Chapter 16: Even from afar

Dante
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when my phone vibrated, pulling me out of the light sleep I had fallen into. The screen showed an unknown number, but I knew exactly who it was. I got out of bed and walked over to the window, making sure no one could hear the conversation I was about to have.
"Hello?" I answered in a low voice, my eyes scanning the shadows outside the window.
The mysterious woman's voice echoed on the other side of the line, cold and calculating.
"Dante, what's going on?" she asked without preamble. "I've heard things have gotten complicated."
I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation on my shoulders.
"Yes, everything has gotten out of control," I admitted. "Ana has gotten too close to Paolo. It's like she's living with him now. I can't keep surveillance on them without them noticing."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before the woman spoke again.
"We knew this would be complicated, but we can't let Paolo get any closer to Ana. His influence over her could be devastating to our plans."
"I know," I replied, frustrated. "But Ana is stubborn and she's convinced that the alliance with Paolo is the best thing. Marco and I have tried to dissuade her, but she won't listen."
"Then you must find another way," the woman said, her tone imperative. "We can't afford to lose control. Do whatever it takes to separate Ana from Paolo, no matter the cost."
The woman's words hung in the air, heavy with threat. I knew I had no margin for error. I ended the call and put the phone in my pocket, my mind racing to come up with a plan.
I left my room and headed to the living room, where Marco was reviewing some documents. When he saw me enter, he looked up, his expression grim.
"Any news?" he asked, though his tone indicated he wasn't expecting good news.
"Yes. We have a bigger problem. The situation with Ana and Paolo is getting more complicated, and there are already people who suspect there's someone behind it."
Marco frowned, his concern evident.
"The woman? She's not new around here, I don't know who she works with, but she must have guts to want to confront the Salvatore family."
I nodded.
"We can't let Paolo gain more influence over her."
Marco slammed his fist on the table, frustrated.
"This is a disaster," he muttered. "Ana is blind to the dangers Paolo represents. How can we make her see the truth?"
"I don't know, but we have to find a way. If we don't, everything we've worked for will go down the drain."
Silence fell between us, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I knew the task ahead wouldn't be easy, but I couldn't afford to fail. Ana trusted me, and even though my feelings for her complicated things, I had to keep a cool head and do the right thing.
"I'm going to try to talk to Ana again," I finally said, standing up. "Maybe there's a way to make her understand."
Marco nodded, though his expression remained grim.
"Do what you must, Dante. We can't afford to lose this battle."
I left the house, my mind still swirling with plans and possibilities. I knew I would have to play my cards carefully if I wanted to separate Ana from Paolo without raising suspicion. But for now, I had to find a way to get closer to her and make her see the danger she was in.
As I walked to the car, I realized that this mission wasn't just about protecting Ana, it was about protecting all of us. If Paolo managed to control her, our lives would change forever, and I couldn't let that happen.
I left the house with renewed determination. I knew I had to get Ana back and away from Paolo's influence, no matter the cost. I drove quickly to Paolo's house, my mind racing to find the right words that could change her mind.
When I arrived, I was surprised by the lack of guards around. Paolo was a major mobster, and the absence of his usual security put me on alert. I parked the car and cautiously approached the door. Just as I was about to knock, I felt something was wrong.
In an instant, guns emerged from everywhere, pointing at me from every possible angle. I froze, raising my hands slowly to show I had no intention of fighting.
"Easy, I'm here to talk."
At that moment, the door opened and Ana appeared, her expression a mix of surprise and determination.
"Stop!" she ordered the guards. "He's with me."
The men lowered their weapons immediately, but they didn't take their eyes off me. Ana walked towards me, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.
"Dante, what are you doing here?"
"Ana, we need to talk. This can't wait."
She nodded and gestured for me to come in. As I crossed the threshold, I felt the weight of the guards' stares on me. We went to a private room where we could talk without interruption.
"What's so urgent that you came all the way here?" Ana asked, crossing her arms.
