27. Mia

Chapter 27

Mia

The study feels colder than usual, its opulent decor unable to mask the tension weighing down the air. I sit at the wide mahogany desk, my hands trembling as I unfold yet another letter from the stack my father left behind. Each word on the aged paper feels like a ghost, whispering secrets I never knew existed.

The letter begins innocently enough, my father addressing my mother in a tone that hints at regret. But as I read further, the truth emerges like a dagger from the shadows. He had planned to use the ledger—evidence of Matteo’s illegal dealings—as a weapon. The ledger was meant to be his bargaining chip, his last attempt to end Matteo’s reign of terror and secure a better future for me and my mother.

But the plan failed.

My father writes of betrayal, of allies who turned on him and deals that collapsed under Matteo’s relentless pressure. He feared for our lives, his desperation evident in every line. "If this falls into Matteo’s hands," he wrote, "he will have the power to destroy us all."

I clutch the letter tightly, my heart pounding. The inheritance property isn’t just a sentimental piece of land—it’s a battleground. And the ledger is the weapon everyone’s vying for.

The sound of footsteps echoes faintly in the hallway, and I quickly fold the letter, tucking it back into the stack. My hand lingers over the papers, the weight of their importance pressing heavily on my chest.

I can feel Carlito’s presence before I hear him enter the room. He steps into the study, his sharp gaze sweeping over me and the desk. “You’ve been in here all morning,” he says, his voice tinged with concern.

“I needed time to think,” I reply, trying to keep my tone steady. “About everything.”

Carlito moves closer, his expression softening as he stops beside me. “I understand,” he says quietly. “This isn’t easy—for either of us.”

For a moment, I consider telling him what I’ve just discovered, but the memory of our argument last night still lingers. The way his protectiveness clashed with my independence. How can I tell him I’m thinking of leaving the safety of this penthouse to confront the ghosts of my family’s past?

Carlito places a hand on my shoulder, grounding me in the present. “If there’s something you’re not saying, Mia, you can tell me,” he says, his tone gentle but firm. “We’re in this together.”

I look up at him, the weight of my secret threatening to spill over. But I can’t. Not yet. Not when I don’t have all the answers.

Instead, I nod, offering him a faint smile. “I know,” I whisper.

He hesitates, his dark eyes searching mine, before nodding. “I’ll leave you to it,” he says, turning toward the door.

As he leaves, I release a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My gaze drifts back to the letters on the desk, my father’s words echoing in my mind.

This isn’t just a fight for survival. It’s a fight for justice.

I reach for another letter, my resolve hardening. Whatever secrets this ledger holds, I have to uncover them. Not just for my father’s sake—but for Carlito’s. For our child’s. For the future I refuse to let Matteo destroy.

I pace the room, the letters now spread across the desk like fragments of a puzzle. My father’s words point to the ledger’s importance, but nowhere does he explain exactly where it’s hidden. All he mentions is the inheritance property—a place I’ve never seen but now feels like the center of everything.

The weight of the decision ahead presses on me. Dominic’s warnings echo in my mind, but they’re tangled with Carlito’s reassurances, his fierce determination to shield me from harm. Yet, how can I stay in this gilded cage when the truth—and the danger—is out there?

I glance at the clock on the wall. It’s late afternoon now, and I can hear faint voices coming from the living room—Carlito speaking to Leo, no doubt planning their next move. Their words are muffled, but the tension carries through the walls.

My gaze shifts back to the letters, one phrase standing out as if illuminated: "The truth will protect you, even when I can’t."

I sit down, picking up the most recent letter again, my father’s handwriting growing shakier toward the end. He wrote about the ledger as though it were more than just evidence; it was a weapon. Whatever the ledger contains it must have the power to take down Matteo’s empire.

The door creaks open behind me, and I turn quickly to see Carlito standing in the doorway again. His dark eyes take in the spread of papers on the desk before locking onto mine.

“It’s late now Mia, you’ve been in here for hours. What are you doing?” he asks again, his voice measured but edged with suspicion.

I hesitate, the weight of my secret pressing down on me. But something in his expression—a vulnerability beneath his hardened exterior—makes me falter.

“I’m trying to understand,” I admit quietly, gesturing to the letters. “About my father. About why he left all of this behind for me.”

Carlito steps into the room, his presence commanding yet careful, as though he doesn’t want to shatter the fragile calm between us. “Your father was a complicated man,” he says, his voice softening. “He wanted to protect you from this world, but in doing so, he left you vulnerable to it.”

I nod, his words resonating with the letters I’ve read. “He wrote about the ledger,” I say cautiously, watching for his reaction. “About how it could take down Matteo.”

Carlito stiffens slightly, his jaw tightening. “And you believe it’s still there? Hidden on the property?”

“Yes,” I reply, my voice steadier now. “And if Matteo gets it first...”

“I won’t let that happen,” he interrupts, his tone firm. He moves closer, his hand brushing mine as he leans against the desk. “But you need to trust me, Mia. If we’re going to get through this, we have to do it together.”

I want to believe him, but the memory of Dominic’s words lingers: "Matteo isn’t the only threat you need to worry about."

I swallow hard, forcing the doubt from my voice. “I trust you, Carlito. But this ledger... it’s part of my father’s legacy. I need to see it for myself.”

His expression shifts, a mix of frustration and understanding. “I know,” he says after a moment. “And I’ll make sure you do. But not alone.”