Seraphina's POV
I'm in the Vitale penthouse, pacing the bedroom, my head full of Luca's words from last night: I'll do anything… for the pact. What pact? With who? The marriage contract's clause sits heavy in my pocket, saying I'd get everything if Luca betrays me. But after hearing him on that call, I'm not sure I'm safe. I need to know what he's planning, and I need it now.
I head to the kitchen for coffee, hoping to clear my mind. Isla's there, her curly hair tucked behind her ears, tapping on her tablet. She's Luca's assistant, but I know she's more, spying, reporting to someone. Maybe I can use that.
"Morning, Isla," I say, grabbing a mug. "Busy already?"
She glances up, her glasses slipping. "Always," she says, her voice flat. "You need something, Mrs. Vitale?"
I lean against the counter, keeping my tone light. "Just wondering where Luca is. He's been… secretive."
Her eyes flicker, like she knows something. "He's out. Meeting. Back later."
I nod, but my skin prickles. Another meeting. Probably with G. Moretti, the guy from his call. "Thanks," I say, sipping my coffee. "You ever get tired of his secrets?"
Isla pauses, then shuts her tablet. "Secrets are part of the job," she says, and walks out.
I watch her go, my mind racing. She's hiding something, and I bet it's in Luca's study. That's where he keeps his envelope, where he takes his calls. I need to get in there.
I wait until the penthouse is quiet. Luca's still gone, and Natalia's out shopping. I slip down the hall to Luca's study, the door locked like always. I'm about to try picking it when I hear a soft click. The door cracks open, and Isla's inside, hunched over Luca's computer, a USB drive in her hand.
"What are you doing?" I whisper, stepping in and shutting the door.
Isla jumps, her glasses sliding down. "Seraphina! I, uh, fixing a glitch," she says, but her voice shakes.
I cross my arms. "Don't lie. You're hacking his computer."
She stares at me, then sighs. "Fine. I'm downloading files. You want in or not?"
My heart pounds. This is my chance. "I'm in," I say. "But you tell me everything."
She nods, her fingers flying on the keyboard. "I'm planting spyware," she says. "And grabbing a ledger he hid. It's got weird stuff."
The screen flashes, and a file opens, a ledger, full of numbers and names. I lean closer, reading over her shoulder. There's a section called Project Calabrese 1975, with payments to a shadow account labeled E.M. My stomach twists. E.M., Elena Moretti? The woman from my adoption certificate?
"What's this?" I ask, pointing at the screen.
Isla frowns. "Not sure. Old project, big money. Look here." She scrolls to a footnote, coded in red: Neutralize asset if compromised. My blood runs cold. Neutralize? That's code for kill.
"Someone's getting rid of a problem," I say, my voice low. "But who?"
Isla shakes her head. "I don't know. But Luca's tied to it."
I clench my fists. Luca's pact, the ledger, my adoption, it's all connected. I'm done being a pawn. "I'm going to find out what he's hiding," I say. "No matter what."
Isla looks at me, her eyes serious. "Be careful, Seraphina. This is bigger than you think."
We're still at the computer when Dante calls. I step to the corner, keeping my voice low. "Dante, you at the estate?"
"Yeah," he says, his voice rough. "Found something in Papa's office. Old letters, addressed to someone named Elena. You know her?"
My heart skips. Elena Moretti. "No," I lie, because I can't tell him yet. "What do they say?"
"Not much," he says. "Just business stuff, but it's weird. Like Papa was hiding her. I'm digging more."
"Be careful," I say. "And don't tell anyone."
"I won't," he says. "You okay?"
I glance at Isla, still downloading files. "I'm fine. Just… stay safe."
We hang up, and I feel a fire in my chest. Luca's hiding a pact. Papa's hiding Elena. I'm not stopping until I know the truth.
I'm back in the living room, pretending to read, when Natalia storms in, her red hair flying. She's got shopping bags, but her face is tight. "You seen Luca?" she asks, tossing the bags on the couch.
"No," I say, closing my book. "Why?"
She crosses her arms. "He's dodging me. And you're not helping, poking around where you shouldn't."
My temper flares. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She steps closer, her voice low. "I know you were in his study. Stay out of his business, Seraphina, or you'll regret it."
I stand, meeting her gaze. "I'm his wife, Natalia. His business is mine."
She laughs, cold and sharp. "You're a fool if you think that."
She grabs her bags and leaves, but her words sting. She's right, I don't know Luca's game. But I'm not giving up.
Later, I'm in the bedroom, thinking about the ledger, when Luca comes home. He's in a dark coat, his hair messy from the wind. "Busy day?" he asks, his smile easy.
I nod, keeping my voice calm. "Just relaxing. You?"
He shrugs, hanging his coat. "Meetings. Boring stuff."
I want to call him out, on the pact, the ledger, everything, but I hold back. I need more proof. "You're good at boring," I say, forcing a smile.
He laughs, but his eyes are sharp. "And you're good at questions. What's on your mind?"
I step closer, testing him. "Just wondering when you'll trust me. We're married, Luca."
He looks at me, long and hard. "Trust takes time," he says. "Give it a chance."
I nod, but my resolve hardens. I'm not waiting for his trust. I'm taking the truth.
It's late when I sneak back to the study. Isla's gone, but she left the USB drive hidden under a book. I plug it in, my hands sweaty. The ledger's still there, and I scroll through it, my heart racing. More payments to E.M., more notes about Project Calabrese 1975. Then I see a new file, labeled Pact Terms. I'm about to open it when Isla slips in, her face pale.
"You're back?" she whispers. "I got more data. Look at this."
She pulls up the ledger on her tablet, pointing to the Neutralize asset note. "It's tied to the shadow account," she says. "Someone's cleaning house."
I stare at the screen, my mind spinning. "Cleaning house? Like killing someone?"
She nods, her voice low. "Maybe. We need to, "
A crash cuts her off. The window behind Luca's desk shatters, glass flying. A man in a black mask lands on the floor, a pistol in his hand. He points it at the desk, his eyes cold through the mask.
I freeze, my heart in my throat. Isla grabs my arm, pulling me down behind the desk. The gunman doesn't move, just stands there, his gun steady.