Married to the Wrong CEO

Chapter 93: Resemblance

Dante’s POV

Dante sat behind his massive mahogany desk, the leather chair creaking slightly under his weight as he reviewed the morning reports.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, casting long golden lines across the dark polished floor. Every detail in the room reflected power and precision—rows of books neatly arranged, awards and certificates perfectly aligned, the Bellini family crest etched into the wall behind him.

His mind, however, was only partially on the usual numbers and market reports; it wandered briefly to Dora, to the tension between th the night before.

I expected better! But clearly I expected too much! He thought doing his best to prevent his thoughts from wandering further.

Fabio, his assistant, stood to his left, tablet in hand. "sir. I’ve confirmed the meeting with the Vivaldi family for 10 a.m. The northern branch delegation will be arriving in about thirty minutes." His tone was clipped yet professional, the kind of efficiency Dante had come to rely on over the years.

"Good," Dante replied, his voice low, measured. "Make sure their files are ready. I want full profiles on each member, especially the chairman." He leaned back, stretching slightly, the faint crease of stress forming between his brows. "I want to know their current holdings, liabilities, market reach... everything." ƒгeewebnovёl.com

Fabio nodded, tapping his tablet to bring up a detailed slideshow of Vivaldi Corp’s recent acquisitions and financial statements.

"They’ve expanded aggressively in Northern Italy over the last three years. Their latest venture in logistics has caused some concern among our shareholders, but I’ve noted opportunities for Bellini Corp to negotiate favorable terms."

Dante’s gold eyes narrowed as he scanned the numbers. "Opportunities... yes, but they’re bold. Their northern operations alone rival our southern portfolios in revenue. They’re not going to back down on negotiations."

Fabio’s lips twitched slightly. "Agreed, sir. They have leverage, but I’ve prepared several counter-strategies. Should I summarize them?"

"Do it." Dante’s tone didn’t waver, but internally he was already calculating risks, projecting outcomes.

The company was making profit but the fact remained that the company was not totally his. Hate it as he may be was making money for people whose throats he couldn’t wait to slit open.

Moreover, every word spoken, every gesture made during this meeting would be scrutinized by the Vivaldi delegation—they would try to gauge weakness, and Dante couldn’t afford even a flicker of it.

Fabio tapped the tablet and began outlining their approach. "First, we acknowledge the Vivaldi family’s recent expansions, highlighting Bellini Corp’s willingness to collaborate..."

Dante listened silently, eyes narrowing as he traced his finger along the edge of the desk. "And what about Chairman Vivaldi himself? What do we know about his temperament, beyond the standard public records?"

Fabio’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, sensing the subtle shift in Dante’s focus. "He’s known to be formal, calculating... and extremely cautious. Rarely takes risks without contingency plans. He also has a lot of children with different women. Something that’s not surprising with men of his caliber!" Fabio pointed out.

Dante’s head snapped up slightly, "His children... are any of them worth paying attention to?" Dante asked even as Fabio simply shook his head.

"Business wise not really! Unless he tries to sell you one of his daughters in exchange for a better deal! It’s something he had been rumored to do!" Fabio added.

But there was no time to dwell on that as Dante simply nodded his head. Bellini Corp was a machine, and Dante was its driver. Decisions had to be calculated, precise, devoid of personal distractions.

Moreover he was already married in name...nothing more had to be said concerning it.

The clock on the wall ticked relentlessly toward 10 a.m. Soon, the Vivaldi delegation would arrive, and Dante had to ensure everything proceeded according to plan.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. "Enter," he said, straightening in his chair.

An assistant knocked to inform them that the people they were waiting for has arrived.

Dante rose from his chair, the leather creaking beneath him, and gestured for Fabio to bring the files.

The conference room doors opened, and the delegation entered. Immediately, Dante’s gaze landed on an older man at the forefront, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, hair streaked with silver at the temples. His posture was straight, confident, and commanding. And yet... there was something undeniably familiar. Something in the curve of his jaw, the shape of his eyes, the faint arch of his brows.

If Dante didn’t know otherwise, he could have sworn he was looking at a much older version of Dora herself.

His jaw tightened imperceptibly, his gold eyes narrowing. He forced himself to dismiss the resemblance, to focus on the task at hand. Business first. Personal thoughts could wait, and must wait.

