Chapter 32 Heartbeats Out of Rhythm
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Whether Sofph loves me or not, that’s my business. You don’t need to interfere,” Acia snapped at Herina, her tone defensive.
“Is that so?” Herina replied coolly. “Even after Vega disappeared for three years, he hasn’t cared, and now another woman has taken her place. What makes you think you can change Antonio’s mind?”
Acia flinched at the words. Each one felt like a needle piercing her heart, but she couldn’t deny the truth in them.
Vega had been absent for years, yet her relationship with Antonio had never improved. No, it was as if there had never been one to begin with. The idea that Antonio felt anything for her—interest, affection, or love—was nothing more than a figment of her imagination.
“I don’t know,” Acia finally muttered, defiance in her voice. “But I know I’m better than anyone else.”
Herina gave a small, knowing smile, shaking her head. “From what I’ve seen, you’re no different. Rose might even be better.”
Acia bristled at the comment. Unwilling to endure Herina’s observations any longer, she turned and left the room, her heart heavy with anger and hurt.
 
After lunch, Antonio split off into another car, instructing his team to drive Rose back to the mansion. Recently, he hadn’t allowed her to go anywhere alone without trusted escorts. He’d come to accept that the safest place for her was within the mansion’s protective walls, where he could rest easy knowing she wouldn’t be at risk.
That afternoon, Antonio had a crucial meeting with international partners at a hotel. Once finished, he made a brief stop at a jewelry store owned by his company before heading back to the casino.
Antonio entered the store and approached the branch manager.
“Is the item I ordered ready?” he asked curtly.
“Yes, sir,” the manager, a middle-aged woman, replied. She retrieved a small navy-blue velvet box from a drawer and placed it on the glass counter. Inside was a diamond necklace, simple yet elegant—exactly the style Antonio had envisioned for Rose after hours of deliberation.
“Thank you,” Antonio said, taking the box and leaving the store to continue to the casino.
As he entered his suite at the casino, Antonio asked Rossi, “Is everything in order?”
“Yes, sir,” Rossi replied.
“And what about Lorenzo? Leaving things like this isn’t good for us,” Antonio added, his tone sharp.
“I’ve only discovered that Lorenzo has been expanding his arms trade,” Rossi began hesitantly. “As for the plan to pay someone for intel...”
Antonio cut him off with a nod. “Let’s hold off on that. I don’t want to risk someone playing both sides, leaking our moves back to them.”
Though the initial plan to bribe someone in Lorenzo’s ranks had seemed promising, Antonio realized it could easily backfire, exposing their operations instead.
“So, what’s the next step?” Rossi asked.
“For now, we wait and watch. I’m more worried about Rose’s safety than anything else,” Antonio admitted.
“I understand, sir. I’ll make arrangements to increase security around her.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Antonio replied. “I won’t let her leave the mansion much over the next few days. Tomorrow, I won’t be available to keep an eye on her, so you’ll need to stick close instead. I can’t afford to take any chances.”
“Yes, sir,” Rossi said, noting how serious Antonio was—more so than he had ever been, even during his time with Vega.
With a sigh, Antonio stood. “Have Martha prepare dinner for two. I’ll be back for dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” Rossi confirmed.
“Good. You’ve done enough for today; get some rest,” Antonio instructed. He trusted Rossi more than anyone else in his inner circle, but the pressure to keep everything under control weighed heavily on him.
 
Rossi returned home just as the sun dipped below the horizon. As he stepped inside, the faint sound of activity in the kitchen caught his attention. He followed the noise and found Lyla bustling around, setting dishes on the counter.
“You’re home,” Lyla greeted, her tone cheerful, though her eyes betrayed a hint of uncertainty.
Rossi didn’t reply. His silence was something Lyla had grown accustomed to, but she clung to the small solace that he hadn’t dismissed her entirely.
“I’ve just finished preparing dinner,” she said with a hopeful smile. “It’ll be ready in a minute.”
Rossi gave a curt nod and turned to leave. Watching him retreat, Lyla’s smile faltered, but she quickly steadied herself, refusing to let her emotions overwhelm her.
When she carried the food to the dining table, she noticed Rossi sitting there, his eyes scanning the single setting she had placed.
“You’re not eating?” he asked, frowning.
“I thought I’d eat in the kitchen,” she replied, her voice hesitant.
Rossi’s frown deepened. “Why would you eat separately? Sit here and eat.”
His tone was sharper than he intended, and he didn’t fully understand why her attempt to distance herself irritated him so much.
“But I thought... maybe you’d prefer it if I didn’t,” Lyla said softly, lowering her gaze.
Rossi sighed; the frustration evident in his voice. “Just sit down, Lyla.”