CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE
ISABELLA
Everything picked today to fall apart. The delivery man came late, three of my chefs called in sick and I've been scrambling all morning to fix things.
I managed to find two people who were available and willing to come in but once they saw who the head chef was, they turned and left. I don't blame them, Gus is a beast and he's unapologetic about it.
It makes me thankful that Melo is taking care of Carina today. Having to run around like I've been doing and worrying about my baby would have been too much
The kitchen door opens and Rocco walks in.
"The make up artiste is here, Bella." He says.
"What? It's 10 o'clock already?"
"Yup. And you know the reporter isn't far behind."
He's right. But I can't abandon ship now that we're short staffed.
"Rocco, send the make up artiste home and find a way to reschedule the meeting with the reporter for tomorrow."
He nods and walks off. One more thing I don't have to deal with. Everyday, I'm thankful that I have Rocco. He's been a friend, a nanny, an assistant, a bodyguard and he hasn't once complained. I have to figure out a way to properly thank him.
During lunch, I get a small window to breathe and I go into my office to rest. I have twenty minutes before I'll be needed back in the kitchen and I have two plans. Call Melo and get a 15 minute power nap.
Melo doesn't answer the first time I call and I start getting worried. What if something happened to Carina and he won't tell me about it because he doesn't want to bother me. I call him again and this time, he answers immediately.
"Oh my God, Melo. Don't ever do that again. I thought something happened and the baby was at the hospital."
He laughs and I hear Carina screech. Her happy sound puts my mind at ease and I sigh in relief.
"I told you, I've got this. You don't have to worry."
"I'm sorry. I can't help it."
"I understand. How was your interview?"
"I had to reschedule, I've just had a day from hell. Three of my chefs came down with something and the one-day-chefs I got turned around and left the second they found out who my head chef was. I've been elbow deep in soup and grease since morning."
"So you loved that part?"
I laugh at that. He knows me so well. "It wasn't terrible but I would have loved it more if I wasn't terribly understaffed.
I shake off the stress I was feeling. "Please send me a video of my baby so I can believe there is still good in the world."
"I got you. Coming right up. Be good okay, I love you."
"I love you too."
The call ends and a few seconds later, I get a video of the both of them. I watch it a few times before I turn my phone off so I can get a quick nap.

Finally the day from hell ends and I can finally go home. My staff are already packing up and cleaning the kitchen before they leave. I make a speech and thank them for their hardwork today and promise them compensation for stretching them to their limits.
After my speech, everybody returns to their work and I turn to leave. Evan walks past me without a word or a glance.
He's been ignoring me like this the whole day and I can no longer ignore it. I have to find out what happened.
"Evan! My office, now." I tell him and walk away.
I enter my office and sit on my chair, then wait for Evan to drag himself to my office. He finally knocks and enters the office.
"You sent for me, Boss?"
Boss? He calls me ma'am or Bella. What is going on here?
"What happened, Evan? Since yesterday, you've been acting strange. What did my husband say to you?"
"Nothing, Boss."
"It's clearly something because you're making sure you ignore me. In case you haven't noticed, I do not like that kind of energy around me. If you have something to get off your chest, say it."
He sighs and finally meets my eyes and the shame I see in them surprises me.
"Why did you give me this job?" He asks.
"You needed work so you could move out of your friends house."
"I told you that after you gave me the job. Why did you offer the job to me in the first place?"
I sigh and think back to that day. "You looked sad that the contract was ending."
He laughs dryly and looks up to the ceiling. "So I was right. At the time, you offered me this job, did you know I had feelings for you?"
So that's what Melo said. The asshole lied to me.
"Yeah," I say, nodding.
"I can't believe you did that to me. Did you and your husband laugh at how pathetic I was? Is that why you told him I liked you?" He says, raising his voice.
The door opens and Rocco comes in, looking ready to beat the shit out of Evan.
"It's Okay, Rocco. I have this handled."
He nods and turns to glare at Evan before leaving.
"I didn't tell my husband you liked me. He took one look at you and saw it. We have never laughed at the fact that you have feelings for me. I didn't bring you to work for me because I think you're pathetic."
He looks like he still doesn't believe me. "I looked at you that day and I saw a talented young chef I'd come to like as a friend and I knew I wanted to watch you grow in your craft. The feelings you had for me was never brought into consideration."
Now will be the wrong time to tell him I almost fired him on the spot.
"You mean that?"
"I really do Evan. One day you're going to be great and I want to be a part of that story. Those feelings you have? It'll go away but what you will learn here? The heights you'll move to from here? That will never go away."
"Thanks, Bella. I really needed to hear that."
"Good. Now that we have settled that, I need to get going."
I start packing up my things and he laughs and helps me carry my bag out. Rocco shakes his head when we come out together but doesn't say anything as we all walk to the car.
"Mrs. Rossi?" I hear and turn.
A woman around my age is smiling at me with her hand stretched.
"I'm Maya Cassidy. You canceled on me earlier?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Today was tough and I couldn't make the interview."
"It's fine. I figured this is better. Now I can ask what I wouldn't have asked earlier."
The energy shifts and I be one wary.
"And what is it?"
"Why did your husband allow 7 people die at the hands of a psycho killer."