12. Valerie

Chapter twelve

Valerie

" W ow, home early every day this week? Either Antonio is in love with you, or you're doing such a terrible job he's trying to keep you out of the office," Karyn says. We're on the bus heading home after dropping my dad off for a check-up and his physiotherapy appointment.

"Antonio isn't my boss, Ambrose is," I say, my words trailing off towards the end of the sentence.

"Shut up!" She smacks my leg. "I've been thinking it was Antonio the entire time. I know he has a soft spot for you, so I assumed he was letting you off ‘cause he knew about your dad."

"Firstly, he does not have a soft spot for me, and secondly, Ambrose has been working from home a lot, or he's been leaving early for the day."

"Does that mean he's also the one responsible for the mysterious black car that's been picking you up in the morning?"

"You little spy." I smack her arm as revenge for the thigh hit. "I thought you were asleep, but yes, he is."

"Oh. My. God. Is Ambrose Vitale picking you up eve-"

I smack my hand over her mouth. The volume of her voice, and his name earns us numerous stares from people on the bus.

"Karyn, the last thing I need right now is a scandal starting because of your big mouth."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I can't believe my cousin, my flesh and blood," She clutches her chest dramatically, "has Ambrose Vitale running after her."

"He is not running after me," I say, whispering now, hoping it reduces how much anyone trying to listen in can hear. "It isn't him, he has a driver come get me. He has more important things to do than to worry about me getting to and from work."

"If he wasn't worried, you wouldn't have your driver," she shrugs and faces the front.

Why is Ambrose being so helpful about me getting to and from work?

I wonder if Antonio told him why I needed the job. It isn't some big secret, but I don't want anyone to take pity on me and just hand me money. I want to work for it, so I don't feel like I owe anyone when this is all over.

Ambrose's other actions don't scream pity though. If anything, it seems as if he can't stand my presence. He barely leaves his office, and anything he needs from me, he asks for via email. From what his brothers have said he's under a lot of pressure with some upcoming dinner and meeting they're all prepping for. So I've been putting it down to him being too busy.

Maybe Karyn is right. Maybe I am shit at my job. A small giggle escapes my lips, and I don't miss Karyn's side eye in my direction. Even if I'm horrible right now, I'm getting paid to practically do nothing, so I won't complain or bring it up.

Zoning back in, I realise where we are and press the stop button signalling I need to get off the bus.

"Where are you going?" Karyn asks, as a few other passengers and I get our things together to get off.

"I'm going to run to Giovanni's to grab something for dinner, any requests?" I ask, slipping into the aisle.

She shrugs. "Surprise me." I nod and jog off the bus as fast as my pink kitten heels will let me .

It's another miserable day filled with a cold wind and clouds. Winter is slowly creeping its way in, leaving almost no room for Autumn in between. My shoes have no grip, causing me to waddle along the cobblestone pavement as I walk up to Giovanni's.

The warmth of the store envelops me as I enter.

My eyes dance along the candy aisle and they land on a row of jelly beans. They always remind me of how Antonio and I would demolish three packets at a time before rushing off to the art museum after school on a Friday.

If anyone told me a year ago that this is where I would be, I would have laughed in their face. The fact that I now work for Antonio and his brothers and that they are all billionaires. That I'm living in Tevici again now that Mattheo isn't a physical factor in my life anymore.

I pass the polite woman three mini ciabattas and rattle off our usual sandwich orders to her. She smiles broadly before walking away.

I stand alone— awkwardly —looking around the store. Independence has always scared me. To a degree, it still does. I feel lonely most days. I thought it would have gotten better since I moved home, but if anything, it's only gotten worse. I'm now almost always around another person or distracted by everything that's going on in my life.

The only time I'm truly alone is moments like this, or late at night when I paint.

Am I ever really alone?

My art is the only time I can truly and fully express myself, where I don't need to worry about anyone else's opinions. Even my clients give me free rein, loving the idea of being able to own one of my pieces.

"Ma'am," the lady calls for my attention, and I grab the sandwiches, thanking her and heading to the till.

"Valarie! You look amazing." A head full of salt and pepper hair and a wide smile greets me.

"Giovanni, I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you retired. "

He begins scanning my items and smiles. "Ahh I have, I'm helping out today because one of our staff is off sick." He smiles.

