She Walked Into the Mafia Boss’s Room to Clean—Then His Family Walked In While He Was Still in a Towel
Chapter 9
Carlo sent a location.
An abandoned warehouse near the river.
He wanted the ledger.
And he wanted Sofia to bring it.
Matteo refused to let her go alone.
“I don’t want you there.”
Sofia shook her head.
“They’re after me.”
“Exactly.”
“Then I should be there.”
He looked at her.
“This isn’t a negotiation.”
She smiled.
“It is with me.”
He almost laughed.
“You’ve become difficult.”
“I learned from you.”
They arrived at the warehouse with a small security team.
The driver was tied to a chair.
Carlo stood behind him.
Sofia stepped forward.
“Let him go.”
“Give me the ledger.”
“No.”
Carlo smiled.
“I knew you’d become brave.”
“I was always brave.”
“You were a maid.”
Sofia looked at him.
“And now?”
Carlo glanced toward Matteo.
“Now you have a monster protecting you.”
Matteo stepped forward.
“Careful.”
Carlo laughed.
“You think love will save you?”
Sofia froze.
Matteo didn’t.
He simply looked at Carlo.
“It doesn’t have to.”
Carlo raised his weapon.
The security team moved.
A gunshot exploded.
Then another.
Chaos.
Sofia pulled the driver behind cover.
Matteo tackled Carlo.
The ledger fell.
Carlo reached for it.
Sofia grabbed it first.
She looked at him.
“You wanted this?”
“Yes.”
“Then look.”
She tore the first pages.
Carlo stared in shock.
“What are you doing?”
She tore another.
Matteo looked at her.
“Sofia.”
“I know.”
She dropped the pieces.
“I don’t need a book to prove you’re guilty.”
She handed the intact final section to the authorities.
“Copies were already sent.”
Carlo’s face changed.
She had outplayed him.
The police arrested him.
The driver was freed.
The remaining network began collapsing.
Later, Sofia sat outside the warehouse.
Matteo approached.
“You tore up the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t necessary.”
“It felt good.”
He laughed.
She looked at him.
“Did I do okay?”
“You were reckless.”
“That sounds like no.”
“You saved a man’s life.”
She smiled.
“So yes?”
“Yes.”
She looked down.
“Matteo.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what happens now.”
He sat beside her.
“Neither do I.”
“I don’t want to be a billionaire.”
“You don’t have to be.”
“I don’t want to run a criminal empire.”
“You won’t.”
“I don’t want to lose you.”
He went still.
Sofia looked away.
“I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No.”
He turned toward her.
“I’m glad you did.”
Her heart raced.
He took her hand.
“I’ve spent years believing caring about someone made them a target.”
“And now?”
“Now I think not caring is worse.”
She smiled.
He leaned closer.
Their lips nearly met.
Then a police officer called out.
“Mr. Moretti!”
They pulled apart.
Matteo sighed.
“One day.”
Sofia laughed.
“One day.”
But as they returned to the warehouse, neither noticed a second vehicle leaving through the back gate.
Someone else had the missing pages.
And they knew exactly what Sofia had just destroyed.
