Chapter 8

Alessandro Moretti

“Yo—your girlfriend?” the blonde standing behind the average-height man with receding hair asked. The obvious shock on their faces.

I noticed Isabelle constantly looking out the window while we went over the contract. I followed her eyes to the building opposite the café. A medium-sized sign Belle’s Sweet hung above a small space that looks like a café too.

I saw how tense she was when the man walked into the café with the blonde trailing behind him. I sensed something wasn’t right but couldn’t ask her. She’ll just say it’s none of my business.

Curiosity made me follow her and I would have left since she seemed to have it under control but when the man called out an outrageous price for this small space, I couldn’t stop myself from intervening.

He was obviously trying to rip Isabelle and not give her the place at the end of the day. I know men like him. Done business with them and caught them in their games. Too familiar.

“Yes,” I answered the blonde then leaned closer to ask Isabelle “You’re okay with having the whole building for expanding your business, huh?” I asked.

She looked up at me but didn’t answer. I couldn’t tell if she was shocked or just looking for words to say. I grinned then leaned in to kiss her nose. Hmm, she smells nice.

“She’s in shock. Yesterday we were having this talk to get the entire place and boom, we have it, right?” I asked the man and he just hummed a response.

“How’s that even possible?” I heard him whisper-ask himself.

I got rid of my smile and turned all businessman. “I need you to write an apology note to my girlfriend, where you’ll state your sincere apology and stupidity for trying to rip her off this space” I waved my hands around “This is a huge rip-off with the price you called”

“It’s the market pric-”

“I have a chain of business like this and I know how the market it, so don’t try to educate me about it” my voice held no emotions when I spoke to him. He looked a bit shaken up but tried to compose himself.

“Why should I write an apology letter to her? She’s not worth it” he threw a disdainful look in Isabelle’s way.

For some reason, that irritated me and I had the urge to punch that look off his face, but there’s something I can do that will do all that trick and I don’t need to raise a muscle.

Taking my phone from my pocket, I start pretending to type. “I guess I have to call my lawyer to see into this. He never lost a case for the Moretti’s” I rolled my eyes and placed my phone on my ear as I fake-called our family lawyer.

Panic surged through him and his eyes budged out like they would fall out of their sockets when he heard my surname.

“Mr. Moretti? Oh no, I-I am s-so sor-sorry sir. I didn’t know Isabelle here is your woman. I-I, please, don’t let it get to that sir. I will tender my immediate apology to her right this instance” he stuttered out his words, begging me not to take any actions against him.

I took my phone from my ear and looked at Isabelle. “What do you think honey?”

Isabelle smiled and looked at the man. “I will be expecting the letter at my boyfriend’s mansion later this evening, Mr. Darren” I saw a smirk play on her lips and it made me chuckle. I don’t know why but it did.

“Hi, Alessandro.” The blonde was already by my side, adjusting her hair and trying to look appealing, I guess. I’ve seen too many women do this in front of me countlessly. “You” She cleared her throat and then extended her hands for a handshake. “I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier” She bit her bottom lips and I so wanted to roll my eyes “I am Penelope Fredrick, my father is quite popular in the ho-”

I looked away from her and turned to Mr. Darren. “I’d like to make payment for the place now”

He offered me the account and after all the transactions were done, I looked at Penelope and Mr. Darren.

“I need to be alone with my girlfriend, so excuse us” I point at the door.

Reluctantly, they made their way out of the place and I turned to look at Isabelle when we were alone.

“So, this place huh?”

Isabelle Campbell

“Yeah,” I smiled when he asked and looked away from him to look around the place that’s now mine. After all these months of struggling to get things in place.

I could feel the emotions surging through my entire being, making me want to cry. I still can’t believe it. This place is mine now.

“What’s so special about this place?” I heard him ask. I turned around with a glare directed at him “I mean, you could get a better place than this. Why hold on to something like this?” he raised his hands up.

I softened my gaze on him and sighed. I can’t blame him for asking, he doesn’t know how important this place is for me. I contemplated telling him about the significance of this bakery.

I walked towards the empty counter and looked at the empty shelves that used to host the equipment I and mum used to bake all our pastries.

“This is my mum’s bakery” I let it out and closed my eyes. Trying not to let the emotions eat me up and break me down. ‘hold it in Belle, hold it in’

“Don’t you think you could have a bett-”

“She passed a few months ago” I cut him off. The tears didn’t need permission to roll down my cheeks. It’s painful to think about it.

We stood there in silence, and then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and watch him walk over to stand in front of me.

“I’m sorry about that” he whispered. I could see the concern in his eyes. “This must hold so many memories for you to let go” he didn’t ask. Like he knew what I was going to say.

I took in deep breaths, hoping to calm myself but it wasn’t working. His arms went over my shoulders and pulled me in for a hug.

My arms went around his torso and I cried my heart out. I feel like I didn’t get the chance to properly mourn Mum’s death because there wasn’t any time to do so. Liv had told me to let it out but I was too busy to let my emotions take charge for once.

I leaned away from the hug and he offered me a handkerchief which I used to clean my eyes and blow my nose. When he leaned in, I froze watching what he was doing but relaxed a bit when he kissed my nose again and leaned back a bit to look into my eyes.

My heart rate quickened when our eyes stayed staring into each other. My heart rate heightened when he leaned in with his eyes closed.

I closed my eyes and when our lips were inches apart, the sound of a phone drew us apart from each other. We cleared our throats at the same time, looked at each other then looked away.

I checked my phone but saw nothing. It was his.

My mind went on thinking what would have happened if his phone hadn’t been interrupted. I shook the though out of my head and turned to face him when he called my name.

“Let’s get back to the mansion. Grandpa will be glad with this new development” he held his hand for me and I took it as he led me out of the café.