I smile when Jessica signs the contract, her eyes moving back and forth between the name plaque on my desk and the papers in front of her. Shortly after our meeting with her, Luca sent out a company memo announcing our marriage and retracting the no-fraternization rule, and much to my surprise, there was no backlash whatsoever. I was so certain that people would talk behind my back about how I’d slept my way up the corporate ladder, but I haven’t even heard whispers of the sort.
I’ve heard some complaints about Luca being taken now, and surprisingly, I’ve had quite a few heartbroken looks thrown my way too, but no one has spoken maliciously about us. There have been some jokes about the way Luca implemented the no-fraternization rule, and from what I understand, Theo is going around telling everyone that he knew about us all along, but there haven’t been any rude comments. If anything, in the weeks since, everyone has continued to congratulate and celebrate us. I never realized how many of our employees genuinely wanted to see us together. More than once, I’ve been told that we’re a cohesive unit that they feel they can truly put their trust in. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.
“I look forward to working together,” Jessica tells me, her expression grim. I have no doubt she didn’t want to sign this deal at all, but our offer was too good to pass up. She’s staying in her position as CEO, and all we’re really asking for is to use the intellectual property and technology they developed. In return, they’re getting additional investment funds and access to most of our resources, facilitating growth beyond what they can achieve by themselves.
“So do I,” I reply as I shake her hand.
Jessica’s gaze drops back to my name plaque, and then she huffs. “I’m surprised he’d marry someone like you. What is he trying to do? Is he trying to circumvent his grandmother’s terms by pretending he’s in love with you?”
The smile melts off my face, and I sigh. Our employees might be happy for us, but more than one person from Luca’s social circle has questioned our marriage. Many of them seem to think he couldn’t possibly love me. Perhaps it’s because they witnessed how cold and professional we’ve been throughout the years, even when I attended events with him. Or perhaps it’s simply that they think I’m not good enough for Luca. More than once, I’ve heard his acquaintances whisper about how they think it’s ridiculous to end an engagement with the Ivanovs over someone like me.
“Don’t be that woman,” I tell her, my expression neutral. “Don’t tear down another woman just because she has what wasn’t meant for you. You’ll find your own happiness, Jessica. I’m sure of it.”
She frowns at me and crosses her arms. “Don’t act so high and mighty around me,” she snaps. “I know him better than anyone else. I’m the only woman he’s actually truly loved, and that little public display of affection at dinner? It wasn’t love. It was simple lust, an act put on for me to see. He’s using you and having some fun while he’s at it, but when your time is up, he’ll walk away and never look back. The longer you’re together, the clearer it’ll become that you will never fit into our world, and the harder you try, the more you’ll get hurt.”
She takes a step back and smiles. “But there’s no point in telling you that, because time will do it for me. I hope you enjoy it while it lasts. I know how much fun being with Luca can be. He really does have this way of making you feel like you’re the one for him, like he’s never felt that way about anyone else. I guess it’s because he has such single-minded focus. Too bad he doesn’t have a great attention span, though. It’d be nice if that focus of his never shifted, huh?”
She chuckles as she walks out of my office, and I sit back, rattled. I didn’t want to let her get to me, but she just mirrored my exact fears. What happens when Luca finally realizes that we truly are too different? What if his attention does shift? It wouldn’t surprise me if he chooses to abandon me once I’m no longer useful to him — if anything, I expected him to do so for the longest time. Was I foolish for thinking that these feelings could last?
“Valentina?”
I’m snapped out of my thoughts by his voice and look up to find him leaning in my doorway, a hint of concern in his eyes.
“What’s wrong, baby? Did something go wrong with the Metric deal?”
I shake my head and rise to my feet, meeting him halfway. He wraps one arm around my waist and gently cups my face. “Then what’s wrong? Is it something Jessica said?”
I look into his eyes and sigh. “Will you always look at me this way?” I ask, the words escaping my lips without thinking.
“Always,” he replies instantly.
I smile and wrap my arms around his neck. “You don’t even know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t need to. I know that I’ll always love you the same.”
“Even if I get old and wrinkly?”
He nods. “Yep. I’ll memorize each of your wrinkles and take them as signs of years we happily spent together. I’ll be aging right along with you, my love. Will you no longer love me the same if my six-pack disappears? What if my hair falls out?”
I purse my lips and shake my head. “I’m not sure, you know? I do love you mostly for your pretty face.”
Luca chuckles and pulls me closer as he tilts his head and kisses me, once, twice, before he pulls away, his touch gentle. “No marriage is perfect, and we’ll go through seasons in life. There will be times that we’re happier than others, but through it all, I’ll be by your side. That much I can promise you. I can’t put to rest all of your fears, not just yet, but ten years from now, we’ll look back at this moment and I’ll tell you I told you so.”
I rise to my tiptoes and kiss him, my heart heavy. I didn’t think I’d ever put my faith in a man again, yet here I am, wanting to believe every single one of his words. “I can’t wait for that day,” I murmur.
Luca threads a hand through my hair and smiles, his gaze overflowing with love. “Me neither, baby, but let’s not forget to enjoy every step along the way, all right?”
I nod, my worries put to rest. “I love you,” I tell him. “I’ve never told you this, but I’m grateful that you don’t demand my trust or faith, nor do you punish me for my insecurities. I know I’m not the easiest person to be married to, but you… Luca, if soulmates exist, I think you might be mine.”
The way he smiles at me makes my heart skip a beat. He leans in, but just before his lips meet mine, both of our phones start to ring.
I step back and frown as I grab my phone from my desk. “Hey mom,” I murmur, surprised that she’d call me when she knows Luca and I are coming over in just an hour or so. We promised to spend this weekend with Abuela and her, after all.
“Val,” she says, her voice sounding strained. “Abuela… please come home, okay? Please.”
I glance at Luca, who’s staring back at me, his face pale and his own phone pressed to his ear. His hand drops to his side and his phone slips out of it, the sound of it clattering to the floor loud in my quiet office. The heartbreak in his eyes tells me everything my mother couldn’t say.
