Giulia read the headline twice.
Then a third time.
It still didn’t make sense.
She looked up slowly. “Tell me that’s fake.”
Matteo didn’t answer.
That silence was enough.
A near-choking laugh came out of her. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
He got his hand tighter around the phone, and almost before he could remove it and put it back in his pocket, he dropped it. “It’s not confirmed.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
He didn’t look at her.
“Is it true?” she pressed.
A beat.
Then—
“I don’t know.”
The words landed wrong.
Too controlled. Too careful.
Giulia stepped closer. You do not even know whether you are heir to the empire of your own family?
Matteo’s jaw tightened. “Watch your tone.”
No, thou watch mine, she replied. Since whatever it is, whatever this is, became my problem,
