"Looks like you two have been talking for quite a while."
I looked at Lorenzo. He had slipped both hands back into his trouser pockets. His face had returned to normal.
Calm.
Cold.
Unreadable.
I hated the fact that, in such a short time, I had already started getting used to that face.
Carlo stood behind Dad. "Don Valerio," he said quietly.
Dad didn't answer right away. He looked from one of us to the other. Then his gaze stopped on me.
"Alessa." His tone was different.
I immediately went on alert. "What?"
Dad came closer. "Come inside."
"Why?"
He didn't answer.
I looked toward Carlo. The Captain avoided my gaze.
Great.
Now I knew for sure that something was going on.
"What happened?"
Dad let out a short sigh. "We just received word from San Aurelio."
I fell silent.
San Aurelio. The old city where Bellacosta's old families lived. The place where anything important was usually discussed behind closed doors.
The place where bad news could destroy a family before sunset.
Dad looked at Lorenzo.
"Lorenzo, I want you to stay here."
Then he looked back at me.
"Because after this, we need to talk about something that concerns your future."
I held my breath.
"My engagement?"
Dad didn't answer.
He only said,
"Not just the engagement."
Carlo lowered his head.
And for the first time that day, I saw something rarely visible on Dad's face.
Worry.
Small.
Almost imperceptible.
But I knew him too well not to notice.
I looked at Lorenzo.
He didn't look surprised.
As if he had already suspected something like this would happen.
And suddenly, I realized.
Maybe this meeting wasn't about my prospective husband.
Maybe from the beginning...
I was the reason Lorenzo had come to this ship.
I looked at Dad.
"Not just the engagement?"
Dad didn't answer.
He turned and walked toward the door.
"Come inside."
I didn't move.
"Lorenzo too?"
Dad stopped for a moment.
"He's coming."
I turned to Lorenzo.
He was already standing.
He didn't ask a thing.
Of course not.
I was starting to feel like I was the only one who hadn't been told anything.
We went back inside the main room.
The door was closed after Carlo entered.
I watched him do it.
One lock.
Then a second.
I stared at the door.
Something was wrong.
Carlo never locked the main room's door from the inside when we were out at sea. There was no need. This ship belonged to the D'Averrano family. Everyone aboard had already been checked.
So why now?
I walked to the table.
Dad sat in his usual place.
This time, he didn't pick up his cup.
I sat across from him.
Lorenzo chose the chair beside us, a little farther away.
Carlo remained standing.
"What happened in San Aurelio?"
Dad looked at me.
"No one can say for sure yet."
I frowned.
"Then why do we need to discuss it?"
"Because something happened."
"Where?"
"At one of the old families' houses."
I waited.
Dad said nothing.
I exhaled.
"Dad."
"Alessa."
The tone of his voice made me stop.
It wasn't harsh.
It wasn't angry, either.
It was simply heavier than before.
"I want you to listen first."
"If you wanted me to stay quiet, you shouldn't have called me."
Carlo lowered his head.
I knew he was holding something back.
Dad looked at me for several seconds.
Then he said,
"Last night, four people entered San Aurelio."
I waited.
"Whose house?"
"We don't know yet."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You don't know yet?"
Carlo answered this time.
"The house was empty when they went in."
"Empty?"
"Yes."
"So?"
"They didn't take anything."
I stared at him.
"If they didn't take anything, why are you bringing it up?"
Carlo fell silent.
I was beginning not to like this conversation.