Chapter 5 The Courage

RECENT YEAR

Fiorella walks out to the sitting room, looking like a nerd. She grins at Noello. "Baby, Mamma is going to the interview now," she smiled at him.

"You're going to the interview like this?" The five-year-old looks so disgusted at his mother.

"Baby, you don't know. You won't understand, but this is your mother's outlook on life. So where is your sister?" Fiorella asked.

But suddenly, she heard tiny feet racing towards her; with this, she turned around to see Noelle smiling as she grabbed her. "Mamma..." she called, hugging Fiorella, who squatted for her to embrace her.

"My baby girl, I'll miss you. Please be suitable for your big brother and also don't disobey him when I'm gone. Take good care of your grandma Ginvera, okay?"

"I will, Mamma. You look beautiful this morning," Noelle complimented her mother.

With this, Noello sucks his teeth, rolling his eyes dramatically at their gender. "Mamma looks so horrible in that four eye glasses. Why did you braid your hair like Noelle's? I wouldn't say I like the pigtail hairstyle. And your black skirt is too long, no man will want to admire your natural beauty, and your white long sleeve is too casual. Troublesome woman," He rolled his eyes and walked directly onto his room.

Fiorella looked stunned until he finally entered his room-I don't know where he got his coldness from. He's so emotionless; even though he cares, he doesn't show it; I'm just scared of his youth age outcome. I'm feeling so sorry for the girls that we agree to date him. He's so savage and has this wicked look, but the best thing is that he's very handsome, incredibly cheeky, intelligent, and has beautiful blue eyes.

"Let me kiss my baby girl goodbye," Fiorella grins as she peeks Noelle on her soft baby cheek.

"Good luck to you, Mamma; I love you so much," She smiled slightly. "Go now, Mamma, I don't want you to be late for the interview,"

She nodded and waved her goodbye before exiting the entrance of the door. She saw her mom outside as she kissed her forehead.

"Have a blessed day ahead of you, my dear," Signora Guivera smiled as she waved Fiorella goodbye.

Fiorella walks into the street lane and boards a cab. She smiled at her reflection in the front mirror of the taxi.

I look good like this; the secretary will personally be hand-picked by the boss's fiance. No woman would want to put a gorgeous woman closer to her man. So, I must keep a low profile for the time being.

-

The building is so massive. I walked past the securities because of my credentials and my ID card; they allowed me in. After passing the first entrance, I stop at the second entrance seeing a lot of guards, not just plain ugly guards but acceptable, sexy, and masculine kinds like the ones from Mafia movies.

I halt as they turn to me with disgusting eyes-I'm not that ugly, you know. I turn my four eyes away from them. Finally, I halt at the main entrance about to open the door, which instantly did with full force but accidentally pumped into a colossal figure.

I stopped as my ass found itself on the cold tile floor. I wince in pain. I hurriedly pick up my credentials that are now flying over the entrance floor. The idiot didn't even bother to help, and it's his fucking fault.

My eyes landed on his arm to see that he had a massive rose, dark inked tattoo on the back of his palm. My eyes grew wide as I continued to stare, but he was putting on a black body-hugged suit that showed the tiny amount of his flexed masculine feature.

My eyes stopped at his neckline; it was evident that there was a tattoo drawing that peeps out from his front side. Then, my eyes landed on slightly plump pinkish lips; I stopped right there. Damn, those lips look so kissably soft. He has too many rings on his fingers.

His nose is so pointed and a bit fat that it makes it even sexier. then his eyes; blue eyes, long dark lashes. In This instance, I recoiled because this man looked so familiar. I've seen him today, but where? I furrowed my eyes at his ocean blue eyes.

"Have we met before?" I inquired. His look is unreadable and cold. He looks so emotionless. His face might scare children away from the playing ground. He's so stern.

"Is that your way of seducing a man?" He looks coldly at me. I cringed at his gaze. Again, the realization hits me. I know why he looks so familiar-He looks so much like Noello to a certain extent.

No wonder he seems so sharp just now. I bowed at him to show my gratitude for pumping into him. "My apologies, Sir," I bowed once more.

"If you may excuse me," I rushed away from his sight. A few minutes later, I arrived at the main building-Geez, this place is so fucking big.

