Before she could respond, Marco cut in again, clearly reveling in the moment. “So, is she the only one, or is there a whole line of girls that had a crush on you?” he teased, taking a drag from his cigar and exhaling slowly, the smoke curling in the dim light.
“Shut up, Marco,” Matteo muttered, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips, revealing that Marco’s banter was not entirely unwelcome.
“Speaking of crushes,” Marco continued, shifting his attention back to Isabella. “Did you know your sister, Francesca, also had a thing for Matteo? I mean, she wasn’t subtle about it.” He leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the chance to drop this bombshell. “I remember her sneaking into the library to see him. I even… let’s say I banged her in there once. I knew she was no good for you, M
