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*Stefania said her ‘friends‘ have him. Whoever they are, they hate the Emperio and The Emperor. My voice cracked, raw vulnerability bleeding through every word, “I need your help, Lorenzo, Please… help me rescue Matteo. Help me save the man I love.”
For a moment, his face was unreadable, an impassive mask that betrayed nothing. Then, a faint, bitter smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His dark eyes glistened with something unspoken, something he wasn’t ready to
share
“If that’s what you want,” he said, his voice heavy with resignation. “If helping you save Matteo will give you peace, then I’ll do it.”
His gaze lingered on me, and in those seconds, I saw the quiet sadness that made my heart twist painfully. It was a look I hadn’t seen for so long–a look I didn’t want to acknowledge, not now.
He stepped back, his movements deliberate, almost reluctant. “But know this, Aletta–I’ll do it for you. Not for
him.”
His words hung in the air, their weight pressing down on me like a physical force. It wasn’t just a promise. It was
an admission, a surrender, tinged with regret so profound that I couldn’t bring myself to respond. Instead, I watched as he turned to his men, his tone sharp and commanding as he issued orders.
At that moment, I steeled myself. Whatever guilt or longing Lorenzo felt didn’t matter now. All that mattered was Matteo–finding him, saving him, and bringing him home
“We need to act now,” I demanded, my voice sharp as a blade. The dimly lit study where Lorenzo had brought me after the meeting felt suffocating, its thick, airless silence pressing down on me. Outside, his men moved quie
their hushed voices blending with the faint hum of the night.
Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes fixed on me. For a moment, I thought he might argue. Instead, he nodded slowly.
“I’ll help you. I already promised,” he said, his voice low but steady. “But we need to be strategic about this, Aletta. Rushing in blindly won’t save Matteo–it might get us all killed.”
My patience was fraying, my nerves raw. I narrowed my eyes on him. “You don’t get to lecture me on strategy. Lorenzo! Not after everything you’ve done! You owe me this!”
His jaw tightened, and for a brief moment, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. He didn’t argue, though. Instead, he
The Second Chance for A Ma!
stood and moved to the desk, spreading out a map of the city and the surrounding areas,
*Fine,” he said, his tone clipped. “We’ll start with what we know Stefania has allies–not many, but the ones she does have are dangerous. She’s likely keeping Matteo in a location that’s both secure and isolated.”
I exhaled slowly, forcing my hands to steady as I gripped the edge of the table. “She mentioned her “friends,” | said, replaying every bitter word Stefania had spat at me during my captivity. “She said they had Matteo. We need to find out who they are and where they’re hiding him.”
Lorenzo nodded, his finger tracing lines across the map. “I have men who can track her known contacts. If we’re lucky, one of them will slip up
“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “If they know you’re looking for Matteo, they’ll bury him even deeper. We have to be subtle. No reckless moves, Lorenzo.”
ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips, though there was no real humor in it. “Subtlety isn’t exactly my strong suit.
Aletta. But I’ll try.”
Tignored his attempt at humor, my mind already
no room for mistakes, no margin for hesitation.
with possibilities. Matteo’s life was at stake. There wa
By the time Lorenzo’s men returned with intel, I had already sent a message to Mama. Though she was halfway across the world, the Vitales‘ reach extended far beyond borders. If anyone could provide support–quiet, calculated, and effective–it was her. More importantly, she could alert Matteo’s high–ranking subordinates within the Emperio. If Matteo was in danger, they would stop at nothing to find him.
“You’ll want to hear this,” Lorenzo said, his tone neutral as he stepped into the room. I followed him without a word, my pulse quickening: ”
We gathered in a small, windowless room. The air inside felt heavier than it should have, the tension thick enough to choke on. One of Lorenzo’s men, a wiry figure named Carlo, stepped forward, his expression grim but
determined.
“We tracked down one of Stefania’s known associates,” Carlo began, his voice low and measured. “A man named Marco Ruggeri, He’s met with her in the past. We cornered him earlier today. Took some convincing, but he talked.”
“And?” I pressed, my hands curling into fists at my sides
“He says there’s a safehouse in the industrial district. It’s one of Stefania’s fallback spots. He doesn’t know for sure if Matteo’s there, but it’s worth checking out.”
Lorenzo glanced at me, his expression unreadable. “It’s a lead,” he said finally. “We’ll move at dawn”
“No,” I said sharply, my voice slicing through the room. “We move now. Every second we wait, Matteo is in danger.”
“Aletta,” Lorenzo began, his tone measured, as if he were trying to reason with a child. “You’re not coming. We’ll rescue Matteo, but you stay here.”
“No!” I spat, the word ripping out of me like a snarl. “I can’t sit here while he- My voice cracked, tears threatening to spill. “I-”
“It’s too dangerous, Aletta.”
“And so what?!” I shouted, the tears finally breaking free. “Matteo faced danger for me countless times! I can’t
abandon him now!”
The room fell silent, the air thick with tension and unsaid words. Lorenzo dismissed his men with a sharp nod, leaving only the two of us.
He sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging as he sat down beside me. His voice was softer now, almost gentle. “We need time to prepare. Rushing in could jeopardize everything.”
“You don’t get to decide that…” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Matteo’s life is on the line. I won’t sit here while
The Tecond Chance for A Matias Funaway de
he suffers. Either we go now, or I go alone.”
His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I saw something raw and broken flicker across his face. “Stop crying. Aletta. We’ll go. We’ll save Matteo. And if I must choose between his life and mine, I’ll tell my men to save him. For
you.”
The weight of his words silenced me.
“I love you,” he said softly, his voice breaking. “But I know now I can’t have you back, no matter what.”
“Lorenzo…”
“No need to say it,” he said with a forced smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “We’ll save your man. But you’ll follow my lead, princess.
The old nickname hit me like a punch to the gut, pulling me back to a time when we were young and in love, when. the world felt limitless, and we were dreamers with nothing to lose. For the first time after I ran away from him and hated him much, I felt the sharp ache of loss–not just for Matteo, but for Lorenzo and the life we’d left behind