Chapter 15: 13. Spicing things up

Two things define you, your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.

GABRIELLA

As the shrill alarm pierced through the early morning quiet, I stirred from sleep and blinked at the glowing digits on the clock. 6 a.m. sharp. The rhythm of my life had become so routine that it felt almost mechanical—wake up, work, repeat. It had been a month since I joined the Martinez Group of Hotels, and each day had settled into a predictable, if not slightly mundane, pattern.

My schedule was as structured as the corporate hierarchy itself. By 7 a.m., I was dressed and ready for the day. By 8 a.m., I’d be out the door, grabbing a cab that whisked me through the streets toward the hotel’s headquarters. And by 9 a.m., I was at my desk, reviewing the day’s plans, managing every minute detail of Alejandro’s whirlwind life.

Though I was officially hired as his personal assistant, my role had evolved into something much larger. My educational background made me overqualified for this position, but that only worked to my advantage. I wasn’t just his gatekeeper; I was his micro-manager, his financial troubleshooter, his confidante. Alejandro might have been the charismatic face of the company, but I was the one oiling the gears behind the scenes, ensuring that the machine ran smoothly.

And today? Today was critical. It was the board meeting—

the

board meeting. Six months of sales, growth analysis, and projections boiled down to this single event. The decisions made here would carve the path for the next half-year, determining the company’s direction, its triumphs and setbacks. I felt the weight of it as I lay in bed, the pressure wrapping around me like an invisible cloak.

I threw the covers off and headed straight for the shower, pushing the urgency of the day into action. Somehow, I managed to get ready in record time, something I couldn’t quite believe myself. The minutes I saved allowed me a brief, much-needed moment of stillness, a chance to breathe and compose myself before the storm of the day hit full force.

In front of the mirror, I chose a floral print blouse with soft hues of blush and lavender, pairing it with sleek green palazzo pants that added a touch of elegance to my otherwise professional ensemble. White heels completed the look, providing a perfect balance between sophisticated and business-ready. My hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, every strand in place—sharp, professional, but not too severe. Every detail mattered today. Alejandro expected nothing short of perfection, and I wasn’t about to disappoint.

After a light breakfast—my usual from the café down the street, a croissant and a latte—I flagged down a cab, heading for the Martinez Group headquarters. The familiar sights of the city blurred by as I mentally rehearsed the agenda for the day, imagining Alejandro’s calm, measured voice as he led the discussions. I could already feel the tension that would hang in the air during the meeting, every executive alert, every decision dissected.

Once I arrived at the sleek glass building, I wasted no time. I moved with purpose, my heels clicking against the marble floors as I approached my desk. Papers were arranged with military precision, my laptop humming as it booted up, files already waiting for review. But before diving in, I made my way to Alejandro’s office to prep for the meeting.

The room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and minimalist decor, felt like a temple to ambition. I spent the next forty minutes meticulously organizing the documents he would need, ensuring everything was in order, from financial reports to sales forecasts. I knew Alejandro liked things a certain way, and I’d learned to anticipate his needs before he even voiced them. It was a subtle power I wielded—quiet but effective.

As I finished up, I glanced at my reflection in the glass and took a deep breath. Today wasn’t just about impressing Alejandro or the board. It was about proving, once again, that I could handle anything this job threw at me. That I could thrive in the pressure, in the chaos. And as the clock inched closer to the hour of the meeting, I felt ready. Ready to tackle whatever challenges lay ahead.

The meeting started at exactly 10 a.m., and from the moment it began, the atmosphere in the room was tense. For nearly two hours, the discussions flew back and forth like a storm. Alejandro and the other executives debated with intensity, dissecting every proposal and projection with surgical precision. It was exhausting, mentally and emotionally, but also exhilarating in its own way. By the time they reached a consensus on the future course of action, a palpable sense of relief washed over the room.

As the meeting adjourned, everyone headed off for lunch. I finally allowed myself a moment to breathe. A smile tugged at my lips as I reflected on the success of the morning—I felt proud of how I’d handled my responsibilities. My phone buzzed in my pocket, interrupting my brief moment of peace. It was Alejandro, and his voice on the other end was as calm as ever, but there was an underlying urgency in his words. “Come to my office in five minutes,” he said.

I blinked, my heart skipping a beat.

Did something go wrong?

I wondered, trying to recall if I had missed something during the meeting. Maybe he wanted to thank me for my work? As soon as I could, I rushed to his office, where Alejandro sat with an unusually serious look on his face. He motioned for me to sit, his eyes fixed on mine.

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked, my voice small with concern. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety, despite the smile that crept onto his face.

“No, not at all,” Alejandro replied, leaning back slightly in his chair. “Something unexpected came up. A deal—one that could be a game-changer. I need you to handle it.”

My brow furrowed in curiosity as he explained. “There’s a surprise buyer interested in our underperforming hotels, someone from Italy. A gentleman named Gabriel De Luca. He’s made an offer that, frankly, I’d be a fool to refuse. I need you to draft a deal—make sure it’s airtight, and let’s not appear too eager. We’ll play hard to get.”

