Hannah's POV:

Today's my first day off after one week of working continuously. Thank freaking goodness. Not that I didn't like my job, I love it but working with people twelve hours a day can get pretty exhausting very fast. By the time the week was over, my whole body was sore, my eyelids barely able to lift an inch and my eye bags. Oh my. Don't even get me started on them. I look like a panda alright.

I sipped on my pipping hot fresh cuppa as I breathed in the sensational aroma. I sighed loudly, smiling to myself. This is exactly what I needed. A fresh cup of coffee after my twelve hour beauty sleep. Putting my coffee down onto the kitchen island, I stretched my arms over my head, rolling my shoulders as the cracks sounded throughout the room. Wow that was intense. I love the sound of the cracks. Am I the only one?

"Good morning chica," Kara smiled as she walked into the kitchen, "I take it you are well rested now."

"Nothing a twelve hour nap couldn't fix." I replied, catching the apple she threw towards me.

I looked down at her outfit. Pencil skirt and a blouse. I frowned in confusion.

"Where are you going? I thought you took the day off." I said, following her to the living room.

"I got called into the office this morning. The first batch of merchandise has just arrived."

"Oh.." I was not surprised at this point. Kara was a workaholic after all. Whenever work called, she came running. Quite the opposite mindset to a normal person. Then again, her IQ is far from normal.

"Hey Hannahhh," Kara whined in a sickly sweet voice she always used when she needed me to do something for her.

"What do you need from me now?" I said with caution, gazing over her pouting form. This does not seem promising.

"Could you please take Brooke to her soccer practice?" I gave her my 'are you serious, on my day off' look.

"Pretty pretty please with a cherry on top."

"Seriously Kara." I replied with a deadpan expression, my hand covering my face.

"Brooke! Come here. I need your pouty face." Kara screamed. Oh no. She knew I couldn't resist my little munchkin's puppy dog face.

Don't look, don't look, don't fall for it, I told myself, putting up a brave front.

However, my stoic wall came crashing down the moment I looked into Brooke big blue eyes that shined right into my soul. She blinked rapidly, with her long eyelashes fluttering up and down, putting me into a trance. Crikey. With that look, she could get away with murder.

"Fine." I stomped my way back into my room to get changed while Kara and Brooke cheered in the background. Those two rascals.

Once I was ready, I walked back into the living room to see Brooke sitting on the couch waiting for me. I grabbed the car keys on the hook by the door as we made our way to the car. I buckled Brooke in and shoved her gym bag in the boot before getting in myself.

We reached the soccer field within ten minutes as I parked the car into a lot. I helped Brooke out before holding her hand as we walked to where her team was gathered. Once Brooke saw her friends, she let go out of my hand, rushing to see her friends. What a traitor.

Brooke and her teammates started their warm ups as I settled myself down on a bench along the sidelines, scrolling through my phone.

New message: Mr Valentino

Huh, what does he want now? I clicked on his message.

Mr Valentino: Where are you buttercup?

Goodness, it's my day off. What does he want with me? He's more nosy than my own father. Feeling slightly annoyed by his need to know about my whereabouts, my fingers typed back harshly.

Me: Away from you.

Okay, maybe I can be nicer.

Me: Why do you want to know?

My phone dinged instantly. However, before I could click on the message, I was interrupted by the gossip mums who decided to plop right down next to me.

"You were the woman with Brooke and her mother weren't you?" The head of the group asked. According to what Kara had told me, she was Vanessa. She must be trying to pry for information, too bad she ain't going to get any from me.

"What's it to you?" I replied back, looking disinterested.

"I'm Vanessa, Katie's mother," Ahh, so I was right.

"And?"

"Was the man she was with really her fiancée?" Hearing this for the first time, my head whipped around, facing the group.

"Where did you hear that?" My fingers ready to call Kara.

"Mr De Luca told us himself." I raised my eyebrows, nodding to myself.

"Oh did he?" I said, playing along with them, "then it must be true."

