Come on, Marcellito

Silvia and Alessia were still sitting in the back garden, enjoying the peaceful morning.

"I forgot to ask you. Did you have someone look into Marcello’s background before hiring him?" Alessia asked.

"Of course. I would never allow a stranger anywhere near Monica without a proper background check."

"And?" Alessia prompted.

"Everything came back clean," Silvia said. "His identity, employment history, and criminal record were all thoroughly verified. There wasn’t a single thing that raised any concerns."

A soft smile appeared on Alessia's face. "That young man seems trustworthy."

Silvia looked down, her finger tracing the rim of her glass thoughtfully before looking back up. "I hope you’re right, Mom."

~~~

A few days later...

After returning home from the company and taking a shower, Monica sat on the edge of her bed in a bathrobe, gently drying her red hair with a small towel, lost in thoughts of Sam.

Ever since the day she had sent him a photo of herself in her nightgown and he had seen it without replying right away, she had been hurt.

Later that same evening, he finally sent her a message, telling her she was extremely beautiful and that he really missed her. But after what? Couldn't he have said that the moment he saw the photo? It would have taken him no more than three seconds to type it.

He had been calling her repeatedly ever since, trying to apologize, but her pride refused to let her answer. His excuse was always the same, the one she knew by heart, he was busy with work, but that didn't justify it for her.

The sound of her phone pulled her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and saw her friend Carolina's name. "Hi, Carolina. How are you?" She smiled.

Carolina's voice came in a childish, playful tone. "Hi, Monica! Did you forget about me, You brat? I miss you so much. It's been a whole month since we last saw each other."

"I've been grounded, darling," she murmured with a teasing tone, tossing the towel onto the bed beside her.

"Grounded? What do you mean by that?" She frowned, her voice filled with confusion and curiosity.

Monica exhaled with a small laugh. "I'm joking."

"Alright then, we're all going out tonight to our usual nightclub. We're waiting for you," she said excitedly.

Monica hesitated. "Ummm, I don't know. I'm not really in the mood to go out."

"Oh, come on, Monica, don't be silly," she said. "I really miss you. I miss our crazy nights, drinking and dancing all night long. Come on, sweetheart, life is meant for fun, not stress and misery. Everyone's going to be there: Matteo, Bianca, Davide, Enzo. The night won't be the same without you."

She got up from the bed, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. "Wait... did you say Davide is coming?"

"Yes, he will. But don't tell Sam. You know how he gets when he finds out Davide is around you. He goes crazy, and gets so jealous," Carolina laughed.

"Do you remember the last time he punched him just because he kissed your hand while shaking it? Oh my God," she continued, placing a hand on her stomach as she shook with laughter.

Monica pressed her lips together. "Yes, how could I forget? He totally ruined our night. He can be a bit much sometimes."

"You're so lucky he's crazy about you. I wish Matteo would be jealous of me like that."

"I don't think jealousy always means care."

"What's wrong, Monica? Did Sam do something?"

"I'll tell you all about it when I see you tonight."

"Alright, girl. See you at ten. Don't you dare bail on us."

Monica smiled. "Of course I'll be there. Don't worry. Bye." she replied before ending the call.

She stepped out onto the terrace, her eyes scanning the grounds until she spotted Marcello speaking with Luca. Since his first day working for her, he had been staying in the guest house with Luca.

She searched for his name in her contacts—Mr. Bodyguard—then called him.

"Be ready at nine-thirty," she said without any preamble, still furious from their last clash.

Then she ended the call before he could respond.

~~~

In the evening, she was rummaging through her clothes for a sexy dress, and her room had turned into a mess, just like her mood at the time. It was nine in the evening, and she still didn’t know what to wear.

After a long hesitation, she finally settled on a black dress that clung to her body like a second skin, falling to mid-thigh. The off-shoulder design revealed a generous hint of her cleavage, adding a seductive edge to her look.

She let her wavy hair fall freely and applied black eyeliner and mascara that gave her eyes a fierce edge. Then she put on her favorite red lipstick, sprayed her rose-scented perfume, picked up her bag, and went downstairs.

As she reached the grand foyer, she found Sophia there.

"Good evening, Sophia," she greeted with a friendly smile.

With a deadpan expression, Sophia looked her up and down before turning and heading upstairs without saying a word.

Monica glanced back over her shoulder at her. "Seriously?" she said, shaking her head in resignation before continuing toward the front door.

Marcello was waiting for her by the car, with Luca standing beside him. The moment they saw her, Luca quickly opened the back door for her.

"Since Marcello had taken off his arm sling, I’ll excuse you for today," she said with a light smile at Luca. "I might be late, and I know you usually sleep early."

"At your service, ma’am," he replied with a smile before walking away.

She then turned her gaze to Marcello. "Come on, Marcellito. We’ve got a night full of chaos ahead of us," she said with a playful smirk as she got into the car.

"Marcellito?" he whispered, raising a brow in confusion. "That woman must be bipolar," he muttered under his breath before getting into the car and driving off.