Donato's office was quiet except for the low ticking of the antique clock on the wall. The room had large, dark wood shelves lined with files and books, a massive desk in the center, and tall windows overlooking the estate. The sunlight tried to soften the room, but the atmosphere remained heavy-this was not a room where casual conversations happened.

This was where decisions were made. Dangerous ones.

Enzo stood near the bar cabinet, pouring himself a drink without asking. Donato sat behind the desk, reading a file, his expression cold and focused-completely different from the man who had held Kiara the night before.

Here, he was Donato Romano.

Not Ro.

Not husband.

Boss.

Enzo placed the glass on the desk in front of Donato. "You should drink," Enzo said. "Last night was messy."

Donato closed the file slowly but didn't touch the glass. "Lucas crossed the line," Donato said calmly.

"He didn't cross the line," Enzo replied. "He blew it up."

Donato leaned back in his chair. "He attacked in public. In my territory. During dinner with my wife." His jaw tightened slightly. "He wanted to send a message."

Enzo crossed his arms. "No," he said. "He wanted to see your reaction. He wanted to see how important she is to you."

Donato's eyes slowly lifted to meet Enzo's. Silence. That silence was answer enough. Enzo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You're getting emotionally involved," Enzo said bluntly. "That's dangerous for a man in your position."

Donato didn't deny it. "That's my wife," he said simply.

"That's exactly the problem," Enzo replied.

Donato finally picked up the glass and took a slow sip. "She knows," Donato said after a moment.

Enzo raised an eyebrow. "You told her?"

"Yes."

"And?"

Donato exhaled slowly, looking toward the window. "She didn't leave."

Enzo smirked slightly. "Of course she didn't leave," he said. "She has the guts to marry a man like you. who didn't even know the R of ROMANCE. Naive Kiara, I feel bad for her.

Donato looked at him sharply. and throw the file towards him.

Enzo dodged it and laughed. "what i am speaking truth."

Donato shook his head slightly, but a faint smile appeared for a second. Then his face turned serious again.

"We have a bigger problem," Donato said. "The stalker. Lucas is loud. But this one... this one is silent. Planned Tara's murder. Removed CCTV. Scares women away without showing face. And now he knows about my marriage."

Enzo's expression darkened. "That means someone close is leaking information," Enzo said quietly.

Donato didn't respond immediately. Because he had already thought the same. "This is not random," Donato said finally. "Someone is watching my movements, my meetings, my personal life."

"Inside man," Enzo said.

"Yes."

Silence again. Dangerous silence. Enzo leaned forward slightly. "Until we find him," Enzo said, "Kiara cannot move freely. Not outside. Not alone. Not without security."

"I know," Donato replied.

"And Donato..." Enzo added more seriously, "if this stalker is obsessed like we think... Kiara is now his biggest target."

Donato's eyes turned cold instantly. "No," he said quietly. "She is not a target."

Enzo held his gaze. "Donato... listen to me as your friend, not as your right hand. People like this-obsessed, patient, invisible-they don't attack businesses." He paused. "They attack the heart." The words settled heavily in the room.

The sentence settled heavily in the office, like a shadow stretching across the room. Then Enzo frowned slightly, something clearly bothering him. "But there's one thing I don't understand," he continued.

Donato looked at him. "What?"

Enzo leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the desk. "If your stalker knows about Kiara... then why is she still safe?"

Donato's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Enzo said, choosing his words carefully, "for the record, you and I both know what happened in the last three years. Any woman who tried to get close to you... any woman you approached... the moment things looked like dating or personal involvement, something happened." He started counting on his fingers.

"Some disappeared. Some suddenly cut all business ties with you. Some got injured. Some left the country. Some refused to even meet you again. And all of that happened very fast." He looked straight at Donato. "That's how fast your stalker reacts when a woman gets close to you." Donato didn't interrupt. Because everything Enzo said was true.

"And now," Enzo continued, "you are married. Not dating. Not meeting. Married. Living together. Sleeping under the same roof for almost a month. If your assumption is right and the stalker knows about Kiara... then why hasn't he or she done anything yet?"

The question hung in the air. Donato leaned back slowly in his chair, thinking. "Maybe because they didn't get the chance," Donato said after a moment. "Since Kiara came to Italy, I haven't allowed her to go outside the mansion alone. Security is always around her. Maybe they didn't find an opportunity."

Enzo immediately shook his head. "And what about India?" he said. Donato looked at him again.

