Surprised

When the time for the interview arrived, Vanessa and Riccardo found themselves inside a room at Riccardo's company, as the makeup artist put the final touches on Vanessa's face. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the assistant helped Riccardo straighten his shirt, noting that, as usual, he wasn't wearing a tie. But she refused to really look at him. Just as he glanced in her direction, she quickly diverted her gaze.

Soon, the workers finished their tasks and left, leaving just Vanessa and Riccardo in the room. They sat opposite each other, with Vanessa doing everything she could to avoid his gaze.

Riccardo, however, couldn't take his eyes off her. He had something on his mind, but he wasn't sure if now was the right time to bring it up. The Vanessa he was looking at now was the same Vanessa he had known years ago, not trying to act strong, just doing her best to avoid his gaze.

"Vanessa," he called out calmly, his brows furrowing slightly as he wondered if she would respond.