151Matteo’s POVDinner with Gianna was an exercise in restraint, though I’m not sure why I bothered anymore. She’d made it clear after the night we spent together that we were employer and employee—nothing more, nothing less.Yet, there I was, sitting across from her at a quiet restaurant, trying not to stare at how the soft lighting caught the warmth of her skin or how her lips curved slightly when she read the menu.“Don’t get the salmon,” I said, breaking the silence.She glanced up, one eyebrow arched. “Why not?”“Because it’s dry here. Trust me, I’ve been to this place enough times to know.”Gianna set the menu down and folded her arms on the table. “And you’re suddenly an expert on everything now?”I smirked, leaning back in my chair. “I’ve been accused of worse.”She rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of amusement in them. “Fine. What would the expert recommend?”“The risotto,” I said without missing a beat. “It’s one of the few things they don’t manage to ruin.”Her lip
152Gianna’s POVI hadn’t slept well in days. Matteo was like a storm cloud that followed me everywhere—quiet but impossible to ignore. Every glance, every small interaction left me tangled in a web of conflicting emotions that I really wasn’t ready to face yet.And now, sitting across from him in yet another cramped conference room, I couldn’t concentrate to save my life.“Gianna?” His voice cut through my thoughts.My head snapped up. “What?”He tilted his head, looking far too amused for my liking. “I asked if you’d prefer to handle the presentation, or should I take the lead?”“Oh.” I forced myself to focus, ignoring the slight flush creeping up my neck. “You should do it. You’re better at improvising.”He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You think I’m good at something? That’s a first.”“Don’t let it go to your head,” I muttered, keeping my eyes glued to the papers in front of me.But I could feel his gaze on me still like he knew my thoughts and understood them w
153Matteo’s POVI wasn’t one for tiptoeing around problems. Gianna, however, seemed determined to shove hers into a fucking closet and pretend they didn’t exist.We were wrapping up for the day, the conference room except for the faint hum of the city outside. She was sitting at the head of the table, fingers flying across her laptop keyboard, her focus sharp as a blade. At least, she wanted it to look that way.“Gianna,” I said, leaving my things and walking to her knowing fully well she’d push me away again. But I didn’t care. Not this time.She didn’t look up. “Not now, Matteo. I’m busy.”“Busy avoiding me, you mean?” I demanded, slamming my palms on the table much more louder and harder than I’d intended.That got her attention. She paused, her fingers hovering over the keys before she sighed and sat back, crossing her arms. “What do you want?”I leaned against the edge of the table, arms folded. “I want to know what’s going on with you. And don’t give me the ‘I’m fine’ speech—I’
154Gianna’s POVThe final night of the trip arrived faster than I anticipated. It had been a whirlwind of back-to-back meetings, client dinners, and endless negotiations, leaving little time for myself. But as I sat in my hotel room, staring at my half-packed suitcase, I felt a twinge of something I couldn’t quite name. Relief? Sadness?Maybe both.A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts. I frowned, glancing at the clock. It was late—too late for a work-related interruption.“Who is it?” I called out.“It’s Matteo,” came the reply.Of course, it was.I hesitated for a moment before standing and opening the door. He leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, his tie slightly loosened but still annoyingly put together.“What do you need?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.His lips twitched in what might have been a smirk. “Relax, Gianna. I’m not here to bother you with work. I wanted to check if you were free for a moment.”“I was about to—” I gestured vaguely at
155Gianna’s POVBack in the city, it felt like everything should have gone back to normal. The trip was behind us, and with it, the long nights, the rooftop wine, and Matteo’s surprising kindness. We were back in our element: the office, the routine, the emails that never stopped. It was safe here, predictable.And yet, I found myself glancing at my office door more often than necessary, half expecting Matteo to walk through it with one of his disarming comments or an unsolicited opinion about my latest report.He didn’t.Instead, he kept his distance, but not in the way I expected. Matteo had always been everywhere, his presence big and loud, demanding attention. But now, he was more subtle, almost… careful. And it was driving me insane.It was barely past nine. I was hunched over my desk, scanning through the latest client proposal, when there was a soft knock at my door.“Come in,” I called, not looking up.A cup of coffee slid onto the corner of my desk, accompanied by a familiar
156Gianna’s POVDinner with the closest board members wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time, but declining Matteo’s invitation felt like more trouble than it was worth. He’d caught me on my way out of the office, his tone casual but leaving little room for argument.“Team dinner tomorrow night,” he’d said, leaning against my desk like he had all the time in the world. “We’re celebrating the end of the project. You’ll be there.”I should have said no, made up an excuse about prior plans, but instead, I nodded, my mouth betraying me.Now, sitting at a long table in a cozy Italian restaurant with the board members, I questioned that decision.The chatter around me was loud and cheerful, a mix of work gossip and lighthearted banter. Matteo sat at the head of the table, his sleeves rolled up and a glass of red wine in hand. He looked completely at ease, laughing at something one of the junior analysts said. I tried to ignore the way my eyes kept drifting toward him, the way my chest tight
