Viellas pov

I smiled awkwardly, sipping the iced water the waiter had just placed beside me. Elias was still watching me.

Like, intensely.

The kind of stare that made your fork pause midair.

"Your appetite changed, Viella," he murmured, tone far too casual for the way his eyes traced every move of my hand as I cut into the stuffed salmon.

"Huh? You said something?"

He smiled. Smooth. "Ah, nothing important."

Right. Nothing important. Except the fact that you somehow know what my appetite used to be like. Before I got isekai’d into this villainess hellhole.

I cleared my throat. "Umm... So have we met before? I don’t know... you just look so familiar."

He chuckled, that rich, smooth laugh that belonged to CEOs and cult leaders. "Everyone says that. You’ve probably seen me in the news. Or maybe..." he tilted his head slightly, "...in a dream?"

I laughed off the unease. "Yeah, probably on the news. You’re Dante’s business partner, right? That explains it." the one who never showed up in book but in bonus Chapters.

He smiled again, that charming smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "You’re quite famous yourself, Miss Viella. So many articles about you. The red dress at the charity gala... the ’temper tantrum’ during the engagement ball... and of course, the mysteriously injured in your room"

My fork clattered against the porcelain plate.

"I... was I?" I forced a giggle. "Gosh, I don’t even remember. You know how rumors are."

His gaze didn’t soften. "Yes. But I don’t believe that one was a rumor. You were hospitalized, weren’t you?"

I was.? How come it’s not written in the book?

I blinked. "I’m fine now. Totally fine."

A moment of silence passed as I nibbled at the dessert.

The uncomfortable chill in the air wasn’t from the restaurant’s AC anymore.

Was it just me... or did Elias know too much?

I glanced at the contract paper he had handed me earlier.

A real, signed contract. With Dante’s company seal. Only signature needed.

This man really did just hand over the holy grail of my dad’s dream deal over coffee and a creepy dinner. And all he asked for was one dinner.

Why did that feel like bait?

He leaned back in his seat, wine glass in hand. "You know... i wanted to visit you back then in the hospital but I was too busy.

I thought u will be mad at me for that"

His smile was subtle.

"I mean... I assumed you would. Considering how... disoriented you looked

My hands turned ice cold. Did he knew viella alrdy? How’s that even possible? An I missing out something?

Something warm lingered at the corner of my lips. A speck of whipped cream, probably from the dessert. Elias reached forward with a napkin, gently, his hand hovering close-too close-for comfort.

"Hold still," he murmured with a calm, almost teasing smile. "You’ve got something here-"

Before he could even touch me, another hand shot out of nowhere, grabbing his wrist mid-air.

The napkin fell.

A deadly silence followed.

I turned, my spine freezing in dread.

"Don’t. Touch. Her."

That cold, guttural voice didn’t belong here-not now, not like this.

Dante.

His obsidian eyes bored into Elias with the force of a storm about to erupt. The suit he wore was slightly rumpled, as if he had rushed here in rage, barely holding himself back. His jaw clenched

"Dante-wait, this-"

He didn’t even let me finish. His hand grabbed mine tightly, yanking me up from my chair.

"Excuse me?" Elias stood now, expression guarded but still polite. "We’re in the middle of-"

"She’s leaving." Dante snapped. "With me."

"Dante, stop-"

His eyes flicked to me for one breathless second, unreadable. "You shouldn’t have been here with him in the first place."

Before I could protest again, Dante dragged me out of the restaurant, heels clacking desperately across the marble floor, gasps echoing from stunned bystanders. The heavy front doors flew open,

His black car sat by the curb, sleek, waiting.

His men waiting outside. Were they following me?

"Dante, stop it! I’m not your-!"

He slammed the car door open and pushed me inside with terrifying calmness, sliding in beside me with a dark scowl.

