Chapter 273.

Emilia stopped breathing.

Her eyes moved from the weapon to Ethan’s face. He looked like a man doing a job.

"You showed up," she whispered.

Ethan said nothing.

She shook her head slowly, a small, disbelieving smile appearing on her face.

Ethan’s gaze flickered briefly towards Dante.

Emilia looked between them. Her smile widened by a fraction, though her eyes were filling.

"Oh, my God." She looked at Ethan again, feigning ignorance. "You’ve been working with him this whole time."

"Emilia," Dante said warningly.

She ignored him.

"All those times you were around me. All those times you knew what Adrian was investigating."

Ethan’s jaw tightened. "You should be quiet."

A short, broken laugh escaped her.

"You’re pointing a gun at me, Ethan. I think we’ve moved past the point where you can tell me to be quiet."

"That’s enough," Dante snapped.

Emilia turned back to him. "Dad?"

The word came out differently this time.

Not a plea for affection. Not an attempt to reach the man she remembered. It came oit as a question.

A final, desperate attempt to understand whether there was anything left of the father she had once loved.

Dante’s expression softened. "Easy, Princess."

He stepped towards her, keeping his hands visible. "He won’t kill you."

Emilia looked at the gun again.

"Just give me the necklace," Dante continued. "That’s all I want."

She laughed softly. It sounded wrong in the silent hallway. "That’s all you want?"

"Yes."

"You want to embezzle more money from funds that aren’t yours."

Dante’s face changed. For the first time, the mask slipped completely. "Watch your mouth."

"Why? Because I’m telling the truth?"

"You’re a child. You don’t understand what you’re talking about."

"I’m not a child anymore."

"Then stop behaving like one."

Emilia’s fingers tightened around the pendant. She could feel its edges pressing into her palm.

"Adrian knows what you’ve been doing. He knows about the shell companies. He knows about Mum’s name on those documents. He knows what you did at Blackwood."

Dante’s eyes narrowed. "All of this would not be happening if Adrian had just left my Blackwood connection alone."

The words came out with such venom that Emilia fell silent.

Dante turned towards Ethan. "Ethan, make sure she keeps quiet."

Ethan moved.

Emilia reacted instinctively, stepping back as he reached for her. "Don’t touch me!"

She tried to move around him, but he caught her arm. His fingers closed around her upper arm, hard enough to hurt.

"Let go!" She twisted, trying to wrench herself free. "Ethan, let go of me!"

He tightened his grip and dragged her towards him.

Emilia shoved at his chest with her free hand, then tried to pull her arm out of his grasp. The necklace dug painfully into her palm as she struggled to keep hold of it.

"Stop fighting."

"Get your hands off me!"

She twisted again, but Ethan was stronger. He hauled her backwards, forcing her away from the staircase.

Selena cried out. "Leave her alone!"

Dante ignored her.n"Hold her still."

Ethan pulled Emilia against him.

She fought harder, panic rising so quickly that she could barely think. She struck his arm with her free hand and tried to stamp on his foot, but he shifted his weight before she could do it properly.

"Let me go!"

"Emilia, stop!"

"No!" Her voice cracked.

She didn’t care.

She was not going to stand still while these men decided what happened to her. She drove her elbow backwards, catching Ethan somewhere beneath his ribs.

He grunted.

His grip loosened for half a second.

Emilia tore herself sideways.

She almost made it. Then he caught her again, this time gripping her arm with both hands.

"Enough!"

He shoved her back against the wall.

Pain shot through her shoulder.

The necklace slipped from her fingers.

She gasped and immediately bent to retrieve it, but Ethan caught her by the arm before she could reach the floor.

"Don’t move."

"Give it back!"

She struggled against him, trying to turn towards the pendant lying just beyond her reach.

Dante’s expression darkened. "Look at what you’re making me do."

Emilia stared at him in disbelief.

She was the one being held. She was the one being threatened. And somehow, he was still making himself the victim.

The front door opened.

"Emilia!" Adrian’s voice cut through the hallway.

Everything happened at once.

Emilia turned towards the sound.