"As far as I heard from Sofi," Enzo continued, "Your so-called arranged marriage story was not very arranged. You two went out on a date before marriage. After marriage, you went to Rajasthan tour with the entire Romano and Rajput siblings. Temples, markets, palaces, hotels - public places everywhere."

He leaned closer. "There were plenty of chances to hurt Kiara." He paused. "But nothing happened." He let that sink in. "Your wife was free there. Not restricted. Not locked inside a mansion. And still... nothing happened." Silence filled the office.

Donato's fingers slowly tapped the armrest of his chair as he thought. "You're right," Donato admitted quietly. "I never thought about it like that." He looked down at the desk for a moment. "But isn't it a good thing she didn't get hurt?" he said after a pause. "I was already guilty for hiding the truth from her. If that bloody stalker had hurt her... I would never have forgiven myself."

His voice had dropped lower, darker. "Maybe after finding out I got married... they gave up," Donato continued. "Maybe they realized there is no point anymore. Maybe whatever obsession they had... ended."

Enzo didn't look convinced. "Or maybe," Enzo said slowly, "they are planning something bigger."

The words were quiet. But dangerous. Both men fell silent after that. Because they were thinking the same thing now. A stalker who could plan Tara's murder perfectly... A stalker who could erase CCTV footage of his own penthouse... A stalker who could scare women away without ever showing there face...

A stalker who waited years without being caught... That stalker would not simply give up. People like that did not quit. They waited. They studied. They planned.

Donato stood up slowly and walked toward the window, his hands in his pockets, his reflection staring back at him in the glass. "If they are planning something," Donato said quietly, "then we find them before they move."

Enzo nodded. "Because if they touch Kiara..." Enzo said. Donato finished the sentence without turning around. "They won't live long enough to regret it." The room fell silent again. Outside, the Romano estate looked peaceful. Inside, a war was slowly getting closer.

____

The afternoon sun hung low over the streets outside the college, casting long shadows across the pavement. Students walked past in groups, laughing, talking, some getting into cars that had been waiting for them on time - as always.

But Elana stood alone near the gate. Her arms were crossed, her foot tapping impatiently against the ground as she kept looking left and right. "Dov'è l'autista? Perché non è ancora arrivato?" ("Ugh... where did driver uncle go? Why hasn't he come yet?" ) she muttered in Italian, checking her phone again. Ten minutes. She had been waiting for ten minutes.

That was not normal. Not for her. She was a Romano. Things didn't run late for Romanos. Things were ready before they even asked. So why wasn't the car here? Her brows furrowed slightly as uneasiness mixed with irritation.

She was about to call the mansion when she noticed a black Rolls-Royce slowly approaching the college gate. She recognized the car immediately. Of course she did. She was the one who had helped choose this exact model, this exact interior, this exact color combination. - arguing over details, colors, interior finishing, standing beside the man who was now driving it.

A small smile appeared on her lips before she could stop it. "Why are you here..." she murmured to herself. The car stopped right in front of her, and the window slid down smoothly. Enzo looked at her from behind the wheel, his expression calm, eyes soft but tired.

"Come inside," he said in Italian. (Vieni dentro.)

Elena didn't move.

"Eli," he called her again.

She crossed her arms. "Why are you here, Enzo? Where is my driver?" she asked, her face straight and emotionless.

Enzo sighed but smiled slightly. Prima siediti in macchina, poi parliamo. ("First sit inside, then we'll talk.")

"No. First answer me, then I'll think about sitting in your car," she replied stubbornly.

Enzo sighed again and muttered under his breath, "Why are all Romano siblings so stubborn..."

"Did you say something?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh? No. I didn't," he said quickly. Then he looked at her and spoke honestly. "I told your driver not to come pick you up."

"And why is that?" she asked immediately.

"Because I was near your college for some work," he said. "So I thought I would pick you up."

Elena scoffed. "Huh? Who told you to think about me? You don't have to come pick me up even if you are close to my college. I have my driver. That is his job," she said coldly.

"Eli, don't be stubborn. Come and sit inside," Enzo said patiently.

"I won't," she replied immediately. "I am not in school anymore that you need to come pick me up. My school is over - and so is your duty to pick me from school. If you want to pick someone from school, go pick Sofi. She is still in school. Not me. I am in college now. I have my own driver. He picks me every day. You don't have to do that."

Enzo looked at her quietly for a moment. "I know you grew up," he said softly. "You are older now. A mature girl. But still, for us - for Albert, Donato, and for me - you are still our little Eli." He smiled faintly, remembering.

"The same Eli who used to cry and insist that only Donato or Enzo would drop her to school. No driver uncle. Only us. When I used to drop and pick you from school, you were the happiest girl on the planet. So what changed now? Why don't you want me to pick you up now?"

