EPISODE 9 — THE FIRST TEST
942 Words
By the end of Bianca's first week as Donna Romano, she had learned one thing.
The title came with more attention than she wanted.
Everywhere she went inside the mansion, someone was watching.
Not openly.
But she could feel it.
Some servants treated her with genuine warmth.
Others looked at her as though they were waiting for her to make a mistake.
Bianca didn't blame them.
She was still trying to understand the family herself.
That morning, she entered the kitchen and found Maria preparing breakfast.
"You're up early."
"I couldn't sleep."
Maria smiled.
"Still getting used to the mansion?"
"That obvious?"
"A little."
Bianca leaned against the counter.
"Maria, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Does everyone here work for Lorenzo?"
"Most of us."
"And do they all know about the contract?"
Maria's hands stopped moving.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because yesterday I heard two guards talking about my marriage."
Maria lowered her voice.
"Be careful."
"Why?"
"Not everyone in this house is loyal to the same person."
Bianca frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Maria glanced toward the door.
"It means you should be careful about what you say and who you say it to."
Before Bianca could ask more, footsteps approached.
Maria immediately returned to her work.
Lorenzo entered.
His eyes moved between them.
"What are you doing here?"
Bianca shrugged.
"Having breakfast."
"You have a dining room."
"I know."
She looked at Maria.
"I wanted to see where the food comes from."
Lorenzo stared at her.
"Why?"
"Curiosity."
"You're curious about everything."
"Someone has to be."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
"Yes?"
His expression changed.
"How many?"
Bianca watched him.
"Where?"
He listened.
"Don't engage them. I'll handle it."
He ended the call.
Bianca immediately asked,
"What happened?"
"Nothing you need to worry about."
"That's what you always say."
"And I'm usually right."
He turned to leave.
Bianca followed.
"Wait."
He stopped.
She lowered her voice.
"If there's danger, I deserve to know."
Lorenzo turned around.
"You deserve to live without knowing."
"That's not the same thing."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said quietly,
"Someone tried to enter one of our warehouses."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No."
"Then why do you look angry?"
"Because they weren't trying to steal."
Bianca frowned.
"What were they trying to do?"
Lorenzo's eyes hardened.
"Send a message."
---
THE WAREHOUSE
By the time Lorenzo arrived, his men had already secured the area.
The warehouse doors were damaged.
One of the guards was injured.
Lorenzo walked inside.
"Report."
His security chief approached.
"Three men attempted to enter through the eastern entrance."
"Who sent them?"
"We don't know."
Lorenzo looked around.
"Did they take anything?"
"No."
"Then search everything."
His chief nodded.
Lorenzo noticed something lying on the floor.
A black card.
He picked it up.
There was only one word written on it.
FERRARO.
His expression became deadly.
"So it begins."
---
ROMANO MANSION
Bianca was sitting in the library when Lorenzo returned.
She immediately stood.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"One guard."
She sighed in relief.
"Is he going to be okay?"
"Yes."
Bianca nodded.
She noticed the tension in Lorenzo's face.
"It was Ferraro, wasn't it?"
Lorenzo looked at her.
"Who told you about Ferraro?"
"No one."
"Then how do you know?"
"You said someone was sending a message."
Lorenzo remained silent.
Bianca folded her arms.
"Was I right?"
"Yes."
She looked away.
"So I'm already involved."
"No."
"But I'm your wife."
"On paper."
Her expression changed.
"Right."
Lorenzo realized the words had sounded harsher than he intended.
But Bianca simply nodded.
"Understood."
She turned away.
He watched her walk toward the door.
"Bianca."
She stopped.
He wanted to explain.
Instead, he said,
"Don't go outside without security."
She nodded.
"Okay."
Then she left.
Lorenzo stood alone.
He had spent years making sure nobody could get close enough to hurt him.
Now he was worried about hurting someone else.
And he wasn't sure which frightened him more.
---
FERRARO'S OFFICE
Ferraro listened to the report.
"They didn't get inside?"
"No."
He clenched his jaw.
"And Lorenzo?"
"He arrived shortly afterward."
Ferraro smiled.
"Good."
His man looked confused.
"Good?"
"Now he knows we're testing his defenses."
"What's next?"
Ferraro looked at the photograph of Bianca.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Let him think that's all we wanted."
He leaned back.
"Sometimes the best attack is the one your enemy never sees coming."
---
THAT NIGHT
Bianca stood by the bedroom window.
Lorenzo entered quietly.
She didn't turn.
"You were right."
He stopped.
"About what?"
"You said your world was dangerous."
Silence.
Bianca finally turned around.
"I thought you were exaggerating."
"I wasn't."
"I know."
Lorenzo walked toward the table and removed his watch.
"You can still leave."
Bianca looked at him.
"What?"
"The contract hasn't started publicly yet. The wedding has happened, but if you want out, I'll find another way to protect your mother."
She stared at him.
"You'd let me leave?"
"Yes."
"Even after everything?"
"Yes."
Bianca was quiet.
Then she shook her head.
"No."
Lorenzo looked at her.
"Why?"
She gave him a small smile.
"Because I signed the contract."
"You don't owe me."
"I know."
"Then why stay?"
Bianca looked toward the window.
"Because for the first time in a long time, my mother is safe."
She turned back to him.
"And because I don't like running away."
Lorenzo studied her.
Something in his expression softened.
Just for a moment.
"Then stay."
Bianca nodded.
"I will."
Neither of them noticed the small camera hidden outside the bedroom window.
A tiny red light blinked once.
Then disappeared into the darkness.
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