I tried to pull away from him, heart pounding. "You’re being insane! It was just dinner! You’re not even supposed to be here-"

"Don’t test me, Viella," he growled, gripping my wrist tighter. "You really think I’d sit still watching him touch you? Watch you smile at him, laugh with him like that?"

My breath caught.

He leaned closer, face inches from mine.

"You think you can run around playing games, teasing me, acting like you don’t remember a damn thing about last night-fine. Pretend all you want." His lips brushed my ear, voice venomously soft.

I froze.

"You’re not allowed to disappear again," he hissed.

"What do you mean"... I whispered,

---

The car surged forward, tinted windows swallowing the world in shadow. Dante didn’t spoke anymore

I sat pressed against the door, breathing shallow, still clutching my bag. My wrist throbbed where he’d grabbed me.

Then he spoke.

Not loud.

Just low.

"Didn’t I tell you to rest?"

I swallowed hard.

"When I came home, you weren’t in bed." His jaw ticked. "You weren’t even in the damn house."

He turned to look at me. No warmth in his gaze. Just steel. And betrayal.

"You left without a word. Not a message. Not a call."

"I was going to-"

He laughed under his breath. The sound had no humor.

"Oh, you were going to?" His hand gripped the steering wheel tight. "And in the meantime, you thought it was a good idea to wander into your father’s office like you’re not being watched?"

I blinked. "Wait-how did you even know I was-"

"I always know."

That sent ice crawling down my spine.

"I gave you a few hours," he continued. "I waited. I gave you space. And you used it to go out with that man behind my back?"

I stared at him, heart hammering. "I wasn’t going behind your back, I-!"

"Then tell me." He snapped. "Tell me what you’re planning, Viella. What deal are you and your father cooking up?"

My lips parted, but nothing came out.

We took a turn. I looked out the window, frowning.

"...This isn’t the way to my house."

"I know."

My heart dropped.

"...Dante?"

"We’re going to my house."

"What?! No-I need to go back, my brother-!"

"He’s not your concern right now."

"What the hell does that mean?! Dante, you’re scaring me-"

He hit the brakes so hard the car jerked. Before I could react, he twisted in his seat and grabbed my chin between his fingers, forcing me to look at him.

"I should scare you."

My breath caught.

"You don’t listen. You lie. You disappear. And now you’re getting cozy with Elias like I don’t exist? You think that’s okay?"

"I saw you smiling."

"...You spying on me now?"

"I protect what’s mine."

His grip tightened. Not enough to hurt. Just enough to make me realize I wasn’t going anywhere.

"And now," he said slowly, "you’re going to do a lot of explaining once we reach home."

He let go, leaned back in his seat, and pulled off again.

----

My head was a complete mess.

Everything was spiraling, and I couldn’t tell if I was still drunk from last night or just drunk on panic.

The moment we reached his mansion, Dante didn’t say a single word.

He just grabbed my wrist-cold fingers wrapping tight-and dragged me inside like I was some thief caught sneaking around his estate. His guards didn’t even flinch.

He shoved open the heavy office doors, pulled me inside, and clicked the lock behind us.

Click.

Oh no.

The room was silent, the kind of suffocating silence that screams just before the storm.

"...Now explain," Dante said at last. His voice was quiet. Too quiet.

I whirled around to face him, pulse thudding in my throat. "Okay. Look. I know you’re mad. Last night was...bad. But I was drunk, alright? Everything got out of control and I didn’t mean for it to go that way."

He didn’t speak. Just stared at me with those unreadable, stormy eyes.

"I get it, you’re angry, but you can’t just drag me here like this! That’s borderline kidnapping! What if someone saw?! I have rights!"

His lip curled. "Is that what you think I’m mad about?"

He laughed. Cold. Mocking.

Okay. Bad sign. Abort.

"Wait, wait-listen!" I raised both hands in surrender. "I know it looked bad, alright? But I wasn’t out partying or scheming, okay?

His expression darkened like I’d said the devil’s name.

"Elias," he repeated, voice like poison. "You were with him."