You can't steal from this place and escape from here alive or not be caught. I walked up to a polished older woman sitting vibrantly with her glasses on, on the main entrance. I smiled at her; she lowered her glasses to stare at me.

"Fiorella Evette?" She asked. I nod before handing over my credentials to her.

"You look..." she looked grossed out at my appearance.

"Even though I'm not beautiful, you should still look at my credentials. I graduated from the finest universities here in Sicily; I've my Ph.D. degree in fashion and surveillance supervision in flying colors. To be a secretary to the boss, all I need is real woman strength that matters," I cut her off her word.

"Well said!" Laura Tosseli, my best friend and also the DR manager, voiced out from behind me.

The desk woman turned to stare at Laura, who was looking so excited to see me. The desk woman exhaled sharply. "Okay, I will give you a chance to test your supervision techniques. Only if you can turn Melissa Benatti away without seeing the boss, then I'll give you a chance and let you pass," She turned away from me as if I was gone.

"Who is Melissa Benatti?" I turned to look at Laura, who was styling away from my face. She walks closer to me then grabs my arm.

"In four minutes. Forty-eight floor, Secretary office, wait for her there. Just do your best, my friend, do it for the twins!" She winks at me immediately after the elevator closes.

Four minutes later, the elevator stopped at the forty-eight floor. Entering my office that was first before the boss's office, it was wowed by my appearance.

This place is beautiful and well-styled; I can't believe that I've my own office. It's painted white mixed with very dark navy blue; all chairs are brown leather, and they look expensive than my future. Without a knock on the door, a lady burst in.

"Tito?" she yelled. I halted her before she could even walk past the visitor seat-She was beautiful. Brown long hair, hazel eyes. She's tall, and her looks are so intimidating for my eyes.

"Who are you? And how may I help you?" I asked her in the way a secretary does for her boss.

"Are you mad?" she cringes at my expression.

"You ugly duckling, how dare you? do you know who I am?" she flames up. Sharp tongue beauty has.

"I'm not mad, and even though I'm an angry woman, will I be forty-seven floors away from the first? And secondly, I don't know who you are, that's why I asked. So, who are you, and how may I help you," I looked her deeply in her eyes; I could see that she was a bit scared by my action.

"I-" She probed her lips like a child who was caught stealing but wanting to deny the fact that she was the one.

"I'm the woman of his dream. Melissa Benatti," There it is.

Why didn't I catch up that she's the one-ass bitch? Her character shows that she's one of those women that go after men with money. I have to get rid of her this instance before the boss arrives, and I need this job because the pay is so damn big, it's more than my five times tutoring salary-Noello, give Mamma some of your coldness and emotionless eyes.

Noelle gives Mamma your brilliant idea and cheerful brain. "And who the hell are you? And what are you doing here looking like a beggar?" She folds her arm to her chest.

"Signorina Benatti, I'm the new Secretary. My name is Fiorella Cora Evette; nice to meet you," She looks disgusted at me.

"What the hell. Has Tito's taste changed? An ugly lowlife secretary? Get lost out of my sight," she hissed. She was about to go in, but I stopped her.

"Ms. Benatti, wait, you can't go in now. You see, it's for your good, and I won't want to see you sad. If you go in, the boss might get so angry," I try to convince her.

"What do you mean?" She looks bewildered at me.

"You see, Ms. Benatti, erm...the boss is inside with his fiancee right now; they must be having a good time together. If I allow you to go in now...It might get ugly than my looks, don't you think the same with me?" I persuaded her even more.

"What?" She cringed.

"That's impossible," She argued. I fold my arm to my chest with an unconventional eye preying at her.

"How is that impossible? The DR manager said her name is Gwendolyn Ramos, and at this, Ms. Ramos is the rightful and proper fiancee, so this kind of thing they are doing now is typical between engaged couples. Men are unstoppable in stuff like this that spurs up their libido. And they hate to be disturbed, and you should be in an excellent position to know how it feels to get interrupted when you're deep into the mood and-"

"Enough!" she yelled at me in disgust.

"Yikes, don't say further," she turned and rushed out of the office.

"Ms. Benatti. Take good care of yourself, and may I don't remember you sleeping well at night, and you won't sleep well at night either, rude bitch!" I added with a smirk of accomplishment plaster to my lips.

