MARCO
The ride back to the estate was silent. My men knew better than to question me right now, not when I was deep in thought. “Sarah..” I muttered to myself. , seeing her action at the bakery, had been an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t planned on her—hadn’t planned on any of this, really. But sometimes, life throws curveballs. I leaned back in my seat, closing my eyes for a moment. Her face flashed before me: bold, fierce, and simply captivating. There was something about her that stirred something wild within me. I loved breaking the wills of stern girls, and Sarah just had “challenge” written all over her. When we finally pulled up to the estate, I got out of the car and motioned for my men to follow me into my office. Once we were all inside, I closed the door and turned to face them. “Change of plans,” I announced, my voice steady. “We’re not touching Santiago. Not yet, anyway.” Tony, my younger brother and second-in-command, looked confused. “But boss, I thought the plan was to rough up the old fool, make him understand why he should never take the De Luca name for granted?.” I shook my head. “Sarah.. The girl at the bakery today was definitely his daughter. There’s something about her. Seeing her in action at the bakery… it aroused something in me.” Tony raised an eyebrow. “And that changes our plans how?” I took a deep breath, trying to put my thoughts into words. “I love breaking the wills of stern girls. There’s a fire in Sarah that I want to extinguish, a strength I want to bend to my will. Roughing up Santiago might get us what we want in the short term, but if we play this right, we can get much more.” One of my other men, Carlos, chimed in. “So, what do we do instead Boss?” “Lay off Santiago for now. He can can continue playing bakery man for the little time he's got. I want you to focus on keeping tabs on Sarah. Follow her, learn her routines, understand her every move.” Tony nodded slowly, processing my words. “You want us to stalk her?” “Not stalk,” I corrected, though the word didn’t bother me. “Just keep an eye on her. I want to know everything. Where she goes, who she talks to, what she likes, what she fears.” Another man, Luis, spoke up. “Boss, this sounds risky. What if she finds out?” I met his gaze, my expression hard. “You know better than slipping up. You make sure does the find out. You’ll be careful. We need to gather information before I make our my move.” Tony glanced around at the other men, then back at me. “Alright, boss. We’ll keep an eye on her.” “Good,” I said, feeling a strange mix of excitement and anticipation. “This isn’t just about power. It’s about control. And I intend to control Sarah.” “Good,” I said, satisfied. “I want regular updates. And remember, no one touches her. She’s mine to deal with.” The men nodded, and I could see the loyalty in their eyes. They knew better than to question my decisions, especially when it came to matters of my interest. “Now get out of here,” I ordered, waving them away. “I need to think.” They filed out of the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I poured myself a drink and sat down at the desk, staring into the amber liquid. Sarah was a complication, but she was also an opportunity. Breaking her would be a challenge, and I loved challenges. I took a sip of my drink, savoring the burn as it went down. The memory of Sarah’s defiant gaze lingered in my mind. She was strong, but strength could be broken. It was just a matter of finding the right pressure points. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in,” I called, already knowing who it would be. Tony stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “Boss, there’s something else. While we were at the bakery, I noticed a couple of guys hanging around outside. They didn’t look like locals.” “Go on,” I said, intrigued. “I did some digging. Turns out, they’re connected to the Rossi family. Seems like they’ve got an interest in Santiago too.” I frowned, my mind racing. The Rossi family was a problem. They were our biggest rivals, always looking for ways to undermine us. If they were interested in Santiago, it could complicate things. “Keep an eye on them,” I ordered. “I don’t want any surprises.” Tony nodded and left, leaving me alone once more. I drained my glass and set it down with a decisive thud. This was getting more complicated by the minute, but I thrived on complications. They kept things interesting. I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. Sarah’s face appeared once more, her eyes blazing with defiance. “Yes, she would be a challenge. But she would also be mine. It was only a matter of time.” I said out loud. SARAH After the man and his goons left, the bakery felt oddly quiet. I locked the door behind them, my hands still shaking. I took a deep breath and went to find Papa in the back. “Papa,” I called, my voice shaky. “We need to talk.” He turned around, concern etched on his face. “What is it, Sarah? You look pale.” “Some men came in today,” I began, trying to keep my voice steady. “They were rough, making a mess, and harassing me. One of them even grabbed Mr. Morales’s wallet.” Papa’s eyes widened. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” I shook my head. “No, but it was close. Then, a strange man showed up. He stopped them and made them apologize, he seemed to be their boss.” Papa’s face tightened, a nervous glint in his eyes. “Strange, you say?” “Yes. Tall, dark eyes, commanding presence. Seemed like a really shady man, Papa?” Papa hesitated, then shook his head. “Just be careful, Sarah. Men like that can be dangerous.” I frowned. “It’s funny, though. You didn’t hear any of the racket? The shouting? The displays getting knocked over?” He looked away, wiping his hands on a towel. “I was busy in the back. Sometimes I don’t hear everything.” I didn’t believe him, but I let it go. “Okay, but promise me you’ll be careful too.” He nodded, but there was something in his eyes, a worry he couldn’t hide. “Let’s lock up and head home.” We locked the doors and set everything for the night. As we walked home, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Papa seemed more uneasy than I’d ever seen him. “Papa,” I said softly, “is there something you’re not telling me?” He sighed deeply, avoiding my gaze. “Just be careful, Sarah. There are things you don’t need to worry about.” His words only made me more anxious. What was he hiding? And why did the mention of that man’s presence affect him so much?