In the heart of a modern city, two rival families hold the power. Valentina, a fiercely loyal daughter, and Matteo, a cunning and determined son, find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous feud. But when their paths unexpectedly intertwine, th...
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Valentina's head rested on my chest, and I could feel her breath evening out. We hadn't said anything for a while, just letting the silence wrap around us, and for once, it felt like everything was okay.
I let my hand slide through her hair, enjoying the way she calmed me down without even trying.
And then, of course, my phone buzzed.
I pulled it out, seeing my father's name on the screen, and everything in me tensed up. I knew this wasn't going to be good.
"Matteo, dove cazzo sei?" my father's voice boomed through the phone, and I winced. "Sai in che casino siamo? Questa è la tua responsabilità!"
(Matteo, dove cazzo sei? Sai in che casino siamo? Questa è la tua responsabilità! - Matteo, where the fuck are you? Do you know what mess we're in? This is your responsibility!)
My stomach dropped, the calm from before evaporating in an instant.
Valentina sat up beside me, worry crossing her face as she watched me, but I couldn't focus on her right now.
"Che diavolo è successo?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I could already tell by the tone that something had blown up.
(Che diavolo è successo? - What the hell happened?)
"Tu e quel casino con la tua sorella!" He was shouting now, spitting out words faster than I could fully grasp. "L'affare sta andando in pezzi ed è colpa tua! Tua responsabilità, Matteo!"
(Tu e quel casino con la tua sorella! - You and that mess with your sister!)
(L'affare sta andando in pezzi ed è colpa tua! Tua responsabilità, Matteo! - The deal is falling apart and it's your fault! Your responsibility, Matteo!)
I ground my teeth, trying to keep it together. Camilla. This had her written all over it. Of course she'd gone and fucked something up while I wasn't looking.
"I'll handle it," I said through clenched teeth, but my father wasn't having it.
"Non voglio sentire 'gestirò'. Vai subito a sistemare questo disastro!" His voice was pure fury. I hung up, not waiting for more, knowing this was going to be bad.
(Non voglio sentire 'gestirò'. Vai subito a sistemare questo disastro! - I don't want to hear 'I'll handle it'. Go fix this mess now!)
Valentina was still staring at me, her concern clear on her face. "What happened?" she asked softly.
"I have to take care of something," I muttered, standing up and brushing the grass off. I hated leaving her like this, but I had no choice. I couldn't drag her into this mess.
I dropped her off at her place, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you later," I promised, even though I wasn't sure when I'd be able to.
As soon as I stepped into the house, I knew I was walking into a shitstorm.
