Chapter 80 The Threat Of Death

Chapter 80 The Threat Of Death
Luca stepped forward and pulled Valeria into his arms, crushing her against his chest. He held her so tight it hurt, his face buried in the crook of her neck.
"Valeria," he choked out. "I missed you so much. I thought... I thought I’d never see you again."
She leaned into him, her hands clutching the back of his jacket. After a long moment, she gently pushed him inside and shut the door, locking it behind them. The Airbnb was small, lit only by a single lamp on a side table.
"Sit down, Luca," she whispered, pointing to a small couch.
Luca sat, but his eyes never left her. "I’m so sorry about everything," Valeria said, her voice shaking. "I’m sorry I disappeared. I’m sorry I didn’t explain."
"Why, Valeria?" his voice was jagged. "I saw you with him. Vincent Harrington. I thought you were engaged. I thought you gave up on us because it got too hard. Why didn't you fight for me?"
She sat beside him, taking a deep breath. "Vincent isn't my fiancé, Luca. He’s my older brother."
Luca froze. His jaw tightened as he processed the words. "Your brother? Then why the secrecy? Why did everyone say—"
"Because I needed to disappear," she interrupted. "I needed to get away from you, so I went to him for safety."
She stood up and walked over to a small desk in the corner. It was covered in stacks of paper, bank statements, and grainy photos. "But I didn't just hide, Luca. I worked. Look at this."
Luca stood up and joined her at the desk. As he read the files, his face turned from confusion to pure horror.
"Your sister is in grave danger," Valeria said, her voice cold. "And Bianca? She isn't carrying your child, Luca. She never was."
Luca’s heart stopped. "What?"
"The baby belongs to Lorenzo," she said, pointing to a medical record. "The entire pregnancy was a lie to trap you. They needed her married into the family so they could strip the Damiano empire from the inside. It’s a conspiracy, Luca. Bianca and Lorenzo have been lovers for years."
Luca let out a roar of rage. He slammed his fist onto the desk, making the papers fly. "That evil bastard! I’ll kill him! I’ll tear him apart with my bare hands!"
He grabbed a document, his eyes scanning the signatures. "Are you sure? Is this legit? Is this verified?"
"Every word," Valeria assured him. "I’ve checked everything. It’s all true."
Luca felt a wave of relief wash over him. "That’s why I couldn't sign today. I felt it in my gut, Valeria. Lorenzo pushed the merger papers across the table, and something felt wrong. I refused to sign. I told them the lawyers needed to see it again."
Valeria gripped his arm. "Good. That bought us time. But we have to move fast. We have to expose them, but first, we need Alexander. He didn't show up for work today. My brother is out looking for him now. Once we find him, we meet, and we end this."
She looked into his eyes, her expression desperate. "Don't trust Bianca for anything, Luca. Not a word. Not a smile. She is the enemy."
"I know," he said, feeling alive for the first time in months. He finally found a path out of the dark. "I have to go back. If I stay too long, they’ll get suspicious. I need to be in that house to watch them."
They stood in the small hallway as Luca reached out and cupped her face. He kissed her then, a passionate, desperate kiss that tasted of hope.
"I’m coming back for you," he whispered.
Then, he turned and vanished into the night.

At the Grusso estate, Lorenzo stormed down the hallway, his face still bruised from the fight with Alexander. He took a heavy ring of keys from Marco and unlocked Isabella’s bedroom door.

Isabella was seated on the floor by the window, her eyes red and swollen. She looked like she had cried until there were no tears left.
Lorenzo didn't say a word. He began to unbutton his shirt, tossing it onto the bed, preparing himself for a different kind of work.
"Have you been sleeping around behind my back, Isabella?" he asked. His voice was low and dangerous.
Isabella didn't move. She stared at him with hollow, dead eyes.
"I won't ask you again," Lorenzo barked at her as he stepped closer, his shadow looming over her. "Did you let that dog touch you?"
Isabella slowly stood up. She looked him right in the eye and spat directly in his face.
"I wasn't sleeping around," she said, her voice sharp. "The man you have in that warehouse is the love of my life. He’s ten times the man you’ll ever be. I’m not ashamed of him. I love him."
Lorenzo’s face turned red with rage. A vein throbbed in his forehead as he let out a scream and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back. He swung his fist, hitting her across the jaw.
She hit the floor, but he didn't stop. He kicked her in the ribs, punching her over and over, his blows landing with sickening thuds.
"You unfortunate bastard!" Isabella screamed, blood spraying from her lips. "You’ll burn in hell for this! I hope you rot!"
Lorenzo grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up. "Where is it? Where is my fucking key, Isabella? I know you took it! Tell me where it is!"
Isabella groaned in pain as blood flowed from her nose, staining her dress. She didn't say a word. She just looked at him with pure, unadulterated hate.
He raised his hand to strike her again, but Marco stepped into the room. The guard grabbed his arm, holding him back.
"Boss, stop!" Marco yelled. "Calm down! You’re going to kill her, and we still don't have the key!"
Lorenzo shoved Marco away, his chest heaving. He was about to go back for more when his phone began to ring. He looked at the screen. It was Dorian Vane.
He wiped the sweat and Isabella’s blood from his hands and answered. "Dorian."
"The merger, Lorenzo." Dorian’s voice was cold. "Tell me it’s done."
"It... it didn't work," Lorenzo stuttered. "Luca refused to sign. He wanted a legal review."
"What?" Dorian screamed on the phone. The sound was so loud it made Lorenzo flinch. "We are out of time! The shipments are moving, the investors are waiting! You told me this was a sure thing!"
"I can fix it," Lorenzo tried to explain. "But there’s more. Isabella was caught with her bodyguard. I think she stole the key to the secret room. I can't get inside."
"What!" Dorian roared. "Are you telling me you let a girl ruin the plan? Has Bianca infected you with her incompetence? Everything is falling apart, Lorenzo!"
Lorenzo looked at Isabella’s broken body on the floor. He felt a cold sweat break out on his neck.
"Listen to me carefully," Dorian said, his voice shaking with rage. "You have exactly two days to fix this. Sign the papers. Get the key. Or I will come to that house and kill you myself. Do you understand?"
The line went dead.
Lorenzo stood in the doorway, his phone trembling in his hand. He looked down at Isabella, bleeding on the floor, barely conscious, but she was still breathing.
He was trapped. He was a dead man walking if he didn't get everything done, and the clock was already ticking.