The Next Morning
At Sophia's house, William was extremely anxious. He kept calling someone repeatedly. Yelling at the person on the other end, he said, "What the hell are you all doing? It's been four days, and you still haven't found out where the goods are! I need it as soon as possible, understand?"
While he was speaking, a servant knocked on his door and respectfully said, "Sir, Mr. Rocco is downstairs looking for you."
Hearing this, William became even more tense. He ended the call quickly and rushed downstairs. There he saw a man about Leo's age sitting on the hall sofa, surrounded by bodyguards keeping a sharp watch on everyone around.
William hurried over to the man, and worry and fear were clearly visible on his face upon seeing him.
"Rocco, you here?" William stammered.
Rocco, a white-skinned Italian mafia boss, gave a sly smile. He was the head of the Knight gang and had an old rivalry with Leonardo. Seeing William, Rocco grinned and immediately hugged him. William was startled for a moment.
"Oh William, why are you so nervous? Very soon, we will become in-laws!" Rocco said.
His words only deepened the wrinkles on William's forehead, though he tried hard to maintain a normal demeanor.
Rocco moved away and, glancing around the house, said, "By the way, where is the reason behind our upcoming relationship? Where is Mia, my would-be wife?"
Now William started sweating heavily. His panic was visible. Rocco noticed and came very close to him, staring directly into his eyes, and said in a cold tone, "I asked you something!"
Terrified, William stuttered, "Sh-she... Leonardo took her away..."
Hearing this, Rocco grabbed William by the collar and slammed him against the wall, tightening his grip.
"What did you say? Leo took my Mia away, and you... you just stood there and watched?" Rocco's voice echoed through the mansion.
William was too scared to utter a word.
"Now tell me everything honestly — how did this happen?" Rocco threatened him.
Trembling, William explained, "He... he thinks you stole his goods. If we don't return it, he'll never give Mia back."
Rocco's expression hardened upon hearing this. He gritted his teeth and growled, "When did I ever steal his goods? Has he gone mad?"
William had anticipated this exact reaction.
In truth, Rocco had once seen Mia at a marketplace and had been obsessed with her beauty ever since. He pressured William into agreeing to their marriage. Initially, William laughed it off, but Rocco's threats forced him into submission.
When Leonardo found out that William was colluding with Rocco, he gradually pushed William out of his business operations. But one major shipment was still under William's supervision — and it had gone missing.
Rocco yelled, "I never took his goods! This is insane!" He started pulling at his hair like a madman.
"Find his goods immediately and bring Mia back to me!" he roared, looking completely unhinged. Frightened, William quickly nodded.
Rocco ordered his men to search for the missing shipment and left.
William sighed in relief, slumping against the wall. He muttered to himself, "Why the hell did I get stuck between these two lunatics? One side is Leonardo, and the other is this psycho. And that girl — she's been nothing but trouble for me. If I ever get my hands on her, I'll kill her myself!"
He was talking to himself when suddenly a hand gently touched his shoulder. He jumped and screamed, "AAAA!"
Sophia covered her ears and yelled, "Dad, please!"
Seeing his daughter, William calmed down and said, "Oh, it's you. Don't scare me like that."
Sophia asked, confused, "Dad, why are you sitting on the floor?"
Embarrassed, William got up and tried to act serious, "Nothing, I just dropped something. Anyway, what are you doing here?"
Excited, Sophia said, "I have something interesting to tell you! Yesterday, Carlo took me to his brother's birthday party — and guess who his brother is!"
William casually replied, "Whoever it is, what does it matter to me?"
Sophia, brimming with excitement, said, "No, Dad! He's not just anybody — his brother is Leonardo Corsini! The powerful man from the Corsini family!"
William's face drained of all color. He had never imagined that the boy his daughter was dating was the younger brother of Leonardo Corsini himself. Though he had done business with Leonardo, he had never met his family face-to-face before — and therefore had never recognized them.
Leonardo Mansion
Everyone had woken up late today because they were all tired from last night's party. Ruby was still sleeping.
The morning weather was lovely. Mia had woken up early today. After three days, she had finally stepped out of her room and was exploring Leonardo's mansion. She was wearing a pink and white combination frock-style dress. She looked like a blooming rose, although there was still a hint of sadness on her face. But for a moment, the grandeur of the mansion made her forget her situation.
While wandering, she reached the garden area of the mansion. The place was decorated with various kinds of flowering plants. There were many types of roses. Mia loved roses, so she became very excited upon seeing them. She touched them gently and swayed with joy. At that moment, her behavior resembled that of a small child.
The servants and guards had been instructed not to stop Mia from going anywhere—except outside the mansion and to Leonardo's secret places. They too smiled seeing her so happy.
The servants and guards had been instructed not to stop Mia from going anywhere—except outside the mansion and to Leonardo's secret places. They, too, smiled seeing her happy.
When Leonardo woke up, it was 10:30 in the morning. He went to his gym area and worked out thoroughly. Thanks to his regular workouts, his body was very strong and attractive. His muscles added to his already impressive appearance. Instead of returning to his room after the workout, he headed to the swimming area, which was located behind the mansion. The swim outfits were kept in a room next to the pool, and that room too was well-equipped with everything related to swimming.
Mia, meanwhile, had made her way from the garden toward the swimming pool. Seeing the water, she moved closer to the pool. At that moment, Leonardo was underwater, so no one could see him from outside. Mia sat by the edge of the pool, touching the water with her hands. She was really enjoying the coolness of the water, dipping her hand in and out again and again.
Leonardo surfaced on the opposite side of the pool. Mia didn't notice—she was lost in her own little world. When Leonardo turned and looked, he saw Mia smiling and laughing. It was the first time he had seen her smile. Ever since she arrived, she had been quiet and sad. But now, her sweet and innocent smile had captivated even him.