Defiance:Love beyond his rules.

The sharp click of heels against polished marble announced Grace Moretti's arrival before she even stepped through the glass doors. "Good morning, Miss Moretti." "Good morning." She offered a brief nod to the receptionist without breaking her stride. The office was already buzzing with activity. Phones rang, keyboards clicked, and employees hurried between departments, each occupied with the day's responsibilities. Grace glanced at her wristwatch. 8:02 a.m. Two minutes behind schedule. Unacceptable. "Good morning, Miss Moretti," her secretary greeted, quickly rising from her desk as Grace approached. "Morning, Sophia. What's my schedule?" "Your nine o'clock meeting with the creative department, the financial review at eleven, and the meeting with the international marketing team at two. I've also placed the revised collection proposals on your desk." "Good. What about the Milan correspondence?" "I sent the revised documents last night. We're still waiting for their confirmation." Grace nodded, pushing open the door to her office. Sophia followed behind her, carrying a tablet and a cup of coffee. "Your coffee, ma'am. Black, no sugar." "Thank you." She placed it carefully on Grace's desk. Grace shrugged off her blazer and hung it over the back of her chair before settling behind her desk. "Has Daniel submitted the revised campaign visuals?" Sophia hesitated. "Not yet, ma'am. He said he needed a little more time." Grace slowly lifted her eyes from the documents in front of her. "More time?" "Yes, ma'am. Apparently, the design team encountered a few challenges—" "Sophia, I don't pay people to give me explanations. I pay them to deliver results." "Of course, ma'am." "Call him. I want those visuals on my desk before ten. If he needs assistance, he should ask for it. But I will not have deadlines treated as suggestions." "I'll inform him." She turned to leave. "Sophia?" She stopped. "Have the samples from the Paris collection arrived?" "They're expected this morning." "Good. I want to inspect them personally before they're sent to the showroom." "Certainly." The door closed behind her. Grace took a sip of her coffee and leaned back in her chair, allowing herself a moment to appreciate the quiet. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city stretched beneath her. From that height, everything seemed perfectly organised. Every building had its place, every road had its direction, and every movement appeared deliberate. She liked things that way. Order. Precision. Control. Three things she had worked far too hard to achieve to let anyone disrupt them. Her eyes drifted towards the framed photograph on the corner of her desk. It was a picture of her standing outside her first showroom on opening day. The space had been small, the walls barely painted, and the collection modest. But it had been hers. Every inch of what she owned had come from her own effort. Every achievement, every sleepless night, every difficult decision. She hadn't been handed a place in the world. She'd made one for herself. A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. "Come in." Sophia stepped inside. "Miss Moretti, Mr. Daniel is on line one." "Put him through." Grace picked up the receiver. "Daniel, I believe we have a deadline." And just like that, her day began. —XOXO— By eleven thirty, Grace had gone through three meetings, rejected two designs, approved a revised marketing proposal, and reminded her creative team that deadlines were not decorative suggestions. She was just settling into her chair when her phone, lying beside her laptop, chimed. A notification. She glanced at the screen, expecting another business email, but the name displayed made her eyebrows rise. Nancy. Grace stared at it for a moment. They weren't exactly on speaking terms. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time they had a proper conversation that didn't end in an argument or an exchange of unnecessary pleasantries. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the message. Hey, Grace. We're having a family dinner this Sunday. Everyone will be there, and it would be nice if you could join us. It's been a while since we've all been together. Hope to see you there. Nancy. She read it twice before letting out a quiet laugh. A family dinner? Now that was interesting. Nancy and Grace barely spoke. They weren't close, and they certainly weren't the kind of sisters who suddenly missed each other's company. So why the invitation? Grace leaned back in her chair, turning the phone between her fingers. Perhaps they had finally remembered that she existed. Or perhaps there was something else. Knowing that family, she wasn't foolish enough to believe this was simply an invitation to share a meal. Things had changed since she left that house. She had built a successful company, established her name in the fashion industry, and earned a reputation that had taken years of hard work to create. And suddenly, everyone seemed to remember that they were family. How convenient. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or roll her eyes. She opened the message again, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she considered what to reply. What do you want, Nancy? She typed the words, stared at them for a second, then deleted them. There was no point starting a conversation she wasn't particularly interested in having. Just as she was about to lock her phone, it began ringing. Bella❤️ Grace answered, placing the phone against her ear. "Hello, troublemaker." "Oh, so that's how you're greeting your best friend now?" Bella's familiar voice came through, sounding thoroughly offended. Grace smiled. "I wasn't aware I was supposed to roll out a red carpet." "Very funny, Grace. Have you eaten?" Grace glanced at the untouched sandwich Sophia had left on her desk earlier. "Define eaten." "Grace Moretti!" She laughed softly. "I'm fine, Bella. I promise." "You always say that. One day, I'm going to show up at that office and personally supervise your meals." "Please don't. My employees already think you're a threat to their professional environment." "Good. They should." Grace shook her head, smiling. Bella had a way of making even the most ordinary conversations entertaining. She was one of the few people who could get away with speaking to Grace like that without receiving a formal reminder about boundaries. "So," Bella continued, "what are you doing this weekend?" Grace glanced at Nancy's message, still open on her screen. "Apparently, I'm invited to a family dinner." There was a brief silence. "Family dinner?" Bella repeated. "That's what the message says." "From who?" "Nancy." "Oh." That single word told Grace everything she needed to know. She sighed. "Exactly." "Since when does Nancy remember she has a sister?" "Your guess is as good as mine." "Grace, please tell me you're not actually considering going." Grace looked out through the glass walls of her office, watching employees move busily through the corridors. "I haven't decided." "Well, whatever you decide, don't let them make you feel obligated to do anything." "I know, Bella." "Good. Because I know you. You have a habit of pretending things don't bother you when they actually do." Grace rolled her eyes, although Bella couldn't see her. "Are you calling to check on me or to conduct a psychological evaluation?" "Both. I'm a very talented woman." Grace laughed. For the first time that morning, the tension in her shoulders eased. "Anyway," Bella said, "I was actually calling because I have something to tell you." Grace raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?" "Not yet. But you might want to clear your schedule this evening." Grace glanced at her calendar. "Bella, I have work." "Of course you do. You always have work." "And unlike some people, I take my responsibilities seriously." "Keep talking, boss lady. I'll call you back when you've remembered how to have a social life." Grace smiled, shaking her head. "You're impossible." "And you love me. See you later!" The call ended before Grace could respond. She placed her phone on the desk, still smiling. Between Nancy's unexpected invitation and Bella's mysterious announcement, it seemed her day was becoming far more interesting than she had planned. She took another sip of her coffee and turned back to her laptop. Whatever the Morettis wanted, they could wait. She had a company to run. A few seconds later, her phone chimed again. She picked it up and opened the message. Bella ❤️ Before you ask, yes, I have already made plans for you this Saturday. There's a charity gala happening at the Grand Imperial Hotel. Dad is one of the major sponsors, and quite a number of influential people will be attending. Business executives, investors, celebrities, film producers and other prominent personalities. I want you there with me, Grace. You need to get out more, meet people and make connections. Your fashion house deserves all the exposure it can get, and this is a perfect opportunity. And please, don't give me that busy CEO excuse. I've already decided we're going together. Attached was a beautifully designed invitation card. Grace studied it for a moment. A charity gala. It wasn't a bad idea, actually. With her international collection launch plan, meeting the right people could open doors to opportunities she hadn't yet considered. Besides, Bella wasn't someone who took no for an answer easily. She typed her response. You're quite determined, aren't you? Her reply came almost immediately. Bella ❤️: You have no idea. So, is that a yes? Grace smiled. Fine. I'll be there. Bella ❤️: THAT'S MY GIRL! Now, leave your outfit to me. Don't disappoint me. Grace shook her head, laughing quietly. Goodbye, Bella. Bella ❤️: Love you too, boring woman. She placed her phone beside her laptop and returned to work. Perhaps Saturday wouldn't be so bad after all.