Chapter 4

“Eve, even if that's true, you're still my assistant! You have to come back!”

Matthew's voice on the other end was frantic and anxious, nothing like the calm and composed man he'd been at the celebration banquet that night.

I leaned against the headboard and let out a soft laugh.

“Mr. Matthew, you said it yourself. I'm only your assistant.”

“So I have no obligation to maintain your business connections, build your network, or continue paving the way for you.”

Matthew completely lost his composure.

“Eve, didn't you say you loved me?!”

His voice suddenly rose, almost hysterical.

“Is this how you treat the man you love?!”

“You cut off those connections just like that, and now my cash flow is completely frozen!”

“Eve, I'm supposed to meet Lilith's father next week to discuss a government contract. You’ve left me in this state. How am I supposed to show my face?!”

“If you love me, then you should help me!”

Listening to the sheer entitlement in his voice, I gave a quiet laugh.

“I'm sorry, Mr. Matthew.”

“I don't love you anymore.”

“And please, don't call me again.”

Before he could say another word, I hung up and blocked the number.

Once I was done, I tossed my phone onto the nightstand, turned off the lights, and lay down.

Outside the window, I could faintly hear the waves crashing against the shore, carrying the damp chill unique to Sicily after midnight.

I closed my eyes.

Slowly, my breathing settled.

For the first time in five years, I slept peacefully.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by the ringing of my phone.

An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen.

I hesitated for two seconds before answering.

“Are you Eve Moretti?”

A woman's voice came from the other end.

“This is Lilith Bianchi.”

“Matthew told me everything. You deceived him and sabotaged his business behind his back.”

“I’m warning you. Whatever happens to Matthew concerns me too. You'd better apologize to him and restore those business connections.”

“Otherwise…”

She paused, her voice carrying an unmistakable threat.

“My father won't let you get away with this.”

I listened until she finished.

Then I smiled.

“Miss Bianchi, you can have Mr. Matthew come find me whenever he wants.”

“I'll be waiting.”

After saying that, I had no interest in wasting another second talking to Lilith.

I hung up.

By the time I went downstairs, my parents were already waiting for me at the dining table.

Sitting in the middle of the table was a plate of almond cakes, my favorite when I was a child.

My mother had woken up early to make them herself.

Over breakfast, my father told me that he'd been watching everything I'd accomplished over the past five years.

He also told me that, three days from now, he would officially announce that I was taking over the family.

For the next few days, I would follow him through the transition and learn everything I needed to know.

I agreed without hesitation.

Soon afterward, the family lawyer called me.

He told me that every business arrangement between Matthew's company and the Moretti family had been canceled.

Some of the partners went even further.Desperate to prove their loyalty to the Moretti family, they swore they wouldn't have anything to do with Matthew ever again.

When I heard that, I simply smiled.

I had just hung up with the lawyer when another unfamiliar number called.

I knew it was Matthew.

So I didn't answer.

I was done wasting my time fighting with him.

But I never expected that, just before the workday ended, my assistant, Anna, would rush into my office.

“Miss Moretti, there's something about you blowing up online.”

“You'd better take a look.”

I frowned and opened my computer.

The moment I saw the headline, I froze.

A story had already exploded across the internet.

Matthew appeared in front of the cameras with bloodshot eyes, publicly claiming that he had been deceived by me.

According to him, the moment I saw him make his relationship with Lilith public, I became consumed by jealousy and resentment.

He claimed I had somehow manipulated his business partners into canceling their contracts with him.

Worse, he accused me of stealing the company's cash and running away with it.

He claimed that as long as I admitted my mistake, he would forgive me.

As one of Rome's rising business tycoons, Matthew was handsome, wealthy, and constantly in the spotlight.

Over the past few years, he had repeatedly ranked among Rome's top ten men women most wanted to marry.

His heartbroken expression immediately won over countless people.

Online, the comments were filled with people condemning me.

They accused me of being cruel.

They said I had betrayed Matthew's trust.

Some even threatened to track me down and expose my identity.

I merely smiled.

Matthew didn't know I was the daughter of the Moretti family .

And that meant he had no idea just how ridiculous this little stunt of his was.

I was just reaching for my phone to call the family lawyer when another unfamiliar number came through.

This time, I answered.

Matthew's smug voice immediately came through the phone.

“Eve, have you realized your mistake yet?”