Red Roses

Nicole opened her eyes wide in disbelief at the audacity of that man. She pushed him and quickly got up.

"Bruno had the ability to easily get on her nerves."

"Enough with the games. I was trying to wake up Santi to give him the medication, he moved abruptly, and I lost my balance."

"Okay, but don't get angry," he said, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. He couldn't help but laugh, finding amusement in how easily she blushed.

"I think it's time for you to leave," she said sternly.

At that moment, the little boy woke up, and Nicole hurried to give him the medication.

"I've asked them to bring me clothes so I can go to the office. I'll only attend the meeting and then come back to be with my son." He was worried about the child's health.

Nicole frowned as she looked at him, but seeing how her son clung to his father, she couldn't refuse.

"Fine, Santi won't go to school until he gets better. The nanny will stay with him, and after I return from the corporate office, I'll take him to the pediatrician."

"We'll take him, because from now on, I won't miss a single moment with my son. I've already missed too many."

Bruno was right, and she knew it, so she chose not to say anything. She felt like he was intruding on her privacy with her son, and she was struggling to adjust. She had to get used to the fact that from then on, she would have to include him in everything related to her child.

She returned to her bedroom; it was still early morning, and she needed rest to look fresh and presentable during the meeting. She knew that the eyes of all the executives and shareholders would be on her.

In the morning, she woke up very early and headed to her son's room. When she opened the door, she saw that he was still asleep, and Bruno wasn't there anymore. She thought he might have already left. 

At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Bruno came out, smiling. He was wearing only dress pants and drying his hair with a towel. Nicole's gaze was fixed on his toned abdomen.

"Hello, good morning," he greeted, pleased with the way she was looking at him.

"Good morning, Bruno," she replied, immediately averting her gaze.

"Santi had a very good night. His temperature has normalized. I took the liberty of using the bathroom to shower. My assistant dropped off some clothes for me. I thought we could go to work together since your car is still there."

"Alright, I'll go get ready. The nanny is preparing breakfast if you'd like to come downstairs. I'll be down in a moment."

"Okay, thanks."

She quickly bathed and got ready, but she couldn't get the image of Bruno shirtless out of her mind. When she was near Leandro, she felt a sense of peace and security. However, everything was different when she was near Bruno. It was so easy to lose her composure by his side. She felt so small compared to him, as she was shorter in stature.

Unconsciously, she took extra care in her appearance. She wore a tight black skirt that reached just above the knee and a pearl-colored, long-sleeved blouse that crossed at the front, accentuating her bust. She added a black belt with a beautiful golden buckle and matched it with stiletto heels in the same color as the skirt. 

She elegantly styled her hair, pulling it up and leaving some strands in wavy curls on the sides. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she liked what she saw. She looked sexy yet professional.

She went downstairs to have breakfast before heading to the office. Bruno was already eating when he saw her. He looked at her eagerly, and they would have to get used to those kinds of looks because Nicole did the same. He hadn't put on his jacket yet and was wearing a dark blue shirt. The thin, fitted fabric allowed for a pleasant view of each of his muscles.

She sat in front of him, and they had breakfast in silence, exchanging a few glances. The nanny noticed the tension and decided to go upstairs and leave them alone.

Shortly after, they got into the car and headed to the corporate office. At every stop they made, Bruno couldn't help but turn to look at Nicole's toned legs. She remained distracted, observing the buildings through the window. He couldn't stop blaming himself; he had happiness within his grasp, and he had ruined it.

Upon arrival, he opened the door for her to get out. It was the first time she allowed him to do so while remaining calm. As they walked towards the entrance, Bruno placed his hand on Nicole's waist. She felt the warmth of his touch and chose to step away. The fact that he didn't confront her about it was considered progress. 

Her office was very close to his, and when they arrived, she could see that it was filled with red roses. Nicole was as surprised as he was. A beautiful bouquet was sitting on her desk, and she picked up the envelope that was on it. Bruno watched her from the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"Is there a secret admirer?" he asked curiously, feeling a strong pang of jealousy in his chest.

Nicole didn't answer; she opened the note, and her eyes filled with tears as she read what was written.

