Chapter 9 Bad News

As the clock struck afternoon, the grand mansion was eerily quiet, save for the soft shuffling of the servants' footsteps. It was a lonely place, once occupied only by the reclusive Leonardo. But now, Sofia had to start her first day in this sprawling estate.

After having breakfast, Leonardo checked some mail and looked at some documents on his laptop.

Sofia hadn't still come down. So Leonardo sent a maid to call her for breakfast because it was already eleven in the morning.

Leonardo was so engrossed in his work that he lost track of time and everything else around him. However, his attention was soon drawn to the refreshing aroma of body wash and shampoo that filled the air. He glanced up from his laptop and saw Sofia standing before him, looking down with a natural beauty that was accentuated by her lack of makeup.

Even quite beautiful compared to the previous night. She looked dainty and slim, with curves in all the right places. Leonardo would have questioned her age if he hadn't reviewed her birth certificate during the contract signing.

Upon casting a quick glance at her, his forehead creased with concern. He observed that her lips were quivering, and her hands were shaking, although she tried to conceal it by clenching them into a tight fist. A closer look revealed that she hadn't dried her hair. She would get cold and fall sick.

Not willing to take any chances, Leonardo pushed his chair back and stood up, his tone firm as he ordered, "Towel."

A maid came instantly with a towel in her hand and handed it to Leonardo.

As Leonardo approached Sofia with the towel in his hand, he noticed her lips trembling and a gasp escaping her mouth. She was afraid. Leonardo again regretted acting like a monster last night. Sighing, he quickly tossed the towel at her head before moving closer to her. Sofia instinctively grabbed his hand with her delicate fingers as he began to rub her hair gently.

"Why on earth did you not dry your hair? You will fall sick, you know?!" He inquired as he vigorously rubbed the towel over her damp hair.

"Mr. Morelli, I assure you, I won't become ill. I am accustomed to letting my hair air dry," she reassured him, her voice muffled by the towel.

"I prefer to be addressed as Leonardo," he corrected her, displaying his dislike for the formal address.

"Hmm?" She looked puzzled, not comprehending why he was so sensitive.

"You heard me clearly, correct? I am not accustomed to repeating myself," he stated sternly in his deep voice, and just then, his phone began to vibrate.

He left the towel on her head and made his way back to the table to retrieve the call. Upon seeing the number, he silently cursed. It was his father. Why on earth was he calling him? With reluctance, he answered the call.

"Leonardo, you and Sofia must leave for Rome right now," Leonardo's father commanded with urgency.

"Hold up, what's going on? Can you fill me in?" Leonardo was getting annoyed with his dad taking over his life and making decisions without talking to him first.

"Sofia's grandmother passed away this morning." Leonardo's father informed, "and her last wish was for Sofia to be present at the funeral. I received a call from Carlo this morning. He's at the airport with his family, and he said that you could bring Sofia to Rome on our private jet. So, hurry up." his father ended the call without hearing Leonardo's reply.

Taking a deep breath, Leonardo turned toward Sofia. He noticed that she had just taken off the towel from her head. Her hair was now all over the place, and she was miserably trying to flatten it out with her hand. An unconscious smile stretched across his lips. But, despite finding her appearance adorable, Leonardo knew he had to be serious with her. He had some sad news to convey.

"Sofia!" Leonardo exclaimed, feeling a rush of warmth as her name rolled off his tongue for the first time.

However, he noticed that she seemed nervous as she trembled visibly at the sound of his voice, fidgeting with her fingers and avoiding eye contact. Sighing, Leonardo decided not to say anything and planned to tell her once they had arrived in Rome.

Sofia's eyes slowly lifted to him, and she blinked cluelessly. Leonardo froze, looking into the most beautiful and bright eyes he had ever seen. So innocent and pure.

Leonardo cleared his throat. "Quickly have your breakfast and pack some clothes. We're leaving for Rome in half an hour."

He said, leaving Sofia confused.

He went to his study and dialed a number.

"Domenico!" he said as soon as the person on the other side answered the call.

Domenico was his best friend and his right hand.

"Hey, Leonardo! How was your wedding night?" Domenico asked mischievously, making Leonardo wince.

"Not this time, Domenico. I called you to tell you something urgent," Leonardo replied sternly.

"Okay, tell me," Domenico said, bracing himself for whatever request was about to come his way.

Leonardo wasted no time in getting to the point. "I need to fly to Rome," he said firmly. "And you'll have to take care of my business here for a day or two. I'll be back soon." With that, he hung up the phone, leaving Domenico to pick up the pieces and figure out how to handle the situation.

Leonardo made some calls to make some arrangements in Rome and asked his bodyguard Mark to check on the arrangements. After finishing his calls, he headed to his room to pack some clothes. As he walked down the hallway, he spotted Sofia waiting for him with her bags. She was still wearing the floral dress that she had worn earlier.

"Get a jacket now," demanded Leonardo, looking at her sternly. Despite his warning, she remained rooted in her spot, which frustrated him. "You'll freeze later if you don't listen," he added sharply.

He sighed as he didn't have time for her stubbornness, so he called for the house help to come and take their luggage down to the parking lot.

After leaving the building, Leonardo went straight to the parking lot, where his bodyguard, Mark, was waiting for him. Mark opened the back seat door for Leonardo, but as a gentleman, he decided to wait for Sofia before sitting inside the car.

As Sofia made her way toward the waiting car, she took slow and small steps, trying to compose herself. Leonardo was already there, waiting for her, and he gestured for her to get inside. She hesitated for a moment but then slowly stepped into the backseat. She shifted to make some space for someone else, and then Leonardo sat beside her. Mark closed the door and took the passenger seat, and soon enough, the driver started the ignition, and the car headed towards the airport.