Chapter 19 - A Seat at the Table|
Three weeks later.
The grand dining room of the Moretti estate was set for a private dinner.
This time, there were no thirty guests, no fake smiles, and no silver coffee trays passing around the room.
Sitting at the long mahogany table were only five people: Dante, Isabella, Uncle Sal, Katarina, and Marco.
Isabella sat at the head of the table, directly across from Dante—a position traditionally reserved exclusively for the Underboss of the family.
Spread out beside her dinner plate were the new, audited financial ledgers of the Moretti real estate empire, stamped with her official corporate seal.
Uncle Sal raised his wine glass toward her, his scarred face holding a look of quiet respect.
"To the auditor," Sal toasted raspy. "May she keep our books as clean as her conscience."
Katarina smiled warmly, reaching across the table to touch Isabella’s hand. "And to ivory silk, my dear. It looks magnificent on you."
Isabella smiled, taking a sip of her red wine, looking across the long table at Dante.
He was watching her with a quiet, fierce pride, his dark suit crisp, his gray eyes soft and full of love.
"Is everything to your satisfaction, Mrs. Moretti?" Dante asked softly, using the title for the very first time.
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"Almost," Isabella replied with a subtle wink. "You still owe me a dance from three weeks ago."
Dante laughed—a rich, deep sound that filled the grand room—and stood up from his chair, extending his hand across the table toward his bride.
