In a secluded corner of his extravagant mansion, Luca with his hair slicked back, a Patek Philippe, and an expensive Armani suit watched from a distance to search for Natalia. He invited her oddly just like how they first met, and was wondering if she read the invitation or if she'd seen the envelope at all. He knew where she lived and was planning to leave the envelope there but thought otherwise. "It's not a good idea if she knows that I did a background check, she might freak out" thinking to himself.
After an hour of waiting and watching the main door of his mansion, he's dumbfounded as Natalia and two ladies who seem like her friends hesitantly navigated the opulent crowd, with trays of sparkling champagne and desserts in their hands. His heart stirred at the sight of her, a stark contrast to the glamorous backdrop surrounding her. She's wearing a dull-colored uniform which would normally make anyone unnoticeable, but in his eyes, whatever Natalia wears she would stand out like a sore thumb.
Meanwhile, as the evening unfolded, conversations intertwined, laughter echoed through the halls, and after a couple of hours of serving, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. She felt a piercing gaze from above which caused her to look up. At first, she couldn't pinpoint where the strong gaze was coming from but then when she looked at the corner of the second floor, their eyes met across the sea of glittering guests, and in that moment, the noise of the lavish event faded into insignificance. Not noticing that she bumped into a guest out of shock which resulted in ruining the dress of the guest. Fate had woven their paths together once more, setting the stage for a collision of two worlds—one draped in luxury, the other shaped by adversity.
Olga, the head organizer at that time, was roaming around checking and making sure that everything was perfect. Until she saw Natalia looking up idly despite the commotion she caused. She was about to scold her and tell her to clean up the mess and pay for the broken champagne glass when she noticed that her gaze was fixated somewhere. When she looked up to where she was looking she saw that Natalia locked eyes with the host and the owner of the mansion, none other than Luca. She felt really angry at her and anxious that Luca might think that their service was worse and unprofessional due to Natalia's mess.
Olga immediately went to Natalia and slapped her nape making her head bow down which caused her to break her trance from Luca's gaze.
"You! Look at the mess you made, you worthless and useless girl?! This mess happened because you can't stop ogling for someone you won't be able to reach!? I told you my 3 rules haven't I?! Mouth shut, eyes down, and don't speak unless spoken to!! You can't even follow basic rules and now you're about to get us all fired?! You slut!! Pick up this mess pronto and stay out of sight" Olga reprimanded Natalia harshly as she scrambled to pick up the shattered pieces with her bare hands.
Luca felt cold and fuming after he saw Natalia get struck, and then the words he heard from Olga made it worse. No one should He was about to go down when he saw Natalia picking up the broken glass with bare hands but Apollo stopped him.
"You can't approach a servant openly, Luca. Especially when the Bloodthorne is watching. I'll take care of it and talk to the organizer and the girl" Apollo hastily said aware that Luca was now beyond seething.
"Apollo, get the fuck out of my way. I'm not afraid to fight for what's mine and you know that." Luca angrily said while storming down the stairs, on his way to Natalia and Olga.
Luca's footsteps echoed through the grand hall as he descended the stairs, his eyes fixed on Natalia and Olga. The crowd parted instinctively, sensing the tension radiating from their host. As he approached, conversations hushed, and curious glances followed his determined stride.
Olga, still berating Natalia, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She turned to see Luca looming over her, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury.
"Is there a problem here?" Luca's voice was low and dangerous, a stark contrast to the jovial atmosphere of the party.
Olga's face paled as she stammered, "Mr. Luca, I... I was just—"
"Enough," Luca cut her off, his gaze shifting to Natalia, who was still on her knees, picking up glass.
"Natalia, stop," Luca said softly, his tone a stark contrast to the harsh words he'd just directed at Olga. He knelt beside her, gently taking her hands in his. "You're bleeding."
Natalia looked up, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and confusion. The entire room seemed to hold its breath, watching the scene unfold.
"I... I'm sorry, sir," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."
Luca's jaw clenched, his anger not at her, but at the situation. "You've done nothing wrong," he said, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. He helped her to her feet, then turned to face Olga.
"You," he growled, his voice dripping with venom. "You're fired. Get out of my house. Now." Olga's face contorted with shock and indignation. "But Mr. Luca, I—"
"I said now," Luca repeated, his voice razor-sharp. "And if I ever hear of you treating anyone like that again, you'll never work in this city."
