~Marco~
The next day, I met Alessia for lunch near the office, hoping to probe more. She was distracted, checking her phone.
"Work stuff?" I asked, biting into a sandwich.
"Yeah," she said, sighing. "This audit's a nightmare. And Lorenzo's been… distant."
"Distant how?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.
She shrugged, poking at her salad. "He's stressed, keeps shutting me out. And then there's Clara, always around him."
"Sounds like you're not just his assistant." I raised an eyebrow and she froze, then forced a laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous, Marco. He is my boss and I'm just worried about him."
"If you say so, dear."
I let it go, while staring at her. If she was falling for Lorenzo, that complicated things. I needed her trust, not her heartbreak.
"Well, if you need a break, I'm here," I said, smiling. "We could grab drinks this weekend."
"Maybe," she said, her eyes softening. "Thanks, Marco."
As we left, I walked her back to Morano Holdings. She headed inside, but I waited, watching through the glass doors.
Lorenzo was in a meeting room, deep in conversation with a woman... sharp suit, dark hair, leaning close. Clara? No, someone new.
Alessia stopped short, her face tightening, and I knew she saw it too...
★★★
~Alessia~
I stood frozen in the office hallway, clutching a stack of documents, my eyes locked on Lorenzo and the woman in the meeting room.
She was polished... dark hair, expensive suit, leaning too close to him. My stomach twisted, jealousy flaring hotter than it had with Veronica or Clara.
I forced myself to move, knocking lightly before entering.
"Mr. Morano, the quarterly reports," I said, my voice steady despite the burn in my chest.
Lorenzo looked up, his expression neutral.
"Thanks, Alessia. This is Isabella Varela, from Varela Enterprises. Isabella, my assistant, Alessia."
Isabella's smile was cunning, her eyes flicking over me like I was competition.
"Charmed," she said, her tone dripping with something I couldn't place. "Lorenzo, we were discussing the merger terms, right?"
"Yeah," he said, taking the reports. "Alessia, join us for notes."
I nodded, sitting across from Isabella, her perfume choking.
"Our firms could align perfectly," she said, her hand brushing Lorenzo's as she pointed to a chart, and my pen dug into the paper. "We'd need to streamline costs, though," she added, her smile lingering on him.
Lorenzo nodded, focused. I scribbled, my mind racing. Was she flirting? Or was I seeing things because of Veronica?
The meeting dragged, every glance she gave him fueling my unease. When it ended, I bolted out immediately, needing air...
---
Later at home, I paced the living room, my jealousy boiling over. Lorenzo walked in, loosening his tie.
"You've been quiet," he said, eyeing me. "What's wrong?"
I spun to face him, arms crossed. "Isabella. She was all over you today. What's her deal?"
He raised an eyebrow, setting his jacket down. "Not again, Alessia. Isabella is a business partner for goodness sake."
"Right," I scoffed, stepping closer. "Like Veronica was just business? I'm not blind, Ren."
He closed the gap between us. "You're letting this get to you, Alessia. Remember our deal?"
"Maybe I don't want that anymore," I snapped, my voice shaking. "I hate seeing you with her."
His eyes softened, and he cupped my face, kissing me hard but I pushed him away. "Stop! I'm not your sex toy!"
"What?" He blinked in shock.
"You heard me!" I snapped. "Stop treating me like one whilst you flirt around with other ladies."
Following my words, he turned around and went upstairs, not even saying a word to me... And that's how our day ended.
No one prepared me for this constant misunderstandings in a situationship...
---
The next morning, I was at my desk when Lorenzo's phone rang.
He answered in his office, "Adams, not now..." I overheard, my ears pricking. "...the New York trip was fine, so drop it."
Adams? My brother? Why was he asking about New York? My heart raced as Lorenzo hung up, his face tense.
He didn't see me watching, but I knew something was off... something he wasn't telling me about our trip.
★★★
~Lorenzo~
The call from Alessia's brother, Adams, stuck with me as I sat in my office. His questions about New York... too pointed and curious, set me on edge.
I hadn't told Alessia about my doctor's visit there, the tests, the uncertainty. She didn't need that burden, not with the audit and her jealousy over Isabella already weighing on her.
I rubbed my chest, the dull ache coming back again.
At the morning briefing, I stood before the team. "The audit's wrapping up tomorrow," I said, scanning the room. "Every number must be perfect with no excuses."
Alessia sat in the corner, her pen flying across her notebook, but her eyes glanced at me, searching. I avoided her gaze, focusing on Clara's update about marketing expenses.
"We've traced the discrepancies," Clara said, clicking through slides. "They're small but dangerous. We're close to pinpointing the source."
"Good," I replied, my mind on Jake's files. "Keep digging, I want names by tonight... Everyone is dismissed."
Alessia stayed after, handing me a coffee. "I'm sorry about yesterday, Ren," she said softly.
I took the mug, our fingers brushing. "It's fine, I don't hold grudges."
"Good... So tell me, what's truly going on with you and Isabella."
"Nothing Alessia, just work. Forget about her."
She frowned, unconvinced. "You're shutting me out again. I heard you mention Adams earlier, what's he got to do with New York?"
I stiffened, setting the coffee down. "Nothing you need to worry about. Focus on your role here."
Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded, walking away. I hated lying, but protecting her meant keeping this quiet... for now.
In my office, I was reviewing final audit reports when Clara burst in.
"We found it," she said, breathless. "It's not Jake. Someone higher up... someone close to you."
My heart sank as she slid a document across my desk, a name circled in red that made my blood run cold.