M R

n't be

be Camilla. That

s dea

many times those words rang in my head... But still, here I was, starin

dded like a

be Lorenzo Vincent's

urreal it felt, my

way she spoke, everythi

ranges

once loo

me back to the moment. I pulled it out and saw

re now!" Her voice

mach d

be?" I asked quietly, m

h the line and that itself made me

e said, barely holding her

, ready

when she

mean... Giu

her eyes, making them glitter like shattered glass. I froze. For a mom

n... sh

miliar

ccent a perfect blend of Ital

not Cam

like Camilla-but

've fallen apart just catching my gaze-she loved me

tood tall, compos

ry..." I fumbled, comp

say? My brain had abandoned

der?" she asked, her bro

you don't mind, Mrs. Vincent," I said, trying hard to pull m

n't mis

part in the ceremony," she said gracefully.

mn

ed breat

on. "I appreciate your presence... I m

slightly, her voi

e... in private? This room's a bit

eath shaky. Then

d and led

ollowed

hallway. She turned to face me-and s

y blazed with a familiar, unnervi

emind her of the reason we'd come in

ou're selling some shares under the M-Elites group... I'd like to buy

led. A cold jolt

. Vincent. I'm... honestly surpr

ought I sounded cool w

gh, her fingers brushing her lip

east, not the Camilla I remembered. There was something diff

ughts scattered lik

Her scent wrapped around

m against my skin. I couldn't move. My body refuse

urged th

could swear my he

on your collar," she

form a reply, her heel slipped-her dress ta

t, instinctively, just a

th

ia

e echoed thr

and sh

ing just a few feet away, her e

ght of Giulia resting in my arms, or the fac

ready charging forward like a storm, her eyes wide, chest

n-S

oss Giulia's face w

e echo of the slap bounced off

by the shoulders, shoving her b

g with you?" I snarled

aking down her cheeks. Her chest hitch

her cheek, calm but shaken. "You just slapped Lor

airs. You said you were coming. And then I see you here... wi

. "You didn't see me for ten minutes and decide

scared, I waited in the room forever for you to c

me! You don't just hit people

hrough the tension l

d have reacted the same... if I

lia-and that's when

eally stared. The color

n she s

Why won't you leave us alone, Ca

again, her hands clawing through the air li

ng her back hard. "That is Mrs. Giulia

en behind us, and walking in was a man

ce was low but, dangero

nch. Her poise wa

enzo. Just a mi

ded me a card with a smi

my offer, Mr. Ryder. Don'

e walke

her shoes clacked against the tiled

ping her arm, now, she was trembli

he whispered. "Camill

ad, Karen. What you just saw was a lookal

from her purse and sh

a drenched in red paint.

scrawled across th

my jaw clenched but I quickly plast

omeone messing with your head. You know there are still a lot

ve me?" Karen hissed,

er dead in

ulia is not her. And if this little outburst

her answer, but the silence behi

thoughts we

isn't C

can'

gh