Page 11

MIRELLA

The restaurant was quiet, tucked into a cozy corner of the hotel, with soft lighting and a faint melody of classical music playing in the background. Sergio had chosen a table near the window, overlooking a fountain. It felt intimate, too intimate for what this breakfast was supposed to be—a simple meal before chaos unfolded. Yet, sitting across from him, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of his presence.

His hands lingered on me longer than necessary, and I knew I should have said something, done something to set boundaries. But truth be told, I liked the way he looked at me and the way his hands rested on my skin as if I was the only person in the room. It had been a long time since anyone looked at me like that—since the stranger, since that night. But today, I felt every bit of the emotions.

The restaurant was quieter than I’d expected. A corner table by the window offered a perfect view of the street below, but I barely noticed it. My attention was entirely on Sergio.

He sat across from me, his shoulders relaxed but his gaze intense. It was the kind of intensity that could make a person feel seen and unnerved all at once.

The waiter left after taking our orders, and silence settled between us. I fiddled with the edge of my napkin, stealing glances at him. The way his jaw tensed, the slight twitch of his fingers against the table—he was thinking hard about something.

“I didn’t think you’d stay quiet this long,” I teased, breaking the silence. “Isn’t this the part where you make some sarcastic comment?”

He smirked, leaning back in his chair. “I was trying to give you a chance to start. Thought you’d appreciate the gesture.”

“Very considerate of you.”

His smirk faded, replaced by something softer. “You’re still the same, you know? That fire. That stubborn streak.”

“And you’re still as annoying as ever,” I shot back, though my tone lacked the bite.

He chuckled, but the sound carried a hint of something heavier. His gaze dropped to the table before meeting mine again. “I wasn’t always like this. I was once a calm puppy.” He lifted his head, and his gaze locked with mine.

“Why are you staring?” I asked, feigning annoyance as I picked at the bread on the table.

“You’ve changed,” he said simply, leaning back in his chair.

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

He smirked, the kind that made my chest tighten. “It’s an observation. You’re different. Stronger. But there’s still something familiar about you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. His words felt like a double-edged sword, cutting through my carefully constructed armor while simultaneously drawing me closer to him.

“What about you?” I countered. “You’ve changed too. You left. Disappeared. The Sergio I knew growing up would never have done that.”

His expression shifted, the smirk fading. For a moment, he looked away, his gaze fixed on the fountain outside. “I didn’t want to leave, Mirella. But after my mom died…” His voice trailed off, and he took a deep breath before continuing. “I couldn’t stay.”

Hearing him talk about his mother was like peeling back a layer I thought was long gone. I remembered her—a kind woman with a warm smile who used to bring us cookies when we played in the garden. Her death had been sudden and brutal. It shook us all, but Sergio most of all.

I leaned slightly forward—curious. “I know it was hard for you, but I tried to reach out to you, Sergio. You pushed me away. You didn’t return my call or message. You just shut everyone out.”

He exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair. “After my mom died, everything changed. I wasn’t the same kid anymore. Losing her... it messed me up. I couldn’t comprehend my feelings. I thought of ending it all more times than I would want to admit. I could have saved her, but I didn’t. That broke me, and I held on to that guilt for a long time.”

I blinked, caught off guard by his honesty. “Sergio, I had no idea. You never said anything.”

“Would it have mattered?” His voice was low, almost bitter. “She was gone. My dad became... well, you know how he is. And I couldn’t stick around to watch him turn into someone I barely recognized. He had always been a monster, but when she died, he became a beast. So, I left. That felt like the only way I could drown out the noise.”

“Why the military?” I asked softly, not wanting to push too hard but needing to know.

“It felt like the only way to escape,” he admitted. “After she died, my father wasn’t the same, like I already mentioned. All he cared about was business and power. There was no space for grief in our house and no room to breathe. I thought maybe if I left, I could find some kind of peace.”

I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table. “And did you?”

“Peace?” He let out a bitter laugh. “No. But I found purpose. The military gave me structure and discipline. It made me forget—at least for a while.”

I wanted to reach across the table and take his hand and tell him he didn’t have to carry that weight alone. But I didn’t. Instead, I stayed silent, letting his words hang in the air.

“What about you?” he asked, his gaze locking onto mine. “You disappeared too, Mirella. For five years. What happened?”

His question hit harder than I expected. I looked down at my plate, suddenly feeling exposed. “Life happened,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “My father’s business was falling apart, and I had to step up. I didn’t have a choice.”

“That’s not the whole story,” he pressed, his tone gentle but firm. “You were always the one who stayed, Mirella. What made you leave? I heard about the incident at your wedding with my father, how a masked man came, the video my father played. The Mirella I knew would still have stayed. Why did you leave?”

I hesitated, the truth lingering on the tip of my tongue. How could I tell him that I left because I couldn’t bear the emptiness I had created? I wanted to talk about the stranger—the man I had fallen in love with and who had changed my life in a night and how he had played hero and lost his life trying to save me. I wanted to tell him that every corner of this city reminded me of him, of us, of what we never had.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said finally, forcing a smile. “We’re here now, aren’t we?”

