Her Mafia Prince ✔️

Chapter 1 - Tacky Guilt Bracelet

Enjoy ✨

~ Gabriella's POV ~

"Ready?"

The second Carlotta came around the corner I instantly wiped off any emotion from my face and turned away from Matteo. I didn't hear him say anything else as I walked past Carlotta saying my goodbyes to her as I went into the main salon to get ready for my next client.

I know I didn't even know Matteo, I didn't even know Carlotta that well either if I was being honest, but there was something about him.

Something I found intriguing.

Whatever it was, it was enough for his words to hurt more than they should have.

But it was only for a moment, I wasn't the type of person to dwell over things like that. Especially working as a hairdresser in a unisex salon, I'm used to dealing with all sorts of comments from both men and women. You have to develop a thick skin in a world like this with the way it is now.

Anyway, why should I care what other people have to say? It's not like their opinion is going to change anything. If people want to comment on things like your appearance, your skin, your hair, your weight - whatever it is, it won't change anything about you but it will change them. There's only so long you can go around saying horrible things about other people before it starts to change you as a person - slowly you become a toxic person. The type of person others want to stay away from.

These are the sorts of things you have tell yourself when you're a young woman working in Milan - especially in a salon.

Just as I turned around my eyes caught Matteo and Carlotta through the window. I watch them as they got into Matteo's jet black Maserati and neither of them looked very happy. Matteo had a deep frown on his face as he started the car, peeling away from the curb he was down the road and out of sight within seconds.

And just like that I had to push the incident to the back of my mind as I went over to greet my next client.

The rest of my day went just like every other day - clients, small talk, numerous cups of coffee and aching feet.

Of course it also happened to be a Thursday which meant the salon was open later in the evening and my feet had to go through an extra two hours of pain. Thankfully I have Fridays off.

It was all worth it though, every wince, every ache and every blister was worth it if it meant I didn't have to live with my parents.

Just to put it bluntly, they were a nightmare.

My elder sister and brother and I went through a seriously intense childhood. As early as I can remember my parents had us doing as many extra curricular activities as we could, two hours of extra tuition a night and they put us in private school.

It's the typical story really. My father is rich and owns a company, he wanted us to work at his company after we graduated and therefore wanted us to be as smart as he was. Of course none of us turned out how they wanted and that was it. They didn't really want much to do with us anymore.

My older sister Emilia ended up getting pregnant when she was 18 and married her boyfriend after that. So she never went to college which my parents obviously weren't happy about. My brother Giovanni opened his own gym and I decided to go beauty school instead of a normal college. Since then they have hardly spoken to me.

As soon as I could I got a job at a salon and with my grandma's help I was able to afford an apartment for myself. It's small but it's something.

My parents refused to help me move out, the only help my father tries to give me is telling me it isn't too late to get a business degree and to work with him.