Chapter 73

Diego's POV

Pushing open the heavy oak door, I stepped into my father's study. The bodyguard followed me in, then discreetly shut the door behind me. My eyes needed a moment to adjust to the dim light – a stark contrast to the bright hallway.

I always wondered why Dad preferred such a shadowy environment. Even with all the modern advancements, he clung to his old ways. And somehow, they seemed to work for him.

His father had built the Lorenzo empire, and Dad was determined to maintain it, eventually passing the reins to me. The Lorenzo name alone instilled fear in people's hearts, a legend whispered of it as a nightmare to children.

Cash in various currencies overflowed one of the corner chairs, while another held a pile of coins. How did he keep track of it all, practically a prisoner in his own office ever since my mother, his first wife, passed away?

Of course, he'd remarried – out of necessity, to fill the role of a mother for me. I was grateful for my stepmother – a strong, bold