Chapter 34

Stephanie’s breath hitched, her body rigid. For a moment, she was paralyzed. Her hands trembled as she answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Miss Giovanni." The voice was unmistakable.

Stephanie’s face blanked, her eyes betraying the turmoil she fought to conceal. "Yeah, it's me," she managed.

The caller continued, "Mr. Giovanni's flight arrives at Long Harbor at 8 PM tonight. He wants you to meet him at the airport."

Stephanie's heart leaped. Gripping the phone, her palm slick with sweat, she whispered, "He… he's coming to Long Harbor?" The weight of the moment crashed down. After all this time, he was finally coming. Just yesterday, she'd mistakenly used the wrong black card while shopping. She knew he'd discover it, but not this quickly.

The voice belonged to Elliot Grant, an assistant. Polite and respectful on the surface, he instilled fear in everyone in Fiorenza. Elliot had a talent for intimidation. And if Elliot possessed such power, Sebastian Giovanni, the man he served, was capable of anything. He was the man who had raised Stephanie.

Elliot's voice, cold as ice, cut through the silence. "He also said you better have an explanation ready. Or…"

He didn't need to finish. The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air.

Stephanie shuddered and hung up, the gesture casual, but her mind raced. The afternoon blurred into a chaotic mess. She couldn't focus, her thoughts consumed by Sebastian. He was the man the Hart family sought—the one who had raised her. In Fiorenza, he didn't just wield power; he controlled everything—the legal world, the illegal world. He was the kingpin of the underworld.

Her mind flashed back to three years ago, just before she left Fiorenza. Tears welled in her eyes. Her work became inconsequential; she remained lost in thought until the end of the day.

At six o'clock, as she stepped outside, her phone began buzzing incessantly. Still distracted, she answered, "Hello?"

"Did you really block my number?" Catlin's furious voice exploded through the receiver.

Stephanie glanced around the bustling street, replying flatly, "You think I was joking?" Only Olivia could tolerate Catlin's humor. Stephanie had never fit in with them; the high expectations and constant judgment were stifling. Catlin was the worst—cold and unforgiving.

Hearing the chill in Stephanie's voice only fueled Catlin's anger. "You—you… tell me, Allison is your best friend, right? You're the one who sent her overseas, aren't you?"

Stephanie let out a short, cold laugh. "Yeah, I did. So what?"

A long silence followed. Catlin sounded stunned. "How could you…" She was so angry, her hands trembled. She'd expected denial, but Stephanie's unflinching admission hit her hard. It was clear: Stephanie didn't care about this family.

Catlin had planned an interrogation, but Stephanie had confirmed everything without hesitation. Catlin gasped. "So, you admit it?"

Stephanie shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "What's the big deal? With everything going on between Olivia and me, you really think it's surprising I'd cause a little chaos?" She couldn't tolerate Olivia's manipulative games.