☆Chapter 13: The Impossible Mission: Babysitting Seraphina De Luca☆

There were many jobs in the world.

Some were dangerous.

Some were impossible.

And then…

There was the job of babysitting Seraphina De Luca.

And no one NO ONE wanted to do it.

☆☆☆

The Great Guard Exodus

Lorenzo De Luca hired the best.

Ex-military.

Black ops.

Former assassins.

Men who had survived wars.

Men who had killed without hesitation.

And yet…

None of them lasted more than a day.

☆☆☆

Guard #1: "Boss, I swear I saw her in the room five seconds ago—"

Seraphina was already gone.

Guard #2: "She locked me in a closet for five hours."

Lorenzo: "Weak."

Guard #3: "She filled my gun holster with marshmallows."

Lorenzo: "Why were you not paying attention?"

Guard #4: "She made me chase her across the mansion, only to lead me into a trap—"

Lorenzo: "Sounds like a YOU problem."

By the end of the week…

All of them quit.

No one was willing to risk their sanity.

Or their life.

Because Lorenzo's death threats were one thing…

Seraphina's pranks were another.

☆☆☆

"This is a joke, right?"

Matteo stared at the resignation pile on Lorenzo's desk.

"They all quit?"

Lorenzo's jaw ticked.

"Every. Single. One."

Matteo tried not to laugh.

"So what now?"

Lorenzo's eyes darkened.

There was only one option left.

"You."

Matteo's smirk dropped.

"…Excuse me?"

Lorenzo crossed his arms.

"You're the only one who can handle her."

Matteo blinked.

Then grinned.

"Babysitting duty? Really?"

Lorenzo's voice was deadpan.

"It's either you… or I lock her in a room for the rest of her life."

Matteo chuckled.

"Harsh."

Lorenzo's glare was sharp.

"So?"

Matteo sighed.

"Fine. But I expect a raise."

Lorenzo's expression didn't change.

"No."

Matteo rolled his eyes.

"Figures."

☆☆☆

Seraphina had escaped every guard before.

She was a master of sneaking out.

But this time…

She had met her match.

Attempt #1:

Seraphina tiptoed through the hallway.

Matteo was already waiting at the door.

She blinked.

Matteo smirked.

"Nice try, kid."

Seraphina scowled.

♧♧♧

Attempt #2:

Seraphina climbed out the window.

Matteo was already on the balcony.

She froze.

Matteo crossed his arms.

"Really?"

Seraphina grumbled.

♡♡♡

Attempt #6, 7, and 8:

Seraphina crawled through the vents.

Matteo was waiting at the exit.

Seraphina dressed as a maid.

Matteo saw through it instantly.

Seraphina tried bribing the other guards.

Matteo bribed them first.

After her tenth failure…

Seraphina admitted defeat.

For now.

☆☆☆

"You're impossible."

Seraphina huffed, arms crossed.

Matteo smirked.

"So I've been told."

She narrowed her eyes.

Then…

She grinned.

"What if I bribe you?"

Matteo raised a brow.

"With what?"

Seraphina pulled out a drawing.

Matteo stared.

It was…

Horrible.

Like, painfully bad.

A stick-figure Lorenzo with two angry dots for eyes.

Matteo fought the urge to laugh.

Seraphina smirked.

"I'll give you this masterpiece… if you let me sneak into my father's office to put flowers in it."

Matteo pretended to think.

"Tempting… but why would I want this?"

Seraphina grinned wider.

"Because it's priceless."

Matteo snorted.

She was definitely Lorenzo's kid.

"Fine. One time. But if you get caught, I'm blaming you."

Seraphina beamed.

"Deal."

☆☆☆

Matteo kept his end of the deal.

Seraphina successfully placed flowers in Lorenzo's office.

In return, Matteo took the awful drawing.

And instead of throwing it away…

He framed it.

Put it on his bedside table.

Because, honestly?

It was hilarious.

And oddly… charming.

Until…

Lorenzo saw it.

☆☆☆

Lorenzo stared at the framed drawing.

Then at Matteo.

Then back at the drawing.

"You stole from my office."

Matteo smirked.

"It was a gift."

Lorenzo's expression was blank.

Then…

"I'll buy it."

Matteo raised a brow.

"How much?"

"A million."

Matteo chuckled.

"No."

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed.

"Five million."

Matteo grinned.

"Still no."

Lorenzo's jaw tightened.

"Ten."

Matteo leaned back.

"Make it twenty."

Lorenzo's glare was ice.

"Are you serious?"

Matteo shrugged.

"It's a rare piece."

Lorenzo's fingers twitched.

"I should kill you."

Matteo smirked.

"But then you'd never get the drawing."

Lorenzo exhaled slowly.

Matteo leaned forward.

"Just admit it. You want it because she made it."

Lorenzo's gaze was cold.

"I don't want it."

Matteo grinned.

"Then why are you trying to buy it?"

Silence.

Lorenzo's eyes flicked to the messy, terrible drawing.

And for a moment…

Something softened.

But only for a second.

Then he turned.

Walked out.

Matteo chuckled.

Because he knew the truth.

Lorenzo could lie to himself all he wanted.

But in the end…