Chapter 47 Wouldn't Depend on Anyone Again

Lucia didn't go back to the villa. Instead, she had the driver take her to a private, members-only hotel in the city. Security was tight, for it was the kind of place the wealthy and powerful frequented. It was a rare spot where she could hide from the Rossi family's constant scrutiny, even if only for a short while. She didn't head to her room. She went straight to the bar on the top floor. The place was quiet, dimly lit, with soft jazz floating through the air, creating a lazy, intimate atmosphere. She picked the corner booth farthest from anyone else, slipped off the half-damp shawl that still smelled faintly of wine, and tossed it onto the seat beside her. "Whiskey. On the rocks," she told the bartender. A moment later, a glass of amber liquid appeared. The ice clinked crisply as she lifted the glass and took a long swallow. The sharp burn ran down her throat to her stomach, and for a brief moment, that sting cleared the fog in her mind. She wasn't here to get drunk. She ne