Chapter 8: Shadows and Secrets

Hazel stirred beneath silk sheets, the scent of lavender and polished wood lingering in the air. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then her gaze swept across the luxurious room—the crystal chandelier, the velvet curtains, the high, arched windows—and reality settled over her like a weight.

The mansion.

Italy.

And Enzo Romano.

The soft murmur of voices drifted upward from downstairs, pulling her fully from sleep. Hazel pushed the covers back and sat up, rubbing her eyes. It was dark out, and the bedside clock read 10:46 PM.

Curious—and a little uneasy—she slipped on her slippers and crept to the door. As she opened it, she heard Enzo's voice, deep and steady, coming from a room below. Another man's voice followed—harsher, older, and laced with disapproval.

She stepped silently into the hallway, following the soft glow of chandelier light as she approached the grand staircase. There, she crouched behind the carved banister, just low enough to stay hidden while listening.

"She shouldn't be here," the older man was saying. "You know what your presence in this country stirs up. And now you bring her here? Are you trying to paint a target on her back?"

"She was already in danger," Enzo said, his voice like steel. "That's why I brought her. Keeping her close is the only way I can protect her."

Hazel tensed, leaning in closer.

"Enzo, this isn't some childhood sweetheart," the man continued. "She's tied to you now. Your enemies know it. You might as well have handed them leverage on a silver platter."

"I know what I'm doing," Enzo replied tightly. "I've kept her out of it for as long as I could."

The man scoffed. "She's in it now. The second you were seen with her—at the airport, outside your car—people noticed. You're not a nobody anymore. You're a Romano. And the second word spreads that the son of Riccardo Romano brought a girl home? They'll come sniffing."

Hazel swallowed. She had always known Enzo's last name came with power—and with shadows. She knew he was mafia. He'd told her as much back in New York, though he never laid out the full picture. Now, the consequences of his world were pressing in around her like a tightening net.

"She's innocent," Enzo said, more quietly this time. "She doesn't deserve any of this."

"No, she doesn't," the man agreed. "But she will suffer if you keep her close. Your uncle's enemies, the southern faction, the remnants of the Corsini family… you think they care that she's not part of this life? They see her as a way to hurt you."

Hazel's breath hitched. Enzo's family name—his entire bloodline—was like a loaded weapon. And now, just by being with him, she'd made herself a target.

"I'll handle it," Enzo said.

"How? You think keeping her locked in your house is a solution? And what happens when word gets back to her?"

Hazel frowned. Her?

"The fiancée," the man continued, clearly disgusted. "Or did you forget you're still bound by that arrangement?"

"I didn't forget," Enzo said coldly. "But I never agreed to it. I was a teenager when they signed that deal. It means nothing to me now."

The older man stepped forward. "It means everything to the family. Breaking that deal puts you in defiance of Riccardo's legacy. You want war over this girl?"

"I'll burn every bridge if I have to," Enzo snapped. "I didn't ask for a life mapped out by violence and politics. I've played the dutiful son long enough."

A beat of silence passed. Then the older man's voice lowered, grim and sharp. "Then be prepared. You'll have to choose soon—her, or everything your name has built."

With that, the man turned and exited. The heavy doors closed behind him with a muted thud.

Hazel stood at the top of the staircase, her heart thudding in her ears. She wasn't surprised Enzo's world was dangerous—she had suspected that the first time she saw the scar along his jaw. But now, she was beginning to understand the full cost of standing beside him.

She walked down the stairs slowly. Enzo was still by the fireplace, his head bowed, one hand pressed to the mantel as if trying to steady himself.

He turned when he heard her footsteps. Their eyes locked.

"We need to talk," she said, voice calm but firm.

Enzo gave a slow nod. "I figured you heard."

"I did."

He gestured toward the sitting room. Hazel entered and sat stiffly on one of the leather armchairs, her arms folded tightly. The fire flickered behind Enzo as he stood across from her.

"So," she began. "I'm a problem now?"

"No," he said quickly. "You're not a problem. But our connection… it makes you vulnerable."

Hazel exhaled slowly. "You told me about the mafia, Enzo. I knew what I was walking into. But I didn't think it would come to this—me being used against you. I didn't realize how deep you were in."

"I left that world behind," he said. "I've spent years distancing myself from my father's shadow. But the truth is… I can never fully leave. I'm a Gold. That name follows me like a ghost."

"And the fiancée?" Hazel asked, her tone sharp despite her effort to stay composed. "Was she part of the plan too?"

Enzo winced. "An arranged alliance. My father signed the agreement when I was seventeen. It was never something I wanted."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't think it mattered. I never planned to honor it. But now that I've brought you here, everything's changed. The people I thought would leave me alone are circling again—and they see you as leverage."

Hazel stood slowly, pacing across the room. "You should've told me everything before dragging me to another country. Before putting me in a position I can't walk away from."

"I didn't want to scare you."

She turned to face him. "Too late for that."

A pause. Then softer, "Do you regret bringing me here?"

Enzo crossed the room and stopped in front of her. "Not for a second. I regret the danger it puts you in—but not having you here. I've never cared for anyone the way I care for you, Hazel."

She looked up at him, her walls wavering. "Then promise me you'll stop keeping things from me. If I'm in this, I need the truth. All of it. No more secrets."

He nodded solemnly. "I promise."