Emilia’s POVI tapped my leg continuously on the floor, my hands pressed tight together as I tried to stop them from shaking. My eyes were locked on the doctor's, and I could hear him talking, but I wasn’t even listening. All that was on my mind was thoughts of how I was going to get twenty-five thousand dollars for Matteo’s surgery. Twenty-five thousand dollars! A shudder ran through me. And that wasn’t all. I still had to pay for the other hospital bills apart from the surgery fee.It seemed like my life was just going haywire at this point, and there was absolutely nothing that I could do to stop it.“Miss Abramo?” The doctor called, snapping her fingers in my face twice. I jumped and then gave her an apologetic smile.“You were saying?” I asked.“Are you okay, Miss Abramo?” She eyed me warily. “You’ve been zoning out.”“Yeah, I’m okay,” I lied, nodding. My hands began to shake, and I clasped them together once again, taking in a deep breath as she continued.“Miss Abramo, it’s get
Alaric’s POV.I watched the girl scurry off to the elevator, her hair falling loose from the bun it was tied in and the horrible skirt she was wearing flowing behind her.The elevator doors closed behind her, and I watched as she disappeared, her figure swallowed up by the steel doors. I clenched my jaw, suppressing the irritation bubbling under the surface. Emilia. That woman was a complication, a thorn that hadn’t been there this morning and yet somehow had made her way into the very heart of my day.“Are you sure she’s not Mommy?” Francesca’s voice was small, almost like she was asking herself rather than me.I looked down at her, the tears glistening on her cheeks, her bottom lip trembling. I was used to Francesca’s questions and the way her curiosity would fixate on the strangest things, but this... this fixation on a woman she’d only just met? Unusual, even for her.“Yes, Tesoro,” I replied, keeping my voice firm but softened just enough for her, though I could feel her slipping
156Gianna’s POVDinner with the closest board members wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time, but declining Matteo’s invitation felt like more trouble than it was worth. He’d caught me on my way out of the office, his tone casual but leaving little room for argument.“Team dinner tomorrow night,” he’d said, leaning against my desk like he had all the time in the world. “We’re celebrating the end of the project. You’ll be there.”I should have said no, made up an excuse about prior plans, but instead, I nodded, my mouth betraying me.Now, sitting at a long table in a cozy Italian restaurant with the board members, I questioned that decision.The chatter around me was loud and cheerful, a mix of work gossip and lighthearted banter. Matteo sat at the head of the table, his sleeves rolled up and a glass of red wine in hand. He looked completely at ease, laughing at something one of the junior analysts said. I tried to ignore the way my eyes kept drifting toward him, the way my chest tight
155Gianna’s POVBack in the city, it felt like everything should have gone back to normal. The trip was behind us, and with it, the long nights, the rooftop wine, and Matteo’s surprising kindness. We were back in our element: the office, the routine, the emails that never stopped. It was safe here, predictable.And yet, I found myself glancing at my office door more often than necessary, half expecting Matteo to walk through it with one of his disarming comments or an unsolicited opinion about my latest report.He didn’t.Instead, he kept his distance, but not in the way I expected. Matteo had always been everywhere, his presence big and loud, demanding attention. But now, he was more subtle, almost… careful. And it was driving me insane.It was barely past nine. I was hunched over my desk, scanning through the latest client proposal, when there was a soft knock at my door.“Come in,” I called, not looking up.A cup of coffee slid onto the corner of my desk, accompanied by a familiar
154Gianna’s POVThe final night of the trip arrived faster than I anticipated. It had been a whirlwind of back-to-back meetings, client dinners, and endless negotiations, leaving little time for myself. But as I sat in my hotel room, staring at my half-packed suitcase, I felt a twinge of something I couldn’t quite name. Relief? Sadness?Maybe both.A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts. I frowned, glancing at the clock. It was late—too late for a work-related interruption.“Who is it?” I called out.“It’s Matteo,” came the reply.Of course, it was.I hesitated for a moment before standing and opening the door. He leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, his tie slightly loosened but still annoyingly put together.“What do you need?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.His lips twitched in what might have been a smirk. “Relax, Gianna. I’m not here to bother you with work. I wanted to check if you were free for a moment.”“I was about to—” I gestured vaguely at
