Chapter 2: The First Move

The De Luca estate was quiet again, but the air was thick with unease. Livia paced the grand hall, her mind a storm of strategy and calculation. The attackers had been skilled, and the fact that Matteo had been present—unarmed, yet so dangerously confident—made her pulse quicken.

Enzo appeared, arms crossed, jaw tight. “He’s testing you,” he said, eyes dark. “Matteo. Don’t let him get inside your head.”

“I’m not weak,” Livia replied, though her voice held a tremor of irritation. “I know what I’m doing. He’s bold… and foolish if he thinks this will intimidate me.”

Vittoria entered, calm and composed, her gaze sharp. “Bold, yes. But he’s dangerous. Every move he makes is calculated. You need to plan your next step carefully.”

Meanwhile, Matteo Romano was already back in the streets, observing the De Luca estate from the shadows. His coat clung to his muscular frame, rain dripping down as he studied her movements. Marco whispered cautiously, “She’s more than a challenge… she’s reckless. Be careful, boss.”

Matteo’s dark eyes softened momentarily. “Reckless, yes—but brilliant. And…” He paused, a faint smirk on his lips. “…irresistible.”

That night, Livia convened a private meeting with her closest allies. Enzo, Vittoria, and a few trusted lieutenants gathered in the estate’s strategy room, maps and dossiers spread across the table.

“The Romanos are planning something,” Livia said, voice steady. “They’re aggressive tonight. We need to anticipate their moves and strike first if necessary.”

Enzo slammed a fist on the table. “I’ll lead the strike team. They won’t see us coming.”

Vittoria placed a calming hand on his arm. “Patience. Precision is more powerful than brute force. Let’s make them regret underestimating us.”

Suddenly, a soft chime from the estate’s surveillance alerted them to movement outside. Livia’s eyes narrowed. “They’re already here.”

Outside, Matteo moved like a shadow, slipping past guards with ease. His eyes were locked on the estate, on her. Every step, every calculated move, brought him closer—not just to victory, but to her.

Inside, Livia felt it—the undeniable pull, the tension that made her chest tighten. She clenched her fists, pushing down thoughts she refused to acknowledge. Matteo Romano was the enemy. She would never…

A soft crash interrupted her thoughts. Two Romano operatives had infiltrated the perimeter, and Livia reacted instantly, pistol in hand, precision unmatched. Enzo leapt beside her, and together they neutralized the threat with lethal efficiency.

When the last operative fell, a shadow appeared at the edge of the hall—Matteo, dripping with rain, hands raised casually, yet every inch of him radiating danger.

“You never rest, do you?” Livia snapped, gun still trained on him.

“And neither do you,” Matteo replied, voice smooth, dominant, and teasing. “But tell me… is this hate… or something else?”

Livia’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t lower her weapon. “Hate,” she spat, though her heart raced at the proximity, the intensity in his gaze.

Matteo smirked, stepping just a fraction closer. “We’ll see,” he murmured.

The night had begun, and the first moves of a deadly, passionate game were in place. Revenge, betrayal, and forbidden desire had intertwined—and neither Livia nor Matteo could deny the tension pulling them together.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***