My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 742

Chapter 742

Not theories.

Not guesses.

Not loose threads.

Evidence.

Something that couldn’t be explained away.

Something that wouldn’t leave even the smallest opening for Giovanni Toricelli to crawl through.

Adriano picked up the photograph of Elias Crowe, “So until then?”

I grabbed the files into a neat stack, “Until then,” I slid them back into the case, “I keep following this doctor.”

Adriano looked at me for another second before giving a slow nod, “You really think this leads

somewhere?”

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” I walked toward the office door, “But it’s all I have right now. I need one weakness, just one. So I’ll keep pulling the thread,” I looked back at my brother, “One way or another, something buried on that island is going to unravel. And when it does,” a cold smile touched my face,” I’m going to be there to watch Giovanni choke on it.”

Gianna

I buttoned the charcoal jacket slowly, smoothing the sleeves before fastening the single button at my waist.

The woman in the mirror still surprised me.

The suit fit like it had been stitched onto me. Sharp shoulders, a narrow waist and straight trousers. The kind of outfit that made people think twice before speaking.

I stepped closer to the mirror, tilting my head from one side to the other. I pulled my phone from my pocket, angled it toward the mirror, and snapped a picture.

My expression was calm. One eyebrow slightly raised. Just enough attitude to annoy him. Exactly how he liked me. My thumbs hovered over the keyboard before I finally typed.

Me: I’d spank you wearing this.

I hit send, then waited. Three dots appeared almost immediately, disappeared and then came back.

I grinned.

He was thinking.

Finally, his reply came through.

Raphael: Statistically speaking, that sentence has several flaws.

I blinked.

A second message appeared before I could answer.

Raphael: First, you’re assuming you’d still be in charge five seconds after walking into my room wearing that.

I laughed.

Another message.

Raphael: Second, that suit is giving you dangerous levels of confidence.

Raphael: I approve.

I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh.

One last notification lit up my screen.

Raphael: Now stop distracting me.

I smiled.

Me: You replied in under thirty seconds.

His answer came back almost before I finished reading.

Raphael: Exactly.

Raphael: You’re the distraction.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, unable to stop smiling. Raphael had always had that effect on me. He could be hundreds of miles away, buried in work, probably planning something terrifying, and somehow… he still found time to make me laugh.

The smile faded as soon as I opened my bedroom door.

Reality was waiting outside.

The house was too silent. There was no Luca complaining that Dante had stolen his coffee. No Dante pretending he hadn’t. No Raphael walking through with another impossible schedule in one hand and espresso in the other. No Maddie reminding everyone to stop arguing before breakfast.

Just…

Silence.

I walked downstairs. A maid opened the dining room doors before I reached them. The table was just as enormous as I remembered but only one chair was occupied.