Chapter 3 #2
The subtle wording doesn’t escape me.
He’s informed enough to know exactly what’s been happening around me, but professional enough not to pry into it directly.
I rise as well, meeting him near the door of the lounge.
"That’s kind of you to consider." I reply with a small smile. "Things have been busy."
"I can imagine."
For a moment, the conversation settles into something quieter. Not awkward but measured. Stefano carries himself with the kind of confidence that never needs to dominate a room to control it.
We leave the private lounge together, continuing the conversation as we walk through the quiet hallway outside my office suite. Stefano speaks calmly about timelines, security concerns, and the level of discretion the project would require if I decided to move forward.
I'm still half-focused on everything he told me about Domenico when I notice someone approaching from the opposite end of the corridor.
Sebastian.
He walks toward us with easy confidence, the sharp cut of his charcoal suit making him look every bit the polished businessman the public loves so much.
"Well," he says as he reaches us, "this is unexpected."
Stefano’s expression barely changes, though I catch the faintest trace of recognition in his eyes.
"Sebastian Hayes." He says smoothly.
"Stefano Rinaldi." Sebastian extends his hand immediately. "It’s been a while."
"It has."
The two men shake hands firmly, both calm, both composed, both carrying the kind of presence that came from years spent around powerful people.
Sebastian glances between the two of us curiously. "I didn’t know you two were acquainted."
"We weren’t." Stefano replies. "Until today."
"Business?"
"Something like that."
Sebastian smiles lightly at the vague answer, though I can already tell his curiosity is growing.
"I should get going." Stefano says after a moment, stepping back slightly. "I have another meeting waiting for me."
His attention shifts toward me again.
"Ms. Krogen, I’ll contact you once I have more information about the auction."
Sebastian catches it immediately. I see it in the subtle narrowing of his eyes. But his expression remains casual.
"Sounds intriguing." He says lightly.
Stefano only offers a polite smile. "I’m sure Ms. Krogen will decide whether it interests her soon enough."
"I’m looking forward to hearing more." I reply.
Stefano gives a final nod before turning and walking down the hallway, disappearing around the corner with the same composed energy he arrived with.
For a moment, Sebastian and I simply stand there watching him leave.
"Alright." He says quietly. "Now I’m curious."
I start walking back toward my office. "About?"
"Stefano Rinaldi personally showing up here." Sebastian falls into step beside me effortlessly. "That man doesn’t waste time on small business deals."
"It’s not small."
"So what is it?"
I push open my office doors and walk inside, grateful for the privacy the second they close behind us.
Sebastian remains near the entrance for a moment, watching me carefully while I move toward my desk.
"He approached me with a proposition." I say calmly.
"What kind of proposition?"
"One I’m still evaluating."
A faint smile appears on his face. "You’re being unusually secretive today."
"I’m being cautious."
"About me?" His tone stays light, but the question still lands strangely.
I set a file down on my desk before looking back at him. "About the situation."
Sebastian studies me quietly for a second. "What exactly are we talking about here, Zora?"
I hesitate briefly. Not because I think Sebastian is dangerous. But because Stefano’s warning about discretion is still sitting heavily in the back of my mind.
"It involves information gathering." I answer carefully. "Sensitive information."
"And that requires auctions now?"
So he noticed that too.
I lean back slightly against the edge of the desk, crossing my arms loosely. "You’re reading too much into one sentence."
"Am I?" He steps closer slowly. "Because Rinaldi mentioning an auction in a private conversation with you doesn’t exactly sound normal."
I let out a quiet breath through my nose. Sebastian was intelligent. Far more intelligent than people gave him credit for, sometimes. Which also meant he noticed things quickly.
"It’s complicated." I say finally.
Sebastian watches me quietly for a moment, his expression harder to read now. "That usually means dangerous."
I hold his gaze evenly. "Dangerous things are part of my job now, Sebastian."
"You know you don’t have to handle everything alone, right?" The sincerity in his voice catches me slightly off guard.
"I know." And I do. But something about this situation feels different. Domenico Valenti feels different.
A man like that doesn’t belong in normal conversations.
Sebastian seems to realize I’m not going to explain further. So after a second, he exhales quietly and slips his hands into his pockets.
"Alright." He says. "I won’t push."
"That would be appreciated."
A faint smirk touches his mouth before he glances at his watch. "I've got another meeting anyway."
"Then you should go."
He studies me for another second before stepping closer and pressing a quick kiss against my cheek.
"If this turns into something serious, tell me."
"It probably already is."
That earns me a brief pause, but in the end he only nods once before heading for the door.
The second it closes behind him, my thoughts drift straight back to the same place they had been the entire time I talked to Stefano.
Domenico Valenti. Il Fantasma.
A man capable of slipping through impossible security systems as though they were barely an inconvenience. And somehow, instead of caution, all I feel is curiosity.