Sophie’s POV‘I can't believe I'm walking and being celebrated in the same space the Met Gala is held every year,’ I thought to myself as I perused the ornate decorations that graced every wall and table. The museum ballroom was tastefully decorated with a fusion of French elegance and New York grandeur. The walls were lined with glossy gold frames that highlighted the stunning artwork, and in the center of the room stood a magnificent marble sculpture in a glass display case. I stood toward the front of the room and assessed the guests chatting excitedly. The tables were dressed with fine white linens, accented by tall golden candelabras and an array of crystal glasses and utensils. Ornamental vases filled with vibrant flowers adorned every corner, adding a splash of color to balance out the more traditional aesthetic. Meanwhile, guests mingled in tuxedos and long gowns that sparkled under the flickering chandelier light. I glanced down at my ballgown and was thankful a styli
*Sophie’s POV*"Let's go, Soph. We don't have a lot of time. We have to be the first ones through the doors, or we'll miss the best stuff," my friend Luca urged me to hurry so we could get to the local flea market right at seven o’clock. "If you don't quit rushing me, I'm staying home," I threatened even though we both knew I was lying.I glanced at the clock and realized we only had twenty minutes to get there before the doors opened, so I bent over, stepped into my shoes, and ran for the door. "Hurry up, Luca! I don't want to be late," I jokingly yelled over my shoulder, much to Luca's annoyance.We walked down the three flights of stairs and exited my apartment. The smells and activity of the streets of New York assaulted our senses, and I looked around at the chaos of the city. The sidewalks were full of locals and tourists hurrying to their destinations, and children ran toward their schools gleefully. We wouldn't make it in time if we had to wait on public transit, so we
*Sophie’s POV*My reflection stared back at me as I took in what I was wearing. Mr. Rossi had already seen me at my best when we first met at the unveiling, and I didn't want to show up in my grungy flea market attire. I came home to change, and Luca deserted me so he could go have lunch with Kylie and Minerva. I wore a simple black dress I bought recently, and I paired it with a pair of black high-heeled sandals that I bought because they made my already long legs look even longer. I pulled the top of my curly mop of hair into a top knot, and let the rest fall down my back. My dark brows framed my mocha-colored almond-shaped eyes, eyes that never cease to remind me of how much I physically resembled my mother.I had decided to skip makeup altogether except for a hint of blush and shiny lip gloss. Mr. Rossi seemed nice enough, but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea about how I was dressed. Men like him were used to getting whatever they wanted, but I wasn't interested in being
*Sophie’s POV*Luca and I were now sitting on the plane, with Italy coming into view as we descended. We'd both managed to get our affairs in order and delegate our projects to other people, freeing up the time for the villa restoration. It had been easy for both of us, as we had finished up the large projects we were working on.We were both ecstatic to see what was in store for us here and the scenery around us was breathtaking. The vast expanse of land, revealed by the clouds slowly lifting, had our eyes wide open in amazement."Oh, my God," Luca said as he pointed to the countryside coming into view.The fields of rolling greens, lined up against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains seemed like something out of a postcard. The tiny little towns nestled in between them looked so quaint and peaceful from our vantage point in the air. Everything below just looked alive - buzzing with energy and life that only added to my excitement for this new adventure.My cheeks hurt from smili
*Sophie’s POV*The reverberation of the front door hitting the wall caused us all to turn our heads. Alessandro Rossi stood in the doorway with an amused look on his face as he assessed the precarious situation the three of us had found ourselves in. His eyes moved from the scared expression on my face to the gun in the other man’s hand, and I swear he smiled.He wore an expensive suit that accentuated the muscular build of his body. His face was lined with age, but still handsomely chiseled. "Jacopo, put the gun away. Sophia and Luca were invited here by me, and I won't have you running them off because you're having one of your temper tantrums."Jacopo. That was the name of this handsome stranger that stole my breath at the flea market, and now stole my peace in Tuscany.Jacopo furrowed his brow and scowled at Alessandro. His gaze shifted to Luca and me, and he bared his teeth in a menacing expression. I held my breath as Jacopo tightened his grip on the gun before uncurling his
*Jacopo’s POV*The wooden cuckoo clock ticked away the seconds, each one feeling like an eternity as I waited for my father to return from his clandestine meeting. I watched through the large bay windows as a sliver of orange sun slowly descended behind the distant hills. The room dimmed, and gradually, shadows crept in, casting ominous shapes on the floor.The villa had been in our family for generations, and I knew every winding path, vine-draped wall, and creaking floorboard. As a child, I roamed these grounds with carefree pleasure; I slid down the banister of the grand stairway, climbed in the sprawling oak tree, and lay daydreaming beneath its shade. Now my father hinted at his plans to sell it—a thought that filled me with sadness.I sat on the couch in my father's study and looked around at all the familiar knickknacks and artifacts he had accumulated throughout his life; reminders of days long passed. It seemed unfair for him to just abandon everything like this without any
*Sophie’s POV* Luca and I barely got six hours of sleep before we had to be back at the villa. Mr. Rossi's late wife had been an avid collector of all art mediums. We were walking to a storage building on the property where he held most of her collection, and Luca was blabbering on about the bedroom he slept in being haunted."I don't think that's possible," I said, trying to stifle a laugh. "Ghosts aren't real, Luca."He scoffed, "You don't know that."I rolled my eyes, "Sure, Luca. Keep telling yourself that.""You may not be a believer, but I am. I woke up three times to a woman's voice saying my name. The third time, I swear I felt someone breathing on my neck. How am I going to get anything done when ghosts are keeping me up all night?" he dramatically pretended to fall over from exhaustion.I rolled my eyes and listened to my work boots crunch against the gravel beneath my feet, "Stop. You're going to give me nightmares. If that happens, I'll kick your ass," I warned.We
*Sophia's POV*"Don't drink all the coffee, ass. I'm going to need that to get through everything we have to get done this morning," I admonished Luca when I saw him filling his cup for the third time this morning."You can always make another," he teased as he tipped the pot over."WE DON'T HAVE TIME. We have to be over at the villa in ten minutes. Give me that damn cup," I growled as I charged him.Luca laughed and handed me the cup, "Alright, alright, calm down. I'll be ready in two minutes."I took a sip of the hot coffee and sighed in relief. The warmth spread throughout my body, and I surveyed my notes for the millionth time.While Luca went to get changed, I pulled on my work boots and grabbed my coat. We set off, walking swiftly down the long gravel walkway that led to the villa.The morning sun had barely risen above the horizon when we arrived at our destination. The air was still chilly, but I had dressed lightly under my coat. I knew once the sun fully rose, and we s