The room darkened and an invisible weight pressed down on Alessia's shoulders. Her breath caught, as if the air was suddenly too thick to breathe. Alessia wanted to kick herself. She really needed to start getting out more if she got this dumbstruck at seeing a man. Albeit, a very good-looking man. But still. She'd thrown her social skills out the window along with her entire career.

She tore her eyes away and looked at the laptop screen. Was it that really?

Get a grip.

"Um, Signor John Barone? Pretty sure your room is ready," she started in Italian. "I didn't know you were coming but my mother was upstairs all day cleaning as if the Queen of England was coming to visit and now it all makes sense." She gave him a feeble smile.

His eyebrows knitted together. "Do you speak English?" His voice was deep, his accent distinctly American.

Alessia resisted the urge to slap her forehead. Of course, he probably didn't speak Italian. "Uhh, sì."

He held her gaze, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "Okay."

Now would be a great time to melt into the floor. Alessia looked down at the booking information and took a deep breath. Maybe she should just go with it. Pretend she couldn't speak English. She'd have the perfect fake excuse for avoiding this guy. He made her uncomfortable. And she hated it.

"Mi dispiace tanto." She shrugged in apology, then went on in Italian, "Everything looks fine with your booking. I'll just need to write down your passport information. Your room is upstairs, I think. No, wait, it is upstairs because that's where the rooms are. I just don't know which one yet." She waited a beat, then tilted her head and said slowly, "Passport?"

He pulled a zip-up folder from his laptop bag and took his passport out. Alessia was grateful for something to do without having to look at the guy. She took her time to copy down the information and hand his passport back.

"Right, I'll show you where to go." Standing, she waved for him to follow. She led him a short way down the hall, then took the stairs on the right. Normally, she'd launch into a speech about the history of the farm as she guided guests to their rooms, but didn't see the point this time.

With his laptop bag and his carry-on suitcase in his hands, he followed slowly, glancing at the old photos of the farm from past generations hanging on the walls. Alessia paused as his gaze lingered on one of the sepia photographs of her great-great-grandfather, taken in the very rose garden the pig had just tried to ravage.

"Bis-bis-nonno," she explained.

He nodded once, and their journey up the stairs continued. Alessia slowed when she reached the hallway, unsure which room her mother had prepared for their sudden guest. She tried the door handles to see which one was unlocked, and found the door to room three to be open.

"Here you go," Alessia stepped to the side to allow him to pass. Another cloud of cologne enveloped her and she swallowed down a cough. "Go easy on the cologne, though. It smells great but I can hardly breathe," she muttered.

"Grazie," he said, tossing his suitcase onto the freshly made bed. It bounced slightly. He walked over to the window and peered outside, taking in the view of the rolling hills.

She froze. How much of all that had he understood? "Parli l'italiano?"

He threw a glance over his shoulder, his expression stoic. "Just a little."

"Dinner seven pm. Okay?" she asked, using her best I-can't-speak-English voice. "Breakfast seven-thirty."

"Sure." He nodded curtly, then turned back to the window.

That ended their conversation, then. She quickly went on in more Italian, "Let us know if you need anything. Just ask anyone you see around the farm. Feel free to poke around. Don't be shy. Make yourself at home."

Shut up and leave.

"I'll see you around." Alessia turned to scurry away.

"What was your name again?" John called before she could disappear. "Tuo nome?"

She paused in the doorway. "Alessia."

"Thanks, Alessia. Oh, and, uh... You have something..." he pointed at her hair.

She reached up and felt the strands hanging over her shoulder, and something stiff and prickly scratched at her hand. She frowned and pulled it out—a piece of straw.

"Oh!" She laughed awkwardly, her face growing hot. "Thanks. That happens. Life on the farm, you know. Um... Enjoy your stay."

Without waiting for him to say anything else, she whirled around, shut the door, and hurried back down the stairs.

Holy ravioli.

That was definitely high on the list of the most awkward things she'd ever done. At least she had already made the worst impression possible. It could only get better. Besides, the guy was only here for two weeks, then he'd be gone. Arrivederci. Ciao. Bye bye. That thought brought some relief. Until then, it was going to be a long two weeks.

In the foyer, she grabbed her journal and rounded the corner to enter the family's private hallway. Veronica stood at the other end, near the living room doorway, pressing herself against the wall.

