Page 1 of Shattered Reign

1

BIANCA

My breath was caught in my throat as I watched out the window as the plane descended toward the tarmac. I was more than happy to leave my troubles behind in the United States, and I couldn’t wait to escape to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

But first, I needed to land in Naples.

A rush of air left my lungs as I felt the gentle jostle of the wheels of the plane making contact with solid ground. I gripped my seat’s armrest hard as though the sudden contact would send me spiraling back to the chaos I was trying to leave behind. Was my reaction overkill? Sure, but I still did it anyway.

The plane taxied along the runway, and when we finally came to a stop, I inhaled and exhaled. It was the first breath I’d taken that didn’t feel as if I had a heavy weight on my chest. I took out my compact mirror and opened it up. I double-checked my face before packing away my things and saw the dark circles that had landed under my eyes were still there.

Shit.

Tiffany, the flight attendant on this flight, walked up to me with a bright smile on her face. “It was lovely having you on this flight, Miss Henson.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “I appreciate, well, all of this.”

And I did.

I gathered the things I’d brought with me on the plane, including the two phones I now had, and pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes. Sleeping on the plane had been okay, surprisingly, but I wasn’t prepared to take on the brightness of the sun.

When I stepped off the plane and made it through customs, there was a town car waiting for me outside of the airport. The sleek black vehicle and its driver promised to bring me to what would become my home for the time being. The driver offered a polite nod as he took my luggage and placed it in the trunk. He then opened the door for me and waited until I was situated in the car before closing the door behind me. As he slid into the driver’s seat and started the car, he didn’t try to start a conversation with me, and I was more than happy with the silence that surrounded us.

As we pulled away from the airport, I glanced back as it grew smaller the farther we drove away from it. It was surreal, leaving everything behind, going off to a different country, let alone a different continent, but I couldn’t deny that I felt freer here. I quickly did some research on my phone and saw that our drive to the Amalfi Coast would be about an hour, and I knew it was my chance for a fresh start of sorts.

The idea that anyone would recognize me here almost didn’t exist. If this became a bigger story, there was a chance that they might recognize my father’s face but not mine. This was the perfect opportunity for me to reinvent myself. I was no longer the daughter of a United States mayor who aspired for higher office. Now I was simply an American tourist who decided to vacation in Italy. And I was prepared to embrace every bit of that wholeheartedly.

My driver for the morning drove with the confidence of someone who’d done this drive a million times before. As we got closer to the coast, I was never left feeling unsafe as he navigated us along the roads to my destination. The winding roads would prove to be difficult for me without a doubt, so I was grateful to have someone that was way more experienced with this drive than I ever would be.

It also gave me the opportunity to take photos to remember all of this by. I snapped a few photos of the landscapes that I was able to see from the car and took a few minutes to view them on the phone. The picture was beautiful but did little to completely capture the beauty in real life.

As we made our way through the narrow streets, I couldn’t help but notice how every corner seemed to contain a new surprise. A beautiful café here, a bustling market there. I was falling in love, and I’d only been here a couple of hours.

Once we arrived in Ravello, a town on the Amalfi Coast, my heart felt as if it was jumping in my body. I knew I was in the same town where my hotel was located, and it was only a matter of time before I arrived.

Then the driver put the car in park outside of a beautiful, statuesque building that was located on the cliffside.

This was it.

The place I would be staying at for… who knew how long. And I was okay with not knowing.

I pulled my coat tighter as a chill hit me. I couldn’t help but wonder what everything would be like when it was summertime here. I couldn’t wait to get a better look at the water from my room. Before I completely left the car that I had arrived in, I looked around, wondering if I was being followed by the person who decided stalking me was a good thing. Luckily for me, since the moment I’d shut off my old phone, I hadn’t heard a thing from anyone, and that was exactly what I wanted.

As I walked into the hotel, I couldn’t help but love the warm and inviting glow that surrounded me. The murals adorning the walls told stories of an era that was long gone, but between the arched ceilings, chandeliers, and furnishings, I was beginning to think that I’d been transported back in time.

I was greeted by a friendly-looking gentleman who stood near the front door of the hotel and hurried to grab my bags. I followed him up to the front desk, where a woman looked up from her computer and gave me a wide smile.

“Buongiorno. How may I help you?”

“I’m here to check in. My name is Bianca Henson.”

Once she was able to find my reservation, she went through the usual check-in protocols. She also took the time to explain the amenities and services the hotel offered, which included an infinity pool with a breathtaking view of the sea, a spa, two restaurants, and a concierge service that would have no problem taking care of my every need.

After I was checked in and shown my room, I was blown away by it all. Although the amenities seemed to be contemporary, many elements in my room still looked to be from a different era.

As I walked to the balcony, I stared out at the ocean and coastline that were in front of me.

Here I was, in this luxurious suite, with this beautiful view. I felt at peace and for the first time in such a long while, I fully embraced that I’d made the right decision.

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