Does he know the truth already?

She couldn't help asking herself. She had forgotten the one fact that she was just about to tell him everything. She wouldn't lie about the fact that it scared her each time she thought of him finding out the truth from someone else. First and foremost, he would truly be hurt. It would break her heart to see him hurt. The thought of it all felt like an excruciating pain.

Suddenly, a slow but sure smile played across his face.

"Could this something possibly be about the fact that you... have always been in love with me?" He asked with a bright smile, as he played with the food in front of him and for some reason, Kiana couldn't help, but stare at him. He seemed so peaceful and innocent. If only he understood the one part that the truth was farther than his assumption.

She gulped down hard as she lowered her eyes in shame upon recollecting everything that happened. She knew she needed to tell him, but she just realised how embarrassed and ashamed she is regarding what she had done. One thing was sure and it was the fact that Enrico didn't deserve any of that. She, at least, owed him this one fact of telling him the truth. He might be upset with her, but at least, he would know the entire truth and if he forgave her, their relationship would really start off on a good pace.

She took in a deep breath, gathering enough courage, before immediately looking up to him.

"I..." She started, but was interrupted by the ringing tone of his phone. She watched as he took one look at his phone and noticed how the expression on his face changed before he set the phone aside once more then looked up to her.

He tried his best to put up an assuring smile.

"You were saying?" He asked, a clear demand for her to continue, regardless of the fact that his phone was ringing.

It felt a little strange, but she decided to play along as the ringing tune eventually stopped playing.

"I should have told you a long time ago. I..." His phone rang once more and she watched him spare the caller ID one more glance, then setting it aside again. He put up the same smile for her to go on, but she knew she couldn't.

What she was about to confess needed concentration and at the moment, she was a little bothered about whom he might on purpose be ignoring.

"It's okay to pick the call."

"It's not important." He replied right away and eventually the tune stopped.

Unknowingly, Kiana let out a silent sigh, as she looked away from him.

"Are you okay?" Enrico asked, as he noticed a little difference in her.

She instantly shifted her eyes back to him in an attempt to reply to his question, but the ringing tune of his phone began playing once more. They both shifted their gaze to the phone on the table. Enrico looked away from it and Kiana could see the same subtle reaction once more on his face. She knew she had to ask.

"Who is it?" She asked and after a moment of silence, he spoke.

"My mother." He stated as he focused on his food in an attempt to distract himself from the rising topic.

At the mention of Giulia, Kiana could feel her heart sink in with fear. Her hands slightly began shaking and she had to slowly retract them under the table, in her lap, away from his prying eyes.

"Per... perhaps, you should pick it. She has been calling continuously. There's a possibility that she might need your help..."

"She doesn't. Look... My mother is a little demanding and..." Suddenly, he paused for a moment and stared blankly at her. Kiana felt a little confused as to what was going on in his mind. Suddenly, he picked up the phone and answered the call, bringing the phone close to his ear, a little to her surprise.

"What do you want?" His voice came through first, sounding a little calm, but rude.

"That's no way to speak to your mother, Enrico. I've been calling for a while, yet you ignored my calls."

"I'm speaking to you at the moment, ain't I?" He asked and he could hear her heave a sigh on the other side of the phone, before speaking up once more.

"Your aunt and I are presently in your office and it seems you're planning on running late today. Don't do that. There's something important we need to discuss and you have to get here as soon as possible." She explained and Enrico couldn't help, but hate every word from her sentences. He took a look at Kiana, who seemed to have shifted her gaze elsewhere. A sort of act to give him the needed privacy.

"I can't. I'm not coming to the office today." He explained.

"You have to. Enrico, it's important. You have to show up here. We'll be expecting you." She stated then cut the call before he could think of any response.

Kiana took a look at him and realised he was done with his call. He stared at her with a blank expression and for a minute, it made her wonder what was going on. Did Guilia say something to him regarding the truth? But then again, Kiana thought of the fact that she was the last person that would want Enrico finding out about the truth. She made a decision to speak up, but before she could put her decision into action, suddenly a simple smile played on his face.

