15

Caterina

As I drive downtown to meet with my new boss for lunch, where I’ll finalize my contract and HR paperwork before starting my new job on Monday, I should be feeling excited. I was thrilled when they offered me the position initially. It represented my hard work paying off. While some classmates are still job-hunting, I’ve managed to secure a role right out of graduation, always the diligent student who follows the rules.

I should be feeling grateful and content with how things are progressing in my life. Instead, I’m preoccupied with thoughts of Gianni, questioning whether what happened last night was wrong, and worrying about Tatiana finding out and potentially hating me. Luciano is a distant thought now, but Tatiana's possible disapproval would be a heartbreak I might never recover from. She’s like the sister I never had. Is it worth risking that for someone as extraordinary as her father?

Incredible, attractive, and so adept at igniting my desires. Even hours after leaving h