Chapter 340: Job

CHAPTER 341

KATYA POV

By the time Chiara and I made it back to my bedroom, the sun had already begun sinking beyond the gardens outside my window.

The warm golden light that had filled the estate earlier was slowly fading, leaving long shadows stretching across the room.

I hadn’t seen Romeo again. Not after the parking lot. He hadn’t even looked at me.

The moment he’d stepped out of the SUV, he’d spoken quietly to one of the security guards before disappearing into the villa with James beside him, as though Chiara and I hadn’t been standing there at all.

No greeting. No explanation. Nothing. Now, hours later, I still hadn’t crossed paths with him. A small part of me found that oddly… frustrating.

Which was ridiculous. I shouldn’t have expected anything else. What exactly had I wanted?

For him to walk over and casually explain why the police had suddenly changed their minds? To tell me how Chiara’s missing car had magically found its way back into the estate?

Even imagining the conversation sounded absurd. Romeo Salvatore wasn’t the kind of man who explained himself. If anything, he seemed determined to leave everyone else guessing.

“…And then James just got out like it was completely normal!” Chiara’s voice pulled me back to reality. I looked across the room.

She had somehow managed to make herself comfortable across my bed, sitting cross-legged with one of my pillows hugged tightly against her chest.

“I mean…” she continued dramatically, “he wasn’t even nervous!”

“I noticed.”

“He just climbed out!”

“I noticed that too.”

“And my car!”

“I noticed that as well.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re barely listening.”

“I am listening.”

“No, you’re just looking at me.”

“…There’s a difference?”

“A very big difference.” Despite myself, the corner of my mouth twitched. Chiara pointed accusingly at me.

“There!”

“What?”

“You smiled.”

“I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

“I disagree.”

She gasped theatrically.

“Now you’re lying to my face.” I rolled my eyes. “You’ve been talking for nearly an hour.”

“I have not.”

“You have.”

“…Really?”

“Really.” She blinked once before looking toward the ceiling.

“Huh.” Then she shrugged. “I had a lot to process.” That… I couldn’t argue with. Today had been exhausting. The police station. Inspector Ricci. The sudden dismissal. The taxi ride. Her car.

Romeo.

It all felt strangely disconnected and somehow connected at exactly the same time. Chiara suddenly sat up straighter.

“Actually…” she said.

“We have a much bigger problem.”

I looked at her.

“We do?”

“Our stuff.”

I frowned.

“Our bags.”

Right. A heavy silence settled between us. Neither of us had wanted to think about it. Everything we’d carried into the club that night was gone.

Our phones. Wallets. Bank cards. Identification. Chargers. House keys we no longer even needed. Makeup. Hairbrushes. All of it. If it hadn’t burned… It had probably been collected as evidence.

Either way, none of it was coming back anytime soon. Chiara sighed dramatically.

“I miss my phone.”

“I miss having money.”

“I miss my favorite lipstick.”

I stared at her.

“Really?”

“What?”

“That’s your priority?”

“It was expensive.” I couldn’t help laughing. A small laugh. Barely more than a breath. Still… It counted.

“There it is again!” Chiara pointed triumphantly.

“You laughed twice.”

“I did not.”

“You literally just did.”

“I exhaled.”

“That was not an exhale.”

“It was.”

“It had joy.”

“I don’t think exhales can have emotions.”

“They absolutely can.” She nodded with complete confidence. “I’ve decided.”

I shook my head. “I don’t even want to know.”

“We need jobs.”

“…Jobs?”

“Temporary ones.”

I blinked. “…Jobs?”

“Temporary ones,” Chiara repeated, looking unusually pleased with herself while I simply stared at her until I couldn’t help asking,

“…You?” She looked offended.

“Yes, me.” I tilted my head.”You… want a job?”

“I know.” She sighed dramatically. “It’s shocking. I’m shocked too.”

“The world might actually be ending.”

“Rude.” She tossed another pillow at me. “You know,” she huffed, “I can be responsible.”

“…Since when?” She pretended to think very hard.

“Since approximately…” She glanced toward the ceiling. “…thirty seconds ago.”

I rolled my eyes. “So…” She leaned forward again, this time sounding a little more serious. “What do you think?”

“A job…” The words lingered quietly in my mind.

Surprisingly, The idea didn’t sound ridiculous. It sounded Normal.

For the first time all day, my thoughts drifted somewhere that had nothing to do with police stations or Romeo Salvatore.

When I’d first arrived at the villa, I’d offered to do anything Nonna needed.

Cleaning. Cooking. Laundry. Anything at all. I hadn’t wanted to simply live here while everyone else looked after me. Nonna had refused before I’d even finished speaking.

“You’re here as my daughter, mia cara. Not as my employee. Your only responsibility is to be happy.” She’d smiled as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Then she’d handed me a bank card. She’d arranged clothes for me. Everything I could possibly need had somehow appeared before I’d even realized I needed it.

She’d never once made me feel like a burden. But I’d never truly gotten used to accepting so much without giving anything back.

Maybe because that wasn’t who I was. I’d always wanted to earn my own money. To know that whatever I had belonged to me because I’d worked for it.

The cafe. A small smile touched my lips as memories surfaced. The smell of fresh coffee every morning.

The regular customers who ordered the exact same thing every day. The rush during breakfast hours. It had been exhausting sometimes.

But I’d liked it. My fingers slowly tightened around the pillow resting in my lap. One memory led to another.

Ariana.Then…Frank. His face appeared so suddenly that my chest tightened. His broad shoulders. His terrible jokes.

My smile disappeared A heavy knot settled painfully inside my chest as the last memory of them flashed. If I hadn’t been there… If I hadn’t gotten caught up in everything…

Would Frank still be alive? The question found me the way it always did. Without mercy. Without an answer. I was so selfish back then, thinking I was free, I don’t even know if Ariana was alive or dead…Gosh and I’m here happier and looking so..

“…Katya?” My eyes snapped towards Chiara, who was watching me now. The playful grin she’d been wearing only moments ago had faded completely.

“What happened?” I quickly forced my thoughts away.

“Nothing.” She didn’t look convinced. “You disappeared again.” “I’m okay.” The lie came out automatically.

I managed a small smile. One that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

“I’m just tired.” Chiara studied me for another moment before she simply gave a small nod.

“…Okay.” The room fell quiet. After a few seconds, I looked back at her.

“…I think you’re right.” Her eyebrows lifted. “About what?”

“The job.” A tiny smile returned to her face.

“You do?” I nodded slowly. “…Yeah.”

More than new phones. More than replacing our bank cards. More than everything we’d lost in that fire… I wanted to work again. I wanted to earn something that belonged to me.

Maybe… Just maybe… Something ordinary was exactly what I needed right now.

“So,” Chiara said, already sounding far too excited again.

“When do we start looking?”

I couldn’t help smiling properly this time.

“I suppose tomorrow”