Chapter 16

The flight from Russia to Italy had lasted ten hours and forty minutes, nearly eleven hours of travel, which was stifling for Aaron, who despised transportation in general. He felt trapped in an empty space where he couldn't freely come and go. On the other hand, his sister Kira was over the moon, acting as if she were in her element. They were accompanied by ten of their men: Nikita, Grigory, Valentin, Evgeny, Denis, Renat, Valery, Yanis, Egor, and Timur.

Upon arrival, Aaron was on edge and exhausted. They rented five cars and drove to their hotel, of which Aaron couldn't even remember the name or how he ended up in his room. All he remembered was his fatigue, but a good night's sleep revitalized his vigor.

Upon waking up, he called his mother to reassure her and let her know they had arrived safely and settled in at the hotel. After hanging up, Aaron took a shower. While he was under the water, his sister came to invite him to explore Italy with her. Without listening to a word Aaron said, she understood he would follow her. She went back to her room, dressed in black leather shorts, a cashmere belt, a white tank top, and designer sunglasses. She slipped on simple sandals and grabbed a small woolen bag.

After showering, Aaron carefully dried his body and hair. Opening his suitcase, he chose the clothes he would wear for the day. Without thinking for long, he grabbed a black cap, sunglasses, black canvas shorts, black sneakers, a white t-shirt, and a light jacket. He was ready to tackle the day.

Leaving their room, he saw his sister dressed in the same tones as him, a white top and black shorts, a black hat for her and a cap for him. Unintentionally, they were matching. "They look like a couple," they thought.

Aaron had asked Yanis, Valery, Denis, and Timur to accompany them, dressed casually and not in their usual dark suits. So attired, they set off.

Italy, Rome to be precise, was a beautiful and bustling country.

Now in the city of Rome, our friends had a map but knew nothing about the city, the capital of Italy. So they set out blindly to explore this country.

They were amazed by the historical richness of the city, strolling through the cobbled streets and admiring the magnificent ancient monuments such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum. They tasted delicious Italian specialties, like fresh pasta, crispy pizzas, and creamy gelatos.

They then took the train to Venice, the city of canals. They navigated through the waterways aboard a vaporetto, admiring the beautiful palaces and churches that seemed to float on water. They visited St. Mark's Square and its famous basilica, as well as the Rialto Bridge and its many souvenir shops.

After exploring Venice, they headed to Florence, the city of the Renaissance. They were impressed by the beauty of the artworks by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli that they could admire in the city's museums and churches. They also climbed to the top of the Duomo to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

Finally, they concluded their Italian excursion by visiting the Amalfi Coast, where they could relax on the sandy beaches and enjoy fresh seafood in the picturesque restaurants lining the sea. They also visited the stunning cliffside villages of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, offering breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea.

"Are we not here for your fashion show, Kira? We are spending three days traveling like tourists."

"True, brother. We are. The show is only ten days away. I have everything prepared, we just need to enjoy this."

"So you lied?"

"Just a little white lie."

"Dad will scold you."

"He will understand. You know he never lets me out."

When Kira was fifteen, Aaron still lived at home. She had gotten lost after a school trip in high school. She had almost been sold on the black market, but thankfully, a friend of her father's, Yohan, had recognized her and saved her. Since that incident, their father had become even more protective, especially towards the girls.

"I sometimes feel suffocated in this house, like right now, but I can't stay away for too long. I don't like living far from our parents."

"I understand," her brother nodded. "But you know, I also have a life, a job."

"Dad said he would take care of it."

"Oh, I don't know why, but I always get chills when you call him 'dad'. He doesn't really have the look to be called 'dad'."

"It's you and Myra who are strange, always addressing mom and dad formally. They like it when I call them familiarly, especially dad."

"Whatever, let's go eat, I'm starving."

"Yes, Mr. Hottie," teased his sister. "Did you see how everyone was looking at you during the trip? They were drooling over my handsome and tender... 'boyfriend'." She laughed and ran off, hoping her brother would catch her. Which he did, and their four bodyguards were oddly happy to see their boss happy. It was rewarding.

At the "Lucio" restaurant, the four men, their bodyguards, headed to their respective tables. Aaron and Kira, on the other hand, sat at a separate table. Despite Aaron's invitation to join him at his table, the men preferred to stay at a distance to better spot potential dangers.

The menus were already on the table, offering a tempting selection of dishes. Kira was delighted and ordered a bit of everything, unlike Aaron who was not very hungry.

Giovanni's sister was also in the restaurant and immediately recognized the man from the photo her brother had shown her. She was surprised to see that Aaron did exist, without his glasses revealing striking blue eyes and skin as white as snow. Elena immediately called Giovanni to let him know of her discovery. The prey had presented itself to them.