Alessia furrowed her brow. "What are you—"

Veronica put a perfectly manicured finger to her lips, and then Alessia heard the voices drifting from the living room. Her mother and father—and two voices she'd never heard before.

She joined Veronica and whispered, "What is it?"

Veronica shushed her, and they both listened as one of the strangers spoke.

"We had an agreement, and yet..." the man cleared his throat. "It's been six months since we've seen a payment from you. This is unacceptable."

"I understand," Papa said. "I've almost got enough for a payment. I can give you what I have next week."

There was a pause. Then the other man spoke, "That's not good enough, Signor Martelli. We've warned you. For months, we've warned you."

Alessia's heart pounded. Who were these people? Bankers didn't talk like that. We warned you... as if there was some latent threat.

"Just give us more time," Mama pleaded. "After my daughter's wedding in two weeks. Then we will be more flexible."

"Signora Martelli, there is no more time. The last six payments would amount to a total of six thousand eight hundred twenty-seven euros and fifty-two cents. We have yet to see one of them."

Alessia and Veronica's gazes met. Veronica's wide eyes looked as shocked as Alessia felt. What had Mama and Papa gotten themselves into?

"Here," Papa said with a light sound of metal clinking against metal. "Take this as payment."

Alessia bit down on her lip. It must be his watch.

One of the men hummed. "Looks decent... two hundred, maybe."

"And these," came Mama's voice. "Fourteen karats. Get them appraised."

Alessia's heart sank. Mama's favorite gold earrings. Alessia could remember when Papa had given them to her years ago.

"Certainly. These will count toward your debt."

Alessia had stopped listening. She studied the ring on her left ring finger, a simple gold band with a round solitaire diamond. She hadn't taken it off once in the three years since it had been slipped onto her finger. Even though she no longer needed it. But it had been a reminder. A reminder of the man who had put it there and her promise to him. A promise never fulfilled.

The conversation in the living room continued, Mama and Papa's voices pleading, the men firm and cold. None of this was right—these men needed to leave. Her throat hurt and her eyes stung, but she stepped around Veronica and walked into the living room, her heels tapping softly against the terracotta tiles. The warm, sunlit space felt strangely heavy, despite the glow streaming through the open windows overlooking the gardens. Her parents sat on the edge of the worn leather sofa, their expressions tight, worry clouding their faces. Across from them, two men in tailored suits occupied the armchairs, their briefcases resting by their feet, and their faces wore the practiced neutrality of bankers accustomed to uncomfortable conversations.

One of the men was speaking, his voice smooth but firm. "Signor Martelli, once again, we can't emphasize the importance of more timely payments enough. The bank—"

"Excuse me," Alessia interrupted, her voice ringing out unexpectedly. All four looked up, startled, her mother's expression briefly brightening with hope while her father stiffened.

The bankers shared a surprised glance, clearly not expecting anyone else to barge in. Alessia strode into the room, standing tall, her gaze steady as it moved between the men. "What is going on here?" she asked, surprised at the calm in her voice while her pulse thudded furiously.

Her interruption shifted the dynamic instantly. The two men straightened, clearly adjusting their approach, while her parents exchanged uncertain looks, relief and apprehension mingling in their eyes.

One of the men cleared his throat. "Well, I... don't think you need to concern yourself..."

Alessia sighed. She had heard enough. She didn't need to hear some lame dismissal. So, she walked up to them and pulled the ring off her finger.

"There. That should cover the first payment. Now get out of our house."

The man looked startled, but he accepted the ring and immediately held it into the sunbeam streaming through the window. It glinted in a rainbow of colors.

"Alessia, no!" Mama gasped. "Signore, give it back, she's not paying anything. This is our business, not hers."

Alessia turned to her. "Mama, I'm not going to just stand here and listen to this when I can help."

"Are you sure, signorina? This looks like a rather... special piece of jewelry."

Alessia glared at him. "Take it and get out."

The two men looked at each other, nodded, picked up their suitcases, and stood.

"We'll be in contact," one of the men said to Papa.

Papa, Mama, and Alessia were silent as the men let themselves out.

Alessia looked down at her empty hand, still flecked with mud. Numb and cold, it felt like she was slowly being crushed by a thousand pounds of rock.

Another piece of her heart was gone.

Forever.

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Author's Note:

Rate Alessia's day on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best 😅

And I know it's not Wednesday, but now I think I'm going to try and post one chapter a day, up to Chapter 10, and then I'll fall into my once a week update routine. So yay! Enjoy the quick updates!