Page 99 of Sins of the Son

Cesare’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me? Who is sending my fiancée flowers?”

Liliana’s eyes widened at his intense glare. “Your sister-in-law.”

We both said in unison, “Renata?”

Liliana nodded. “Yes. You just missed her. I’m surprised you didn’t see her on the stairs. She said she had an appointment and couldn’t wait but wanted to drop off these flowers for you.”

I cast a glance at Cesare. I was fully aware of what an absolute, passive-aggressive, snobby bitch Renata had been to Amara from the moment she found out about Barone’s intentions. There was absolutely no reason Renata would be inclined to be any nicer to me.

Cesare shrugged. “Maybe she’s finally resolved to having you and Amara as sisters-in-law and is trying to turn over a new leaf?”

I smirked. Not likely. Mean girls like Renata rarely changed. It would also explain her odd choice of flowers, since everyone knew yellow flowers meant jealousy and betrayal, and chrysanthemums were usually only used for funerals.

Liliana nodded toward the vase. “She said you need to fill the vase with water so the flowers don’t die.”

“Thank you, Liliana.”

Cesare and I walked a few steps away. “Did you want me to handle that for you?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, I need to check my lipstick anyway.”

He gazed at my mouth. “I checked. It’s gone.”

“That’s because someone kissed it off in the car.”

He gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked toward the hidden stairs that led to his upper-level office. “I will see you at lunch.”

I called out, “I have plans with Amara and your Aunt Gabriella.”

He turned and grinned. “I know. I’m coming with you. Just because I agreed to let you come back to the office doesn’t mean I’m going to let you flit all over the village unprotected.”

I opened my mouth to protest.

He lifted his hand up. “Nonnegotiable.”

I stuck my tongue out at him. “Fine, but be prepared to be bored to death with talk of Gucci scarves and shades of lipstick.”

He winked. “I’m good with that. I’ll just be imagining that cute pink tongue of yours doing all kinds of naughty things while you are blindfolded with a Gucci scarf, leaving lipstick stains on my co—”

“Cesare!” I gasped, casting a scandalized look in Liliana’s direction.

She was deliberately keeping her head down, shuffling papers on her desk, but her flaming red cheeks gave away that she had heard every word of our exchange.

He gave me an unrepentant grin. “You started it.” Then turned and headed up the stairs, his laughter following him.

I adjusted my purse on my shoulder, picked up the vase, and headed across the upstairs lobby area to the ladies’ room. It was to the right across from the central marble staircase.

As I crossed in front of the stairs, I saw a dark figure pass me out of the corner of my eye, like a fast-moving shadow. Before I could see what it was, there was a hard shove to my right shoulder. My torso jerked forward, throwing me off-balance. The vase slipped from my grasp. I watched in horror as it smashed against the edge of a marble stair, shattering. My arms windmilled as I tried to regain my balance, but the leather soles of my high heels slipped on the polished surface of the tile. My knee buckled and my body pitched toward the top of the stairs.

My vision seemed to move in slow motion, as if I were viewing things from underwater.

Everything was a blur of wavy, indistinct objects and colors as this weightless feeling overcame me. My arm caught on something. The pain was excruciating as it was twisted behind my back, before I saw with dawning horror the uneven edge of the top marble stair.

Then everything went black.

CHAPTER 35

MILANA

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