Chapter 3 Twisted Loyalties

I barely slept that night time. Luca’s sudden visit rattled me in methods I wasn’t prepared to address. The tequila had dulled my nerves, but it couldn’t silence the nagging thoughts swirling around in my head.

Why did Matteo send Luca of absolutely everyone to test on me?

Matteo slightly spoke approximately to his brother unless it came to whinge approximately how reckless and irresponsible he was. I’d always suspected there has been more to their strained courting, but Matteo by no means gave me info. Now, Luca suddenly at my doorstep, all worried and easy-talking. Something didn’t add up.

By the time morning rolled around, I felt like a zombie, eyes puffy from crying and zero sleep. I stared at myself within the mirror, slightly recognizing the girl looking back at me. Where had I long gone? The Gianna who used to have goals, confidence… a lifestyle that didn’t revolve around Matteo?

I didn’t know that female anymore.

"Okay, Gia. Enough of this shit," I muttered to my mirrored image, slapping my cheeks lightly to snap out of it. "You’ve been knocked down, but you’re not staying down."

I had to get out of the residence. Clear my head. Do something to remind myself that existence existed out of doors of this marital trainwreck.

Just as I became about to go out the door, my smartphone buzzed in my hand. It changed into a text from Matteo.

Matteo: I’ll be picking up my matters the next day. Be out of the house.

My stomach twisted, the edge of his bloodless message sinking deeper than I wanted to admit. Not even a "please." No discussion. Just some other order from him, like I became some employee to be controlled.

I typed out a response before I could forestall myself.

Me: Don’t fear, I won’t be here. Just take your stuff and cross.

The 3 little dots appeared for a moment, after which… nothing. He’d visible it and chose now not to respond.

Figures.

With a groan, I filled my phone in my bag and grabbed my keys. I wasn’t going to sit around awaiting Matteo to waltz again in here and make me experience like shit all all over again. I had to get out, breathe, and maybe—simply perhaps—locate some piece of myself again.

---

The espresso kept at the end of my road changed into my ordinary go-to for a select-me-up. Small, comfy, and tucked away from the busy streets. I walked in, the smell of clean espresso and warm pastries filling the air, right away calming me.

"Gianna! Long time no see," Claire, the barista, known as from at the back of the counter, her normal bubbly self. "You want your typical?"

"Yeah, thanks," I smiled, walking as much as the counter. It became quality to have a person greet me without the burden of my messed-up marriage striking between us.

I found a quiet nook and sank into one of the plush chairs, staring out the window as I sipped my espresso. For the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself simply… be. No disturbing about Matteo. No obsessing over what had long past incorrect. Just me, my coffee, and a moment of peace.

Of path, that peace becomes short-lived.

The door chimed, and I glanced up out of habit. My heart almost dropped into my belly.

Luca.

Of all of the coffee shops in this metropolis, of all the locations to just be, Luca had to stroll into this one?

I ducked lower in my seat, praying he wouldn’t see me. But success had never been on my facet.

"Well, properly. Look who’s hiding in undeniable sight." His voice became like silk, smooth and teasing, as he made his way over to my table.

I sighed, giving up my pathetic strive at camouflage. "I’m no longer hiding. I’m just… trying to have a quiet morning."

Luca raised an eyebrow, sliding into the chair throughout from me without even asking. "And yet, here you are, looking as if you noticed a ghost. What, did you believe you studied? I'd forgotten about you already?"

"You showed up at my residence uninvited the remaining night time. I’d say forgetting me isn’t the trouble," I shot again, crossing my fingers.

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair as if he owned the vicinity. "Fair enough. But I wasn’t there to hassle you, Gia. I became there due to the fact Matteo requested me to check on you."

"Yeah, because he’s so worried," I muttered under my breath.

Luca’s expression darkened, something transferring in his eyes. He leaned forward, his voice low. "You assume I’m doing this for him? Don’t give me an excessive amount of credit score, Gianna."

