The Rich Girl No One Notices

ed in Milan w

tinuing as if nothing had shifted in the night. Isabella lay awake long before her alarm, staring

been

ung to her lik

ootsteps. A drawer opening, then closing softly. Isabell

, padding into the hallway. Matteo stood by th

as saying. "I want

looked different, less shadowed, more human. There were faint

leep much,"

en I'm

rking now?"

held he

or coffee. The routine steadied her hands.

inst the counter.

's va

s ho

dle of the night, told me my mother was involved in somet

to stay aliv

ed the water, the steam fogging her g

hey s

Isabella turned sharply. "You

didn't want known," Matteo said. "And shor

ating w

I'm trying

table, suddenly feeling exhauste

me, i

. "Why are you

"Because I failed someone once. Some

xplain why you

" he said

email notification from work. Is

Come by my offi

L

htened. "They'r

w clenched.

t just

d. "Which is why

You can't follow me

eplied. "Buildings like

slowly. "Thi

es

cket with an inside pocket and wore flat shoes. Small chan

he apartmen

ple across the windows. Every stranger felt suddenly significant. She w

h polished confidence. Isabella swiped her ba

ked the Duomo. Lucia herself s

r," she said w

ied. "You want

fully neutral. "You've been acce

Isabella replied even

e good at your job. Very good.

ies are sensitiv

rpened. "You nee

d. "Because De Luca

Luca is un

chill. "No one

d softly. "Y

not n

ch is why I'm warning yo

O

to the door. "Or you'll attra

atteo's words. Be car

re discrepanc

replied. "You're

Isabella straightened.

a long moment. "You

r," Isabe

ce drained

followed was co

nding to check her phone while scanning the crowd. Through the glass, she spott

He gave a nearly

esk to find her system access partially re

ing her mother

hat evening, Matteo

the net," she said b

es

y kn

es

aring. "I lived my life caref

like respect in his eyes. "Tha

bitterly.

wering his voice. "We

said imm

y is comp

if De Luca's rea

e said. "Your

"How do you kn

e replied. "And because

ened. "That pla

eeds

s tied to her childhood, to safety, to her mother's

s already ins

" she

nig

slowly. "

d the bedroom, she

es

e answers c

ey

o I get

hen you're strong e

answer. But something

woman who had spent her life unseen wa