A Thousand Ways To Say I Love You

CHAPTER XXXII

Matteo drove through the darkened streets with urgency, his mind racing as fast as the car. He could still feel the weight of Isabella’s suspicions, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. He had more pressing matters to deal with. As he approached the city, he navigated quickly to his office, parking the car with a sharp turn.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense. Mia, Joo, Teros, Albert and Nathan sat together  looking more serious than usual. They all looked up as Matteo entered, his presence commanding attention.

"What's going on?" Matteo asked, his voice low but firm as he strode toward the group.

Mia was the first to speak, her eyes narrowed with concern. "We’ve got a situation, Matteo. A serious one."

Mia, speak, as leaned forward, her expression serious. "It's about the new deal with BK.Co. We’ve just found out that D’Angelo Enterprise, is making moves on the deal too. They’ve already had talks with BK.Co’s executives, trying to undercut us."

Nathan jumped in, "They’re offering better terms, lower prices, and faster delivery. BK.Co might go with them if we don’t act fast."

Matteo felt a surge of frustration but remained calm. D’Angelo Enterprises had been a thorn in their side for years, always trying to sabotage their deals, and whenever they step in between it always create a scene. This time, however, it felt different—it felt personal.

Teros added, "We’ve been monitoring their activities, and it seems like they’re using some underhanded tactics to sway the deal. Word is, they've got some insiders at BK.Co feeding them information about our offer."

Matteo clenched his jaw. "Carter D’Angelo has always played dirty, but we’re not going to let him or them take this from us."

Joo nodded, "We need to move quickly, Matteo. If we want to secure this deal, we have to outsmart them and make an offer BK.Co can’t refuse."

Matteo took a deep breath. "Alright, let’s regroup. We’ll craft a better offer, but we also need to figure out who their insiders are. We can’t let them blindside us again."

Mia, determined, said, "I’ll handle that. I’ll dig into BK.Co’s internal contacts and see what I can find."

Matteo glanced around at his team. "We’ve come too far to lose this. Let’s make sure D’Angelo regrets ever going up against us."

Carter D'Angelo, CEO of D'Angelo Enterprises, had always been a relentless competitor. Matteo knew that dealing with him would be no easy task. Carter had a reputation for playing dirty, using every underhanded tactic in the book to get ahead, and this new deal with BK.Co was clearly his latest target.

As Matteo sat in his chair, thinking about the next move, he couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation. Carter wasn’t just a rival—he was a threat that had to be handled carefully. The deal with BK.Co could tip the scales in the business world and could help Matteo in ways, and losing it to D'Angelo would be a serious blow.

Matteo turned to his team. "We’re up against Carter D'Angelo himself. Let’s make sure we’re prepared for whatever game he’s playing."

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Carter D'Angelo leaned back in his chair, the grin still playing on his lips. The shadows in his dimly lit office danced as the room echoed with the steady ticking of a clock. His eyes darted to the door as it opened, revealing one of his most trusted men.

"Do you have it?" Carter asked, his voice low, filled with anticipation.

The man nodded, stepping forward with a thick file. "Everything you asked for. Matteo's moves, his business, and... her."

Carter's eyes flicked to the file as it landed on his desk with a soft thud. He opened it, his gaze sweeping over the photos and reports. His smirk widened when he saw Isabella's face again. "She's quite something, isn’t she? This... Isabella."

"Yes, sir," the man replied cautiously, unsure of where Carter was going with this. "She’s a doctor, works long hours. No real connections to the underworld. But she’s been spending more time with Matteo recently."

Carter leaned back again, studying the photo of Isabella with a cold, calculating gaze. "Matteo’s been getting sloppy. He’s distracted—because of her." His fingers tapped the edge of the file. "Tell me, what else do we know about her?"

The man cleared his throat. "She has no idea about Matteo’s true business. Her family is clean, no ties to the Mafia. She works hard, keeps her head down, doesn’t socialize much. She's always in the hospital tending patient."

Carter’s smirk faded into a more serious expression. "She had always been like that" he whispered to himself, before he speaks "Good. And what about Matteo? Does he suspect anything?"

The man hesitated. "No, sir. He’s been busy with her lately and doesn’t seem aware that we’re watching."

Carter’s eyes darkened. "Good. Let’s keep it that way. For now." He tossed the file back on the desk, closing it with a soft thud. "I want updates on Matteo’s every move. But most importantly..." He leaned forward, his voice dropping into a dangerous whisper. "Keep a close eye on Isabella. I need to know where she is at all times."

The man nodded, taking note. "Understood, sir."

As the man turned to leave, Carter’s voice stopped him. "Oh, and one more thing." The coldness in his tone returned. "If anything happens to her... make sure I’m the first to know. Matteo’s little weakness could turn into my greatest advantage."

The man nodded once more, leaving the room. Carter sat in the silence, a sinister smile curling at the edges of his lips. The game had already begun, and soon enough, Matteo would realize just how much he stood to lose.

"Let’s see how you handle this, Matteo," Carter muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Let, the fun begin."

What Matteo didn’t know was that Carter D'Angelo had been playing a much deeper game than he could ever anticipate. The rivalry between them had evolved into something far more sinister, with Carter obsessively tracking Matteo’s every move, not just in business, but in his personal life.

Carter leaned back in his leather chair, eyes fixated on a collection of photographs spread across his desk. Each captured moment between Matteo and Isabella felt like a piece in a twisted game Carter was preparing to play. There they were—laughing at the beach, sharing kisses, walking side by side in her hometown. Carter picked up a photo of them at dinner, their faces glowing with happiness, and a slow, menacing grin crept across his face.

"Matteo, Matteo... you think you’ve won? I'm quite sad, why does it have to be her, you really got a habit of taking what's mine first, didn't you,." Carter whispered to himself, his voice cold with amusement. He tapped his fingers on the desk, staring at Isabella’s face in the picture. "I don't know she’s your weakness, but it's okay I'll be taking good care of her more than you do... she’ll be mine at the last."

A dark glint flickered in his eyes as he toyed with the idea. He knew what it meant, to take what mattered most to them. And Matteo’s heart wasn’t in his empire—it was with Isabella. Carter smirked, leaning forward in his chair. "Let’s see how you handle losing something more precious than any BK.Co deal to me, Matteo. This... will be fun."

The weight of the game had shifted, and Carter D'Angelo was about to move his most dangerous piece into play.

Carter took a sip, savoring the taste, feeling a wave of satisfaction. Everything was going according to his plan. Matteo wouldn’t see the real threat until it was too late, and by then, Carter would have taken everything Matteo held dear—his power, his influence, and perhaps, even the woman he had, trying so hard to protect .

This was more than a rivalry and now it turned personal as it was 'Isabella'. And Carter always played to win.