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Luca's POV

The air was heavy as I waited at the secluded spot I had chosen for the meeting. The dim glow of the streetlamp above barely illuminated the area, making it the perfect place for a private confrontation. My fingers drummed against my thigh as I replayed the plan in my mind. Dean wasn’t stupid—he’d be on guard.

I heard the faint hum of an approaching car and looked up, spotting Dean’s black vehicle as it rolled to a stop a few feet away. He didn’t step out immediately. I knew he’d call first, testing the waters. My phone vibrated, and I answered it on the first ring.

“Are you alone?” Dean’s voice was clipped, suspicious.

“Yes,” I replied evenly, keeping my tone calm.

“What do you want?”

“To negotiate. About Lia. Nothing else.”

There was a pause before I heard his car door open. I slid my phone back into my pocket, watching as he approached. His steps were measured and deliberate. Dean always carried himself like a predator, confident and ready to strike.

“You have five minutes, Luca,” he said as he stopped a few feet away from me. “Say what you need to say.”

I squared my shoulders, refusing to let his imposing demeanor intimidate me. “You know why I called you here, Dean. This is about Lia. Let her go.”

Dean smirked, his lips curling into that smug expression I’d grown to hate. “And why would I do that? She’s exactly where she belongs.”

“Because we both know the charges against her are fabricated,” I shot back. “You’re the one pulling the strings, Dean. Just name your price, and I’ll pay it. Whatever it takes to set her free.”

His smirk deepened, and he took a step closer. “Whatever it takes? That’s a bold offer, Luca. But you see, it’s not about money or power. It’s about Lia. She made her choice, and it wasn’t me.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I forced myself to stay calm. “This isn’t about the past, Dean. It’s about doing what’s right.”

“Right?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Do you even hear yourself? What’s right doesn’t matter in this game. You should know that by now.”

I stared at him, my jaw tightening. “You killed Finn, didn’t you?”

Dean’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he tilted his head, a sly grin spreading across his face. “And if I did?”

“You’re admitting it, then,” I said, my voice sharp.

He leaned in slightly, his tone dropping to a low, mocking whisper. “It doesn’t matter if I admit it, Luca. Alina won’t believe you. You can scream it from the rooftops, show her evidence, and she’ll still take my side. You’re wasting your time.”

His words stung because I knew there was truth to them. Alina was blinded by her loyalty to Dean, no matter how dark his deeds were. But I couldn’t let that stop me.

“She deserves to know,” I said firmly. “And I’ll make sure she does.”

Dean’s expression darkened for a moment before he chuckled softly. “Enough of this,” he said. “You said you wanted to negotiate. So, what are you offering?”

“Anything,” I said without hesitation. “Whatever you want, just let Lia go.”

His gaze sharpened, and for a moment, he seemed to be considering my words. But then his smile returned, cruel and calculating.

“I don’t want money, Luca. I don’t want power. What I want is Lia.”

My stomach twisted at his words, and I took an instinctive step forward. “She’s not yours to have, Dean. You can’t force her to love you.”

“Love has nothing to do with it,” he snapped. “She’ll stay with me because I say so. She’ll learn to obey, to respect me.”

“You’re delusional,” I said, my voice rising. “You think you can control her, but Lia’s stronger than you realize. She’ll never be yours.”

Dean’s smirk faltered, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something else—anger, frustration. “You think you can save her?” he said, his tone cold. “You think you’re some kind of hero?”

“I don’t think, Dean. I know I can save her,” I replied, my voice steady. “And I will, no matter what it takes.”

We stood there in tense silence, the weight of our words hanging between us.

“This conversation is over,” Dean finally said, stepping back. “You’ve wasted enough of my time.”

I didn’t stop him as he turned and walked away. But as I watched him go, I felt a renewed sense of determination.

Dean might think he held all the cards, but he didn’t know me as well as he thought. I wasn’t backing down—not until Lia was free and he was exposed for the monster he truly was.

