CHAPTER NINE

NATALIE 

I sat behind my mahogany desk, my slender fingers, accentuated by my red painted nails typing away on my keyboard. I had meticulously chosen this office because of the way its window overlooked the ocean behind the office building. I would have instructed my assistants to do the typing, but I wanted to ensure everything was properly documented to my taste, and the only way I could do that was to ensure I did it myself. Plus, since my rebirth, I had become skeptical about trusting people—too much trust has led to my death in my previous life, and one thing I had learnt after my rebirth is that trust is something that shouldn’t be easily given out.

It had been two days since I sent out the documents to Rafael to sign, the documents that was going to seal our contract and mark the beginning of my plans, I trailed my eyes to the edge of the table where my phone lay, as if expecting it to light up with a notification from Rafael, informing me that the contract had been signed. 

And just as if the universe had worked together with my thoughts, a knock sounded on my door.

“Who is it?” I asked as I lifted my eyes to the door.

The door handle twisted and the door was pushed open.

“Miss De Luca?” Emma Swansea, my new personal assistant appeared in front of the door.

She was a young American lady of not more than twenty four, standing at a height of 5’5, she had brown, shoulder length hair that gave a professional touch to her looks. 

“Come in,” I said, resting back on my seat and keeping my eyes glued to her physiques.

Lorenzo had carefully picked her from America and flown her to Milan, and had assured me that she could be trusted. 

Her shoes clicked against the hard floor as she strolled down from the door towards my table.

She placed a brown envelope on my table.

“This contains the signed documents from Mr. Morretti, it just needs your signature to fully become legal.”

“Of course,” I said as I reached for the envelope.

Blood rushed through my veins as I reached for the envelope, but it wasn’t fear, it was eagerness—eagerness to pursue my plans, to make good use of my second chance and fulfill my mission. “I will sign it.”

“Also,” she continued as I made to dig into the envelope.

“I received the message from Miss Rissi’s personal assistant, she is asking if tomorrow evening would be a good time to have a drink with her.”

My hand tightened around the pen which I had retrieved from my drawer as more blood rushed through my veins at the mention of Isabella. Tomorrow evening, I was going to be sitting face to face with the same woman who had been the cause of my death in my past life, who had held me under water till my last breath. 

Yes, I’ve had several confrontations with Isabella since my rebirth, but tomorrow evening would be different, it would be like dining with the devil, coming face to face with the very devil that had once caused my destruction and would not hesitate to do it again. Tomorrow evening, it would feel like I was going to war and would require all my tactics to escape Isabella’s scrutinising eyes. 

I had to keep her on her toes, I had to keep her wondering, and while at it, I had to remain a mystery to her.

“Ask her to send me a message with the exact time and place for the meeting.” I said, plastering a smile on my face.

“Sure… I will do that.” Emma said, “Is there anything else you would want me to do for you before I leave?” She asked.

“No,” I said simply and returned my gaze to the open laptop in front of me, only lifting it when the gentle thud of the door getting close sounded.

By the time I was done in the office and looked through my window, the ocean whose view I enjoyed from my office was reflecting the sky, those shiny stars and the image of the moon.

It was time to leave.

*********

I stood by the glass wall in my room that overlooked the city, phone in one hand, wine glass in the other hand, staring at the text message that had popped into my phone a while ago.

La Vineria, 8pm.

I had meticulously chosen the black strapless dress I had on. There is something mysterious about the colour, black, that made it more appropriate for a night like this, a night that I would be dining with the actual devil.

“Your car is waiting outside.” My housekeeper came to inform me.

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Bringing the glass to my lips, I downed the remaining contents of the wine glass in one gulp before I set the glass down on the table. I reached for my jacket and threw it over the strapless dress I had on. A black jacket over a black dress, I looked like the perfect villain, especially with the dark red lipstick I had on—the darkest shade of red I could find in my collection.

The La Vineria was one of the most prestigious wine shops in Milan, one of the finest too and attracted high profile personalities.

I took off my shades as the car came to a halt in front of the shop and waited till the driver came over to open the door.

“Thank you.” I said as I retrieved my purse and walked into the shop.

Isabella was already sitting at the far end of the room, sipping a glass of wine. A small, cunning smile crossed her blazing red lips as our eyes met.

I returned her smile, clutching my purse tightly.

“I’m glad you could make it.” She smiled up at me as I approached the table.

I chuckled slightly as I extended my hand for a handshake.

“You look stunning.” She said, gripping my hand.

“You don’t look bad yourself.”

I scanned her with my eyes before I took my seat. All black too, mimicking my dressing, only that instead of a dark shade lipstick like mine, she had on a blazing red lipstick, the colour of fresh blood.

“I already ordered wine, but you can get something else, if you want. It’s on me.” Isabella said. 

Even while I wasn’t looking, I could feel her burning gaze on me, as if digging, as if searching for loopholes with which to pin me down.

Straightening my both hands on the table, and clasping my fingers together, I sat up right.

“No, I will have what you are having.”

“Great!” 

I watched as she reached for an empty glass on the table and poured a generous quantity of wine.

I reached out for the glass, the same Alina had reached out for the glass two years ago, and drank to her death. But I wasn’t her anymore, I wasn’t the naive Alina that trusted so easily, I was someone different now.

“Natalie,” my name sounded like poison as they slipped through her tongue. “I must say, I am impressed by how easily you navigate your way through the industry. You seem to know a lot.” 

I chuckled lightly as I brought the glass to my lips, but didn’t take a sip.

“What can I say?” I began, setting the glass down. “It was drawn from years of commitment and hard work.”

The smile stayed on her lips, never reaching her eyes. Her eyes, sharp as a butcher’s knife rested on me, as if scrutinising me.

“And of course, coming from a well connected family.” My smile was more like a smirk now. “Not everybody is exposed to such luxury.

Something flickered in her eyes, but was gone the next second, before I could even figure out what it was.

I caressed the phoenix tattoo in my palm as I tried to maintain a steady expression.

“Rafael seems to hold you in high esteem now.” She added.

Of course, that was because I had what it took to solve his problems.

“And you are going to work closely with us now.”

I noted the way she clearly tried to include herself in the equation, to mark her territory, to make known her position in Rafael’s life. 

“What’s with your interest in the Barret development project?” She suddenly raised the question.

My smile broadened.

“It is business, Isabella. I’m sure you already know this, in the business world, you go where you see potential for growth.”

“So you think the Barret project has potential?” She asked.

“Do you think it doesn’t?” 

The awkwardness dragged for a while, my knuckles already hurt from clenching my fists too hard all through the night.

Maybe it was relief that washed over me when the screen of her phone which was resting on the table lit up. 

The look of urgency on her face as she stared at the screen indicates that she had somewhere to be.

“I’m sorry, Natalie.” She said, lifting her gaze to meet mine, “but our dinner would have to be cut short, something important just came up that I must attend to.” 

“Sure…” I cut in, equally standing to my feet. “I’m sure you are a very busy person.”

Her sharp gaze snapped up at me, clearly unsure if I meant my statement as sarcasm. But I worked to steady my expression, with the smile painted on it.

“It was nice having this conversation with you.” I told her, clearly meaning the opposite as I extended my hand for another handshake.

Her hands meeting mine was cold, cold her menacing gaze which rested on me, cold as the air that tickled my bare arms, drawing to my attention that I needed to pull on my jacket before I walk out the door.