Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 452

Chapter 452: Chapter 48 Ghost Returns Home

Daniel’s POV

The moment I stepped into the exclusive lounge of the Meridian Hotel, I spotted her. That silhouette was burned into my memory like a brand—tall, elegant, draped in designer black that hugged every curve. Sasha Benedetti sat at the corner table overlooking the city skyline, her manicured fingers wrapped around a martini glass, a thin cigarette burning between her lips. The woman who had once shared my name and my bed. The woman who had demanded I choose between my badge and our marriage, then vanished into the European social circuit when I refused to become another Martinez family puppet.

Seven years had passed, yet she remained devastatingly beautiful. We had grown up in the same circles—our families bound by old alliances and unspoken agreements that stretched back generations. Our parents had orchestrated our union so skillfully that I never realized I was being maneuvered into position until I found myself standing at an altar, convinced she was my destiny. That illusion crumbled when she demanded I abandon my position in law enforcement and return to manage the family’s legitimate businesses like a dutiful heir. I chose justice over legacy. I had never looked back.

"Why would a ghost crawl out of her grave just to haunt me?" I growled, making no attempt to mask my irritation as I approached her table.

She laughed, that familiar sound that once made my pulse race and now set my teeth on edge. "Is that any way to greet your wife, darling?"

"Sasha, you stopped being my wife when you signed those papers and disappeared to Milan," I shot back, remaining standing despite her gesture toward the empty chair.

"Did I?" Her crimson lips curved into a predatory smile. "Sit down, Daniel. That righteous anger doesn’t suit a man of your stature."

"What do you want, Sasha?"

"The same thing I wanted seven years ago—for you to stop playing hero and remember who you really are. I grew tired of waiting for you to come to your senses. Now I’m taking matters into my own hands." Her presumption that I would suddenly capitulate to demands I had rejected during our marriage was breathtaking in its arrogance.

"Who exactly do you think you are to make demands of me?"

"Your wife, Daniel. The woman who exchanged vows with you in front of five hundred witnesses at St. Catherine’s Cathedral. Surely you remember that day?"

"That’s ancient history, Sasha. Our marriage ended with legal documents. You chose to walk away. You spent years jet-setting across Europe on the settlement money while I stayed here, building the life I wanted."

"You may think those papers freed you in the eyes of the law, but remember what Father DiMarco said? ’What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.’ Some bonds transcend legal technicalities."

"Please, Sasha. Even you don’t believe that sanctimonious nonsense."

"But I do now. I want my husband back. Daniel, I love you. Deep down, beneath all this stubborn pride, you love me too."

"You’ve lost your mind. Forget about me, Sasha. Go live your life and stop trying to resurrect something that was dead and buried years ago."

"You only feel this way because of that little plaything of yours. She’s just a distraction—fresh excitement that will fade once the novelty wears off. Tell me about her."

"Stay away from Lila. Don’t even think about her name." The thought of Sasha anywhere near Lila sent ice through my veins. Sasha was cunning and ruthless, trained in the subtle arts of family warfare. She could destroy Lila without breaking a nail, and I would never allow that to happen.

"Look how protective you are of your little pet." Her eyes glittered with calculated interest. "But I have news that changes everything, my darling husband."

"Just say what you came to say."

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