The atmosphere in the Rossi dining room grew even more charged as Jason Rossi stood and made his way toward Rene, eyes filled with a mix of suspicion and disdain. Rene’s expression remained calm, but Maria could sense the tension in his stance. Her heart ached, knowing that he was facing yet another challenge on her behalf.Jason reached for the bag, his movements deliberate and almost theatrical. The rest of the family watched with a mixture of curiosity and scorn. Maria held her breath as Jason unzipped the bag and upended its contents onto the polished floor, causing Rene's clothes, shoes, socks, underwear, documents, and everything else to scatter on the dirty tiles.A small stack of papers and a few personal items tumbled out. Jason glanced down, clearly unimpressed. “What is this? More useless junk?”Rene remained silent, his eyes steady on Jason. Maria felt her frustration building, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew Rene had to have had a reason for bringing the bag. Sum
The next morning, Rene woke up on the couch inside Maria's bedroom. The first night of them being a married couple, he spent it away from her, confined to the couch. His back ached, and the events of the previous day weighed heavily on his mind. He glanced over at the bed, where Maria lay sleeping, her face peaceful in repose. Despite the tension between them, seeing her like this made his heart ache.Rene quietly got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up, trying not to disturb her. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he returned to the room and saw Maria stirring awake. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and looked over at him. Their eyes met briefly before she quickly looked away, getting out of bed without a word."Good morning," Rene said softly, hoping to break the ice.Maria didn't respond. She walked past him to the bathroom, her expression cold and distant. Rene sighed, realizing that the wall between them had only grown thicker overnight. He knew better than
Jason stormed into his office at "Rossi Enterprises," his face contorted with fury. The anger from this morning's breakfast still simmered beneath his skin that Maria dare humiliated him and cause their grandfather to look down on him. He was itching to channel it into something productive... namely, ruining his cousin and Rene, two birds one stone. Slamming the folder shut, he marched directly to his secretary's desk, where Alex was diligently typing away on her computer.“Hey!” Jason’s voice cut through the hall, sharp and commanding. “I need you to handle something for me.”Immediately, Alex looked up from her screen, her fingers hovering above the keyboard. She met Jason’s fierce gaze, her eyes wide with surprise. “Yes, Mr. Rossi? What’s the matter?”Jason leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper as he spoke through clenched teeth. “I want you to start a rumor about Kia. One that will totally destroy his image in this company.”“Mr. Rossi, are you sure about this?
Rene stared at Alex, trying to process her abrupt instructions. The tension in the room was palpable, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the whole situation."Take a seat," Alex repeated, gesturing to a chair in the center of the room.Rene hesitated for a moment before complying, his mind racing with questions. "Why am I here? What's going on?"Alex remained stoic, her expression unreadable. "You're being assigned a task," she said curtly, her tone leaving no room for argument.Rene furrowed his brow, feeling a knot of unease tighten in his stomach. "A task? What kind of task?""You've been placed in the cash handling position at the financial department of the company," Alex explained matter-of-factly.Rene's eyes widened in disbelief. "Cash handling? But I... I don't have any experience in that. Why me?"Alex's lips curled into a slight smirk, though there was no warmth in her eyes. "That's not for you to question. Just follow instructions."Rene's heart
Minutes later, after the transaction was done, Rene left the bank, the receipt for the deposit tucked securely in his pocket.Everything went smoothly than he thought it would. Yet, after he hailed a cab back to Rossi Enterprises, his mind was still buzzing with thoughts of the peculiar encounter and the weight of the responsibility he had just handled.It made less sense that the Rossi who hated him to the bone would trust him with such a position. But then again, it was Maria who did, and he wasn't sure if she was doing all this to prove to her family that he could be trusted.The thought of her helping him out to gain her family's trust made Rene smile faintly, feeling less trouble the more the idea crossed his mind.When he arrived and walked into the building, he spotted Alex in the lobby, near the receptionist's desk, a look of stress on her face as she glared at her watch.Rene approached her, his expression was stern as he called out. "I have deposited the money. Here's the re
The cell grew colder as the hours passed, and Rene sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the bars in front of him as he tried to reconstruct in his mind what had happened in those chaotic hours that brought him here. His thoughts kept backtracking to Maria... her silence, her coolness, and finally, her apparent betrayal. The jingle of keys and heavy footsteps of an approaching guard drew him out of this trance."Flores," the jailer called out. "Get up. Somebody posted your bail."When Rene looked up to stare at the guard, his face held confusion, and he mumbled, "Bail? But who?""Don't ask me. Just get your stuff and be grateful that someone has 25,000 to waste on someone like you," the jailer replied and unlocked the cell door. Slowly, Rene stood to his feet, feeling both relieved and suspicious. He followed the guard back to the processing area, where they returned his clothes. Slipping out of the orange jumpsuit, he felt a strange sense of normalcy return as he put on his cloth
