SARAHI woke from my nap with a kind of excitement I hadn’t felt in a long time. It almost reminded me of being younger, when the thought of going out with someone special made my stomach twist. I sat up slowly, brushing the sleep off my face, and my eyes drifted toward the box that held the dress Marco had brought back from his trip.I opened it carefully, almost nervous. The dress was elegant, nothing flashy, but it had a cut and a color that felt made for me. I held it against myself, smiling without meaning to. When I slipped it on and stood before the mirror, I almost didn’t believe it was me. The fabric hugged me perfectly, soft against my skin. I adjusted the straps and smoothed it down, staring at the way it fit like it had been waiting for me.The jewelry box sat on the dresser, still where Marco had placed it. I opened it and picked up the necklace first, fastening it around my neck. It shimmered under the light, delicate but strong. I added the earrings, then the bracelet,
MARCOThe jet slowed as it hit the runway, the wheels humming hard against the ground before the plane settled into a smooth roll. I leaned back in my seat, my eyes on the window. New York stretched out beyond the glass, gray and alive, the same city that never gave a man a break. It felt heavy, like always, but familiar.The seatbelt light blinked off. I stood first, straightening my jacket, making sure my suit was in place. My face stayed calm, unreadable. The past three days sat heavy in my chest, but none of it showed.The stairs lowered with a hiss. I stepped down steady, my shoes hitting the metal, the cold air cutting sharp as I reached the ground.Tony and Petrov waited by the black car, both standing like soldiers. Tony’s broad frame carried the look of someone restless, hungry to move again. Petrov stood quieter, his sharp eyes scanning everything around him, the way he always did.Behind me, Sofia came down the steps. Her heels clicked against the stairs, her stride smooth,
SOFIAThe jet hummed steady, a low sound that filled the cabin, but between us, silence ruled. I sat with my back straight, legs crossed, every inch of me put together. The dress, the heels, the cut of the jacket—nothing was random. Every detail was chosen to remind him of who I was. What I was. What I had been to him once.But Marco didn’t look at me. Not once. His head stayed bent over his papers, phone in one hand, pen in the other. He scribbled notes, flipped pages, shifted through numbers as if I didn’t exist.The coldness of it pressed into my chest, sharper than I wanted to admit.I tilted my chin slightly, studying him. His jaw was tight, his focus exact, his movements clean. He looked like a man carved from steel. But I knew better. I had felt the heat in him the night before, felt his hands on my waist, his mouth answering mine before he pulled away. He wanted me. He had wanted me. That kind of desire didn’t disappear just because he forced it back.The silence stretched. I
MARCOMorning hit harder than I wanted it to. My head was clear, my body steady, but the memory of last night stayed sharp in me. Sofia’s perfume still lingered faintly in my suit jacket where she had pressed against me. I had thrown her out, cut her off, but the weight of it stayed. I didn’t let it show. I buried it under the part of me that never slipped—the one that came alive when business was on the table.I put on the charcoal suit, fixed the tie tight, and checked the time. We had one goal today. Get the deal signed, seal the respect, and walk out stronger than we came in. Nothing else mattered.The car was waiting. Sofia was already inside, dressed sharp this time, dark skirt, silk blouse, hair slicked back, makeup neat. Not a trace of last night’s stunt showed in her look, but the silence in the car told me enough. She sat straight, hands folded in her lap, eyes on the window. Not one word from her.I leaned back in my seat, watching the streets roll by. My mind went over the
MARCOThe car ride back from the Delphini estate was quiet. I leaned against the seat, eyes on the road ahead, while Sofia shifted beside me, restless. The night had been long, the kind of night where every word spoken was measured, where every look carried weight. I should have felt the pull of victory, but my mind was already elsewhere.“You know,” she said, breaking the silence, “we looked good in there. People couldn’t stop watching us. We carried that room.”I didn’t move my eyes from the window. “It went well. That’s all that matters.”Her laugh was soft, forced. “That’s all? Marco, come on. You can admit it. We made an impression. You and me, together, we were solid.”I let out a slow breath. “The pitch was yesterday. Tonight was presence. We did what was needed.”She leaned in a little, voice lower, almost playful. “You really don’t like saying it out loud, do you? That we make a good pair.”Finally, I turned to her. My tone stayed even. “You did your work. Thank you for that.
MARCOThe estate rose like a fortress over the city, high walls guarding a kingdom built on silence and power. By the time our car rolled to the front, the driveway was alive with black cars, headlights cutting against stone, guards posted at every angle. Their eyes didn’t wander—they tracked every move like hunters waiting for a slip.I stepped out first, jacket sharp, tie in place. My shoes hit the ground steady. Sofia came out behind me, her heels clicking a rhythm that drew eyes before the shine of her dress did. She knew what she was doing.Lorenzo Delphini stood near the entrance, his sons just behind him. They didn’t move unless he did. His smile was wide, but his stare was made to test. His handshake had weight, the kind that reminded you this man could call your fate in a single word.“De Luca,” he said, his voice low, rough with years of smoke and deals. “Yesterday you gave us numbers. Tonight, we test presence. Numbers fade. Presence lasts.”I held his grip firm, met his ey