___

Bianca’s POV

Jenny’s phone buzzed on the table, shattering the uneasy silence between us. I glanced at her, and she gave me a small nod before picking it up. The name on the screen flashed "Luca." My heartbeat quickened. If Luca was calling now, it had to be important.

Jenny swiped to answer, putting the call on speaker.

“Luca,” she said, her voice steady.

“Listen carefully,” Luca’s voice came through, low and urgent. “Dean’s more dangerous than we thought. I managed to record part of my meeting with him. I’m sending you the audio now.”

Jenny and I exchanged a look. Luca’s words sent a chill down my spine. I grabbed the phone, my hands shaking slightly as I spoke. “What else did he say, Luca?”

“He admitted to killing Finn,” Luca said, his voice hard. “But he’s confident no one will believe it. Alina is blind to his faults, and Dean knows it.”

My jaw clenched. Finn’s murder had haunted us all, but now that we knew the truth, the weight of it was almost unbearable.

“Luca,” Jenny said, her voice trembling slightly, “what do we do now?”

“I need you two to be my eyes and ears,” Luca said firmly. “Follow Dean’s movements, dig into his activities, and find something solid something undeniable. We need evidence that can’t be ignored.”

Jenny nodded, though Luca couldn’t see her. “Got it. Send us the audio,” she said.

“Already done,” he replied. “Be careful. Dean’s not stupid, and he won’t hesitate to hurt anyone who gets in his way.”

The call ended, leaving an air of tension in the room. Seconds later, Jenny’s phone chimed with the incoming file. She opened it, and we listened to the recording in silence. Dean’s voice was unmistakable, laced with arrogance and malice as he confessed to Finn’s murder.

I felt my blood boil. Finn didn’t deserve this. He had been good—kind. He loved Lia, and now his life was reduced to nothing more than a power play for Dean.

As we processed Luca’s instructions, the faint sound of a car engine reached my ears. I stiffened, glancing out the window. Headlights illuminated the driveway as a sleek black car came into view.

“Dean,” I whispered, my voice cold.

Jenny turned to me, her eyes wide. “What do we do?”

“I’ll handle him,” I said, standing up.

“Bianca—”

“No,” I cut her off, my tone firm. “I need to do this. Trust me.”

Without waiting for her reply, I headed toward the door. My mind raced as I thought about how to approach him. Dean was cunning, but I knew how to play his game.

As I stepped outside, Dean was already getting out of his car. He shut the door with a soft thud and turned to me, his expression unreadable.

“Bianca,” he greeted, his voice calm but sharp. “What brings you out here at this hour?”

I folded my arms, schooling my features into an indifferent mask. “I should be asking you that. Where are you coming from?”

Dean raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Since when do I report to you?”

“Since you started acting suspicious,” I shot back. “You disappear without explanation, and then Finn dies? You can’t expect me not to wonder.”

He chuckled darkly, taking a step closer. “You’re pretending, Bianca. You don’t care about Finn, not really.”

My stomach twisted, but I kept my expression neutral. “And what makes you think that?”

“Because I know you,” Dean said, his tone dripping with confidence. “You’re not mourning Finn. You’re angry because you didn’t have him. You loved him, didn’t you? But he was too blinded by Lia to notice you.”

His words hit harder than I expected, but I refused to show it. Instead, I leaned into the act, letting my bitterness show. “You’re right,” I said, my voice low. “I loved Finn. I wanted him, but Lia stole him from me. So don’t tell me I’m pretending. I want her to rot in that cell just as much as you do.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed slightly as if he were trying to decipher whether I was lying or not. “Is that so?” he asked, his voice softer now, almost mocking.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not curious about who actually killed him. Was it you, Dean? Did you do it?”

His smirk returned, cold and cruel. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Bianca. Be careful where you tread.”

I stared at him, my pulse racing as I held his gaze. His non-answer was answered enough. He had killed Finn, but he wasn’t going to admit it outright not here, not now.

“Maybe I am,” I said evenly. “But you should be careful too, Dean. People are watching.”

With that, I turned and walked back toward the house, my heart pounding in my chest. Dean’s eyes burned into my back, but I didn’t look back. This was far from over.