Matteo
“And then we’ll bring her back.”
The final phase.
The drive to the family estate where Luca was currently residing felt like a slow crawl into the mouth of hell. Valentina sat beside me in the car, her fingers tapping anxiously on the armrest.
Every muscle in my body was tense, my knuckles white as I gripped the steering wheel, trying to maintain some sort of control.
Luca Nevarro.
The name tasted bitter on my tongue. Like poison. I knew my brother was as dangerous as they came, more dangerous than anyone realized.
He was one of the reasons why I moved out of the old estate early.
And now, there was a real possibility that he was involved with Isabella’s disappearance. If that was true, then everything had just gotten worse.
Luca wasn’t someone you confronted.
He wasn’t someone you just confronted. He wasn’t the type of man who did something just for the sake of doing it.
Still, I wasn’t going to let that stop me. Not this time.
Valentina hadn’t said much since Jackson showed us the footage of Isabella getting into Luca’s car. But I could feel her worry, her fear for her sister, the uncertainty she had about what to do next.
I recalled Luca meeting up with her before.
I pulled the car up to the estate, the iron gates creaking open as we passed through. The family estate was as grand and cold as ever, a looming mansion with stone walls and towering columns. The place where the Nevarro family ate each other for breakfast and the occasional family gatherings.
Luca’s and dad’s men were everywhere, their dark suits and cold gazes following us as we drove up the long driveway. They didn’t try to stop us.
They wouldn’t dare stop me anyway. Not yet.
When we reached the entrance, I turned off the engine and exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. Valentina’s hand reached out and rested on my arm, soft, warm, and grounding.
“Are you ready for this?” She asked softly.
I turned to face her, her grey eyes filled with concern. “I have to be.”
After a well-placed kiss on her lips, we stepped out of the car together, the chill of the morning air biting at my skin. Valentina stood close to me as we entered the estate, her presence a reminder of what was at stake.
This wasn’t just about Isabella.
Valentina was going to be treated like a fraud.
The grand foyer stretched out before us, an intimidating blend of luxury and cold emptiness. Marble floors, high ceilings, and walls lined with portraits of the Nevarro family through the ages. A testament to power and legacy. But beneath all that grandeur was rot, festering beneath the surface.
Luca was waiting for us.
He stood near the grand staircase, dressed in a tailored black suit, his posture relaxed as if he had all the time in the world. His sharp features and cool demeanour hadn’t changed. If anything, he seemed more smug than usual, like he was anticipating this confrontation.
“Matteo,” Luca greeted with a smirk, his voice smooth as silk. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
The bastard.
I didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Where is she?”
Luca raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “She? You’re going to have to be more specific. You’ve been quite busy lately, haven’t you?”
I rolled my eyes at the implications of his words, stepping closer, the rage simmering beneath my skin, threatening to boil over.
“Isabella. Don’t play games with me, Luca. I know she was in your car.”
Luca let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as if I were some foolish child. “Ah! Yes. Isabella. Your betrothed. But I think you’re mistaken, brother. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Liar!!” The word came out harsher than I intended, my voice echoing through the empty hall. “I saw the footage. She was in your car, Luca. What have you done with her?”
Luca’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re becoming hysterical, Matteo. Isabella’s disappearance has nothing to do with me. You know better than to accuse me of something so….. stupid.”
“As if this is beneath you?” I asked hauntingly.
My fists clenched at my sides, every fibre of my being wanting to tear into him.
But that was what he wanted. What he had always wanted.
For me to lose control and attack family again. For me to behave like a rabid dog.
“You expect me to believe you?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous. “After what you did the last time? After everything you’ve done.”
Luca shrugged, his smirk returning. “Believe what you want, brother. But the fact remains…. I didn’t take Isabella. I’m not involved in whatever mess she’s gotten herself into.”
Valentina stepped forward now. “Why was she in your car, Luca? We have footage of her getting into it. You can’t deny that.” She said, her voice gentle.
Luca’s gaze flicked to Valentina, his expression softening just a fraction. “Valentina, I understand your concern. Truly, I do. But you’re letting Matteo’s paranoia get the better of you. Isabella might have entered my car, but that doesn’t mean I’m responsible for her disappearance.”
My blood boiled at the way he spoke to her, as if he were being reasonable, as if he hadn’t spent years manipulating everyone around him.
“You always have an excuse,” I snarled, taking another step toward him. “Always playing the part of the innocent while pulling strings behind the scenes. I’m done with your lies, Luca.”
Luca sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair. “Oh, Matteo. Always so quick to assume the worst of me. But let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Isabella did get into my car. What, then? Do you think I’m hiding her somewhere? Keeping her locked up for my amusement?”
The idea of it made my skin crawl. “Where is she?” I demanded again, my voice sharp as a blade.
Luca’s smirk grew wider. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Valentina moved beside me, her hand resting lightly on my arm again, trying to calm me. “Matteo,” she whispered, but I barely heard her. My focus was entirely on Luca, on the smug bastard standing in front of me.
“Enough of your games!” I spat, stepping closer until I was inches from his face. “I won’t let you destroy her life the way you’ve destroyed everything else. You may think you’re untouchable, but I will tear down everything you’ve built if I have to.”
Luca didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink. He simply smiled, a predator toying with his prey.
“Oh, Matteo. You’re so predictable. Always the protector, always the knight in shining armour. But you’re forgetting one crucial thing.”
“And what’s that?” I hissed.
“You don’t know what’s really going on. You’re grasping at straws, trying to find someone to blame because you can’t handle the fact that your precious Isabella made her own choices. Maybe she doesn’t want to be found. Maybe she’s running from you.”
His words hit harder than I expected. I stumbled back, my mind racing with doubts.
Was Luca telling the truth?
Valentina’s grip on my arm tightened, her eyes locked on Luca. “Why are you doing this?” she asked quietly. “Why are you trying to twist this? If you’re not involved, then why won’t you just help us?”
Luca turned to her, his smile fading. “Because, my dear Valentina, I owe nothing to either of you. This is your mess to clean up. Isabella made her choice, and whatever consequences she faces, they are of her own making. I’m simply enjoying the spectacle.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. The fury that had been simmering beneath the surface finally erupted, and before I knew it, I was grabbing Luca by the collar, slamming him against the wall. His smirk never wavered, even as I pinned him there, my knuckles digging into his shirt.
“You’re a snake,” I growled, my voice barely above a whisper. “One day, you’re going to pay for all the lives you’ve destroyed.”
Luca chuckled softly, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. “Careful, Matteo. You’re starting to sound desperate.”
I shoved him away, my chest heaving with anger. Luca straightened his suit, brushing off the imaginary dust from his shoulders.
“I suggest you leave,” he said, his tone casual as if we’d been discussing the weather. “Before you embarrass yourself any further.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. With one last glare, I turned and stormed out of the room, Valentina following close behind me. As soon as we were out of Luca’s sight, I stopped, breathing heavily, trying to contain the storm inside me.
“Matteo,” Valentina whispered, her voice soft. “What now?”
I turned to her, my heart pounding. “We keep looking. Luca knows something, even if he won’t admit it. We’re getting closer. I can feel it.”
But in the pit of my stomach, I knew that Luca wasn’t done playing his games. And the next move might be one we weren’t prepared for.