I took a breath, searching for the right words.
"Ana, what you're doing is a mistake. Paolo can't be trusted. I know you think this alliance is the best thing, but he's using you."
Ana frowned, clearly annoyed by my words.
"Dante, we've already talked about this. Paolo has shown me that he's willing to help me and that this alliance is beneficial. You can't expect me to make decisions based solely on your suspicions."
I knew I had to be careful, so I decided to play the concern card.
"It's not just about my suspicions, Ana. There's more at stake here," I said, lowering my voice. "There are people who want to see you fall, and I can't let that happen."
Ana sighed, looking at me with a mixture of weariness and compassion.
"Dante, I appreciate your concern, but I've already made a decision. I need you to trust me."
Before I could answer, the door opened and Paolo entered, his presence filling the room with an imposing authority.
"What's going on here?" he asked, his voice calm but with a clear warning.
Ana turned to him, her posture relaxing a bit.
"Dante came to talk," she replied simply.
Paolo looked at me, a sardonic smile on his lips.
"Dante, what a surprise to see you here," he said, his tone full of false cordiality. "I hope you're enjoying our hospitality."
I looked at him, trying to stay calm.
"I just want to make sure Ana is safe."
Paolo approached Ana, placing a hand on her shoulder with a familiarity that made my blood boil.
"Ana is safer here than she would be anywhere else, you can trust me on that."
Ana nodded, giving me a look that said more than words could express.
"Dante, please, I need you to trust my judgment," she pleaded.
I sighed, knowing I couldn't force her to see what I saw. But I couldn't give up either.
I was heading for the door when Paolo called me back.
"Dante, wait a minute," he said, his tone authoritative.
I turned to face him, and he put on a fake smile.
"Could you give Ana a moment?" he asked, though it was more of an order than a request. "I'd like you two to talk alone. I think you have a lot to say to each other."
Ana looked at me, her expression unreadable. I nodded, though the tension in the air was palpable. Paolo gave Ana a light squeeze on the shoulder before leaving the house, closing the door behind him.
I stood there, trying to find the right words. But before I could say anything, I slowly approached her.
"Ana..." I began, my voice softer than I intended.
She didn't move, but her gaze was fixed on me, watching me intently.
"You know that everything I've done has been to protect you," I said, taking a step closer. "From the very beginning, I've wanted the best for you."
Ana sighed, her expression hardening.
"Protect me?" she repeated, her tone full of disbelief. "Keeping me away from you and messing around with Valeria is protecting me?"
I reached out, gently brushing her arm.
"It wasn't like that. Everything I did was a mistake, I admit it. But I still care about you, Ana. More than you can imagine."
She looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of pain and determination.
"Dante, you had your chance, but you blew it. You betrayed me, you pushed me away, and now I'm with Paolo."
Despite her words, I took another step, getting closer, until our bodies were almost touching.
"Ana, please," I whispered, lowering my voice. "We can fix this. We can start over."
My hands moved slowly, caressing her arms, trying to make her remember what we had. But she remained firm, not budging.
"Dante, you can't just show up and expect me to forget everything that happened. I'm with Paolo now. He's shown me that I can trust him, something you broke."
My hands stopped, and I looked into her eyes, feeling the sting of her words.
"Ana..." I started, but she raised a hand, stopping me.
"No. Don't try to sweet-talk me into coming back to you. If you had thought things through before cheating on me and sleeping with my best friend, maybe things would be different."
I backed away slowly, knowing I had lost this battle. I looked at her one more time, trying to find any sign of doubt, but all I saw was determination.
"I'm sorry, Ana. I'm truly sorry."
She nodded, but her expression didn't change.
"I hope you find what you're looking for, Dante, but don't look for it in me."
With those words, I turned and walked out of the room, feeling the weight of loss on my shoulders. I knew I had made mistakes, but now I had to live with the consequences.
As I walked away from Paolo's house, I knew I would have to find another way to protect Ana, even if it meant doing it from a distance.