Adrian stood in the doorway with several members of his team behind him. His expression was controlled, but the moment his eyes landed on Ethan’s grip around Emilia’s arm, something dangerous moved through his face.

"Let her go."

Ethan didn’t move.

Adrian took one step forward. "I said, let her go."

Dante’s smile returned. "Adrian Ashford." He sounded almost pleased. "I was wondering when you’d arrive."

Adrian’s gaze shifted to him. "Dante."

"You’re looking well."

"Let Emilia go, and we can discuss whatever you think this is."

Dante laughed softly. "Whatever I think this is?"

He glanced towards Selena.

"Your family has been interfering in my affairs for years. You have people digging through my business, questioning my associates, and trying to destroy everything I’ve built."

"What you’ve built?" Adrian repeated.

"Yes."

"Through fraud?"

Dante’s smile disappeared. "Careful."

"Through embezzlement?"

"Adrian—"

"Through using other people’s names to conceal your money?"

Dante’s jaw tightened.

Adrian didn’t look away. "You should have stopped when you had the chance."

For one second, Dante looked as though he might strike him. Then his expression settled.

"Perhaps." He glanced at Ethan. "Bring her here."

Emilia’s stomach dropped. "No."

Ethan dragged her away from the wall.

She fought him, trying to pull back, but he wrapped his arm around her and hauled her towards the centre of the hallway.

"Stop it!" Adrian moved forward.

Two of his men shifted with him.

Dante immediately raised his gun. "Not another step."

Everyone froze.

Emilia’s breath caught. She could see the weapon in his hand, amd the way his finger rested near the trigger.

Adrian stopped.

His eyes never left Dante’s face. "Don’t do this."

Dante smiled faintly. "You should have stayed out of my business."

Ethan dragged Emilia in front of him, turning her so that her back was pressed against his chest.

She tried to twist away. He locked his arm around her neck.

Emilia gasped. "Let go!"

His forearm tightened across her upper chest and neck, holding her in place. She grabbed at his arm, trying to create space, but he pulled her closer.

Then she felt the cold pressure of a gun against her head.

Everything inside her went still.

The hallway seemed to fall silent around her.

Adrian’s face changed. "Get that gun away from her."

Ethan said nothing.

"Ready to make a deal?" Dante looked at Adrian. "Take my daughter away from here."

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then Emilia struggled.

She twisted against Ethan’s hold, trying to wrench herself free. His arm tightened, and the gun pressed more firmly against her head.

"Emilia, don’t!" Adrian shouted.

She could barely hear him.

She was fighting to breathe, fighting to move, fighting the instinctive panic that told her she had to get away from the arm locked around her neck.

She kicked backwards, trying to catch Ethan’s leg.

He swore and tightened his hold. "Stop moving!"

"Get off me!"

Her voice came out strained.

Adrian took a step forward.

Dante turned the gun towards Selena.

The movement was so sudden that Emilia barely understood what was happening until the barrel was pointed at her mother’s face.

"Mum!"

Dante cocked the gun.

The metallic click echoed through the hallway.

Emilia stopped struggling. Her entire body trembled.

Dante held the weapon steady, his expression almost bored.b"Go with him," he said.

Emilia stared at him.

"Now."

Her eyes moved towards her mother.

Selena was crying openly now, shaking her head as much as the chains would allow.

"No, baby. Don’t listen to him. Please."

Dante pressed the gun closer to Selena’s face. "Do you want me to do this the difficult way?"

Emilia’s lips parted, but no words came out.

She looked at Adrian.

He stood a few feet away, his hands held slightly apart, every muscle in his body rigid with the effort of not moving.

His eyes were fixed on her.

She could see the fear he was trying to hide. Not fear for himself.bFor her.

"Dante," Adrian said, his voice low. "Whatever you want, we can discuss it."

"Can we?"

"Yes."

"Then you can wait."

Dante’s gaze remained on Emilia.

"Go with him. Now. I need to discuss with Adrian. I’ll be quick."

Emilia shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. She looked at her mother, then at Adrian.

Ethan’s arm remained locked around her neck, and the gun was still pressed against her head.

Dante’s finger rested against the trigger. He made sure Emilia understood that if she refused, her mother might die before she could take another breath.