A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

AURORA DIDN'T SLEEP THAT NIGHT. Instead, she worked. Seated at the sprawling marble desk in her suite at the Hollingsworth villa, she scoured Odette's emails again, this time looking for patterns, contacts, anything that would give her leverage. Her sister had always been reckless, but the mention of owing money to someone like J.D. raised red flags that were impossible to ignore.

By dawn, Aurora had pieced together enough. J.D. wasn't just some loan shark. He operated on the fringes of luxury, where the rich indulged in their worst impulses—gambling, art smuggling, even black-market deals. His name came up in whispers at exclusive parties, a man with enough power to make or ruin someone's life with a single phone call.

Odette wasn't just careless; she was in serious trouble.

Aurora's first move was to make contact.

Using the phone number she'd extracted from one of Odette's emails, she sent a text that was calculatedly vague yet commanding:

We need to talk. Tonight. I'll come to you.

The response came within minutes. A location. No questions, no name—just an address in Naples.

She smirked. Men like J.D. thrived on intimidation, but they'd never met an opponent like her.

That evening, Aurora arrived at the address: a private club tucked away in an unassuming corner of the city. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a quaint Italian villa, but the line of luxury cars parked nearby told another story.

The doorman eyed her warily, but she walked past him with the confidence of someone who belonged. Once inside, the opulence hit her. Velvet drapes, crystal chandeliers, and the quiet hum of wealth.

A man approached her—a broad-shouldered figure in a perfectly tailored suit. "Miss Hollingsworth?"

Aurora tilted her chin up. "That's right."

"This way."

She followed him through the maze of rooms until they reached a private lounge. Seated on a leather armchair, a glass of amber liquid in hand, was J.D.

He was younger than she'd expected, late thirties, maybe, with a disarming smile that didn't reach his calculating eyes. He gestured for her to sit.

"So," he said, his voice smooth. "Aurora Hollingsworth. I wasn't expecting you, but I have to admit, I'm intrigued."

Aurora sat, crossing her legs gracefully. "I'm here about my sister, Odette."

"Ah, yes. The younger Hollingsworth," J.D. said, swirling his drink. "She's quite... spirited."

Aurora's expression didn't falter. "Spirited or not, she's off-limits now. Whatever she owes you, I'm here to settle it."

J.D.'s smile widened. "You make it sound so simple. But it's not just about the money. Odette agreed to... certain terms."

"And those terms are null and void," Aurora said sharply. "Tell me the amount, and I'll pay it. We'll call it even."

J.D. leaned back, studying her. "You don't scare easily, do you?"

"I don't scare at all."

He chuckled. "Impressive. Fine, let's talk numbers. She owes me €500,000."

Aurora didn't flinch, though the figure was steep. "Done."

"But," J.D. added, his tone playful, "money isn't the only thing I value. There's something else you can give me."

Aurora's eyes narrowed. "I'm listening."