THE LAST HEIRESS OF THE MAFIA EMPIRE

Chapter 7: A Beautiful Coincidence

Alessia stood frozen just outside the lift, her fingers still wrapped around the handle of her suitcase as she stared at her phone in complete disbelief. A deep blush had settled across her cheeks, and despite every effort to compose herself, the guilty smile tugging at the corners of her lips refused to disappear.

She looked around the hotel lobby instinctively, relieved that no one seemed to be paying attention before lowering her voice into a whisper.

"...I don't like you."

Sofia burst into another fit of laughter, leaning so far back in her chair that the camera shook slightly. It took her several seconds to recover, and even then, she had to wipe away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, you absolutely love me," she replied between chuckles. "But that's not the point. The point is that I finally caught you. Do you know how satisfying this is? Years, Alessia. I've waited years for this moment."

Alessia sighed dramatically, rubbing her forehead as she resumed walking towards the reception desk. "You're enjoying this far too much."

"I really am." Sofia's grin widened before she folded her arms across her chest and looked at Alessia with the expression of someone who had already won the argument. "Now stop trying to escape and answer me properly."

Alessia knew that tone.

It was the same tone Sofia used whenever she already knew the truth and was simply waiting for her to admit it herself. There was no point pretending anymore. Sofia had known her for too many years, had watched every awkward stage of her life, celebrated every achievement with her, and comforted her through every disappointment. If there was one person in the world she couldn't successfully lie to, it was the woman smiling back at her through the screen.

A helpless laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head.

"You are unbelievably annoying."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Sofia replied proudly before her expression softened. Tilting her head slightly, she asked in a much gentler voice, "So... who is he?"

The question was simple.

The answer wasn't.

Alessia lowered her eyes, unconsciously tracing circles over the handle of her suitcase with her thumb. Somehow, saying his name aloud made everything that had happened the previous night feel wonderfully real, and that thought alone sent another wave of warmth rushing to her cheeks.

"His name is Massimo."

Sofia repeated the name slowly, as though committing it to memory, before a knowing smile spread across her face.

"Massimo," she mused. "That's the name of the man who's had my best friend smiling at her phone since this call started."

"Oh, stop."

"I'm serious."

"You don't even know him."

"I don't have to." Sofia laughed softly. "I know you."

Those three words made Alessia's smile falter for a moment.

Sofia wasn't judging her.

She wasn't mocking her either.

She simply knew her well enough to recognise that something had changed.

"So," Sofia continued, resting her chin on her hand as genuine curiosity replaced the teasing in her eyes, "how did all this happen? Last time we spoke, you were complaining about your conference schedule. Now you're blushing over a man named Massimo. I feel like I've missed several chapters."

Alessia smiled to herself as she greeted the receptionist, who returned the smile politely before beginning the checkout process. While the receptionist prepared the paperwork, Alessia shifted her attention back to her phone.

"It wasn't planned," she admitted quietly. "We met by chance, started talking, and somehow... the conversation never seemed to end."

Sofia listened without interrupting, her smile growing warmer with every word.

"You mean one conversation lasted an entire evening?" she asked, sounding more impressed than surprised.

Alessia nodded.

"It didn't feel that long," she confessed with a soft laugh. "That's the strange part. Usually, after an hour, I'm already looking for an excuse to leave. But with him..." She paused, smiling at the memory. "I never once looked at the time."

Sofia's eyebrows lifted.

"You never checked the time?"

"Not once."

"My goodness." Sofia leaned back against her chair, placing a hand dramatically over her heart. "This is serious."

Alessia laughed.

"I'm being honest."

"I know you are." Sofia pointed at the screen with an amused smile. "That's exactly why I'm worried."

"Worried?"

"You've rejected perfectly decent men because they bored you after twenty minutes."

"I did not."

"You absolutely did."

"They talked about themselves the whole evening."

"And?"

"And I wasn't interviewing them."

Sofia laughed, shaking her head affectionately.

"There she is," she said with a smile. "That's my Alessia."

The receptionist handed over the receipt with a courteous smile.

"Thank you. Have a safe journey, Miss Bellini."

"Thank you."

Alessia slipped the receipt into her handbag before taking hold of her suitcase again, continuing towards the hotel's revolving doors.

Sofia watched her quietly for a moment before asking the question that had been lingering in her mind all along.

"So... what happens now?"

The smile on Alessia's face faded just enough for Sofia to notice.

She looked through the glass doors at the bustling streets of Milan, her heart growing unexpectedly heavy.

"I honestly don't know," she admitted. "He lives here. I live in Florence. Last night was..." She searched for the right words before smiling sadly. "...a beautiful coincidence."

For the first time since the call began, Sofia didn't tease her.

Instead, she looked at her best friend with a quiet understanding.

"Did you at least exchange numbers?"

Alessia stopped walking. Her silence answered before she could.

Sofia blinked once.

Then twice.

"...Alessia."

Alessia closed her eyes.

"I know."

"No..." Sofia sat upright, staring at the screen in complete disbelief. "Don't tell me neither of you asked."

"We didn't."

"Not even once?"

Alessia shook her head, feeling more ridiculous by the second.

"We were so caught up in the moment that... we simply didn't think about it."

Sofia exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose before looking back at the screen.

"Only you," she said, her voice filled with equal parts disbelief and affection. "Only Alessia Bellini could meet a man who makes her lose track of time, kiss him at the end of the most romantic evening she's ever had... and walk away without either of them asking for a phone number."

Alessia covered her face, laughing despite her embarrassment.

"When you say it like that, it sounds even worse."

"It is worse."

Both women dissolved into laughter, neither of them noticing the black SUV parked quietly across the street, where a pair of unseen eyes remained fixed on the hotel entrance.