Chapter 7 - THE VISITOR
Three days passed in a strange,
luxurious limbo.
I spent my time in the gardens with Luca,
watching him crawl through the grass.
Giovanni came by every evening for dinner.
He was polite,
attentive,
and entirely focused on our son.
He didn't try to touch me,
but the way he looked at me made my skin tingle.
On the fourth day,
a car pulled up that didn't belong to the Moretti fleet.
It was a sleek,
red Ferrari.
A woman stepped out.
She was beautiful,
with dark hair and eyes like daggers.
She walked straight to the garden where I was sitting.
“So,
you're the one,”
she said,
her voice dripping with disdain.
“The girl who thought she could hide a Moretti.”
“I’m Lauren,”
I said,
standing up and picking up Luca.
“And you are?”
“Bianca Valenti.”
“My father is the head of the Valenti family.”
“And I was supposed to marry Giovanni six months ago.”
I felt a pang of jealousy I wasn't prepared for.
“The marriage didn't happen,”
I noted.
“Because Giovanni said he wasn't ready to commit to a 'political arrangement',”
she spat.
“Now I see why.”
She looked at Luca,
her eyes narrowing.
“He’s cute.”
“Too bad his life is going to be so short.”
I felt a chill run down my spine.
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a reality,”
she said,
stepping closer.
“The Valenti family doesn't like being insulted.”
“And Giovanni choosing a librarian over a Princess is an insult.”
“Get out,”
a voice boomed from the terrace.
Giovanni was standing there,
his hand on his holster.
“Bianca,
you have no business here.”
“I’m just visiting the new family,
Giovanni,”
she said,
turning with a fake smile.
“My father wants to know when the christening is.”
“He’ll know when he’s invited,”
Giovanni said,
walking down the steps.
“Which will be never.”
“Leave.
Now.”
Bianca laughed,
a sharp,
ringing sound.
“You can't protect them forever,
Giovanni.”
“Even your walls have ears.”
She turned and walked back to her car,
the engine roaring as she sped away.
Giovanni reached me and took Luca from my arms.
He was shaking with suppressed rage.
“Did she touch you?”
“No.”
“What did she mean,
Giovanni?”
“She meant that the Valenti family is looking for a reason to start a war,”
he said.
“And Luca is the best reason they’ve had in years.”
He looked at me,
his eyes full of a dark promise.
May you like
“We’re moving into the main house tonight.”
“I’m not taking any more chances.”
