Page 45 of The Seventh Circle
I didn't tell him about the dread pooling in my stomach, the certainty that leaving wouldn't be as simple as we hoped. Instead, I held him tighter, committing to memory the feel of his heartbeat against mine, steady and true in this abandoned villa where, for a few stolen hours, we could pretend the outside world didn't exist.
12
LORENZO
The portrait of my mother watched me from above the mantle as I unlocked the hidden drawer in Father's study. Her eyes—painted in the same shade of amber as my own—seemed to follow my movements, half in accusation, half in understanding.
"Forgive me," I whispered, though whether I was asking forgiveness for disturbing the sanctity of Father's private domain or for what I planned to do with her legacy remained unclear even to me.
The drawer slid open with barely a whisper. Inside lay the documents I sought—the deed to my mother's family villa in Tuscany and the papers for her personal accounts. Father had maintained them separately from the family finances, a rare concession that had always struck me as uncharacteristically sentimental. Now, that sentimentality would fund my escape.
I traced the elegant script of her name:Isabella Maria Benedetto, née Ricci. She had been dead fifteenyears, yet sometimes I still woke expecting to hear her laugh echoing through these cold halls.
"Would you understand, Mother?" I murmured to the empty room. "Would you have wanted more for me than this life?"
The soft click of approaching footsteps sent me scrambling. I quickly replaced the documents, leaving only the deed which I folded into my jacket pocket, and shut the drawer. When Paolo appeared in the doorway, I was casually examining a ledger from Father's desk.
"Working late?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Father wants a full accounting of our eastern interests before the meeting with the Sicilians," I replied smoothly, setting down the ledger. "What brings you here at this hour?"
Paolo stepped into the room, his gaze sweeping over the desk, lingering briefly on the drawer I'd just closed. "Don Salvatore sent me to find you. The Vitelli girl's family has invited you to their summer concert tomorrow evening."
I manufactured a pleased expression. "I'll write to accept immediately."
"Already done," Paolo replied. "Your father thought you'd be... eager."
The emphasis he placed on the word made my skin prickle. "He knows me well."
Paolo moved closer, coming to stand beside me at the desk. "Does he?" He picked up a paperweight, turning it in his hands. "Lately I wonder. You've been... distracted. Disappearing at odd hours."
I forced a laugh. "Am I under surveillance now, Paolo?"
"Your welfare is my concern." He set down the paperweight with deliberate care. "As is anything that might affect the family's interests."
"The family's interests are my own," I lied, meeting his gaze steadily.
"Are they?" Paolo's expression remained neutral, but his eyes were cold. "Then why are you asking about selling property? Specifically, your mother's villa in Tuscany?"
My blood froze. "Who told you that?"
"You visited Signor Bianchi's legal office yesterday. He mentioned you had questions about transferring a deed."
I silently cursed myself for the oversight. Of course Bianchi would report to Paolo—everyone did. I needed a plausible explanation, and quickly.
"I'm considering a wedding gift for Sophia," I improvised. "The villa has stood empty for years. I thought perhaps renovating it might make a suitable country residence for us after the wedding."
Paolo studied me, his face unreadable. "A thoughtful gesture. Though surprising, given your attachment to your mother's memory."
"Some memories are meant to be honored through use, not preservation," I replied, the words burning like acid on my tongue.
He nodded slowly. "I'll mention it to your father. I'm sure he'll be pleased by your forward thinking."
"No need to trouble him yet," I said quickly. "It's merely an idea at this stage. I'd prefer to have more concrete plans before discussing it with him."
Paolo's smile didn't reach his eyes. "As you wish. Though you know how he values being kept informed."
I gathered the ledger. "If there's nothing else, I should finish this before retiring."
