Chapter 3 - The Woman Named Adriana|
Adriana Vitali arrived at Miller & Bloom at eleven thirty the next morning.
Sophie recognized her from photographs displayed in society magazines. Adriana had the polished beauty of a woman who had never needed to wait for anything. Her cream coat was perfectly tailored, her dark hair fell in controlled waves, and two men waited outside the shop beside a black SUV.
She entered carrying no flowers.
“Miss Miller?”
“That's me.”
“Adriana Vitali.”
“I know.”
Adriana examined the flower arrangements.
“Charming little business.”
Sophie smiled politely.
“Thank you. It pays my bills.”
“I imagine it does. Barely.”
Sophie set down her pruning shears.
“If you're looking for wedding flowers, my calendar is nearly full.”
“I'm not getting married.”
“Then you're in the wrong store.”
Adriana's expression sharpened.
“I hear you've become very important to Massimo.”
“I stood in the wrong bedroom.”
“That's a charming story.”
“It's also true.”
Adriana walked toward the counter.
“Massimo has a habit of treating people like chess pieces. Sometimes he moves them because they're useful. Sometimes he sacrifices them because he has no other choice.”
“Is that supposed to frighten me?”
“It's supposed to educate you.”
Sophie folded her arms.
“Then here's something educational for you. I don't know Massimo. I don't love him. And I have no interest in taking anything from you.”
Adriana's composure cracked for half a second.
“You think this is about romance?”
“Isn't it?”
“No.” She leaned closer. “It's about power. The Romano family is about to lose control of a trust that owns half its legitimate businesses. Massimo needs my family's votes to keep his uncle from taking over.”
Sophie remembered the argument at breakfast.
“And the engagement?”
“Would give him enough votes to win.”
“Then why doesn't he marry you?”
Adriana's eyes turned cold.
“Because Massimo believes he can win every battle without making a sacrifice.”
She reached into her handbag and placed a photograph on the counter.
It showed Massimo beside a woman Sophie had never seen before. They stood outside a hospital, and he was holding a tiny white blanket.
“Who is she?” Sophie asked.
“His fiancée before me. Elena Marchetti.”
“What happened to her?”
“She died.”
Adriana took the photograph back.
“Six years ago. A car accident. Massimo never recovered, and he never forgave the people he blamed.”
“Why tell me this?”
“Because if he suddenly appears interested in you, you should understand that grief can make powerful men cruel.”
Sophie didn't know what to say.
Adriana straightened her coat.
“Stay away from him. I don't want you hurt.”
For the first time, Sophie wondered whether the woman had come to threaten her or warn her.
After Adriana left, Sophie called her best employee, Maya, and told her about the photographs and the threats.
Maya listened in stunned silence.
“Girl, you walked into a mafia boss's bedroom and now his almost-fiancée is giving you emotional advice? This is the worst romantic comedy ever made.”
“It's not romantic.”
“Then why are you still talking about his eyes?”
“I am not.”
“You absolutely are.”
Sophie hung up before Maya could laugh any harder.
That afternoon, a delivery arrived at the shop. Inside the box lay a dozen white roses and a card.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE.
Sophie immediately called Massimo.
He answered on the first ring.
“Where are you?”
“At my shop.”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Lock the front door.”
“Massimo, someone sent me flowers.”
“Don't touch them.”
She heard him speaking to someone in the background.
“I'm sending Rafael.”
“I'm not abandoning my business every time someone frightens me.”
His voice softened unexpectedly.
“Sophie, please.”
The word stopped her.
She locked the door.
Ten minutes later, Rafael arrived with a security specialist. They examined the box and found a tiny tracking device sewn into the ribbon.
When Massimo finally appeared, he inspected the roses with a grim expression.
“Someone wants to know where you go.”
Sophie looked at him.
“Who?”
“I don't know yet.”
“Then find out.”
His gaze met hers.
“You're not afraid of me anymore.”
“I am terrified of you. I'm just more terrified of someone using me to hurt innocent people.”
For a moment, Massimo seemed to see her clearly for the first time.
Then Rafael approached with his phone.
“Boss, we traced the delivery order.”
“To whom?”
Rafael swallowed.
“The order was paid for through an account belonging to Elena Marchetti.”
Massimo went completely still.
“That account was closed six years ago.”
May you like
Rafael nodded.
“Someone has brought your dead fiancée back into the game.”
