With that, Matteo slid back into the car and ordered the convoy to move. Tony remained behind to handle the mercenaries, while another armored vehicle carrying a tearful, captive Iris followed closely behind as they headed home.

In reality, Iris had been trapped in a game she never stood a chance of winning.

From the very beginning, Tony had been the one to approach Iris. He first became aware of her when reports reached him that her associates were discreetly approaching some of Matteo’s lower-ranking security personnel, attempting to bribe them for information.

The moment Tony discovered that Iris was willing to pay for Matteo’s secrets, he realized her jealousy had already crossed a dangerous line. Sooner or later, she would become a threat to everyone under Matteo’s roof.

Tony immediately brought the information to Matteo. From the moment he learned what Iris was doing, Matteo authorized Tony to continue the game. Every text, every call, and every meeting between Tony and Iris was carefully documented and reported directly to Matteo.

In fact, Matteo was the one who had instructed Tony to finally go and meet Iris while everyone else was distracted at the hospital. Matteo wanted to smoke her out and see exactly why she kept desperately blowing up Tony’s phone.

Even in the parking lot, when Tony warned Iris to control her rage and think carefully before making a move against Mark, he was following Matteo’s instructions. It was her last chance to step back and avoid the consequences. But Iris was too consumed by anger to listen.

When Iris bypassed Tony and hired an entirely separate crew of underground gunmen, she had smugly called Tony to boast. She told him that she didn’t even need his physical help for the abduction anymore; all she needed was for Tony to make sure he wasn’t in the car so her new men could grab Mark easily.

She blindly trusted Tony, entirely unaware that hearing her plot against Mark had quietly infuriated him. Tony had kept his composure flawlessly, telling her he would look into the schedule and get back to her.

The moment Tony reported Iris’s final escalation to Matteo, the timing coincided perfectly with the doctor’s confirmation that Adrian would be discharged the following day.

Matteo immediately devised a counter-trap. He told Tony to feed Iris a carefully constructed setup, ensuring she would feel forced to follow her mercenaries to the scene just to witness Mark’s capture herself. Tony executed the bait perfectly, and Iris walked right into the snare.

Before anyone arrived at the hospital that morning, Matteo privately told Adrian everything, laying out the full situation. Adrian, ever gentle-hearted, pleaded with him to punish her but not to go too far. Later that day, once the rest of the group had arrived at the hospital, Matteo finally informed them about the incoming ambush.

To guarantee everyone’s absolute safety, the driving arrangements had been completely changed before they even left the parking garage. Adrian, Maya, Mark, Charles, and Frank were all placed into heavily guarded convoy vehicles and escorted directly to Matteo’s fortified estate for the night.

The only people inside the target car were Matteo, Tony, and a team of his most elite vanguard. Iris had been carefully building her revenge in silence, convinced she was ahead of everyone, only to realize too late that she had walked straight into her own cage.

When Matteo arrived back at the estate, the heavy iron gates closed securely behind him. Stepping inside the grand mansion, he was greeted by the lively sound of chatter and laughter echoing from the main living room.

The entire group was gathered together, celebrating both the resounding success of Adrian’s surgery and their safe return home.

As Matteo walked into the room, a rare, genuine smile touched his lips. He immediately scanned the space, his eyes searching for Adrian, but his partner was nowhere in sight.

The moment the group noticed his arrival, every head turned toward him. The room suddenly erupted into applause.

They clapped warmly, not only for the flawless protection he had ensured that night, but also because they all knew Matteo deserved recognition for everything he had silently carried on his shoulders.

Maya stepped forward from the group, her eyes shining with deep gratitude as she looked at him. "Thank you, Matteo. Seriously, for everything you’ve done."

Matteo shook his head lightly, his voice steady and composed. "It’s fine, Maya. You don’t have to thank me. It’s my responsibility to make sure everyone around me is safe and to take care of my partner. I’m only doing what I’m supposed to do."

Maya smiled, deeply touched by his unwavering devotion. Noticing his gaze still lingering toward the space near the couch, she added, "If you’re looking for Adrian, he went upstairs not too long ago."

"Alright," Matteo nodded, his attention briefly returning to her comfort. "Please, make yourself at home. If you need anything, just call the maids, they’ll take care of it right away. And when you’re ready to sleep, they’ll show you to your room."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Maya said.

Matteo looked at her. "Thank you, Maya. For being such an amazing sister to Adrian."

Maya’s smile widened as she shrugged playfully. "Well, it’s my responsibility to care for him, too."

Sharing a brief, understanding smile with her, Matteo then caught Mark’s eye across the room. He gave his brother a firm nod. "We’ll talk in the morning." With that handled, Matteo turned on his heel and rushed upstairs, eager to finally see his man.

Reaching the top floor, the heavy-set bodyguards stationed outside the master bedroom door instantly straightened up and greeted him. Matteo offered a brief, quiet nod in return. He turned the brass handle and pushed the door open.

Stepping inside, he noticed the bedroom was completely pitch black. Before he even clicked the door shut behind him, he called out into the darkness. "Babe? Babe, are you in here?"

There was no response.

Matteo frowned slightly, taking another cautious step into the shadows. "Babe... are you sleeping? Why did you turn off all the lights?"

Once again, only silence met his voice.

Amused and slightly confused, Matteo was just about to turn back around to open the door and ask the guards if Adrian had stepped out to a different room, when a sudden movement in the corner caught his eye.

Out of the pitch black, a figure materialized like an absolute ghost. Adrian was standing there, a massive white duvet wrapped completely over his head and body, swaying dramatically from side to side as he drifted toward Matteo in a hilarious attempt to be terrifying.

The sudden, spectral sight in the dark actually caught the fearsome mafia boss entirely off guard. Matteo let out a sharp, genuine shout of surprise, taking a sudden step back.

Hearing the rough shout, the bodyguards outside instantly panicked, reaching for the doorknob to rush in and protect their boss.

But inside the room, Adrian burst out laughing and quickly threw the white duvet off his shoulders. At the same moment, the lights suddenly flicked on with a remote in his hand. As the heavy fabric pooled gracefully onto the hardwood floor, Matteo’s breath caught sharply in his throat.

Adrian was entirely, beautifully naked.