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“Is something wrong, Elena?”
I turned to see Vincent, his eyes fixed the sleek watch on his hand, sitting in the driver’s seat of his sleek black Mercedes, window down.
“Do you need backup?” His voice was calm but carried a subtle edge, one that hinted at the countless deals and negotiations he had handled for the Rossi family.
Vincent might not have the same ruthless instincts as Luca or Sandro, but his loyalty to the family was absolute. Even a man like him knew better than to question Luca’s decisions. Still, it was clear that Luca s gaze had triggered something in him.
“No need. Vincent.” I said, steadying my
voice.
He studied me for a moment longer before nodding, easing back into his seat. “Alright, but if Luca pulls anything, give me a call.
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You know we’ve got your back.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his words. They offered a moment of levity, however brief. Luca Marcelli was not just any mafia prince–he practically ran the Marcelli syndicate. Any enforcer who dared go against his word would be signing their own death warrant.
“I’ll manage. Thanks for the ride, Vincent,” I replied, finally, turning away from him to continue walking away.
As the Mercedes pulled away, I felt the presence behind me before I even turned
around.
“Who was that?”
My heart skipped a beat as I nearly jumped out of my skin. Luca was standing mere inches away, his sharp gaze locked onto me, his expression cold as ever. “Luca! What the hell? Do you always have to sneak up on people?”
His eyes darkened, something dangerous
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glinting beneath the surface. “I asked you a question, Elena. Who was he?”
His grip tightened on my shoulder, firm enough that I could feel the sharp edges of his authority, like he was one breath away from losing control.
“It’s none of your business,” I said, pulling, away from his grasp, but he blocked my path effortlessly, his broad frame making escape impossible. “Luca, let go.”
“You know I don’t like repeating myself,” he growled, but there was something almost desperate in his tone.
I winced, feeling the pressure of his grip again. “Let go. You‘ re hurting me.”
For a brief moment, he hesitated, his jaw clenching. Then, with a frustrated exhale, he released me, running a hand through
his hair.
“You need to stop this, Luca,” I said, massaging my sore shoulder. “We‘ re done. We’ve been done.”
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“We’re not done, Elena, I don‘ teare what you said. This isn‘
“You”
over.”
re right,” I shot back, my voice laced with sarcasm. “It isn’t over because you won’t let it be. You think ignoring our relationship for her was nothing?”
“Elena, I didn’t”
“What, Laica? What are you going to do?” 1 crossed my arms, staring him down. “Order me to stay by your side? Use your power to control me, like you do with everyone else?”
His jaw tightened, his lips pressing into a thin line. Luca was a man used to getting his way, but for once, he seemed to struggle with what to say.
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I sighed, pushing past him. “I’m going inside.”
He didn’t follow me this time, but just as l reached the door to my apartment, his phone rang. The shrill sound cut through the thick silence, and I glanced back just in
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time to catch a glimpse of the caller ID: Isobel.
My lips twisted into a bitter smile. Of
course.
“Go ahead, answer it. It’s not like we have anything left to say.” My voice was tight with restraint, though I could feel the weight of his gaze burning into my back.
Luca hesitated, his phone still buzzing in his hand, but I didn’t wait for him to make a choice. I slipped inside my apartment and closed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment as the reality of everything sank in.
The next morning, the Marcelli Corporation headquarters was a frenzy of activity. I had barely stepped into the building when a junior associate knocked into me, spilling a cup of espresso down my blouse.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Montoya!” he stammered, clearly terrified of the
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consequences.
“It’s fine,” I muttered, waving him off. I had bigger problems to deal with, not least of which was the constant knot of tension in my stomach thanks to Luca.
I ducked into the restroom to clean up, scrubbing at the coffee stain as best I could. As I buttoned up a fresh blouse, I overheard two voices outside the door.
“Did you see Isobel‘ s post last night?”
“Yeah, of course I did. She‘ s practically glued to Luca these days.”
My hands stilled as their words echoed through the tiled walls. No matter how much I tried to distance myself from Luca, he and Isobel always seemed to find a way back into my life.
“They’re perfect together. I mean, it’s not like anyone else could handle being with the head of the Marcelli syndicate.”
“Isn’t Elena Montoya‘ s his ex?”
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“Yeah, but I heard they‘ ve been done for weeks. She’s out of the picture now. Good for Isobel, right?”
I clenched my fists, willing myself to stay calm. I couldn’t let their gossip get to me -not when I knew what the truth was.
They continued, oblivious to my presence.
“I mean, Isobel‘ s practically royalty now, isn’t she? It’s only a matter of time before Luca makes it official.”
“True. I heard from a reliable source that Isobel‘ s been gunning for the position since day one.”
“Well, if Luca‘ s smart, he’ll choose her. The family’s future depends on it. Poor Alessandro though, he loved Isobel once upon a time.”
“Yeah but that was then. They’re not together anymore.
I shook my head, feeling a wave of
exhaustion wash over me. I had heard
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enough. Slipping out of the restroom, I made my way back to my office, ignoring the curious glances from colleagues as I passed.
If Luca wanted to play this game with Isobel, that was fine by me. Let him. Let them have their twisted little power struggle.
But I wouldn’t be a pawn in it anymore.
I was done.
And for the situation with Sandro and Isobel. I was a little shocked, especially since Luca never mentioned them ever being together.
A thought came to my mind…. Did Luca actually not know?
I shock my head. This wasn’t really any of my business.
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