Fran looked at her thoughtfully, as if weighing her words. “We’re aware of your situation with Mr. Pechman. Don’t worry, Miss Reale, we’ve had employees in similar circumstances before. There are plenty of opportunities for someone of your fiancé’s abilities, and I am sure we’ll have no problem helping him find placement.”
Aida’s stomach twisted. She wanted to demand answers about how they knew so much about her life, but managed to keep her expression neutral, schooling herself not to react. She needed to stay calm, to not let Fran see her surprise. She simply nodded, forcing herself to remain composed.
Fran extended her hand, and although Aida knew she hadn’t made her final decision, the gesture felt weighty, almost as if accepting it would bind her to the path ahead. She hesitated for just a moment before clasping Fran’s hand. The warmth of the handshake sent a ripple of unease through her, the job still seeming too good to be true.
“I’ll respond by Wednesday.”
“Excellent. I look forward to hearing from you,” Fran said.
Yumi appeared with Disa, as if on cue. Her friend’s eyes were unreadable.
Disa accompanied them on the elevator but did not step out when they reached the bottom. “Remember, ladies, you signed an NDA. You won’t speak of anything you discussed today, right?”
“Right,” Aida and Yumi responded. No one would even believe them if they told the story, anyway.
“Good.”
Then Disa was gone, and a bellhop escorted them back toward the waiting Rolls-Royce.
A nudge and a shake of the head to Yumi as they walked to the Rolls had signaled not to speak of Aida’s offer in front of the driver. Instead, they chatted about the Netflix show that Yumi had watched while she was in the theater room. But as soon as the luxurious car had driven off and Aida closed the town-house door behind them, Yumi began to pepper her with questions.
“I need a drink to explain all this,” she said as she removed her coat and placed it on the hook near the door. “Come on.” After texting Graham that she was safe and would tell him everything when he got home, Aida led Yumi into the kitchen, where she mixed up a gin and tonic for each of them. She trusted Yumi, and since Yumi had signed an NDA too, she reasoned it was safe enough to divulge the details. After all, they were in this together.
“Is the salary worth it?” Yumi asked as Aida dropped a lime slice into each glass and handed one to her friend. When Aida told her the number, Yumi picked up the drink and took a huge swallow. “Damn.”
“Let me check my email. I was so stunned I didn’t think to look in the car on the way back.” Aida went into the next room to grab her laptop. She climbed onto the kitchen barstool next to her friend and logged in.
“She said she would send me pictures of the place where I would live in Rome.” Aida opened up the email with the subjectMODA palazzo.
“Dear god,” Yumi said as Aida flipped through the digital carousel of photos. “This is ridiculous.”
Aida had always understoodpalazzoto mean a palace in Italian, but she knew it also referred to apartment buildings, many of which were converted palaces. For her stay in Rome, she had pictured a modest apartment, perhaps quaint and charming in itsown right. However, the photos she was now looking at painted a completely different picture.
She flipped through the images with growing astonishment: a massive master bedroom, multiple living areas adorned with Renaissance frescoes, ceilings that could have been masterpieces from centuries ago. The terraces opened to views she had only dreamed of, and the central garden was lush and inviting. Further images revealed a library, a gym, a massage room, a sauna, and a well-equipped kitchen. This was not just any palazzo apartment—it was a living space fit for royalty.
“This just can’t be real,” Yumi said. “It has to be a scam. Hand me your laptop. Let me put my fingers to work.” After Aida showed her the documents she had been sent and mentioned Mr. Khumalo’s heart attack that had ended his career, Yumi got to work. She quickly copied and pasted everything into a new document and uploaded it into a shared drive that they used to trade photos and GIFs. With a nod, she jumped off the stool and headed toward the door. “I’ll text you when I find anything.”
Aida didn’t need Yumi to hack up the information to tell her that the whole scenario was likely a sham. But what didn’t make sense was Felix’s endorsement of Lady Ozie and her strange company. He trusted the woman, and if he said he had done work for her, he must have. He would never have referred her to a company that would steer her wrong.
The money was a good lure, that was certain. She could pay for the wedding and a nice chunk of her credit cards.
As she scrolled back through the images of the palazzo again, excitement mixed with a touch of apprehension. This could be a fresh start, an adventure. It was only for three months, but a small part of her couldn’t help but wonder—what if the job was as incredible as it seemed? What if she found herself wanting to stay longer?
Aida had just finished tidying up the kitchen late in the afternoon when she heard the front door open. Graham steppedin, shaking off the cold and unwrapping his scarf. He looked tired but content, like he always did after a long day of teaching.
“Hey, you,” Aida called out, her voice carrying from the kitchen.
Graham smiled as he walked in, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. “Hey, yourself. How was your day?”
“It was... interesting. They offered me the job.”
Graham straightened, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Wait, already? That was fast!”
“Yeah, and it’s... well, it’s kind of unbelievable,” Aida said, trying to gauge his reaction. “They want me to leave next week.”
Graham’s eyes widened. “Whoa. Next week? That’s not just fast—that’s weird. Why the rush?”
“I guess they’re really eager to get started.”