There was a long moment of silence between the father and son before Rome replied, "I knew someone would. Besides, you needed to learn a lesson about the kind of world you've stepped into. It's not a game, Rene."Suppressing his anger, Rene closed his eyes, trying to process his father's words. "And what lesson am I supposed to learn from being accused of stealing from my wife's family?"Sounding almost disappointed, Rome's voice turned stern again. "That you're in over your head. That family will eat you alive if you don't learn to navigate their games. I have paid a lot of experienced people over the years who taught you how to survive... You have had lessons from the best of the best. But now it's time for you to learn how to adopt."Rene let out a sharp breath, tension brought on by the weight of his father's expectations settling on him once more. "So what now? Maria's friend dropped the charges. Where do I go from here?""First, find out who set you up," Rome advised. "Someone w
Gunnar sat in his cell, staring at the wall with a blank look. He was thinking about his mother and just how desperate their situation had become. The weight of allegations against him was upon his mind, like a great chain, binding each move he made.A key scraping around in the lock jerked him out of his thoughts. The cell door slid open, and a policeman stood there, expressionless. "Your mom's posted bail for you. You're free to go.""She what?" He muttered under his breath."Don't think you are in the clear just because you are a free man today. The fact that your mother has this kind of money to spend has only proven our suspicion further. There's no way she had fifteen thousand in savings as she claim. We are watching you, and the moment you slip up, we will lock your ass up for good.""Fifteen thousand?"Gunnar stood speechless, his eyes blinking. Slowly, he got to his feet and began to follow the officer down the hall, through processing, and finally into the lobby. There, stan
The morning sunlight spilled across the marble floor, golden and warm but not quite enough to soften the tension thickening inside the Rossi estate. Even though it has been two weeks, the walls in the mansion still whisper about the day Jason was slapped and every soul knew about it now.Madam Rossi stood in the hallway, quiet and still, her silk robe brushing softly against her ankles as she listened to the muffled voice of her husband behind the half-open door to his study.He had been up since before dawn, pacing, commanding, orchestrating this celebration as if the fate of the family hung on the thread of imported seafood and ambient lighting.She took a sip of her coffee. Bitter. She didn’t flinch.Inside the study, Mr. Rossi was in full control mode.“I don’t care how rare they are, Alberto,” he snapped into the phone. “You find the scallops. Pay triple if you must. I won’t serve frozen shrimp like some sad cruise buffet.”A pause, then he waved his hand as if dismissing a perso
As his gaze darted across the room, Rene kept the phone pressed tightly to his ear, Gunnar's voice echoing again on the other end."Hello, boss."The words rang in Rene's ear, but he stood motionless, letting the sound linger for a moment longer than necessary. He could feel the stares digging into his skin, hot and prickling, as if the entire room was holding its breath... waiting.After another moment of silent, Jason's frustration burst first."We can’t hear a damn thing from over there!" he snapped. "Put it on speaker, Kia. Now. Let us hear it ring so we can know when he answer.""Yeah, come on," Juan added, arms crossed, leaning forward. "Let’s all hear what he has to say.""If it’s the truth," Luis said, with a crooked smile, "you shouldn’t mind sharing it.""He’s right," Bianca chimed in, her voice cool. "Let Mr. Gunnar confirm that you weren’t with Layla. Or should we be calling her instead?"Even Vittoria, usually more reserved, nodded. "If you want to proof your inocence, It
The silence stretched, taut and expectant. The question lingered in the air like smoke... where was he this morning?Rene’s gaze swept the room, pausing momentarily on each face. They were waiting. Wanting. Ready to pounce.He could feel Maria beside him, her stillness louder than any words she could speak. And that silence... her silence, was what cut the deepest.He inhaled slowly, deliberately. “I wasn’t with Layla.”“Then who?” Madam Rossi’s voice cracked through the air like a whip.Staring at the stone-cold faces in the room, Rene hesitated, knowing full well the weight of the name he was about to speak. “Mr. Gunnar.”The room went still. Like a spell had been cast. Even the distant ticking of the grandfather clock seemed to pause.Mr. Rossi’s expression barely shifted, but Rene saw it. A flicker. Not a surprise. Not suspicion. Fear.It was enough.Rene locked eyes with the family patriarch and took a step forward, voice steady. “Yes. I was with Mr. Gunnar this morning. He reque
