My phone buzzes. Text from Gianna:Need you on the call in ten. Investor update. Can’t push it again.
I type back with my good hand.Will be there.
The video call icon appears on my laptop exactly ten minutes later. I answer audio-only. Camera off.
“Marco?” Gianna’s voice comes through. “We need video for this one. The investors specifically requested Facetime.”
“Audio only,” I tell her flatly.
A pause. Then she tries again. “They’re putting in another two million. They want to see the person they’re investing in.”
“Then tell them to go fuck off and find someone else. We’re not fucking interested.”
The words come out harder than I intended.
Another pause. Longer this time.
“Marco.” Her tone becomes softer, but still firm. “You can’t keep doing this. Hiding. Running the company from the shadows. Scaring investors away. Eventually people are going to notice.”
“Let them notice.” I close my eyes. Rub at the scar on my cheek without thinking, and rip off one of the scabs Ethan left. I flinch at the pain.
Fuck.
“I’m still running things,” I finish through gritted teeth. “Still making decisions. The business doesn’t need my face.”
“The business needs its founder to show the fuck up,” Gianna snaps. “You built this on your image. On being the beautiful restaurateur everyone wanted to photograph. You can’t just disappear and expect the brand to survive.”
Beautiful.
Past tense.
I laugh bitterly. “The brand will survive. Or it won’t. Either way I’m not turning on the camera.”
“Jesus Christ, Marco.” She sighs. “Fine. I’ll tell them you’re dealing with medical complications. But this can’t continue indefinitely.”
“Whatever.” The call ends.
I sit there staring at the blank screen.
She’s right. Of course she’s right. The business is bleeding out slowly. Not from bad food or poor service.
But from lack of presence.
Lack of me.
A knock at the door of my suite interrupts my dark thoughts.
“Mr. Fiore?” Neli’s voice. “Benedetta is asking for you.”
Ben.
She finally came back from the in-laws yesterday. I heard her arrive. Heard her little voice asking Neli where Jess was.
Neli told her Jess had to leave for a while. That she’d be taking care of her instead.
Ben cried.
Fucking balled her eyes out for hours.
