Chapter 47: Emilio was lying

Claire led Soraya into the small office at the back of the bakery and closed the door behind them. Once they were alone, she turned towards her with a concerned expression.

"I think Emilio was lying. You heard him talking to another woman, didn’t you?" Claire asked.

"Yes, I clearly heard him," Soraya replied. "He was..." She stopped midway, her expression changing as Emilio’s words came rushing back to her mind. Even though she wanted to dismiss them, they continued to bother her.

"You should ask Santino about it. Once you hear his side, everything will become clear," Claire advised.

"I don’t want to ask him," Soraya stated firmly.

"What? Why not? He’s the only person who can give you the truth about what happened."

"Claire, it’s not that simple. You have no idea what Emilio said." Soraya ran a hand through her hair, visibly frustrated. "It’s not just about whether he was lying. What he said has made me question things I never wanted to think about."

Claire sighed and shook her head. "Do you really think Santino has trapped you in this marriage or something?"

"Yes," Soraya replied without hesitation. "Six months ago, I was in Sicily attending a job fair. That’s where Santino first saw me. You already know how obsessive he can be about me, but there’s something I still can’t understand. He never once mentioned that he had met Emilio. Don’t you find that strange?"

Claire’s expression grew serious as she considered what Soraya had just told her. "That’s more than strange, Sora. If Santino knew about Emilio and kept it from you, then there’s a reason behind it."

"Exactly! I don’t know whom to trust anymore. I can’t tell who’s telling me the truth and who’s hiding something from me. That’s why I don’t want to confront Santino just yet. I need to find out what really happened first." Soraya paused, taking a breath before continuing. "I want to know who that woman was whom I heard talking to Emilio that night. Her name was Gina."

Claire folded her arms, considering Soraya’s words before asking, "How are you planning to find Gina? You’ve never even seen her face. Italy is a huge country. Do you think you’ll be able to track her down just because you heard her voice once?"

Soraya couldn’t argue with that. She lowered her gaze, realizing how difficult it would be to find someone when she had so little information about her. "You’re right. I can’t possibly find her on my own."

"That’s exactly why you should ask Santino," Claire advised. "He has the resources and connections to find almost anyone. If Gina is connected to Emilio, Santino might be able to get some information about her."

"What if Emilio wasn’t lying?" Soraya asked, still troubled by the possibility.

Claire raised an eyebrow. "And why should you believe him? What makes you think he’s suddenly decided to tell you the truth? He could be lying just as easily."

"You seem to be taking Santino’s side," Soraya murmured.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, lowering her eyes to her hands. She began fiddling with her fingers, unable to settle her thoughts.

"What if Santino planned everything from the beginning just so he could marry me?" she asked quietly. "What if meeting me at the job fair wasn’t a coincidence? What if he already knew who I was and deliberately approached me?"

Claire’s expression shifted as she considered the possibility. "Even if he did, what about everything you heard during that phone conversation? You heard Emilio speaking to a woman, and you heard things that made you suspicious. We shouldn’t jump to conclusions without knowing the full story."

Soraya remained silent for a moment before pushing her chair back.

"Well, let’s get back to work," she said, deciding to put the conversation aside for now.

They both stepped out of the office and resumed their the work they had left in the middle.

’If Santino is lying to me, I am not going to forgive him. I hope he tells me the truth soon why he met Emilio,’ Soraya thought while putting another tray of pastry inside the refrigerated cabin.

~~~~~

"You’re not keeping an eye on Soraya today?" Marco remarked as he entered the office and placed a file on Santino’s desk. "These are the half-yearly profit reports from our businesses."

Santino opened the file and began going through the figures, carefully examining the reports. "I promised her that I would give her the freedom to do what she wants. I can’t keep following her everywhere." He turned a page before asking, "Have you found anything about the Spanish Mafia heir?"

"Not yet. Franco will bring you the latest information soon," Marco replied, leaning against the edge of the desk.

Santino nodded and continued reading, but his attention soon drifted towards the phone resting beside the file. He glanced at its screen before speaking again.

"Soraya hasn’t called me yet. I hope she’s enjoying her work at the bakery."

Marco turned towards him, noticing how his boss kept glancing at the phone instead of concentrating on the reports. "Then why don’t you call her?"

"I don’t want to disturb her," Santino replied, leaning back in his chair. "Our wedding night ruined everything between us. She still sees me as a violent man, and I can’t blame her for that."

"Are you not?" Marco chuckled, straightening up. "You can’t simply leave your mafia habits behind. You were born to be the king of the underworld, Boss. Guns, violence, and bloodshed are essential parts of your world. Soraya seems a little naive to me. I also think you’ve never properly told her how much effort you put into finding her."

"Soraya isn’t naive. She’s quite intelligent, actually," Santino corrected him. "And I know she understands more than she lets on." His expression softened as he recalled the previous evening. "We had a good time at the beach yesterday. She even kissed me."

A faint blush appeared on his face as the memory returned, and he couldn’t help smiling to himself.

"Geez!" Marco clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disbelief. "You’ve become a fool in love, Boss."

"No. I’ve become crazy in love," Santino corrected him, making no effort to hide his smile.