Whispers in the Wind

CHAPTER NINE

“…and send!” I sighed in relief, pushing my laptop aside as I leaned into the couch.

It had been a little over a week since I was discharged from the hospital after spending four days there. John and Zara had agreed that it wasn’t safe for me to continue living in my apartment, especially when we couldn’t get any information on the attacker. So, during my stay at the hospital, all my belongings were moved back to our mother’s home, where Zara lived.

The house still looked lovely and neat. The moment I set foot there, memories flooded back to me. It was nice to be back, but it wasn’t all that great if all I could do was lounge around all day. I wasn’t used to being idle, so I decided to resume work at Vynetria today.

“You could use a couple more resting days. Your boss will understand,” Zara reasoned from her spot at the dining table.

I gathered my things nonetheless and swallowed my medication. “We’ve talked about this. I’m well enough to get back to work. Besides, I’ll go nuts if I continue to sit around all day doing nothing.”

“Except you haven’t been sitting around doing nothing. You’re almost always on your laptop finishing one thing or another,” she pouted.

I rolled my eyes and grinned at her. “I’ll be back home by five. Let’s have dinner out. I’ll text you the address,” I suggested, walking out before she could protest.

Reactions like this were why I kept a good part of my life a secret from Zara. It took me more than an hour to get to Vynetria from our house, much to my distaste. Upon reaching the building, I was about to step into the elevator when I noticed someone approaching.

He walked up to me with the same polite smile I first saw, his sandy blonde hair neatly styled, his blue shirt unbuttoned at the collar.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hello, nice to meet you again.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” He gestured for me to enter first, then pressed the button to Gio’s floor, followed by another.

“You’re Gio’s assistant. Zina, right?”

“Yes. How about you? Are you also working for him, with him, or are you a relative?”

“Friends, but also his bodyguard. Alex.”

I nodded. “I heard what happened. I’m sorry about that. How are your injuries?”

I winced slightly. “I’m fine now. Thanks for asking.”

The bell rang, and the elevator doors slid open.

“I have to get going. It was nice meeting you, Alex,” I said as I stepped out into the hallway.

“Same here,” he replied before the doors closed behind me.

I took a sharp breath and began walking toward Giovanni’s office. Even though I appreciated Alex’s concern, something about it didn’t sit right with me.

I pushed the large doors open to find Giovanni behind his desk, as expected. A red pen in his hand, his head hung low over the cluster of papers he was intensely focused on.

“Not now,” he gritted out without looking up. “You can take a break. I’ll round up with this and join you…”

“That’s strange. I just got here. Isn’t it too early to take a break?”

His lips slowly curved into a grin. “Welcome back, Miss Aurelis.” He snapped the binder shut and pushed it aside, looking up at me with those intense brown eyes.

“Thank you,” I replied, stepping further into the room.

“I take it that your wounds have healed completely,” he said, his voice low and smooth, laced with that familiar blend of professionalism and subtle intrigue all wrapped in his unmistakable accent.

“I wouldn’t have come back if I wasn’t,” I responded, my tone firm yet polite. My eyes remained locked on his as I closed the distance, the echo of my heels filling the silence between us. “Besides, I have a lot to catch up on.”

His gaze lingered on me longer than necessary, as if he was trying to read something beneath the surface. I could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken words hanging between us. The events of the past week had only deepened the undercurrents of our interactions.

“I admire your dedication,” Giovanni finally said, leaning back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “But don’t push yourself too hard. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to you again.”

His words carried an almost possessive edge, a reminder of the unspoken connection growing between us—one I wasn’t sure I wanted to acknowledge, let alone explore.

“I’m not fragile, Mr. Russo,” I countered, a hint of challenge in my voice. “You should know that by now.”

He chuckled softly, the sound deep and rich. “Of course, you’re not. But even the strongest need to rest sometimes.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his subtle attempt to get me to take it easy. I knew it came from a place of concern, but it also felt like a test—one I wasn’t willing to fail.

“Don’t worry,” I said, keeping my tone light. “I’m here to work, not to be coddled.”

He stood up, coming around the desk to stand in front of me, his presence commanding as always. The proximity made the space between us feel charged, as though the very air around us had shifted.

“Good,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Because I have a feeling things are about to get… interesting.”

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued despite myself. “What do you mean?”

Before he could answer, the door to his office swung open, and a tall man with dark hair and similar caramel eyes, filled with a stern expression, entered. He carried an air of authority, his sharp gaze flicking between Giovanni and me.

“Don Gabriele,” Giovanni greeted, his tone instantly shifting to one of respect. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Clearly,” the man—Don Gabriele—replied, his voice smooth but edged with an undertone that suggested he was not one to be trifled with. “I came to discuss a matter of urgency.”

Giovanni’s expression tightened, the easygoing demeanor from earlier slipping away like a mask. He nodded toward me. “Miss Aurelis, this is my father, Gabriele Russo.”

I inclined my head slightly, acknowledging the introduction. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Don Russo.”

His gaze settled on me, assessing, calculating. “The pleasure is mine, Miss Aurelis. I’ve heard a great deal about you.”

There was something in his tone that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, a subtle warning I couldn’t quite place. But I kept my expression neutral, refusing to show any sign of discomfort.

His eyes narrowed at me. “You look quite familiar. Have we met before?”

Something heavy dropped in my belly. “I don’t think so, Don Russo. You might have just come across someone who shares similar features with me,” I explained with a small smile that masked my unease.

Gio cleared his throat, taking his father’s attention away from me. “Let’s discuss this later, Father,” Giovanni said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Miss Aurelis and I have some pressing work to attend to.”

Don Gabriele didn’t move, his eyes still locked on me as if he were trying to decipher a puzzle. Finally, he gave a curt nod. “Very well. But we will speak soon, Giovanni.”

With that, he turned and left the room as abruptly as he’d entered, leaving an uneasy silence in his wake.

Giovanni let out a breath he seemed to have been holding, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “I apologize for that,” he said, turning back to me. “My father can be intense.”

“I can handle intense,” I replied smoothly, though the encounter had left me more on edge than I cared to admit.

He smiled, a genuine one this time, as if my response had pleased him. “I don’t doubt that.”

The moment of tension passed, and Giovanni gestured for me to sit. “Now, let’s get to work, shall we? There’s much to discuss.”

As I took a seat, I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever was coming next would test me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. But I was ready. I had to be. Because if there was one thing I’d learned over the years, it was that survival required more than just strength—it required strategy, and I was determined to stay one step ahead of everyone, especially Giovanni Russo and his equally enigmatic father.