"She's requesting my presence but... I've promised this day to us. I don't want to leave your side and I don't want you out of my side either." He started and although everything about his sentence sounded sweet and at the same time, nerve wracking, she couldn't help wondering what he was trying to say.

He let out a light sigh.

"Will you come along with me?" He finally asked. At first, his question sounded nothing more than a request, but as she stared at for the next few seconds, she eventually realised what going along with him actually meant.

Enrico lightly squeezed her hand in his and she had to look away from the view out of the window and unto him. He gave her an assuring smile, as he glanced once at her and eventually shifted his eyes back to the road ahead. Although Kiana had smiled back, she couldn't help feeling uneasy as she looked away from him. She blamed herself for her present situation. She should have said no regarding tailing alongside him to meet his mother. There were clear signs that nothing good was going to come out of that. Giulia didn't like the fact that her son actually had an interest in her. She had threatened and warned her to stay away from Enrico, but in the end, she had confessed her love to him and she was riding along with him to meet her. She didn't know what Enrico desired to achieve by doing that, but she had a clear feeling that everything wouldn't settle so easily. In one word, she was panicking. She had barely gotten through telling him the truth and then, this. She could only hope and pray everything doesn't turn out sour.

Finally, out of the car, Kiana found herself standing as still as a statue. Regardless of everything, Enrico took hold of her hand in his to take a step forward, but Kiana held him back.

"Are we really going to walk into the building hand in hand? Aren't you worried about people talking? I mean... they're going to say a lot. I am your assistant and this could tarnish your reputation."

"So be it." He simply stated, a little to her surprise and without letting her utter a word more, he dragged her forward along with him. She had no choice but to walk alongside, holding her heart in her hands.

As they walked into the building, a few eyes that recognised either him or her turned and threw a few glances at their direction. Some whispered and Kiana couldn't help noticing. As they stepped into the elevator, she took a look at Enrico and realised he seemed less disturbed about the few treatments they just got, but she, on the other hand, was greatly disturbed. She didn't like the stares and she, most definitely, didn't like the whispering. Actually, she wasn't the type to care much about what people thought, but for some reason, this situation was different. She was worried about Enrico. She could be messing up everything he had worked so hard for. The one fact that he was having a romantic relationship with his employee could read several other meanings. Not everyone was understanding and not everyone was broadminded.

As the elevator opened once more for them to step out, Kiana could see how closer they got with each step forward towards his office. She was more familiar with employees that worked on this part of the floor. The staring and whispering was surely going to get much common and louder. Slowly and gently, she tried to wriggle her hand out of his, but he wouldn't let her. Instead, his hold grew firmer and he came to a stop and turned to face her.

"I know you're worried and I know you have insecurities but... I'm always going to be by your side, so please... don't let go. Hold on to me, okay?" He assured her with a warm smile and she couldn't help smiling back. He was doing so much for her and she had barely done anything for him. It made her a little sad. Regardless of her thoughts, she nodded in accordance and his smile grew broader. He drew closer and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then another on her lips. He smiled once more at her and she reciprocated with hers, before he turned and they took steps forward towards his office.

"Good morning, sir..." An employee greeted at the sight of him, but suddenly fell lost for words as she saw Kiana alongside, hand in hand with their boss.

Enrico couldn't wait for anything more from her so they walked past her and directly towards his office. Kiana had noticed how the room suddenly grew silent for a moment of seeing them together, which was eventually followed by several whispers. She really didn't want to pay attention to them, but she couldn't help it. She could only do nothing, but hold on firmer to him. He was her source of strength and only his words really mattered to her, so she was going to really stay by his side.

He pushed the door open and the both stepped in before the door eventually shut. Both mother and aunt immediately shifted their gaze to the two people that just stepped into the room. As Giulia's eyes met with Kiana, her brows slightly furrowed. Kiana could see the uneasiness in the woman's eyes. She forced herself to look elsewhere.

"Can you state what you have to say quickly, so we could leave?" He proposed, his tone a little rude.

They watched as Giulia stood up from her seat, in front of his table and made her way to them. She shifted her eyes from her son and onto Kiana. She also didn't fail to notice their hands.

