136

136
Gianna’s POV
The room buzzed with tension. The clients were seated around the long conference table, their expressions a mix of curiosity and expectation. I stood near the head of the table, trying to conceal my irritation. A last-minute technical hiccup had derailed our carefully crafted presentation slides, and the clock was ticking.
Behind me, Matteo was hunched over the laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard as he tried to salvage the files. I had to admit, the fact that he was even attempting to fix it without panicking was impressive. Most people his age-or at his level-would’ve been floundering by now.
“Any luck?” I whispered, keeping my voice low so the clients wouldn’t overhear.
He didn’t look up. “Almost there. Give me two more minutes.”
Two minutes. In business terms, that might as well have been two hours. I glanced at the clients again, offering a tight smile. “We appreciate your patience. Technology isn’t always our friend, but Matteo is working on it as we speak.”
One of them, an older man with silver hair and a no-nonsense demeanor, raised an eyebrow. “You do realize our time is valuable, don’t you?”
I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, but before I could respond, Matteo straightened up and turned toward the table.
“You’re absolutely right, Mr. Adler,” he said, his tone calm and professional. “And while I can’t argue with the unpredictability of technology, I can assure you that we’re fully prepared to move forward without the slides. If you’ll allow me, I’d be happy to walk you through the key points myself.”
The confidence in his voice startled me. This was the same Matteo who had made a joke about accidentally calling a client the wrong name just days ago?
“Go on,” Mr. Adler said, leaning back in his chair with a skeptical expression.
Matteo grabbed the remote for the projector, switching it off entirely, and stepped to the front of the room. He wasn’t flustered or apologetic. If anything, he seemed completely at ease as he addressed the group.
“Thank you for your understanding,” he began, his voice steady. “Our goal today is to show you how this partnership can benefit your company. While we may not have visuals to accompany these points, I believe the numbers and strategies we’ve developed will speak for themselves.”
He launched into the presentation, his tone shifting effortlessly between informative and engaging. He outlined the plan we’d developed, addressing each client’s specific concerns and needs with precision. It was clear he’d done his homework.
What surprised me most was the way he handled the room. He wasn’t just reciting information; he was connecting with them. When Mr. Adler frowned at a particular statistic, Matteo didn’t falter.
“I understand your hesitation,” Matteo said, meeting his gaze directly. “But if you look at the long-term projections, you’ll see that this approach minimizes risk while maximizing profit. Let me break it down for you.”
I watched as he picked up a marker and began sketching out a diagram on the whiteboard. It wasn’t fancy, but it was effective. The clients leaned forward, nodding along as he explained.
By the time he finished, the tension in the room had shifted. What had started as skepticism had turned into engagement. Even Mr. Adler looked impressed.
“That was… thorough,” Adler said, nodding slightly.
“Thank you,” Matteo replied, his tone gracious but not overly eager. “I’m happy to answer any further questions.”
The clients began discussing among themselves, their tones far more positive than before. I took the opportunity to step up next to Matteo, lowering my voice so only he could hear.
“Good save,” I murmured.
He glanced at me, his eyes sparkling with a mix of relief and pride. “Told you I could handle it.”
I didn’t respond, but a small part of me couldn’t help but admit he’d done better than I expected.
Later, as we packed up the materials in the now-empty conference room, I found myself watching him out of the corner of my eye. He was humming softly under his breath, clearly pleased with himself.
“You surprised me today,” I said finally.
He turned, one eyebrow raised. “Is that a compliment, Gianna? From you?”
“Don’t push your luck,” I shot back, but there was no real bite to my tone.
“Seriously, though,” he said, leaning against the table and crossing his arms. “You didn’t think I could do it, did you?”
“I wasn’t sure,” I admitted, meeting his gaze. “But you proved me wrong.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “You have no idea how satisfying it is to hear that.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
He chuckled. “Too late.”
Sitting in the hotel room, I couldn’t stop replaying the day’s events in my mind. Matteo had stepped up when it mattered most, handling the situation with a level of composure and skill I hadn’t expected.
It wasn’t just his performance that stuck with me, though. It was the way he carried himself-the confidence without arrogance, the genuine effort to connect with the clients. For the first time, I found myself wondering if I’d misjudged him.
I’d always seen Matteo as ambitious, maybe even a little reckless, but today he’d shown a level of maturity that was hard to ignore. And yet, I couldn’t fully let my guard down.
Experience had taught me that charm and competence didn’t always go hand in hand. Matteo might have impressed me professionally, but on a personal level, I was still wary. He was charming, yes, but he was also too good at breaking through people’s defenses.
I couldn’t afford to be one of them.
The knock on my door startled me out of my thoughts.
“Gianna? It’s me,” Matteo called from the hallway.
Sighing, I got up and opened the door. He stood there, holding two cups of coffee and wearing that infuriatingly confident grin of his.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stepping aside to let him in.
“Bringing you coffee,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I figured you’d still be working.”
“I was,” I said, taking the cup he offered. “Thanks.”
He plopped down on the chair by the window, looking completely at ease. “So, what’s next on the agenda?”
“Tomorrow’s meetings,” I said, sitting back down at my desk. “I want to make sure everything is airtight.”
“You mean like today?” he teased.
I shot him a warning look, but he just laughed.
“Relax, Gianna. We crushed it today. You don’t have to double-check every little detail.”
“Maybe you don’t, but I do,” I replied, turning back to my laptop.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him watching me, his expression thoughtful.
“You really don’t know how to take a break, do you?” he said softly.
I paused, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. “This isn’t just a job for me, Matteo. It’s my family’s legacy. I can’t afford to screw it up.”
He didn’t respond right away, but when he did, his tone was surprisingly gentle. “You’re not going to screw it up, Gianna. If anything, you’re the reason this company is still standing.”
His words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to respond.
“Thanks,” I said finally, my voice quieter than I intended.