Chapter 42: The storm unfolds
The air between Luca and Seraphina was taut,
A silent string pulled so tight that the faintest word might snap it.
Luca’s eyes narrowed, assessing her with the calm danger of a predator deciding whether to pounce.
"What," he said slowly, voice like ice cracking, "are you doing here? And how, exactly, did you get in?"
Seraphina’s lips curved in smile not into warmth, but something sharper, almost feline.
"I came in peace," she replied, her voice low and smooth, but with an undertone of challenge.
Luca didn’t move, but the way his gaze flicked to Fredo his new loyal personal guard spoke volumes.
Fredo stood a few feet behind Seraphina, his stance protective yet unreadable.
Seraphina’s perfectly manicured finger lifted, pointing toward Bianca like an accusation carved in stone.
"Ask her," she said simply. "She’s the one who betrayed me. We had a deal. I kept my end. She... did not."
Luca’s jaw flexed. "What deal?"
Seraphina’s gaze never wavered from Bianca’s paling face. "Ask your darling ex," she said, her smile widening just enough to slice the air.
"It seems karma has finally caught up with her. Miss fake pregnancy" she laughed.
Bianca’s breath hitched audibly.
"I’ll take my leave now," Seraphina added, as though she hadn’t just dropped a grenade in the middle of the room.
She turned with unhurried grace, the click of her heels echoing in the charged silence.
Fredo followed, his eyes darting briefly to Luca, "i’m sorry sir, we let her in, she claim to come in peace and without any of her men, we searched and found nothing with her".
Silent confirmation he would ensure she left without incident.
When they were gone, Luca’s gaze cut back to Bianca.
The restrained fury in his eyes made her step backward instinctively.
"How dare you?" His voice was quiet, too quiet.
The kind of quiet that carried more weight than a shout. "You should have just demanded a price. If money was your problem, I would have given it to you. But a fake pregnancy?" His words hit like strikes of a whip. "Even if you were pregnant, I would have taken responsibility for the child. But marriage? That was never on the table for you."
Her throat worked as she swallowed, tears threatening. "I’m sorry, Luca. It’s not about the money. I... I loved you. Sincerely. I’m ashamed of myself right now." Her head bowed, her voice breaking.
"What deal did you make with Seraphina?" he pressed.
"She’s lying," Bianca blurted out, shaking her head. "I didn’t make any deal with her."
Luca’s eyes went cold. "Shut up. You are the one lying here."
He turned toward the door. "Fredo"
The guard stepped back into the room almost instantly.
"Lock her up until she’s willing to tell the truth."
Bianca’s face drained of color. "Don’t touch me...." she screamed as Fredo moved forward, his grip firm but not cruel.
"Luca... I swear I didn’t.... " Her words cut off as she was dragged from the room, her protests echoing down the hall.
When silence settled again, Luca stood for a long moment, his chest rising and falling, the shadows in his eyes deepening.
Then he turned away, his steps deliberate as he left for his apartment.
****
The moment he stepped inside, the weight of the evening seemed to press in on him.
He moved straight to the shelf where a single wedding framed photograph was hung, Him and Alessia, caught mid-laugh on a sunlit afternoon.
His fingers traced the outline of her face in the picture, and for a moment, his expression softened.
"Only if you could be patient with me," he murmured under his breath.
But then the memory struck Lorenzo, holding her in that hotel room.
The image gnawed at him, burning away the brief tenderness.
His face tightened, and in one sharp motion, he hurled the frame to the floor.
The glass shattered, scattering across the polished wood like pieces of something far more fragile than glass.
*****
Across the city, Alessia sat in a booth at a small pizza joint with Daisy.
The scent of melted cheese and tomato sauce wrapped around them, a warm contrast to the storm that had been brewing in her life.
Daisy took a sip of soda before leaning forward, eyes bright with curiosity. "So? Has Luca sent the divorce papers yet?"
"No," Alessia replied quietly. "I haven’t heard from him.
He hasn’t checked on me either." She tried to keep her tone neutral, but a tiny fracture in her voice betrayed her.
Daisy opened her mouth to speak, but her attention snagged on a familiar figure entering the restaurant. "Wait... is that..... ?"
Alessia turned, her breath catching.
It was Romeo.
