Lorenzo Moretti rose with deliberate slowness from his chair, his expression a carefully crafted enigma. Yet, the sharpness of his gaze suggested a brewing tempest beneath the surface.
"Tristan," he commanded, his voice deep and resonant. "My study. Now."
Tristan who was on his way out paused
Without hesitation, Tristan nodded, though a flicker of doubt crossed his features. Liana and Adrian exchanged anxious glances, while Saphina remained anchored to her spot, caught between following or retreating.
Inside the study, Lorenzo shut the door with an authoritative finality, the sound vibrating ominously in the heavy stillness. For a heartbeat, he held his silence, prowling around Tristan like a predatory beast sizing up its prey. The tension crackled between them, electric and palpable.
"What the hell just happened?" Lorenzo's voice broke the silence, steady yet charged with a simmering threat.
"It was necessary," Tristan replied, unwavering. "He disrespected her—treated her like an object. I wouldn't let that pass."
Lorenzo's eyes narrowed, sharp as a hawk's. "She's not your concern. The Blacks came to us with an agreement that predates your very existence."
"She's not just a business transaction!" Tristan fired back, his voice ignited with passion. "This isn't solely about Liana—they wanted Saphina. Did you hear the way he spoke?"
"Yes," Lorenzo retorted, his tone clipped. "And you only made things worse. They left humiliated and insulted. We might have just jeopardized everything."
"Maybe that deal was never worth having in the first place," Tristan shot back defiantly.
A heavy silence settled between them, thick with unspoken words, tension crackling like lightning before a storm.
Lorenzo advanced, invading Tristan's space. "Are you sleeping with her?"
Tristan's features darkened, a fierce glint in his eyes. "That's irrelevant."
Lorenzo's frustration flared, his jaw tightening. "You're risking it all—for a girl you barely know?"
"I know her enough to protect her," Tristan replied, his voice low yet imbued with conviction. "And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
Before Lorenzo could respond, a voice broke through the tension from the doorway.
"That girl has done nothing wrong," Liana declared, stepping into the room with newfound determination. "If anyone here possesses decency, it's her."
"Liana—" Lorenzo warned, voice low and threatening.
"No," she shot back, unwavering. "I'm done with this. You speak of family honor, yet where's the honor in forcing people into loveless marriages or ignoring a man who treats a woman like property?"
Tristan regarded his sister, surprise mingling with pride.
Lorenzo turned to her, his tone hard as steel. "You are a Moretti. You don't speak out of turn."
"And you're a father," Liana countered fiercely. "Start acting like one."
Silence enveloped the room, heavy and suffocating.
Lorenzo shifted his gaze between Liana and Tristan, exhaling slowly. "You've made your positions clear," he said finally, his voice laced with resignation. "But remember—every action has consequences."
He turned on his heel and exited, leaving a storm in his wake.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Liana released a shaky breath and turned to Tristan. "Are you okay?"
Tristan offered a half-smile, though it didn't quite touch his eyes. "I should be asking you that."
"I had to speak up," she asserted, determination burning in her gaze. "She's... more than just your assistant now, isn't she?"
Tristan didn't need to answer; the truth was evident.
Liana inclined her head knowingly. "Then fight for her. But be smart about it, T."
He nodded, appreciation shining in his eyes. "Thanks, Lia."
---
Liana's room
Liana was a bundle of energy, practically dancing around her room, her voice striking a note of pure exhilaration.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh. My. Freaking. God!" she squealed, twirling like a girl set loose on a sugar high.
On the bed, Saphina sat with an unimpressed look, arms crossed and legs tucked under her, eyeing her exuberant friend as if she'd completely lost her mind.
"Liana… can you tone it down a bit?" Saphina sighed, her patience hanging by a thread.
Finally, Liana halted her pacing and dropped dramatically in front of Saphina, her legs crossed. She leaned in, eyes sparkling as if she were about to crack the case of the century.
"Dish it. Now," she urged, raising an eyebrow mischievously.
"Dish what?" Saphina shot back, her tone cool yet oddly defensive.
"Oh, come on! Don't play innocent with me," Liana insisted, pointing a perfectly manicured nail accusingly. "What's brewing between you and my brother?"
Saphina blinked, her expression deadpan. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" Liana echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Girl, the way he loomed over you like some brooding bodyguard in love? The vibe was electric! And let's not forget… *he called you his woman!* Like, am I watching a telenovela here or what?"
Saphina's gaze flickered away, a hint of uncertainty creeping in.
Liana's grin widened, a glint of mischief lighting up her eyes. "You *do* have feelings for him, don't you?"
With a loud groan, Saphina snatched a pillow and flopped onto the bed, burying her face in the softness. "Not now, Liana," her muffled voice came out in muffled bursts. "I'm still wrapping my head around everything that just went down."
Not deterred, Liana crawled closer, lying beside her friend and pulling the pillow down just enough to catch Saphina's gaze. "Come on! You can spill the tea. Am I not your best friend?"
Turning her head slightly, Saphina let out a little sigh. "It's complicated. One moment he's scolding me at a gala like I'm the villain, then the next he's defending me in front of his entire family like I belong to him… I don't know what's happening!"
"You *are* confused," Liana said softly, her chin resting on her palm. "But listen… Tristan doesn't get that protective over just anyone. With you? He shows a whole different side."
Saphina cracked a small smile, a glow of warmth spreading through her. "Wow, thanks."
"You know I mean it!" Liana laughed. "He's typically cold and distant—honestly a bit intimidating—but with you? There's something real."
A pause hung in the air, and Saphina whispered, "But am I even safe?"
"Safe?" Liana repeated, her eyes widening.
"I mean… everything is happening so fast. The Black family, Jack, now Tristan claiming me like that… It's all a whirlwind. What if being close to him puts me at risk?"
Squeezing Saphina's hand, Liana looked her straight in the eye. "You were already in danger, Saphy. But now? You've got my family—and definitely Tristan—backing you up."
Saphina glanced at their intertwined hands, heart racing with a blend of fear and something warmer, something more hopeful.
"You're honestly okay with this?" she asked, her voice tinged with vulnerability.
Liana's laughter bubbled up, infectious and light. "Are you kidding? I've already mentally constructed your wedding! But first…" she rolled her eyes playfully, "we need to figure out how to keep you two from tearing each other apart during arguments."
Saphina couldn't help but smile faintly, the heavy clouds of confusion parting just a bit.
"Fine," she said, the corners of her mouth lifting. "But if he raises his voice at me again, I'm kicking him."
Liana shot her a sly grin. "Deal! And I'll be right there to help."
Bursting into laughter together, the tension melted away—for the moment, anyway.