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"Talk," he orders, his voice cold and unyielding.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I'm about to reveal. "Your father...he's involved in child trafficking," I choke out, the words tasting like bile in my mouth. "He's been doing it for years, and I have proof."
"Proof?" Dario's voice is dangerously low, and I can practically feel the rage radiating off him.
"Nothing concrete as yet," I say, desperate to make him understand. "But I do believe that the secrets your men spoke about - cipher and the rest - and the documents they've discovered will help me tie up the loose ends in our case. I've been gathering evidence for months, trying to find a way to expose him without putting you in danger."
Dario's knuckles turn even whiter as he grips the steering wheel tighter. "And you thought lying to me was the best way to do that?" he snarls.
"I was scared, Dario," I admit, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks. "I didn't know who I could trust, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. You truly believe I didn't think of it? I thought of telling you all the time but by then, I was irreversibly in love with you and the thought of you never wanting to see me again was just far too much. I thought once we had your father behind prison, you might be more understanding, forgiving even."
As I speak, my heart lurches in my chest. But instead of anger, there's an icy calm in his voice when he finally speaks. "You should have come to me, Jasmine," he says, his voice empty of emotion. "You should have trusted me."
As much as it pains me to see him like this, I can't help but agree with him. If only I had been honest from the beginning, maybe we wouldn't be in this terrifying situation now.
With every passing second, I can feel the chasm between us growing wider, and I know that if I don't find a way to bridge it soon, it might become insurmountable.
"Let me make it right, Dario," I plead, searching his eyes for any sign of forgiveness. "Give me a chance to prove myself to you, to show you that my love is stronger than the lies that have separated us."
Just then, an arrow thuds into the car's dashboard, startling both of us. In the rearview mirror, we see a car zip away around the curve, before we can even note it’s make. Dario jumps out of the car.
Attached to the shaft is a note, fluttering like a white flag amidst the chaos of our lives. Dario pulls the arrow free and unfolds the paper, his eyes scanning the message.
"From the ghost," he says, his voice barely audible when he sits back inside. The revelation sends a chill down my spine, heightening the suspense that has been building between us.
"What does it say?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.
Dario hesitates for a moment before answering, his eyes still fixed on the note. "It's an address and a warning. Confida nella tua intuizione e seguimi, poiché lì potresti trovare ciò di cui hai bisogno."
Trust in your intuition and follow where I lead, for there you might find what you need.
We both sit there in silence, our train of thought interrupted by the Ghost’s untimely presence.
"Let's go," I say, my voice filled with determination. "Let's find the truth and put an end to this nightmare."
"Jasmine," he says, his voice hoarse with emotion, a man truly lost to the storm. "I don't know who to trust anymore. My own father... and you." His eyes bore into mine, searching for answers I'm not sure I can give him. "I need the truth – the whole truth."
My heart aches as I look at this man who has come to mean so much to me. The same man whose world has been shattered by the realization that his father may be involved in something so vile.
And yet, even now, I know that he's desperate to find any shred of evidence that will prove his father's guilt – or innocence.
"I swear to you, Dario," I say, my voice barely above a whisper, "I want to help you find the truth. I want to expose your father's involvement in child trafficking if it's true. And if it's not..."
I trail off, unable to finish the thought. But Dario seems to understand, his gaze softening ever so slightly.
"Thank you, Jasmine. I just... I can't trust blindly anymore. Not when everything I've believed in might be a lie."
His words cut deep, but I can't blame him. After all, I've betrayed him before, and I know that his trust in me is hanging by a thread – a thread that could easily snap if I fail him again. But I won't let that happen. I can't.
"Let's go to the address from the ghost's note," I tell him, determination surging through me. "Together, it might bring us a step closer and we'll find the truth and put an end to this nightmare."
Dario's hands grip the steering wheel tightly, knuckles turning white from the pressure. I can see the wheels turning in his head as he tries to come up with a plan. His jaw clenches as he finally speaks, pain lacing his voice.
"If you want me to believe you, there's something you have to do."
My heart leaps into my throat. "Anything."
"You have to help me take down my father."