The moment I said that the group gasped, whispering amongst themselves, huddling closer together. Not wanting to be anywhere near their filthy duck mouths, I stood up, about to walk away.

"Excuse me ladies." I walked away from them, moving far enough for them not to hear me as I rang Kara.

"Hello?" Kara said on the other line.

"Hey chica, is there something you're not telling me?" I prompted, teasing her through the phone.

"Err..." she pondered, "I don't think so. You would have grilled it out of me already if I did."

"Well, I've heard something a little peculiar today. You would think I would know if my best friend in the entire world was engaged."

"WHAT?!" Kara yelled into the phone making my ears ring as I winced, holding it away from my dying ears.

"Ah, so you didn't know either," I thought that much too, "interesting."

"Where did you hear that from?"

"The gossip soccer mums club. Apparently Alessandro told them himself." I replied as I kicked the fallen leaves under the tree, bored from the conversation already.

"I'm going to kill him when I see him." Kara seethed as I imagined her face red from anger, her head looking as if it's about to explode. How funny.

"Good luck then chica. Bye." With that, I hung up on her. Damage control done.

---------

Kara's POV:

After the phone call with Hannah, I tossed my phone onto the couch, pacing up and down. Why would he do that? Why would he say that? What if Brooke got news of it? All the what ifs ran through my mind. I couldn't comprehend why he would make up such a thing. It made completely no sense whatsoever.

I moved towards my desk, crashing back into my work chair, leaning back, sighing loudly. I closed my eyes, trying to blank out my mind from the raging thoughts that overflowed, flowing out like a waterfall.

Breathe, in 1,2,3,4. Hold, 1,2,3,--

Unable to calm myself, I slammed my hands on the table. I needed to get his explanation right away. If this got out to the tabloids, it could cause some serious trouble. I grabbed my key cards as well as my phone as I walked out of my office. My heels clicking behind me as everyone in the hallway parted, allowing me to walk through comfortably.

Ever since I've been working here, somehow word had got out that Mr Borgatti was my godfather. All the employees became more wary of me, treating me exactly how they treated their own boss, Alessandro. Their heads down, refusing to look me in the eyes, making way for me whenever I walked through the room. If this was power, I kind of dig it.

I was a woman on a mission, moving straight to my destination.

"Ms Coleman," he greeted, stopping me in my path, "Mr De Luc-"

I glared at him, clearly not in the mood for his disruption. Seeing my facial expression, he sealed his lips, moving away from my path. Good choice Russo.

I slammed open Alessandro's office doors, barging into the room.

"Alessandro, what the hell di--" I began as I took a step into his office before looking up and realising he had a guest in his office. Alessandro looked up at me, raising his eyebrows in surprise. I quickly shut my mouth, squeezing my eyes hard as I heard him chuckle in the background. OH GOD. What did I just do?

I turned back to Russo who was right behind me and whispered harshly at him, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged his shoulders in reply, going back to his desk at the receptionist area. Leaving me for the wolves aren't you, you traitor, I thought.

I turned back, a hundred percent embarrassed at this point.

"So sorry for the interruption. I'll come back later." I said apologetically, turning around to walk out of his office and to dig a grave for me to hide in and never come out of.

Before I could make it out of the door and save the little slither of dignity I still had left, the older woman in the room said, "Nonsense dear. Come in, come in."

"È questa la ragazza di cui Dante mi ha parlato?" She said to which I frowned, not understanding what she said. (Is this the girl Dante told me about?)

Alessandro nodded his head slowly, swivelling a pen around his fingers. With his apparent confirmation, she stood up abruptly causing me to jump in surprise, holding my arm, tugging me to sit next to her. Despite my obvious attempts to get Alessandro's attention with my eyes, he paid no attention to the growing awkward tension in air between the woman and I.

After sitting in silence for a while, she broke the tension by throwing her shoe at Alessandro.

"AHHH" he yelled, rubbing his head.

"Figlio, stupido ragazzo," she said in a scolding manner, "perché non ci stai?" (Son, you silly boy, why are you not introducing us?)

