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I carefully pushed the window open, my gloved fingers gripping the frame. Slowly and noiselessly, I lifted the window higher enough to slip inside without causing any commotion.
My entry into her apartment was swift but deliberate. I closed the window behind me, careful not to disturb anything.
The room was quiet; the only light source was the soft glow filtering through the curtains. My eyes scanned the space, and I noticed that everything seemed to be in its place, giving no signs of a struggle.
I went through her entire house, room by room, but there was no sign of Sophia. Even her bed looked untouched, not a wrinkle in sight.
However, her wardrobe told a different story – several hangers were left bare, like something was off.
I scratched my head, mentally going through the possibilities. Was she crashing at a friend's place? It wasn't like her to just up and leave without a word, though.
My phone felt heavy in my pocket, and I knew I had to ask for more information.
Stepping out of her house, I fished out my phone and dialed Antonio's number. He picked up after a few rings.
"Antonio," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "I need a favor. I can't find Sophia anywhere in her house. It's like she just vanished. Can you look into where she might be?"
There was a pause on the other end before Antonio responded, his tone serious. "I’ll start making some inquiries and see what I can find."
I exhaled, a mix of relief and worry washing over me. "Grazie (Thank you). Also, I want you to send some men to watch Francisco closely. Find out if he's got any connection to Sophia's disappearance."
“Avete capito bene (You got it). I'll have a team tail him discreetly and report back to me. If he's involved, we'll get to the bottom of this."
Hanging up, I stared at the phone in my hand, hoping for answers and fearing the worst.
After a bit of a wait, Antonio came through with the info. Turns out, Sophia had been crashing at her friend Keisha's place. Antonio sent me the coordinates, and I made my way over there.
Standing before Keisha's house, I took a moment to collect myself before knocking on the door. It opened, revealing a woman who I guessed was Keisha.
"Hey," I said, doing my best to keep things cool. "Is Sophia around?"
Keisha eyed me skeptically. "And you are...?" she responded, her tone cautious.
"I'm Matteo," I told her. I wasn’t expecting her to know who I was, but it seemed she did because of the way her eyes widened in surprise.
Without a word, she stepped back and motioned for me to enter. "She's inside," she said, her voice softer now. "I'll give you guys some space."
"Thanks," I replied, genuinely grateful, as she left us alone and, at the same time, confused as to why she would leave. Taking a deep breath, I walked into the house.
Seeing Sophia was a mix of relief and nerves. I just hoped we could sort things out, whatever those things were.
I walked into what I believed to be the living room. My heart was running a marathon in my chest.
I spotted Sophia lounging on the couch, her eyes fixed on the television screen. She seemed so engrossed in whatever she was watching that she didn't notice my presence.
"So, who was at the door?" she called out casually, not looking away from the TV.
I cleared my throat, my voice trembling slightly as I said, "Sophia." Her name hung like a weight, and she abruptly turned her head toward me.
Her expression shifted from indifference to surprise as she locked eyes with me. "Matteo?" She sounded astonished, as if she hadn't expected to see me standing there.
Seeing Sophia's face again after what felt like an eternity was a jolt to my senses. It reminded me that it had been quite a while since we'd seen each other.
And there she was, looking just as stunning as I remembered, even as she was dressed casually. Her surprise at my presence was etched all over her features.
"Yeah, it's me," I replied, my voice a tad scratchier than I'd have liked.
Sophia sat up on the couch, her attention now fully on me. "What are you doing here?" she asked with a hint of confusion.