**********THIRD PERSONIt was late evening, the house quiet enough that the faint ticking of the clock filled the air. Maddalena sat in the lounge, one leg crossed over the other, a half-full glass of red wine resting on the table. The lights were low as she had been sitting there for almost an hour, not because she was restless, but because she was waiting. She always knew when the call would come. It was only a matter of time.When the phone finally rang, she didn’t jump. She reached for it calmly, her eyes on the darkened window as she answered.“Cara mia,” she said softly.The voice on the other end was cold and sharp. “You took your time calling, Maddalena.”She smiled faintly, not out of amusement, but habit. “I was waiting for you. I didn’t want to disturb.”“Disturb?” The woman’s tone cut through the calm. “What disturbs me is silence. Things have been too quiet lately. That girl, Sofia—she’s done absolutely nothing.”Maddalena leaned back in her chair, her wine untouched. “W
SOFIAThe office was almost empty. Everyone had gone home hours ago. Only the faint hum of the air conditioning and the buzz from my desk lamp filled the silence. The room looked cold under the dim light, papers scattered across my desk, a reminder of the day I had just endured.Marco had left with her. SARAH.I could still hear her voice from earlier, soft, polite, pretending to be professional. “Marco and I will be heading out to dinner to celebrate the first day. I trust you’ll take care of the remaining work.”The way she said it, calm and steady, like I was some assistant beneath her. She spoke to me like she was doing me a favor, like she belonged here more than I did. I could almost see the smug little smile on her face when she hung up the phone.I clenched my jaw, staring at the glass wall that reflected the empty office. My reflection looked unfamiliar, my eyes darker than usual. I felt humiliated.Marco hired her. Out of everyone he could have picked, he brought his wife in
SARAHThe restaurant was quiet, glowing with soft lights and the low hum of jazz. Everything smelled of expensive food and wine. I sat across from Marco, still in the same clothes I’d worn to the office, and couldn’t help feeling like I didn’t belong there. The people around us looked so polished, like they’d walked out of a magazine.Marco didn’t seem to care. He looked comfortable, leaning back in his chair with that relaxed air he carried everywhere. His tie was loose, his eyes steady on me. When the waiter poured the wine, Marco reached for his glass and smiled.“To your first day as my secretary,” he said.I let out a small laugh. “You’re really making this a thing, aren’t you?”“It is a thing,” he said. “You walked into my office this morning like you owned it.”“I was nervous,” I said honestly. “I just tried to look like I wasn’t.”He tilted his head, smirking. “You did well. The staff were watching you. Sofia especially.”I looked down at my glass. “I noticed.”Marco raised an
SARAHI sat behind the desk, staring at the screen like it was waiting to judge me. The room was quiet except for the sound of the air conditioner and the sound of conversation outside. My name was still definitely new here. People had whispered it like it carried some secret weight. The boss’s wife. The new secretary. The one who made Sofia tense.I opened the drawers one by one, trying to understand my space. Pens, sticky notes, files marked with initials I didn’t recognize. A small paperweight with the company logo. It felt strange, sitting in this office. Marco’s office was only a few doors away, but this was my corner now. I clicked through the computer, reading the day’s schedule. Meetings, calls, project updates, everything that kept this place alive.Through the glass wall, I could feel their stares. A few heads turned quickly when I looked up. Some smiled nervously, pretending they weren’t watching. Others just whispered, eyes darting between me and the door. I didn’t blame t
SARAHThe room went quiet.Sofia just stood there, eyes wide, her painted lips parting as if she didn’t believe what she had just heard. I could almost hear her heartbeat from where I stood. Marco’s words still hung in the air like smoke. “She’ll be my new secretary.”Her gaze flicked between us, then she let out a breathy laugh. “I’m sorry… what?”Marco didn’t answer right away. He was calm, the way he always was when someone challenged him. Hands in his pockets, steady eyes, quiet authority.Sofia blinked again, this time harder. “You can’t be serious,” she said, voice rising slightly. “You’re replacing me with her?”I felt the words hit me, but before I could react, Marco spoke. “You’re not being replaced,” he said evenly. “You’ll be assisting her transition.”“Transition?” Sofia repeated, her tone sharp, almost a scoff. “She has no clue how this place runs, Marco. You think she can handle calls, meetings, clients? She doesn’t even know the people who work here. This isn’t somethin
SARAHI sat in front of the mirror, brushing my hair slowly, the morning light slipped through the curtains, warm and calm, but my hands were shaking a little. I stared at my reflection, not because I wanted to admire myself, but because I was trying to picture what kind of woman I needed to look like for the day ahead. Someone capable.It had been so long since I’d done anything outside this house. Ever since Marco and I got married, I’d gotten used to waiting for him, planning dinners, and pretending that silence was comfort. But lately, it felt suffocating. The walls listened too much, the halls whispered my name when I passed. Today was different. Today I was going to work with him. Not as decoration, but as part of his world.I picked out a cream blouse and a black skirt. Nothing too bold. Just neat. Respectable. I wanted to look like I understood where I was going. As I buttoned my blouse, I caught my reflection again and smiled faintly. “You can do this,” I whispered to myself.