His attorney had stopped answering calls.

Leonard Price had retained counsel.

The bank had been notified that ownership of the Bellamy property was disputed.

And Rosa had refused every offer.

Victor made one final mistake.

He returned to the Grand Aurelia.

Rosa was finishing her shift when he walked into the dining room.

This time, nobody ignored him.

The manager immediately approached.

“Mr. Hargrove, you've been asked not to—”

“I need five minutes.”

Rosa stepped forward.

“Give him five.”

Victor looked exhausted.

“You've destroyed a hundred-million-dollar development.”

“No. You built it around property you didn't own.”

“You could walk away with fifteen million.”

“I told you no.”

“Why?”

“Because Bellamy Machine Works was my father's.”

“Sentiment?”

“Choice.”

Victor shook his head.

“You're throwing away a fortune.”

“It's my fortune to throw away.”

The doors opened.

Dante entered.

His dark suit exposed the edge of the tattoo along his neck, while the ink across his left hand remained visible.

Victor laughed bitterly.

“Of course.”

Dante stopped several feet away.

“This conversation doesn't involve you,” Victor said.

Dante looked at Rosa.

“Does it?”

Rosa considered it.

“No.”

Dante stepped back.

Victor stared at him in disbelief.

“You're letting her handle this?”

Dante answered calmly.

“She asked me to.”

Rosa almost smiled.

Victor looked between them.

“You think this ends with some forged documents?”

“No,” Rosa said. “It ends with you understanding something.”

“What?”

“The first night, you hit me because you believed nobody important cared what happened to me.”

Victor's face tightened.

“You became afraid only when Dante walked in.”

She stepped closer.

“But Dante isn't why you lost.”

Victor said nothing.

“You lost because Leonard talked. Your attorney kept records. Your investors discovered you didn't control the property. And because you underestimated the person carrying your water.”

The restaurant had gone silent again.

Just like the first night.

Except this time Rosa wasn't on the floor.

Victor was the one surrounded by witnesses.

His voice dropped.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing from you.”

“Everyone wants something.”

Rosa shook her head.

“I want you to leave.”

Victor stared at Dante.

Dante didn't move.

Finally, Victor turned and walked out.

The doors closed behind him.

Conversation slowly returned.

Rosa exhaled.

Dante approached.

“You're terrifying.”

“Good.”

“I mean that affectionately.”

“You're still not forgiven.”

“I know.”

“But you're improving.”

“I'll take it.”

Rosa started walking toward the employee hallway.

Dante followed.

“Where are you going?”

“To change.”

“Dinner?”

“No.”

“Coffee?”

“No.”

“Walk?”

Rosa stopped.

Dante waited.

She looked at him for several seconds.

“Breakfast.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

Dante smiled.

“What time?”

“Eight.”

“I'll be there at seven fifty-five.”

“Seven fifty.”

“Seven forty-five.”

She shook her head.

“You negotiate everything?”

“Apparently not waterfront property.”

Rosa laughed.

It was the first time since he returned that the past didn't feel quite so heavy.