13. Ginevra
13
GINEVRA
T he first thing that greets me when I wake up is the soft morning light filtering through the familiar curtains of my room, a stark contrast to the sharp pain coursing through my body.
My eyes feel heavy as they flutter open, and the first thing I see is Lorenzo, sitting beside my bed. His hands are buried in his hair, distress etched across his face, and a wave of panic washes over me.
I try calling his name, but it comes out as a weak croak. That succeeds in grabbing his attention.
“Ginny!” His head snaps up, and in the next moment, he’s rushing to my side. His voice is filled with concern as he gently touches my arm. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? How do you feel?” he asks urgently.
“I’m fine,” I force myself to say, trying to reassure him, but my throat feels painfully dry and irritated.
He instructs one of the maids lingering nearby to fetch me a cup of water.
“What happened? How did I get here?” I ask, struggling to piece together the events of the past day—or how long I’ve even been here.
Lorenzo takes a deep breath, his expression shifting to one of guilt. “I’m so sorry, Ginny,” he chokes out. “I’m so sorry for everything. I should have protected you better. I should have managed my business matters more responsibly, so you weren’t dragged into my mess…”
I slowly sit up, pushing my hair away from my face. “You don’t have to apologize, Lorenzo. The building collapsing was never your fault. Everything that happened afterward was beyond your control.”
“It is my fault, Ginny,” he insists, his voice cracking. “I’ve made many mistakes in my life, but the most painful one was putting you in harm’s way.”
“Enzo…”
“Contrary to what you think, I’m not a perfect businessman,” he admits, his head bowed. “I’ve done some questionable things to cut corners. Even though Dario’s involvement made things worse, I am no saint.”
I swallow hard, looking at my brother’s troubled face. The worry lines on his forehead are more pronounced. His eyes are sunken with dark circles underneath. He’s lost a significant amount of weight since the scandal broke.
“I’m sure none of the things you’ve done were things you could have avoided,” I finally say. He lifts his head to meet my gaze, surprise flickering in his eyes.
“Ginny, you don’t understand,” he replies, his voice trembling. “I’ve made choices that put you in direct danger. You were almost killed! I’m not the good person you think I am. Not to you, and not to some other people I’ve encountered.”
I reach for his hand and squeeze gently. “Lorenzo, everyone makes mistakes. Being an influential and wealthy man like yourself means you have to navigate a world full of tough decisions. It’s not just black and white.”
He shakes his head, a mix of frustration and sadness. “But those choices have consequences. I never wanted to drag you into this mess.”
“Stop saying that!” I exhale in frustration. “You didn’t drag me anywhere. You were trying to protect us. Cutting corners is part of the game in your world. I get that.”
Uncertainty flickers in his eyes as he looks at me. “There are things you don’t know.” He sighs.
“We’re family,” I insist, my voice firm. “We face whatever problems we have together. Just promise me you’ll be careful moving forward.”
Finally, he nods. “I promise, Ginny. For you.”
I smile at him, and the room falls silent for a few minutes before Lorenzo speaks up again, his tone lighter.
“Also, I’m glad you broke up with Rinaldo. I know I sound selfish when I say this, but he was of very little help to you and to our family.”
I can’t help but chuckle at that. “Our relationship was arranged for business purposes. Both parties knew that, so you aren’t selfish for recognizing we weren’t gaining anything from him. If anyone is selfish, it’s him,” I say, and we both laugh.
“I don’t think you even liked him.”
I groan. “Honestly, I tried. He’s just the kind of person who keeps giving you reasons to stay away.”
We laugh again. But when the laughter dies down, Lorenzo’s expression shifts.
“Dario brought you home. He dealt with Esteban,” he says, his voice lowered.
My heart skips a beat at the mention of Dario. “Wait, Dario? He did?”
“Yeah,” Lorenzo says, his eyes narrowing slightly. “He made sure you were safe.”
And that’s when bits and pieces begin to return. The kidnapping, the beating I received, getting rescued by strange men, and bumping into Dario in my kidnapper’s bedroom. I’d refused to look at any of them, but I saw the blood...so much blood.
“When you say Dario took care of him, did he...” I choke, unable to complete the sentence.
Lorenzo clenches his jaw. “Esteban won’t be a problem for you anymore.”
A breath leaves my mouth as I sink back into the bed. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. I feel a confusing blend of gratitude and bewilderment. For someone who claims to hate me, why would Dario deal with my threat? Even if he had his own issues with Esteban, why would he go through the trouble to rescue me and bring me home? Why would he even care?
I’m not surprised by what happened, though. Personally, even though I haven’t witnessed it firsthand, I’ve heard enough to last a lifetime. The real darkness that lurks behind men like Dario—businessmen with Mafia ties who aren’t afraid to eliminate anyone who gets in their way.
