Chapter 4

The spot next to me was already cold by the time I woke up the next day, just like how it had always been for the past three years.

I used to always come up with excuses for Lorenzo, saying things like him just being used to waking up early, or being too busy with work, or naturally disliking intimacy after sex.

But now, I learned that it wasn't because he disliked intimacy. It was just that he disliked intimacy with me.

I suppressed the nausea in my guts, cleaned up the mess left from the previous night, changed into my work clothes, and headed toward the company.

I realized that something was wrong as soon as I set foot into the company.

Everyone's eyes were still fixed on me, but even more blatantly, disdainfully, and with more schadenfreude than yesterday. It was like they were waiting for some drama to unfold.

My colleague next to me, Nadia Russo, cautiously tugged at my sleeve and whispered, "Eliana, there's a problem with the database from the case you were handling. The Underboss wants to see you at his office."

I felt my heart sink.

I pushed open the door to the Underboss', Claudio Bianchi's office, and saw that Fiore was already seated inside.

She was wearing a white suit with exquisite makeup on her face. She even gave me a fake smile when she saw me walking into the room.

"Eliana, you and Fiore had been jointly managing the database for the Famiglia's cases. But now, all the core data has been corrupted, and it's all garbled. Explain this."

Claudio spoke while rubbing his temples, looking exhausted.

I was just about to speak when Fiore immediately cut in first and said, "I know that I locked the computer after checking the database with my other colleagues that night. Only Eliana and I have access to the computer, and I was with the other colleagues for the entire night. They can vouch for me."

She then paused and looked at me with a sly expression on her face. "As for Ms. Torre… Nobody knows where she was that night."

I quickly thought back about that night, my mind racing.

I was with Vincenzo at the apartment that night. He had prepared a candlelit dinner for me and even opened up a bottle of wine he claimed was a special brew from Rotugal. It tasted a little funky, but I didn't think much about it and drank it all up.

After that, I fell into a daze and made love with him all night long.

So, Vincenzo hadn't been romantic that night after all. It had just been a scheme all along.

He had spiked the wine long before I drank it so that I would blank out and give them enough time to frame me for the blunder, and so I wouldn't be able to defend myself.

"I was with Don Caputo that night," I said, gritting my teeth as I spoke.

I had no choice but to expose my three-year secret relationship with Lorenzo to save myself. However, the office door opened just then, and Lorenzo walked in, expressionlessly tossing an iPad onto Claudio's desk.

It was video footage from the office surveillance cameras, showing him entering the office together with Fiore on the exact night the data was corrupted.

"I was with Fiore discussing a new dock project that night, and this is the full CCTV footage as proof. It's impossible that Fiore was the one who did it."

Lorenzo didn't even spare me a glance, speaking in such a calm manner that he might as well just be describing the weather.

All my blood ran cold at that moment.

His Plan A was to expose my intimate photos and ruin my promotion. Meanwhile, he came up with a Plan B to frame me for the database error so Fiore could maintain a clean record.

If the photos didn't ruin me first, then this disgrace of me ruining the database would ensure that I could never recover in this industry.

They had set up a trap for me from the very start, luring me in step by step, completely removing me as an "obstacle" from Fiore's path to her promotion.

"I understand," Claudio said with a sigh. "Since you're unable to provide an alibi, Eliana, then you will be held responsible for this. Rebuilding the database will cost millions of dollars. But considering you're a long-time employee in the Famiglia, you can just pay the fine, and we'll leave it at that."

"It wasn't me!" I exclaimed in a shaky voice. "I never did it!"

Claudio waved his hand dismissively at me and stopped me from fighting back. I could only walk out of his office in a dejected manner.

I'd only just reached the hallway when I heard Lorenzo's voice from the back.

"You don't have to worry about the fine. I'll pay it on your behalf. You've already lost the chance at the promotion because of your photos, but Fiore must have no stains on her record at all. Just admit the fault and take one for her."

I stopped in my tracks, looked up, and forced the tears back in.

So to him, my career, reputation, and life could never hold up to Fiore's career—something that couldn't get a single stain on it.

"I'll make dinner for you myself tonight to make it up to you," he added in a self-righteous tone he probably thought was a gentle one.

I didn't look back at him nor stop walking forward.

I couldn't afford to eat the dinner he was planning to make for me. The price for it would be my entire life in his hands.

I went back to my seat, turned on my laptop, and opened a blank document before typing out my resignation letter.

All three years of our relationship were only worth this thin sheet of A4 paper now.

I printed it out, signed my name, and went knocking on Claudio's office. I set down the letter before him.

"Thank you for the Famiglia's support. This is my week's notice for my resignation. I've already made up my mind about leaving. Kindly acknowledge it as soon as possible."

Claudio looked at me with shock in his eyes.

"Are you really planning to resign, Eliana? Someone's already agreed to pay the fine on your behalf. You—"

"I've made up my mind."

He looked at me for a while. Then he sighed and signed off on my resignation letter, acknowledging that my notice period and the resignation procedures would be completed within the week.

I took a copy of the letter back from him. It was very light, but it weighed down heavily on me, almost suffocating me.

I would be flying off to Grayland in exactly one week as well.

And when that time came, I would be 30,000 feet above sea level in the air, leaving behind this utterly rotten city and never returning for the rest of my life.