Chapter 4 – After-the-party
The door opened and closed behind a tired, stress-drunk Isabel as she kicked off her shoes, leaving them in the corner of her room.
Her flat wasn’t big or magnificent, but it was tidy, at least as long as she did the tidying herself. Vivi wasn’t exactly big on keeping things neat, though she was always on point when it came to a meal.
Isabel sighed, her body aching with the sort of exhaustion that felt like it would never leave. I knew I shouldn’t have worn that dress, she grumbled to herself.
She looked at the clock on the wall. It was just past midnight, and she knew that meant Vivi and Dave would be fast asleep.
Running a hand through her hair, she loosened the last few pins and held them in place. One small box checked off the list of things she needed to do to settle down for the night.
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the apartment, and eventually, she caught sight of Vivi and Dave wrapped in a blanket on the couch. They looked adorable together, she had to admit, and they seemed thoughtful enough to leave her the bed.
Whose idea could that have been? she wondered, a small smile forming on her lips.
Without making a sound, she headed into her bedroom, switching on the desk lamp and pulling her laptop toward her. There was a story to be written, even if her energy was practically gone.
She opened her notepad, transferring her notes over as she typed. Editing photos into the document, she paused, her fingers hovering over the keyboard when she came across Matteo’s picture.
Isabel stared at it for a moment longer than intended. For some reason, it felt like she was seeing him differently. His broad shoulders seemed more prominent now, especially in the sleek, black, long-sleeved shirt that contrasted against his fair skin, giving him an even more striking presence.
What am I doing? She blinked and shook her head, then slapped her cheeks lightly, trying to push the thought out of her mind. Refocusing, she returned to editing the article, doing her best to capture the event vividly.
She wasn’t one for writing in the simplistic style that came with news reports; she wanted readers to feel like they were part of the story, to relive the moment. But with the strict inverted pyramid format in place, there was only so much she could do. Still, she thought, I’m going to make this feel as alive as I can.
After a while, Isabel started pacing around the room, hitting a bit of a block with her write-up. Her mind drifted back to her interaction with Matteo, replaying the conversation, the strange sense of intrigue she hadn’t been able to shake. What exactly was the proposal he had for me, anyway?
In her effort to avoid him, she’d practically missed out on the opportunity to find out what he had in mind. And that trip to Italy—Italy!—she had tossed it aside, thinking Vivi would never go for it. She could already imagine Vivi’s reaction, the disappointment on her face, but Isabel didn’t care.
She didn’t want anything to do with Matteo Ricci, not if it meant being treated as an object, an accessory in his life.
Eventually, she finished the article and submitted it before she closed her laptop. Exhaustion weighed heavy on her as she leaned forward, resting her head on the desk for a quick nap—if only it would be just a nap.
—
“Wake up, sunshine!” A voice rang out loud, startling Isabel out of her slumber. She jerked upright, her hair disheveled over her face. Blinking a few times, she pushed her hair back, clearing her vision to see Vivi standing in front of her.
“Isabel, my dear reporter extraordinaire!” Vivi greeted, her voice laced with mock enthusiasm.
“Oh, or if it isn’t my almighty cheerleader,” Isabel mumbled back, yawning.
“Yes, yes, yes! It is me! The one and only Vivi Vivian from New York is coming to you to live from the bedroom of the almighty Isabel!” Vivi said, holding a spatula as if it were a microphone.
“Please, stop it,” Isabel groaned, playfully pushing away the spatula.
“Oh, come on! You’re going to be famous for covering that dinner party!” Vivi teased.
“Well, you know it doesn’t work like that, right…” Isabel stuttered, her cheeks faintly pink.
“Don’t downplay it! This was your first field job, right?” Vivi pressed, taking a seat on the edge of Isabel’s bed. “And you’re not going to mess it up—I know you’re probably doing your best to stand out in your field.”
Isabel smiled. She appreciated Vivi’s support, even if she was a bit of a dramatic cheerleader.
