Chapter 7 - The Secret Document

The kitchen was silent save for the hum of the refrigerator.
I stood by the island, my chest heaving slightly from the adrenaline rush of the confrontation. I looked at Giovanni, who was still staring at the doorway where his family had just exited, his jaw tight.
“You didn't have to do that,” I whispered.
“Yes, I did,” Giovanni replied, turning his gaze back to me. He walked closer, stopping just a foot away. “This house is your home, Jessica. No one—family or otherwise—has the right to make you feel unwelcome here.”
“Even if the marriage is just a three-year contract?” I asked, my voice barely audible over the kitchen hum.
Giovanni went still. His amber eyes searched my face, tracking every micro-expression with intense focus.
“Who said anything about three years anymore?” he asked quietly.
My breath caught. “Giovanni... what are you talking about?”
Before he could answer, his private phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and his expression darkened instantly.
“What is it?” I asked, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
“Marko found something,” Giovanni said, sliding his phone back into his pocket. “Something concerning your ex-husband.”
May you like
“Tyler?” I frowned. “What does Tyler have to do with any of this?”
“More than you think,” Giovanni said grimly. “Come down to the study.”