CHAPTER 17

By the end of the week, I had spent the best time of my life, making amazing memories with Enzo. Every day we did something new. The next day after seeing all those beautiful fish, Enzo took me to this amazing waterfall and dared me to jump in it. Which I did, and it felt amazing. We went hiking, which was kind of scary but fun. It still feels like I am dreaming. I can't believe everything that has happened to me in just one week. I pray that if I am dreaming I never wake up. I am brought back from my thoughts when I hear Enzo calling me.

"Katherine. Katherine. KATHERINE," He says stepping in front of me

"Sorry what were you saying," I say coming back to the real world.

"I called your name three times. What were you thinking about?"

"Oh, its nothing."

"I know you too well to know it’s not ‘nothing.’" Enzo says clearly seeing through me.

"Fine, I thought what if I wake up and everything is a dream," I say, deciding to tell him my thoughts

"And why would you think like that."

"It's because this past week has been so amazing that I am starting to think it is all a dream," I say wrapping my arms around him.

"Really, then after this tell me if this feels like a dream or not"

"After wh…" before I can finish my sentence, he kisses me, bringing a big smile to my face.

"Now tell me if that felt like a dream or not," he says smiling while he holds my face in his hands

"No! I don't think I am dreaming" I say smiling back at him

"Alright then, let’s be on our way."

After 10 hours of being in the air, we finally arrive back at New York by nightfall. As soon as we land, Enzo gets a call from someone and he does not sound happy. Even though he is speaking Italian, I am still able to make out some words, though my Italian is not that good. I can make out the words ‘uccidere’ (kill) and ‘Sarò ci molto presto’ (I will be there very soon). It makes me a little worried, wondering why Enzo would say ‘kill’ in a sentence. I should trust Enzo. Maybe he was trying to scare the person, which I am pretty sure worked.

"Bella, do you mind if I drop by the hotel? There is some business I have to handle there." he says as soon as he gets off the phone.

"Sure, I will tell mama I won't be coming home soon," I say taking my phone out of my bag to call mama. But she beats me to it when my phone starts ringing and it shows mama as the caller.

"Hello, mama, I just arrived at the airport," I say walking a few feet away from Enzo. We are currently waiting outside for them to finish putting our bags in the car, so we can be on our way.

"Hi, sweetie, how was your flight? I am guessing it went well."

"It was fine mama; I was about to call you and tell you I might be coming home a bit late."

"Oh, that’s fine, just get home safe."

"I will, but mama, why did you say get home safe not come home safe. Are you not at home?"

“No, I am not. I am at my boyfriend’s place for the weekend."

"BOYFRIEND! He has reached the stage of boyfriend? That’s good. I need to meet this so-called boyfriend one day soon." I exclaim.

"Sure honey, you will. I promise you will very soon," she says laughing.

"I pray so!"

"Bye sweetie," she says.

“Bye mama,” I say and hang up. I walk back to where Enzo is standing.

"Enzo, I am ready. We can be on our way."

We get into the car to go to his hotel. I wonder what is wrong. It must be severe because the frown on Enzo's face says it all. Maybe I should ask him since we are a couple now. That even brings me back to the topic of what we are? I am not saying I am expecting anything too serious, but we just spent a whole week together. At least that gives me the right to ask what we are. I will ask him that later, for now, let me ask him what is going on.

"Enzo, what’s wrong?" I ask him while placing my hand over his right hand. He puts his hand in a fist like he wants to beat someone up.

"Nothing you should worry yourself about," he says looking out the window, not even sparing me a glance. I won't say I am surprised by his behaviour, but I expected more after everything that has happened between us.

"Sorry for asking," I say, removing my hands from his to give him some space.

"Why are you saying sorry? You did not do anything wrong.”

"I did. I crossed the line by asking what is wrong when it’s clearly none of my business or even my place to ask."

"And why would you say such a thing?"

"Because you just practically said it to my face," I say raising my voice a little, feeling a bit angry with his questions. He is acting like he did not say anything wrong.

"Oh, my dear, that is not what I meant. I am sorry if I made you feel like that." he says taking both of my hands in his, while his other hand makes me face him.

"But you made it sound like that," I say trying to sound angry, but just one look into those beautiful green eyes makes all the anger I felt disappear.

"I am sorry, my dear, I did not mean to upset you. You have every right to ask but I don't want to worry you with these types of things." He says while placing a kiss on my forehead as he pulls me into a hug.

"Alright if you say so," I say trying to drop the topic even though his words were harsh, but his intentions were good.

We arrive at the hotel and walk straight to the elevator to go to the floor, where I am guessing the problem is. But I am wrong when I hear Enzo say,

"I will drop you off at the penthouse while I go and handle the situation. I hope you don't mind?"

"That’s fine; I don't mind."

"Alright sweetie, the code is 10920," he says once the elevator comes to a stop

"Alright, bye and be careful," I say while stepping out of the elevator.



I walk to the only door on the floor. I open the door with the code Enzo gave me. I step into the penthouse; the living room is painted brown and black with brown couches, a big black sleek TV in the middle of the living room. I sit down on the seat by the windows so I could look at the beautiful streets of New York. I switch on the TV to catch up on the latest gossip on E-News. While I am watching TV, I decide to call Sofia to tell her I am back and to find out how things are going on with her fiancé and the baby. I take my phone from my bag and dial her number.

"Hey babe," I say as soon as she picks up.

