Page 113 of Broken Deal

“What’s wrong?” I ask, sliding into a chair.

“You good?” Matteo asks, his tone careful.

I grab a menu, flipping through it casually. “Why wouldn’t I be? Sorry I’m late. I’ve been on the phone with the contractor all morning.” I roll my eyes. “Good news is, I don’t have to push back the opening again. Thank fuck. I was starting to worry.”

Damian reaches across the table and snatches the menu from my hands. “You been online today?”

I shake my head, confused. “No, my phone’s been blowing up, but like I said, I’ve been busy—” I stop mid-sentence, catching the look on their faces. Both of them are watching me expectantly, Matteo with a grimace, Damian faking a cough. “What’s going on?”

I pull out my phone, scrolling through the endless notifications. One message catches my attention.

Amos

Care to explain this? *link attached*

I frown, clicking on the link. “Oh, Sophia’s article is out? It’s not supposed to be out until next month.” A grin spreads across my face. “This is a nice surprise.”

Matteo tilts his head, eyebrows drawn together. “So you’ve read it?”

I shake my head. “She wanted me to give it a once-over before it went out, but I told her she didn’t need my approval. I trust her.”

“You might wanna read it now.” Damian’s voice is rough as he leans in.

The tension in the air is thick, and I’m starting to get the feeling that something’s off, so I open the article and start reading.

Lorenzo Mancini: The Ultimate Player?

By Sophia Evans

When the name Lorenzo Mancini is mentioned, it comes with tales of power, charm, and—above all—ruthless ambition. This Chicagoland billionaire has climbed to the top by being relentless,but as they say, sometimes you can climb so high that you forget what’s beneath you. Known for his string of conquests in both sex and business, Mancini treats life like a game he’s already won. And everyone else? They’re just pawns for his advantage.

As one of the youngest vice presidents of Vortex—the infamous, invite-only billionaire club—Mancini has shown a talent for winning, but he’s also garnered whispers of being careless, even cruel, in his decisions. Sources within the industry paint a picture of a man who is “tactless” and “unscrupulous,” willing to bulldoze anyone in his path to stay on top. And he doesn’t just accept that image; he thrives on it. Mancini wears his heartlessness like a badge, and people keep falling for the charm, unaware of how quickly he’ll move on when they’re no longer useful.

His “success” in the restaurant business doesn’t change much. Sure, he knows what he’s doing, but let’s not pretend there’s any deep passion behind it. It’s just another way for him to look good, keep people interested, and keep his name in lights. What you see is what you get—a man who’s only loyal to himself.

His avoidance of the media isn’t just strategy—it’s survival. He knows that if anyone looks too closely, the whole polished act might unravel. Behind the tailored suits and smug smile is a man whose only real accomplishment is manipulating everyone around him. And maybe that’s all he ever wanted.

Lorenzo Mancini isn’t just playing the game; heisthe game—a man defined by power plays and shallow connections, and when it all falls apart, he’ll have no one left but himself.

The eerie calm that settles over me feels deadening. Like my body is slowly shutting down, one sense at a time. I never got it before—how movies and books make betrayal seem so dramatic, over the top. But now, sitting here, my heart clenching and hurting, I understand it all too well.

My neck burns as heat creeps up it, the reality of it all sinking in. And my heart—it’s breaking.Literallybreaking. Ididn’t know that was even possible, to feel something inside you shatter like that.

I shake my head in disbelief. “No. No way.” I drop my phone on the table, scrubbing my hands over my face, trying to shake off the growing panic.

“Maybe there’s an explanation,” Matteo points out, trying to be the voice of reason.

“Yeah,” Damian adds, his voice softer than I’ve ever heard it, it’s almost unsettling. Just as he’s about to say more, his phone rings. He picks it up, his tone shifting. “Hey, Darling, I can’t really talk…” He pauses, listening closely and looking at me as he shakes his head, giving me a knowing look.

“What the fuck is going on?” I mutter to myself, the words barely leaving my lips as I try to make sense of it all.

Damian hangs up, his eyes meeting mine with a resigned look. “Aria said Sophia left brunch, completely losing it. I think you should talk to her. There has to be an explanation.”

Matteo frowns. “This makes no sense.”

“She couldn’t have written this,” I say, but it’s more to myself than anyone else. I’m trying to convince myself. Trying to hold on to something.

But wouldn’t she? That article wasn’t exactly wrong. You thrive in that sort of chaos. You’ve used your charm in both business and sexual conquests. You’ve had every chance to walk away from this world you claim to despise so much, yet you haven’t. She’s not wrong.

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