The Heir He Left Behind Chapter 07
The moment I stepped out of the hospital, my phone rang. It was Alessio Ricci.
In our circle, most people looked down on me. But Alessio always treated me with respect.
“Alessio, what’s wrong?”
“Can you come over?”
I paused. “Just say it over the phone.”
“Dante and Elena fought. He hit her.”
I was shocked. Elena was his goddess. He was about to marry her. How could he lay a hand on her?
“Elena’s threatening to jump off the roof. Dante can’t stop her.”
“Alessio, how can I help with that?”
“He’s forcing her to apologize to you in person.”
I laughed softly. “Forget it, Alessio. Don’t bother.”
Yes, Elena had fanned the flames. But who was really to blame? If I hadn’t clung to him for four years, annoying everyone, none of this would have happened.
“Cassie, Dante still cares about you.”
“Alessio, stop.”
Hearing that now just made me sick. “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”
“Cassie -”
I ended the call. Exhaustion seeped into my bones.
I’d planned to leave that night, but my body wouldn’t let me. The doctor said I needed weekly checkups. So I
booked a cheap motel near the hospital.
Alessio texted: “Cassie, Dante’s hurt. Badly.”
The attached photo showed Dante slumped on a couch, hands pressed to his head. Blood seeped through his fingers, staining half his face.
Once, I would have burst into tears and run to him.
Now I just typed back, “Take him to the hospital. It looks serious.”
“He won’t go.”
I didn’t reply. A few minutes later, a blocked number called. I knew who it was. I didn’t answer. It rang a dozen
times before stopping.
At the motel, I showered and fell asleep. I didn’t wake until nine the next morning.
There were unread messages from Elena. Sent at 2 a.m.
“Cassie Moretti, happy now? It’s your fault Dante won’t marry me.”
“I’ll make you pay double for that slap.”
She’d lost her mind. I blocked her. Then I blocked Dante too.
Later, at the clinic, I ran into Dante. He had a bandage around his head, looking like a wreck.
I walked straight to the elevator.
He said nothing. He just followed me silently through registration, the exam, and picking up my prescription.
I was tired, so I sat on a bench to rest.
Dante glanced at me several times, wanting to speak. Finally he did.
“Cassie, that guy dumped you, didn’t he? He doesn’t want you or the kid.”
“That’s between us.”
He stared at me, then seemed to make a decision. “Cassie, come back to me. I’ll treat the child as my own.
I’ll take care of you both.”
I hadn’t planned to waste a single word on him. But that made me laugh.
“Dante, what the hell are you saying?”
“I saw everything that day, Cassie. Those people took you. I couldn’t even get close.”
“Alessio said that guy’s background is deep. Dangerous. You can’t handle him.”
“I was right. He didn’t want you. He doesn’t want the kid either.”
“But Cassie, we grew up together. I can’t stand to see you like this.”
“I’ll buy you an apartment. In your name. I’ll cover everything – yours and the child’s.”
I laughed. “Dante Marino, I know you. You’re not a charity. What’s the catch?”
“Cassie, I want you back.” He crouched down to look me in the eye. “I want you to look at me the way you
used to. To love me like before. To stay with me forever.”
“You can keep the child. I don’t care. Just stay.”
He looked like a pitiful kid begging for candy. But my heart didn’t stir.
“Dante.”
–
I looked down at him. “The Cassie Moretti who loved you and wanted to follow you forever she died in that slum four months ago.”
“We can start over, Cassie. I swear I’ll treat you right.”
“But I don’t like you anymore.” My voice was flat. “You know me. If I don’t like someone, I won’t even look at
them.”
All the color drained from his face, but he wouldn’t give up.
“Who else could you love? That bastard who abandoned you?”
“Cassie, do you know how hard it is for a single woman with a child born out of wedlock?”
“Hard? I survived death. You think I’m afraid of hardship?”
“So you’re still holding a grudge about me leaving you there? What do I have to do to make you forgive me?”
He grabbed my hand, his voice rising.
It was incredible. The man who’d been desperate to get rid of me was now begging on his knees.
I stared at him for a long time.
“Never, Dante. Never.”