"How are you? How was your vacation? Tell me all about it," she says sounding happy to hear my voice and get the details on the trip.

"It was amazing Sofia. It was the best week of my life. Enzo was so nice, loving, caring, to put it short he was the ideal boyfriend. I saw a different side of Enzo, a side of him that I never saw before in my life." I say smiling while remembering all the amazing things Enzo and I did during the trip.

"Wow, you must have really had fun. I am so happy for you guys. Are you guys officially dating?"

"About that! I don't know; I would love to ask Enzo where we are at, but at the same time I don't want to seem like the pushy type. And it’s not like we have been together for a month or so. It was just a week vacation, so I am not going to say anything for now."

"I totally understand what you are saying. I wish you guys all the best in your relationship.”

“Thank you, and how is the baby doing.”

“The baby is fine. I am at the hospital right now. I will talk to you later. It’s my turn to see the doctor."

"Alright bye, say hi to the baby for me," I say, hanging up the phone. I turn my back to see Enzo walking in and not looking very happy.

"Hey, who were you talking to on the phone," he says as he kisses me on the cheeks while he sits beside me. He pulls me close to him.

"I was talking to your sister. Is something wrong?" I say wrapping my arms around him too.

"Oh, nothing you need to worry yourself about. Do you mind if you spend the night over? I am really too tired to take you back home."

"No, I don’t mind at all. I will just send a message to my mom that I will be back tomorrow so she won’t be worried" I say and start texting mama that I won't be coming home tonight.

"That's great, now come let’s go to bed," he says while we stand up from the couch. We make our way to the bedroom.



Once we are in the bedroom, a thought comes to my head. It is something I have been meaning to ask Enzo. I think this is the best time to ask.

"Enzo, can I ask you something?" I say, stepping closer to him to get his full attention.

"Sure, Bella, what is it?" he says, turning to face me. He makes us sit on the bed.

"I have been meaning to ask you since we are... whatever we are. Am I still going to work at the company or...” I am sure a lot of girls might disagree with me about asking Enzo. But I feel like I have all the right to, because I know a lot of men who won’t like the woman who they have relationships with working in the same company as them or especially working for them. So, I asked him so I will know before Monday morning if I will need another job.

"Hmmm about that. I was going to make it a surprise but since you already asked, here," he says walking to the side table and comes back with some files in his hands.

I open the files and start reading about things I have always dreamt of happening in my life, but never really saw them coming true till now.

"E-E-Enzo! This is amazing; I don't know what to say. I feel like the happiest woman in the world right now. Thank you so much, Enzo. Enzo, this is the best thing anyone has ever done for me in my life. Thank you. Thank you so much!" I say pulling Enzo into a big hug while trying to keep my tears at bay. I can't believe Enzo is building a restaurant for me in his hotel. This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me.

"I hope you like it, even though it’s not exactly how you imagined it to be."

"I love it; it’s even more than I imagined. Thank you so much" I say wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I’m happy you love it and stop thanking me, you deserve it." he says, placing a kiss on my forehead. He pulls us deeper into the bed with me in his arms. We rest our backs on the headboard.

"Is that why you were angry when we got back? That it was not ready yet."

"Yes, I was angry because it was not the way you always imagined it to be, and I wanted it to be special for you."

"Enzo, it is beautiful. It is more than I have ever imagined it to be. It’s magnificent, but how did you know that I always wanted to be a professional chef and own a restaurant?" I ask, staring into his eyes.

"That's good, and I want you to know I will do anything to make you happy. About me knowing about your dream of becoming a chef and owning your restaurant... There was a time I went to your office to ask you for some files, and I came across a file on your system saved as ‘Future accomplishments’.Out of curiosity I opened the file, even though it was none of my business. I saw all your plans for owning a restaurant and all the chef stuff you want to learn and do. So, after that day I decided to make your dreams come true. I was going to show you the restaurant when it was done and confess my feelings to you. But everything took a different turn; I am happy it did because I can have you in my arms now." he says staring back into my eyes while pulling me into a hug.

“So what you are saying is, even if that incident at the club which lead to you taking me to your house did not happen—well we both know the rest of the story—you were still planning on telling me how you feel?” I say smiling,

“Yes, Mi amore, I was still going to tell you,” he says, smiling back at me.

"I’m happy too that things took a different turn. Good night my king." I say pecking his cheeks while laying my head on the pillow.

"Wow, since when did I become your king?" He says while laying his head on his pillow too. He puts his arms around me.

"Since the day you stole my heart," I say feeling very happy that I am not facing him right now, so he won't see how red my face is becoming.

"Really and when was that?"

"Good night, Enzo, I am not telling you when," I say closing my eyes so he would think I am already sleeping and won't ask more questions.

“You can tell me any day you are ready baby,” he says before pulling me into a kiss.


I wake up in the middle of the night from an extra-ordinary dream. It was just like the first one I had when I got back from Italy. But this time it was different, I saw a five-year-old me holding a gun! Not just any gun but a Glock 27. How do I even know what kind of gun it is? I was shooting it like I have known how to shoot all my life. Beside me in the dream was the same man and boy from my other dreams. I still called them father and big brother in Italian, which I never knew I could speak. I have to ask mama about these dreams because they feel so real. And for me to understand Italian every time Enzo is on the phone. There must be an explanation because I can't ever remember learning Italian in school. Tomorrow when I get home, I will make sure not to forget this time and ask mama.