"To fix everything!" I added quickly. "I swear, I was with him because I needed his help!"

His silence made my ears ring.

"Look," I said, reaching into my coat. My hands trembled slightly as I pulled out the documents I had worked all night with Elias to prepare. "This was it, right? The reason everything’s been spiraling? This deal, this marriage, this fake engagement from hell."

I stepped toward him, holding out the papers. "All you have to do is sign it. Just one signature, Dante. And we’re both free. You go your way. I go mine. No more pretending. No more drama. I’ll disappear. I won’t annoy you ever again. I promise."

He took the papers from my hands.

For a moment, I actually felt relief. Hope. The tiniest flicker of victory.

Then-

Flick.

I froze. The sound was soft, barely audible over my breath. But I knew it too well.

Dante had pulled out a silver lighter. And he was staring at the papers.

My eyes widened. "Wait. Don’t-"

Whoosh.

The flame licked the edge of the contract, devouring the paper in seconds. I watched in horror, mouth falling open as all of my effort-the calls, the planning, the lies, the blackmail, the damn favors from Elias-turned into ashes right before my eyes.

"Wait-WAIT-are you INSANE?!" I shrieked, grabbing at the burning papers, but it was too late. The flames danced in his eyes.

"You think I want that?" Dante muttered.

My heart thundered.

"...What?" I whispered.

He dropped the last smoldering shred onto the floor, ashes curling like the final nail in my coffin.

"Maybe once, I did," he said slowly. "Maybe once, I thought getting rid of you would make things simpler. But not anymore."

He stepped forward.

I stepped back.

He kept coming.

"Dante...?" My voice was barely audible now.

"You know what I want now?" he said, his voice low, a cruel kind of softness coating every word.

Before I could react, I was backed into the cold edge of his desk.

He placed both hands on either side of me, trapping me.

"You."

His breath hit my cheek.

"You, Viella."

My thoughts short-circuited.

My legs were locked. My brain-useless.

"W-what are you talking about?" I choked out.

"You think I’d let you run off now? After him?" His gaze dropped to my lips, then lower. "After letting him get close to what’s mine?"

His hands stayed caging me in against the desk, his presence suffocating. My chest rose and fell faster with every second.

He tilted his head, watching my expression like he was memorizing every twitch of fear, every shallow breath.

"You have no idea, do you?" His voice was low, steady-almost too steady, like the calm of deep water right before it drags you under.

My throat was dry. "...No idea about what?"

"How bad it’s gotten." His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt... trapped. Not just physically. Completely.

He leaned back just enough to study me-really study me-like I was the only thing in his universe. "It started as curiosity. That night you walked into the gala like you didn’t care who you pissed off. That defiance... I couldn’t stop watching you."

I swallowed hard, pulse pounding in my ears.

"Then it was irritation," he continued. "Because no matter what I did, you wouldn’t fall in line. I wanted to put you in your place, teach you how this world works..." His lips curved, but there was nothing kind in it. "But instead, you taught me. That’s when I realized-"

He moved closer again, forcing me back until the edge of the desk bit into my hips.

"-I didn’t want to change you. I wanted to keep you. Exactly as you are. Just for me."

My heart thudded painfully. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t the script.

"Dante..." My voice wavered. "This isn’t how it’s supposed to be."

He cocked his head, amused. "Supposed to be?"

"You’re supposed to-" I stopped myself, the words tangling on my tongue. I couldn’t exactly say you’re supposed to be obsessed with Alina, just like in the book.

But he saw the hesitation. His smirk deepened.

"Alina?" he guessed, reading me like an open book.

My stomach dropped.

"She could stand in front of me a thousand times, Viella, and I wouldn’t notice. But the second you walk into a room..." His eyes darkened, his voice lowering into a near-growl. "Everything else disappears."

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his knuckles grazing my cheek with infuriating gentleness. "So no, I don’t acknowledge her. I don’t want her. I want you. And I always will."

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TO BE CONTINUED