Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

S ofia

T he headline hit the front page like a thunderbolt: " Senator's Secret Dealings with Crime Boss Exposed! " It was Alessia's handiwork, and I could practically hear her voice in every cutting line of the article. She didn't hold back—she never did.

Within hours, the story had spread like wildfire. Alessia's newspaper was the first to break it, but it didn't take long for other outlets to pick it up. By midday, it was all over social media, with people speculating, arguing, and pointing fingers. By evening, the two men were the butt of every political meme on X. The entire city was buzzing, the news spreading through every café, every office, and every crowded street corner.

Ricci's office had already released a statement denying any involvement, calling the allegations baseless and defamatory. But the damage was done. The senator's name was now synonymous with corruption, and there would be no coming back from that.

I sat across from Massimo at the breakfast table. The news played softly in the background, the anchor's voice taut with excitement as she recounted the latest developments.

" …in a shocking twist, the alleged collaboration between Senator Ricci and Raffaele Moretti has come to light, sparking outrage among the public. Sources close to the investigation suggest that the senator's ties to organized crime were far deeper than anyone suspected, with new evidence pointing to illegal deals and payoffs spanning years… "

I took a sip of my coffee, savoring the rich, dark taste as I watched Massimo's face. His expression was one of quiet satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement as he listened to the broadcast.

"They're eating it up," I murmured, setting my cup down. "Alessia really outdid herself this time."

Massimo nodded, his lips curling into a small, pleased smile. "She's good," he admitted. "Better than I expected. The timing couldn't have been more perfect."

I grinned, feeling a surge of pride for my friend. "I told you she was the best."

Massimo leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful as he watched the TV screen flash images of Senator Ricci's grim face, followed by Raffaele's. The newscaster was still talking about the scandal, the words ‘organized crime' and ‘corruption' spinning like a whirlwind around the room. But I could see it in his eyes—Massimo wasn't fooled by the momentary victory.

"He's not stupid, Sofia," he said, his voice low and tense. "Raffaele isn't just going to sit back and let this blow over. He'll know it was us who set him up."

I nodded, my grip tightening around my coffee cup. "He's going to want to retaliate," I agreed. "And he'll come at us with everything he has."

Massimo's gaze shifted back to me, his eyes dark with concern. "He's going to be looking for blood," he said grimly. "If he suspects even for a second that you were involved, he'll come after you. And he won't be subtle about it."

I swallowed hard, a shiver running down my spine at the thought of Raffaele's wrath. "What do we do?" I asked quietly. "How do we stay ahead of him?"

Massimo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "We have to be careful," he replied, his tone measured. "We need to make sure he doesn't find any proof linking us to the leak. Alessia did her job well, but Raffaele will be tearing the city apart looking for someone to blame. We can't give him a reason to look our way."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "What if he goes after Alessia?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper. "He knows she wrote the article. He might try to use her to get to us."

Massimo's expression darkened. "He won't find her," he said firmly. "I've already arranged for her to be somewhere safe. Somewhere only a few of my most trusted men know about. If Raffaele wants her, he'll have to go through a lot of smoke first."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of urgency. "We can't underestimate him," I insisted.

Massimo nodded, his fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the table. "We'll stay one step ahead of him," he said. "But we do it smart, and we do it safe."

He reached across the table, taking my hand in his, his touch firm and reassuring. "And that means you stay close to me, Sofia," he added, his voice softening just a fraction. "I'm not letting him get anywhere near you."

I squeezed his hand. "I'm not going to let him take me down," I replied, my voice filled with resolve. "We're in this together, Massimo. We're going to finish what we started."

He nodded, a small smile forming on his lips, but there was still that undercurrent of worry in his eyes.

"Yes, we are," he agreed. "But we play this smart, or we risk losing everything."