"Okay okay madre. You don't have to be violent." He said teasingly to which he got a glare in return. I laughed silently by the side, trying to keep it in as much as I could. However, I don't think I did a very good job, seeing as both of them turned to me.

I coughed, slightly intimidated by both their glazes.

"Kara, this is my mother and madre, this is Kara Coleman, Mr Borgatti's goddaughter." I gasped slightly as Alessandro handed the shoe back to his mother. I just embarrassed the hell out of myself in front of Mrs De Luca. Oh my lord.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs De Luca." I greeted politely.

"No need for the formalities dear, call me Rosa," she smiled warmly at me.

"Has my son been treating you well?"

"Madre." Alessandro interjected, only to be given a death stare in return, making him cower in fear. Wow, that's something new. I've never seen Alessandro back down from anything or anyone. This might come in handy one day.

"Yes he has Rosa. Don't worry, he's been a real gentlemen."

"He better be. If he causes you any trouble, you call me and I'll set him straight." She said, winking at me. I giggled in reply, thanking her in advance.

"Madre," he whined once again, sinking his face into his hands in embarrassment.

"Okay, okay, that look means it's time for me to go," his mother laughed at his expense, "don't be late for dinner son."

"Oh, Kara, you should join us. Bring your daughter as well, I would love to meet her." She suggested, putting me in a spot.

I hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to reply to it. However the look on her face meant that she wasn't really giving me a choice.

"Sure. I would love to," I replied out of courtesy.

His mother said her goodbyes to her son, giving him a big hug and pinching his cheek at the end. He was such a softie. He kissed her cheek goodbye before she walked out of his office.

"Well you certainly made an impression on my mother," Alessandro said, walking towards the window, sitting next to me.

"Don't joke about that," I replied, hitting him on the shoulder, "it was not funny. At all."

Reminding me of the reason I came into his office in the first place, I grabbed the heaviest and closest book to me and wacked it against his shoulder yet again.

"AHH," he yelled, "what was that for?"

"That was telling the soccer mums that I was your fiancée."

I tried to wack him again with the book but before it could touch his skin, his strong big hands stopped me, making me drop the book. He moved my arm down, without breaking eye contact with me, keeping his gaze locked into mine. I tried to rip my arm from his hold, however, he gripped it tighter.

"Why?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.

"Why what?" He replied, cocking his head to the side, playing dumb. I rolled my eyes at him, giving him a stink eye. However, it didn't faze him.

"Why did you call me your fiancée?" He moved closer to me till I could feel his breath against my collarbone. My breath hitched, stuck in my throat, my heart skipped a beat.

"I have my reasons, tesoro." He whispered before letting me go completely, moving towards his desk.

"That's not an answer," I huffed angrily, stomping my way to leave his office. Why couldn't he just give me a straight answer?

Just as my hand grabbed the door knob to leave, I was whisked back into his arms. He held me from the back, giving me a back hug, his arms wrapped around the front of my shoulders. He leant his head down, tucking his head into side of my neck.

"Are you mad tesoro?" He asked. I didn't say a word. I was a silent angry person, if you know what I mean.

Seeing as I wouldn't acknowledge his presence, he turned me around, still holding onto my shoulders. He tilted my head up to meet his gaze.

"I said it so they would leave you alone," he explained, making me feel slightly guilty at my actions.

"Oh." I replied, unconsciously fiddling with thumbs.

"You look like a little kitten when you're angry," he smiled, giving my nose a kiss. I blushed at his action although I was a little offended.

"A kitten? Really?" I mocked, pretending to be highly offended, "how rude."

"Exactly," he kissed my cheek, "a cute one at that."

"I'm more of a lion. No a tiger," I rebutted.

"Sure tesoro," He chuckled, "I'll see you at dinner tonight then."

He gave me a quick peck and pinched my cheek as I winced in pain. That asshole. I grimaced at him before leaving his office as he chuckled to himself. I walked back to my office, plopping myself back into my chair and opened my laptop.

Only then did it hit me that later that night I would be meeting his parents for the first time. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.

*****

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