I frowned, burdened via the sudden seriousness in his tone. "Then why are you here? What’s your attitude?"

He became silent for a moment, his gaze studying me as if trying to decide how to mention a whole lot. Finally, he sighed, walking a hand through his messy, darkish hair. "Let’s simply say I’m now not precisely on Matteo’s side in all of this. I assume you deserve higher than what he’s supplying you with. Hell, you usually have."

My heart skipped a beat, my thoughts racing to system what he’d simply stated. Luca and Matteo weren’t near, sure, but this? This turned into something specific. This was non-public.

"You’re not on his facet?" I repeated, nonetheless trying to wrap my head around it. "Since while?"

He smirked, his regular cocky demeanor returning. "Since forever, babe. You just never observed because you were too busy being the perfect little wife."

I blinked, caught off guard by the edge of his words. "What the hell is that meant to mean?"

Luca leaned in even closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "It approaches, you have been so focused on preserving Matteo glad that you didn’t see the shitstorm brewing around you. He’s been gambling you, Gia. He’s been playing every person."

A cold kick back ran down my backbone. I may want to feel the air in the room shift, the load of his phrases settling in. "What are you speakme about, Luca?"

He hesitated, glancing around the espresso kept like he became worried someone might be listening in. When he spoke once more, his voice turned low, almost a whisper. "There’s greater taking place with Matteo than you already know. A lot extra. And agree with me, you don’t need to get caught in the crossfire when all of it blows up."

My mouth went dry, one million questions swirling in my head. "What type of ‘more’ are we speaking about? You want to be straight with me, Luca."

His eyes flickered with something I couldn’t pretty examine remorse, perhaps?before he leaned again in his chair, crossing his hands. "I can’t let you know everything right now. But what I can say is that Matteo’s now not simply after a brand new wife. He’s after manipulation. Power. And you… you’re a liability now."

The global felt love changed into spinning, and I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. "A liability? What the hell are you speaking about?"

Luca sighed, his gaze softening barely. "You’re not just his ex-spouse, Gia. You’re the important thing to matters he wishes matters he’s inclined to do something to get. Trust me, it’s higher if you stay away from him and anything bullshit he’s stuck up in."

I swallowed difficult, my thoughts racing to make feel of the entirety Luca turned into saying. Matteo? After power? Using me as some form of… pawn? It didn’t make any sense. The Matteo I knew cherished turned into a cold, certain. Distant, even. But ruthless? Manipulative? I couldn’t trust it.

But Luca's dark, intense eyes instructed me that he was useless.

"Why are you telling me this?" I subsequently asked, my voice slightly above a whisper.

His gaze locked onto mine, and for a second, I noticed something uncooked in his expression. Something inclined. "Because you shouldn't be caught within the crossfire. And maybe…" he hesitated, then shook his head with a sour smile. "Maybe I’m no longer as tons of an asshole as you watched."

I didn’t realize what to say to that. My mind turned into spinning, my coronary heart pounding in my chest. Everything I thought I knew about my lifestyles

Matteo became unraveling properly before me, and I didn’t know who to accept as true anymore.

"Gianna," Luca said softly, leaning ahead once more. "You need to be cautious. Matteo’s no longer going to just assist you to stroll away from this easy. He’s already got plans for you plans you received it like. And in case you’re not prepared for what’s coming…"

He trailed off, which means crystal clean.

My blood ran cold.

As Luca stood up to depart, his very last phrases hung like a noose tightening around my neck.

"Just reflect on what I said, Gia. Be clever. Don’t agree with everybody blindly, no longer even yourself."

And then he turned into a long past, leaving me sitting there with my heart racing and my head spinning.

I stared out the window, watching as the sector outdoors carried on like not anything had changed, however the entirety of my lifestyle felt exceptional now.

Was Luca warning me to guard myself? Or turned into this simply every other sport?

Who turned into what I was supposed to believe?