20
The day started like any other, with the golden Sicilian sun casting its warm glow over the villa. Yet, there was a tension in the air, an unease that I couldn’t quite place. Matteo had left early, his cryptic words about a meeting lingering in my mind. I trusted him implicitly, but there was always an edge to his departures, as if he was shielding me from the darker corners of Emperio.
That morning, we’d shared a rare, tender moment. Matteo woke me with a kiss, his lips warm and soft against my temple. “Good morning, Damsel,” he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.
I smiled hearing his nickname for me. Once a tease, had become a term of endearment that made my heart flutter every time, and when I told him I missed him calling me that, again that ‘damsel‘ replaced his usual ‘amore‘ since we became official in a relationship
“Morning,” I replied, stretching lazily under the covers. The sunlight streaming through the window painted his features in gold, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how someone so powerful could look so serene in these quiet
moments
He propped himself on one elbow, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my arm. “I have to leave for a meeting in Emperio,” he said, his tone regretful. “But I’ll be back before dinner. Promise.”
I pouted playfully, reaching up to tangle my fingers in his hair. “You’re always running off to some urgent matter. When do I get to keep you all to myself?”
Matteo chuckled, leaning down to capture my lips in a lingering kiss. “Soon,” he whispered against my mouth.
2:02 PM c c
The Second Chance Mañas Runaway Bride
*Very soon. I am already arranging our cruise once your mother is back”
The way he looked at me in that moment, as if I were the center of his universe, made it hard to let him go. But I knew his world didn’t allow for indulgences. His responsibilities were vast, and while I didn’t know all the details yet, I understood his priorities.
“I’ll hold you to that,” I said, smiling as he got out of bed and began dressing. He turned to me one last time before leaving, his gray eyes soft but resolute. “Be safe, Damsel.”
He kissed me and I responded as passionately as I could. Matteo groaned, stood up and removed his clothes. He went on top of me. He can’t control himself and I giggled. The mighty emperor, always losing control in bed
because of me.
And after a thorough love making between us, he was gone, leaving behind the faint scent of his cologne and the warmth of his presence. I hugged his pillow and fell asleep again.
I was curled up in the study, the scent of aged leather and parchment surrounding me, when my phone buzzed the desk. The screen lit up with a number I didn’t recognize. My heart sank. I already knew who it was.
Against my better judgment, I answered. “Hello?”
“Aletta.” His voice was rough, frayed at the edges. Lorenzo
I didn’t respond immediately, my grip tightening on the phone. Hearing his voice stirred a mixture of emotions- anger, bitterness, and something else I couldn’t quite name.
“What do you want, Lorenzo?” I asked, my tone sharp
He hesitated, the silence stretching uncomfortably. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
I almost laughed at the audacity of his request. “Important? The last time we spoke, you were too busy blaming me for your mess to care about what was important. No. It wasn’t me you were blaming last time, it was Stefania.” “We need to talk, Aletta. This isn’t about me asking your forgiveness,” he said quickly. “It’s about you. And…
Santoro”
My stomach tightened at the mention of Matteo “What are you talking about? Are you scheming against Matteo? He is not just The Emperor, Lorenzo, he is the Emperio! I am telling you, if you want to have a chance again in the underground society, you better stop whatever you are plotting against him!”
“Stefania,” he said, the name laced with venom. “She’s planning something. Something that could hurt you and Matteo. I thought you should know. I thought I could do the right thing by informing you.”
I sighed, leaning back in the chair, “Why should I believe anything you say?”
“I don’t know why,” Lorenzo uttered, his voice softening. “I know I’ve hurt you, Aletta. More than anyone else ever has. And I can’t undo that But Stefania… She’s dangerous. She’s not just coming after you, she’s not only targeting
the Vitales. She’s conniving with organizations that wanted to weaken the Emperio. Matteo won’t see it coming if
someone doesn’t warn him.”
I wanted to hang up, to block him and forget this conversation ever happened. But something in his voice–the rawness, the desperation–gave me pause. “What exactly is she planning?”
“She’s been meeting with some of Matteo’s rivals,” he explained. “The ones who’ve been waiting for a chance to strike. She’s feeding them information, Aletta. About you. About the villa. About Matteo’s operations.”
“And how could she do that?” I gripped on my phone. Is it the reason why I was reluctant with Matteo leaving me alone everyday. Did I sense it? That something was about to happen?
“I have no idea how…” Lorenzo paused. “But Stefania’s hatred of you is poisonous. She doesn’t want you to be Matteo’s donna. She wants you to always be behind her. That’s why she intentionally lured me, seduced me. I wasn’t the one Stefania wanted before. It was always you who she wanted to hurt. And now she’s targeting Matteo, Aletta.”
My pulse quickened. “Why does she hate me like that?” I asked angrily. “It was her and her mother who ruined my
The Sand C
parents‘ marriage. What is wrong with her?”
“She’s obsessed with control,” Lorenzo said bitterly. “Stefania doesn’t care who gets hurt as long as she gets what she wants.”
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. “And why are you telling me this?”
“Again, it’s because I’m trying to make things right,” he said, his voice trembling slightly. “I’ve done a lot of terrible things, Aletta. But I can’t stand by and let her destroy you. Not after everything you’ve been through.”
I didn’t know what to say. Lorenzo, the man who had caused me so much pain, was now trying to save me? me and Matteo? It felt surreal, like some twisted dream I couldn’t wake up from
“If you’re lying to me…” I began, my voice icy. “I’m telling you, Lorenzo. If you’re=”
“I’m not,” he interrupted. “I’ll prove it. Meet me tomorrow. I’ll give you everything I got by stalking Stefania.
“Where?”
He hesitated again. “The old vineyard east side. Noon. You can come with Matteo.”
67 Save
I hung up without another word, my mind racing. Could I trust him? Did I even want to? But if there was even a a
sliver of truth to his claims, I couldn’t ignore it.
