Emily woke up with the first rays of sunlight coming through the window. With a light yawn, she opened her eyes, seeing Matthew still sleeping soundly beside her. His face looked peaceful, and a soft smile appeared on Emily's lips as she admired him for a moment.
She leaned over, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Good morning, my love," she murmured softly, without waiting for an answer.
Getting up carefully so as not to wake him, Emily went to the bathroom, where she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Then, she walked to the closet and chose a casual but elegant dress that made her comfortable for the morning. Leaving her hair loose and natural, she smiled contentedly as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Decided, Emily went down to the kitchen, where the staff was already busy preparing the usual breakfast of the house. But that day, she wanted to do something special.
"Leave it to me today, guys. I want to make Matthew breakfast," Emily said with a smile.
The staff looked at her in surprise, but quickly stepped back to make room for her. Emily rolled up her sleeves and began preparing what she knew he loved: pancakes with fresh fruit, scrambled eggs with light spices, and strong coffee.
As she worked, Emily hummed a cheerful tune, enjoying the moment. She arranged everything carefully on a tray, adding a small flower arrangement and a note.
"Good morning, honey. Breakfast is ready. I've gone to the movie set. Love you."
Pleased, she placed the note on a stand on the tray and returned to the room. There, she placed the breakfast on a side table, within reach of Matthew.
Before leaving, she approached him again. She leaned down, kissing him softly on the lips and whispered, "Love you. Enjoy your coffee."
Matthew mumbled something inaudible, still lost in sleep, while Emily smiled at the sight of him so relaxed.
With light steps, she left the room and went downstairs. In the entrance hall, she found Alberto, who was organizing the day's tasks with the other employees.
"Good morning, Mrs. Lancaster," Alberto greeted with his impeccable posture.
"Good morning, Alberto," she replied. "Matthew is still sleeping. He'll probably use the office later. Remember to make sure he takes some breaks, okay?"
"Sure, ma'am. I'll be on the lookout," Alberto replied with a slight nod.
Emily smiled. "Great. See you later!"
"Would you like me to arrange a driver to take you to the set?" Alberto asked.
Emily paused to think for a moment, but quickly declined. "No, thank you. I'll be driving today."
Alberto bowed politely as Emily left, walking toward the garage.
Emily opened the garage door, and her gaze was immediately caught by the impressive sight of the collection of luxury cars parked there. She frowned in surprise, scanning the rows of impeccably polished vehicles.
"When did Matthew buy so many cars?" she muttered to herself in disbelief.
Walking down the garage, Emily let her fingers lightly touch the side of a few of the cars as she chose which one to drive. Finally, she stopped in front of a sleek, understated black Lamborghini, or at least the most understated of the available options.
"Perfect," she said with a satisfied nod as she opened the door and sat down on the soft leather seat.
But as soon as she tried to start the car, she realized something essential was missing: the keys.
"Really?" Emily sighed in frustration. Getting out of the car, she began to look around the garage for the keys.
It was then that one of the maids came in carrying a tray full of keys. Emily raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sight. The maid glanced at the black Lamborghini before picking up a specific key and approaching.
"Ma'am, Alberto sent me. He thought you might have forgotten the keys," the woman said with a polite smile, extending her hand.
Emily felt her cheeks heat up slightly, somewhat embarrassed.
"Thank you," she replied, accepting the keys with a shy smile.
The maid gave a discreet bow before leaving, leaving Emily alone again.
"Of course Alberto would think of everything..." she muttered to herself, fixing her hair and taking a deep breath before getting into the car.
With the keys now in hand, Emily started the Lamborghini, and the powerful sound of the engine filled the garage. She drove off slowly, maneuvering carefully until she reached the road that led out of the mansion.
As she drove smoothly, she began to hum a melody that had been stuck in her head. The sun's rays streamed through the car windows, making the moment even lighter and more pleasant.
As she rounded a bend in the road, she instinctively looked up at the second floor of the mansion and saw Matthew, still in his pajamas, waving at her from one of the windows.
Emily laughed, feeling her heart warm at the simple gesture. Putting her hand on the horn, she gave two quick blasts, signaling that she had seen him.
Matthew smiled broadly, leaning against the railing as he watched her speed toward the set.
"See you later, Hubby," Emily said quietly, smiling as she picked up speed and let the sound of the engine fill the silence of the road.
Emily continued driving smoothly to the set, but the silence in the car was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. She plugged in her headphones to answer it, and an excited voice came from the other end.
"Good morning, star!" Gabriela greeted enthusiastically.
Emily smiled when she heard the familiar voice. "Good morning, Gabi. What's up?"
"I got you a photoshoot with Flor Magazine in Italy," Gabriela replied, her excitement clearly perceptible.
Emily raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A photoshoot here in Italy? And do I have an audience in that market?"
Gabriela laughed on the other end of the line. "Oh, Emily, you underestimate the power of your talent. Your recent films have been very well received internationally, and Italy is one of the markets that is embracing you. The magazine heard that you are here and wants to do a special edition with the "rising artist.""
Emily was visibly surprised and, without realizing it, slowed the car until it stopped on the side of the road.
"I had no idea that my films were doing so well abroad," she said, processing the information.
Gabriela let out an amused laugh. "It's because the agency thought it best not to distract you while you were focused on the current filming."
"And how is the reception of my films abroad?" Emily asked, hesitantly, as she felt a slight anxiety growing.
On the other side, Gabriela paused, which only increased Emily's nervousness.
"So far, we've had very positive results, considering the level of the films. But, yes, you're doing very well. In the United States, for example, many young people are already calling you "wife" and "diva."
Emily let out a sigh of relief, but couldn't help but laugh at the nicknames. "Phew, that's a good sign, I guess."
Starting the car again, she resumed her journey while continuing the conversation. "What about the release of the songs I recorded? How is the progress?"
"The marketing team is discussing strategies to ensure the best impact. We'll have a release date soon," Gabriela replied, in a reassuring tone.
Emily nodded to herself, even though Gabriela couldn't see. "Okay. Well, I'm just arriving on set now. We'll talk later."
"Sure, good luck filming." Gabriela ended the call.
When Emily parked the Lamborghini on set, the atmosphere changed immediately. Eyes turned to the luxurious car, and whispers began to echo among the crew. She stepped out of the car casually, but noticed the discomfort of the people around her.
Artur walked over to her, hesitant. He was watching her as if he were analyzing a mystery play.
"Emily... where did you steal that Lamborghini?" he asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
Emily raised an eyebrow, completely confused. "Steal it? What are you talking about?"
Artur laughed, but clearly found the situation unusual. "You, a recent B-list actress, driving a car like that? Doesn't it seem weird to you?"
She stared at him for a moment, surprised by his comment, but then sighed, looking around at the curious faces.
"It's mine," she replied firmly. "I bought it with my own money. Why shouldn't I?"
Arthur narrowed his eyes at her, as if trying to read her, but then smiled brightly.
"So you're a rich girl?"
Emily felt her cheeks flush as the reality of her life now flashed through her mind. She had had access to Matthew's assets since they were married, but she didn't always remember that detail.
Looking away from Arthur, she answered in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "O-Of course, I'm a rich girl."
Arthur laughed loudly, which caught the attention of more people around her.
"Impressive! Who would have thought? Well, good for you, Emily. I just hope that when you explode onto the A-list, you still remember us mere mortals."
Emily rolled her eyes but smiled, heading toward the trailer where she would prepare for the day of filming. As she walked, she felt a new confidence growing within her. After all, it was true: her life was changing, and she was beginning to realize how much she had accomplished and how far she could go.