Chapter 6: Distractions

Ana
Sunlight filtered through the blinds of my office, illuminating the desk where I was working. A pile of papers and documents stood before me, silent witnesses to the strategy I was crafting.
My goal: Destroy Paolo Di Marco.
With every line I drew, every word I wrote, I got closer to my goal. However, a strange uneasiness prevented me from concentrating. My eyes kept drifting to Dante's figure, standing by the window, watching the city.
He stood tall, his gaze vigilant, like a lion protecting its prey. A sigh escaped my lips. It was impossible to deny the attraction I felt for him. His strength, his loyalty, his intelligence - everything about him fascinated me. But one doubt tormented me: Could I trust him?
The past few weeks had been filled with danger and secrets. I felt like Dante was hiding something from me. Putting my papers aside, I stood up and walked over to him.
"Dante?" I called softly.
He turned to me, his chocolate eyes shining with warmth.
"Yes, Ana?" he replied with a smile.
I bit my lip, hesitating about how to approach the subject.
"You seem... different," I said finally, searching for the right words. "Like something's bothering you."
Dante looked away, but not like someone nervous, rather like he wanted to avoid the subject. I shouldn't have thought he would trust me when I don't even know if I can trust him.
"It's nothing, Ana," he said evasively. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. Nothing to worry about."
Of course I didn't believe him. In the short time we've been together, I've learned to read him. I knew him too well to detect the lie in his words.
"Dante, you can tell me anything," I insisted, placing my hand on his arm. "We're friends, remember?"
Dante looked into my eyes, his gaze filled with a mixture of gratitude and conflict. Something told me he was debating whether or not to tell me, but I just wanted him to trust me, to be open with me, to make me believe that I could trust him or that my life would be safe with him.
"Thank you for your concern, Ana, but seriously, it's nothing. I assure you that if something were going on, you would be the first to know."
"I don't think you trust me very much."
"That's not true. You're the only one I can trust right now."
I sighed, resigned to not getting any more information for the time being. Maybe in time I could get him to talk.
"Fine," I said, withdrawing my hand. "If you don't want to talk about it, I respect that."
We were silent for a moment, watching the city in silence. The tension between us was palpable, until Dante finally broke the silence.
"Ana," he said seriously. "I want you to know that you can count on me for anything."
I looked into his eyes, feeling a surge of confidence coursing through my body.
"I know, Dante. And I'm here for you too. You may think I can't do much, but I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve."
"I know you do."
At that moment, I knew that despite the secrets and lies, Dante and I would always be there for each other, united by lies, desire, or work, but together in one way or another.
And that certainty was the best weapon we had against Paolo Di Marco.
"Thanks for your words, Dante," I said with a lighter tone, trying to dispel the tension. "It comforts me to know that I can count on you."
Dante smiled at me, his eyes filled with a warmth that made me feel safe.
"Always, Ana. No matter what."
A silence settled between us, broken only by the gentle sound of the wind blowing through the window.
My eyes fell on his face, admiring the line of his jaw, the shape of his lips, the intensity of his gaze. A tingling sensation ran through my body, a feeling I had never experienced before.
Was this what they called love?
The question echoed in my mind, unanswered. At that moment, Dante's phone rang, breaking the spell. He looked at it with a frown, as if it were calling him back to reality.
"Excuse me?" he answered the call. "Yes, it's me... What? ... I'll be right there."
He hung up the phone with a worried expression.
"There's been a problem," he told me with a serious voice. "I have to go."
A lump formed in my throat because I didn't want him to leave.
"But...", I started to protest.
"Don't worry, Ana," he interrupted me. "You'll be safe. The mansion is heavily guarded. I'll be back soon. I promise."
I nodded, unable to avoid feeling a pang of sadness.
"Take care," he whispered before leaving the office.
I was left alone, my heart pounding and a feeling of emptiness in my stomach. What had that been? Only one thing was for sure: Dante was no longer just my bodyguard. He was something more. Something that even I couldn't understand.
A sharp knock on my office door snapped me out of my reverie. I stood up, my heart racing. I walked to the door and opened it cautiously.
A tall, burly man looked at me with a serious expression. It was my uncle Marco.
"Ana. We need to talk."
I stepped aside, allowing him to enter. Marco sat down in one of the chairs in front of my desk.
"I've been investigating," he began without beating around the bush. "And I've discovered something you're not going to like."
I sat down across from him, feeling a chill run down my spine.
"What is it?"
Marco looked me in the eye, his gaze piercing. I didn't want to hear any more bad news, I didn't think I could take it.
"Dante is not who he says he is," he said with a grave voice. "He's hiding a secret."
My heart skipped a beat. Deep down, I think I already knew that, although I didn't understand what it was yet.
"What do you mean?"
"Dante is a double agent," Marco replied with an icy voice. "He works for Paolo Di Marco."
The world came crashing down around me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Are you sure?" I asked with a trembling voice.
"Absolutely," Marco replied with certainty. "I have proof."
Marco took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me.
I opened it with trembling hands and began to read the documents inside. They were confidential reports, photos, recordings... All the evidence pointed to the same thing: Dante was a double agent.
I felt betrayed, humiliated, hurt. The man I had trusted, the man who had saved my life, was an enemy. Tears of anger and pain welled up in my eyes.
"I can't believe it. I can't believe it."
Marco looked at me with compassion.
"I know it's hard to accept, but it's the truth."
I stood up from my chair, not knowing what to do. I felt like my heart had been ripped out.
"I have to go. I need to be alone, to clear my head. What you're showing me can't be true."
"I think the evidence speaks for itself."
"That's not the Dante I know."
"And do you really think you know him well?"
"I really need some fresh air."
"I understand," he said. "But remember that I'm here for you, for whatever you need."
I left my office like a soul in pain, walking the streets aimlessly, not knowing where to go. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Dante had betrayed me and I didn't know how to live with that.
Suddenly, my phone rang. It was an unknown number, and I reluctantly answered it.
"Hello?" I said with a dull voice.
"Ana, it's Dante," a familiar voice echoed in the receiver. "I'm back. Can we talk?"
My hand clenched around the phone.
Talk? What could I say to him? That I knew everything. That he was a traitor.
"Ana, are you there?" Dante's voice sounded worried.
I clenched my teeth tightly.
"No," I said with a firm voice. "I don't want to talk to you."
And I hung up the phone, walking with a determined step towards my destination. I had a decision to make, and it wasn't going to be easy.