153Matteo’s POVI wasn’t one for tiptoeing around problems. Gianna, however, seemed determined to shove hers into a fucking closet and pretend they didn’t exist.We were wrapping up for the day, the conference room except for the faint hum of the city outside. She was sitting at the head of the table, fingers flying across her laptop keyboard, her focus sharp as a blade. At least, she wanted it to look that way.“Gianna,” I said, leaving my things and walking to her knowing fully well she’d push me away again. But I didn’t care. Not this time.She didn’t look up. “Not now, Matteo. I’m busy.”“Busy avoiding me, you mean?” I demanded, slamming my palms on the table much more louder and harder than I’d intended.That got her attention. She paused, her fingers hovering over the keys before she sighed and sat back, crossing her arms. “What do you want?”I leaned against the edge of the table, arms folded. “I want to know what’s going on with you. And don’t give me the ‘I’m fine’ speech—I’
152Gianna’s POVI hadn’t slept well in days. Matteo was like a storm cloud that followed me everywhere—quiet but impossible to ignore. Every glance, every small interaction left me tangled in a web of conflicting emotions that I really wasn’t ready to face yet.And now, sitting across from him in yet another cramped conference room, I couldn’t concentrate to save my life.“Gianna?” His voice cut through my thoughts.My head snapped up. “What?”He tilted his head, looking far too amused for my liking. “I asked if you’d prefer to handle the presentation, or should I take the lead?”“Oh.” I forced myself to focus, ignoring the slight flush creeping up my neck. “You should do it. You’re better at improvising.”He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You think I’m good at something? That’s a first.”“Don’t let it go to your head,” I muttered, keeping my eyes glued to the papers in front of me.But I could feel his gaze on me still like he knew my thoughts and understood them w
151Matteo’s POVDinner with Gianna was an exercise in restraint, though I’m not sure why I bothered anymore. She’d made it clear after the night we spent together that we were employer and employee—nothing more, nothing less.Yet, there I was, sitting across from her at a quiet restaurant, trying not to stare at how the soft lighting caught the warmth of her skin or how her lips curved slightly when she read the menu.“Don’t get the salmon,” I said, breaking the silence.She glanced up, one eyebrow arched. “Why not?”“Because it’s dry here. Trust me, I’ve been to this place enough times to know.”Gianna set the menu down and folded her arms on the table. “And you’re suddenly an expert on everything now?”I smirked, leaning back in my chair. “I’ve been accused of worse.”She rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of amusement in them. “Fine. What would the expert recommend?”“The risotto,” I said without missing a beat. “It’s one of the few things they don’t manage to ruin.”Her lip
150Matteo’s POV.This gala was the kind of event I hated but had perfected enduring over the years. Suits too stiff, champagne too warm, and conversations too shallow. Mr Clifford, who was hosting it, is, of course, a big player, and making an appearance wasn’t optional.I scanned the room, my gaze naturally landing on Gianna. She was near the bar, her sharp black dress cutting a figure that commanded attention without trying. Her head tilted slightly as she listened to some older man in a loud suit, her polite smile firmly in place. I could tell she wasn’t enjoying the conversation; her fingers tapped against her glass in that rhythmic way they did when she was irritated.The man leaned closer, a little too familiar, and I felt my jaw tighten.Before I could second-guess myself, I was already walking toward them, sliding into the conversation with a practiced ease.“Gianna,” I said, my voice cutting cleanly through whatever the guy had been saying. “There you are. I’ve been looking
149Gianna’s POVIf I hadn’t been hyper aware of Matteo since two nights ago, I wouldn’t have noticed the smallest things he was doing for me. He wasn’t hovering or overt, which made it harder to pinpoint it, but it was there and it was driving me crazy.Like the coffee on the conference table. I eyed it. And then eyed Matteo who was sitting near the window. We had a meeting this morning and I was too much in a rush to get my coffee as usual. But there was one on the table, still steaming in a cup that wasn’t from the hotels subpar café. I eyed it once again and eyed Matteo who was sitting near the window, flipping through his phone like he had t done a single thing out of the ordinary.“Is this yours?” I asked, holding up the cup.He looked up, feigning mild confusion. “It’s yours. I figured you’d need something better than whatever they serve downstairs.”I blinked. “How do you even know how I take my coffee?” That was a pointless question by the way. Because he had been getting me
148Gianna’s POVThe elevator dinged softly, and Matteo gestured for me to step out first. The hallway ahead was narrow, the dim lighting giving it a mysterious edge that scared me a little bit. He had led me out of the hotel again today, refusing to tell me where he was taking me to. I keep saying I want him out of my life and yet I keep accepting his invitation to go out.How dumb I am.“Are you sure this place exists?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder at him.Matteo smirked, his hands in his pockets. “Have I ever led you astray?”I raised an eyebrow. “Do you want an honest answer?”He chuckled, stepping beside me to push open a plain, unmarked door. The faint hum of jazz music drifted out, mingling with the cool night air.It was a rooftop bar.The rooftop bar was small and simple. Yet it was intimate. Strings of warm fairy lights crisscrossed above, their glow reflected in the glass-topped tables scattered around. Beyond the railing, the city stretched out beneath and around us.