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She wandered out of their large bedroom suite into the hallway, observing her new home.
It was a majestic estate, centuries-old and sprawled over several acres of premium land in the Hamptons. It screamed luxury. At every corner was an antique made of insanely expensive material. Oil paintings and gold lamps adorned each wall.
Everything felt fragile and breakable. Almost like her.
Hugging herself, Ana glanced nervously at Gio's closed office door. She contemplated wishing him good morning, just to be polite. But just the thought of it stole her breath.
Instead, she took the stairs down to the first floor, wandering past the kitchens and the multiple sitting rooms to the large room at the end that would be her new office.
It used to be a library, but Gio had cleared everything out for her arrival–even though she had never asked.
Ana fought the bubble of warmth at his gesture.
He was just being courteous; that's all.
She let her eyes sweep over the largely vacant room. It had only been a few days since their wedding, so many of her work items hadn't arrived yet. But she had already started mapping out how she would organize the room. On the right side, where the sunlight was strongest, she would place her desk with a sewing machine. Opposite it, she would keep her dress form to structure her latest designs. And on the empty bookshelves, she could place all her raw materials, fabrics, and tools.
Her hand slid along the wooden shelves and came away clean. Not even a speck of dust was on them. Impressive.
Ana smiled to herself as she breathed in the silence. She always felt so utterly at peace when she was by herself. Nothing could hurt her or judge her in the quiet solitude. It was only around other people that she grew agitated and unsure of herself, wary of their attention. Trying so hard to please them…and always falling short.
"The order for your sewing machine was placed today."
At the sound of her husband's deep voice, Ana's breath stuttered. Her bubble of peace was pierced.
She was sitting almost crouched on the ground, with her hand still lingering on the lowest shelf. So when she turned to see Gio stride in, she felt completely overpowered, his tall figure towering over her hunched form.
The shadows around her spread as he came to a halt right in front of her.
Ana swallowed, taking him in. He was dressed sharply in a fitted shirt and slacks, and his dark curls were slicked back neatly. Her simple cotton dress and loose braid felt too plain in comparison.
"I hope the office is to your liking," Gio said, his black eyes roaming over her face.
"Yes." Her voice came out soft, almost dazed.
"I know it's empty now. So, until everything is shipped in, you can use my office."
"But–" Ana blinked. "Don't you need it?"
Gio waved it off with a large hand. "I'll manage. Just come in there."
She stared at him, confused by the command. With a house of this size, there was no need for them to be squeezed into one office. She could do her work anywhere. Without her sewing machines, she would mostly be doing design sketches and computer work anyway.
The heat of his stare was strong on her, but Ana averted her gaze and busied herself with wiping the invisible dust on the shelf.
What was he even doing here? He was usually in nonstop calls and meetings. Gio had invited her to join some of them, but she was hesitant after that horrific meeting with Grandfather. She didn't want to put herself in the firing line again.
But what she was most afraid of…was Gio's pull, of the way he threatened her peace every time they were together. So, even though her office was completely bare, she'd been determined to come here to avoid her husband altogether.
Her effort was in vain, though.
Gio had still found her.
"I'll just organize a few things in here today." She gestured to the few piles of fabrics she had laid out.
Gio's gaze instantly fell on them. With intent focus, he reached over and, carefully, almost as if he was inventorying them, rifled through each fabric. Measuring and inspecting.
"You didn't bring any of your staff with you?" he asked.
