Storm and Sea - Book 1

Chapter 11

TW in the description
Thank you to candykale (rare.candykale.art) for the art!

Alberto POV

Luca didn't come for breakfast the next morning. Alberto lingered by the door but heard nothing. He walked into the kitchen to see Massimo already reading the morning papers. Giulia sat with her arms folded and an untouched cup of coffee in front of her. Alberto sat beside her then let his head fall to the table and into his arms.

"Hmm," Massimo said. Alberto could feel his dad's gaze. "My bambini seem to carry storm clouds above their heads. What is wrong?"

"Nothing." Both Alberto and Giulia said at the same time. Alberto looked up to see Giulia already staring at him.

"What happened to you last night?" He asked, remembering her storm in through the front door.

"I'm not telling you!" She snapped. "What happened to you?"

"I am definitely not telling you," Alberto said. They both glared at each other as the front door knocked.

"No, no, I'll get it," Giulia said, shooting Alberto a dirty look when he didn't immediately stand.

Giulia POV

She walked to the door feeling irritated. After what happened last night, she had little hope that today would be any better. But that all became ever worse the moment she opened the door.

"Mattias!?" She yelled in surprise.

"Good morning." He said, looking chipper as always.

"What do you want?" Giulia crossed her arms, doing nothing to hide her irritation with the doctor.

"I said I would be doing a wellness checkup on Luca, didn't I?"

"You haven't been by in weeks. Why now all of a sudden?" She asked.

"Three weeks is the exact time I intended to visit."

"Yeah, sure." She said but waved him in. However, she stopped midstep as another figure approached the door that Giulia hadn't noticed.

"Oh! And I brought Talia with me; I hope you don't mind." Mattias said, gesturing to his gorgeous assistant.

Giulia glared at her. Perfect hair, face, figure... no wonder Mattias liked Talia.

"What is she doing here?" Giulia hissed.

"She is interning with me for some hospital experience."

"Can't she go somewhere else for that?" Giulia spat, not skipping a beat despite Talia standing right there.

"She could," Mattias said, stretching the last word. "But it would be much more convenient to do it in my hospital. She is my sister, after all."

"Well, she can go somewhere else— wait. Did you say, sister?" Giulia said, looking from Talia to Mattias and back.

"Yes. Didn't you know?" He asked mockingly.

"How would I have known that!?" Giulia snapped but felt a huge weight slide from her shoulders.

She glared at Mattias. He knew that she had mistaken Talia as his lover. And now he came to show Giulia she was wrong all along.

"Jerk." Giulia thought.

It seemed that proving Talia was his sister was the only reason Mattias had brought her along. The second she invited them in, Mattias suddenly remembered a sample he had left on the counter that needed to be refrigerated. Talia turned and walked back the way they came.