Mara pov
We walked inside. The place was dim, lit by candles and low lamps. Soft piano music played in the corner. It smelled like seared steak and red wine. An older man with gray hair and a round bearded face was sitting at a corner table. He stood up when he saw us.
"Lorenzo," the man said, his mouth stinking of red wine. "You're late."
"I was busy," Lorenzo said, pulling out a chair for me. "Arthur, this is my fiancée, Isabella. She's had a very hard week. We just buried her father."
Arthur looked at me with pity. "Oh, you poor thing. I'm so sorry for your loss."
I let my shoulders drop. I looked at the white tablecloth and let my bottom lip tremble just a little bit. It wasn't hard to act sad. I was miserable anyway.
"Thank you," I said, my voice tiny. "He was... he was," I stammered. "everything to me."
"Sit, sit little damsel," Arthur said, waving to a waiter. "Let's get some wine. Anything to take the edge off."
We sat down. Lorenzo kept his hand on top of mine the whole time. His thumb brushed over my knuckles in a way that was supposed to look sweet, but I knew it was a warning. Stay in character, he was saying. Don't mess this up.
As the food came, Lorenzo and Arthur talked about boring things like; stocks, shipping, the weather. I stayed quiet, picking at my salad. I waited for my moment.
"Arthur," I said softly, interrupting them. I looked up with watery eyes. "Lorenzo told me you used to work for the Smart family. My father... he always spoke about Ryan Smart. He said they were close, he always promise to help Ryan find more about who framed him about the fire."
Arthur froze. He set his wine glass down a little too fast. "Ryan? Yes. A tragic accident did occur."
"My father didn't think it was an accident," I lied, leaning forward. I let a single tear roll down my cheek. I saw Lorenzo's eyes shift toward me. He was watching me like a hawk. "He had a letter. He said Ryan was in trouble. Something about a girl? He wanted to help, but he died before he could find the proof."
Arthur's face went pale. He looked around the room to see if anyone was listening. "Isabella, those are dangerous things to talk about. That was a long time ago."
"I just want to finish my father's work," I whispered. I reached out and touched.
Arthur's hand. My fingers were cold. "Please. If there are any papers left... anything that shows my father was right... I just want peace."
Arthur looked at me, then at Lorenzo. Lorenzo didn't say a word. He just sat there like a statue, letting me do the work.
"I... I have a box, which contains matters relating to the case," Arthur whispered, leaning in. "In my home office. It's not much, just some old memos that didn't burn. But if it will help you find peace..."
"It would mean everything," I said, giving him a small, broken smile.
"Once I get them, I'll let you know," Arthur said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "For you, my dear."
"How long will it take?" I asked using my finger to brush his palm.
"Three days, I'll get them to you." He gave me a charming smile, i felt disgusted.
"Thank you, Arthur," Lorenzo said, his voice deep and smooth. He stood up and pulled my hand away from Arthur's. "We should get her home. She needs her rest."
"Sure, take care of the pretty damsel." Arthur smiled, he tried to shake me but lorenzo grabbed his hands shaking him before I could.