Two days after the café, the story had already exploded.
Photos of Marco’s abrupt exit, paired with Sophie’s approach, splashed across the gossip pages like a salacious unveiling.
The headlines were merciless:
"Rossi’s Mystery Woman—Secret Romance in Venice?” “From the Pitch to the Piazza: Who Stole Marco Rossi’s Heart?”
Sophie nearly dropped her espresso when she saw her reflection looking back—hair, coat, unmistakable posture—front and center on a tabloid cover at a kiosk near San Marco. She hadn’t been named, not yet, but the implication was obvious. The ‘unknown beauty’ was suddenly the centerpiece of a narrative she’d never asked to join.
As her panic reached a new high, Marco texted: "We should meet." Somewhere quiet. No cameras.
Now, walking through the twisting alleys of
