Chapter 24
Lorenzo
I woke up slowly, my mind drifting from the darkness of unconsciousness to the dim light of my room. At first, everything was a blur. The world around me felt distant, as if I were submerged in water, the sounds and sights muffled and distorted. My head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, and I struggled to make sense of my surroundings.
As I blinked, trying to focus, I noticed the familiar decor of my room: the dark wooden furniture, the heavy curtains drawn shut, casting the room in shadows. I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy and unresponsive. I groaned, the effort sending a sharp pain through my skull.
What had happened?
I pressed my hand to my forehead, trying to massage away the pain and coax my brain into functioning. The last thing I could clearly recall was... nothing. My mind was a blank slate, an empty canvas with only the faintest of lines drawn across it. Panic started to rise in my chest as I struggled to remember.
And then, like a dam breaking, the memories flooded back.
Angela.
Her name was the first thing that pierced through the fog. Her face, her smile, the way she looked at me with those eyes that had once seemed so full of warmth and trust. But now, all I could see was the betrayal etched in every line of her expression and every word she had spoken.
Why ? The question echoed in my mind like a painful, unanswered scream.
I heard my father’s warning ring through my ear; it’s always the innocent ones who are the wildest and most dangerous in our world . Fuck! How could I have been so blind all this time?
I remembered the chaos that followed. The grenade, the explosion, the desperate attempt to escape. As I lay there, the memories continued to crash over me, each one like a knife twisting deeper into my heart. I could still hear her voice, her whispered promises, her lies . My hands clenched into fists, the anger and hurt boiling inside me. I had laid my heart out for her, given her everything, and she had played along, deceiving me every step of the way. I was furious, not just at her but at myself for letting my guard down, for letting someone like myself be blinded by love. I, who prided myself on seeing through lies and deception, had fallen for her act completely. Someone like me whose presence was enough to make people tremble, got fooled by a woman? She wasn’t just any woman; my heart screamed. She was the woman I loved.
I forced myself to sit up, pushing through the pain and dizziness. I needed to know more. I needed answers. One thing was clear: I would find her and make her pay. No enemy of mine escaped without clearing their debt. There were no second chances in my world. It was high time I drilled that into her mind. Angela would learn the hard way that betrayal came with consequences. She had chosen her path, and now there was no room for mercy.
As I descended the stairs, the murmur of voices from the living room grew clearer. Declan, Leonardo, and Emir were deep in discussion. They looked up as I entered, their expressions turning to a mix of concern and anger.
“The princess is up finally,” Leonardo joked as I witnessed a few bruises on his face. But then, all four of us were covered in them because of the explosion.
"Lorenzo," Declan began, "how are you feeling?"
"Alive," I replied curtly, scanning their faces before joining them on the couch. "What's the status?"
Leonardo leaned forward, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. "Everything we thought we knew about her was a lie. There were no foster parents; Nikolai took her in when she was eight. That’s not even the best part.” My eyes narrowed as he continued. “Nikolai killed her parents. It wasn’t just an accident.” I stayed silent, digesting the news.
“Does she know?” I had a feeling she didn’t.
“Not sure about that, but all I know is that they fed you exactly what they wanted you to believe. We’re still piecing it together. We're tracking them. They won’t get far."
Emir spread out a blue print on the table. "We have their last known location, and our men are closing in. It's only a matter of time before we have a solid lead."
“They’ll try to leave for Russia soon. We have to intercept them before that,” Declan added.
Leonardo looked up from his phone. “From my sources, Nikolai is headed to the Greenland Tower.”
“Why there?” Emir asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Let’s find out.” My tone was final as I stood up from the couch.
“Right now?” Emir followed me, concern etched on his face.
“Do you want to wait until he escapes to Russia?” I snapped.
“No, but…you’re still roughed up, man,” he hesitated.
“You know I can take more than this,” I chuckled darkly, pushing past the pain. "So I don’t see how that’s a problem?" Emir said nothing. “We move now .”
***
Angela
My heels clicked rhythmically against the tiled floors as I followed Nikolai and Sebastian through the sleek corridors of the Greenland Tower. Jacob walked beside me, while Nikolai’s men trailed not far behind. This was my first visit to the tower, though not my first experience with the kind of business that brought us here. Sebastian carried a briefcase worth billions due to its contents, while Jacob’s briefcase, was worth only a few hundred dollars. Both bags looked exactly the same. Except there was this one tiny detail about them that no one else knew. The only detail that would set them apart. The only detail that I knew.
As we stepped into the glass elevator, I couldn't help but be awestruck by the view. The elevator offered a beautiful view of Sicily, its skyline stretching out like a meticulously crafted painting. One of the most captivating features of the tower was the river that flowed gracefully alongside it, its surface shimmering under the afternoon sun.
The elevator ascended smoothly to the seventeenth floor. I took in every detail of the tower’s design. The interior was a definition of creativity, with its clean lines, glass walls, and minimalist decor. It exuded an air of sophistication and power, fitting for the kind of high-stakes dealings that took place within its walls. Every time, Nikolai chose a different place to conduct any private business with people. Today, it was this place.
