The heavy oak door of their bedroom clicked shut behind them, the soft thud reverberating through the quiet but Maria didn’t turn around. She stood rigid, her back to Rene, staring out the large bay window that overlooked the sprawling Rossi estate. The night was dark, with only the faint glow of the moon casting shadows across the room.Rene sighed, slipping off his jacket and tossing it onto the chair by the door. He could feel the tension radiating off her, even from across the room. Her shoulders were tense, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. He knew what was coming... she had barely spoken a word to him since they left the dinner.“I had to do it,” he started, his voice calm but cautious.With each passing silent second, Maria’s posture stiffened even more, her silence a sharper weapon than any words she could have thrown at him. "Maria, look at me," Rene called out softly.The room felt heavy, but finally, after a long pause, she finally turned around, her eyes blazing
At the sound of the shower turning on, Rene woke to an empty bed. The sheets beside him were cold, and the heavy feeling in his chest from the night before still lingered.The sound of water running in the bathroom made him rub his face, trying to shake off the heaviness. The argument played over and over in his mind. He knew she was hurt, and he hated that he couldn’t fix it right now. Not without making choices he wasn’t ready to make.A moment later, when Maria finally walked out of the bathroom, her hair damp and her robe wrapped tightly around her, she didn’t say a word. She barely glanced at him, her movements brisk as she moved about the room. The silent treatment had begun.“Morning,” Rene ventured cautiously, sitting up in bed, his voice hesitant, testing the waters. No response. Maria continued getting ready, her back to him, brushing her hair in front of the mirror. The soft swoosh of the brush against her hair was the only sound in the room, the tension between them ris
Without knocking, Benjamin barged into his father’s office, his anger barely contained as he swung the door open. Inside, he saw his father, Mr. Leland, standing by his desk, phone pressed to his ear, brow furrowed in frustration. The man on the other end of the line was none other than the bank president.After a brief silence, Mr. Leland's voice came out tight with desperation. "Yes, I understand we’ve been late on the last few payments, but we're doing everything in our power to rectify the situation."There was a long pause, the bank president's voice too muffled to make out, but Benjamin could tell by the frown on his father’s face that it wasn’t going well. The older man rubbed his temples, clearly struggling to keep his composure. "Just give us more time," Mr. Leland pleaded. "We’ve never been this far behind, but it’s temporary. The business will bounce back."The frustration in the bank president’s tone was unmistakable, and after a few more back-and-forth exchanges, the li
Leaving the old man deep in his thoughts, Benjamin stormed out of his father’s office, barely able to contain his excitement as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.“Leonardo,” Benjamin greeted as soon as the line connected. "Get ready. We're throwing a party."There was a brief pause before Leonardo’s smooth voice came through. “A party? What’s the occasion? Don’t tell me you’re already celebrating your bruises.”Benjamin chuckled darkly. “No, no. It’s better than that. This is the grand finale, Leo. The one where Kia gets what’s coming to him. We’re making his apology public.”Immediately, Leonardo’s interest piqued. “Public? I like where this is going. What’s the plan?”“I just spoke to my father,” Benjamin continued, pacing as he spoke. “We’re hosting a huge event at the family resort. I’m talking full-on spectacle. We’ll invite everyone... business partners, influential families, reporters. It’ll be the event of the season. And the best part? Kia will have to apologize in
As the front doors of the Rossi mansion creaked open, Rene and Maria stepped inside, their footsteps echoing through the grand foyer. The tension between them is heavy as the silence continues to drag on. Slowly, Maria walked a step behind Rene, and then she stopped, her fingers gently pinching the edge of his coat as he moved ahead of her. She tugged lightly, enough to get his attention but hesitant to speak. As his eyes shut for a moment, Rene stopped mid-step, turning around to face her, his brow furrowed as he met her fluttering lashes. Maria looked up at him, her lips parted as if she were about to say something, but no words came out. She stood there, nervous and unsure, her emotions teetering on the edge.Before either could say anything, the butler appeared at the edge of the hallway. “Kia,” he addressed Rene. “Master Carlo is awaiting you in the living room. He wants to speak to you. Alone.”Still holding her eyes with his, Rene kept his gaze on Maria, ignoring the butle
Saturday night8:00 P.M.As the silence continued to drag in the room, Rene stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his cufflinks, his thoughts scattered. The weight of what the evening would bring pressed heavily on him, knowing what he had to do at the party. His jaw tightened as he glanced toward the bathroom door. Maria had been in there for a while, far longer than usual, and the silence between them was beginning to suffocate him. “She’ll understand after tonight,” he mumbled to himself. He wanted to believe that, to hold on to the hope that after this, after the apology, he could fix things between them. But the doubt lingered. Maybe it was already too late.He finished dressing, straightening his jacket, and smoothing down his tie. He looked sharp, every detail of his outfit perfect, but it all felt hollow. The room felt too quiet, too cold without Maria’s voice. He turned and stared at the bathroom door for the longest time, hating the silence more than anything. Every s
The drive to the Leland family resort felt like an eternity. Rene's grip on the steering wheel tightened with every mile, his mind racing with thoughts of what the night would bring. He glanced sideways at Maria, her face set in an unreadable expression as she stared out the window, the quiet between them thick and suffocating.They didn’t speak the entire way. The tension from earlier still lingered, heavy and unrelenting. Rene had hoped their kiss might have bridged the gap, but it hadn’t been enough. Not yet.As they pulled up to the entrance of the lavish resort, lights from the grand yard spilled out into the night, illuminating the long line of luxury cars and well-dressed guests. It was a spectacle, just as Benjamin had wanted, and the Leland family spared no expense in flaunting their wealth.After bringing the car to a spot, Rene stepped out of the car first, smoothing his suit before coming around to help Maria out. As she stepped out, her hand slipped into his, and toget
As the music died down, the tension in the air grew, and Mr. Leland’s gaze locked onto Rene, the murmurs from the crowd quieted, and all eyes were now on Rene as the ballroom seemed to hold its breath.Benjamin stood smugly beside his father, while Leonardo swirled his champagne, eyes still gleaming with amusement. Mr. Leland approached Rene, his expression darkening with every step.“I trust you’re ready to settle this... unfortunate matter,” Mr. Leland repeated smoothly, though his voice held a barely concealed edge of disdain. His sharp gaze bore into Rene, expecting submission.But Rene didn’t flinch. He glanced at Maria, who stood beside him, her face filled with worry, before turning back to Mr. Leland, his eyes cold and unwavering.“Settle?” Rene’s voice was calm, but it carried through the room. “You mean you want me to apologize for what happened at the restaurant? For what your son did?”A ripple of shock ran through the crowd. Whispers buzzed like flies, shocked gasps es