shit to deal with for the wedding."
She glares at me as if this isn't reason enough for me to stay away. "Fine." She closes the door.
I lock her in, leaning against the wood.
Truth of the matter is… I'd do any-fucking-thing to get to see her again. But I can't and shouldn't. My marriage with Nicoletta is inevitable. And unless I figure out a way to get out of this goddamn mess, my affair with Marzia will be forced to come to an end.
34
Marzia
I'm walking down the hallway the next morning when I overhear them. I can instantly tell they don't want anyone to overhear them. They're standing a little way off from a guard, quietly discussing some plan I shouldn't be privy to. My curiosity instantly peaks.
It's Bruno and Adrian, talking to each other in hushed tones.
Something tells me not to give myself away, so I hide behind a pillar in the hallway and motion for Eleanora to do the same. I can tell she doesn't want to, but she swallows her panic and does as she's told anyway. I give her a grateful nod. She isn't always able to help me, but I'm grateful she's trying today. I listen in to the conversation.
"Gustavo will know something's up when he comes to the wedding," Bruno hisses at his son. "He'll pick up the Marzia thing and then we're all fucked."
"It'll be fine," Adrian responds. "She'll be gone by then. We don't need to worry."
My stomach falls. Why are they talking about me as if I'm going to die before the wedding? Knitting my brows together, I motion for Eleanora to come out with me.
"Hello."
The two raise their eyes to me. There's worry etched all over their faces.
This only makes me doubt all this more. They really want me gone... and even though Bruno promised me he didn't want me dead anymore, I have no reason to trust him. He's already told me he's loyal to his family to a fault. He'll do anything he can to make Adrian's wedding with Nicoletta go by smoothly.
"Hello, Marzia," Bruno finally replies. "Heading to my office to work?"
"Yes. And you?" I stare at Adrian, hard.
"We're just discussing a private matter, nothing for you to worry about, bambina," Adrian tells me.
I glare at him, unable to discern his true feelings.
"Yes, I won't be working with you today," Bruno adds. "But they'll send up lunch for you, and you're free to work a bit later too, if you wish."
"Thanks." I nod curtly. "See you both later." I take a step toward the office.
Adrian's palm wraps over my forearm. "Something wrong, bambina?" he asks me cautiously.
I raise my eyes to his, my heartbeat fastening when I remember the conversation I just overheard. I force myself to paint a sweet smile on my face and say, "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" Ignoring them both, I head to Bruno's office, paying no mind to their stares that are glued to my back.
I get to work, trying to pretend I didn't overhear it. But I can't get anything done. My mind is spinning into overdrive. I take a look around the office. This is the second opportunity I have to dig up something to plan something for my escape. This time, I'm going to take it.
I don't have a choice.
If Adrian and Bruno's words are anything to go by, I might not even be around long enough for the wedding.
Making sure no one is watching and that there are no visible cameras in Bruno's office, I start going through his desk.
There are a bunch of documents and papers that mean nothing to me, but a number keeps coming up. 23, 4, 18. 23, 4, 18. Finally, I find a folder with the number marked on the front. I go through it, finding photos of a garage located at 23 Piazza Della Pinta. I see the garage is on the fourth floor of the parking building, the eighteenth unit. Once I see the photos of the inside of the garage, I know I've hit the jackpot.
I smirk and put everything back into place just as I found it. No one is going to suspect I caused this. How could they? I'm just an innocent bambina...
They all trust me.
But they fucking shouldn't.
Later that day, I prepare a letter for my brother, telling Eleanora this one is especially important. I tell him about the garage and what's inside it, explaining I think we can use it as a ruse during Adrian's wedding,