Page 208 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

Relieved that she hadn’t burst out crying on him—or, worse, asked him when or if they might see each other again.

‘Permesso...’a morning jogger scolded her.

But she barely noticed—was just relieved to make it to the apartment and climb the steps and be home.

‘Hey...’ Juliet smiled. ‘Goodness, did you win a raffle?’

‘I might have.’ Susie smiled. ‘Help yourself.’

‘Seriously?’ Louanna pounced on the offer, and was soon smearing truffled honey on crackers.

Oddly numb, Susie showered, tidied her room, caught up on a few calls, and then put on her uniform for work.

She was doing brilliantly, she decided. Over him already.

‘Woo-hoo!’ Louanna suddenly called from the lounge. ‘Casadio!’

Frowning, Susie walked through—and there Dante was on her television screen.

‘If I ever need to get divorced,’ Louanna said, ‘I am going to him.’

‘What’s it about?’ Juliet asked.

‘The divorce of the century,’ Louanna said. ‘Casadio is ruthless...he’s trying to get a judge to agree to proceedings being delayed.’

Good grief!

Dante looked beautiful—as if he’d rolled over and gone to sleep after she’d left, and then been shaved and groomed by angels before stepping into a dark suit and his court robes.

‘His robes...’ Susie croaked—and then realised she’d said it out loud.

‘Toga,’Louanna translated. ‘They’re in the Supreme Court.’

Dante even smirked as some journalist hurled a question at him.

Unlike his client, who walked alongside him, Dante was utterly calm, a little scathing, and completely immaculate.

He didn’t even offer a ‘no comment’ as he walked from the court with his entourage, histogabillowing behind him.

Had she really been in bed with him just this morning?

She headed to work, bumping into a few more people along the way.

There was something fizzing inside her.

How could he be so completely fine?

Dante was far from fine.

There’d been an air of disorder when he’d arrived at work. As his client’s letter had arrived while he was away, and an order had been broken, it meant he’d had no choice but to rock up to court.

And, no, the judge was not pleased at the stalling tactics—and no, there would be no more delays.

She’d glared at Dante. ‘I don’t like a circus outside my courtroom, Signor Casadio.’

And best of all, when he’d returned to his office, his head still spinning, Antonia had tried to bring him up to speed on lesser matters.

‘This can surely wait?’ Dante had said.