Tainted Loyalties

Chapter 1: The Encounter

Isabella De Luca had always lived on the edge of two worlds.

By day, she was just a regular college student, balancing late-night study sessions with part-time work at a local bookstore. Her life was structured, predictable even, marked by the gentle rhythm of campus life and the comfort of routine. She kept her circle small—Sofia, her best friend since childhood, and a few acquaintances who never pried too much into her personal life.

But there was a darker side to Izzy's life, one she kept tucked away like a secret diary. Her family, the De Lucas, were powerful. Not the kind of powerful that came with wealth and status alone—though they had plenty of that—but the kind that carried whispers of corruption, influence, and danger. Growing up, Izzy had learned early on to ignore the hushed conversations that happened behind closed doors. When people came to visit her father at odd hours or when her mother would offer a tense smile, only for it to drop the moment the door closed, Izzy looked the other way.

Her father had always been kind to her. Gentle, even. But she knew that behind his warm brown eyes, there was a man who commanded respect, a man who others feared. What exactly he did was a mystery to her. Whenever she asked, her questions were brushed aside, and soon, she stopped asking altogether. Denial was easier. Safer.

Tonight, however, was one of those nights where the edges of her two worlds blurred.

"I still can't believe you agreed to come," Sofia said, tugging Izzy by the arm as they walked into the grand ballroom. "You hate these things."

Izzy shot her a glare, though it lacked any real heat. "I was tricked."

"Lured by the promise of free food and champagne?" Sofia teased, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder. She was effortlessly glamorous, fitting in perfectly with the crowd of wealthy elites that filled the room.

"You promised me a small get-together, not a charity gala," Izzy muttered, her eyes scanning the lavish surroundings. The chandelier hanging above them glittered like stardust, and the polished marble floors reflected the dim glow of candlelit tables. Waiters glided through the crowd with trays of champagne, while people mingled, their laughter and conversation filling the air with an intoxicating hum.

Izzy felt out of place, her modest black dress feeling too simple among the sea of designer gowns and tailored suits. She'd spent her life avoiding these kinds of events, the kind her parents frequented, where power was measured by who you were seen with and how much influence you could wield with a smile. But tonight, Sofia had been persistent, practically dragging her along for what she called "a little fun."

"If I had known it was this..." Izzy gestured around helplessly, "I would've stayed home."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Live a little. You've been hiding behind your books for weeks."

"I like my books. They don't make me wear stilettos," Izzy grumbled, shifting uncomfortably in the heels she'd borrowed from Sofia.

Sofia laughed, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Just try to have fun. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone."

Izzy highly doubted it. Her mind was already halfway back to her dorm, to the cozy blankets and the half-read novel she'd abandoned for this glittering spectacle. But Sofia was right about one thing—Izzy had been hiding. It was easier to immerse herself in the safe, predictable world of academia than confront the chaos that loomed over her family.

She sipped from the glass of water she held, her eyes darting around the room, searching for something—anything—to distract her. That's when she saw him.

At first, he was just another face in the crowd, a tall figure in a sharp, dark suit, leaning against the bar with a drink in hand. His posture was relaxed, but there was an intensity to him that set him apart from the others. Even from across the room, Izzy could sense it—something dangerous simmered beneath the surface.

He looked like he belonged in a different time, as though someone had plucked him from ancient mythology and set him down in the modern world. His features were sharp, chiseled, with high cheekbones and a jawline that could cut glass. His hair, dark and tousled in a way that seemed both effortless and calculated, added to the allure. And his eyes—those deep, dark eyes—were intense, like he was seeing straight through the people around him, as if nothing surprised him anymore.

It wasn't just his looks that captured attention, though. There was something about the way the room shifted around him, the way people's conversations quieted when he walked by, as though his very presence demanded respect. Or fear.

"That's Dante Moretti," Sofia whispered beside her, following Izzy's gaze. "The Morettis practically run the city."

Izzy blinked, her stomach twisting at the sound of his name. Moretti. It wasn't just a name—it was a legacy. One that was whispered about in dark corners, in stories of control, power, and violence. Her father had never mentioned them by name, but she'd heard the rumors, the ones that suggested the Morettis were involved in something far more dangerous than business.

"They say he's the heir to the empire," Sofia continued, her voice hushed as if she were afraid he might hear them from across the room. "A real-life Greek god, but with more blood on his hands than anyone would guess."

Izzy's throat tightened. She had no interest in being involved with anyone from that world, no matter how striking they looked. She wasn't like her family. She wasn't part of that life. She refused to be.

And yet, when Dante's eyes met hers, something shifted.

It was only for a second, a fleeting moment where their gazes locked from across the room. But it was enough. Enough to make her heart skip a beat, enough to make her feel like she was being pulled into something far beyond her control.

His eyes lingered on her, dark and unreadable, and then, as if he hadn't just unraveled her in a single glance, he looked away.

Izzy let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Her heart raced in her chest, the sound of blood rushing in her ears.

"Careful," Sofia warned, her voice cutting through the fog in Izzy's mind. "Guys like Dante don't play by the rules."

Izzy forced a laugh. "Who said I'm interested?"

"I'm just saying. I've heard stories about him—about what happens to people who get too close." Sofia's voice lowered as she glanced around the room. "There's more to him than just the looks. His family... they're dangerous."

Dangerous. The word echoed in Izzy's mind, sending a chill down her spine.

But before she could say anything else, a shadow fell over them.

Izzy's heart stopped.

There he was—Dante Moretti, standing right in front of her.