I laughed out loud like a sinister. "The boss isn't even around, and she fell for it. The first victory was won. She should have recorded herself to see how horrified she was." I giggled.

"And who are you?" An emotionless voice was heard beside my ear lobe. I cringed in trauma.

I quickly turn around-It's the massive guy I pump into in the morning. I looked so terrified at his size and his cold gaze. I moved back, but the hard wall was my limit; he slammed his arm on the wall giving me no room to escape.

"How dare you, how dare you taunt my girl and chase her away?" He wasn't yelling, but his voice scared the guts out of me.

He's Tito Denero...?

I got hold of myself then he flinched, looking at me strangely. "Boss...Boss, I'm Fiorella Cora Evette, your new Secretary," I stuttered.

"Please let me know if you have any instructions. I'll be on standby at all times." I added, looking intimidated by his size. He recoiled. He was looking stunned at me.

"My new what?"

"Secretary, your new Secretary," I help him complete his sentence.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes, Boss. Manager Tosseli picked me and also the big lady at the front desk.

"You mean, Mrs. Elena Caprioli?" He asked.

"Someone like that!" I grin, a scary kind of grin.

"I won't let you down, Boss; I promise I won't," I snickered. His frown tightened.

Looking deep into my eyes from the glasses-she seems brilliant. If only she's intriguing. Nevermind! He thought. He turned to walk away, but he voices out.

"Go to Secretary Anisa for work handover. Tomorrow is your first day!" he walks away.

"Yes! I nailed it," I giggled.

-

I pushed the door open. "Babies...Mamma got the job, and also I bought you guys something to eat,"

"Wow, Mamma, you're so brilliant. Congratulations, Mamma," Noelle rejoices as she runs to me and grabs the little cupcake box.

Noello just sat down on the couch looking. Unfortunately not amazed at Noelle and me. "Is that Boss of yours hiring Secretaries or aficionadi? It would help if you were careful, Mamma, and watch out for him," He hisses and faced what he is doing.

"You little brat. Who do you take after?" Fiorella looked pained at her savage son? I feel so sorry for the girls that would want him in the nearest future.

-

A week later, I invited Laura to my home for dinner and mostly to thank her for helping me get a good-paying job and for her to see the twins.

"Laura, My Mamma is not around now. Maybe next time when you stop by, you'll see her." I mouthed with a smile.

"Noello, this is Aunty Laura. She's the one that helped Mamma get a good-paying job; she is also Mamma's old high school friend," Immediately Laura turned around to look at my kid; she half yelled with her eyes bulging out in shock. She cringes.

"Fior...Fiorella!" she stuttered. With his regular cold facial expression. He looks up to Laura with a strong, stern face.

"Hello, Madam!" He voices out with his thick fifteen-year-old voice, but he's five years old. He nods at both of us and walks away.

"Fiorella...is...is that your boy?" she stammered.

"Yeah, he's my boy. His name is Noello. And I think my Mamma carried Noelle to the Mall.

"What?" I look at the still shocked Laura. "I invited you over for dinner to appreciate you for the job because, without you, I wouldn't have made it so far. Do you have to do this? To glance at my son like that as if I stole him!" I furrow my eyes at her.

"No...No, Fiorella, it's not like that...it's...it's just that, your son looks so much like somebody I know," she slowly turns to stare at me. I felt sad instantly.

"At first sight, I thought so too,"

"Could it be our Bosses son? But how is that even possible?" She inquired. I giggled at her.

"No way, there is no such coincidence," She looks sadly away from my eyes.

"Last night, I called Dante...He's still into you, Fiorella; he misses you so much. Do you still love him?"

"NO!" I declared openly without any feeling whatsoever.

"I feel sorry for him. We have already broken up. I've nothing to do with him now. I know that I've caused him a lot of pain. But I want to live a quiet life. I wouldn't say I like to contact him anymore," I elucidated.

"But, Fiorella, Dante loves you so much. Do you know that? He said he's willing to raise your twins with you!" She sounds angry.

"You told him I've twins?" I look awkwardly at her.

"Yes, I did. And he's willing to help you raise them," She added.

"That is ridiculous!" I proclaimed.

"You think so?" She looks lost at me.

"You've changed so much, Fiorella, so much!" she added.

"Yes, I've and also as a single mother!" I let out.