23.04 % Chapter 36 Chapter 36 CHARLOTTE I spent most of the day in the establishment , which did me a lot of good . It was warm . The atmosphere smelled delicious , and I felt safe . My head still throbbed , and my body trembled slightly ; this reinforced my need to sit still . The restaurant was located in the citys hub , and sitting next to the window gave me a vintage view of the world outside as well ; it felt like a movie I had been missing out on . Elenas visit roused something in me , possibly fueled by the possibility of losing shelter , but it was there nonetheless . It was a thought that had been creeping into my mind slowly , a voice I hadnt been paying attention to , but recent events had given it some credence . The worlds moved on without me , I muttered , staring at the people on the street . I had spent time engulfed in my grief of losing my parents , going between numerous foster homes , and finally being too old for that , then coming to Milan to work . I had been so focused on myself that I forgot to see the world as it moved past me . Now , it felt like I could see things better . I wasnt sure what I felt exactly , but I understood that the time had come to stand up for myself . To make something Id look back on and be proud of . I tried to convince myself that it wasnt too late to play catch up . Theres certainly more to life than dead parents and failed marriages . I could go back to school . I can start my own business or pursue something that I would consider worthwhile . Fighting for the estate of the man who divorced me wasnt something I looked forward to wasting time on . I had to find a way to sort out this issue quickly . Or I could leave , I said to myself , and I pondered on the words . I could start my life somewhere else , on a clean slate . I had no ties left in Milan , besides Maria . My shoulders slumped as I thought about her . Where would she go ? She loved that estate like her own ; Id never be able to get her to leave . And I cant let Elena take over either . They dont seem to like each other very much . I reached into my purse for my phone as I considered calling Rogerio about the altercation . I decided against it and put the phone away . If I needed to heal from a situation , I had to do everything possible to stay away from it . A few minutes later , the waitress returned with a basket of pastries I had ordered , which included some cornetto , cannoli , and sfogliatella . As she dropped them on the table , she glanced at my hand once more , and her eyes lit up with curiosity . I watched in amusement as she walked away . I was fairly certain that I had given her a day filled with unanswered questions . I picked up one of the pastries and bit into it . I moaned in delight and closed my eyes to experience the satisfaction . It felt like I had fulfilled a yearning somewhere in my heart . As the flavor filled my mouth , I sighed in relief and made a mental note to get some more on my way out for Maria . She would love them . I reached out for my drink , finished it in one gulp , and asked for a refill . As I ate from the baskets , I took out a notepad and started to write my plans for the estate . 31.31 Dancing into the Heart of Mr. Cold 23.2 % Chapter 36 First on the list was hiring new staff ; that was the most important aspect . We needed competent security men ; nobody was allowed through the gates without an appointment . But at the same time , I knew I had to watch the numbers ; I didnt need a lot of people . Just enough to keep the house running ; Maria would supervise the activities . She knew the house better than I did . Chefs … Two gardeners , one preferably , I muttered to myself as I listed the positions . When I was done , I reviewed them and moved on to something else . There was no time to sit around and sulk about how sad my life had become . I was back to where I was from the very beginning , walking through life on my own . Every minute I spent reinforced my will to spend more time alone with myself . I needed to build my life from scratch , and this might be the best way to do it . I didnt start well the first time , given that I had limited resources . This was my chance to get better , and I wasnt going to waste it . When I was done writing , I gestured to the waitress , who came over and wrote down my new order . Those were some delicious pastries , I said with a smile . She smiled in response and replied . Glad to hear that you loved them , Signora . Would you like to get a fresh batch to take with you ? I smiled at her answer and nodded in response . Id like a fresh batch of everything here , please . Ill be right back, she said , walking away . I spent the next few minutes observing my surroundings . I had spent so much time living in a bubble and had forgotten the world around me ; this felt like a wake up call . I suddenly wanted to do something meaningful with my time and make myself proud . I wanted to be able to look back on the life Ive led and be proud of the things I invested my energy in, rather than spend it living with regrets and pain . My head throbbed slightly as beads of perspiration gathered on my forehead . I chuckled lightly at my bodys attempt to remind me that I was still sick . I made a mental note to book an appointment with the doctor the following day , as she arrived with the new order . Thank you , I uttered , picked them up , and made my way home . I drove through the gates , trying to ignore their state , and parked in front of the main entrance . Maria opened the front door as I got out of the vehicle . Youre back , she mumbled as we locked eyes . Not for long ; I just need a quick bath and fresh clothes . Ill run a bath and … No , you wont . I do have something you could do , though ; I got these for you . I handed her the package containing the pastries , and she smiled . Whats the occasion ? She asked in a teasing tone . Oh , nothing . Were allowed to have good things , and I had these for lunch . I thought youd like them . I love them . Thank you . She stated as we walked into the house. 23.4 % Chapter 36 Theres something else I need you to look at : a list of new staff we need in the house , Id like to hear suggestions , recommendations , anything . Her expression morphed into confusion , and she started to say something , but interrupted her . No , Maria , Im not letting you do all the work here yourself , and we need more people in case … She wont come back here , she answered immediately . We cant be too sure ; better safe than sorry , I replied and I handed her the notepad . Youll handle the interviews . Me ? Why ? Youre the signora . She protested, and I shrugged in response . Youre the one thats going to be working with them . Overseeing their work and everything , I think its better if youre the one who picks the people you want to work with . Alright , Signora , she replied as we walked in separate directions . She took the pastries to the kitchen while I went to the bedroom to take a bath . I grabbed some painkillers from the bottle she had left in the room and reminded myself that I needed to have dinner before returning home . The first part of recovery was taking care of oneself . I was willing to dedicate time and effort to make sure I looked like a better version of myself . Two hours later , I stepped out of the accountants office as a slightly happier woman . The estate had more than enough money to hire more people to help around the house . I didnt need to pawn my ring or use some of the money I had saved from when I was a bartender . As I stepped into the car , my thoughts wandered to Rogerio . He had not mentioned anything about the ring throughout the divorce process , nor had he asked me to return anything he gave me . It was understandable ; he didnt need them , but that left me pondering about Elena . She had walked onto the property without thinking about repercussions ; the only reason that seemed plausible to me would be that she had his approval . It was either that or she just decided to disrespect me ; given her sour demeanor , I couldnt put it past her . Now that I knew I could achieve something substantial , I was willing to maximize the opportunity . The lawyers office was my next stop ; not to lay a complaint about Elena , I was past that for now . I just needed some advice about the ring , as it wasnt listed in the properties given to me . If I ever needed to use it as a lifeline , I needed to make sure I was doing the right thing . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!