He shrugged, amused, pointing a strip of bacon at me.
“Your housekeeper adores me. And I still have keys to your place. You didn’t forget I’m your brother, did you?” he asked, theatrically offended—though his eyes sparkled with that familiar, infuriating amusement.
I sighed, briefly closing my eyes to summon patience.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t forget that even if I tried.”
André laughed loudly, throwing his head back, clearly enjoying my irritation. When he finally composed himself, he gestured to the empty chair beside him.
“Sit. Let’s talk before you put on that arrogant, controlling CEO mask.”
“It’s not a mask,” I replied coldly, moving closer. “And you know that.”
He chuckled again, shaking his head.
“You know what I think you really need? A vacation. Somewhere quiet. Far away from this concrete jungle. Maybe a charming little town in the countryside.”
I studied him for a moment, trying to decipher the apparently innocent expression. With André, it was never clear where the joke ended and the intention began.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I muttered, pulling out the chair and finally sitting down.
He looked at me more carefully now, his smile fading slightly as his gaze assessed my face with uncomfortable accuracy.
“You look terrible. When was the last time you actually slept?”
I broke eye contact, grabbing a clean mug and filling it with coffee.
“Sleep is overrated. And I have an entire company to run.”
“Oh yes. Of course. Your company,” André agreed with mock solemnity, resting his chin in his hands as he studied me. “TheFerrara empire—far more important than your health, sanity, or happiness. Naturally.”
I frowned, taking a bitter sip of coffee.
“I don’t need a lecture, André.”
“Of course you do,” he shot back immediately. “I’m your brother. It’s my job to annoy you until you listen to some common sense.”
I exhaled sharply, setting the mug down harder than necessary.
“What do you want?”
André smiled, victorious, clearly pleased to have my full attention.
“I came to talk about business, but that can wait. First, I want to know how you’re really doing, Enrico. Don’t lie to me.”
For a brief moment, I almost told him the truth.
That I was exhausted. That every day I fought a shadow from the past. That there were nights I couldn’t even close my eyes without seeing Valentina standing at that altar.
I crushed the thought immediately.
“I’m perfectly fine,” I said firmly, fixing André with my coldest, most final stare. “Now stop acting like my therapist and start acting like my lawyer. You said you came to talk business. So talk.”
André sighed, shaking his head in feigned disappointment.
“You really are impossible, you know that?”
“So I’ve been told,” I muttered, returning my attention to the coffee while trying to ignore the discomfort curling in my chest.
