Page 24 of The Billionaire's Destiny

“I love you more,” he whispered back and grasped the back of my head and kissed me intensely, branding me in a way that I felt even after we had left the estate for the car. There, I hesitated and touched Zane’s arm next to the open door.

“I’m sorry, Zane. I told Rocco it was all my fault,” I blurted, and swallowed hard. I hated that I had gotten him in trouble.

“Thank you, Adelina,” he said kindly.

I took his hands and squeezed them. “I’m truly grateful to have you here with us.”

He smiled broadly. “I’m happy to be here.”

Rocco squeezed my waist, clearly pleased, but I had done it because it felt right. Zane and everyone on our team was exceptional—like my dear Maggie and even the security guard I hadn’t met yet. Unlike Nico, who was nothing but cruel. “Rocco?”

He turned his head, grinning broadly, and I didn’t want to spoil it with more bad news. I’d get to it later.

“Nothing…I’m excited.”

“Good. That makes me happy.”

And that was what I wanted to protect and keep at all costs.

As we approached the city center, excitement shimmered through me. Florence’s ancient stones, sweeping arches, and ornate arcades never failed to leave me awestruck. This city was more than a backdrop; it felt like a piece of my soul, as if I belonged to it and it to me. Maybe fate had drawn me back. Rocco was woven into that magic—part of why I had fallen for Florence in the first place. Art had always been our language. Nearing the Uffizi Gallery, I imagined our ghosts, hand in hand, reliving the morning we first made love and the moments that followed.

“What are you thinking about?” Rocco asked.

I grinned. “What?”

“You look like you’re glowing.”

“Glowing?” My brows raised.

“Yeah, beautiful, relaxed, calm. It’s…refreshing.”

“I guess I learned from someone I know to take the happiness as it comes.”

“Good,” he said and kissed me.

The evening had brought more tourists to the heart of the city. While some museums were closed, many eateries and venues would keep it busy well into the night.

The Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze was ahead on the narrow street, with security blocking off an area in front of the stone building.

Rocco lifted my hand and kissed it. “This part of the event is for a short film. You stay with me and don’t answer any questions.”

I smiled. “I can handle that.”

“Great.” He switched his focus to Isla. “You know what to do.”

“You can count on me,” Isla said.

Zane opened the car, and Isla got out first, followed by Rocco, who received cheers and calls of his name, and then me. We quickly made it inside the building, and I was surprised by the size of the space. We walked up to a small crowd dressed in suits and formal wear, just as we were, and a camera crew was waiting to film. When we joined them, the crew started filming a man at the front of the hall, whom I understood to be the prime minister.

“Davidhas been a part of our home since 1890, and it will be its home forever. We feast here with an abundance of art. That’s why Florence is still a thriving center of the arts and culture. Our arts and tourism welcome thousands to the galleries every year.”

A gentle, candlelit glow bathed the room, setting a tranquil stage for the masterpiece ahead. My heart thudded faster as we drew near Michelangelo’sDavid,the statue rising before us like a marble god. His powerful form glowed in the light, radiating an energy that felt almost spiritual. Was it blasphemy to think a statue like this could be worshipped?Yes, it’s the very definition of blasphemy. Yet, there was something divine in its raw humanity, a beauty that held me spellbound. I traced every detail: the elongated limbs, the oversized hands, the veins carved with impossible delicacy. His face, so alive with tension, furrowed brows, and flared nostrils, spoke of fierce determination. David was never meant to win by strength alone. The real battle was always one of will.

“How like a god,” I whispered, thinking of Hamlet’s soliloquy.

Rocco squeezed my hand. “Yes, Adelina. For Hamlet, knowledge overwhelmed him, but he understood the power, just as David did. David is the beauty of reason.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly. David knew he wouldn’t win by brute strength. He uses the power of his brain.”