Romeo approached their table with the easy confidence of a man who knew eyes followed him wherever he went.
"Hello, ladies," he greeted, his voice smooth, and almost teasing.
"Hi," Daisy replied quickly.
Alessia studied him, curiosity glinting in her gaze. "Is... he Romeo?" she asked in a low voice, leaning toward Daisy.
"Yes," Daisy confirmed.
Romeo smirked, catching the exchange.
"Ah, I see someone’s been talking about me to her friend. And later," he added with a sly glance at Daisy, "you’ll claim you’re not in love."
Daisy’s cheeks flushed pink. "I didn’t talk about you. I just mentioned I had a new male friend, and she guessed it might be you."
"May I join you?" he asked, tilting his head toward the empty seat.
"Sure. Sit," Daisy said.
Romeo slid into the chair, his presence filling the small space between them. "So... what’s your friend’s name?"
"Her name is Lessy," Daisy lied smoothly.
"Lessy," Romeo repeated, as if tasting the sound. "Nice name. I’m Romeo." He extended his hand toward Alessia.
She hesitated a fraction before shaking it, his grip firm and warm.
Daisy leaned in, her tone turning casual but curious. "So... why aren’t you with your madam, Seraphina?"
A faint shadow crossed Romeo’s face, though his voice remained even. "Bianca betrayed her....
After they struck a deal, setting Alessia up with Lorenzo so Luca would divorce her, Bianca promised to help Seraphina get certain documents. But..." He gave a short, humorless laugh. "Bianca got her coins and now embarrassed after Luca caught her in a secret conversation. Turns out, her pregnancy is fake."
Alessia and Daisy exchanged a stunned glance, their eyes wide.
"That’s... terrible," Alessia breathed.
"Why are you even working for seraphina? She’s evil," Daisy blurted out.
Romeo’s lips pressed into a thin line. "I didn’t know she was this twisted. And I don’t follow her into her schemes. I play my rolemanage her little business, oversee her domestic staff. That’s all. She confides in me sometimes, but..."
"And when she did, did you ever give her the good best advice?" Alessia asked, leaning forward.
"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "I told her to stop chasing a share of the Morano property."
"And what did she say?" Alessia and Daisy asked in unison.
His chair scraped softly as he stood. "She walked out. Stopped confiding in me after that."
Just then, his phone buzzed. Romeo glanced at the screen, his expression shifting. "I have to go."
He leaned down, pressing a light peck to Daisy’s cheek before offering Alessia a courteous nod. "Goodbye."
When he was gone, Alessia exhaled, her mind racing. "So her pregnancy was fake?, I knew I was framed. So Bianca went this far working with Luca’s greatest enemy just to destroy our bond? I wish Luca was here to hear this."
Daisy’s lips curved into a knowing smile. "Even if he wasn’t here to hear it, I made some little recordings. Proof..... ".
*****
In the heart of the city’s financial district, Jackson and his mother sat in the sleek, glass-walled waiting area of Luca’s office.
The minutes ticked by in silence, tension thrumming in the air like the faint hum of the building’s electricity.
Then came the low, deep rumble of engines. The Morano convoy pulling up outside.
Luca entered moments later, cutting a sharp figure in his designed tailored suit.
He moved with purpose, but when he reached them, his expression softened, if only slightly.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting," he said.
Jackson’s mother nodded politely, but her eyes searched his face for something... reassurance, perhaps.
"I have been thinking," Luca continued, settling into the chair across from them.
He opened a leather folio and slid two items across the desk, a thick, signed check and a sleek black box containing a gift neither of them had expected.
"This should cover every hospital expense and more," he said. "You will have financial protection for as long as you need it. No conditions."
Jackson blinked, stunned by the generosity, but Luca wasn’t finished.
"As for the other matter..." He paused, his gaze sharpening. "I have changed my mind. I’m not just sending money."
He leaned forward, his voice low and deliberate.
"I’m going with you. I want to see my brother. I want to see Donato for myself."
The words hung in the air, heavy and electric.
Jackson’s mother’s hand trembled slightly against her lap.
For a heartbeat, no one spoke.
Then Luca’s mouth curved just enough to be unreadable.
"Tomorrow, First light.... We leave together.... I really need to see Donato..... My Brother".