Chapter 4 - The Master’s Atelier
The car brought us to a private residential tower overlooking Central Park.
Dante didn't take me to a dark mafia hideout or a cold penthouse. He brought me to the top three floors of the building—a state-of-the-art studio filled with floor-to-ceiling windows, rolls of imported Italian silk, dress forms, and golden cutting tables.
It was an artist's heaven.
"This is Moretti Atelier," Dante said, standing by the entrance as a female assistant hurried forward with a plush silk robe and a hot cup of tea. "It was built for a master designer. It has been waiting for the right person to claim it."
I wrapped the silk robe around myself, stepping onto the polished hardwood floors. I touched a roll of midnight-blue velvet, my fingers instantly recognizing the extreme quality of the fabric.
"This costs thousands of dollars a yard..." I murmured, overwhelmed.
"And it belongs to you if you want it," Dante replied, leaning against the doorframe, his hands tucked into his trousers. "You spent years tailoring clothes for people who looked down on you. I am offering you your own label. Complete creative control. Infinite budget. My protection."
I turned to look at him, still feeling the lingering sting of the morning's humiliation.
"And what do you get out of this, Mr. Moretti?" I asked guardedly. "In my experience, men don't offer women something for nothing."
Dante’s eyes softened slightly, though his posture remained commanding.
"I get the satisfaction of seeing true genius elevated," he said smoothly. "And I get to watch the Whitmores choke on their pride when they see the woman they tried to destroy become the undisputed queen of Manhattan fashion."
A slow, fierce spark ignited inside my chest. For weeks, I had allowed myself to be pushed down, criticized, and humbled by Nathan's snobbish family. I had let Veronica walk over me because I wanted to fit into their world.
Now, that world was dead to me. And in its place stood a throne.
"When do I start?" I asked.
May you like
Dante smiled—a rare, devastatingly handsome smile that transformed his ruthless face.
"Right now," he said. "Because in two weeks, the Metropolitan Autumn Gala takes place. And you are going to design a dress that will make this entire city fall to its knees."