Did that fight affect me so much that I’m even seeing her face in that of an older man? Wiping off the thought before it could take root.

"Good morning, Mr. Bellini," the older man said, extending a hand in greeting. His voice was deep, firm, yet courteous. "I am Giorgio Vivaldi. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Dante’s hand shook slightly as he returned the gesture, concealing any reaction behind a composed mask. "The pleasure is mine, Chairman Vivaldi. Welcome to Bellini Corp headquarters. I trust your journey was comfortable?"

"Quite," Giorgio replied smoothly, his eyes briefly scanning the room before settling on Dante. There was a faint, almost imperceptible twinkle in his gaze, but Dante interpreted it strictly as professional assessment. "Our associates informed us of the efficiency of your operations. We are eager to explore potential collaborations."

Fabio handed over the files, and Dante gestured for everyone to sit. "Please, have a seat. I’ve prepared all relevant documents for our discussion. Shall we begin with an overview of potential joint ventures in logistics and infrastructure?"

Giorgio nodded, taking his seat at the head of the table, flanked by two younger executives. He placed his hands together, exuding a quiet authority that matched Dante’s own. "Certainly. We have been reviewing Bellini Corp’s portfolio extensively. Your expansion in the south has been impressive, and we see great synergy with our northern operations. Our goal is a partnership that maximizes efficiency and profit for both parties."

Dante listened, nodding, while mentally analyzing every word, every pause, every glance exchanged between the delegation. "Our approach is straightforward," he said. "Bellini Corp has significant holdings in transportation, technology, and energy sectors."

Giorgio leaned back slightly, studying Dante as one might study a puzzle. "Of course. That is understandable. We, too, maintain rigorous oversight. Let me clarify, our interest lies primarily in logistics and cross-regional shipping."

Fabio chimed in, his voice precise and measured. "Chairman Vivaldi, we have prepared financial models projecting combined revenue increases over five years, accounting for regional market fluctuations. These have been calculated to optimize shared profit without compromising operational autonomy."

Dante interjected, calm but firm. "We also need to address intellectual property rights and proprietary technologies. Any collaboration must ensure that both parties retain exclusive rights over innovations developed independently."

Giorgio nodded, scribbling notes. "Agreed. Intellectual property will remain the property of the creating party. Joint projects will have terms explicitly defined to avoid conflicts."

They were clearly creating a mini company together much of which would belong to Dante while the profits for the first couple of years would belong to Mr Vivaldi. It was a tricky concept but one that Dante was willing to work with.

The discussion moved fluidly into more technical details: shipping capacities, projected growth percentages, market competition, and risk mitigation strategies. Dante navigated the conversation with precision, cutting through vague statements, steering the delegation toward specifics, challenging assumptions when necessary. Every figure was questioned, every estimate analyzed.

Occasionally, Dante’s gaze flicked toward Giorgio. He tried to suppress the unease growing within him, the uncanny resemblance to Dora nagging at the edge of his mind. It was irrelevant. Personal associations had no place here. He reminded himself repeatedly that the task at hand was business: strategy, profit, expansion. Not familial resemblance or misplaced curiosity.

Hours passed, and by late in the night, agreements were taking shape. Contracts, clauses, and terms were discussed in detail, leaving no room for ambiguity. The Vivaldi family left with plans for further review, all parties understanding that follow-ups would be scheduled once the preliminary groundwork had been digested.

After the delegation departed, Dante sank into his chair, exhaling slowly. Fabio remained at his side, clipboard in hand. "Everything went smoothly, sir. No major conflicts, and they seemed impressed with the projections."

Dante rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the lingering unease. "Smooth, yes. Profitable, yes. But..." His voice trailed off as his mind briefly revisited that haunting familiarity, that impossible resemblance. He shook his head. "It’s irrelevant. Focus. Nothing personal. Business first." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

His new business had to remain untouchable, and Dante would not allow distractions, no matter how disconcerting, to compromise their operations.

Especially since he knew that whatever bad blood existed in his family was a only a matter of time before it spilled over and caused utter destruction. One he had to be powerful enough to weather.

As the sun climbed higher, casting a bright sheen across the city, Dante returned to his reports. Numbers, projections, and strategy once again consumed his attention, yet the echo of that fleeting resemblance lingered like a shadow at the corner of his mind, a puzzle he would set aside until the day it could no longer be ignored.