“You know, it’s kinda funny,” Vivi continued, “that I slept on the couch with Dave while you slept on your study desk.” She shook her head with a smirk.
Isabel chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “Well, forgive me, your highness. It would appear that duty called, and, well, duty doesn’t always call in comfortable positions.”
Vivi snorted. “Right, right. Whatever makes you feel better.” She leaned back, glancing toward the door. “Now that you’re awake, we’re having breakfast!”
“Breakfast?” Isabel blinked, glancing at the clock. The realization hit her—it was already 8 a.m. She scrambled up, moving toward the window, drawing the curtains open to let the bright morning light spill into the room.
“See?” Vivi laughed, crossing her arms. “Now that you know what time it is, let’s eat!” She headed out of the room, humming to herself as she made her way to the kitchen.
After following her out, Isabel found Vivi already setting the table. She served scrambled eggs and toast and poured orange juice, arranging the plates with oddly precise enthusiasm.
Isabel raised an eyebrow, noticing an extra plate on the table. “Who’s that for?” she asked, then immediately regretted her question as Dave walked in, a towel draped over his shoulders.
“Morning, Izzy,” Dave greeted with a grin. “How’s it going?”
“Hey, Dave,” she replied. “Oh, you know, just surviving.”
Dave chuckled as he sat down. “Vivi was telling me you had this big assignment yesterday. Sounds exciting!”
“Well, I wouldn’t say it was that big,” Isabel shrugged, taking a sip of her juice.
“Uh, excuse me?” Vivi interjected. “You were at a high-class gala, covering it on your own! That’s a big deal.”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “What’s so big about being at an event filled with overly rich people throwing a party to flaunt their ‘generosity’?”
Dave shrugged, grinning. “It’s not about the event itself, Izzy. You went solo, right? That’s impressive. Besides, you probably met some… interesting people?”
Isabel raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching in a smirk. “If by interesting, you mean an old guy trying to shoot his shot, then sure, it’s very interesting.”
Both Dave and Vivi burst into laughter, and Isabel couldn’t help but join in.
“Oh, we should’ve warned him,” Dave joked, nudging Vivi.
Isabel shook her head, rolling her eyes. “Very funny.”
Dave took a bite of his toast. “So… was he really the only interesting person there?”
Isabel hesitated, a strange smile tugging at her lips. “Well, there was the organizer, Mr. Howard Locke. Intelligent guy. And then…” She paused, her mind drifting to Matteo.
“And then?” Vivi’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Well… I guess there was this Italian guy, Matteo Ricci,” she mumbled.
Dave and Vivi exchanged a look. “Matteo Ricci?” Vivi asked, leaning in closer. “That sounds familiar.”
“Yeah, he’s… okay,” Isabel said, trying to sound indifferent.
Vivi’s eyes narrowed, a sly smile forming. “Okay? Isabel, your standards are sky-high. When you say someone’s ‘okay,’ that probably means he’s an angel in disguise.”
Isabel huffed, crossing her arms. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I?” Vivi’s grin widened. “Or am I just onto something?”
Isabel groaned, finishing her meal and standing up to take her dish to the sink. “You’re imagining things.”
From the kitchen, Vivi’s voice echoed back teasingly, “Oh, I don’t think so. Come on, tell me—what was he like?”
“I’d rather not talk about him,” she said, using her fork to play with her eggs.
“You’re no fun,” Vivi taunted playfully before leaving the dinner table and heading inside.
“But it’s a good thing today’s a Monday, and you don’t have to go to work because you already submitted that thing, right?” Vivi pressed, glancing back at her.
“Yeah, I did already,” Isabel replied, nodding. “You know I always love to finish whatever I’m doing on time.” She finished her food and took the last sip of her orange juice.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know,” Vivi said with a wave of her hand, “but you’re still going to have to tell me about this mister anyway. Tell me, what was it like? Do you have a photo?”
“Oh, yes, I do have a photo,” Isabel admitted, glancing down at her phone.
“You have a photo?” Vivi’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Easy,” she teased, leaning closer.
