Chapter 19

Luca

I wasn’t surprised when Isadora started digging. I’d known she would. Her curiosity was like a magnet, pulling her deeper into the very things I needed her to stay away from. I had expected her to find something—there was no way I could’ve kept her in the dark forever. But what I hadn’t expected was for her to go this deep.

She was smarter than I gave her credit for.

As I watched her across the room, her eyes burning with the knowledge she’d uncovered, I could tell she was pissed. It was written all over her—her rigid posture, the way her jaw clenched when she looked at me. She was angry, but more than that, she was unsettled. And I liked that. I knew she hated being in the dark, hated the feeling of being out of control. It was the one thing I had over her—the one thing I could use to keep her in line. But even that was slipping.

She had found the offshore accounts, the hidden investments, the connection between her father’s company and the money laundering. I’d made sure of it. It had been too risky to keep her completely in the dark about my involvement, so I let her chase a trail that would lead her straight to the truth I wanted her to know. But the deeper she went, the more she realized there was more to this than just her father.

I had to admit, I was impressed with her persistence. The way she had pieced everything together, how she had confronted me—It was exactly how I would’ve done it. She wasn’t the kind of woman to back down, not when she had her mind set on something.

And now she was standing in front of me, eyes full of fire and anger, pushing me like she always did. But something was different now. There was an edge to her, a rawness that made the usual games we played feel like child’s play.

I couldn’t help it. I leaned back in my chair, watching her with a mix of amusement and something darker, something I didn’t want to name. She was still standing there, defiant, waiting for me to say something. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of answering right away.

When she finally spoke, it wasn’t with anger—it was with a kind of resigned understanding.

“You’re the one who’s been helping him.” Her voice was steady, but I could hear the slight tremor beneath the surface. She was so much more than she let on. “That’s how the money suddenly started flowing again. Don’t pretend I don’t know what’s going on.”

I didn’t flinch, but I could feel the shift in the air. She’d found the connection—she’d found the part of this I’d been trying to protect her from. I had kept her out of the deeper details for a reason.

I took my time, setting my coffee cup down slowly. “You’ve dug deeper than I thought you would,” I said, my voice calm, almost detached. But inside, I felt a tightening in my chest. She was getting closer to the part of this I hadn’t planned to share.

She took a step forward, not backing down. “I’m not an idiot, Oliver. I don’t need you to tell me everything. I’m already figuring it out.”

Her words hit harder than I expected. The truth was, she was much more than I’d ever given her credit for. And that scared me.

I could’ve pushed her away. Could’ve played my usual game, but something told me not to. Not this time. She was too close, and for the first time, I didn’t want to keep her at arm’s length.

I stood up and closed the distance between us, slowly. She didn’t move, didn’t back down. That defiance in her eyes, that look that told me she wouldn’t take no for an answer… it was like a challenge.

I didn’t respond right away. Instead, I cupped her face with one hand, the back of my fingers brushing her skin. The air between us thickened, and I saw her swallow, her pulse fluttering just below her skin.

“I didn’t want you to find this,” I whispered, my voice low, a warning in the undertones.

She didn’t say anything. Instead, she leaned in closer, her breath warm against my chest. Her lips parted, and for a moment, it felt like the world outside of this room disappeared.

Without thinking, I pulled her to me, my lips crashing into hers in a kiss that was rough, urgent. She didn’t fight it. She kissed me back with that same fire, her hands gripping my shirt like she was trying to pull me closer.

The kiss was everything we had been dancing around—tension, frustration, desire. I wanted to drown in it, to let the heat of it consume us. But I pulled away just as quickly, leaving her breathless, her lips swollen and parted.

I was in control. I had to be.

I stepped back, my chest heaving, but I didn’t take my eyes off her. She was still standing there, dazed, her cheeks flushed.

“You think you know everything, Isadora,” I said softly, my voice dangerously calm. “But there’s more. And if you keep digging, you might not like what you find.”

She blinked, still trying to regain her composure, but there was something in her eyes now—something different. The game had changed, and I wasn’t sure either of us was ready for what came next.

“You’re playing with fire,” I added, watching her carefully.

She took a step forward, her expression unreadable now, but I saw the flicker of something in her gaze.

“I don’t care,” she whispered, barely audible, but enough for me to hear.

And I knew, then, that this wasn’t just about the truth anymore. This was something deeper. Something dangerous.

I didn’t know if I was ready for it. But Isadora was already too deep, and there was no turning back now.