21
The next day, I arrived at the old vineyard Lorenzo had mentioned. Alone. Matteo was tied up with something important and hadn’t come home last night. He’d called to tell me he would be in Milan for three days, but something about his tone had unsettled me. It was clipped, distant, as though he was distracted by more than just business.
Corvino’s vineyard, once a symbol of their family’s power, was now a shadow of its former self. Overgrown vines clung to crumbling walls, and the air carried the scent of abandonment Lorenzo waited by the main house, his posture tense. He looked out of place here, a man dressed in fine clothes standing amidst decay.
“You came,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
“Don’t read too much into it,” I replied, crossing my arms. “Matteo will follow me here,” I added, a lie meant to keep Lorenzo in check. “What do you have?”
He gestured toward a battered briefcase on the ground. “Everything Names, dates, locations. Proof of Stefania’s
meetings with Matteo’s rivals. It’s all there.”
I stared at him, searching his face for any hint of deceit. “Why are you really doing this, Lorenzo? The truth?”
He looked away, his jaw tightening. “Maybe it’s guilt. Maybe it’s regret. Or maybe I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
His words struck a chord I wasn’t prepared for. Lorenzo had always been a master manipulator, but there was something genuine in his eyes now, something I couldn’t ignore.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, taking the briefcase. “But this doesn’t change anything between us. I hope you stop. trying to-
“I know,” he snapped in his voice tinged with sadness. “Just… be careful, Aletta. Stefania won’t stop until she gets what she wants. And if you ever need help, I’ll be there. For old time’s sake.”
I nodded and turned to leave. As I walked toward my car, the briefcase feeling heavier with each step, I cou shake the unease creeping into my chest. Was Lorenzo playing another game, or had he genuinely changed? Either way, I knew one thing for certain: Matteo needed to know about Stefania’s schemes.
The drive back to Matteo’s villa had been quiet, a silence that only deepened the sense of unease gnawing at me. Normally, the road leading to Matteo’s estate felt like home, comforting and familiar, but this afternoon it seemed
different–too still, too quiet
I glanced in the rearview mirror, and my pulse quickened. I could make out the shapes of two black SUVs following at a distance behind me, their headlights dim but unmistakable. They had been tailing me for the past few
The Second Chance for Maunaway Binde
miles, and despite my efforts to shake them off, they remained glued to my back bumper
My bodyguards, stationed in a separate vehicle, had been doing their best to keep an eye on me from a safe distance. They were experienced, professional, and would normally have made me feel safe. But still, a feeling of dread lingered. There was something off about the way the SUVs followed my every move, with no attempt at subtlety or distance. I tried to keep my cool, but every time I glanced in the rearview mirror, the tension in my chest
grew tighter.
I reached for my phone, dialing Matteo’s number. It rang once, twice, three times before going to voicemail.
I tried again, my fingers gripping the steering wheel tighter with each failed attempt. Still no answer. Instead, the operator’s voice filled the line, informing me that the number was temporarily unavailable.
A knot of worry formed in my stomach. Matteo was always reachable, no matter the circumstances. Something wasn’t right. My mind raced with possibilities, each more unsettling than the last. Was he in danger? Or was he
avoiding me for some reason?
I dialed again, this time leaving a message. “Matteo, call me as soon as you get this. It’s important.” My voice betrayed the edge of panic I tried to suppress.
Then, just as I neared the final stretch before the estate, something unexpected happened the black SUVs, which had been keeping their distance, suddenly sped up, closing in on me from both sides. I slammed my foot down on the accelerator, trying to outrun them, but they weren’t backing off. Panic surged through me. I needed to get to the villa–needed to reach safety
I glanced to my left just in time to see my bodyguard’s vehicle veer off the main road and accelerate toward the SUVs. A familiar voice crackled over the radio, one of my men trying to warn me, but then–static
My heart skipped a beat Something was wrong. No one had answered the radio.
Just as I started to swerve to the right, aiming to break free from the two vehicles closing in, I saw a flash of movement from the shadows ahead. Another car. It was positioned directly in front of me–an SUV, its engine purring
quietly, blocking my path.
The air went still.
A door swung open, and I could see the figures emerge. Men in dark clothing, their movements fast and calculated. My breath caught in my throat as the unmistakable sound of gunshots rang out, followed by the faint sound of bodies hitting the ground. My bodyguards had been eliminated.
I froze for a moment, my heart hammering in my chest, before one of the men in dark clothing banged on my window. My hands trembled as I reached for the door handle, but before I could react, the figure gestured for me to
step out of the car.
“No,” I whispered, gripping the briefcase tightly. “What do you want?” My voice was calm, though my insides were a storm of panic and disbelief.
The man who appeared to be in charge stepped forward, his expression cold, his voice low and deliberate. “We’re here to deliver a message. Hand over the briefcase, and we’ll let you go.”
I swallowed hard, my grip on the briefcase tightening. “What’s inside doesn’t concern you.”
The leader’s eyes hardened. “It’s going to be a lot easier for you if you just give it to us.”
Suddenly, I heard the sound of another car pulling up, and I tensed, my heart sinking when I saw the person stepping out. It was Stefania. Dressed impeccably, her every movement calculated and confident, she walked toward me with a smirk playing on her lips.
“Oh, Aletta,” she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. “I was wondering when you’d realize this was
all part of my plan.”
A surge of anger flooded me. “Stefania,” I hissed, “this is your doing?”
