“What do you mean they’ve been revoked? It took us over a year to get those permissions. Which licenses?”

“All of them, actually. Change of business amendments. Accommodation and health and safety permits. Everything.”

Her knees buckled, but she did her best to stay on her feet. “Say that again?”

“All of them, Kim. Everything. The authorities are giving some bullshit excuse but I don’t understand any of it. Those permissions were granted. Everything was signed off. How could they be revoked now? It doesn’t make sense, yes? So I made some calls but still I got the runaround.”

It had taken months upon months, maybe even a year, of bureaucratic red tape—never easy in Italy at the best of times—to get everything in order so that the villa could reopen and trade as a licensed hotel and wellness retreat.

Kim had been losing sleep, even hair, over getting those across the line before they could even think about green-lighting the renovations. She and Antonio had attended meeting after meeting and sweet-talked official after official to try and get things signed off. And now he was saying they’d just been revoked, wiped clean?

It was a disaster.

“I don’t know what’s going on, Antonio. We did everything we were asked. Every form signed, fees paid, calls taken, and meetings had. We did it all. You were there, too, and I know we left no stone unturned.” She shook her head in disbelief. “It sounds like someone’s out to sabotage us.”

“Yes. Something definitely isn’t right.”

“What do we do, Antonio? We need those permissions to launch, let alone trade. If they’re gone, everything we’ve been working toward has been wasted. Our entire investment... Hundreds of thousands, blown.”

“I’ll go meet with some of my contacts in Sorrento and see if I can find out what’s going on,” he reassured her.

“And I’ll give Hank a call and let him know what’s happening. Maybe he can help somehow.” Although her lawyer was already fighting another fire. What the hell was going on?

“Very well. I’ll call as soon as I’ve confirmed a meeting with the authorities. Try not to worry, Kim, we’ll figure this out.”

“But the launch is this week.” She couldn’t see how something like this could possibly be sorted in time. “Let me know when you’ve arranged the meeting. I want to be there, too. I want to look in the eyes of the people who already approved everything and have them tell me why our permits are suddenly no good.”

“Let’s hope it does not come to that. I will call you back—soon, I hope. Ciao.”

Kim hung up as outright anger began to course through her veins. Why was all this happening? Who was doing it? And why? She clenched her phone in her hands as she tried to keep calm.