The morning sun spilled over Florence, but Alessia Romano was already at her father's company, Romano Holdings, reviewing every move Marco Vitale had made in the past months. Her sharp eyes traced contracts, cross-checked accounts, and uncovered minor inconsistencies that most would have overlooked.
"Signorina," one of the accountants said nervously, "these payments to Vitale… some are disguised as routine transfers, but I found one that's… unusual."
Alessia leaned over the desk, examining the ledger. "Unusual how?"
"They're small, but frequent. Almost like someone is testing the waters — checking for reactions, vulnerabilities…"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Exactly. They think they can probe us. They've underestimated me."
Alessia spent the rest of the day mapping out a plan. She created a network of checks and balances, tracing every Vitale-linked transaction and marking potential weak points. She didn't just want to react — she wanted to control the game.
By late afternoon, she stepped out onto the balcony, overlooking the city, letting the wind carry her thoughts. Florence glittered below, serene and unaware. But Alessia knew better. Shadows were moving in places no one could see.
That night, she returned to the estate to review her plans in privacy. As she walked through the halls, a faint creaking sound echoed behind her. She froze.
Nothing.
Her instincts told her something had changed — the air itself felt heavier, charged. Someone had been here, somewhere nearby, testing her, watching her movements. But who?
She didn't know, and that uncertainty made her sharper.
Sitting at her desk, Alessia carefully documented everything: threats, irregularities, and potential enemy moves. She labeled it "Vitale Strategies — Observation Phase."
She didn't yet know that her most dangerous watcher wasn't Marco Vitale at all — but someone much closer, silent, and studying her every move from the shadows.
By the time she finally retired for the night, her mind was racing, plotting, calculating. She had survived abroad, she had survived betrayal, and now she would survive whatever game Marco—or whoever was behind it—tried to play.
Alessia Romano didn't just respond to threats. She created them.