New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 388 Meeting Him

Eligos stepped off the plane and stretched his legs, feeling the warm Italian breeze brush against his face. He adjusted his sunglasses, grinning as he spotted a sleek car waiting for him.

He slipped into the backseat, casually glancing at his phone to check the location of the person he was dying to meet. Excitement bubbled inside him. He couldn't wait to watch this play out, couldn't wait to see the look on Claire's face when he delivered this little surprise. "Let's make this fun," he muttered to himself, already imagining her reaction.

The car took off, leaving the bustling airport behind. The drive was long, much longer than he expected. Whoever this person was, they didn't live in the city. Nope, they were tucked away in some quaint village far off the beaten path. Eligos wasn't the most patient man but for this? It was worth it.

He stared out the window, watching the Italian countryside roll by-fields, vineyards, rolling hills, all the postcard-worthy scenery. Not bad, actually, he mused. A good place to retire, maybe. He chuckled to himself at the thought. He wasn't the retiring type, but hey, never hurts to have options.

After what felt like forever, the car finally slowed down, pulling into a tiny village with cobblestone streets and old brick houses. Eligos stepped out, slipping off his sunglasses and taking in the view. It was... peaceful. Almost too peaceful for someone like him. Still, he liked

it. He checked his phone again, scanning through the files for the photo of the man he was looking for. He started walking, keeping an eye out, but this village was a maze. Every corner he turned led to more winding streets and more locals who spoke absolutely no English. Great.

Eligos spotted a farmer walking by and waved him down. "Hey, excuse me, do you know this guy?" He held up the photo, but the farmer just shook his head and rattled off something in rapid-fire Italian. Eligos sighed, nodding even though he had no clue what the guy was saying. "Yeah, okay, thanks."

He moved on, frowning. This was going to take forever if he couldn't find anyone who spoke English. Where were the locals? All he saw were tourists, snapping pictures and sipping espresso. He needed a real lead, not someone with a selfie stick. Finally, he spotted a small café tucked away on the corner of the street. It looked cozy, with a couple of tables outside shaded by big umbrellas. Eligos figured it was as good a place as any to regroup, so he stepped inside, grateful for the break from the sun. The barista behind the counter greeted him with a polite smile, and Eligos didn't even glance at the menu before ordering. "Iced coffee," he said, still distracted by his phone as he double-checked the picture of the man.

The barista nodded and started preparing the drink, while Eligos drummed his fingers on the counter, his eyes flicking back and forth between the file and the café's front door. He needed to find this guy, and fast. Just as he was about to take a sip of his iced coffee, a thought hit him. Why not ask the barista?

"Hey," Eligos said, pulling up the picture on his phone. "You seen this guy around?"

The barista glanced at the photo, his expression changing slightly as he nodded. "Yes, I know him," he replied in accented English.

"You do? Where is

gaze shifted toward the door, and Eligos followed his line of sight. The front door swung

in rapid Italian. They exchanged a few friendly words, and the barista motioned toward Eligos. "This man here," he said,

ear. *Finally.* This was it. The man turned to him, raising an eyebrow. He spoke in Italian first, asking something that Eligos couldn't

you speak English?" Eligos asked, cutting

then nodded slowly. "Yes. What can I help

a slow sip of his iced coffee, savoring the moment.

a little uneasy. "What

some digging, and I think you and I are going to have a very interesting conversation. But first, I need to make sure you're ready for what's coming." The

back, letting out a small laugh. "Doesn't matter who I am. What matters is what I know. And trust me,

man hesitated, glancing at

curiosity Eligos noticed this and waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. This isn't a public affair. Just you and me. We can go somewhere more private

the man finally nodded. "Fine. Let's talk.

up, adjusting

going even better than he had

the man turned to

smiled. "I want you to tell me everything you know. And in exchange, I might let you walk away from

man's eyes widened. "What? What

chuckled, shaking