Choose Carefully
887 Words
Chapter 8 — Choose Carefully
The entire studio fell into stunned silence.
Nobody expected that response.
Nobody.
Lucia herself looked completely frozen, staring at Isabella like she had misheard her.
“Apologize,” Isabella repeated coldly.
The word cut through the room like ice.
Lucia slowly turned toward Rose.
For a second, she almost looked victorious, as though she believed Isabella was talking to Rose instead.
A smug smile even touched her lips.
Then—
“Lucia Moretti,” Isabella said sharply, “are you deaf? Apologize to Rose.”
The smile vanished instantly.
The entire office erupted into whispers again.
“Oh my God…”
“She’s serious.”
“Mrs. Conti is siding with Rose?”
“No way…”
Lucia’s face turned pale with disbelief.
“What?” she snapped. “Me? Apologize to this lowlife?”
A few people winced immediately.
Rose’s expression remained calm, but inside, she could already feel the room shifting.
Moments ago they had watched her like an outsider.
Now they were watching Lucia carefully.
Watching how far she would go.
Isabella’s eyes darkened.
For the first time since entering the room, genuine anger crossed her face.
“Watch your tone,” she said dangerously.
Lucia laughed bitterly, still unable to believe what was happening.
“She slapped me!”
“And you slapped her first,” Isabella replied instantly.
Lucia opened her mouth again, but Isabella didn’t allow it.
“You walked to her desk. You provoked her publicly. You insulted her. Then you assaulted her in front of the entire company.” Her voice sharpened. “Did you think being my niece would protect you from consequences?”
That hit harder than the slap.
The entire room became painfully quiet.
Lucia’s eyes widened slightly.
Because Isabella rarely spoke to her like this in public.
Never in front of employees.
“Aunt—”
“No,” Isabella cut in coldly. “You will not embarrass this company because of your temper.”
Lucia clenched her fists tightly.
Rose could practically see the humiliation burning through her.
Coworkers exchanged nervous looks.
“Lucia’s finished…”
“I’ve never seen Mrs. Conti this angry.”
“She really likes Rose…”
Lucia heard every whisper.
And hated it.
Her eyes slowly shifted toward Rose again.
The hatred there was no longer hidden.
It was raw now.
Ugly.
Dangerous.
Rose met her gaze without fear.
That only made Lucia angrier.
Isabella finally turned toward her assistant.
“If she doesn’t apologize to Rose,” she said calmly, “make sure she leaves this place for good.”
The entire studio froze again.
Even Luther looked up fully this time.
Lucia stared at Isabella in complete shock.
“…You can’t be serious.”
“I am completely serious.”
“Aunt, over her?” Lucia snapped, pointing directly at Rose now. “You would humiliate me over some random designer from Toronto?”
“Enough!” Isabella’s voice echoed through the room.
Nobody moved.
Nobody even breathed too loudly.
Isabella stepped closer slowly.
“You think talent belongs only to you because you grew up inside this company?” she asked coldly. “You think your name gives you the right to disrespect people?”
Lucia’s eyes reddened instantly—not from sadness.
From rage.
“She insulted me first.”
“And you walked over intending to humiliate her first,” Isabella replied.
Lucia fell silent.
Because that part was true.
Everyone knew it.
The studio had seen it from the beginning.
The whispers started again immediately.
“She really started it…”
“Lucia always does this.”
“She finally met someone who fought back.”
Rose stayed quiet through all of it.
Not because she was afraid.
But because she understood something important already.
This company was not peaceful.
It was built on status, talent, ego, and survival.
And today?
Lucia had lost publicly.
That kind of humiliation didn’t disappear quietly.
Lucia suddenly laughed once.
Sharp. Bitter.
“Fine,” she said.
Everyone looked at her.
She turned slowly toward Rose.
The hatred in her eyes could have cut glass.
Then she forced the words out.
“…Sorry.”
The apology sounded painful.
Like poison in her mouth.
Rose looked at her calmly for a second.
Then replied simply,
“Okay.”
That somehow made it worse.
Lucia’s face twisted instantly.
Because Rose didn’t sound emotional.
Didn’t sound triumphant.
She sounded unaffected.
As though Lucia’s apology meant nothing.
Lucia grabbed her bag violently.
“This isn’t over,” she hissed quietly enough that only Rose heard.
Rose tilted her head slightly.
“That depends on you.”
Lucia stared at her another second before turning sharply and storming out of the studio.
Her heels struck the floor furiously until the sound disappeared completely.
Silence remained behind.
Heavy silence.
Then—
everyone started talking at once.
“Oh my God.”
“Did that seriously just happen?”
“She slapped Lucia back…”
“And Mrs. Conti defended her!”
“This company is about to become chaos.”
Rose slowly sat back down at her desk.
For the first time since arriving in Milan, she finally understood one thing clearly.
Her new life would not be peaceful.
And strangely—
she didn’t mind that at all.
- Writer