He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he reached across the table and took my hand in his. His touch was warm and steady, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

“We lost a lot, Mirella,” he muttered quietly. “But some things don’t change.”

My heart skipped a beat at his words. I looked at him, really looked at him. For a moment, it felt like we were kids again, back when life was simpler and before grief, ambition, and betrayal tore us apart.

“You still think I’m that girl?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled, a genuine one this time. “I know you are.”

Hearing him talk like this made my chest tighten. The Sergio I knew growing up was fearless, always ready to protect the people he cared about. But now, sitting here, he looked like a man who had carried too much for too long.

“You didn’t even say goodbye. Maybe saying goodbye to the girl you used to know,” I whispered.

He looked up sharply, regret flashing across his face. “I know. And I’m sorry for that. I should’ve told you, but I didn’t know how. You were my best friend, Mirella. I didn’t want to admit I was breaking.”

My throat tightened, and I forced myself to keep my composure. “You didn’t have to be perfect, Sergio. I would’ve understood. I would’ve been there for you, just like you have always been there for me. This time, I would be the one bringing you down the tree.”

He reached his hand across the table, brushing against mine again. “I know that now. But back then, I thought I was doing the right thing. And then life kept moving, and I figured you’d moved on.”

Moved on. If only he knew how far from the truth that was.

“I missed you,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “More than I realized until you came back, until I saw you a few nights ago.”

His fingers intertwined with mine, and the warmth of his touch sent a shiver down my spine. “I missed you too. Even when I tried to convince myself that I didn’t.”

The air between us grew heavy, charged with something unspoken. His thumb grazed my knuckles, a gentle yet deliberate motion that made my heart race.

“Sergio...”

He leaned forward, his gaze locked on mine. “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about this moment—about us sitting here like nothing ever changed. Like we’re still those kids who had each other’s backs.”

I couldn’t breathe. The way he looked at me and the way his thumb gently stroked the back of my hand—it was too much and yet not enough. I wanted to pull away, to break the tension, but I couldn’t. I was drawn to him in a way that defied logic.

“Sergio…” My voice was barely audible.

He leaned in further, this time closing the distance between us. His gaze dropped to my lips, and I knew what was coming. My heart raced, and every rational thought vanished.

I felt my pulse quicken, the pull between us undeniable. “We’re not those kids anymore, Sergio.”

“No,” he said softly, his voice carrying a weight of longing. “But maybe we can still find a piece of what we lost.”

I didn’t pull my hand away. If anything, I gripped his tighter. The distance between us seemed to shrink, his face inches from mine. His breath was warm against my skin, his eyes searching mine for permission.

I didn’t stop him as he leaned closer. My heart pounded, every nerve in my body alive with anticipation. His lips were so close, just a breath away—

Just as our lips were about to meet, the sound of someone clearing their throat shattered the moment.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Ryan said, standing at the edge of the table with an awkward grin. “But the shipment’s here. Early.”

I jerked back, pulling my hand from Sergio’s as if I’d been caught doing something wrong. My cheeks burned, and I couldn’t meet Ryan’s eyes.

Sergio frowned, his jaw tightening. “What do you mean, early?”

“Got a call. They’re ahead of schedule. We need to move.”

I forced a neutral expression though my mind was racing. “I’ll meet you guys downstairs in a minute.”

Ryan nodded and turned to leave, already talking into his earpiece.

Sergio looked at me, his expression a mix of frustration and something deeper. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, pushing my chair back. “Just need a moment.”

He didn’t press further, though his eyes lingered on me as I stood. I walked to the bathroom, each step heavy with the weight of what almost happened.

Once inside, I locked the door and leaned against the sink, exhaling sharply. My reflection stared back at me, and I barely recognized the flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

Pull it together, Mirella. This isn’t the time to lose focus.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Enzo.

“The plan’s changed,” I said the moment he picked up. “The shipment’s early. We need to move fast.”

His voice was calm, as always. “What’s your position?”

“I’ll let you know once I’ve got eyes on it. Be ready.”

“Always am.”

“Great,” he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “What’s the plan? With this change, do we need to improvise on anything?”

“I’ll figure it out. Just wait for my order,” I said, my mind racing.

“And Sergio?” he asked pointedly.

I closed my eyes, gripping the edge of the sink. “He’s not the enemy, Enzo.”

“He’s not your ally either,” Enzo reminded me. “Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t,” I promised, though the words felt hollow.

Because deep down, I wasn’t sure I believed them.

I hung up, splashing cold water on my face before stepping out. Sergio was waiting by the elevator, his expression unreadable.

“Ready?” he asked, his tone clipped.

I nodded, my voice steady. “Always.”

I lied. I was far from ready because, after the last few minutes, I wasn’t sure if bullets started to fly, if I would freeze, or if I would be able to act.