Chapter 6 - Lorenzo Moretti Finally Chose a Side
Sophie was already moving.
“Give me your phone.”
“Sophie.”
“Give me the phone!”
Lorenzo handed it over.
She called Toby.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Her hands began shaking.
“He always answers.”
“We’ll find him.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because everyone I have is looking.”
She stared at him.
“This is because of me.”
“No.”
“Marco threatened me.”
“He’s being questioned downtown.”
“Then someone working for him—”
“Sophie.”
Lorenzo caught her shoulders.
She looked at his hands.
He released her immediately.
“No ownership,” he said.
Her breathing slowed.
“Right.”
His phone rang.
He answered.
“Speak.”
A pause.
“Where?”
Another pause.
“We’re coming.”
He ended the call.
“They found Toby.”
“Where?”
“Your apartment.”
“What?”
“He’s there.”
Sophie stared at him.
“He skipped school?”
“Apparently.”
They reached the apartment twenty minutes later.
Sophie stormed inside.
“Toby Clark!”
Toby emerged from the bedroom.
She grabbed him and hugged him.
Then pulled back.
“What were you thinking?”
“I needed to get something.”
“You terrified me!”
“I know.”
“What could possibly be that important?”
Toby reached into his backpack.
A small black flash drive.
Lorenzo’s expression changed.
“What is that?”
Toby looked at Sophie.
“I took it from Isabella’s nurse.”
Everyone went silent.
“You what?”
“She came to our building yesterday.”
Sophie stared at him.
“The nurse?”
Toby nodded.
“I saw her outside. She was talking to some guy.”
“What guy?”
“I don’t know. She dropped this.”
Lorenzo crouched.
“Did they see you take it?”
“No.”
“What’s on it?”
“I don’t know.”
Within an hour, they knew.
Payment records.
Messages.
Medication schedules.
Instructions from Marco’s people.
Enough evidence to dismantle the entire scheme.
Sophie looked at Toby.
“You never do anything like this again.”
“But—”
“Never.”
“Okay.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“Your sister is right.”
Toby frowned.
“You’re a mafia boss.”
Lorenzo blinked.
Sophie covered her face.
“Toby.”
“What? Everyone knows.”
Lorenzo almost smiled.
“I’m in logistics.”
“Sure.”
Two weeks later, Marco’s legal attack collapsed.
The nurse agreed to cooperate.
Dr. Russo lost his license pending investigation.
And Isabella’s new medical team reduced the unnecessary medication.
She did not magically recover.
Some days remained difficult.
But there were more good mornings.
More laughter.
More recognition.
And fewer apologies for things she had never done.
One evening, Sophie found Lorenzo sitting beside his mother in the garden.
Isabella was asleep.
“You’re still here,” Sophie said.
“So are you.”
“It’s my job.”
“I know.”
She sat across from him.
“You’ve changed.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I’m still extremely unpleasant.”
“That part survived.”
He smiled.
Then became serious.
“I’ve been restructuring things.”
“What things?”
“My businesses.”
“The logistics ones?”
“All of them.”
Sophie understood.
“You’re getting out.”
“I’m trying.”
“Why?”
Lorenzo looked at Isabella.
“Because someday she won’t remember my name.”
His voice remained controlled.
“But I want to remember who I was while she still did.”
Sophie said nothing.
He looked at her.
“And because Toby shouldn’t think men like me are something worth becoming.”
“That’s the smartest thing you’ve said.”
“Thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
He stood.
“Sophie.”
“What?”
“I want to ask you something.”
“If this is another employment contract—”
“Dinner.”
She froze.
“With your mother?”
“No.”
“Toby?”
“No.”
“Daniel?”
“Sophie.”
She smiled.
“You mean a date.”
“Yes.”
“You’re terrible at this.”
“I’ve never needed practice.”
“That sentence alone should disqualify you.”
“Probably.”
She studied him.
Then shook her head.
“No.”
Lorenzo looked genuinely surprised.
“No?”
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because I work for your mother.”
“I can change the arrangement.”
“And because you’re still figuring out who you want to be.”
His expression softened.
“That could take a while.”
“I know.”
“How long am I supposed to wait?”
Sophie walked past him.
“You’re Lorenzo Moretti.”
She glanced over her shoulder.
May you like
“You’re getting good at it.”
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