ISABELLE
Thursday Afternoon
I was so focused on comparing zoning regulations across two documents that I barely registered the knock on my office door at first.
Someone stepped in with a manila folder. “From Mr. Castellano,” they said, setting it on my desk before leaving.
I opened it.
A new project brief. Property acquisition for a commercial development downtown.
My eyes scanned down to the team assignments.
Project Lead: Rachel Summers
Associate: Isabelle Thompson
I stared at the names, my jaw tightening. Rachel?
Enrico had paired me with Rachel.
Again.
Before Matt entered my life—before the photos, before Enrico thought he could use me to get close to Matteo Moretti—I’d been stuck working under Rachel constantly.
She was my senior in title only. In practice, she did minima
