Italy

I got to Florence at 6am. The company car picked me up and headed for my hotel.

Driving through these streets is just getting to me bad. I can't believe I'm actually

here. After all these years here, I am in Italy. The car went past the streets I slept

on when I had no home. It looked different. This place used to be so sad and dull

and now there are flower shops everywhere and it was beautiful but my memories

of the place remain the hard streets on my back. Sometimes, when I overslept the

shop owners will make me work for them all day and no pay.

I remember working in a bakery all day for a loaf of bread that will last me like

three days. The hot scorching sun on my skin, my sweaty face. Working all day no

place to lay my head. What a life I lived. Thank God, father Rafael found me. I

don't know where I would have been if he hadn't found me. Probably dead.

We got to the hotel shortly after. I signed and I was taken to my room. It was

amazing. Very big and modern. It smelled of lilac flowers. I prefer white roses

because they give a sense of purity. Just my opinion. I needed to freshen up and

begin my day. I had a meeting at 8:30. I hopped in the shower. I wore a black and

pencil skirt and a yellow off the shoulder top. Some nude stilettos and a purse to

match. I curled my hair and was ready for my meeting.

On my way down, my sister called. I haven't spoken to her since the incident at the

hospital and I think I should at least tell her I'm in Italy but then again she hasn't

been honest with me.

"I have been trying to call you all week. Where the fuck have you been?" she

sounded pissed.

"I'm in Florence," I said so plainly like it was nothing.

"The fuck! What are you fucking doing there? I hope you don't have some stupid

fucking plan to there to insult mom or something. Why the fuck didn't you tell

me?" she was outraged

"Chill Aria and stop cussing you sound like an uneducated animal.Just like how

you didn’t tell me when you came here? No, I am not here to insult mom. I am

here to give her a chance. I mean that's what all of you have been telling me to do

right. I just want to get this over with." I said to her very calmly

"An uneducated animal? That is a little harsh don't you think? Plus I'm older, show

some respect. When are you going to see her though?"

"Well, tonight if I'm not exhausted or tomorrow. I have no meetings tomorrow so I

might go then."

"Okay. You know I am actually sorry for not telling you right?" she said quieter.

"Yeah, I do. No more secrets ok?"

"I promise," just then I saw my meeting walk through the doors of the hotel

restaurant where I was waiting.

"So Aria I have to go, my meeting is here, talk later. I love you."

"I love you too. Be careful."

I hung up, stood up and extended a hand.

"Mr. Gorro hello. It's good to see you again." I said with a smile on my face as he

took my hand.

"Oh it's good to see you too dearie it's been a while. How are you?"

"Oh I am wonderful and you?"

"Good" Mr. Gorro was my father's friend and he was a really sweet old man.

Then I noticed the young man standing next to him. He definitely had no posture

because he was sloughing. He looked my age and had good physique but I wasn't

impressed. He had his face stuck in his cell phone and it doesn't look like he is

being productive at all.

Mr. Gorro clears his throat to get his attention. Then he looks up at his dad I

assume.

"This is my son Bradley. Bradley this Chloe Moretti CEO of Moretti enterprises,"

he stretched out a hand and I took it

"Nice to meet you signora."

"You too," I smiled. He turned to his dad and said something and I'm guessing he

was not pleased but it was because of his facial expression.

"Please, gentlemen have a seat let's begin." The meeting lasted for 2hours. It was a

tough negotiation but we all finally hit common ground. This was a huge deal and I

am excited it went through.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you again Mr. Gorro." I stood up and shook

his hand.

"You too darling I'll have my lawyers send the paperwork to your office in New

York, I hear that’s where you are mostly these days." I nodded then he continued.

"You should come by the house for dinner when you are not busy with work I'm

sure Lily would love to see you" he smiled

"Yeah I am there setting up the new branch. I will see if I have some wiggle room

in my schedule and let you know."

"Yes dear, see you." he walked away but his son stayed back.

"You said wiggle I wonder what miraculous things that ass of yours can do

wiggling," he had been making inappropriate jokes throughout the meeting. He

was raping me with his eyes. The nerve of that man.

"You know Bradley, you are very pathetic. Simple words making you drool like a

hormonal teenager. Don't even do that again because I promise what I will do to

your face will not be funny at all." I turned to walk away but bless the Lord for

peripheral vision. I saw his hands coming toward my butt luckily I turned around,

caught his arm and slapped him really hard. He held his jaw.

"Feisty I like it." He was amused.

"I hope you like orange jumpsuits because that'll be your only choice from jail.

Trust me if I didn't know your dad you will be in the back seat of a cop car for

harassment. You don't want to cross me Bradley," I said to Bradley as I walked

away from him.

The nerve of that man. A very immature idiot. I just don't want to think about asses

like that. Alexa slowly drifted back into my head. I am starting to have second

thoughts about being here

I needed to head to my office here and get some work done. I was there for a

couple of hours and got a lot done. The building needed some updates and some

others things needed to be done. I am glad I came here. See things here for myself.

I haven't been here in a very long time.

After work I went back to my hotel. I was tired. I did a lot during the day, I even

had a board meeting. Everything today was hectic. I'm glad I came nonetheless. I

took a warm shower and ordered room service cuz I was starving.

The food came in just as I got out of the shower. Perfect timing. I sat in the living

room and watched the news while I ate. A lot has changed here since I moved to

Spain with Father. Moving from here was one of the best choices in my life.

Letting Moretti and his wife adopt me was everything I needed in life and I am

happy that I didn't make a wrong choice.

One thing I regret leaving was my biological father. He died and I didn't even

attend his funeral mainly because my mother banned me from coming or telling me

when the funeral was. She deprived me of the chance of saying goodbye. She took

that away from me. Even until now, I don't have that chance but while I'm here I'll

make sure to visit his grave and finally say goodbye.

After my dinner, I needed to get some air. I needed to clear my head. I had a lot to

think about and I just needed some air. Walking down the Florence streets, I just

thought I should go to my biological father's grave tonight. It's a spontaneous

thought but I know I am going to do it anyways.