The sun dipped low over the horizon as Rene guided the car along the winding road back to the Rossi estate. Shadows stretched long across the dashboard, golden light dancing on Maria’s face. She hadn’t said much since they left the restaurant.Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on her phone, screen dimmed but not turned off. Her thumb hovered near the edge, as if deciding whether to press the number or not.Rene glanced at her, his fingers lightly drumming on the steering wheel. "You’ve been quiet."Maria didn’t look up."Everything okay?" he asked."Mmm.""That the same 'mmm' you give when you’re lying to me or the one when you’re annoyed at me?"She finally looked at him, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. "Neither. Just thinking."Rene tilted his head, eyebrows raised. "About?"Maria took one last look at the number glowing faintly on her screen. Then slowly, deliberately, she pressed the side button. The screen went black."Nothing," she said.Rene didn’t believe her. He didn’t pu
The elevator doors slid shut, sealing Jason inside with his grandmother. The silence settled thick between them, unforgiving, heavy, like a noose tightening with each breath.Madam Rossi turned slowly, her gaze fixed on him with the cold weight of generations behind it."You should be ashamed," she said, her brows snapping together. "You stand there, hands in your pockets, watching your fiancée crumble under scrutiny... and you say nothing? You let her lie to you-to us. Do you think silence makes you honorable?"Jason’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing.Madam Rossi’s lips curled into a scowl. "You are a Rossi. You were raised better than this. If Layla is slipping, you are the one who should rein her in. It is your responsibility to keep your woman in check."His nostrils flared. “And what about Maria?” he snapped.Looking away from him for a second, Madam Rossi’s eyes narrowed.“She’s married, isn’t she?” Jason pressed. “To a man who doesn't even act as a Rossi should. But do I see
The sharp slam of Juan’s voice still echoed in Madam Rossi’s ears as she sat motionless behind her desk.Her nails tapped against the armrest... an erratic, frustrated rhythm. For a moment, she thought about pouring herself a drink, something dark and bitter to match the aftertaste of that conversation. But even that felt too indulgent.Instead, with a sharp breath, she stood.The air in her office was thick... thicker than it had any right to be. She needed out.Throwing on her tailored black overcoat, she moved to the door, pushing it open with more force than necessary. Her assistant, a young woman named Eloise, perked up from her desk outside, immediately rising.“Ma’am-”“I’m going for a walk,” Madam Rossi snapped without breaking stride.“Should I call for the car? Or-”“No.” The word came like a tense command. “Do not follow me.”Eloise froze, halfway to grabbing her clipboard. “Of course, ma’am,” she said softly, bowing her head.Madam Rossi didn’t bother to respond. She march
The soft clink of silverware and the murmured conversations of other customers barely reached Maria's ears as she followed Rene through the charming little bistro he had chosen.The place was tucked away on a quiet street... one of those trendy new spots where the lighting was warm, the walls were lined with eclectic art, and the staff treated every customer like royalty. It was the kind of place Rene always gravitated toward... intimate, curated, just a little indulgent.“Here we are,” Rene said gently, pulling her chair out with a flourish. “The best seat in the house.”Meeting his gaze for a second, Maria allowed a small smile as she sat, smoothing the hem of her skirt as she settled in.She wasn’t fully relaxed, but she appreciated the gesture. He always knew how to charm. Even now, after the tension that lingered like a fog around them, he knew exactly how to make her feel special.The waitress approached with a practiced smile. “Welcome to Villa di Fiore. May I get you started w
As the ticking sound of the clock echoed in the room, Maria sat hunched over her desk, the golden afternoon light casting long shadows across the stacks of documents she’d been ignoring for a while.Now, they were her fortress. Every page she skimmed, every note she scrawled, every report she pretended to analyze, it was all a battle tactic. A desperate attempt to quiet the gnawing ache in her chest. She wouldn’t let herself think of Rene. Not his voice, not his absence, not the way the silence of the morning had stretched like a cruel whisper through her bones. She buried herself in figures and forecasts, anything to dull the truth: she was worried. And even though she dreaded the thought of it, she was scared.As she was about to sign the document, her office phone rang.Maria flinched, her pen freezing mid-word. She swallowed hard and forced herself to answer, her voice calm. “Yes?”“Ma’am?” Cassie’s voice chirped from the other end. “Your husband just walked into the building.”M
Maria didn’t flinch. Not even a blink. Jason’s voice and words were provoking enough, but she was far too seasoned, too calculated, to give him the performance he wanted.“Harassing?” she repeated, her tone light, almost amused. She looked up at him with a faint, pitying smile. “Jason, you really should stop mistaking concern for confrontation. It makes you look… insecure.”Clarisse’s eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in quiet surprise at Maria’s restraint, though Maria caught the small twitch at the corner of her mouth.Still trying to push his narrative, Jason scowled. “You have no business interrogating her like that.”Maria turned to Clarisse, giving her a small, respectful nod. “My apologies, Mrs. Leonti. I let worry get the better of me.”Clarisse placed a gloved hand gently over Maria’s wrist. “No harm done, dear. I understand.” Her gaze flicked briefly to Jason, a flash of something critical behind the practiced warmth.Without another glance in his direction, Maria walk