I put the photograph back in its place. It wasn't the right time to focus on it. I needed to find the proof for my father.
I looked in another drawer. There were some old files on it. I flipped through them quickly, looking for anything useful, and then found a folder labeled: Rossi Incidents - 2010-2015.
My hands trembled as I pulled it out. There were photographs, police reports, and news clippings inside. And one name that made me freeze: Tom Rossi.
My uncle.
There were crime scene images, and a police report attached with a handwritten note:
Contract fulfilled. Payment received-E.V.
E.V. ? Enzo Vitale. Lorenzo's father.?
And there, at the bottom of the file, was another document. It was a payment record dated three days after my uncle's death.
Signed by Lorenzo Vitale.
My father always said that Lorenzo was involved on my uncle's death and now I had the proof.
I heard footsteps in the hallway. Quickly, I photographed every page with my phone. Then, I took all the documents and stuffed them into my bag. I shoved the file back in the drawer, closed it just as the door opened.
Lorenzo walked in.
"Sorry about that. There was…" He stopped. "Are you alright? You look pale."
"I'm fine."
"Sera.."
"Let's talk about this some other day. I'm not feeling well."
"Of course. Let me drive you home…" He said with concern.
"No. I'll take a cab." I grabbed my bag, clutching it like a lifeline.
"At least let Marco…"
"I said no!" I almost shouted.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just need to go."
"Sera…"
The door opened again and Yuki walked in like she owned the place.
"Oh!" Yuki said, looking between us. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Yes." I said at the same time Lorenzo said, "No."
"Well, which is it?"
"Yuki, can you give us a moment?" Lorenzo said.
"Actually, I forgot to ask you something earlier."
"I was leaving anyway." I said walking towards the door but he stopped me.
"Stop! It's all getting too much complicated. We three need to talk…" A phone call interrupted him. He looked annoyed. "I have to take this. Both of you stay here."
He stepped out, leaving me alone with Yuki.
"This is awkward." Yuki said.
"Is it?"
"You standing here, pretending like you belong here, when we both know where we belong." She sat on Lorenzo's chair. "How much longer are you going to keep up this charade?"
"What charade?"
"That you're anything more than a convenient distraction, a pretty face he used to pass some time while I was away." Yuki studied her nails. "Lorenzo and I are together now, I'm sure you saw us kissing at the party."
"I did, and that's why I wonder, if I'm so insignificant, why do you keep trying to get rid of me?"
"Because you're a complication, and Lorenzo doesn't need complications right now. He needs focus. He needs someone who understands him, someone who can actually help him, not drag him down."
"Someone like you?"
"Exactly like me." She stood and walked towards me. "I know things about Lorenzo you'll never know. I've seen him at his worst and still stayed. I've protected him, saved him, loved him when no one else would. What have you done except lie to him?"
She was right. I had only lied to him from the beginning.
"I should go," I said, not trying to argue and to give the documents to my father ASAP.
"Yes. You should." Yuki tilted her head. "But before you do, let me gave you a word of advice. Walk away now. Don't come back. Because if you hurt him, if you betray him the way I know you're planning to, I will personally make sure you regret it."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise."
The door opened. Lorenzo walked back in, looking stressed.
"I'm sorry. That was…there's a situation I need to handle immediately." He looked at me. "Sera, I need to…we need to talk about the portrait commission."
"What about it?"
"I need to cancel it."
"You're canceling the commission?"
"Not canceling but postponing indefinitely. There are things happening right now that I need to focus on. I can't give you the time the portrait deserves. I'll still pay you the full amount, of course. For your time, your work so far…."
"I don't want your money."
"Sera…"
"Is this because of her?" I gestured at Yuki. "Because your first love came back and suddenly I'm inconvenient?"
"This has nothing to do with Yuki."
"Doesn't it?" My voice was rising. "You promised me time and access, andnow you're just ending it? Paying me off like I'm some prostitute you're done with?"
"That's not what this is!"
"Then what is it?" I was yelling now. "Explain it to me, Lorenzo. Make me understand why you're throwing me away."
"I'm not throwing you away but I don't want to argue either. The commission is ended. I'll transfer the full payment to your account today. Consider our professional relationship terminated."
Professional relationship. Like that's all we'd ever had.
"Fine." I grabbed my bag and walked towards the door.
"Sera, one more thing." Yuki's voice stopped me. "There's really no need for you to come back here. Lorenzo and I have a lot of catching up to do. I think we both know where his priorities are."
I waited for Lorenzo to correct her but he said nothing.
"Goodbye, Mr. Vitale." I said formally. "I hope you and Ms. Tanaka happiness together."
And then I left.
I made it to the elevator, pressed the button repeatedly, desperate to escape before I completely fell apart. The doors opened. I stumbled inside.
As they closed, I caught one last glimpse of Lorenzo's office. He was standing at the door, watching me leave. Yuki was beside him, her hand was on his arm.
The doors shut.
He'd ended it so casually. Cancelled the commission, pushed me away, chosen Yuki.
The elevator reached the ground floor. I walked out into the afternoon sun with stolen documents in my bag. I'd come here looking for evidence to destroy Lorenzo Vitale. I'd found it.
But why i was feeling so sad? Why I wanted to k*ll both Yuki and Lorenzo? Why tears were forming in my eyes? I had the proof to destroy Vitales but why did it feel like I was the one being destroyed?
My phone rang. It was Matteo.
"Did you get anything?" He asked.
"Yes."
"How good?"
I looked at the bag, at the evidence that would start a war.
"Very good. Documentation of a Vitale hit on Uncle Tom. Payment records. Signatures. Everything."
"Sera, Giovanni's going to be ecstatic. This is exactly what he needed. How do you feel?"
How did I feel?
Destroyed. Betrayed. Heartbroken. Victorious.
All of it at once.
"I feel like I just ended everything." I said.
"With Lorenzo?"
"With all of it. He cancelled the portrait commission. He said he can't see me anymore. Yuki was there, playing the devoted first love. He just threw me away Matteo, like I was nothing."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's better this way. Now I know what he really is, what they all are." I straightened my spine. "When do you want the documents?"
"Now. Come to the safe house. We'll photograph everything, then you'll present them to Giovanni tonight."
"Okay." I hung up.
In a few hours, I'd hand my father proof that Lorenzo Vitale was a murderer. And he would use it to destroy him. There was really no coming back for both of us now.
My phone buzzed. It was a text from an unknown number.
You made the right choice. Walking away. Lorenzo would have destroyed you eventually. Better you destroy him first.
- Y.T.
Yuki.
I deleted the message. But her words echoed in my head.
Better you destroy him first.
Yes. Better I destroy him. Before he could finish destroying me.