Chapter 4

On the tenth day, I learned Gian had arrived in Layshire from the news. Tabloids were flooded with photos of him stepping off his private jet. Every headline was written in that dramatic, clickbait style.

"Why Is the Don of an Old Poralia Family in Layshire?"

"Are the Lucentis Making a Move on Layshire?"

Soon, a video went viral.

A reporter shouted at Gian, asking why he'd suddenly come to Layshire. Gian gave the camera a small smile and answered, "I'm here to take my fiancee home."

Immediately, the identity of Gian's fiancee became the biggest secret every mafia member in Layshire wanted to crack.

At 9:00 pm that night, a knock sounded at my door—right on time.

I took a deep breath and opened it. Before I could get a good look at the person, a hand yanked me into an embrace. A familiar yet also unfamiliar scent filled my nose.

Steel-like arms locked around me, holding me tight. Then, a pair of burning lips crashed into mine, but it lasted only a second before they pulled away.

Gian's voice came out low and husky. "You're already divorced, vero?"

"I—" I managed only one word before he silenced me again with another kiss.

Between breaths, Gian murmured, "Non importa… I missed you so much…"

…

By the time Gian brought me to the airport, my lips were swollen.

We hadn't even gotten out of the car when I saw the swarm of reporters outside the terminal. Nervous, my hands started shaking again.

Gian held my hand gently. "Though I'd love for the whole world to know you're my fiancee, you're not in the best condition right now. I'll let you off the hook this time."

So, he wrapped his coat around me and led me straight through the flashing cameras and up the steps onto the private plane.

The moment I sat down in the plane bound for Poralia, I was still a little dazed. I couldn't believe that I was actually leaving with Gian.

On impulse, I checked the surveillance feed for the Vitale mansion.

Erico, Joanna, Marcus, and a few of Erico's usual no-good buddies were drinking in the dining room. Erico looked like he'd had quite a few already and was sprawled out on the couch, lazily scrolling through his phone.

Suddenly, he sat up straight, frowning at the screen.

"Marcus, take a look at this. Doesn't Gian Lucenti's fiancee look a little like Nina?"

Marcus took the phone, glanced at it, then shot a quick look at a visibly annoyed Joanna.

"There are plenty of women who look like la signora… I mean, like Nina. Last week, I saw a model on the street who had the same figure as her, too."

"That's true," Erico said, sinking back into the couch. "Nina said she was leaving not long ago, so I got paranoid. Other than here, where else could she possibly go? Besides, how would she even know Gian Lucenti?"

Marcus laughed. "Exactly. You're overthinking things. Nina's probably still crying in that old apartment right now, waiting for you to go pick her up."

The words seemed to reassure Erico. He guffawed loudly, then pulled the sullen Joanna close and whispered something to her. Her face flushed instantly, and she gave him a playful smack on the chest.

He swiftly tapped his phone a few times, then tossed it aside.

At that moment, my phone buzzed with an incoming message from him.

"Joanna says the ski resorts in Scalmaria are amazing. Be good, and I'll take you there soon."

I yanked out the SIM card, uninstalled the surveillance app, and powered off my phone.

I wondered what his expression would be like when he eventually found out that I'd really left. I couldn't wait to find out.