Chapter 20 The Second Offer

• Alessia
• The bar was alive with its usual hum of activity—glasses clinking, muted conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter from a patron. I was at the counter, polishing glasses and trying to keep my mind on anything but Luca. He’d been a thorn in my side since the day we met, and I was determined to put all thoughts of him behind me.
• Marcello strode up to me, his expression sharp. "Alessia, table seven. They've been waiting too long. Get moving," he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument.