233
Gianna’s POV
The office smelled the same as always-coffee, printer toner, and a faint trace of someone’s overly expensive cologne. It was comforting in a way I hadn’t expected, like slipping back into a routine I’d been avoiding. But I wasn’t here for comfort. I was here because it was time to stop hiding.
I adjusted my blazer in the mirrored elevator doors, forcing my reflection to look calm and composed. The soft ding announced my arrival, and when the elevator doors slid open, I was met with the familiar hum of productivity. People buzzed around, papers in hand, conversations trailing in and out like background music.
“Morning, Ms. Lorenzo,” Cheryl greeted me with a polite smile as I stepped into the main floor.
“Good morning,” I replied, keeping my tone professional but warm. My heels clicked against the polished floor as I made my way toward my office.
“We’ve missed having you at the office. I tried to reach you for the past few days you weren’t here, but I didn’t know how. Hope you’ve been fine?” She asked, and I turned around, meeting her inquisitive gaze.
“I’m fine, Cheryl. Thanks for your concern. But please get back to work, and tell the secretary to send in my schedule for the day. And by the way, I need the quarterly report on my desk as soon as possible,” I answered, giving her a polite smile and a nod before continuing to my office.
Matteo’s desk was just a few steps away and I could see him staring at me. Maybe in shock, I didn’t know. I shifted my gaze to the door of my office. I didn’t let my eyes linger. I couldn’t. Not after everything.
Inside my office, I closed the door behind me and let out a slow, controlled breath. I walked straight to my desk and sat, angling my chair away from the view of Matteo’s desk so I wouldn’t see him.
“Okay,” I muttered to myself. “Just another day.”
I opened my laptop, letting emails flood in, and immersed myself in work. Or tried to. My mind kept straying.
Clearly, Matteo had seen me working, but was he wondering why I hadn’t said anything to him? Why hasn’t he come in like he used to every morning?
No. Focus.
It didn’t take long before Cheryl knocked on my door.
“Come in,” I called, straightening in my chair.
Cheryl stepped inside, holding a folder. “Here’s the quarterly report you requested. And Mr. Abramo asked me to remind you about the 2 p. m. client meeting.”
Mr. Abramo. Matteo.
I nodded curtly. “Thank you, Cheryl. That’ll be all.”
She hesitated for a moment, as if expecting me to say something else, but I didn’t. Once the door clicked shut behind her, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the folder on my desk.
Matteo’s name was everywhere-in emails, in meeting notes, in my thoughts. It was infuriating.
The hours passed in a blur of meetings and reports. I was halfway through reviewing a proposal when there was a knock at my door.
“Come in,” I said without looking up.
The door opened, and the air shifted instantly. I didn’t need to look to know it was Matteo.
“Gianna.” His voice was careful, low.
I kept my eyes on the screen. “Is there something you need, Mr. Abramo?”
There was a beat of silence before he closed the door behind him.
“So we’re doing this now? Pretending nothing happened?”
I finally looked up, meeting his eyes with as much detachment as I could muster. “I’m not pretending anything, Matteo. I’m working. If there’s something work-related you need, I’m happy to assist.”
His jaw tightened. “This isn’t about work, and you know it.”
I shrugged. “Then maybe it should be.”
He stepped closer, his hands braced on the edge of my desk. “Gianna, we need to talk.”
“I disagree.”
“You can’t just ignore me forever.”
I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms. “I’m not ignoring you. I’m prioritizing my responsibilities. Maybe you should try it.”
His eyes narrowed, frustration radiating off him. “That’s not fair.”
“No?” I raised an eyebrow. “I think it’s perfectly fair. I gave you space when you needed it, Matteo. Now I need mine.”
“Space?” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You’re not asking for space, Gianna. You’re shutting me out.”
I clenched my jaw, refusing to rise to the bait. “If you don’t have anything else to discuss, I suggest you leave. I have work to do.”
He didn’t move for a moment, his eyes searching mine as if trying to find a crack in my armor. But I held the cold, professional mask on my face firmly.
Finally, he straightened, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
“Fine,” he said, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “But this isn’t over.”
He turned and left, the door closing with a soft click behind him.
The moment he was gone, I let out a shaky breath, my hands gripping the edge of my desk.
Why did he have to make this so hard?
The rest of the day passed with excruciating slowness. I avoided Matteo at every turn, keeping my focus on work.
When it was finally time to leave, I gathered my things quickly, hoping to slip out unnoticed. But as I stepped into the elevator, Matteo appeared, slipping in just before the doors closed.
“Seriously?” I muttered under my breath, my eyes narrowing and my fists clenching.
He said nothing, standing a few feet away with his arms crossed. The silence was deafening and the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
When the elevator reached the lobby, I stepped out without a backward glance. I was barely holding myself back from running till I got to my car.
I got in and closed the door, allowing myself a moment to breathe.
This was the right thing to do, I reminded myself. Matteo and I needed distance. We couldn’t keep going in circles.
I started my car, blinking back the stinging tears in my eyes, and drove off.