Dante's car drove up a winding road, each curve revealing fewer city lights and more darkness. Isabella, her heart still racing from the speed, looked around suspiciously.
"Where are we going?" she asked, gripping the side of the seat tightly.
Dante gave her an enigmatic smile, his eyes shining in the reflection of the headlights.
"Trust me. Just enjoy it."
She huffed silently but didn't insist. After a few minutes, the car stopped in front of a rusty gate. Dante got out first and led the way, inviting her to step out.
"Here?" Isabella looked around, noticing the absolute silence.
"Yes," he answered simply. "This is where I wanted to take you."
They climbed a concrete staircase together, each step echoing in the night air. The wind blew stronger, colder, raising goosebumps on Isabella's skin. Still, there was something magnetic about following Dante to the top.
When they reached the viewpoint, Isabella's breath caught.
The entire city glowed below them, a tapestry of gold and silver lights stretching as far as the eye could see. The skyscrapers seemed small, and the streets were nothing more than endlessly running power lines.
"My God…" she murmured, bringing her hand to her mouth. "It's… beautiful."
Dante stood beside her, but he wasn't looking at the view. His eyes were fixed on her, observing every detail of her reaction, as if this were the true landscape worth admiring.
"I knew you'd like it," he said in a low, almost hoarse voice.
Isabella turned, feeling the intensity of his gaze. For a moment, she forgot about the note, the flowers, even Alexander. All that remained was Dante's presence and the way he made her feel: alive, restless, desired.
Her heart raced. Before she could think or retreat, she took a step forward, and suddenly, her lips touched his.
It was quick, unexpected, almost an uncontrollable impulse. But intense enough to set the air between them on fire.
Dante, surprised, took a second to react. Then, a smile appeared on his lips as he looked into her eyes, still so close.
"Finally," he murmured. "I've been waiting for this."
Isabella, her cheeks burning, looked away, in disbelief at what she had just done.
And so, in the silence of the gazebo, under the stars and with the city at her feet, something had changed forever.