"They say the color of red roses comes from the blood of Aphrodite. When her great love Adonis died, as she went after him, she cut herself, and a drop of her blood fell on a white rose, turning it red. Aphrodite decided to plant vast gardens of red roses to remember her great love."

She sighed deeply. Inside the envelope, there was also a photograph. It was of Leandro's garden, where he had planted hundreds of red rose bushes.

"Can you leave me alone, please?" she said, unable to hold back the tears streaming down her face.

Bruno lowered his head and walked away. His heart ached, imagining the significance those roses held for her. He approached Bertha's desk.

"Call the florist and cancel the order for the red roses I had requested," he said, feeling foolish for thinking a bouquet of roses could compare to everything else.

"Right away, sir," Bertha said, noticing his sadness. At first, she thought he had sent all those roses, but now she knew he hadn't.

Later, he informed Nicole that they were waiting for her in the boardroom. He grabbed a folder and headed there. When he entered, everyone was already present.

"Good morning," he greeted politely.

"Good morning," the executives replied in unison.

Bruno was already seated, watching her attentively as he twirled a pencil in his hand.

He gestured for her to come closer. She quickly walked over to him, and Bruno stood up, introducing her to everyone present.

"This is Nicole Williams. She will now be in charge of the landscape design department. She is fully qualified for the position," he said.

"Can we see some of her designs? It's nothing personal, but we need to ensure that the person leading the staff in that area is qualified for the role," one of the executives asked.

Nicole approached each of the attendees and placed sheets with her designs in front of them. Then, she walked to the front, turned on the projector, and inserted a USB drive. She started showcasing her designs one by one, explaining them in detail.

The executives and shareholders were highly interested in her presentation, and Bruno smiled, satisfied. Nicole had definitely won over those men who were demanding when it came to work.

"There's nothing more to discuss. It's clear that you're the right person for the position. Welcome to the corporate office," one of the executives said. All present applauded, pleased with the presentation.

After bidding farewell to Nicole, they left the room, leaving only Bruno and Nicole behind.

"I've canceled all our appointments to take our son to the pediatrician," Bruno said.

"That's good. Although he seems better today, it's best to find out what's been going on."

They headed toward the elevator, and just before the doors closed, Dante caught up with them.

"Are you leaving already?" he asked.

"That's right, brother. Santi isn't feeling completely well, so we're taking him to the doctor," Bruno replied.

"Can I join you? I want to see my nephew," Dante requested.

"That's perfect. It'll give me a chance to talk to you," Nicole said.

"Haha, you suddenly turned pale, brother," Bruno chuckled at Dante's reaction.

"I just remembered that I have a meeting with some foreign investors in a few minutes. I can't believe I forgot about it," Dante pressed a button to stop the elevator and hurriedly exited before Nicole had a chance to say anything.

"Haha, what's going on with Dante? He practically ran away from you," Nicole laughed.

"Do you know he's in a relationship with Sophie?" 

"With Sophie? Ahhh, now I understand why he's been acting so strange lately. Before, a different woman would come to pick him up at the office every day, but that has changed recently. I haven't seen him with any of them," Nicole said.

"Uhmmm, I wouldn't want Sophie to get hurt," she expressed her concern.

"Both of them are old enough to know what they're doing," Bruno replied.

"I agree with that, but still, I'll talk to him," Nicole was determined to give Dante a piece of her mind. Sophie was a girl who had suffered too much, and she wouldn't allow him to hurt her.

Upon leaving the office, they stopped at the entrance to wait for Bruno's car. When Nicole turned around, she thought she saw Leandro in a luxury car. The car quickly drove away, and she grabbed her phone to call him, but he didn't answer. The number was out of range, and she was almost certain it was him.

Leandro left the scene upon realizing that Nicole had seen him. His heart tightened at seeing her with Bruno. He couldn't forget her. He had tried to be with other beautiful women, but he couldn't get her image out of his head. He felt deep hatred for his father and resentment towards his mother. 

Nicole and he were just victims of circumstances. His hatred for his father was stronger. He knew what he felt for Nicole and encouraged him to take her with him. He knew Sergio was plotting to harm Nicole and his mother, so he decided to be close to protect them. His feelings for Rina would have been different if he had told them the truth in time.