Chapter 77: That was Dimitri’s ex-fiancée

"There’s not much to tell....."

"Bullshit. Tyler heard from someone who heard from someone that you’re dating Dimitri Valentino. The Dimitri Valentino. Is that true?"

Eve hesitated.

She’d known this conversation was coming. Had rehearsed various versions of it. But actually saying the words out loud, to her oldest friend, in public...

"It’s true," she said quietly.

Maya’s eyes went wide. "Holy shit. EVE. He’s....I mean....people say he’s....."

"Dangerous. Yes. I know."

"Are you okay? Is he treating you well? Because if he’s not, I don’t care how scary he is, I will...."

"Maya." Eve took her hand. "I’m okay. Better than okay. I’m happy."

Maya studied her face, searching for signs of coercion, fear, anything that would justify concern.

She must have found none, because her expression softened.

"You really are, aren’t you? Happy."

"Yes."

"Even knowing what he does? Who he is?"

"Especially knowing that." Eve squeezed her hand. "I know it sounds crazy. And I can’t explain all of it. But Maya, he sees me. Really sees me. Not the perfect wife I tried to be for Simon. Not the CEO who has to be strong all the time. Just... me. And he loves me anyway."

"He told you he loves you?"

"Yes."

"Damn." Maya sat back, processing. "Okay. Okay. If you’re happy, I’m happy. But I reserve the right to murder him if he hurts you."

"Noted."

They ordered salads and wine, because it was that kind of lunch and spent the next twenty minutes catching up on normal things. Maya’s job. Tyler’s annoying habits. The new restaurant that opened downtown.

Normal. Blessedly normal.

Eve had just taken a bite of her insalata when a familiar voice made her freeze.

"Eve. What a lovely surprise."

She looked up.

Isabella Russo stood beside their table, immaculate in a cream dress, her smile warm and completely unthreatening.

Every instinct Eve had screamed danger.

"Isabella." Eve’s voice was cool. "What are you doing here?"

"Having lunch with a friend. She just left, but I saw you on my way out and thought I’d say hello." Isabella’s eyes slid to Maya, curious and assessing. "I don’t believe we’ve been introduced."

Maya looked between them, clearly sensing tension but uncertain of its source.

"Maya," she said carefully. "Eve’s friend."

"Isabella Russo. A..." Isabella paused, her smile sharpening infinitesimally. "Business associate of Dimitri’s."

The lie was smooth, professional, completely designed to avoid alarming Maya.

Eve wanted to call her on it. To tell Maya exactly who Isabella was, the woman who’d been engaged to Dimitri since childhood, who’d sent threatening texts, who’d followed her in a black sedan.

But this was a public restaurant. Maya didn’t know about Dimitri’s world. And causing a scene would only give Isabella ammunition.

"How nice," Eve said flatly. "Well, we don’t want to keep you."

"Of course not. I just wanted to say...." Isabella’s eyes met Eve’s, and for a moment, something flickered there. Not hostility. Something else. "I hope you enjoy your lunch. It’s rare to find genuine friendship in this city."

Then she was gone, gliding out of the restaurant with perfect grace.

Maya stared after her. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

"That," Eve said, reaching for her wine, "was Dimitri’s ex-fiancée."

"WHAT." Maya’s voice rose, then immediately dropped to a whisper. "That gorgeous woman is his ex? And she just... stopped to chat? Casually?"

"There’s nothing casual about Isabella Russo." Eve took a long drink. "She’s dangerous. Strategic. Everything she does has a purpose."

"So what was the purpose of that?"

"I have no idea." And that was what worried Eve most. "But whatever it was, I guarantee Dimitri’s going to hear about it within the hour."

She was right.

Ten minutes later, her phone buzzed. Dimitri.

Marco says Isabella approached you at lunch. Are you okay?

I’m fine. She was almost... nice. Which is somehow more terrifying than when she’s openly hostile.

What did she say?

Nothing threatening. Just said hello. Introduced herself to Maya as your "business associate." Then left.

A pause. Then: She’s planning something. I don’t know what yet, but she doesn’t do anything without a reason.

I know. I’ll be careful.

I’m picking you up after your 3 PM meeting. Don’t argue.

Wasn’t planning to. I like when you’re protective.

Good. Because I’m about to get very protective. See you soon.

Eve set down her phone, turned back to Maya, who was watching with unconcealed fascination.

"So," Maya said. "Your life got really interesting really fast."

"You have no idea."

"Are you sure you’re okay with all this? The danger, the drama, the gorgeous ex-fiancée who apparently has no concept of personal boundaries?"

Eve thought about last night. About Dimitri inside her, claiming her, making her his in every way that mattered. About this morning in the shower. About breakfast with Nonna. About the life they were building together.

"I’m sure," she said. "More sure than I’ve ever been about anything."

"Then I’m happy for you." Maya raised her wine glass. "To dangerous men and the women crazy enough to love them."

Eve laughed, clinked her glass against Maya’s.

"To dangerous men."

***

POV: ISABELLA

Isabella sat in her car outside the restaurant, watching through tinted windows as Eve and Maya finished their lunch.

Her phone rang. Enzo.

"How did it go?"

"Interesting." Isabella studied Eve’s profile through the window. "She’s... not what I expected."

"Meaning?"

"She didn’t panic. Didn’t cause a scene. Just stayed cool, professional, clearly protective of her friend." Isabella tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "And when I mentioned genuine friendship being rare, she looked almost sad. Like she understood exactly what I meant."

"You’re humanizing her."

"I’m observing her." But Isabella knew Enzo was right. "There’s something about her, Enzo. When you’re near her, you understand it. Why Dimitri chose her. She’s not trying to be anything other than what she is. No performance. No pretense. Just... authenticity."

"That’s dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because it makes her harder to hate." Enzo’s voice was quiet. "And if you can’t hate her, Isabella, then you have to accept that maybe.....just maybe Dimitri made the right choice."

Isabella closed her eyes.

She didn’t want to accept that.

Accepting that meant accepting that fourteen years of her life had been wasted on someone who was never going to choose her. That everything she’d sacrificed, everything she’d become, had been for nothing.

"I’m not ready to accept that," she said.

"I know. But eventually, you might have to be."

Isabella ended the call, continued watching.

Eve and Maya stood, hugged, went their separate ways.

Marco immediately appeared at Eve’s side, escorting her back toward her office building.

And Isabella sat there, alone in her car, feeling something she hadn’t felt in years.

Doubt.

Not about the plan. Not about going independent with Enzo.

But about whether destroying Eve Thorne was actually what she wanted.

Because if she destroyed Eve, Dimitri would never forgive her.

And despite everything....despite the rejection, the humiliation, the broken promises, part of her still wanted his respect.

Even if she couldn’t have his love.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Lorenzo.

Antonio says you’re working with Enzo on something. What is it?

Isabella stared at the message.

She could tell the truth. Tell her father about the plan to go independent, to build their own empire.

Or she could lie. Buy more time. Keep their options open.

She typed back: Coordinating strategy. Nothing you need to worry about.

I’ll be the judge of that. Call me.

Isabella deleted the message, blocked her father’s number, and started the car.

She’d chosen her path.

Now she just had to walk it.