“What?” Isabel chuckled. “You make it sound like I got a bomb.”
“Well, it’s almost the exact same thing. Rarely do you come back with a photo,” Vivi replied with a smirk.
“Oh, come on, Vivi,” Dave interjected from across the table. “You’re making her sound like she’s extraterrestrial.”
“Yep, what he said,” Isabel added, giving Dave a thumbs-up and laughing.
Vivi rolled her eyes, feigning playful disdain at the ‘betrayal.’ “You’re siding with her?”
Dave just shrugged, grabbing his toast and juice. He left the dining table, smiling as he blew an air kiss on Vivi’s way.
“I’m not siding with anyone,” he called back, his voice fading as he disappeared down the hall.
Isabel chuckled and turned back to Vivi. “Well,” she continued, “I’ll send you a picture. Basically, he’s this rich Italian guy who got some kind of award for the most donations or something.”
Vivi’s eyes widened. “Really? Did you talk to him?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
“Well, more like he came to talk to me,” Isabel replied, leaning back in her chair.
“He came to talk to you?” Vivi’s tone was filled with intrigue, hanging on every word.
“Would you let me finish?” Isabel sighed.
“Okay, no problem,” Vivi replied, waving her hand and leaning in eagerly.
“Well,” Isabel continued, “basically, um, he spoke—we kind of spoke—and then he said he wanted me to come to Italy.”
“Whoa!” Vivi gasped, eyes wide with excitement. “I can’t believe it.”
“A friend is going to be going to Italy!” she added, clapping her hands.
Isabel shook her head. “Whoa, hold on. I said no.”
That brought Vivi back to reality, and her excitement evaporated. “What do you mean, you said no?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
“I mean, I said no,” Isabel replied firmly. “No. Is there any other way to say it? I’m not even sure what I said was Spanish.”
Isabel stood up and started walking toward her room, hoping to escape further questioning.
But Vivi followed, pressing on. “Come on, you can’t tell me you really said no! A rich Italian guy invites you to Italy, and you say no?”
Isabel turned, looking at her friend with a hint of amusement. “What about my job?” she asked, quivering an eyebrow.
“Forget your job!” Vivi shot back, eyes wide with disbelief.
Isabel’s eyes flickered with surprise at her friend’s reaction. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously! I’m pretty sure he could have dealt with that anyway,” Vivi said, waving her hand as if it was obvious.
“Yeah,” Isabel muttered, “he did offer to deal with it.”
“So, what is your problem?” Vivi demanded, hands on her hips.
“Well, the thing is, I just can’t,” Isabel murmured. She paused, collecting her thoughts. “He seems rather… arrogant and proud.”
Vivi let out a chuckle. “Oh, well, that’s kind of rich for you to say,” she teased.
Isabel’s eyes narrowed playfully. “Really now?”
Vivi laughed and held up her hands. “Sorry! But it’s the truth. I mean, I was kind of warned about him.”
Isabel raised an eyebrow. “Warned?”
“By the organizer of the thing. Of the event.” Vivi paused, choosing her words carefully. “They told me something about being careful with him because he always has his way.”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “And I love to be the first to prove that negative.”
“Well, good luck with that.” Vivi glanced at the clock. “I kind of got some things to run. Unlike you, I don’t work remotely. So I’m headed over to the store.” She grabbed her bag and shot Isabel a grin. “I’ll catch you later, okay?”
“All right,” Isabel replied, giving her friend a little wave as Vivi left, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Isabel sighed, the morning’s conversation still playing in her mind. She took a moment to tidy up before heading to her bedroom. Soon, she was in the bathroom, turning the shower on and stepping in, letting the warm water wash over her. For a few peaceful moments, the thoughts of Italy and the mysterious man faded away.
After a long, relaxing shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and began drying her hair. Just as she started to feel fully awake, her phone buzzed faintly from the bedside table.
What could this be? she wondered, stepping toward the buzzing device. She picked it up, glancing at the notification on the screen.
It was a message from her boss.
