Chapter 21 – Stakeout and Intimacy
Lorenzo stood in front of my desk, silent. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his jaw tight. For a moment, he looked like he might beg. But then again, pride was the only thing he ever truly worshipped.
“I asked you a simple question,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “You want your company back? Divorce Renata, get rid of the child. Then maybe we can talk.”
He stared at me, eyes wild.
“You’re insane,” he muttered. “That child is mine. How -”
I cut in sharply, “Just like Ariella was.”
His face darkened.
‘Ariella isn’t-” he started, but I slammed my hand on the desk.
‘Don’t,” I warned coldly. “Don’t you dare say she wasn’t your daughter. You didn’t think twic before letting her die. So don’t start playing victim now.”
He swallowed hard, the muscles in his throat tightening. I could tell he didn’t have a response.
Good. That was exactly what I wanted.
‘Now get out of my office,” I said.
He opened his mouth again, but I pointed to the door.
‘Out.”
Lorenzo turned on his heel and stormed out without another word. The moment he left, I slumped back in my seat.
The adrenaline was still rushing through me, but I didn’t feel victorious. Not yet. Not until everything he loved turned to dust.
My phone rang. It was Mateo.
‘Where are you?” I asked.
–
‘Outside your building. We need to move now. Renata’s up to something I have a tracker or her car. Get down here.”
–
grabbed my purse and rushed down.
The ride was quiet but tense. Mateo drove like a man on a mission, his eyes focused on the road while I tried to calm my racing heart.
“Where are we going?” I finally asked.
“She just pulled up at a VIP lounge downtown,” he replied. “She’s meeting someone. I think it’s him.”
“Who?” I asked, even though I already had a sinking feeling I knew.
“Dante,” Mateo said.
I sat up straighter. “Lorenzo’s rival?”
“The one and only. He’s been after the Moretti empire for years and Renata is working with him.” We parked discreetly across the street. Mateo handed me a small earpiece and a tiny camera button already recording.
We walked into the lounge like a couple on a date, but our eyes scanned the room.
“There,” Mateo whispered.
Renata sat in a dim corner of the lounge. The lights were low, but not low enough to hide her.
She was draped in red silk, laughing softly as she leaned into a man I instantly recognized. Dante. His hand gripped her thigh. Her lips were on his seconds later.
I froze.
“Get the angle,” I whispered to Mateo.
He nodded, snapping silent photos. I pulled out my phone and hit record. There was no denying
this wasn’t just a fling. It was betrayal.
it
–
“She’s working with him,” I said. “Probably always has.”
Mateo’s voice was low. “Yes she just needed you out of the picture to complete her mission.”
I watched them for another second, bile rising in my throat.
“Gather everything for Lorenzo,” I said. “I want to watch him fall apart.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Mateo said.
“I have to go powder my nose. I’ll be back,” I said and left.
I walked to the bathroom, mind spinning. The hallway was dimly lit, and the lounge music thudded softly through the walls.
I splashed cold water on my face and took a breath.
But as I opened the door to leave, I bumped straight into Renata.
She blinked in shock.
“Sophia?” she asked, trying to smile. “What a… surprise.”
I smiled politely. “Didn’t expect to see you here. Having a girls’ night?”
She tilted her head. “You always did love sarcasm.”
“I picked it up from watching your lies,” I said coolly.
Her smile dropped.
“Did you follow me here?”
“Why would I?” I asked. “You’re not that interesting.”
Renata stepped closer. “What did you see?”
I raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”
We both knew the game. But I underestimated her.
In a blink, she pulled something from her purse move, she sprayed something straight into my face.
–
a small spray bottle
–
and before I could
“What the hell-” I coughed, stumbling backward.
The scent hit me first. Then the burning.
My skin prickled. My heart raced. Heat rushed through my body like fire.
“What… did you do…” I gasped.
Renata leaned in, smiling wickedly. “I planned this before but I might as well execute it now.”
She tried to grab me but using my last strength I shoved her away and staggered out of the bathroom, my legs wobbling.
My vision blurred as I crashed into something warm. Someone caught me.
It was Mateo.
“Hey, hey-Sophia, what happened?” he asked, catching me before I fell.
“She… sprayed something… it burns… everything burns…”
He looked up sharply just in time to see Renata slipping away.
“Renata!” he shouted.
But she was already gone.
He looked down at me, panic rising in his eyes. “Come on. We’re getting out of here.”
He carried me to the car and sped home. I was sweating and trembling, my breaths short and *agged.
‘She drugged me,” I whispered. “It wasn’t normal… Mateo…”
‘I know,” he said gently. “It’s a synthetic aphrodisiac. I’ve seen it used before. We’ll get it out of your system.”
He tried everything-cold showers, ice packs, even herbs-but nothing worked.
The heat kept rising.
Please…” I whispered, crawling toward him on the bed. “It hurts.”
He held my face. “Sophia… I can’t. Not like this.”
I trust you,” I said, breathless. “Please. You’re the only one I want.”
Our lips met. Desperation melted into need and soon all our clothes were on the floor as our >odies merged together and I cried his name in ecstasy.
Sophia’s Pov
