Chapter 181 Saldi Estivi!

Chapter 181 Saldi Estivi!
SANCIA

The next morning, when I woke up, it was with a new purpose. I'd ended up calling Lorenzo. So it was already late for me to go down for breakfast as usual, not that I have any interest in doing so.

Instead, I chose to eat in my room. Then I completed a psychology assignment and emailed it to my professor. By the time I was done, it was already noon.

I took a quick shower and dressed in a flowy, golden-yellow sundress that was perfect for the weather. The moment I opened my bedroom door, my eyes fell on the bouquet of roses in the hands of one of the guards forcefully assigned to me.

“Signora, this is from Signor Antonio,” the man said, shoving the flowers in my face.

I scoffed internally.

Antonio must be fucking stupid if he thought flowers were enough to make me forgive what he did.

I quietly took the flowers from the guard as we started down the hallway, my two shadows following closely behind me.

I stopped when I came across the trash can I had been looking for and dumped the flowers inside.

There was a sound of surprise from one of the guards, but fortunately for them, neither of them said anything.

I knew Antonio was definitely going to hear about it from them, but I didn't give a fuck if he did.

There was no one in the living room, which was perfect, except for a few of the maids going about their day as usual.

I was glad I didn't see Isabella. Having to pretend that I didn't know about her and Antonio was exhausting. I also didn't want to sit down for lunch with my aunt and cousins when I knew I wouldn't get anything useful from them.

“Signora, that's not the way to the garden,” one of my guards said.

“Oh, is that so?” I glanced at him. “Well, it's a good thing I'm not going to the garden, then.”

They both exchanged a look as I continued walking directly toward the huge gate leading outside.

“Signora, you cannot go outside.”

“Yes, I can. I need to buy some things. You can come along or stay here. Your choice.”

They were suddenly in front of me, blocking my way.

“You can tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you.”

“No, thank you. These are girls' things. You won't understand them even if I tell you.” I gritted my teeth. “So I have to buy them myself. Like I said, you can either come along or get out of my way.”

“Signora, I'm sorry, but I can't let you go without Signor Antonio's orders,” he repeated.

Both men remained frustratingly calm while I was already getting pissed.

“Listen, you can either come with me or not, but I'm definitely going out of this house. You can call Antonio since he's your boss, but what I'm not going to do is let you deprive me of my basic rights, and that too in my own home.”

“I'm sorry, Signora, but I'm only doing my job,” the asshole repeated, not moving an inch.

“Oh, yeah? Then I'm also doing what I have to do.” I turned on my heel. “The only way you're going to stop me is if you put a bullet in my head. If you're not going to do that, then get the fuck out of my sight.”

I rounded to the other side and continued walking. But before I could get far the guards were suddenly there blocking my way again, just as Isabella arrived in the driveway.

“Get the fuck out of my way.”

“Forgive me, Signora. But I can't.”

“Sancia, what's going on? Where are you going?”

“I'm going out to the mall, but these assholes won't let me,” I replied without sparing her a glance, my eyes still glaring at the guard.

“Maybe you should wait until Antonio is back, or you can call him so he can talk to them?”

I turned and narrowed my eyes at her.
She could help me without me having to do anything as humiliating as calling that asshole.

“Why should I ask Antonio for permission for my basic human rights? He's not my father.” I spat the words at her. “You can act like his little obedient girl if you want, but that doesn't mean I want to do the same. Besides, this is all your fault. If you hadn't lied to me, I wouldn't be trapped here like a prisoner.”

Isabella grimaced.

I angrily marched back into the house, fuming.

“Sancia, wait!”

She'd taken the bait.

I ignored her and took the stairs. The truth was, it wasn't all an act. I was still angry about what I'd overheard between her and Antonio last night.

To say I was disappointed in Isabella was an understatement. Not because she slept with Antonio, but because she let him treat her like shit. I wondered what had happened to my sweet, gentle sister.

But more than that, I wondered what else Antonio had made her do. Isabella had said she'd done everything he'd asked her to do, and I desperately wanted to know what those things were.

I mean, besides the obvious ones, that was. And I would get to the bottom of it. But until then, I would use her to get what I wanted while she was still pretending to be my loving, kind older sister.

As expected, Isabella walked into my room a couple of minutes later. She had changed into a navy-blue sundress and high heels, looking like she was going out.

I was on my bed, pretending to check my socials.

“Come on. I've talked to Antonio, and he agreed to let you go to the mall.”

I narrowed my eyes, fighting the sharp retorts sitting at the back of my throat. I wanted to talk about what I'd overheard between her and Antonio.

But knowing the truth could ruin our plans.
I couldn't confront her just yet. Not until I found out exactly what they were up to.

Because now, the question wasn't whether Isabella knew Antonio had killed our father.

It was whether she had a hand in it.

“What are you thinking about? Come on, let's go. I'm also coming along,” she said, dragging me off the bed.

I let her. There was a very important reason why I needed to go out today, and getting angry wasn't going to do me any good right now.

I grabbed my bag and slipped on my three-inch heels.

