Chapter 7
His hand straddled my cheek, thumb brushing across my cheekbone. Instead of flinching away like I had earlier, I leaned into his touch. The familiar warmth of his palm against my skin unlocked something in my chest – memories of safer times, of trust I thought I’d lost forever.
“If you help me with this,” I whispered, meeting his intense gaze, “I’ll… I’ll think about marrying you.”
His eyes darkened at my words, fingers tightening slightly against my skin. “Is that a promise, Valentina?”
“Yes,” I breathed, surprising myself with how much I meant it.
“That will do,” Lorenzo said, turning toward the door. He paused at the threshold. “Freshen up and join me for dinner.”
I nodded, watching his broad shoulders disappear through the doorway. Taking my time in the ensuite bathroom, I washed my face and ran a brush through my dark waves. My reflection looked different somehow – less haunted, more… alive.
Stepping out into the hallway, I froze. The sheer scale of the mansion hit me like a physical force. Gleaming marble floors stretched endlessly in both directions. Crystal chandeliers cast rainbow prisms across cream–colored walls adorned with priceless art. A sweeping staircase curved down to what looked like an actual ballroom.
This wasn’t just some wealthy person’s home – this was the kind of place you saw in movies about royalty. How could Lorenzo possibly own something like this?
Following the subtle directions of hovering staff members, I made my way to what had to be the dining room. The space could have seated fifty people comfortably, but only two places were set at the massive mahogany table. Lorenzo sat at the head, surrounded by an array of covered silver dishes that remained untouched.
His face lit up when he saw me. “Ah, I was waiting for you.”
I slid into the chair he pulled out for me, touched that he’d waited to eat. Such a simple gesture, yet it stirred something warm in my chest. My gaze wandered around the opulent dining room, taking in the hand–painted ceiling murals and crystal–dripped chandeliers.
“Lorenz how? What are you doing in a plage like this?” I nostured at our,
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“Lorenzo… how? What are you doing in a place like this?” I gestured at our surroundings. “Last I knew, you were…” I trailed off, remembering the orphaned boy who’d lost his parents in that terrible crash.
He threw his head back and laughed, the rich sound echoing off the marble walls. “We’re in Karlo Heis’s mansion.”
“What?” The word burst from my lips before I could stop it. My fingers gripped the edge of the table.
Karlo Heis – the name alone commanded respect across continents. His net worth exceeded most countries‘ GDPs. His business empire stretched from tech to pharmaceuticals, real estate to clean energy. He was more myth than man, rarely seen in public, his face unknown to most of the world.
“You’re in Karlo Heis’s home?” I could barely wrap my mind around it. The man was practically a legend, the wealthiest CEO on the planet.
“Yes.” His smile held a predatory edge.
“How do you know Karlo Heis?” My voice came out barely above a whisper.
Lorenzo’s laugh filled the room again, but this time it sent chills down my spine. “I am Karlo Heis.”
My jaw dropped. The fork I’d been holding clattered against fine china. “What do you mean?”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. The playfulness vanished from his expression, replaced by something darker, more dangerous. “Karlo Heis is just an alibi, piccola. A cover for the surface world. A mask for who I really am, what I really do.”
The air grew thick with tension. My throat went dry as I processed his words. The way he carried himself now – it was different. Deadly. Like a coiled snake ready to strike.
“And…” I swallowed hard, forcing the words past my lips. “What is that?”
His eyes locked onto mine. In that moment, I saw it – the power, the danger, the darkness that lurked beneath his polished exterior. His lips curved into a smile that held no warmth.
“Perhaps it’s better if I show you.”
Chapter 7
