LOGINWhen Lorenzo called to tell me Giuliana's trial date had been set, Claudia and I were celebrating our company's first contract.On the day of the trial, my parents, my brother, and Lorenzo were all there.From the moment I walked in, they didn't take their eyes off me.When Giuliana was brought in, she was crying and shouting."I've been framed! Beatrice forged all of it! She's jealous of me and she set me up!"But nobody paid any attention to her excuses.The soldiers keeping order led her to the center of the room. She glared at me as if she wanted to tear me limb from limb.When the trial began, I laid out the full chain of evidence. Giuliana's expression froze, and she had no real answer.All she could do was sob and plead with Lorenzo, saying greed had gotten the better of her.But this time, no one took her side.In the end, Giuliana was stripped of all her property, forced to cut off a finger in apology, and exiled for harming the Falcone family's interests and slandering the cu
The day I got the recovered footage, Lorenzo reached out again."Can I see you?"I can help you with the case against Giuliana."I don't mean any harm. I can keep it from them, and I can bring a lawyer to you."After a moment's hesitation, I sent him the company's address.That afternoon, I stopped short when I came outside and saw Lorenzo waiting at the front door.He looked worn out. His eyes were bloodshot, and dark stubble covered his jaw.The moment he saw me, his eyes lit up."Beatrice, I've finally found you."I've missed you so much. Have you been all right? Have you recovered?"Lorenzo reached for me, then pulled his hand back just before he touched me."Sorry. I forgot. You probably don't want me touching you now."Claudia came out just then, saw Lorenzo standing in front of me, and put herself between us at once."How did you track her here? What do you want with Beatrice?"I patted her shoulder."It's all right. I asked him to come."Some things have to be said face to face
"Beatrice, won't you come back and see us? Your mother cries every day. Your father and brother are miserable. Everyone misses you."I hadn't expected Giuliana to keep up the act, even now."Giuliana, do you really need to keep pretending at this point?"She answered quickly, sounding perfectly innocent."Beatrice, are you still angry with me?"I really didn't know you were pregnant. Stop sulking. The company needs you."I answered calmly."Whether you knew or not, you're the one who pushed me."And since when do you care whether the company survives? You're the one who sold the project files."Giuliana denied it at once."Beatrice, why do you keep accusing me?"I didn't want to argue, so I got straight to the point."I had my own camera installed in the vice president's office. I've already had someone recover the footage from those weeks."We won't have to take your word for it."Giuliana was quiet for a long time. Then she called me."Beatrice, do you have to back me into a corner l
A week after I arrived, I settled into a rhythm at work.Every day was busy, productive, and fulfilling.The hole Lorenzo and the others had left in my heart was slowly filling.I was reviewing reports when Claudia burst in, beaming."Beatrice, I've got big news!"Lorenzo has cut ties with your family's company. He's called off the whole partnership."After you left, the deal stalled. Lorenzo ended it because it hadn't met its targets, and now your family's company owes him damages too."I paused, but I wasn't really surprised.My parents had been away from the business too long to step back in.My brother and Giuliana knew nothing. They couldn't handle a deal that size.The deal was bound to fail. I just hadn't expected Lorenzo to be so ruthless about it."It makes sense. That was their choice. There's no one else to blame."Claudia patted my shoulder."I told you. They're helpless without you, but they still bossed you around every day. It made me furious to watch."Thank God you fin
I could hear Lorenzo's voice in the background.His voice was raw as he ordered his bodyguards to find me at any cost.Enzo lowered his voice."What do you want to do? Give him a chance?"I rested a hand on my belly, where my baby had lived for just two months."Even if I did, my baby wouldn't come back."Besides, I was in the hospital for seven days, and he never called."It's too late for regret now."Enzo sighed."You're right. Lorenzo really is a piece of trash."Don't worry. I won't tell him where you are, and I'll keep an eye on him for you."Good luck with the new business over there."The boarding announcement sounded over the speakers, and I let out a slow breath."Okay, I'm boarding now. Thanks."When the plane landed, I turned off airplane mode. So many messages and missed calls came in that my phone froze for a moment.Lorenzo had called almost every ten minutes.Dozens of unread messages filled our chat, each one more desperate than the last."Are those records real? You w
After that day, I became the joke of the whole company.I didn't want to accept the humiliating demotion to assistant, but Lorenzo insisted.He sat on the edge of the bed with a bowl of my favorite seafood chowder, blew on a spoonful, and held it to my lips."Beatrice, the company can't run without you right now."Help Giuliana. I promise, once this project is done, you'll be vice president again."A year ago, when I had a high fever, he had sat at my bedside just like this, caring for me day and night.He'd given me medicine, sponged me down, and fed me homemade seafood chowder by the spoonful.Everyone said I was lucky to be so adored by the Falcone heir.I believed them. I thought I'd found my place.But it had only been a dream.And now I was awake."I'll finish this project for you. After that, we won't owe each other anything."Lorenzo smiled, satisfied."I knew you'd be reasonable, Beatrice. When the project's over, I'll give you the vice presidency back."He had no idea I'd alr







