Chapter 3 Shadows of the Past

The rain came down in light, steady drops, tapping softly against the pavement as the evening settled over Chicago. The city never truly slept, but the streets felt quieter now, it bathed in the dim glow of streetlights. Emilia stood at her flower stall, with her arms crossed against the chill. She should've packed up an hour ago, but something kept her rooted to the spot.

It was someone.

She had felt it the moment he arrived.

Adrian Lombardi stood across the street, leaning against his sleek black Maserati like he had all the time in the world. The smirk that had irritated her earlier was gone, something unreadable took its place. His presence unsettled her, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she busied herself with wrapping the last few bouquets, ignoring the way his gaze burned into her.

After a long silence, he finally moved, he crossed the street with slow, deliberate steps. Making the air between them crackle with unspoken words as he stopped just inches from her stall

"Still open?" He talked with a smooth, controlled voice, but there was something else beneath it, something Emilia couldn't quite place.

She didn't look up. "If you're here to gloat, I'm not in the mood."

He chuckled softly as he shook his head. "I wasn't aware I needed a reason to buy flowers."

She scoffed, finally meeting his gaze. "Right. Because Adrian Lombardi, arrogant billionaire and mafia prince, has a sudden interest in lilies."

A slow smirk played on his lips. "Maybe I do."

Emilia set the bouquet in her hands down, with irritation sparking in her chest. She had spent years keeping her life separate from men like him and from the likes of his family. Yet, here he was, intruding on her space and acting as if he belonged here.

She took a step closer, barely realizing how the little space separated them now. "What do you really want, Mr. Lombardi?"

His smirk faded immediately. And for a brief moment, there was something in his expression that shifted, as if he were searching for an answer himself.

But before he could speak, there was a sudden voice that cut through the air.

"Emilia."

She turned sharply to see Father Gabriel standing just a few feet away, he wore a cautious expression with his hands folded in front of him like a silent warning. The old priest had always been a presence in her life, he offered quiet guidance when she needed it. But tonight, there was something different in his eyes.

It was something like fear.

Adrian turned as well, and his posture stiffened at the sight of the priest. "Father," he greeted with a polite but wary tone.

Father Gabriel's eyes moved between the two of them before settling on Emilia. "We need to talk."

Emilia frowned. "About what?"

There was a heavy pause. Then, softly, he spoke. "About your father."

The world around her seemed to still. The noise of the city, the hum of passing cars, everything faded.

Her father.

The man she had spent years trying to piece together from whispers and half-truths.

Adrian's jaw tightened. It was subtle, but she caught the way his body went rigid, and the way his eyes darkened.

He knows something.

Emilia turned back to Father Gabriel. "Now?" She whispered.

The priest nodded. "Come by the church. It's important."

Emilia swallowed hard as her heartbeat became loud in her ears. "Alright."

Father Gabriel's eyes was fixed on Adrian for a second before he turned and disappeared down the street.

A long silence settled between Emilia and Adrian. The weight of the moment pressed against her chest, but she forced herself to push it aside. She had spent too long searching for answers, and she wasn't about to let fear stop her now.

She turned back to Adrian. "You looked... uncomfortable just now."

He had his unreadable expression on again but there was a sharpness in his eyes, it had a flicker of something he was trying to keep buried. "You should be careful with the past, Emilia," he murmured. "Some things are better left buried."

She took a step closer, challenging him. "Are you saying that because you know something?"

There was a long pause between them.

Then, he smirked again, but this time, it didn't reach his eyes. "Just a warning."

And with that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the night. And Emilia was left with more questions than she had before.

She exhaled slowly and gripped the edge of her flower stall to steady herself.

She decided that she would go to the church tomorrow.

She would find out the truth. About what truly happened to her father.

Even if it destroyed everything....