Dante slowly pushed himself to his feet. His face was unreadable, a blank mask that gave nothing away. He staggered slightly as he walked toward me, then casually draped his arm over my shoulders, leaning into me as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He didn't say a word, didn't acknowledge me beyond using me as support.
The weight of him pressed directly against my injured shoulder. Pain flared instantly, sharp and biting, but I kept my expression steady.
I turned, ready to leave, when a voice suddenly cut through the heavy silence.
"Mr. Falcone."
Liliana stood just inside the doorway, her figure framed by the light behind her. "If you were going to have your wife pick you up, why did you message me?"
I looked at her then. Her face was scrunched, her brows drawn together as if she were deeply hurt. Her voice trembled just enough to make it convincing. "You didn't have to go this far just to humiliate me."
She smoothed the edge of her lower lip with her thumbnail, the motion barely visible, as though she were settling into the shape of whatever wound she'd chosen to perform.
Dante's expression changed in an instant. The dull haze in his eyes vanished, replaced by sharp, blazing anger.
He turned on his associates. "Who used my phone to message her?"
No one answered.
"I said, who did it?" His voice rose, cutting through the room like a whip.
The silence grew suffocating. No one dared to speak, no one even shifted in their seats. The two soldiers near the door had straightened without making a sound.
Dante looked like he was on the verge of exploding. "If any of you think this kind of prank is funny, don't say I didn't warn you. Stay the hell away from Liliana."
Liliana stood frozen, her cheeks flushed red, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. For a second, it looked like she might say something, but instead, she turned abruptly and rushed out, barely holding herself together.
Dante didn't hesitate. Despite the alcohol in his system, despite the way he could barely keep his balance, he let go of me immediately and stumbled after her.
"Liliana, don't be upset… wait, please. Just wait."
His voice faded as he followed her down the hallway.