Chapter 25 Chapter 26
Luciano POV
“Done.”
The single word echoed in my mind, and instantly the smile on my lips grew wider. I leaned back against the couch and shut my eyes tightly, letting the satisfaction sink in. I knew without a single doubt that everything had been taken care of. The plan was solid. Flawless.
No matter how many times Valerie tried to leave, I would always be a few steps ahead,Always.
I opened my eyes slowly and reached for the newspaper lying beside me. I flipped to the second page, my movements unhurried. And there it was the news I had been waiting for. The headline stared back at me: Matteo and his son, missing.
A slow smile of satisfaction crossed my face. Everything was unfolding exactly as I wanted. It was being presented as an accident. Clean. Simple. No loose ends.
Perfect.
I turned on the television, curious to see how far the story had spread. Every channel carried the same report. I listened closely, my fingers drumming lightly against the arm of the chair. The reporters spoke carefully, repeating the same words over and over again.
Accident, Unfortunate, Tragic.I watched as images flashed across the screen, and then his wife appeared. Calm. Composed. Already stepping into her new role as chairlady of the corporation. I scoffed quietly. People moved on faster than they liked to admit. Power never stayed empty for long.
I reached for the remote and turned off the television, no longer interested. I had already seen enough.
Everything was falling into place.
I straightened slightly and called out his name. Within seconds, he rushed into the living room, alert and waiting for instructions. That was how it always worked. People responded quickly when they knew better than to hesitate.
I stayed silent for a moment, letting the quiet stretch. My mind drifted back to Valerie. She thought she was close to freedom. She believed she was slipping through my fingers, unnoticed.
She was wrong, every move she made only revealed more about her plan. And every plan she made gave me something to dismantle. I didn’t need to rush. I didn’t need force. Control worked better when it was invisible.
I rose slowly from the couch, calm and composed, the satisfaction still warm in my chest. The world outside believed in accidents and coincidences. They believed in luck.
I believed in preparation, and I was always prepared.
Valerie’s escape was nothing more than another illusion. Tomorrow would come, just as she expected. But it would not bring freedom. It would only tighten the circle around her.
She had no idea how close I was.
No idea how carefully everything had been arranged, and when the time came, she would understand one simple truth.
“Buy off the shares in MJ Enterprise,” I muttered coldly. “Make sure it’s done today.”
He nodded and turned to leave, but I stopped him with a single raised hand. He froze and slowly turned back to face me, waiting.
“I promised my uncle a gift before his departure to the great beyond,” I continued calmly. Every word I spoke carried weight.
“And you know this everything I promise comes to pass.”
My eyes darkened as the images played clearly in my mind.
“The wife belongs in a psychiatric home,” I said without emotion. “The daughters should fade into obscurity. I want the name Matteo wiped off the surface of the earth.”
There was no hesitation. No surprise.
“Yes, boss,” he replied, bowing his head before walking out of the mansion.
As the doors closed behind him, my lips curled into a slow, malicious smile. No one took what belonged to me and lived comfortably afterward. No one crossed me and walked away untouched, Matteo had made his decision.
And I had followed through with mine.
My thoughts drifted back to Valerie. It was obvious she wasn’t going to give up on her desperate attempt to leave. She was stubborn. But stubbornness only made the game more interesting.
If she wanted to run, I would make the path clear for her.
Everything was already in motion. Every piece was set exactly where it needed to be. I wasn’t rushing. I was waiting. Timing was everything, and I knew when to strike.
Valerie believed she was escaping.
She didn’t realize she was being guided.
The harder she tried to get away, the faster she would find herself running back to the mansion. Fear had a way of pulling people toward what they knew, what felt familiar, even if it was dangerous.
There was one thing she didn’t know.
The very day she asked me to be her fiancé, I had already won the battle.
Without lifting a finger.
I reached for the glass of whiskey sitting in front of me and took a slow sip, letting the burn slide down my throat. Satisfaction followed closely behind it. Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
She thought she was making choices.She thought she had control,But this was a game I had mastered long before she ever realized she was playing.
I lowered the glass and smiled faintly to myself.“Checkmate,” I muttered.