"Is this a joke?" She asked, directing the question to no one in particular.

There was silence from all parts of the office. Enrico said nothing, but stared directly at her.

"It's quite obvious, Giulia. Enrico's trying to show us just how much he doesn't care about our opinions... He simply doesn't care." Sophia interjected from where she sat on the sofa. Her voice had broken the silence and something about her tone and conclusion didn't seem very appealing.

As Kiana rose her eyes up, they met with Giulia's and the older woman glared hard at her in silence. If only one could kill with just glaring, she would most definitely be dead.

"Enrico, we need to talk in private." She finally commented, while her eyes remained fixated on Kiana. Something about the older woman's eyes and tone told her a lot about the fact that it wasn't going to end as thoughtful as anyone might think.

"Kiana is going nowhere." Enrico boldly proclaimed, forcing his mother to raise her eyes up to him, away from Kiana.

Sophia watched the scene in silence, observing every little act. As she stared at her son, her brows slightly furrowed at how confident he had gotten over the night. Yes, she wasn't on good speaking terms with her son, but he wouldn't reject her words in such a way, especially in front of his aunt. Something has most definitely changed. Taking one more glance at Kiana, she knew exactly who was responsible.

"I'll be okay." Kiana suddenly intervened, as she got her hand away from his hold, much to his surprise.

"Kiana." He called, in an appeal for her to let him stand by his words, but it seemed she had made up her own mind.

"It's okay. I'm not leaving. I'm just right outside the office. You need to speak with your family and I don't want to get in the way." She told him then displayed a brief and assuring smile, before turning away. He did nothing, but watched her quickly walk away and out of the office. A part of him felt angered by the present situation.

"What's wrong with you, Enrico? How many times do I have to tell you that she's only after the money you have in your possession..."?

"Kiana is nothing of a sort. You said you have something important to discuss and now, I'm here." He stated, interrupting anything more she had to say. Giulia stared at him, a little pissed off by his stubbornness.

"You're getting married." Sophia suddenly announced. He shifted his gaze to her, as his brows slowly furrowed.

"What?" He managed to pronounce, quite shocked by the strange news. Sophia got up to her feet and made her way up to him.

"Your marriage to Celine has been finalised. You're getting married." She repeated, staring directly at him. He was silent for a while, before suddenly letting out a chuckle followed by a laughter.

"This has to be the worst joke you two have played on me. It's the worst..."

"It's no joke. You're getting married on the 27th of next month. You're going to make your uncle so proud and show him just how grateful you are that he chose you to rule the company after his death. You're going to take this company to greater heights with the help of Celine Sterling by your side and you're going to stop this foolishness you think you have going on with your assistant." Sophia explained, but at the same time, kind of threatened and Enrico was left staring at her. The expression on his face, a little stunned by how far his aunt and mother was ready to go.

Sophia lightly brushed his shoulders with her hands as she put up a smile.

"Your mother and I love you very much. We only want the best for you." She added, while he still stared at her.

For a moment there, a lot of memories flashed across his mind and in that instant, he took a step backward away from her reach. Finally, he understood the fact that no matter what he did, nothing would satisfy their greed.

"That's enough. I've spent years trying to satisfy your each and every wish, but not anymore. I've finally found true love and she doesn't care about any of this... I'm not getting married to Cecile and that's final." He commented, much to their dismay, before turning his back on them to leave the office.

"Don't you want to know what actually happened between you and her nine years ago?" Giulia asked, as he placed his hand on the door knob. He stopped on this very action. The words in this very sentence had caught his attention.

Don't listen. She's only trying to manipulate things as usual.

He told himself as he shut his eyes for a second. He was determined to walk away, to stop them from toying with his life.

"We actually met without your knowledge." She added once more, as she noticed her first sentence didn't have much effect on him.

Met?

That very word made him slightly turn his head back to her. His brows slightly furrowed in confusion. Giulia posed a sly smile at the corner of her lips, as she noticed the fact that she had finally gotten his attention.

"Like I said, she's only after your money... she doesn't love you." She started and although Enrico hated every word from that sentence, he felt a strange attraction to knowing more that she had to say.