In a world like theirs, only the strongest survive and remain relevant. Dario is a cold, shadowy figure with deeper secrets that I’m not sure I want to uncover. Whatever went down between him and my brother is undoubtedly part of that darkness.
Noticing the furrow in my brow, Lorenzo sighs.
“Just rest, Ginny. Don’t worry about anything right now,” he urges, getting on his feet.
I look at his face again, and I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something else he’s not telling me—something important. I don’t press the issue, though. I can see the sadness in his eyes, and I know he still feels guilty for everything that’s gone wrong.
After Lorenzo leaves the room, I take a moment to collect my thoughts. After a few minutes, I retrieve my phone from the bedside table to send Dario a quick text to thank him.
“Hey. This is Ginny. I just wanted to say thanks for bringing me home. I appreciate it.”
His reply comes almost instantly. “No problem.”
It feels cold, distant. I don’t know what I expected, but I can’t shake the feeling of disappointment. I decide to push back, trying to lighten the mood.
“You know, you could be a little nicer. Do you think you can manage that?”
My heart races as I wait for his response.
A moment passes before his reply arrives.
“There are so many things I’d be willing to do for you, Princess. Being nice isn’t one of them.”
My breath hitches, and I pull my lower lip between my teeth.
“Why are you so crude?”
“Maybe I just like seeing you squirm.”
I grin, feeling a flutter of excitement. “Is that all? I thought you cared.”
“I thought you denied being a stalker. How did you get my number?”
A chuckle escapes me, and I have to remind myself that I shouldn’t like Dario. Yes, he saved me, but that’s all.
“My brother, obviously,” I text back, adding an eye-roll emoji.
I wait for his response. One minute. Two. Five.
“I have to go.”
I stare at my screen, disappointment snaking through my chest.
Yeah, no. I’m definitely reading too much into this.
Shaking my head, I decide to take it easy for the rest of the day. I get up from the bed and head to the theater room—a part of Lorenzo’s house I rarely visit—hoping a movie will distract me.
An hour into the romantic comedy, my phone buzzes with a new text. I glance at the screen and see a message from an old friend. Well, I wouldn’t exactly call her a friend. We attended the same private high school and run in similar circles. She’s always had a competitive edge and enjoyed poking fun at others. Unfortunately, I bump into her often, and we just sort of have each other’s contact information.
“Congrats, girl! Although I’ll say this came as quite a surprise,” it reads.
Confused, I try to reply, but more congratulatory messages start pouring in. My heart races as I scroll through my notifications, each one leaving me more confused and panicked than the last.
When I read one of them that congratulates me on my engagement, my heart drops.
“What’s happening?” I mutter, sitting up and deciding to go online.
I already ended my engagement with Rinaldo. If that fucker tried something stupid...
All breath leaves my lungs when I see an article announcing my “upcoming marriage.” Panic sets in as I read the headline:
“GINEVERA BIANCHI, SISTER TO CONSTRUCTION MOGUL LORENZO BIANCHI, ENGAGED TO CONGLOMERATE OWNER, DARIO DE LUCA.”
“What?!”
This has to be a mistake. Who would spread false rumors like this?
I dig deeper, frantically searching for more articles. That’s when I see the photos of Dario and me leaving the club together that night plastered all over the internet.
My mind spins, and I can’t breathe. How did this happen? Why didn’t anyone tell me?
Lorenzo.
I shoot up from my seat, rushing out of the room to catch Lorenzo before he leaves the house. My heart pounds with a mix of urgency and frustration. When I burst into the living room, I find Lorenzo, but my anger quickly fades when I see him .
Dario is lounging on the sofa, his posture relaxed yet commanding. His dark suit and coat highlights his broad shoulders and muscular build. His emerald, green eyes are sharp and intense, like polished gemstones, and his dark hair falls in messy waves over his forehead.
The slight smirk on his chiseled face adds to his cold, intimidating presence —an enigma that draws you in while warning you to stay away.
The tension in the room is thick. Every glance between us is charged. I can’t shake the feeling that what I’m about to hear is something I’d very much rather avoid.
“Ginny,” Lorenzo says, concern evident in his voice as he notices my expression.
Before I can respond, Dario’s eyes meet mine, his smirk widening. “Ah, she wakes,” he says, his voice smooth with a dangerous allure.
The way he says it, with that knowing look, sends a shiver down my spine. I feel a rush of anger, fear, and, more intensely, a deep, searing hatred.
“What the hell is going on?” I demand, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound firm.
My breath catches in my throat as I turn back to look at Lorenzo, my heart racing with fear and anticipation. This is not going to end well.