CHAPTER 4

THE NEW OWNER

FIVE YEARS LATER

The room was heavy with tension. The rich scent of cigars and expensive liquor lingered in the hotel's private suite, where Alessandro De Luca had come to seal a deal.

His piercing blue eyes settled on Carmine, the hotel's owner. "My time isn't something I like to waste, Carmine. Your hotel has caught my attention, and I intend to make it mine. The price I'm offering is generous," he said, leaning back in his leather chair.

"But, Mr. De Luca, I didn't want to sell my luxury resort, " Carmine stammered.The establishment was his livelihood, and he had no intention of selling.

But fear gripped him, the man sitting across from him wasn't just a billionaire tycoon. Dark rumors surrounded his name. Underneath his expensive tailor-made suit sat a ruthless Mafia boss who ruled Italy's underworld with an iron fist.

Who could dare deny a man like him?

Carmine tried to plead once more. "I can pay double the protection f*e I've been paying, Mr. De Luca."

Alessandro tapped his fingers twice on the polished mahogany table, his patience wearing dangerously thin. "This hotel became mine the moment I decided I wanted it. Now, it's your decision whether to sell it willingly and accept the money with your dignity intact... or..." Alessandro tilted his head, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "I'll rip it away from you, and you'll be on your knees begging me to spare your life. The choice is yours."

Damien, Alessandro's right-hand man, stepped forward and placed a thick leather folder on the desk. Carmine, knowing better than to press further, picked up the pen with a heavy heart and signed. His life was far more important than the property.

Alessandro rose to his feet and buttoned his suit jacket. "Get familiar with the hotel's management," he instructed Damien before striding toward the door.

Just as he reached it, the door swung open, causing Alessandro to freeze.

A young woman dressed in a waitress's uniform stepped inside, pushing a trolley loaded with refreshments. Alessandro stared at her in complete disbelief. His eyes fell on the tiny beauty mark above the left side of her upper lip.

It was her. The brave woman who had saved his life five years ago.

According to the official reports he had received back then, she had died in a violent car accident that very night. Yet here she stood, alive, breathtaking, her soft features matured into refined elegance.

"Good morning, sir," Aurora greeted him with a polite, professional smile.

She looked at him with complete indifference, clearly having no idea who he was. Unknown to him, five years ago, the crash had left her with severe head trauma, wiping away key memories from that tragic night.

Even if her memory had been intact, the bloodied, dying man she had helped in the shadowy cemetery bore little resemblance to the immaculate, imposing billionaire standing in front of her now.

Noticing her boss Carmine looking pale and shaken near the desk, Aurora frowned slightly. "Sir...?" she called out hesitantly, sensing the heavy tension in the room.

Alessandro motioned subtly to Damien, who promptly escorted the trembling Carmine out of the office. Once the door clicked shut, leaving Aurora alone with the blue-eyed stranger, a nervous chill settled over her.

Forcing herself to stay professional, she poured a glass of red wine and held it out to him. "Your drink, sir."

Alessandro ignored the glass, stepping closer to study her dark eyes. "What's your name?"

"Aurora Perez, sir," she replied in a quiet voice, taking a small step back.

Aurora Perez. The name echoed through Alessandro's mind. Five years ago, her records had listed her under a different surname. He knew without a doubt it was the same woman. Did she truly not recognize him, or was she playing a game?

"Five years ago in Florence, an incident took place near the tower. Do you know anything about it?" Alessandro asked smoothly.

Aurora froze. A sudden pang of anxiety hit her chest. Her past was a dark blur of pain, medical recovery, and a forced change of identity to hide from the Moretti family after waking up in the hospital.

Hearing him mention Florence brought back a wave of phantom fear. Was this man connected to the people who had tried to kill her?

Alessandro watched the sudden color drain from her face. As she stood lost in panic, he reached out to touch her arm.

The physical contact made Aurora flinch. The glass slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor, splashing red wine across his crisp white shirt.

"I... I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to..." she stammered, hurriedly grabbing napkins from the cart to wipe the stain.

Alessandro caught her trembling hands, bringing her frantic movements to a halt. He gently pulled her closer, his warm breath brushing against her face. Looking up into his cold blue eyes, Aurora felt a strange mix of fear and discomfort.

"I asked you a question, Ms. Aurora," he said quietly. "Do you remember the incident five years ago in Florence?"

Aurora forced herself to look straight into his eyes and lie. "No. I have never been to Florence, sir."

Alessandro narrowed his eyes, searching her face. He could tell she was hiding something, but he didn't press. "Is that so?"

"Yes. Now please let me go, sir. I need to get back to work."

He held her gaze for a beat longer before releasing her wrist. "Sure."

Aurora didn't waste a second. She turned on her heel and rushed out of the suite, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.

Alessandro watched her leave, a faint smirk touching his lips as he looked at the shattered glass on the floor.

"At least you told me your name this time, Signorina," he murmured to himself. He pulled out his phone and speed-dialed his right-hand man.

"Boss?" Damien answered instantly.

"Damien, I need a complete background file on a woman who was declared dead five years ago... under the name Aurora Perez."