A relationship?

Bruno found it amusing to see her blush like that. Her gaze had been quite evident, but he couldn't help it. Her breasts were much larger now, as were her hips, which made her waist look really narrow. 

She had become a woman who drew attention wherever she went. He knew it would be difficult to win her over again, but not impossible. His son and she were his family, and he wanted them with him.

In the afternoon, Dante entered his office, and Bruno noticed something off about him. He no longer went out partying like before, nor had Bruno seen women parading through his office. 

No matter how much he asked, he couldn't get Dante to reveal what was going on. There was something going on, and Bruno was determined to find out.

"Hey, brother, did you finish the documents for tomorrow's meeting?"

"That's right. Are you going to introduce Nicole as the new head of the design department?" Asked, genuinely appreciating her and still considering her his sister-in-law.

"Yes, I'll do it tomorrow during the meeting. I know she'll prove she deserves that position soon. Now, what about you, little brother? What's been going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" He couldn't help feeling nervous about his brother's questions, taking a deep breath to hide it.

"Don't play coy; you know what I mean. You've been acting strange lately. There used to be a parade of models in your office, but it's been quiet for a few months now."

"I've been busy with work, haven't had time for anything else," he replied, trying to evade the subject.

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me, don't." Bruno knew something was definitely going on.

"How are things going with my sister-in-law?" He quickly changed the topic to distract his brother.

"They're getting better. I'm determined to win her back," he sighed as he said this.

"I doubt you'll succeed. You hurt her a lot. I told you that you were being unfair to her. Nicole didn't seem like the woman you described—ambitious and pretentious. When I got to know her, I realized she was nothing like that."

"I was wrong, I admit it. I hope I still have time to make things right."

“I was praying that it was so, brother.”

"How about we go grab something to eat? I'm starving," he said, placing his hands on his stomach.

"That sounds like a great idea. I'd like to invite Nicole, although I don't think she'll accept," Dante replied.

"Leave it to me. My sister-in-law won't refuse if I invite her. I won't mention that you'll be joining us," he smiled as he said this.

Dante had a lot of appreciation for Nicole since he met her. He had always been on her side, even against Bruno. He went to find Nicole, and just as he had told Bruno, she didn't refuse. Bruno caught up with them in the elevator. 

She had already changed her clothes and was wearing a red, form-fitting dress that reached below her knees. It had a slight neckline that revealed her breasts. Bruno thought she looked marvelous, maybe even perfect, although he really liked the view her previous outfit offered. He became flushed as he remembered.

"Brother, I thought you weren't coming."

"I got a little distracted. I was waiting for you to come out. I hope you don't mind me joining you, Nicole."

"Not at all," she replied curtly, trying to hide her expression of displeasure.

They got off the elevator and headed towards the exit. They decided to take Bruno's car. Dante sat in the back, and Nicole sat beside him. The drive to the restaurant was filled with laughter and jokes between Nicole and Dante. They got along very well, and Bruno felt a tinge of jealousy. He wanted things to be like that with him, but whenever he spoke to her, her demeanor changed, and she responded with reluctance. He knew he had earned it.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Dante went ahead to secure a table. Bruno got out of the car and walked over to open the door for Nicole, offering his hand to help her. She simply ignored him. He sighed and followed behind her. They sat at a table with a beautiful view of an artificial lake.

"Such a beautiful place, I've never been here before," Nicole exclaimed, enchanted by the view.

"I'm glad you like it. It's one of my favorite places," Bruno replied with a smile.

"Don't be modest, brother. Nicole, Bruno is a shareholder in this restaurant chain. He has been investing in various companies in different industries since you left. That's all he's been doing, searching for you and working," Dante chimed in.

"Shares that will later belong to my son," Nicole quickly retorted.

"I don't want you to spoil him too much. Our son has to grow up knowing that he has to earn things. That's why I'm not comfortable with the position you gave me," she expressed her concerns.

"As for the position, it's not something we can discuss. As for Santi, we'll make sure he grows up to be a humble boy, especially aware that he has to work hard to get what he wants."

Bruno watched her mesmerized, unable to take his eyes off her lips. They lost track of time while talking about their son. A while later, Sophie and Max arrived. Bruno couldn't hide his displeasure when the boy approached Nicole enthusiastically.

"Little dragonfly, what a pleasure to find you here," he said, with a wide smile.

"Sophie, Max, what a coincidence," Nicole greeted them.

Dante exclaimed, "Would you like to join us? We've only just ordered."

"Thank you, Dante. We'd love to," Sophie replied.