Elena's eyes filled slowly, but her voice remained hard. "The girl changed. Her feelings changed. She is not that 10-year-old Elena anymore. She is almost 19 now. And I don't want you to come pick me up anymore."

Enzo stepped closer, his voice gentle. "Elana, I'm like your bro-"

"NO." She cut him off sharply. Her eyes burned. "You are not my brother," she said, her voice trembling now. "I have only two brothers. You are not one of them." The words hit him like a slap.

"Why are you doing this?" she continued, frustration spilling over as tears filled her eyes. "You know everything. You know how I feel. you know i have feelings for you. And still you say things that hurt me. Why, Enzo? Why?"

A tear slipped down her cheek. Before he could respond, she turned and started walking away. "I don't need your help," she said without looking back. "I'll go home myself."

Enzo seat there for a second. Frozen. Then he dragged a hand over his face. "I know... I know everything," he muttered under his breath. "And believe me, I don't want to hurt you. But why don't you try to understand, Eli... what you want... it's not possible."

He took a deep breath and come out of the car and then moved. Fast. He caught up to her in a few long strides. Before she could react, he lifted her onto his shoulder like a sack.

"Enzo-" "Leave me! Leave me, you bastard!" i hate you." i hate you.' she shouted, hitting his back with her fists and kicking her legs wildly. "Go to your so-called girlfriends and pick them up like this!" she yelled, her voice breaking as she kept hitting him.

Enzo tightened his hold slightly but didn't stop walking toward the car. "I don't have any girlfriend, Eli. You know that," he said firmly. "I don't know anything!" she cried. "I don't believe you! If you don't have a girlfriend then why don't you accept me?!"

Her fists kept hitting him- Until suddenly- He said it. " I have my own reasion. My little Eli." Everything stopped. Her hands froze mid-air. Her body went still over his shoulder. That name...He hadn't called her that in a long time.

Not since he realized what she felt for him. A single tear slipped from Enzo's eyes, unnoticed by her. He reached the car, opened the door, and gently set her inside. This time- She didn't resist. Didn't argue. Didn't speak. He fastened her seatbelt quietly, then closed the door and walked around to the driver's seat. The engine started.

The drive from the college to the Romano mansion was silent. Painfully silent. Elana sat facing the window, her eyes fixed outside, but she wasn't seeing anything. Enzo glanced at her once. Then looked back at the road. He knew there was no point in speaking.

Because whatever he said-Would only hurt her more. And whatever she felt- Would only hurt him too. So they drove in silence. Two hearts in the same car. Both breaking. Both pretending they weren't.

____

The Romano mansion living room was quiet in the afternoon, sunlight falling across the marble floor and soft beige sofas. Kiara was sitting on the couch with her phone pressed to her ear, talking to Kavya. She was laughing softly, speaking in a mix of Hindi and English, trying to sound normal, even though her life had become anything but normal.

She was in the middle of telling Kavya about the mansion garden when the main door opened. Kiara's eyes automatically moved toward the entrance.

Elena entered the mansion quickly, almost rushing, her bag still on her shoulder. She didn't greet anyone, didn't look left or right, didn't even notice Kiara. She just walked straight across the hall and went upstairs toward her room.

Kiara frowned slightly. That was not normal. Elena was loud, cheerful, always greeting everyone when she came home. Something was wrong. A few seconds later, Enzo entered through the same door.

He walked in calmly, but Kiara noticed his eyes briefly move toward the staircase - toward Elena's room - before he looked away like nothing happened. Kiara understood immediately. Something definitely happened between those two.

She spoke to Kavya for another minute, then ended the call. Enzo noticed her then and smiled politely. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Donato," he greeted.

Kiara smiled back. "Good afternoon, Enzo. Come sit, why are you standing?" she said warmly. "Did you have lunch? Should I make something for you?"

Enzo shook his head slightly. "No need, Mrs. Donato. I already had my lunch." Then he looked around the living room. "Hmm... where is Nonna? I know she is angry with me because I left in the morning without breakfast and didn't meet her before leaving."

Just then, Nonna walked into the living room from the corridor and heard his last sentence. "You're right, young man, I am angry at you," she said, walking toward him. "How dare you break the rule? Going outside without breakfast? Even your grandfather didn't have the courage to break that rule, but you did."

She sat down beside him, still pretending to be angry. Enzo immediately held his ears dramatically. "I am sorry, Nonna. It was really important. Otherwise, you know I would never dare to break your rule. I don't have the heart for that. You know I love you the most in this whole world," he said dramatically.

