20. I'M AN OKAY-ISH SPY

ILARIA

Pain shot up through my arm but I didn't budge. The physical pain I'm enduring right now is nothing compared to the pain I feel emotionally.

''I told you to stop talking about my sister. You have a problem with me stalking you? Then tell me what I need to know! WHO.KILLED.MY.SISTER?'' I asked, glaring at him.

To my surprise, he smiled at me amusingly while rubbing his jaw, which, by the way, wasn't even damaged a bit. Which made me more annoyed.

''Did I crack a joke?'' I asked, raising my eyebrows, deadpanned.

His smile became a full blown laugh."No. It's just, you never fail to amaze me. First you tried to stalk me, but failed. I know, beginner's mistakes. Now you even dared to punch me and injured yourself in the process. I can't wait to see what else you'll do next.''

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ''Stop diverting the question and answer it! I bet you know what happened to her, right? How she was starved? Raped? Huh? Were you there while she was suffering?'' I swallowed the tears and gave him a nasty glare.

He glared right back, his previous amusement all gone. Good. ''I am not behind your sister's death. Do you even know why your sister stalked my family?''

I frowned. ''To know about our father. He went missing after you took over his company. She wanted to find him.''

Niccolo shook his head and smirked at me. ''Guess you don't know your sister well and it seems like you aren't close to your father too? Why is that?''

''This isn't about my relationship with my family! Why do you even-''

''You need to know what happened to your sister. So I suggest you answer me without wasting my time. I have places to be'' He said shrugging indifferently.

If looks could kill, he would be 6ft under and rolling in his grave. Asshole. ''My father and I never had a normal relationship. He always loved Ilina over me. I guess it's because my twin brother was stillborn. Maybe he wished it was me who had died. My mom and sister made up for it though. I never craved for my father's attention. Even when we were grieving our mom's death, the distance between us never reduced. His downfall never affected me either.

But it affected my sister. I saw her fall apart with my father. When he went missing right after Moretti's took over his company, my sister lost it. She swore she would bring Moretti's down to their knees for what they did to our father. There, is it enough or do you want me to elaborate more?'' I asked, giving him a sarcastic smile.

''No need. That's more than enough. Now listen to me without interrupting. Ilina was stalking us way before we took over your father's company. She is investigating the death of my aunt and her family. She wanted to expose my family secrets. I was totally unaware that she was related to the man who came to me and begged me to buy his company. It's just business, nothing else. But when your father disappeared, like you said, she lost it and trashed my family dinner. I had enough of her madness and told her that she was barking at the wrong tree. Which is the biggest mistake I made, cause it is what made her look in the right direction and now she is dead.''

I stared at him with disbelief. Before I could question him, he started to talk again.

''And after that, I also tracked down your father. He is in a rehabilitation center. He wanted to get better for his daughters, especially his younger one. On the day we finalized our contract, he told me that he couldn't wait to sober up and meet his daughters. I also told your sister about this. She knew where your father was when she decided to go to New York and continue her previous investigation.''

I shook my head in denial''No. You're lying. That doesn't make any sense. Why should I believe you?''

But the crazy thing is, I know it might be the case. Cause me and Ilina have an unspoken rule, we don't talk about our father. I have zero interest in his life. I even told her that I didn't care about that person when she told me that he was missing. She could have at least told me that she was investigating something else.

''I'm not lying. I can tell you where your father is right now, that is if you want to. You can ask him directly.'' He said, giving me a look. Like he was trying to analyze my reaction.

''Great. If he is alive, then I don't need to know anything else about him. Tell you what? Maybe Ilina really wasn't in New York to find my father, but that doesn't change the fact that she died while investigating Moretti's. She died because she found something in New York. Maybe it is about the fact that Moretti's are involved with the Mafia?'' I have a death wish. No doubt. I still can't feel my swollen lip, my head is throbbing. I probably need some pain killers and a lot of sleep. But I chose to accuse the Niccolo Moretti, one of the most influential people in Italy, that his family has ties with the mafia.

He clenched his fist and jaw. "That's not your concern. But I can tell you that I have no idea about what your sister found. Neither me nor my family know who killed her. I have no reason to lie and you know that.''

I narrowed my eyes at him. ''Fine. But you do know something. It's you who said to her that she is looking at the wrong place. Then you know what's the right place too. You know something. Just tell me please!''

''Why? So that you can get killed too? Believe me woman, you don't want to get involved in this. Just let it go.''

I scoffed and turned my body towards him. Our knees are almost touching. When did I scoop this close to him? Or is it him? Or both? Does it even matter now?

''Let it go? Would you let it go if it was your brother that was killed? No right? Then why should I?''

Niccolo sighed and reached for my face, making me freeze. His hand felt cold as his thumb caressed my swollen lip so delicately, that I could feel blood rushing through my lips, causing them to tingle. But since my lower lip was cut and as it already had blood drained around it, the contact made me hiss in pain.

He clenched his jaw but didn't remove his hand. Instead, he ran his fingers all over my bruised jaw, making me flush with both a burning sensation and humiliation. At least I hope that's the case.

''W-What are you doing?'' I tried to ask firmly, but it barely came out as a whisper.

''You got beaten like this just for getting caught stalking my family. Imagine what your sister went through actually getting caught by the mafia?'' I slapped his hand off me and stood up. I'm shaking with anger. How could I forget that it's because of him that I'm in this condition? He is trying to manipulate me and I'm not going to fall for that.

''Don't. I know what you are trying to do. You can't stop me from finding the truth.''

He stood up too, causing me to lean back. I'm tall for a girl, 5'7, but he is tall too, atleast 6'3. ''I can't tell you about my family business, but I'll find out who killed your sister.''

My ears perked up with interest. ''Why would you do that?''

''Because if I didn't snap at her that day, she wouldn't be dead by now. Look, I still don't know anything about who did that to your sister or why they did that. It was a dead end for me until recently. But because of you, I found a clue. I know where to dig now. So stop your weird spy thing.''

''Okay first of all, I may not be a great spy, but I'm a good, no okay-ish one. And secondly, what do you mean you found a clue because of me?''

His attention fixed on me, his lips turning up into a smirk. ''Lucy Vitale.''