Bruno was holding his breath, trying not to show his annoyance. Just when he had managed to engage in a calm conversation with Nicole, those two had to arrive, interrupting them.

Nicole and Max got caught up in a conversation, completely excluding Bruno. Dante apologized and moved away to take a phone call. Sophie got up shortly after, and a while later, Nicole excused herself to go to the restroom. At the table, only Bruno and Max remained, ignoring each other.

Nicole had sought an excuse to avoid the awkward situation. The tension at the table was palpable.

Upon entering the restroom, Nicole opened the door and was taken aback by what she saw. She couldn't believe her eyes. Sophie was sitting on the sink counter with her legs spread open, and Dante was in between them, kissing passionately. They were so engrossed that they didn't notice Nicole's presence, though at least they were still fully dressed.

Nicole cleared her throat loudly. Startled, Sophie pushed Dante away.

"Nicole, what are you doing here?" Sophie exclaimed, her face turning as red as a tomato.

"I could ask you the same thing. I simply came to use the restroom," Nicole replied, struggling to hold back her laughter at the expressions on their faces.

"Well, ladies, I imagine you have a lot to talk about, so I'll leave you to it," Dante said, quickly leaving the scene. He didn't want to have to explain himself, at least not for now.

Nicole stared at Sophie intensely. The blonde got off the counter and headed towards the door, attempting to escape.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you're not going anywhere. You stay right where you are," Nicole said, her gaze unwavering.

She said as she held her by the arm.

"It's nothing serious, just having some fun," Sophie replied.

"I wouldn't want you to get hurt, Sophie. Dante is a real playboy, but you already know that," Nicole expressed her concern.

"Of course, I know. This is nothing formal, just hanging out," Sophie shrugged.

"Don't play with fire, my friend. You could get burned. You know I love you like a sister, and I wouldn't want to see you hurt," Nicole pleaded.

Dante had called Sophie to join them at the restaurant, pretending to be a coincidence in front of others. They had been seeing each other for a while since she was feeling down after Nicole's disappearance. They hadn't defined what they had between them yet. Was it a relationship? Maybe.

He didn't know when the blonde had invaded his thoughts. He loved her freshness, the way she spoke without filters. And her body, which he considered absolutely stunning, drove him crazy. She wasn't like the other girls he was used to, all those renowned models who lacked the curves that Sophie possessed in all the right places. 

Moreover, those other girls couldn't hold his attention for more than five minutes in a conversation. They were so cold, shallow, and interested only in superficial things. Maybe not all models were like that, but the ones he had dated certainly were. They only served to feed his ego.

Since he started seeing her, he had lost interest in many things that used to catch his attention and seemed stupidly important to him. He hadn't felt this way since his relationship with Shelsy, except that Sophie was sincere, real, not just a façade.

Nicole and Sophie returned to the table where Dante and Máx were engaged in a lively conversation in which Bruno didn't participate. His discomfort was evident from his expression.

"I think we should head back to the company. Nanny must already be there with Santi, and I'd like to see how his first day is going," Nicole suggested.

"Sounds good, let's go as soon as possible," Bruno replied, eager to get away from Máx.

Dante decided to stay a bit longer, even though he got along well with Máx, he didn't like that he was spending so much time with Sophie.

Bruno and Nicole returned to the company and made their way to the area designated as the daycare. Santi was playing with other children while Sara watched over them. 

The other children were the offspring of employees who didn't have anyone to look after them and could leave them there during work hours.

Bruno watched his son for a while, not approaching to avoid disturbing him. He had to take it slow and earn his trust. Afterward, he quietly left, and Nicole stayed a moment with the child. When she went up to her office, Bertha informed her that Bruno wanted to see her. Nicole realized that she needed to hire a secretary. 

It wasn't right for Bertha to be burdened with so much work, running back and forth between her office and Bruno's.

After knocking, she entered his office. He was standing, leaning against his desk, his gaze fixed on some documents he held in his hands. Nicole thought he looked very sexy in the clothes he was wearing, actually, she found him attractive no matter what he wore. 

She was so distracted, devouring Bruno with her eyes, that she didn't properly place her foot on the floor. Unable to prevent it, she stumbled forward. He tried to catch her, but couldn't, and she fell on her knees in front of him. 

Her face ended up right in front of his pants, where, heaven forbid, something hardened beneath the fabric. Just then, Dante walked in and quickly gave a foolish apology before rushing out.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," he turned around and bolted, thinking he had interrupted a private moment.

At that moment, Bruno burst into laughter, while Dante hurriedly walked away, and Nicole, with her arms crossed, looked at him sternly as she remained on her knees on the floor.