LORENZO
As his grip on her arm tightened, she refused to budge, her eyes flashing with defiance. For a moment, the two locked gazes, the air thick with tension.
But then, something seemed to shift within Lorenzo. His expression softened, his eyes losing some of their hardness. He released her arm, his hand dropping to his side.
"You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" he said, a hint of amusement and misery creeping into his voice.
Adanna rubbed her arm, her eyes still wary. "I'm just telling the truth," she said.
Lorenzo nodded, his gaze lingering on her face. For a moment, she thought she saw a glimmer of curiosity, of interest, in his eyes.
But then, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the garden.
ADANNA
As she watched him go, Adanna felt a shiver run down her spine. She had no idea what had just happened, or what this unpredictable man was thinking.
But as she turned to make her way back to the house, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just been given a temporary reprieve.
Because, as far as she knew, he had merely decided to change tactics. Everyone knew how cunning and mysterious Lorenzo Eduardo could be, and the last thing she wanted was to be a thought in his mind. But what could she possibly do at this moment? Fight? Nope. She'd have to wait, watch, and see what her fate would be.
LORENZO
As he walked away, he was already thinking about how he could uncover more information about this woman—what secrets she was hiding and who she truly was.
He would question her again, but next time, he would be better prepared. Next time, he would get to the truth.
He'd come with proof.
He entered the house with his mind racing with thoughts of the woman in his house, and kept thinking of so many ways to get her profile without raising any suspicions.
As he entered the house, he was greeted by the silent, watchful eyes of Aldo, but he knew better than to ask questions or pry into his affairs.
And so, he made his way to his study, his mind racing with thoughts of Adanna and the secrets she was hiding. He would get to the bottom of it, no matter what it took. The game was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning.
He didn't know how long he stayed in his study, racking his brains on the best approach to the elephant in the room, until he looked at the clock and saw it was three a.m. He then decided to go and catch some sleep but met Aldo on his way. He shook his head because, as much as Aldo acted like he didn't have feelings or affection in him, he still went the extra mile for the people he cared about. He knew something was wrong with Lorenzo but didn't want to cross his boundaries and ask. He waited for him to spill the beans, but staying awake and waiting was a sign of reassurance, and Lorenzo felt so lucky to have such a loyal person by his side.
He walked up to him, and the older man frowned in disagreement as he saw Lorenzo, but still didn't say a word. After a few minutes of silence, Lorenzo groaned in frustration and said,
"You really know how to break a person, you know?"
Aldo didn't say anything, but his eyes danced in amusement as he seemed to be enjoying his friend's conflicting thoughts.
"I want a complete profile of that woman upstairs. I want to know everything about her. Get my private investigator and tell him I want full information concerning her. No holding back—raw and complete information."
"Yes, boss. Any other thing?" Aldo asked.
"Oh, no, that's all for now. I also want you to keep an eye on Matteo. I don't know what else he is up to, but I want to deal with him real soon and get it over with."
The other man nodded in agreement and left for his room only when Lorenzo took the stairs that led to his bedroom.
ADANNA
As Adanna closed the door to her room, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had made it through the intense confrontation with Lorenzo and had managed to keep herself from acting stupid.
But as she leaned against the door, her eyes scanning the dimly lit room, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach. She felt like she was walking on thin ice, like one wrong move could send her tumbling into the depths of Lorenzo's wrath.
Fear was a palpable thing, a living, breathing entity that wrapped itself around her heart and squeezed tight. Her mind was racing with thoughts of what could happen next, of what this man might do to her when he was ready to devour her. Because at this point, she felt like an entrapped mouse at the mercy of its predator.
And yet, despite the fear that gripped her, Adanna couldn't deny the other emotions that swirled inside her. There was a thrill of excitement, a spark of attraction that had ignited when Lorenzo's eyes had locked onto hers.
She remembered the way he had looked at her, the way his gaze had seemed to burn with an inner fire. She remembered the way his voice had sounded, low and husky, sending shivers down her spine.
She felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she realized that she was attracted to him and thanked her stars she was dark-skinned because if she weren't, she would have given her feelings away. She couldn't help the way she felt despite the danger that he posed. She was drawn to his power, his confidence, and his unapologetic masculinity. He was too standoffish and domineering sometimes, but it seemed like it pulled her heart toward him the more. She knew her life was in his hands now, knowing he was too deadly, like the devil. She'd heard many gory tales about him, yet she still wanted him in ways she never knew could play in her imagination.
It was a confusing, maddening mix of emotions, and she didn't know how to untangle them. She felt like she was torn between two opposing forces, fear and attraction, and she didn't know which one would ultimately win out.
As she stood there, frozen in indecision, she knew that she had to be careful. She had to keep her wits about her, and she had to be prepared for anything.
Because when it came to Lorenzo, Adanna knew that she was playing with fire.
LORENZO
As he closed the door to his room, he felt a sense of frustration wash over him. He had been so sure that he could break her, that he could crack the facade she had built around herself and discover a lot of things concerning her boss.
But she had refused to budge, her eyes flashing with defiance even as her voice remained steady. Lorenzo couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration for her spirit, even as he was determined to uncover her secrets.
As he poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat down in his favorite chair, which was his routine whenever he had something to tackle, he drank it and wondered if the alcohol was having an effect on him as his mind began to wander back to her. He thought about the way she had looked at him, her eyes sparkling with a mix of fear and determination.
He thought about the way she had stood up to him, refusing to back down even when he had leaned in close, his voice low and menacing. And he thought about the way she had smelled, a sweet, floral scent that had lingered in his nostrils long after he had left her in the garden.
He knew she had gone back to her room, but he still wanted to be sure. Then he stopped himself when he remembered how late it was.
His eyes narrowed as he thought about her and what she represented.
What was she hiding? And why was she so determined to keep her mouth shut even after he came personally to her? He knew he had a domineering presence, which many trembled at the sight of him, but this strange woman had tried to raise her head defiantly to him. He wanted to know how she got her guts—that death didn't scare her.
As he sat there, sipping his whiskey and staring into the flames, Lorenzo felt a sense of obsession growing inside him. He was determined to uncover her secrets, no matter what it took. He wanted to unearth everything about her. He felt excitement bud up his veins and couldn't wait for the mysteries to unravel.
And as he finally drifted off to sleep, his last thought was of Adanna—her eyes sparkling in the firelight, her secrets locked safely behind her defiant eyes.