Chapter 19 Who Is Antonio’s Woman?
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I’ll never work with you to kill him. Never!”
“Suit yourself. Let’s see how well you do as the outcast,” Lorenzo sneered, his laugh dripping with derision.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Acia demanded, her voice laced with suspicion.
“You want to be the lover of Antonio Sofph, the great mafia boss, but… you might as well give up now,” Lorenzo smirked, watching her expression shift.
“You didn’t know, did you? Antonio’s been parading some woman around everywhere lately. If you help me, I could make sure you get what you want,” he offered, his voice dripping with mockery.
Acia clenched her jaw, her pride bruised at the thought of allying with a man as despicable as Lorenzo.
“No! This time, I’ll handle it my way. Your methods are too crude for me,” she retorted, her tone defiant.
“Suit yourself. But don’t come crawling to me when you fail,” Lorenzo warned, his tone icy.
“Don’t worry. I’ll never need you again,” Acia said with a saccharine smile. Leaning in close, she whispered, “Enjoy basking in your failure alone.”
She turned and strode out of the room, leaving Lorenzo seething. His clenched fists trembled with fury as he watched her leave. But he vowed silently: this wasn’t over. He would prove to everyone that he was the rightful ruler of the mafia world.
 
Two exhausting days later, Rossi returned to the mansion after tirelessly gathering intelligence on Lorenzo. He didn’t understand why Antonio insisted on pursuing the matter further. Since Rose had come into Antonio’s life, the boss barely seemed to care about finding Vega, let alone holding onto his past obsession with her.
Rossi stepped into the dimly lit sitting room, his sharp eyes catching sight of a figure curled up on the sofa. He flicked the switch, and the light revealed Lyla’s delicate frame, her peaceful face stirring something unfamiliar to him.
For a moment, Rossi froze, his gaze drawn to her soft lips and serene expression. But when she stirred and opened her eyes, he quickly composed himself, stepping back to maintain his usual stoic demeanor.
“Why are you sleeping here?” he asked curtly.
Lyla rubbed her eyes and sat up, smiling sleepily at him.
“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” she asked gently.
“I have. Go to bed,” Rossi replied, his tone cold as he turned to leave.
Before he could step away, Lyla wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her voice trembled as she said, “I waited for you because I thought you might be hungry.”
“There’s no need to wait for me,” Rossi said, his tone distant as he glanced over his shoulder at her crestfallen expression.
He had given her money for clothes and necessities when she moved in, but since then, he’d been avoiding coming home, choosing instead to stay at the casino. He felt only pity for her—she was alone, burdened by debts, and had been tricked into her current predicament. What he felt was far from love.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible as she held back tears.
 
There was no photo-shoot today... Rose felt unusually idle, struggling to adjust to spending the entire day without any tasks to do. 
Martha approached her as she sat on the balcony, enjoying the breeze. 
“The boss has asked for you in the sitting room,” Martha informed her. 
Rose, startled, turned and quickly climbed down from the balcony railing. 
“Mr. Sofph is back?” 
“Yes, he’s been back for a little while now,” Martha replied. 
Rose nodded in understanding and made her way toward the front wing of the mansion. It was good that Antonio had returned; otherwise, she would have remained at loose ends, unsure of how to occupy herself. Martha had prohibited her from doing any housework, which left her feeling even more out of place. Rose decided it was time to settle the matter directly with him. 
Walking into the sitting room, Rose saw Antonio seated on the sofa. He set down the glass of wine he had been holding onto the table in front of him before standing and stepping toward her. 
“I’ve missed you,” Antonio said warmly. His tone was gentle, yet his feelings were clear. However, Rose held her composure, her resistance to his charm unyielding. 
“Don’t look at me like that,” Antonio added with a soft laugh. 
“I need to ask you something,” Rose began. “Why won’t you let me work? You hired me for a job, didn’t you? I can’t just take your money without doing anything—it’s not right.” 
“It’s too dangerous for you to go out,” Antonio explained, his expression serious. “Right now, my enemies are watching closely, looking for weaknesses. I’d worry if you were out there without me. Besides, I haven’t been to the company much lately because of other business. For now, you should stay here.” 
“To stay here, doing nothing, while you pay me? It feels like taking advantage of you,” Rose replied. 
Antonio observed her, noting her unwavering resolve. A sly smile curved at the edges of his lips as he stepped closer to her. 
“So, you’re not willing to stay here quietly?” 
“No, I’m not,” Rose said firmly. “If you won’t let me work, I can at least help with the housework. This mansion is enormous.” 
Antonio smirked, his tone playful. “Fine, then. But you’ll be my personal maid. Help me change, bathe with me, give me massages, and maybe even sleep by my side. How does that sound?” 
Rose raised her eyebrows, her lips curving into a teasing smile. “Dream on, Mr. Sofph.” 
Antonio chuckled, clearly amused by her defiance. Before she could react, he pulled her close, his arms wrapping tightly around her. 
“Are you trying to tease me, hmm?” He whispered softly, his tone filled with amusement. “If you are, you’d better be prepared to handle the consequences because I might just keep you teasing me all night.” 
“Ridiculous!” Rose exclaimed, her cheeks flushed as she pushed against his chest. But Antonio’s grip didn’t loosen. 
“Let me go!” She protested. “You’re suffocating me.” 
Her faint voice seemed to soften Antonio’s resolve. He hesitated, suppressing his desires. 
“Alright,” he said with a small laugh, though his arms remained firmly in place. 
“Mr. Sofph, let go!” Rose demanded again, her tone firmer this time. Antonio sighed, finally releasing her, though his reluctance was evident in the way his hands lingered for a moment. 
Rose quickly stepped back, her confusion deepening as she noticed a flash of dissatisfaction in Antonio’s expression. 
“Did I say something wrong?” she asked cautiously. 
Antonio’s eyes softened as he replied firmly, “Wrong? I told you to call me Nicks.” 
“It doesn’t matter what I call you—it’s still you,” Rose replied simply, pressing her palms against his chest as she pushed him further away. 
Antonio stared at her, torn between amusement and yearning. Rose’s resolve and fiery spirit only captivated him further.