened. "I don't trust anyone."

The conversation ended there, but the tension remained serious. As Sophia lay awake that night, she couldn't forget the feeling that things were happening very fast.

For the first time, she wondered if Dante was right not to trust anyone because if he found out about her investigation, he might see her as the very traitor he feared.Top of Form