I straightened my posture when the elevator doors slid open, and we stepped into a lavish private conference room. A man around Nikolai’s age stood up to greet us. “Mr. Nikolai Romano,” he acknowledged, extending his hand. “Pleasure to see you.” Nikolai accepted the handshake firmly, and they took their seats at the table. Sebastian, Jacob, and I stood behind him, our eyes sharp and alert. The rest of Nikolai’s men remained outside for security.
“I have to say, it was a big surprise when my assistant informed me of your interest in setting up this meeting. To what do I owe the honor, then?” The man asked.
With a single motion of his finger, Nikolai signaled for the bags to be placed on the table. Sebastian and Jacob entered the codes, and the bags opened to reveal a sight that left the man speechless. “I’ve heard you have an eye for only the original, Markos. Let’s see if you can live up to your reputation.” Markos' eyes widened, his jaw dropping at the sight before him.
“Is this...?” He paused in disbelief. “Is this really what I think it is?”
“The Temptucce ? Yes. It is,” Nikolai replied proudly.
“They shine even brighter in real life,” Markos murmured, mesmerized by the diamonds. “But what I don’t understand is, why do you have them? Weren’t they stolen?”
“Now, Markos, you don’t question your client, do you? You only satisfy him with your work. And remember, your work will be handsomely rewarded.” Markos raised an eyebrow, leaning back into his seat.
“I’m listening.”
“There are two bags, both containing exactly the same diamonds,” Nikolai began.
“And so I can see,” Markos replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
“But here’s the twist. One of them is fake. Let’s see if you really have an eye for the original.” Markos smirked, clearly relishing the challenge. Without a word, he leaned forward, his eyes scrutinizing the contents of each bag. He took a deep breath, his eyes darting between the two sets of diamonds without even touching them. His gaze flickered back and forth, absorbing every minute detail. I watched as he took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing in concentration.
Finally, his hand stretched out towards one of the bags. I scoffed internally, already anticipating his failure. Just as Nikolai’s smug smile began to form, Markos paused. In a deft, last-second move, he shifted direction, his fingers closing around a diamond from the other bag.
The room held its breath.
“Pass?” he challenged, meeting Nikolai’s gaze. “Let’s test, shall we?” He pulled out a diamond tester from his coat pocket and placed the nib on the stone.
“Diamond,” the automated voice confirmed. Markos returned the stone to the briefcase, leaning back with a victorious smirk.
“Now tell me, how can I really help you, Mr. Romano?” Nikolai nodded, impressed, and pulled out the ninth Temptucce from his coat pocket. Markos’ eyes narrowed as he watched closely.
“I need an exact replica—same color, same weight, same shine, everything,” Nikolai stressed, handing over the ring. I felt a pang in my heart as I watched.
The real diamonds were never in the Volka Museum; they were always with Nikolai, kept safe in his bedroom locker. He took them everywhere he traveled, trusting no one else to protect them.
Markos examined the ring, a smirk forming on his lips. “What’s the twist in this story?”
“No questions for the client, Markos. Only actions.”
“Alright then, I’ll name the price. No negotiations,” Markos added. “Fifty.”
“Sure. Sebastian?” Nikolai called out. “Transfer fifty thousand to Mr. Markos—”
“Million,” Markos corrected, and I saw Nikolai's eyebrows disappear into his hairline.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re asking for fifty million for a stone that’s not worth even a few thousand.”
“It’s not the cost, Mr. Romano,” Markos chuckled. “It’s the effort and the time. This piece,” he said, holding up the gleaming stone in the perfect shade of green attached to the ring, “is the most intricate of them all. You wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t the best at my job. Besides, I’m sure you can recover a few million in a month by cheating all the people you do normally, every single day.’’ Of course, even a child could add two and two together if the clues were laid out in front of them so openly. Quite literally. “If the deal is no-go, the door is that way. I’m not the desperate one here anyway.”
Nikolai glared, clearly unhappy. After a tense moment, he sighed. “You’re right. I am desperate since the man who made the rest of them died.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Markos said, totally not giving a shit about it. “I won’t waste time asking how—”
“I killed him.”
That shut Markos up. Nikolai stood up, toying with his gun, slowly making his way to Markos’ side. “I killed him because he tried to cross me. Tried to fool me by trading the wrong stone,” he whispered menacingly, leaning close to Markos’ ear. “I also kill people who don’t listen to me. That should be a fair warning,” he threatened. “So, Mr. Markos? Do we have a deal?” Markos nodded, feeling the pressure of the gun against his temple.
“Good,” Nikolai smiled. “That’s what I expected. I’m sure you won’t disappoint me with your work,” he threatened, stepping away.
“He’s one good negotiator,” Jacob whispered in my ear. I scoffed silently at Nikolai’s so-called negotiating skills. Before I could reply, a surge of panic spread through the room as the security alarm blared and red lights flashed.
“Security breached. Safety compromised,” the automated voice announced. Before I could reach for my gun, a deafening explosion rocked the room.
***