Chapter 2

The muffled sounds cut sharply through the silence. They were coming from Simone's room.

The door was slightly ajar, leaving a narrow crack. Inside, someone was clearly struggling to hold back their desire.

Tania stopped instinctively and peered through the gap. What she saw would haunt her forever.

Simone stood with his back to the door, just outside the bathroom. He had a black robe hung loose on his shoulders, revealing the smooth lines of his back.

With his head arched back, his Adam's apple bobbed violently. A low, muffled groan escaped his throat, trailing off into a whispered, "Noemi…"

In his hand, he clutched a pale yellow silk scarf. His fingers obsessively stroked the fabric while the other side pressed firmly against his lower abdomen.

His gesture held a fixation that was almost devout.

Tania recognized the scarf instantly. It belonged to Noemi.

Her blood seemed to freeze, and her fingernails dug deep into her palms until they went numb with pain.

Her mind flashed back to a night about a month ago.

Tania had accidentally caught Simone speaking quietly with two men in black suits by a black sedan.

Hiding behind a pillar, she overheard their conversation.

"Don Lanzi, please come back to lead. The famiglia can't go on without you," one man said respectfully.

Simone's tone was cold, yet beneath it lay an uncompromising stubbornness. "Not yet."

"But you've been undercover in the Giordano family for two years!" another urged. "Taking them down should be easy. Why humiliate yourself as a bodyguard? If you like Ms. Noemi, just take her with you. There's no need to complicate things."

"Noemi lacks a sense of security."

Simone's tone softened. "I can't scare her off. I have to win her trust slowly to truly protect her. As for Tania, she's just a convenient cover for me to stay close to the Giordanos."

That hit Tania like a thunderbolt.

The man who'd been her bodyguard for two years was actually the Don of the Lanzi family, undercover all along just for Noemi.

Two years ago, when the Giordano family was ambushed by enemies, Tania nearly died on the streets of Mythran. Simone had suddenly appeared, shielding her and pulling her to safety.

After she woke, she found herself helplessly drawn to him.

He had a face that was as handsome as it was hostile. His features were profound and sharp, and his slightly upturned eyes lent him an air of nonchalant ruthlessness.

When his lips were pressed thin, he radiated a cold, unapproachable vibe, but when he smiled, it was wickedly charming.

His physique was equally striking—tall and lean, with broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist.

Simone claimed to be a retired mercenary seeking refuge with the Giordano family. Tania believed him and made him her personal bodyguard.

Throughout these two years, he had stood by her through countless life-or-death moments. He'd taken bullets for her in Ravania, rescued her from kidnappers in Valoria, and even stayed up all night guarding her when some wealthy heir tried to drug her.

Tania had feelings for him.

She had deliberately gotten drunk at parties to fall into his arms, but he only steadied her waist politely, never crossing the line.

When she knocked on his door in the middle of the night in a silk nightgown, claiming a fear of the dark, he merely escorted her back to her room and stood guard outside.

She had faked a cramp in the pool, and he had dove in to save her with clinical efficiency, yet he carefully avoided any lingering contact with her skin.

Tania thought Simone was naturally cold. She believed if she tried harder, she could thaw that icy exterior.

But now she realized he wasn't cold. His warmth and gentleness were simply never meant for her.

Tania thought of her mother, Gisella Raspa, in her final moments.

At that time, Rino had brought his pregnant mistress into the house.

Gisella, already weak, couldn't take the shock. Betrayed by her husband, she fell ill and succumbed to despair.

During all those years alone abroad, Simone's presence was her only comfort. But now, even that fragile solace had turned into a cruel joke.

Suddenly, Simone's phone vibrated inside the room.

He stopped what he was doing and answered in a soft tone, "What's wrong, Ms. Noemi?"

Noemi's sweet voice came from the other end. "Simone, when are you coming back? I'm scared to be home alone, and you promised to take me to the art exhibit in Florinthia."

"I'll be back soon," Simone replied gently. "Just finishing up here, then I'll come find you."

"Don't lie to me, okay?" Noemi pouted. "By the way, is Tania making you stay with her?"

Simone remained silent for a few seconds before replying, "I'm just doing my job as a bodyguard. No one means more to me than you."

That line cut into Tania's heart like a knife.

Unable to hold back any longer, she burst through the door.

Simone stiffened and whipped around, his face still flushed with the afterglow. The scarf slipped from his hand onto the floor.

The air froze, leaving only their breathing mingling in the tension of the room.