Matteo, Leonardo, and Alessandro, the powerful owners of De Angeli Enterprises, are in their early thirties and have built a fearsome reputation worldwide. Known for their ruthlessness and ambition, these men have amassed wealth and influence by tak...
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Alessandro paced relentlessly back and forth in the office, his steps heavy with tension. Yulia could feel the anxiety radiating off him, like a storm brewing just beneath the surface. She sat perched on Leonardo's lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her, but the tremor in her hands remained. The events of the day had shaken her to her core, and the rapid-fire exchange of Italian between the men only made her feel more out of place. The language barrier only amplified her growing sense of isolation and helplessness.
The office was dimly lit, the soft hum of the city outside barely audible through the thick windows. Yet, the room itself felt stifling, as if the air had grown heavier with every passing second. A warm, amber light from a nearby lamp cast long shadows across the sleek furniture, but it did little to ease the oppressive atmosphere. The weight of unspoken truths hung thick in the air, and Yulia's heart beat wildly in her chest, her thoughts scattered in too many directions to catch hold of.
"Yulia," Matteo's voice broke through her spiraling thoughts, drawing her focus back to him. He stood in front of her, his tone more serious than she had ever heard it. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest at the sound of her name, spoken not with the playful lightness she was used to, but with gravity. She nodded, her wide eyes meeting his as she tried to ground herself in the present moment.
"We need to tell you something," Matteo began, and Yulia's breath caught in her throat. She didn't know if she was ready to hear what they had to say, but there was no turning back now. She watched Matteo closely, her pulse quickening as he continued.
"Leonardo didn't always have it easy," Matteo said, his voice softening as he glanced at Leonardo, whose face remained unreadable. "He built DA from the ground up, and it wasn't until the business was thriving that I joined him."
Yulia felt Leonardo's arms tighten slightly around her, as if he sensed her discomfort. She leaned back into his chest, seeking the comfort of his presence, but the tension remained heavy between them.
"He introduced me to Alessandro," Matteo continued, his eyes flicking over to Alessandro, who had momentarily stopped pacing to sit down beside Jupiter. Alessandro's normally confident and charming demeanor was absent. He sat rigidly, his hands clasped tightly together, his eyes dark and brooding. His posture screamed restraint, like he was holding back a darker, more volatile side of himself. His presence felt menacing in the dim light, a stark contrast to the man who had once made her laugh so easily.
Matteo's voice pulled her back, and she focused on his words. "Alessandro didn't have it easy either, but he had it better than Leo."
Yulia's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of it all. She had always known there was more to Leonardo's and Alessandro's lives than they let on, but this... this was something far darker. She had read about Leonardo's rise to success, but in the abstract way that you read about someone else's life—not expecting to ever be drawn into their world in such a visceral, real way.
