“You’re joking.”
Aruna’s voice was barely steady.
Dante did not answer immediately. He stood near the window, his silhouette framed by the city lights outside the safe house. The world beyond the glass looked peaceful, as if nothing violent had happened hours ago.
“I never joke about strategy,” he said finally.
Aruna stared at him. “Marriage is not strategy. It’s a life.”
“In my world,” Dante replied calmly, “everything is strategy. Including life.”
Her hands clenched into fists. “You want to marry me because your enemies told you to?”
“I want to marry you,” he corrected, “because they think I won’t.”
She let out a shaky laugh. “That’s insane.”
“Yes,” he said simply. “That’s why it works.”
Marco stood beside the table, arms crossed. His expression was serious, but his eyes flicke