"What are you doing in Tevici? Your father mentioned a few years ago that you moved to Paris to study," he says, bagging my items.

"I"m home, working and taking care of him. He's had the first of a double hip replacement," I say, and Giovanni practically freezes, that's when I notice him sliding a packet of jelly beans into my bag, without scanning them.

"Wow, that's a major surgery, send him my regards." He smiles and hands me the bag.

"Thank you, I will."

"You look exactly the same, Valerie. You haven't aged a day past nineteen, it's crazy, but see you again soon."

All I manage to do is offer him a tight-lipped smile before I rush out of the store. Ducking under a nearby roof to avoid the rain, I dig through my bag for the envelope I slipped in earlier.

Evergreen Divorce Attorneys

15 Via Del Corso

TeviciSW7 5XX

Italy

I scoff at the irony of the name. Natalia recommended them to me since her parents used them when they got divorced for the first time. She mentioned it being their most efficient divorce, and that is exactly what I need.

I'm tired of being the same. I want change. I want something new. I want a future not hindered by the demons of my past.

I slip the envelope into the nearby post box and head down the street, continuing to duck under roofs to avoid the drizzle.

I've worn this ring around like a shackle, too ashamed to admit that I made a mistake in marrying Mattheo. After I finally managed to get away from him, I've had time to realise it was never my fault, that I was lured into marriage with false promises and expensive gifts .

Things went downhill faster than a snowball on Mount Everest.

Finally, I arrive outside an average-sized jewellery store.

I rush in, and the young-ish boy behind the counter jumps up in fright.

"Hi-hi miss, we-welcome," he stutters out.

"Do you guys buy jewellery?" I blurt out.

"Yes we do, what are you looking to sell?"

I slip the diamond ring off my finger and slam it onto the glass counter. We both flinch at the noise it makes, and I worry that I could have nearly cracked the counter. "Sorry," I whisper.

This wasn't part of my plan. Ideally, I should consider a more up-market jewellery store, especially for the sheer size of the diamonds on the ring.

By the look on the man's face, I fear I may be right.

"Wow–this is–wow. I uhm, I have to call in my boss to check this one out. We uhh, we aren't used to getting rings like this," he gulps. He holds the ring in my direction, presumably for me to keep in the meantime, but for the first time in a year and a half, I feel relaxed. It's finally off my finger and it's like a weight is lifted off as well.

"You can hold onto it until they get here," I smile and walk off to the side as he heads to the phone in the corner and calls who I assume is the boss.

After a few minutes, his voice echoes through the empty store. "Good news, he's nearby, so he should be popping in, in a bit."

I smile and nod, still looking around. My attention zones in on the worker as he holds the ring up to the light as if that will tell him if the diamonds are real or not. His suit is clean and looks a lot like the ones Antonio wears. They're a bit more out there than the ones Ambrose wears. He is always dressed in black, navy or charcoal.

It looks expensive too, and so does the watch on his wrist. I furrow my brows as my eyes zone in on it. "Nice watch," I say aloud, and he smiles again looking down at it.

"Thanks, my dad got it for me."

"This better be good, Mattia," a familiar voice echoes as the door to the store flies open .

Mattia? The familiar voice? Fate has to be playing some sick joke on me.

"Come and see for yourself."

A head of soft curls walks past me and rounds the corner of the counter all without even looking at me.

"It's hers?" he asks and finally looks up at me. "Val?" Antonio asks, and I offer him an awkward smile and wave.

"Val? As in Valerie? Your Va-" Antonio elbows the younger boy next to him.

"Valerie, this is my younger cousin, Mattia. You've met his brother, Enzo," Antonio says, and realisation washes over me.

"Yes, I remember, he met with Ambrose yesterday," I say, and offer Mattia a smile.

"You guys own this place too?" I ask, looking around wondering what the Vitales could want from a store like this.

"Not much we don't own in Tevici, Val. Mattia is here helping out because he's learning a lesson on what happens when you spend family money, without permission." Antonio shoots him an amused look to which Mattia only rolls his eyes.

I simply nod, and Antonio walks over, the ring in his hand. "So, where'd you get this ring?" He asks with a raised brow.

My eyes flash to Mattia before returning, and he must understand instantly.