As Olga scurried away, her face burning with humiliation, Luca turned his attention back to Natalia. The entire room watched in stunned silence as he gently cradled her injured hands.
"Apollo," Luca called, his eyes never leaving Natalia's face. "Please escort Miss Natalia to my study. And have the doctor attend to her immediately."
Apollo appeared at their side, nodding solemnly. "Of course, sir."
As Apollo led Natalia away, Luca addressed the crowd, his composure regained but his eyes still smoldering.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Luca announced, his voice carrying across the hushed room, "please, continue enjoying the evening. The night is still young."
With practiced ease, he flashed a charming smile, diffusing some of the tension in the air. Slowly, the murmur of conversation resumed, though many curious glances still followed Luca as he made his way towards his study.
Inside, Natalia sat perched on the edge of a plush leather chair, looking small and out of place amidst the opulent surroundings. A doctor was carefully cleaning and bandaging her hands. As Luca entered, she looked up, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and uncertainty.
"How is she, Doctor?" Luca asked, his voice softer now, tinged with concern.
"Just some minor cuts, Mr. Luca. Nothing serious," the doctor replied.
Luca nodded, relief washing over his features. "Thank you, Doctor. You may go now."
As the doctor exited, Luca moved closer to Natalia, kneeling before her chair. His eyes searched her face, noting the faint trembling of her lips, the way she nervously twisted the fabric of her uniform with her newly bandaged hands.
"Natalia," he said softly, "I'm so sorry for what happened out there. That's not how I wanted our reunion to go."
She blinked, confusion clouding her eyes. "Reunion? I... I don't understand, Mr. Luca. We've never met before."
A small, sad smile played on Luca's lips. "We have, though you might not remember. It was years ago, at a small café downtown. You were working there, and I ordered a coffee and watched you all afternoon," Luca finished, his eyes distant with the memory. "You were so kind to everyone, even the difficult customers. I couldn't take my eyes off you."
Natalia's brow furrowed as she tried to recall. "The café..." she trailed. Just then, her eyes widened with recognition. "The man with the coffee stain," she whispered.
Luca nodded his head, his smile gentle. "It was a long time ago. But I never forgot you, Natalia. When I saw you again tonight, I knew I had to speak with you."
He reached out, hesitating for a moment before gently taking her bandaged hands in his. "I want you to know that you're safe here. What happened tonight... it will never happen again. Not to you, not to anyone in my employ."
Natalia's tears threatened to spill, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. "I... I don't know what to say, Mr. Luca. This is all so unexpected."
Luca squeezed her hands gently, careful not to hurt her. "You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know that no one in this city will dare hurt you again."
A comfortable silence fell between them, broken only by the muffled sounds of the party beyond the study door. Natalia's mind raced, trying to process everything that had happened. The cruel words of Olga, the shocking intervention of Luca, and now this revelation of their past encounter - it was almost too much to bear.
Luca's eyes softened as he watched the emotions play across Natalia's face. He released her hands gently, reaching into his jacket pocket to retrieve a handkerchief. With a tenderness that belied his imposing stature, he dabbed at the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"I'm sorry if I've overwhelmed you," he said softly. "That wasn't my intention. I just... I couldn't bear to see you treated that way. Not when I've admired you from afar for so long."
Natalia took a shaky breath, steadying herself. "It's not that, Mr. Luca. It's just... why me? I'm nobody special. Just a waitress who happened to serve you coffee years ago."
Luca shook his head, a spark of intensity in his gaze. "You're far more than that, Nat."
Natalia's heart skipped a beat at the familiar nickname. No one had called her that in years, not since...
"You remember," she whispered, realization dawning.
Luca nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Every detail. The way you laughed when I fumbled with the sugar packets. How you hummed along to the old jazz tune playing on the radio. The kindness in your eyes when you noticed my hands shaking from too much caffeine."
He took a step closer, his voice low and earnest. "You may have been 'just a waitress' to everyone else, but to me, you were a beacon of light in a very dark time. I was struggling, drowning in the pressures of my family's expectations. But for those few minutes each morning, you made me feel... human. Seen."