Nonna raised an eyebrow. "More than Donato?" she asked suspiciously. Enzo froze for a second. "That's cheating, Nonna," he said dramatically. "You know if that man finds out I said I love someone more than him, he will take my heart out and keep it in his pocket."

Nonna burst into laughter. She then looked at Kiara and said teasingly, "Kiara, you have tough competition here for loving Donato more. Enzo and Donato - they are like one heart, two bodies. They spend more time together than with their own family. Sometimes I doubt their friendship... it gives more bromance vibes than friendship."

She looked at Enzo suspiciously while teasing him. Kiara laughed at that. "Don't worry, Nonna," she said playfully. "Even if they are that close, I will still steal Donato from him. Believe me, from now on Donato will spend more time with me than with Enzo. I will make sure."

Enzo scoffed dramatically. "You two ladies are planning to break our friendship, but that is an impossible task. Try all you want." All three of them laughed together, the atmosphere light and warm. Kiara watched them for a moment and smiled quietly.

This family was strange. Dangerous. But full of love in their own way. After a few minutes, Kiara quietly went to the kitchen. About ten minutes later, she returned holding a small lunch bag.

"Enzo," she called him. He looked up. "You're going to meet Donato from here, right?" she asked. "Yes," he replied. "Okay, can you give this to him?" she said, handing him the bag. Enzo looked at the bag curiously. "What is this?"

"It's his lunch," Kiara replied simply.

"Lunch? But isn't it already his lunchtime? I'm sure by the time I reach there, he will have already eaten," Enzo said.

Kiara shook her head slightly. "Don't worry. I already told him not to have lunch. I told him I am sending his lunch with you. So no, he hasn't eaten yet."

Enzo looked at her for a second, then smiled slightly. "Okay."

Before leaving, he stood up and instinctively looked toward the staircase - toward Elena's room. That small movement did not go unnoticed by Kiara.

She noticed the way his eyes paused for just one second longer. She noticed the slight sigh he tried to hide. She noticed everything. Kiara didn't say anything. But she understood. There was another story in this house. And it wasn't about mafia. It was about hearts.

____

Enzo walked into Donato's office without knocking, as usual. He placed a small lunch bag on the desk in front of him. Donato looked up from the documents he was reading and immediately noticed the bag. A small, genuine smile appeared on his face - the kind of smile he never showed during business meetings. "From home?" he asked.

Enzo nodded and sat down on the chair in front of the desk, watching him carefully. Donato opened the lunch box, and the moment he saw the food inside, his expression softened even more. It was simple homemade food - pasta, grilled vegetables, and a small dessert box.

Enzo kept staring at him. Donato noticed and looked up. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Donato asked. "Do you want some?" he added, forwarding the spoon toward him.

Enzo shook his head slowly. "No. I'm just looking at you... and how Mrs. Donato is changing you slowly."

Donato raised an eyebrow. "And how is that?" he asked calmly, continuing to eat.

Enzo leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "You're smiling, bro," Enzo said. "While eating lunch. And that too lunch that came from home. Donato didn't respond immediately. Enzo continued.

"I have known you since i were five years old. I have spent almost every day of my life with you. And in my entire life, I have never seen you eating lunch from home." Donato kept eating quietly.

"You were the one who strictly told everyone at home not to send lunch because you couldn't waste even one minute. Your schedule is fixed, your time is fixed, your lunch time is fixed. You always said - my time is precious, I can't afford to waste even a minute."

Enzo leaned forward slightly. "And here you are... eating lunch from home. Waiting for it. When your lunch time was thirty minutes ago." He smirked.

"Where did your slogan go, baby? 'My time is precious.'"

Donato slowly looked up at him, then went back to eating as if nothing happened. "It's nothing like that," Donato said calmly. "Kiara told me she was sending lunch. How could I tell her no? I already hurt her yesterday. Still she prepared lunch for me. I couldn't refuse and hurt her again."

Enzo stood up, picking up a file from the table, but he was smiling knowingly. "Yeah, yeah," Enzo said. "I can smell something."

Donato looked up. "And what is that?"

Enzo started walking toward the door. "Love!" he shouted dramatically as he opened the door and walked out.

"It's nothing like that!" Donato shouted back.

But Enzo was already gone. The office became quiet again. Donato looked down at the lunch box, then at the dessert box she had packed separately. A small smile slowly appeared on his lips again, this time softer.

"Love..." he whispered to himself.

Then he shook his head slightly and continued eating. But the smile didn't leave his face.

I am back 😊
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