Chapter 31 : Accepting My Birthright

*Jacopo’s POV*

The air in my father’s house was heavy as I paced from room to room. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I hadn’t seen Sophia since we got back from our trip, and a growing sense of unease gnawed at my insides. She wasn’t outside at the villa, and she wasn’t in her room. Luca and Elena hadn’t spoken to her since she’d gone out to paint this morning, and that was unusual. She should’ve been back for lunch by now.

As I walked through the grand hallway, my steps grew more frantic. I'd felt on edge ever since my car was vandalized, and her absence made that tension worse. The thought of her body replacing my mother’s, bleeding in the street, was on constant replay in my head. I had to see her, touch her, and make sure she was okay and unharmed.

I spotted Giorgio as he made his way through the door, his eyes scanning the room anxiously. His face wore a furrowed brow, and his eyes held the same concern that weighed on me.