Gabriel De Luca. The name settled into my mind, stirring something deep within me, though I couldn’t quite place it. I shook off the strange sensation and focused on Alejandro’s words. I nodded as he laid out the finer details of the negotiation, and together we prepped for the meeting set for 3 p.m. that afternoon.

By the time we arrived at the reserved area of one of our top hotels, everything was in place. We were ten minutes early, taking a moment to settle in, when I felt a shift in the air. At exactly 3 p.m., Gabriel De Luca entered the room, escorted by his assistant, Carlos.

He was tall, athletic, with chestnut-brown hair that framed a chiseled, striking face. His presence commanded the room effortlessly, dressed impeccably in a black Armani three-piece suit paired with blood-red Ferragamo shoes. A floral print Dolce & Gabbana tie added a touch of bold elegance to his otherwise sleek appearance.

Gabriel greeted us with an easy smile, yet his gaze seemed to linger on me for a moment longer than expected. I smiled back, but something about him gnawed at the back of my mind—a strange sense of familiarity, as though I’d met him somewhere before. Alejandro suggested we order food before diving into the negotiations, and Gabriel graciously agreed.

As we dined on spaghetti, stuffed roasted chicken, steak, broccoli salad, and blueberry cheesecake, I found myself increasingly distracted. Not by the business at hand, but by Gabriel himself. His eyes, his features, his demeanor—it was as though I was looking at an older version of someone I once knew.

The sensation was so intense it left me breathless for a second. The way his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that felt almost…personal. The way he seemed far more interested in our conversation than in the business he’d come to discuss with Alejandro. His gaze held a quiet recognition, something unspoken but shared between us. It wasn’t creepy—it was more like we were both experiencing the same inexplicable déjà vu.

The voice of reason spoke again, louder this time.

You have a mission. Avenge your family. Focus on the task. Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.

I forced myself to smile politely as the conversation continued, but my heart wasn’t in it. I couldn’t forget the eerie resemblance, the feeling that this man, this Gabriel De Luca, was somehow tied to the ghosts of my past. And yet, logic told me it couldn’t be. My brother was dead, my mother gone. The only thing left was the burning desire for justice—for revenge.

But as Gabriel’s eyes met mine again, lingering for a heartbeat too long, I knew this feeling wouldn’t leave me easily. Even as I returned to my senses, that strange, undeniable connection lingered, refusing to be ignored.

And somehow, deep down, I knew that this man would change everything.

Alejandro’s demeanor subtly shifted as Gabriel continued to bestow his attention on me, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed. It all came to a head when Gabriel, with a charming smile, turned to Alejandro and asked, “And who might this lovely lady be? I’d love an introduction.”

Alejandro’s jaw tightened for a moment, but he had no choice but to introduce me, his professional demeanor forcing him to oblige. “This is Gabriella, my personal assistant,” he said, the words sharp yet polite. His voice carried a hint of possessiveness, and I could feel the slight pressure of his hand resting on my shoulder as if to emphasize the point.

Alejandro, ever the alpha male, wasn’t pleased about being sidelined in the conversation, especially by someone like Gabriel who, with his striking appearance and magnetic charm, seemed to effortlessly command the spotlight. I could sense his frustration building. His touch on my shoulder was both protective and subtly possessive, a gesture to reassert his dominance in the situation. It was almost amusing to watch, knowing the effect I had on him.

Gabriel’s gaze lingered on me far longer than it should have, and the conversation continued with me at its center. Alejandro, clearly not one to be outdone, quickly pivoted to business. He saw the attention I was getting and used it as fuel, leaning further into his negotiating tactics.

When it came time to discuss the deal, Alejandro played his cards with ruthless precision. He was determined not to be undercut, his pride now intertwined with the negotiations. He refused to budge on the pricing of the hotels, holding firm at a valuation twice what Gabriel had initially estimated. The tension between the two men was palpable, the back-and-forth negotiations growing more intense by the minute. Each offer and counteroffer felt like a tug of war, both between their egos and their business acumen.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of aggressive haggling, Gabriel relented. With a sharp, decisive handshake, the deal was done. Alejandro had won, and I could see the satisfaction flash across his face—his alpha status firmly reestablished. Gabriel smiled, but there was something else in his eyes, a quiet acknowledgment of the battle lost. Still, his gaze flickered toward me once more before we parted ways.

As we left the hotel, headed back to the office in Alejandro’s car, the tension in the air had shifted. Alejandro was pleased with the outcome. His mood had lightened, and I could sense a return to the normal rhythm we usually shared. He looked over at me, a content smile playing at his lips, no doubt relishing in his victory. He had secured the deal, and once again, he was in control.

To be honest, it was flattering to watch two powerful men subtly vying for my attention, each in their own way. Alejandro’s protective gestures and Gabriel’s lingering looks were undeniable, and for a moment, it felt like I held the reins of the situation, whether they knew it or not.

But I couldn’t let that distract me. There was a bigger plan in motion, and now, with the deal behind us, it was time to move to the next phase of my strategy. I needed to cement Alejandro’s trust in me, further ingratiating myself into his life and his family. If I was going to succeed, I needed to be more than just his personal assistant. I needed to become indispensable to him, someone he couldn’t imagine his life—or his business—without.

And after today, I could feel that plan starting to take shape.