ANNE POV
I've been working for the Giordano family's company for a while now, and I've seen some crazy things. The family is really complicated, with lots of secrets and hidden motives. They're also wealthy, ambitious and like to show it off by living a luxurious lifestyle.
The patriarch of the family is Leonardo Giordano. He's a smart, cunny and ruthless businessman who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. His wife, Isabella, is good at pretending to be kind and sweet, but it's all an act. She is a master of deception, presenting a kind and Christian image to the public while hiding her true nature behind closed doors.
Their children are a product of their upbringing. There's Lusia, the proud and arrogant young lady who contributes little to the family business, but lives lavishly on her family's wealth. Then there's Carlo, the youngest son, who's struggling with addiction and personal demons. His family sees him as a disappointment and a disgrace, and they're not afraid to let him know it. To make matters worse, Carlo is gay and his personal life doesn't conform to the family's expectations.
Matteo, the second son, is perhaps the most wicked and arrogant of them all. He's a flirt and a manipulator, using his charm and good looks to get what he wants. He's deadly proud and has no fears about stepping on others toes to get ahead.
And then there's Harvey, my boss and the eldest son. He's the only one who seems to have a conscience, constantly having issues with his family and his parents don't hesitate to criticize him for his "weakness." They feel he is too calm and can't run the business with a calm attitude.
Lastly, there's Grandma Carla, the matriarch of the family. She's someone who shouldn't be messed with because of how influential and we'll know she is. She's the one who has been pulling the strings from behind the scenes, shaping the family into the ruthless machine it is today. All the staff of Giordano's family always have something to say about her, people often say she wakes up at the wrong side of the bed everyday, because she always gives an attitude anytime she comes to the office.
Working for the Giordano's is quite challenging, always having to deal with the behavior of both Lusia and Carlo, and also Matteo who has been trying to flirt with me for some time now. Working as Harvey's secretary is not really challenging because Harvey is not as ruthless as the rest of the family, he only gets angry when his brothers or grandma who thinks he is too weak and calm gets on his nerves.
As I walked down the hallway to take some documents to Harvey's office, I noticed that the door was slightly opened and Harvey left the office immediately his dad came, I felt they must have had an argument. But as I approached the door, I heard voices of Mr Leonardo and his son Matteo coming from inside. They seemed to be discussing something really serious.
"...the shipment is coming in tonight," Mr Leonardo said, his voice low and menacing. "We need to make sure everything is in place, and I don't want Harvey finding out a thing about it. You need to play it safe" he added.
"I've taken care of it dad," Matteo replied, his voice equally cold. "The men are ready, and the trucks are fully loaded for the shipment."
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. What were they talking about? And what did they mean by "the shipment"? I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that I might have stumbled upon something I wasn't meant to know.
Mr Leonardo's voice sent a chill down my spine. "And what about the problem with the Torrio's? They mustn't say anything about Alessandro and Sophia Rossi. We need to silence them ?" he said.
Matteo's response was equally unsettling. "I've taken care of it," he said. "They won't be a problem anymore." he smiled
I felt a wave of fear wash over me. They just mentioned Rossi, my parent's name. What could be going on? could the Giordano's be responsible for my parents death? Something was actually going on and the Giordano's have something to do with my parents murder.
I then made my way through the hallway and then to my office picked up my bag and left. I made sure that they didn't know I overheard their conversation.
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I stepped into my apartment, the silence a jarring contrast to the turmoil brewing inside me. My head was literally spinning from the conversation I'd overheard at the office. Mr Leonardo and Matteo's words had been like a slap in the face, leaving me stunned and disoriented.
I walked over to the kitchen to get some water, my fingers trembling slightly as I picked up the glass. I couldn't believe that I had just heard my parents' names mentioned in the same breath as something illicit. The memory of it made my stomach twist into knots. What had they been involved in? And what does Giordano's have to do with it?
I thought back to my childhood, trying to remember if there had been any signs, any hints that something was off. But my memories seemed innocent, carefree. Had I been blind to the truth, or had my parents managed to keep it hidden from me because I was still a child?
The questions swirled inside me like a maelstrom, pulling me down into the depths of uncertainty. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts that threatened to overwhelm me. But my mind refused to quit, the secrets and lies swirling inside me like a toxic storm. I knew for sure that I had to find out what the Giordano's did to my parents.