Stephani's hands clenched into fists, her carefully maintained composure shattering completely. "That's why he kept his distance. That's why he refused my invitations. He was protecting her.""The sources suggested it's just a business arrangement," Elena offered carefully. "Not a real marriage. Most people seem to think—""I don't care what people think!" Stephani interrupted furiously. "Vincent is mine! He's always been mine! And now he's—" she couldn't even finish the sentence, rage choking off her words.Elena stood silently, recognizing that anything she said now would only fuel Stephani's fury."Find out everything about this Gianna Moretti," Stephani commanded, her voice cold with calculated rage. "Her business, her family, her weaknesses. Everything. I want to know exactly who dared to marry Vincent.""Yes, Miss Palazzo," Elena replied, already mentally preparing to mobilize the full resources of the Palazzo information network.As Stephani paced the alcove like a caged predat

Vincent snapped back to the present, finding Raphael watching him with concern and fear."Pablo is dead," Vincent repeated, his voice carrying absolute certainty despite the tremor underneath. "I stabbed him in the neck. I watched him fall into the Mediterranean. I watched the water take him. There's no way he survived that.""Commander, I know what you saw," Raphael said carefully. "But the intelligence is solid. Multiple independent confirmations. Photographic evidence from security cameras in three different countries. Facial recognition matches at ninety-eight percent confidence.""Show me," Vincent demanded.Raphael pulled out his encrypted tablet, calling up a series of images. Security camera footage from various locations—a hotel in Paris, a restaurant in Rome, an airport in Madrid.Each image showed the same man. Tall, muscular, with a scar running down the left side of his neck—exactly where Vincent's blade had struck three years ago.Pablo Castro. Unmistakably alive.Vincen

"But you need me," Giovanni countered. "Here's what I'm proposing: let me in on your deal. Partner with the Benedetti family to develop your three percent stake. Together, we can leverage our combined resources to actually impress Stephani enough to get real contracts with her company.""Why would you want to partner with me?" Gianna asked suspiciously. "You've been trying to destroy my business for months.""Because circumstances have changed," Giovanni said smoothly. "You've demonstrated resources I didn't know you had. That makes you potentially useful instead of just an obstacle.""How generous," Gianna replied sarcastically."And in return for my help," Giovanni continued, ignoring her tone, "I would make sure that the arranged marriage to Kevin is called off permanently. You could live your life freely. No more pressure from your family, no more interference from the Romanos. Just you and your business, supported by Benedetti resources."Gianna felt a flicker of temptation despi

They didn't get to finish the question. The tactical team moved with breathtaking speed and precision—disarming, subduing, and neutralizing all three attackers in less than fifteen seconds.It looked like something from an action film. Clean, efficient, professional violence that ended with the three thugs unconscious on the pavement and the tactical team barely breathing hard.Gianna sat frozen in her damaged car, her mind struggling to process what she'd just witnessed.The team leader approached her vehicle, his face partially obscured by tactical gear. "Miss Moretti? Are you injured?""I—what—who are you?" Gianna stammered."Extraction team," the leader replied curtly. "We need to get you out of here. Can you move?""I think so," Gianna said, testing her limbs. Everything hurt, but nothing seemed broken. "Who sent you? How did you know—""No time for explanations," the leader interrupted, helping her carefully from the wrecked vehicle. "We need to relocate you to a secure location

"We have photographic evidence from multiple independent sources," Raphael countered. "Facial recognition matches. The scar from the wound you described. Commander, I know you don't want to believe it, but the evidence is compelling.""Circumstantial," Vincent replied dismissively."Multiple confirmed sightings across Europe," Raphael pressed. "All moving in this direction. Toward your location. That's not circumstantial, that's a pattern."Vincent's hands clenched into fists at his sides. He didn't want to think about Pablo. Didn't want to accept the possibility that the man he'd killed—the brother he'd mourned—might somehow be alive and hunting him."There are bigger fish to fry than Gianna and Stephani," Raphael said bluntly. "And I know you don't like either of them complicating your life right now, but Pablo Castro—if he's really out there—he's the biggest threat you face. Not jealous billionaires or business rivals. A man you thought was dead, coming back for what you have to as