After visiting the museum, Emily and Matthew got back in the car, which took them straight to the hotel where they would meet Roberto, the film's director. On the way, Emily rested her head on Matthew's shoulder and dozed off, exhausted.
When they reached Roberto's room, Matthew rang the doorbell, keeping Emily wrapped in a soft hug as they waited. The sound of the door opening shook Emily from her light sleep, and Matthew gently ran his hand through her hair.
"The director is coming," he said with a soft smile.
Emily yawned as she pulled away slightly from the hug, straightening up and trying to look more awake.
"Hmm... I'm tired," she murmured.
The door opened, revealing Roberto, who looked just as tired as she did, yawning as he greeted them.
"Hello, are you here? You said on the phone that you were already in Italy, but it took you a while to get here."
"We visited the museum. Emily wanted to see where some scenes are going to be filmed," Matthew replied casually, crossing his arms.
The comment piqued Roberto's interest, who gave Matthew a curious look.
"And you are...?"
"Matthew, nice to meet you." He held out his hand, keeping his tone professional, without mentioning his and Emily's relationship.
Emily frowned at the omission and, before she could stop herself, said firmly,
"Matthew, my husband."
Matthew's confused gaze immediately turned to her, but Emily ignored it, remaining natural.
Roberto blinked a few times, visibly surprised.
"Married? You're so young..."
Emily shrugged, indifferent.
"It's part of life."
"Okay..." Roberto said, still trying to process the information. He gestured for them to come in. "Come in, let's talk about the scenes. We have some adjustments to make."
The three of them settled into the living room of the suite. Roberto sat down on one of the couches and began to leaf through papers and notes, while Emily and Matthew sat side by side on the opposite couch.
"So, the scenes shot so far will be discarded. The sponsors have decided that shooting in real locations in Italy will bring more authenticity to the film, especially for the most important scenes."
Emily frowned, leaning forward.
"But isn't that a waste? Throwing away everything that's already been done?"
"Yeah, but they're footing the bill, so all we can do is comply." Roberto shrugged, clearly used to the demands of the sponsors.
"I see..." Emily replied, although she still seemed reluctant.
"Does that mean we'll be in Italy for two months?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because that wasn't in the contract."
Roberto sighed, getting up and going to the adjacent room, apparently to get more documents.
Now alone, Matthew looked at Emily, his serious gaze contrasting with the light tone from before. "Honey, didn't we agree to keep our relationship a secret for now?"
Emily yawned slightly and answered matter-of-factly
"I'm not going to go around announcing that we're married, but I'm also not going to deny it if anyone asks. I don't see a problem with that."
Matthew was silent for a moment, his mind pondering the implications.
'We agreed to keep it a secret...' he thought, but decided not to pursue the subject at that moment.
Matthew sat next to Emily on the couch, watching her as she took the script out of her bag. His eyes scanned the pages with a concentrated expression, but his tiredness was still visible. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Two months in Italy, huh?" he commented, breaking the silence.
Emily looked up at him, biting her lower lip lightly.
"That wasn't the initial plan. This will mess up our entire schedule."
"Not just ours." Matthew said, crossing his arms. "I need to get back to Lancaster Corp. I can't stay here for that long, even if I wanted to."
Emily frowned, uncomfortable with the idea of being apart for so long.
"Are you going to go home and leave me alone here?"
"You won't be alone. There's the film crew, the director, and everyone else," he replied, trying to lighten the mood.
"It's not the same, Matt." Emily muttered, setting the script aside and turning fully to him. "I know you have responsibilities, but two months feels like an eternity."
Matthew took a deep breath, holding her hand firmly.
"I'll do my best to come on the weekends. I don't want to leave you alone for so long, Emily."
Before she could answer, Roberto returned to the room, carrying some folders and a tablet. He sat down in an armchair opposite the couple, starting to review the papers.
"Okay, let's talk about the scenes." he began. "The main shoot will take place in three different locations: the Uffizi Museum, the Ponte Vecchio, and a historic villa in the mountains surrounding Florence."
Emily leaned forward, interested.
"The villa? Is that something new in the script?"
"Yes," Roberto replied, leafing through the papers in front of him. "The idea is to create a more authentic atmosphere. The sponsors think it will give more emotional depth to the film."
"And the schedule?" asked Matthew, always attentive to details.
"Pretty tight," Roberto admitted. "We'll start at the museum tomorrow. Then we'll move to the village. The last stop will be at Ponte Vecchio, where we'll film the most dramatic scenes and the final scene."
Emily nodded slowly, trying to absorb all the changes.
"That sounds... challenging."
"It is," Roberto agreed. "But you're talented, Emily. I'm sure you'll rock it."
Matthew watched the director carefully, noticing the professional but friendly way he spoke to Emily.
"Well, I think we can call it a day." Roberto said, closing the tablet and standing up. "Tomorrow will be a long day, so get some rest."
Matthew stood up, extending his hand to help Emily. She accepted, but not before giving the director a tired look.
"Thank you, Roberto. See you tomorrow."
Roberto nodded, accompanying them to the door.
In the car, on the way to the hotel, Emily was leaning on Matthew's shoulder, the silence comfortable between them as they admired the streets of Florence illuminated by the night light.
"Matt, do you think I'm too impulsive?" she asked suddenly, her soft voice breaking the silence.
"Where did that question come from?" he answered, raising an eyebrow.
"I was just thinking... about me telling Roberto that we're married. I know you wanted to keep it a secret."
Matthew was silent for a moment, staring at the window. Then he turned to her and gently held her chin, making her look at him.
"Emily, you're my wife. And I'm very proud of that."
She smiled slightly, but he continued:
"I just wanted to avoid unnecessary complications, you know? Sometimes people make speculations or create problems where there aren't any."
"I see..." she murmured, leaning in to kiss his cheek. " But don't worry. I promise to be more careful from now on."
He smiled, pulling her closer.
" You don't have to change who you are for me, Emily. I love your spontaneity."
She laughed softly, feeling lighter.
When they arrived at the hotel, they were greeted by extremely friendly staff who took them to the presidential suite. The view from the balcony was stunning, offering a perfect panorama of the city at night.
Emily walked to the balcony, admiring the lights while Matthew organized her bags.
" Tomorrow is going to be a busy day." he commented, looking at her. " Are you ready?"
" Always. " she replied, with a confident smile.
" That's my girl. " he said, walking up to her and hugging her from behind.
The two of them were silent for a moment, just enjoying each other's company and the beauty of Florence.
"Two months will go by fast," Matthew said, as if trying to convince himself.
"I hope so," Emily replied, holding his hands. "But until then, let's enjoy every moment together."
He kissed the top of her head, promising himself that he would do his best to support her during that time, even from a distance.