Chapter 5
940 Words
Elena's Pov
The Moretti estate split like a kingdom—my uncle's villa, was a world in its own, bathed in soft power and cultivated elegance. I walked through the tiled courtyard beneath the gentle caress of the morning sun, every step a silent prayer that today would not begin in fire.
The gate guards bowed low when I approached the double oak doors. I nodded sharply and went in.
It was colder inside than it ought to be. And when I stepped into his study, I could already tell by the fact that he did not immediately look up that this was going to be an unconventional conversation.
"Zio," I said, my voice light but clear.
He only glanced up from the documents on his desk. His eyes met mine, incomprehensible at first, and then the old storm settled in. Usually, he would smile brightly when I call him Zio but today, he sat back in his chair, fingers interlaced together. "You were late."
I stood a bit straighter, attempting to instill calm into my voice. "The charity gala ran long. I was deeply interested in the goings-on. It wasn't something I could just leave in the middle of. I know you know that feeling Zio"
He snorted. "Save the flattery, Elena. You think a smile and a noble cause will charm me into forgetting you came back well past midnight?"
I kept my gaze steady, ingesting the sting of his disappointment. "Look at it this way, I wasn't out enjoying myself, Zio. It was for the family… our name, our good image. If you look at what I did last night closely enough, it was all for our gain and you should be proud of me.".
His eyes grew tight. "You know how we are with the women in our family. We're not any household, Elena. Moretti women do not roam the city as ghosts after dark. We are watched, talked about, and our lifestyle emulated. That name you wear on your back, our name, demands restraint."
"I know," I said quickly, bobbing my head. "I understand. But I promise you, I wore that name in pride and honor last night. You'll be proud when you hear what I did."
He regarded me in silence for a moment longer, then breathed out. "Fine. I was going to eat breakfast. Come, sit with me."
Relief washed over me. I followed him into the sunny breakfast room where there was fresh fruit, eggs, and warm bread set out for us. A housekeeper poured coffee into our cups as I sat across from him.
"So," he said, slicing into a ripe mango. "How did it go?"
I smiled, my hands clasped in front of me. "It was a record attendance. Investors camouflaged as donors came from all over. We brought in twice the amount we wanted to. I even donated personally—seven figures."
He halted mid-chew, eyes flashing to mine. "You what?"
"I donated anonymously under the Moretti Foundation. Quietly, but significantly. It made a point.".
His expression split into a treasured, proud grin. "Now you're talking like a Moretti. That was a great thing to do, Elena. They'll never recover from that."
I grinned. "That was the idea."
At that moment, a sharp chime echoed from the side table. One message. Then another. And another.
My phone blew up at the same time and I automatically went for it.
My uncle's face twisted, pulling out his own phone. "Must be those people making too much noise on the group chat again. I don’t understand your generation." he growled, unlocking the screen.
"Why is everyone blowing up—"
He went stock-still.
"Zio?" I asked, watching the color drain from his face. "What is it?"
He didn't say a word. He merely extended his phone, jaw agape in shock.
I pulled mine out, opening it in a flash.
And I immediately mirrored his reaction. What I feared the most had come upon me.
There were pictures. Everywhere. The blogs were blowing up and my messages were beginning to pile up.
Picture after picture, splashed all over tabloids and social media front pages. Me and Marco— laughing on the rooftop, another had me staring into his eyes with a brilliant smile on my face, even I was shocked. There was also one of him walking me to my car with his hand on the small of my back. And the most captivating of all that had the people talking? He was leaning in so close he could have been kissing me.
Slowly, I raised my eyes to read the headline.
SCANDAL OR SURRENDER
Sworn enemies or star-crossed lovers?
Marco DeLuca, black sheep of the DeLuca family, caught in moonlight embrace with Elena Moretti the untouchable daughter and heir of the Moretti Empire. Last night's charity gala set more than funds on fire.
Sources confirm that the two were inseparable all evening, leaving together a little after midnight.
Could this be the most forbidden love in the history of Tuscany?
My mouth went dry.
My uncle's voice was a c***k of the whip.
"What in God's name is this, Elena? I thought you said you were out there making the family proud, what is this i see?"
I parted my lips, but nothing came out. I had no words, only the pounding of my heart and the weight of the scandal falling on me like an avalanche.
And yet, beneath the fear growing in my chest… my stomach flipped a bit.
Because beneath the panic, I knew I needed to see him again.
But first, I needed to survive the storm.
- Writer
