Chapter 118 He Defended Me
Glanna’s POV
I practically floated down the stairs, my skin still tingling from the shower and from leaving Dante there, hard and wanting and cursing my name. A smile tugged at my lips despite myself,
God, that felt amazing.
I slipped into a simple flowery dress, nothing fancy, yet somehow I felt good. Alive, Powerful in a way I had never felt before, a
As I approached the end of the stairs, I heard the sound of voices coming from the dining area and I knew it had to be Arielle, and Selene,
My confidence faded. The warmth from moments ago drained away, replaced by something cold crawling up my spine. My stops slowed. I paused at the bottom of the stairs, one hand gripping the banister.
Deep breath. You can do this.
But my legs folt heavier with each step toward the dining room.
Ariel sat at the long table, her dark hair pulled back, her posture rigid. Across from her sat Selene, Dante’s sister- in–law. The sister of his dead wife. The woman my father had killed.
They both looked up at me at the same time.
The hatred in Ariel’s eyes was so glaring I could feel it from where I stood,
Selene’s expression was different, meaner. A slow, wicked smile curved her lips as she watched me approach the
table.
“Oh, look who is finally joining us,” Selene said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, “The murderer’s daughter,”
I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Pretend you did not hear that. Just pretend.
I opened them again and forced a calm smile. “Good morning to you both. Arielle, Selene.”
Silence.
Selene nudged Arielle with her elbow, a small movement but impossible to miss.
Arielle scowled and set down her fork with deliberate slowness. “Just so you know,” she said, her voice trembling, though I could not tell if it was anger or hurt. “You will never be part of our family, I do not care if my father is marrying you or whatever he thinks he is doing,”
Her words came faster now, more furious.
“I will never see you as a mother. Or a stepmother. Or anything, I will never respect you. As a matter of fact, I hate you. I hope you leave my father alone and go far away from here.
She leaned forward, her eyes blazing. “I do not know what you did to him or what you gave him to make him see anything good in you. Because the father I know hates your family. He hates your kind.”
Selene sat back in her chair, that smile still on her face, watching the scene unfold like it was her favorite show.
It was obvious now. She put her up to this. These words are too rehearsed. Too adult. This is Selene talking
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Chapter 118 Ho Defended Me
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through Ariel. 1
I pulled out a chair slowly and sat down, folding my hands in my lap. I looked at Arielle, really looked. She was just a girl. A hurt, angry girl who had lost her mother.
“Ariel,” I said calmly. “I understand your pain. And I would never try to rush you or force any affection. I know this is hard.”
I swallowed, feeling exposed in a way I had not expected. “I know you are angry. But I also lost my mother at a very tender age. I never even met her. She died giving birth to me.”
Arielle’s expression shifted for a second before Selene leaned forward slightly.
“And we are supposed to feel bad for you?” Selene asked, her voice sweet enough to sting. “Is that it?”
Arielle’s face hardened again. “Your mother’s death does not erase what your father did to mine.”
“I know that,” I said softly. “I am not trying to…”
“My mother was amazing,” Arielle cut in, her voice rising. “She was kind and beautiful and she loved us. And your father took her from us. So no, I do not care that you never met yours.”
The words hurt, but I understood them.
“You are right,” I agreed. “I cannot change what my father did. I cannot bring her back. But I am truly sorry for your loss. I am sorry for what he did. If I could have stopped it, I would have But I was just as powerless as every other woman dealing with men like my father.”
“But you cannot,” Arielle spat. “So why are you even here?”
Before I could respond, Selene smiled wider. “Maybe she thinks playing the victim will make us accept her.”
Ariel’s eyes narrowed. “My mom did not deserve what happened to her. She deserved better. She deserved to be here.”
“She did,” I agreed quietly.
“And you?” Ariel’s voice was rageful now. “You do not deserve to be here. You do not deserve my father. You do not deserve anything.”
I opened my mouth to respond when…
“Ariel.”
Dante’s voice cut through the room like a growl.
I turned. Dante stood at the entrance to the dining room, his hair still damp, water dripping onto his white shirt. His face was darker than I had ever seen it. Not just angry, furious.
A shiver moved down my spine. Not from fear, but from the sheer force of his presence, the way it filled a room and demanded respect.
Neither Arielle nor Selene dared to speak under that stare.
He walked forward, his eyes locked on his daughter. “How dare you? Where is your conscience? Your manners? Everything I taught you?”
Ariel shrank back slightly, though her chin stayed lifted in defiance.
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“You of all people should know better,” Dante said, his voice hard. “I raised you better than that. We do not say cruel things to people. Especially when they share something vulnerable with us.”
He gestured toward me. “Gianna just told you about her mother. You know what that pain feels like. And instead of showing compassion, you mock her? You tell her she does not deserve to be here?”
He drew in a slow, heavy breath, as if reining in the full force of his anger.
“You will apologize to Gianna immediately.”
“Dante…” I stood, reaching for his arm. “It is okay. She does not have to…”
He pulled me behind him in a protective motion, shielding me without a second thought before turning back to them.
“She will,” he said firmly, never looking my way. His eyes stayed on Ariel. “I will never allow anyone to speak to you in that manner. Not my daughter.”
His gaze shifted to Selene then, mean enough to cut. “And no one under this roof will ever disrespect her. Not when I am here, and not when I am not.”
Selene shot to her feet. “So you are going to talk to your daughter like that because of her? You are taking sides already? You did not even ask what happened!”
“I do not need to ask what happened,” Dante replied, his voice like ice. “I was coming down the stairs. I heard the entire conversation. I heard how you both were picking on Gianna from the moment she walked in.”
He took a step toward Selene. “Stop acting like this is your house, Selene. I respect you as my sister–in–law. I respect your grief. But if you are going to remain a member of this family, you will abide by my rules.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
