THE ARRIVAL IN ITALY

Isabella

I finally arrived in Milan, Italy, and after passing through the luggage checkpoints, I headed out into the arrival terminal. The exact moment my eyes landed on my bestie, Fiamma, we both rushed toward each other and shared a massive, emotional hug with bright smiles on our faces.

I was completely exhausted and emotionally drained from the nightmare in New York, but I felt a massive wave of relief leaving those sick bastards behind and finally reuniting with my grandmother and my best friend, whom I had missed so much.

As usual, Fiamma looked absolutely stunning, dressed in a high-fashion outfit that made heads turn across the airport terminal. She squealed with pure excitement, "Oh girl, I have really missed you so much! And what on earth are you wearing? I am going to completely change your fashion style, darling, trust me. You are going to love it here in Milan."

She dragged my hand excitedly and signaled her chauffeur to put my suitcases in the trunk of the luxury car, while we climbed into the back seat and started catching up on everything.

We drove straight to my grandmother Nonna Sophia's house. I knew she would be so excited to see me because I intentionally did not tell her I was coming, wanting it to be a perfect surprise.

The moment the car stopped, I rushed inside the house to give my grandmother a tight hug. I had missed her presence so much. She was completely shocked and breathless with excitement to see me standing in her living room.

"Oh Isa, why did you not tell me you were coming? I would have prepared your favorite dish right away," she said with tears of joy in her eyes. It had been so long since I heard someone call me Isa, which was her special nickname for me.

I smiled warmly and told her that any food she cooks is always my absolute favorite because I missed her and her sweet, delicious dishes so much. Fiamma walked into the room right behind me and gave Nonna Sophia a loving hug as well.

Grandma was so excited that she immediately called out to Maya, the house help, telling her they needed to prepare a massive, delicious feast to welcome Isa home. I smiled happily and carried my bags up to my old room, with Fiamma following close behind me.

After unpacking, while Fiamma continuously complained that we needed to go shopping immediately to change my entire fashion style, I just laughed softly, telling her that I would eventually, but not yet. She asked why I was hesitating, and I told her the truth with a heavy heart: I desperately needed money because my toxic ex-fiancé had used almost all my savings for a fake business deal. I did not have money for luxury right now, and I needed to secure a job as soon as possible.

Fiamma's eyes went wide and she snapped her fingers, saying that her brother Leonardo's executive secretary was fired yesterday because he saw her as completely incompetent. She added, "With your first-class honors degree in corporate communications from Sterling University, you would be the perfect fit. I am calling my brother right now to force him to interview you tomorrow morning." She walked out excitedly to make the call.

Left alone, I sat on the bed and had a sudden, vivid flashback of how I used to crush on Leonardo back when we were in high school. He was my handsome senior, so charming and breathtakingly cute, but he never once looked my way, always viewing me as just his little sister's friend. I shook my head to clear the thoughts, reminding myself that it was all in the past. I was completely done with love because all men are the same sick, manipulative bastards. My only priority now was to focus on getting this job to support myself and my grandmother. Love was no longer on my agenda.

Fiamma returned thirty minutes later with a massive, triumphant smile, announcing that her brother agreed I should come early for the interview tomorrow. She looked at me seriously and warned me, "My brother has really changed a lot over the years, Bella. He is a robot now, so you need to do your absolute professional best to get hired."

I nodded confidently. Just then, her phone rang loudly and she kissed me quickly on the cheeks, wishing me luck before rushing out for an emergency photoshoot, leaving me alone to prepare.

I headed downstairs to help Nonna Sophia with dinner. We sat down at the table, saying our prayers before eating. "Isa," grandma said warmly, trying to serve more food, "eat more, child." I laughed and told her, "Grandma, thank you, but I am already full." After eating, I assisted Maya in clearing the tables and doing the dishes until everything was clean. Then, I kissed grandma goodnight and headed to bed.

The next morning, my alarm rang loudly at six am. I dashed into the bathroom to get ready for the high-stakes interview at Moretti Industries. I put on a simple, fitted black skirt, a professional blouse, and sleek black stiletto heels. I carried a black leather handbag containing all my university documents.

Downstairs, I realized it was almost seven thirty-nine am. I quickly greeted my grandmother. "Good morning, ma." She asked with concern if I was going to have breakfast, but I told her no, as I would just grab something quick on my way.

I stepped outside and hailed a taxi to Moretti Industries. Within twenty minutes, I was at the front gate of a massive corporate complex. Taxis were not allowed inside, so I headed in on foot. The building was a magnificent skyscraper that stretched high into the sky. I walked inside the grand lobby, which featured expensive pure Italian marble floors.

I approached the reception desk and said I had an interview appointment with the CEO. The woman checked her system and directed me to his private elevator. I took the elevator up, staring at everything through the glass walls because the design was so beautiful.

Within seconds, the elevator doors glided open, signaling that I had reached the exclusive executive floor, revealing frameless glass walls, beautiful, expensive imported rugs, and modern corporate decor. I walked down the quiet hallway until I came across a heavy set of double doors with text boldly written across the front stating: CEO Office.

I felt incredibly nervous and tense, but I straightened my shoulders and took a deep breath to gather my confidence before knocking gently on the wood. I heard a deep, unyielding voice from inside say, "Come in."

I opened the door and walked inside the room. My heart instantly dropped into my stomach. Leonardo had grown into an incredibly handsome man with broad, powerful shoulders and striking, dangerous looks. I offered a polite greeting, saying, "Good morning, sir," but I received absolutely no response.

He did not even lift his head from his desk. He only extended a hand and muttered a single word. I walked forward and handed him my papers, still standing rigidly as he read through the pages. After what felt like an absolute eternity, he looked up with icy grey eyes and spoke sternly.

Leonardo

"Fiamma forced me into this, and after going through your documents, I can see you are technically fit for this job. But let me make one thing clear: I do not tolerate any clumsiness or unprofessional conduct in my company. Your childhood history with my sister is none of my business, so do not dare to bring personal drama into my workplace. Any mistakes or lack of focus from your end will instantly get you fired on the spot. I do not care about your relationship with my sister. Am I clear?" he demanded.

I stood there, completely shocked by the sheer weight of his coldness. He had changed so much from the sweet boy I remembered, because Leonardo was never this cruel. I swallowed the lump in my throat and replied immediately, "Yes, sir."

Then, he gave a slight nod and told me coldly that I could resume my duties tomorrow morning.