Chapter 9 The fire at the vineyard

AMBROSE POV

I couldn't get this issue off my mind, and it was clear that the fire that had happened at the vineyard was an accident.

Something was definitely fishy, and I couldn't seem to shake off the feeling that the past had come back to haunt me.

I hadn't even had the chance to face him and tell him about the night I spent with Ben. He was going to be broken when he learned the truth.

I groaned deeply and stepped outside for some fresh air because I was on the verge of losing my mind.

Maybe leaving New York for a few days would do me some good, and maybe I could finally get rid of the image of Ben and Nolan kissing.

I pulled out my phone and decided to call Matteo.

He picked up on the first ring.

That's what I liked about him. He was always reliable, and I could count on him.

"Ambrose, what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

I desperately needed his advice.

I chuckled softly.

"There's a situation, and I don't want to lose Nolan in the process."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"What did you do?" he asked curiously, and I didn't even know where to begin.

It was probably best if I met him in person.

"I'm booking a flight to Italy, and it's best if I tell you in person."

He hummed in response.

"Is this about a woman?"

I frowned deeply.

Why did he have to know me so well?

When I didn't answer, he chuckled, adding to the humiliation I was feeling.

"You actually like her, because you wouldn't be so worked up over a random woman."

That was the point; Benedykta Rebel wasn't just any random woman.

I closed my eyes and opened them again. It brought back memories of the night we met.

The chemistry was evident, but now it felt all wrong.

That night shouldn't have happened.

It was a mistake, and the guilt would always eat me up each time I saw her.

"Ambrose, are you still there?"

I had completely zoned out.

I sighed softly, staring at the building in front of me.

"I can't have her, even if I wanted to."

Before Matteo could ask any more questions, I hung up on him and resumed my tasks.

An hour later, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Nolan walked in, and he had this grin on his face.

I closed my laptop and turned my attention to him.

"Someone looks happy," I taunted, and he rolled his eyes at me and pulled a seat across from me.

"Well, that's probably because I went on a date with my future wife, and I think Ben and I are making some progress."

I forced a smile.

"I am happy for you, son."

He beamed at me.

"I think I really like this girl, Dad. Even if this whole thing is just a contract bound to expire, I might be falling for her."

It felt like my heart had been pierced with a dagger.

The pain was unbearable, and Nolan was only making things worse.

I raised my hand to stop him.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a worried tone.

I stood up, running my fingers through my hair.

I was getting frustrated because Nolan deserved to know the truth.

"I'm sorry, but I-"

Our eyes locked in a frenzy.

I couldn't do it.

"I'm going to Italy for a couple of days because there was a fire at the vineyard."

The words left my lips before I could stop them.

The color drained from his face.

I felt like a coward for not telling him the truth.

Nolan looked puzzled.

"What happened?"

"Matteo said that the fire started from the wine cellar, and half of the vineyard is in ashes. He also suspects that the fire wasn't an accident. That vineyard meant so much to your grandfather, and I promised him that I would always take care of it."

Nolan looked conflicted.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tonight."

"Let me come with you. If you suspect that the fire was intentionally started, then we need to involve the police and figure out who did this."

I shook my head negatively.

"No, you need to stay here and look after the company, and most importantly, take care of Ben."

He nodded quietly.

"I'll be back in a few days, and after that, we need to find you the perfect suit for your wedding so that you look dashing."

He smiled.

"What does Ben feel?"

Nolan couldn't hide his smirk.

"I think we share a mutual feeling; otherwise, she wouldn't have kissed me at the engagement party."

I remembered that moment very well.

I nodded.

I smiled and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"I need to get ready; my flight is scheduled in a few hours. I'll just take the private jet to avoid any disruptions."

After bidding Nolan goodbye, I went back to my apartment to pick my luggage, and soon enough, I was on the jet heading to Italy.

When I finally arrived, Matteo was already waiting for me at the airport.

I breathed in the morning air in Italy, and it felt good to be back home.

My home.

Matteo offered to carry my luggage, and I let him.

A few minutes later, he was driving to the other side of the vineyard where my father's mansion was located.

The place looked the same, and it brought back memories of my childhood.

I wanted Nolan to be born here, but Katherine went into labor early, and we were in New York by that time.

But before my father died, he took the liberty of teaching Nolan everything he needed to know about his true origin.

I was welcomed by my staff.

The first thing I did when I reached my room was take a hot shower, and after that, I was served breakfast in the dining hall.

Matteo filled me in on what was going on while I was away.

"Despite recovering the footage from the burned-up cameras, we caught a glimpse of the man who started the fire."

My ears perked up at the new information. Matteo handed me a brown envelope, and I opened it and took out a few pictures that looked very blurry.

I narrowed my eyes at the picture and noticed that there was a man with a nasty scar on his cheek.

I sighed deeply.

"I've already given the police his description, and they assured me that they would look into it."

Maybe it was time I took things into my own hands.

"We need to show these fuckers that no one screws over Esteban and gets away with it."

Matteo nodded in agreement.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Arrange for some people to start working on the vineyard because nothing is going to stop me from carrying on my father's legacy. Our wine is the best in Italy for a reason, and that will never change."

Matteo smirked.

I cocked a brow at him.

I already knew where he was heading.

"So about the woman you helplessly fell in love with..." he taunted.

I glared at him.

"Firstly, I am not helplessly in love with that girl."

His eyes widened in shock.

"She's a younger woman?"

I remained silent.

"Come on Ambrose, don't leave me in suspense because this is the part where you tell me how you guys met."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"We had a one-night stand, and there's nothing much to it. In fact, it was a mistake that should have never happened in the first place."

He cocked a brow at me.

"I don't think it was a mistake since you seem angry and almost jealous."

Matteo was only adding salt to my wounds.

"The woman I had a one-night stand with is Nolan's fiancée."

His eyes widened in shock, and he stood up, staring at me in disbelief.

"Che cazzo?!" he yelled.

He sat down, covering his mouth.

"Before you judge me, Ben and I didn't know each other that night, and we only found out the truth the next day during the engagement. You can only imagine how I felt when I saw her being introduced as my future daughter-in-law."

"I haven't really craved the attention of a woman ever since Katherine passed away, and when I met Ben for the first time, she stirred these new emotions inside me, and when our eyes locked, I knew that I had fucked up."

This whole situation is just complicated.

"Does Nolan know?" Matteo asked.

I shook my head negatively.

"No."

"He's smitten over this girl, and I just can't tell him the truth. He's falling in love for the first time, and I don't want to ruin it."

Matteo stood up and began pacing around the room.

"You need to forget that night for Nolan's sake. Get rid of those feelings because you are going to lose your son when he finds out that you screwed the woman he's in love with."

He turned to look at me.

"Let her go."

That night, I couldn't get much sleep as Matteo's words kept replaying in my mind.

I pulled out my phone, dialing Ben's number.

If I was going to erase her entire existence from my memories, then I needed to hear her voice for the last time.

She picked up.

"Ambrose?"