Chapter 13 - The Bride Giovanni Had Never Met
The invitation was elegant.
Giovanni Rossi
and
Chiara Ventresca
request the honor of your presence.
Date: three weeks away.
Isadora stared.
“Who is Chiara?”
“The daughter of Senator Ventresca.”
“And are you marrying her?”
“No.”
“Were you supposed to?”
Gio hesitated.
Isadora crossed her arms.
“Giovanni.”
“Years ago, our families discussed it.”
“How romantic.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Clearly.”
Gio sighed.
“I refused.”
“Does Chiara know that?”
“She married someone else.”
“Then why send invitations?”
“Because Carlo wants people to believe I’m making a political alliance.”
Marco entered.
“Worse.”
He held up his phone.
“Chiara’s husband disappeared this morning.”
Gio cursed.
By evening, Chiara arrived at La Corona herself.
She was thirty-two, elegant, furious, and carrying a sleeping four-year-old daughter.
“I need your help.”
Gio looked at the child.
“Where is your husband?”
“Carlo has him.”
Isadora stepped closer.
“Why?”
“Because my father has access to parliamentary evidence against Carlo.”
Chiara’s voice shook.
“He wants my father to destroy it.”
“And the fake wedding?”
“To make it look like our families are cooperating.”
Gio understood.
“If your father exposes Carlo after the announcement, he looks compromised.”
Chiara nodded.
Carlo was not simply threatening people.
He was destroying their credibility before they could speak.
Isadora crouched beside Chiara’s daughter.
The girl woke briefly.
“Are you the lady who poured ice on him?”
Everyone froze.
Isadora looked at Gio.
Gio looked horrified.
Chiara covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
“My father watches too much television,” the child explained.
Isadora smiled.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
She went back to sleep.
Even Gio laughed.
The brief warmth disappeared when Luca entered.
“We found Chiara’s husband.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Everyone exhaled.
“Where?”
Luca looked uneasy.
“At the old Stella Marina.”
Gio’s face hardened.
Carlo wanted them back at the hotel.
This time, however, Giovanni Rossi was done reacting.
He looked at Isadora.
“Your turn.”
She blinked.
“My turn?”
“You’ve spent weeks telling me I solve every problem like a man obsessed with control.”
“You do.”
“Fine.”
He pushed the hotel plans toward her.
“What would you do?”
Isadora studied them.
Then smiled.
“I’d stop giving Carlo the audience he wants.”
Gio leaned closer.
“And?”
May you like
“I’d give him a much bigger one.”
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