Alessia sat at her desk in the sleek, glass-paneled office of Kane Enterprises, her fingers flying over the keyboard. The work was relentless, but she welcomed the distraction. It helped her focus on building her legacy for her child rather than the chaos Christian seemed determined to bring back into her life.
Her assistant, Claire, knocked lightly on the door before stepping inside with a sheepish smile. “Christian’s here again,” she said, holding up a brown paper bag. “He brought food.”
Alessia sighed, leaning back in her chair and pinching the bridge of her nose. “Of course he did. What is it this time?”
“Looks like your favorite pasta from Del Monte,” Claire said, placing the bag on the edge of Alessia’s desk.
Alessia shook her head. “Claire, I’ve told you, I’m not accepting anything from him.”
“I know, but he’s persistent,” Claire replied. “He said it’s for the baby.”
Alessia let out a dry laugh. “The baby doesn’t eat pasta, Claire.”
“True,” Claire said with a chuckle. “Want me to get rid of it?”
“Please,” Alessia said, pushing the bag toward her assistant. “And tell him, again, that he doesn’t need to keep doing this.”
Claire nodded, scooping up the bag. “Got it. You’re stronger than me, by the way. Del Monte’s garlic bread is practically a love language.”
Alessia smiled faintly as Claire left, but her expression quickly hardened. Christian’s frequent visits had become a regular occurrence, and while she admired his persistence, she wasn’t ready to forgive him. He needed to understand that she wasn’t looking for grand gestures or token gifts—she needed trust, and that bridge had been burned.
Later that afternoon, Claire returned, carrying a small, beautifully wrapped gift box. “Round two,” she announced, setting it on Alessia’s desk.
“What now?” Alessia muttered, eyeing the box.
“Baby clothes, I think,” Claire said. “He said he saw them and thought of you.”
Alessia sighed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Claire, return it.”
Claire hesitated. “You sure? It’s really sweet, Alessia.”
“Sweet doesn’t fix anything,” Alessia said firmly. “I don’t need baby gifts. I need him to respect my boundaries.”
Claire nodded, backing out of the office. “Understood.”
The Invitation
That evening, as Alessia finally packed up to leave the office, she noticed an ornate envelope sitting on her desk. The handwriting on the front was elegant, looping in gold ink: Miss Alessia Kane.
Curious, she opened it and found an invitation inside, the cardstock thick and luxurious.
You are cordially invited to the Masquerade Ball hosted by the Deveraux family, Saturday evening at 7 PM.
Alessia’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. The Deverauxs were a well-known wealthy family who lived in the same neighborhood as her mother, Victoria. Alessia remembered playing with the Deveraux children, twins Theo and Cassandra, when they were younger. They had spent summers riding bikes and climbing trees before boarding school took them away.
“Interesting,” she murmured, turning the invitation over. The event was being held at their sprawling estate, a place Alessia hadn’t visited in years.
As she drove home, she called Victoria to ask about it.
“Mom, did you know the Deverauxs are hosting a masquerade ball?” Alessia asked, holding the invitation in her hand as she spoke.
“Yes! I was going to mention it,” Victoria said excitedly. “Cassandra sent me a message about it. Apparently, Theo’s back from London, and they wanted to reconnect with everyone.”
“I haven’t seen them in forever,” Alessia said, smiling at the thought of her childhood friends. “Should I go?”
“Of course, you should,” Victoria said. “It’ll be good for you to get out, have some fun. You’ve been working so hard, Alessia. And who knows? Maybe you’ll meet someone interesting.”
Alessia laughed. “I’m not looking to meet anyone, Mom. My hands are full enough as it is.”
Victoria’s voice softened. “I know, darling. But sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone is the best thing you can do.”