Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One

“Congratulations,” Charlotte said with a teasing lilt in her voice.

“Thanks,” Gen replied, a genuine smile spreading across her face as she stirred some sugar into her coffee. “I tried explaining it to my assistant, but she completely glazed over within seconds. Some people just don’t grasp the complexities of accounting. I needed to talk to someone who actually understands.”

Charlotte chuckled warmly through the phone. “I totally get that. Benny tries, but the longest he’s lasted is about thirty seconds before his eyes start to wander.” She paused. “So, how’s everything else going?”

Genevieve adjusted the phone between her shoulder and ear, then added a dash of hazelnut syrup to her cup. “Busy, as usual. There’s a new project launching this weekend that’s got everyone scrambling.”

Everyone, including Matteo, it seemed. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since that disastrous brunch. Sometimes, when she knew he was tied up in meetings, she’d deliberately walk past his office or the conference rooms just to feel his gaze on her. She chastised herself for it—what kind of person does that? But she missed him. Deeply.

He hadn’t come home in days, at least not that she knew of. She’d rush to the peephole at every creak, hoping it was him. Whether it was a tactic to get her attention or just the result of his busy schedule, she couldn’t deny how much she longed for him. With Jada away on her honeymoon until Monday, the silence in the apartment felt oppressive. The only person she really spoke to was Leo when he dropped her off or picked her up—and even then, it was a struggle to get more than a few words out of the gruff man.