Mattia's Pov:
I stood by the window of the quiet apartment, arms folded, watching the early morning clouds gather over the distant hills. My reflection stared back at me in the glass,tired eyes, clenched jaw, a face hardened by worry.
Behind me, Sofia stirred, wrapped in a soft beige blanket on the couch. She had refused the bed the night before, claiming she preferred the closeness of the small living room. Truthfully, I knew she hadn't slept deeply. Neither had I.
When her voice finally broke the silence, it was faint but certain.
"Are you okay?"
I turned to face her, my features softening.
"I should be asking you that," I replied calmly.
She sat up, brushing her fingers through her messy hair. Her expression was calm, but I knew her well enough to sense the flickers of tension beneath it.
"Do you think he will keep his word?" she asked.
I hesitated.
"Alexandro's word isn't something I take lightly,good or bad. However, I really want to believe him this time.
She pulled the blanket closer to her and nodded slowly.
"You think it is right to let me go with him?"
I did not respond immediately. I moved forward and knelt before her, making eye contact.
"I think it's the safest option we have right now. Not because I trust him completely... but because I trust myself to watch everything he does."
She blinked.
"You will still be close?"
"Always."
My voice didn't waver.
There was a moment of silence between us, one filled with unsaid emotions,trust, fear, longing, and something deeper we hadn't yet named. I reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair off her cheek.
"You don't have to pretend you are fine for my sake," I added.
"It's okay to feel uneasy. I do too."
She offered a small smile, her fingers curling around my hand.
"Then we will be uneasy together."
Sofia's POV
Later that morning...
We packed light. My clothes, a few books, my favorite teacup from the café,small things that brought me comfort. Mattia moved quietly, almost too quietly, as if afraid that sound itself might make me change my mind.
"Did he say when he would send for me?" I asked.
Mattia checked his phone.
"Soon. He said his driver would come by midday."
I inhaled deeply while looking around the room.
"Feels strange. Like I am stepping into something I don't fully understand."
"You are," Mattia said softly.
"But you are not going in alone. I will be watching. Bruno will too. Nothing happens without us knowing."
I nodded.
"And the café? What about work?"
Mattia smiled.
"That was part of the deal. You will still go in. Same shift, same routine. He agreed to it."
My shoulders relaxed a bit, reassured.
"Okay. That helps."
He noticed the subtle shift in my posture, the way I carried myself differently when talking about the café,my comfort zone, my slice of normalcy. Maybe, just maybe, this would not be as difficult as he feared.
Sofia's POV (continued)
Midday arrived...
The silence was broken by the sound of tires on gravel. A sleek black car with tinted windows pulled into the driveway. Holding my suitcase, I remained motionless as Mattia unlocked the door. A tall and well dressed man emerged from the car and nodded courteously.
"Miss Sofia?"
I nodded.
"Mr. Bianchi is waiting for you."
Mattia stepped forward.
"You will take her straight to him?"
"Of course, sir."
Mattia turned to me. He didn't speak, just held out his hand. I took it.
No words were needed in that moment. Everything we felt had already been said.
Sofia's POV:(At Alexandro's Villa)
The estate was as grand as ever,columns of carved stone, ivy crawling up the walls like nature's signature, and a silence that felt oddly comforting. As the car pulled in, I stared at the large wooden doors ahead, my heart pacing a little faster.
Alexandro was waiting near the entrance, dressed in a fitted charcoal shirt and black trousers. He looked relaxed, but I noticed the subtle twitch in his jaw, the controlled precision in the way he stood.
"Welcome, Sofia," he said, voice calm.
I gave a polite nod.
"Thank you."
He gestured for the butler to take my things and walked beside me through the foyer.
"I hope the journey was not too uncomfortable."
"It was fine."
The villa smelled faintly of sandalwood and something sweeter, like roses. As we passed through the grand hallway, I noticed artwork lining the walls, oil paintings, all framed in dark wood, each telling a story I could not quite decipher.
"You have redecorated," I murmured.
Alexandro glanced at me.
"I had a feeling you would notice."
We reached a staircase, and he turned to me.
"Your room is upstairs. You will have privacy, your own space. The staff have been informed to assist you with anything you need."
I nodded, my fingers curling slightly around the strap of my bag.
He paused, then added,
"Sofia, this isn't... a trap. You are not here to be controlled. You are here to be protected."
My eyes met his.
"I hope that's true."
There was a beat of silence. Then Alexandro said softly,
"You will see."
Sofia's POV ;(That Evening)
I sat on the balcony of my room, gazing at the horizon. The sunset bathed everything in warm gold, and the city below looked peaceful, almost surreal.
There was a soft knock on my door.
"Come in," I called.
Alexandro entered, holding a tray with two cups and a small plate of lemon cookies.
"Thought you might need something sweet."
I raised a brow.
"You are bringing me cookies now?"
He chuckled.
"I have my moments."
I accepted a cup of tea and took a tentative sip. It was perfect, just the way I liked it.
"You remembered," I said quietly.
Alexandro sat across from me.
"I remember a lot of things."
We sat in silence for a while, the kind that wasn't awkward but introspective.
"Mattia worries," I said.
Alexandro nodded.
"As he should."
"And you?" I glanced at him over the edge of my teacup and asked.
He met my gaze.
"I worry too. Just differently."
I looked away. Something about his tone felt layered, like there were things he wasn't saying. And maybe, I thought, there were things I was not ready to hear.