Chapter 15: NOIR DONNA
1104 Words
Valentina POV
"Since when?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the hotel bed.
"The order came in at five forty-five this morning," the port contact replied. His voice sounded thin over the static. "No explanation. No name on the paper. They just locked it all up."
"All of it?" I asked, my fingers tightening on the phone.
"Every box. Even the silk."
I looked out the window at the grey morning. I didn't need to ask who did it. Marco had made the call before the sun was even up.
"Don't fight them," I told the contact. "Don't call anyone. Just leave it."
"For how long, Valentina? We’re losing money by the hour."
"Until I tell you otherwise. Stay quiet."
I hung up and dialed Sofia immediately.
"I need a name, Sofia. Someone who works for the Ricci family. Someone important, but not untouchable."
"Guido Rico," she answered a minute later. "He supplies their clothes. He actually called our office months ago looking for a change, but we ignored him."
"Why did we ignore him?"
"Because you told me not to touch Ricci contacts, remember? You said it was too dangerous. You said it was a death wish."
"Things have changed. Call him. Tell him I’m in town and I want to have lunch. Don't tell him why."
"Are you sure about this? Marco will see it as a declaration of war."
"He already started the war at five forty-five this morning. Call him, Sofia. Now."
Guido Rico met me at a small restaurant that smelled like old wood and wine. He was a big man, and he looked nervous, his eyes darting to the door every time the bell rang.
"You're a hard woman to get a hold of, Valentina," Guido said as he sat down. "I almost didn't come. My gut told me to stay home."
"I'm glad you didn't listen to it, Guido. I heard you aren't happy with the Riccis."
Guido scoffed and looked around. "Happy? They haven't raised my pay in three years. They treat me like an old tool they can just leave in the shed. They expect loyalty for pennies."
"Nobody belongs to anyone," I said. I slid a wrinkled piece of paper across the table. "Look at this."
Guido put on his glasses and read. His eyebrows shot up. "This is a big jump in pay. A very big jump. But I’ve been with Marco for six years. If I leave, he’ll make sure I never work in this country again. He'll bury me."
"He’s already trying to shut me down," I said, leaning forward. "The difference is, I pay on time. He makes you wait thirty days, doesn't he?"
"Sometimes sixty," Guido muttered. "He says the cash flow is tight, but I see the new cars he buys. I see the watches."
"Exactly. Look at page two," I told him. "I’ll pay you upfront for the first three months. And I’ll cover your shipping insurance. Every cent."
Guido leaned back, his chair creaking. "What about the port? I heard Livorno is locked up tight today. Word travels fast, Valentina."
"Livorno isn't the only way out of Italy, Guido. I have my own routes. You won't lose a penny if a ship stays in the harbor."
"And if he threatens my family? Marco doesn't just use lawyers."
"I have my own security team. They can watch your warehouse and your home starting tonight. Can Marco say the same? Or does he just threaten the people who keep him rich?"
Guido looked at the paper for a long time. The silence between us was heavy. "He's going to be very angry when he finds out. He doesn't handle losing well."
"Let him be angry," I said. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life waiting sixty days for a check, or do you want to be a partner in something real?"
Guido picked up the pen. His hand shook slightly, but his gaze was firm. "I’ve been pushed around long enough. Where do I sign?"
"Right there at the bottom. Make it official."
He signed his name with a heavy hand. "God help us both, Valentina. We're going to need it."
The next morning, Sofia walked into my office. She had a coffee for me and a look of shock on her face.
"What is it?" I asked.
"My phone hasn't stopped ringing," Sofia said. "Guido Rico officially quit the Riccis at four o'clock yesterday. He sent a runner with a letter. Marco’s assistant called me three times screaming. She sounded like she was having a breakdown."
"What did she say?"
"She said we made a mistake we can't fix. She said Marco is personally overseeing the response. But that's not all." Sofia set a new paper down. "Our security contact flagged this. Someone is doing a deep search on you. Not just your business, Valentina. Everything. Your bank, your taxes, your childhood."
"When did it start?" I asked.
"Yesterday evening. Right after Guido signed. It’s a scorched-earth search."
"Marco is digging. He’s looking for a weakness. He wants to find where I bleed."
"Should we be worried? They are looking at your travel history from five years ago. They're looking at the London gap."
"Not yet," I said, though my heart was racing against my ribs. "He can dig all he wants. Just make sure the back office is locked down. No leaks."
"And the boutique in Florence? They called again. They want to see our full catalogue by noon."
"Give them the standard tour," I said. "Nothing private. No designer notes. Smile, be polite, but tell them nothing."
"You think they are spies?"
"I know they are. Marco is trying to see our inventory. Close the door on your way out, Sofia."
When she left, I looked at the photo of my son, Matteo. I had spent years hiding him from this world, keeping him in a bubble of safety.
"Nobody is going to find you," I whispered to the glass frame.
My phone buzzed on the desk. It was a message from my assistant.
Guido has confirmed the termination in writing. He signed the new contract with NOIR DONNA this afternoon. Their arrangement begins immediately.
I read it twice. I felt a chill go down my spine. Marco finally knew exactly what I had done. He wasn't just losing a supplier; he was losing his reputation.
I turned my phone face-down and stared at the door, listening to the quiet hum of the office. I knew he was coming for me now. The conversation was over. Now, the real fight began.
- Writer
