Alessia Romano had noticed the changes in herself, though she didn't admit it. The past few weeks, she found herself smiling at her phone for no reason, feeling lighter, calmer — even during the stress of endless meetings.
Her father, Don Romano, had noticed too. At the last board meeting, his sharp eyes lingered on her as she reviewed contracts and numbers. Something was different about his daughter — something softer, though no less sharp.
As Alessia adjusted a report on her desk, her phone buzzed. A private number.
"Good morning, my queen. I hope your day is as radiant as you are."
Her lips curved into a small, uncontrollable smile. Who could be sending me this? she thought, a faint warmth blooming in her chest.
She barely had time to process it before another message arrived:
"Don't sign the contract today, my queen. There's more to consider."
Her brow furrowed. Her professional mind screamed caution, but her heart fluttered anyway. Alessia Romano — fierce, unshakable, and untouchable — felt a strange mix of irritation and intrigue. Who dared to meddle with her business and speak to her like this?
She glanced around the office. No one had noticed her sudden distraction. Everyone else was buried in reports, unaware that their formidable boss was secretly smiling at her phone like a girl who had just discovered a secret admirer.
A quiet thought crossed her mind — something she barely admitted even to herself: Why does this feel… good?
Alessia shoved the phone back into her pocket, forcing her focus onto the contract in front of her. But deep down, she couldn't shake the thrill, the curiosity, the tiny tug at her heart.
Somewhere out there, unseen, the sender watched her reaction unfold — smiling silently, knowing the effect their words had on the queen of the Romano empire.
And Alessia Romano, for all her power and control, was beginning to feel… distracted.