Page 49 of Ivory Obsession

The drive to the restaurant was quiet. The city lights played against the shadows inside the car, twisting and flickering as I clenched the steering wheel. My mind raced with thoughts of the confession ahead. What would she say? Would she understand? Or would it be too much for her to bear?

As I pulled up in front of the restaurant, a sigh escaped my lips. This was it. The night of truths. I turned to look at Jade and saw her gazing out of the window, her face illuminated by the city lights.

“Are you alright?” she asked, turning away from the view to look at me.

I nodded, forcing a smile onto my face as I reached out and took her hand. “I am now,” I said, squeezing her hand gently. “Thank you for setting this up, by the way. I was so glad to get your email. I have a surprise for you.”

“You do?”

I nodded. I did have a surprise for her. I just…wasn’t sure it was a good one.

Chapter Twenty: Jade

Inever imagined science could lead me to a moment like this, where the soft glow of candles danced upon fine china and crystal glasses. Dante Moretti had just ushered me into a private dining area that seemed to have been plucked from a scene in one of those old romantic films I’d only half watch while scribbling notes on genetic sequences.

“Wow,” I murmured, taking in the exclusive setup that felt surreal compared to my usual evenings hunched over lab reports. “This is... incredible, Dante.”

He offered a smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes—a look I was beginning to recognize all too well. His voice was smooth as always, though. “Only the best for you, Jade.”

We settled into our seats, the menus between us rich with options. I couldn’t help but notice how Dante fidgeted, his fingers tapping a silent rhythm against the linen tablecloth. It was subtle, but to a woman who spent her days observing reactions under the microscope, it was glaringly obvious.

“Are you alright?” I asked, trying not to let my curiosity morph into concern. “You seem... somewhere else tonight.”

“Ah, just thinking about some work stuff,” he replied, waving off my question with a practiced ease.

I knew dismissal when I heard it, so I didn’t press him on it. The lines around his eyes tightened when he thought I wasn’t looking, and I fought the urge to question him further. Instead, I focused on the elegance before us, the clink of our glasses serving as a temporary reprieve from the tension that simmered beneath the surface.

“Did you try the veal?” I ventured, aiming to steer us toward safer waters. “It’s supposed to be exceptional here.”

“Yeah, I’ve been here a lot,” he replied.

“Do you always take your dates here?”

“Sometimes,” he said softly. “But it’s rare that I rent out a whole venue for them. I mean, it’s never happened before.”

I blinked, surprised. His confession swam through my mind, but before I could respond, he was pouring us each a glass of red wine. The rich aroma filled the air around us as he set the bottle back on its metal stand. Dante raised his glass and looked at me with those sea storm eyes.

“To new beginnings,” he toasted, and I clinked my glass gently against his. His eyes never left mine as we each took a long sip of our wines.

His gaze slipped from my face down to the table. “There’s something I need to tell you, Jade,” he muttered, his voice low and heavy.

I swallowed hard, bracing myself for what was to come. “Okay,” I managed to respond.

He reached across the table and held my hand gently. His eyes searched mine as if seeking reassurance or maybe forgiveness. “I...” He released a shaky breath. “I’m not exactly who you think I am.”

The world seemed to tilt beneath me, his words eroding whatever foundation of understanding I had of him. “What do you mean?” My heart pounded against my chest with a terrible urgency.

“I...I’m involved in some things that…”

His phone buzzed on the table between us.

His gaze snapped to the device, and the expression that crossed his face was pure torment. “I have to take this,” he muttered before he picked up the phone, turning away from me as he spoke in hushed, fraught tones.

He excused himself with a curt nod and strode to a quiet corner of the room, his back to me.

“Family business” was the term he’d toss around, a shield that kept his world neatly separated from mine. I wasn’t stupid. Maybe I’d wanted to think the best of him. But he was about to tell me about his father’s illegal dealings and that meant he trusted me.

He liked me.