“Why do you want to come? Did Antonio order you to go with me so you can keep an eye on me?” I asked as we walked down the stairs.

“Sancia!” she gasped, her expression hurt. “How could you think of me like that? You're my sister.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don't act as though you didn't lie to me.”

“That's because I didn't have a choice. I lied to protect you.”

I snickered. “Right. So you're saying Antonio didn't tell you to keep an eye on me?”

“I'm coming along because it's been a while since we went shopping together. Coincidentally, it's Saldi Estivi—summer sale. I want to use this opportunity to pick up some skincare products and a few new summer dresses,” she explained.

I stared at her for a moment before nodding. “It's saldi? Alright I'll forgive you just this once,” I replied excitedly.

“Come on, what are you waiting for?” I grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the guards waiting near the cars. “I'm so sick of staying indoors.”

“Same here,” she agreed.

“I need to pick a gift for Sergio, it's been so long since I saw him, do you know when he's coming back?” I asked conversationally.

“Antonio said he might be back soon,” Isabella replied. “Probably this week.”

“That's great, I can't wait to see him.”

“You will.”

I flashed her a smile and let go of her hand as we both got into the back seat of the SUV while the guards climbed into the front.

Summer sales had come at the perfect fucking time.



“What do you think of this one?” Isabella's voice dragged my attention away from the black evening dress I was checking out.

It was three hours later, and we were inside one of the biggest designer shops in the mall. We'd already visited two other stores before this one.

“Wow, this is gorgeous,” I replied, stroking the sequined dress in her hands.

But my mind wasn't really on the dress.

I needed to find a chance to get away without Isabella or the guards noticing.

The problem was, that was easier said than done.

“Right, come on. Let's go check out. I think we've got enough dresses for now. I need to buy this bag I saw last season before it runs out.”

“Alright. Let's go.”

We paid for the clothes and checked out, handing the bags to the guards to carry for us as we walked out and joined the crowds.

Due to the summer sale, the mall was packed.

People, mostly women, were everywhere. Some were with their partners, others with groups of friends, while some were entire families carrying shopping bags. Children ran between their parents as music, laughter, and chatter drifted from the stores.

For the first time in days, I could breathe.

Although I couldn't completely relax with Antonio's men breathing down our necks.
They followed us everywhere. The two assigned to me stayed close behind us, while Isabella's guard walked ahead.

My heart pounded hard beneath my ribcage as I looked around, my brain running a mile a minute as I searched for the opportunity I'd been waiting for.

Then excitement bubbled inside me when I saw it. One of the shops was packed with more women going in and out than the others.

Perfect.

“Isabella, here!” I yelled, quickly dragging her through the bodies in the crowd before our guards could realize what I was doing.

The moment we were inside, I let go of her hand and squeezed my body in the opposite direction, letting the crowd do the work for me.

When I glanced back, Isabella's guard had joined the throng, weaving through the bodies toward her. Fortunately, mine were still farther behind. I quickly ducked when one of them glanced my way. My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure they could hear it.

I turned toward another exit and hurried through the store, slipping out through a different door. Keeping my head down, I didn't turn around until I was a good distance away.

Then I glanced back. Isabella was talking to the guards, while she kept turning around this way and that. Obviously looking for me.

“Sancia?”

Fuck. Did she see me?

I turned and hurried away before she could get a proper look at me, disappearing deeper into the crowd.

“Sancia!”

Isabella kept calling my name, her voice fading the farther away I got. I didn't stop. I couldn't.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I hurried through the mall, turning corners and slipping between people until I was almost at the entrance.

Even then, I couldn't relax. I pulled out my phone and dialed Lorenzo's number.

“Where are you?”

“Out front. Black SUV.”

My eyes flicked across the vehicles until they landed on the SUV.

Relief punched through me. But when the black-tinted window of the back seat slid down and my eyes met a pair of intense honey-brown eyes, a smile broke across my face and my stomach dipped, the way it always does whenever he's around.

I ran toward him. Lorenzo jumped out of the car. His long, dark, sexy body was encased in his usual dark suit. He didn't wait until I reached him. He met me halfway and swept me into his arms.

And without warning, his mouth crashed into mine. The kiss stole the rest of my breath. I forgot everything.

For those few seconds, there was no Antonio, no guards, no lies, no betrayal.

There was only Lorenzo and I. I sank into the kiss with a need and desperation I hadn't expected. My back hit the side of the SUV as Lorenzo kissed me with raw hunger, and I could do nothing but clutch at him and kiss him back.

“Capo!” Luca's voice cut through our intense make-out session.

“Can you save the fucking kissing until we're away from here?”

Just like that, the magic was broken. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, as I panted, trying to catch my breath, though I probably should have gotten used to it by now.

Lorenzo pulled back, his eyes dark with a feral need that sent a shiver through me.

“Later,” he threatened, then licked his lips.

He glanced toward Luca. “Fucking asshole.” Savio, who was in the front seat, chuckled.

“Get in, Mia Tigre. Let's leave here.”

I jumped into the back seat, and he followed suit, before Luca drove the car out of the parking lot.