LORENZO-
As he watched her sitting serenely in the garden, he was struck by the vibrant harmony of colors that surrounded her. The lush greenery of the garden seemed to come alive in tandem with the radiant hue of her dress, a brilliant green that sparkled like the first tender shoots of spring.
Her skin, a rich, dark brown, glowed with a warm, earthy undertone, like the fertile soil of the savannah. It seemed to absorb the light around her, radiating a sense of depth and vitality that drew him in like a magnet.
And then, of course, there was her hair—a wild tangle of jet-black locks that cascaded down her back like a waterfall of night. It seemed to shimmer and dance in the sunlight, each strand infused with a subtle, blue-black sheen that hinted at a depth of color that was almost otherworldly.
As she sat there, surrounded by the vibrant colors of the garden, she seemed to embody the very essence of sexual attraction itself—a fusion of earthy vitality, vibrant color, and effortless, regal beauty. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder in her presence, as if he had stumbled upon a hidden treasure that he had just discovered.
When she looked up toward his angle, he immediately shut the window and decided to go downstairs and question her, as he had made himself believe.
ADANNA
As she sat in this enchanting garden, she felt like she had stumbled upon a hidden oasis in the midst of this bustling Italian city. The warm sun on her skin, the gentle rustle of leaves, and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers all conspired to transport her to a state of serenity.
Every sense was heightened as she breathed in the scent of lavender and rosemary, reminiscent of the fragrant herbs she had seen people use to tend to their gardens back home in Nigeria. The sound of birdsong, so different from the familiar calls of the African grey parrot, was music to her ears.
She felt someone looking at her and stared at one of the windows in the building. Someone quickly closed the curtain. She shrugged and continued gazing around. She was struck by the vibrant colors and textures that surrounded her. The terracotta pots, the weathered stone benches, and the lush greenery all blended together in perfect harmony. It was as if this garden had been waiting for her, welcoming her with open arms to this little slice of paradise.
As she sat in the garden, the gentle breeze stirred the leaves, carrying the whispers of ancient secrets. The air was alive with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the earthy fragrance of damp soil.
She felt peace within her and chuckled at the irony of life. Here she was, battling with many things, not knowing her fate, but still deciding to let her guard down. After all, if she was going to die, she might as well enjoy the peace and serenity the garden offered her. In no time, she surrendered herself to the hands of Mother Nature.
LORENZO
He walked down to meet Aldo, who was waiting in the sitting room. Then he remembered he had called for him.
"I just got off the phone with my mom. That bastard had the balls to disrupt the peace in our lives..."
As he recounted what his mother had told him to Aldo, his voice trembled with rage, his words dripping with venom. His eyes blazed with a fierce intensity, burning with a fire that seemed to consume him from the inside out.
"He had no right," he growled, his jaw clenched in a snarl of anger. "No right to step foot in my family's winery, to try to manipulate her like that."
His face twisted in a mixture of pain and fury, as if the very memory of what he imagined his mother must have felt when Matteo came to threaten her was like a knife twisting in his gut. His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white with tension, as if he were struggling to contain the fury that threatened to erupt from him like a volcano.
"My mother," he spat, his voice sounding wickedly cold, "is the worst trap Matteo could have fallen into."
As he spoke, his body language screamed of a deep-seated fury, a sense of outrage that seemed to consume him whole. Aldo listened, transfixed by the intensity of his emotions, as he poured out his anger and hurt like a torrent of rage.
He had never seen Lorenzo show his emotions, and a part of him pitied Matteo, for he knew Lorenzo would come at him like a bomb.
Lorenzo called some of his men and gave them instructions on what to do. After the long meeting, which was intended to be short but was lengthened because of the careful strategies, he asked his butler for the strongest wine in his bar. He stood up to get some fresh air and probably clear his mind.
After a few minutes, his butler came with a glass of wine.
"This is from the winery, yeah?" Lorenzo asked.
His butler nodded and filled the cup before handing it to him. Lorenzo closed his eyes as he savored the taste of the wine. He loved the fact that it tasted so good, and he asked the butler to keep the bottle on the table. He sat down, looking at the view before him.
He had bought this house when he turned twenty-one. He had fallen in love with the fact that the house was built on a hill, which made it so much easier to enjoy the landscape and get a perfect view of God's creations. He smiled contentedly and kept drinking until his senses kicked in. He looked at the empty bottle in his hands and wondered how he had drunk it all unintentionally.
He shook his head as he remembered how busy his twenties were—how he drank and partied, which was part of his culture. But he had reduced many of those things to moderation. He just wanted to keep growing his empire so his future generations would have something to be proud of.
His phone suddenly rang, and he picked it up without looking at the caller's ID.
"Hello?" he said in his formal voice.
The silence that followed made him realize who it was.
"Carlos?"
The man on the other line laughed heartily and replied, "Of course, it's me. I just wanted to mess with you a bit."
Carlos, the seasoned drug supplier in Spain, was greatly feared, but he was just a front to deceive people from knowing the actual dealer, who was no other person but Lorenzo.
"What's the latest shipment?" Lorenzo asked, his voice low and even.
"We got a new batch of 'Eclipse' coming in tonight. It's the purest stuff on the market right now."
Lorenzo's eyes lit up with interest as he sat up from his relaxed position. "How pure are we talking?"
Carlos chuckled. "We're talking 90% pure, Lorenzo. This stuff is going to fly off the shelves."
Lorenzo smiled, deeply impressed. "That's a game-changer. What's the price point looking like?"
"We're looking at a 20% markup from the last batch. But trust me, this stuff is worth it. We'll be making a killing."
Lorenzo's expression turned calculating, his mind racing with the possibilities. "Alright, let's get the word out. I want to move this shipment quickly, before the competition catches wind of it."
Carlos made a guttural sound of agreement. "On it, boss. I'll get the crew moving "
As he heard the line disconnect, Lorenzo smiled into the darkness, knowing it was going to be bloodier and merrier.
He got up, walked to the garden, but was startled to see a human form on the floor. He then remembered he had seen her sitting before he left to attend to business. He stood there, looking at her as if to capture her face. He was torn between torturing her as he had planned and acting on the feelings that had been stirring in his heart.
As the last rays of sunlight faded beyond the horizon, Lorenzo's eyes narrowed as he gazed down at her sleeping form, nestled among the lush greenery of the garden. The sound of crickets and the sweet scent of blooming flowers filled the air, a stark contrast to the tension that was about to unfold.
He reached out, his fingers brushing against her shoulder, and her eyes snapped open, disoriented and fearful. She sat up, her gaze flicking to the darkening garden around her, the shadows cast by the trees seeming to twist and writhe like living things.
"What...what time is it?" she stammered, her voice husky with sleep.
Lorenzo's face was a mask of stone, his eyes cold and unyielding in the fading light. "It's nightfall," he said, his voice low and even. "And it's time we had a little chat."
Adanna's gaze flicked to the garden gate, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. But Lorenzo's eyes seemed to bore into her very soul, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.
"I want to know about my uncle's kidnapping," he said, his voice dripping with venom. "And I want to know what you had to do with it."
Her eyes widened, a flash of fear crossing her face before she managed to compose herself. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, trying to sound convincing.
But he just laughed, a cold, mirthless sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Don't lie to me, Juliet," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I know all about your little scheme. You lured my uncle into a trap, and you think you'll go unscathed for your little part in what happened? I'm going to make sure you pay for what you've done"