"Manageable," she said, her tone clipped. She pushed off the door, walking slowly to the writing desk where the sleek laptop Leo had given her sat glowing softly. She didn't sit, just rested her good hand on the back of the chair. "Doctor Rossi gave me something. I'm not dancing a jig, but I'm upright. What do you need?"
"Leo picked up something. A small hack. Someone's poking around the edges of our surveillance feeds."
Her posture stiffened, the hacker in her instantly alert. "How deep? What did they access?"
"Surface level only, so far, and just perimeter cameras and some of the older, less critical internal ones. Leo caught itquickly." He saw the calculations flickering behind her eyes, the strategic mind clicking into gear. "He's tracing it, but it's slow. Whoever it is, they're good."
"Then we kick them out," she stated, her fingers tightening on the chair back. "Lock it down, reroute everything through hardened channels Leo and Iz can set up. Fortify the digital walls."
"Leo and Dante have a better idea." Rodrigo allowed himself a small, grim smile. "Leo thinks kicking them out might be premature. It tells them we know they are there and makes us look scared."
Giana frowned. "So?"
"So," Rodrigo said, taking a step closer, drawn in despite himself. "He suggests we manipulate what they see. Feed them a narrative to make them overconfident and clumsy with their plans to attack us."
Her eyes narrowed. "Whatkindof narrative?"
"A celebration." He held her gaze. "We throw an engagement party. Close family and trusted allies only like Altun, Julian, and the rest of Kon's inner circle. We make it look real. As if Vincenzo's little gift didn't rattle us and we're oblivious, distracted by love and champagne. We let them watch us play happy couple, preparing for a wedding, not a war."
Understanding dawned in Giana's eyes, followed swiftly by skepticism. "A performance."
"A necessary one," Rodrigo countered. "If they believe we're focused on celebrating, they will underestimate our readiness. They will make their move onourterms, onourground."
Giana was silent for a long moment, studying him. He could almost see the pros and cons being weighed in her mind.
"It could work," she said slowly and gnawed on her bottom lip. "It relies on them taking the bait and believing the act, so it will need to be convincing."
"Exactly." He paused, choosing his next words with care. "It requires both of us to play our parts and sell the intimacy and commitment."
He saw her hesitation and met her wary gaze directly. "I won't force you into this, Giana. Not the performance or the proximity. If you're not comfortable with it, we find another way. Leo can lock the feeds down tonight."
Giana looked up at him, her expression careful and considering. "Why tell me? Why ask? You could have just ordered it and pretended it was a strategy. Gabriella would have kept me in the dark."
The mention of his mother was like a cold splash of water in Rodrigo's face.
"Because we arepartners," he said, the words still feeling foreign on his tongue. He hesitated as the truth clawed its way up. "Because this affects you as much as it affects me, and I need you to trust me. That starts with me trusting you with the truth and the choice to say no."
Giana didn't look away from him as she considered his words. The anger was still there, but it had lost some of its edge.
"All right," she said finally. "I'll play the blushing fiancée at your party, Rodrigo."
Relief, sharp and unexpected, flooded him. "Giana?—"
She held up her good hand, stopping him. "On one condition."
"Name it."
"You answer my questions." Her gaze locked onto his, unflinching. "No more half-truths. No more cryptic bullshit."
He knew it was a trap, and still he nodded, "Okay. What do you want to know?"
"Why, Rodrigo? Why give me the laptop? Why help me undermine Gabriella? Why come for me in Izmir?"
Giana took a step toward him, her eyes searching his face. "You said then that you saw me as a queen in chains. Fine. But why risk everything else?"
Rodrigo knew this moment would come. He dreaded and needed it. He couldn't lie to her anymore.
"Because you weren't the only one Gabriella tried to control and crush," he began, his voice low with the effort of dragging the memories into the light. He moved past her, needing space, pacing toward the large window overlooking the moonlit gardens. The familiar vista offered no comfort now.
