It was just a contract. A few months in Italy. A kitchen to myself. A moody client who was never around. Except he was. Barefoot, distant, too polite. And I was-unfortunately-already starting to care. He didn't ask for company. I didn't ask for complications. But somewhere between shared breakfasts and late-night apologies, something shifted. And now I'm trying not to feel everything all at once-for a man who won't even call me his, not out loud. They said don't fall for your boss. They didn't warn me what to do when he starts falling back.