Free Web NovelChapter 148: Looking for a way
Sara and Luca returned to their private residence in the evening. As soon as they entered their bedroom, Sara collapsed onto the mattress, letting out a long, weary sigh as she closed her eyes.
"It was an exhausting day," she murmured.
"Yes, it was," Luca replied. He pulled his phone from his pocket, his eyes scanning a new message from Remo. It likely contained the update about Asher. He slid the device onto the bedside table, dismissing the world outside for a moment.
Sara was absently pressing her thumb into the arch of her foot, trying to ease the ache from hours in heels, when she felt a sudden, firm warmth. Luca had lowered himself onto one knee at the edge of the bed and grasped her foot in his hand.
Instantly, her eyes snapped open and she sat up, her breath hitching. "What are you doing?"
She looked down to find him giving her a slow, gentle massage. It caused her heart to skip a beat, a flush of heat rising to her cheeks.
"You shouldn’t wear heels. Switch to something comfortable," Luca said, his voice dropping to a gravelly, protective register as he lifted his head to meet her gaze.
"I wish I could," Sara admitted with a small, tired smile. She tried to pull her foot back, feeling a bit self-conscious under his intense focus, but he didn’t let her escape his strong grip. His hands were calloused and firm, yet incredibly precise in how they kneaded the tension from her muscles.
"Luca, I’ll be fine after washing my feet. You don’t need to do this," she said gently, her voice wavering slightly as the warmth of his touch traveled up her leg.
"But I won’t feel better unless I give you a massage in both your feet," he countered, his eyes flickering with a possessive sort of care. He gently lowered her first foot and moved his attention to the second.
"I forgot to tell you," he continued, looking back up at her, "that after two days there’s a family party at my parents’ home. Dad and Mom want to make your welcoming memorable. They weren’t happy at our wedding since I rushed it, so they want their close family and friends to be present for this party."
Sara felt a knot of nerves tighten in her stomach. A "family party" in Luca’s world wasn’t just a dinner, it was more than that.
"Your aunts and uncles will be present along with their kids. Are you okay about that?" Sara inquired with a hint of concern.
"My dad believes that the entire family should gather. He doesn’t truly care about my feelings, I guess," Luca stated, his expression hardening for a fleeting second. "But let’s just go there for their sake. Else, they will keep pestering us until we cave."
Sara nodded in understanding, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. "You claimed that your relatives were involved in the attack from seven years ago. Your father should have at least been a bit more careful about who he invites," she whispered. Her hand moved to his cheek, her fingers caressing the line of his jaw tenderly.
Luca leaned into her touch, his eyes closing for a brief moment as he savored the rare peace she provided. "Sara, I may have to go tonight for some work outside. So after dinner, just go to bed," he said, his hands moving from her feet to cover the hand on his cheek.
"Just return early. Don’t stay out for too long," Sara told him, her heart sinking slightly at the thought of the empty bed.
"Yeah." Luca paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening. He didn’t pull away; instead, he tilted his head, his eyes peering into hers with an intensity that felt like he was searching for a secret. "You didn’t ask why I’d be going out in the middle of the night."
"You’ve already told me about it. You want to pull out Martin from Italy. That’s why I didn’t ask," Sara answered, offering him a small, reassuring smile. "I’ll freshen up now. Then, I’ll see what’s being cooked for dinner."
Luca stood up, his towering frame casting a long shadow across the room. He watched her walk toward the bathroom, wait until the door clicked shut, and then slowly lowered himself back onto the edge of the bed.
He had let her believe the work was just about Martin, but the truth was much more. His mind was fixed on Asher, who created a big scene in the company. He truly didn’t care about the warning he got last time. So, Luca had to personally see him to make sure he would never return in Sara’s life. She was hurt with the way Asher was acting, and he couldn’t tolerate the fact that anyone could hurt her.
The silence broke from the ring of his phone. He checked and found it was from Adam. A frown appeared on his forehead as he answered the call and brought it to his ear.
"Good evening, Mr. Falcone," he responded with a greeting.
"Good evening, Luca." A slight hesitation could be sensed in his voice. "Sara met me in the morning and handed me the papers related to the Falcone Industries. Luca, I’ve been wanting to thank you personally by visiting you, but I felt I should do it on the call too. Thank you. And forgive me for what I’ve done so far."
"I did it for Sara’s sake, Mr. Falcone," Luca said. "Just apologize from her for whatever you have done. She’s a simple, kind and peace-loving woman. That’s why she decided to swallow her pride and go to her father to make him feel better, guilt-less," he explained. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"Yes. You’re right," Adam agreed.
Luca heard the washroom’s door open. "Good night, Mr. Falcone. I hope you don’t make the right decisions from here on." With that, he ended the call and turned to look at Sara.
"You can use the washroom," she said, patting her cheeks lightly.
Luca hummed and disappeared into the washroom.
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After ensuring Sara was deep in a peaceful sleep, Luca had transitioned from the tender husband to the ruthless mafia.
"Why am I being held here for hours?" Asher demanded with exhaustion and desperation. He had been tied to a heavy steel chair in the center of the room for half the night. Remo stood by the pillar, his expression as cold and immovable as the stone itself, ignoring the screams as if they were mere background noise.
Remo straightened up when he saw Luca walking in with a gun in his hand.
"Sara has ended everything on good terms with me," Asher stammered, trying to use her name as a shield. "So, there’s no point in keeping me like this! I swear, I’ll tell her what you people are doing to me! She won’t forgive you for—"
BANG.
The gunshot exploded in the confined space. Asher flinched so violently his chair nearly tipped, a strangled gasp dying in his throat as he felt the rush of air from the bullet passing inches from his ear. He slowly tilted his head, seeing the fresh hole smoking in the wall behind him.
Then, he looked at Luca. The rage in Luca’s eyes was utterly terrifying.
Asher’s eyes bulged, his pupils dilating in sheer terror as the cold steel of the barrel pressed against his tongue. He tried to let out a whimpering plea, but the weight of Luca’s hand on his jaw made it impossible to move.
"I think you took me lightly," Luca whispered. "That’s why you rushed to create a drama in my company. Why drag Sara into this when you were the one cheating on her? And now you’re scared to die?"
Luca leaned in closer, his shadow engulfing the trembling man. "You were the one barking today that you no longer care for your life. Was that just for show, Asher? Was it la performance for the audience?"
Remo stepped forward, the fluorescent lights overhead flickering. He opened the thin file in his hand as he read the data. "It’s deeper than just a bruised ego, Luca. His father took out several massive loans to recover their losses. He was desperate. But they couldn’t make any profits in the given timeline. They’re bankrupt."
Luca abruptly pulled the gun out of Asher’s mouth, causing the man to cough and gag, gasping for air as he slumped forward as much as the ropes would allow.
"So," Luca said, wiping the barrel of the gun on Asher’s shoulder as if cleaning off a stain. "You were looking for a way to pay off your father’s debts using Sara. That’s why you created that ruckus today."
Asher shook his head. "That’s not true. Luca, I-I really thought it was your doing."
"I don’t even bat a glance on leeches like you once I discard them away. You truly thought I would spare you, didn’t you? I’ll make sure you see the hell for making Sara upset," he stated with an intimidating tone.
