Chapter 175 Payback #Finished

Mia stood outside Alessandro's home office, feeling conflicted. It had been an hour, and he still hadn't come out of the room. Vittoria had just left, and Mia thought about telling Alessandro. The children had returned home, and she had asked them to stay in their room. Seeing their mother's tense expression, Gia and Maximo understood something serious was happening, so they didn't ask any questions and agreed to obey their mother. Mia instructed the head maid to send some refreshments-juices, and snacks-for the children.

As she stood there, contemplating her next move, Mia hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to knock on the door and talk to Alessandro. Just as she raised her hand to knock, her phone vibrated in her hand. It was on silent mode, and Mia lifted it to see who was calling. It was Emily.

She sighed and decided to answer the call before talking to Alessandro.

"Emily! Hi, how are you?" Mia said, trying to keep her voice soft, steady, and smooth in contrast to the stress she was feeling at that moment.

"Mia! I've sent some designs to you. Have you checked them?" Emily asked with urgency in her tone.

Mia hissed under her breath-she had completely forgotten to check them with everything happening around her.

"I'm sorry, Emily," she said, rubbing her forehead. "Can I check them tomorrow and get back to you?" she asked, biting her lip in hesitation.

Emily was handling all the business in Paris alone while Mia was managing things in Italy. Mia had been thinking about offering Emily a partnership rather than having her work as Mia's assistant.

"Oh no, Mia, it's urgent. I need your approval right now; I have a meeting with a potential client in an hour," Emily said anxiously.

Mia swallowed, trying to think of a solution. She couldn't share what was happening in her family; it was a private matter.

"Emily, go for it. I trust your decisions," she said with confidence in her best friend.

"Are you sure?" Emily's hesitant voice reflected her nervousness.

"Of course! You've been working with me for so long and know me well. I know you can close this deal Mia encouraged Emily, and she heard a loud exhale from Emily's side. "Don't worry, you'll nail it," Mia reassured Emily further.

"Alright," Emily said with determination. "I'll try my best not to disappoint you," she added playfully.

"You better, Mia chuckled in a hushed tone.

I'll call you later. I have a lot of work to do before the meeting." Emily said and was about to hang up when Mia's voice stopped her, "Emily!"

"Yes?" Emily replied in a tone reflecting her confusion.

"All the best, and don't stress yourself. It's just a deal," Mia smiled, trying to comfort her friend.

Mon,

Chapter 175 Payback

Finished

Emily sighed in relaxation, her relief sounded through the phone. "Thanks, babe. I needed you here so badly," she said. "I miss you."

"I miss you too!" Mia murmured as mixed emotions touched her heart.

Emily had been more than a friend; she was like a sister who had stood by her through every difficult situation. Once everything settled down, Mia planned to call Emily to Florence and consider what to do about her business in Paris-perhaps hiring someone capable to take over.

"Bye, boss. Gotta go!" Emily's voice was hurried as she hung up.

Mia shook her head and glanced again at Alessandro's closed office door. She was about to knock and just as her hand reached the door, it flung open. It was as if Alessandro had read her mind; he appeared on the other side. His face remained serious and unreadable, without any expression.

"I got a call from the police," Alessandro's tone was very cold, making Mia even more worried as she waited for him to continue. "Maria's car was in an accident, and she was found dead at the scene."ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Mia gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh God!"

"I'm going to confirm the body's identity. You should have dinner and stay safe at home with the kids," he said as if it were just another ordinary day, then left without looking back.

But Mia understood what he was hiding behind his cold facade. She could sense the turmoil beneath his stoic expression and the storm flickering in his eyes. She knew it wasn't an accident. The thought made her swallow hard. But Maria had brought this upon herself. After all, she was responsible for turning a child into an avenging monster by forcing him to witness his mother's merciless murder at the hands of his own father.

She took a deep breath as she watched Alessandro's back. He just walked away nonchalantly. She wanted to run to him and hug him tightly, offering comfort. However, her heart sank at the thought of whether her love would be enough to heal him. Would he ever be able to recover and return to his normal life?

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