Roses and Ruins

r lap like an old friend. The guy Lorenzo sent... amateur. Meant to scare her, not kill her. But that move

erat

tiffness out her bones, and walked to the kitchen. Coffee first, always. Two sugars, no milk. The bitter

zed once.

s. Estate's massive. Bu

Tal

Guard rotation is weak during drop-offs. One blind spot near the e

row's We

xact

smi

-

MANCINI

ates, tall trees lining the front like bodyguards. Wealth didn't whisper here-it scr

ry uniform, cargo truck. Basket of overpric

. She smiled sweet, flirted just enoug

was a tomb. It smelled like power and rot. Everything too clean,

scanning. Memorizing c

own the greenhouse path. Security cam above you's

nder her boots. The greenhouse loomed ahead-glass

e he'd h

-

nd what she did

s, flowers. It smelled like earth and

shade of leaves, behind crat

heard t

ul, aren

a f

re

one in hand, tailored shirt rolled at the s

ne. But touch them wrong..

to the vines, hea

. "Rosa. Or whatever she's calling herself now.

ls dug int

everything. If she leaks

n something st

can't decide if I want t

stomach

. When she finally made it out, heart still r

-

AT HE

ind her, yanked off the wig, t

ice cut in, "

aw h

us

e I was... a threat. Bu

"He's obsessed.

kno

etting

cing. "No. I'm

-

T N

footage from 2017-Riccardo Mancini handing off a case of cash to

es, the inte

ily deep in ar

ught on tape-Vatic

ency board gathering. Shares dr

t. Direc

rld turn upside down. Her wine g

phone r

wn nu

wer. But a voi

play

trolled. "But next time, aim better. You

-

TER – ROME, G

fake friends and real enemies pretending to

lace. Silk dress, blood red. Hair

across the roo

straigh

rowd

onna,"

her head.

d for one

led. The da

you had the

ll wore your father's

uc

close. T

you rea

tch yo

pa

same," he murmured,

l reek of

ghed s

e me tha

for people

ven't you ki

closer. Her

o see everything fall. Brick by brick. I wan

urned and

an watching his past come b

-

AT HE

n was

t declar

kno

for what

rette. Took on

ot sto

e hit h

the ne

inner circle. His lawyer. His mistress. His

t. Saw the p

etty. Ner

the charity front. But she's been embezzl

nod

er tal

. "Oh, she's al