"Mattia, run to Giovanni's and get me and Val some coffee," Antonio barks. Before the words are even cold on Antonio's tongue, Mattia is out of the store.

"I'm listening." He turns his attention back to me.

"Would you believe me if I said it was a family heirloom?" I smile awkwardly.

Antonio doesn't say anything, instead he starts examining the ring. Silence envelops the room, and it feels suffocating. I can hear the rain outside and the sound of a clock ticking on the back wall .

"My guess is, this is an engagement ring, by the size of the diamond anyway…" Antonio mumbles, as he holds a diamond tester pen up to the stone, and nothing.

I swallow a lump in my throat at the realisation. It's fake. His eyes meet mine, and they are unreadable.

"So, where'd you get it?" he asks again, now standing in front of me. Antonio is probably the least intimidating person once you get to know him, but knowing him right now, I'll admit he is actually terrifying.

I bite the inside of my cheek. This wasn't supposed to get this complicated. I was supposed to drop the letter off and sell the ring. No explanations, nothing. Instead, now it's fake, Antonio is forming his own assumptions, and I have to rehash all the drama I'm hoping to put behind me.

He places the ring in front of me. "I can't buy a stolen ring, and that's what I'm going to assume unless you tell me otherwise. It being a fake diamond is not helping my assumptions either right now, Val."

"It's mine," is all I manage to say, and he raises a brow. "It was my engagement ring."

"Was?"

"Yes, was." I won't elaborate further. He doesn't ask anything else, instead, he nods and picks the ring up, walking towards a desk.

"Why are you selling it?"

It's a simple question. So I give him a simple answer. "Because I need the money."

The bell above the front door rings and Mattia walks in carrying three coffee cups, handing me one.

"I brought some sugar, I wasn't sure how much you'd like." He smiles and hands me the cup. Now that I have a chance to look at him better, I wonder how I ever missed the Vitale in him. He is the spitting image of his brother, and they all have this signature soft curl to their hair. Even Adriano and Augustus had it before they both shaved their heads .

His brown eyes are the only different feature not shared between him and his cousins, who all have different shades of green eyes.

"So, Valerie, I heard that you work for us now," he says, leaning against the counter.

Antonio stops to look up at Mattia. "This is why you're single, cugino. Y ou have the ability to ruin the mood whenever you open your mouth."

"It's okay," I reassure Mattia. "I guess I do, Nino helped get me the job."

"And you work for Ambrose?" he asks. "I bet you aren't happy about that." He elbows Antonio

A paper tearing draws my attention before I can even ask Mattia what that means.

"Here, let me give you a ride home," Antonio says, gesturing to the door.

Taking the cheque, I nod and slip it into my bag. "It was lovely to meet you, Mattia."

"Likewise, Valerie." He smiles and waves.

Once we are outside, Antonio stops to look down at me as he opens the passenger door of his car. "Please don't tell anyone about this," I beg.

His face is hard as he surveys my expression.

"Please, Nino."

"Get in the car Val," he says, and I pout before following his instructions.

As soon as he is in the car, the air feels near suffocating, and the tension of unanswered and unasked questions surrounds us.

"How could you not tell me that you are married?"

" Was married, currently applying for a divorce. Hence me selling the ring," I correct and remind him of the obvious.

"You know what I mean, Valerie." He frowns, glancing over at me.

I sigh, leaning my head against the window. "I was married to a guy in Paris," I start and he nods intently. "To make a horrible story short, neither the marriage nor the man were what they seemed. Dark things hide behind pretty lies ." I shrug and his head snaps towards me.

"Did he hurt you, Valerie?"

My fingertips reach up and lightly brush over the scar just under my jaw. "I don't want to talk about it anymore Antonio."

"Fine." He's annoyed, I can tell from the way he huffs out his breaths for the rest of the drive until we reach my house.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone about this." I turn to him before getting out of the car.

"I promise."

"Thank you-"

"But if it means keeping you safe, I won't keep it a secret," he interrupts me.

I nod. "Okay fair enough." I toss him a pack of jelly beans and a soft smile takes over his face as he remembers the candy. "Consider it payment for your silence."

Sliding out of the car, I rush up to the doorway and head inside.

I slip out the cheque and let out a gasp. I stare at the amount in disbelief wondering if Antonio had made a mistake.

Five thousand euros.