Chapter 6 The Image Of The Rasettis

• My parents, Luciano and Stella Rasetti, are the proud owners of a restaurant that has gained much prestige. It has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide and has an impeccable reputation due to its high quality and exceptional culinary experience.
• Recently, the Hamilton hotel chain showed interest in incorporating our restaurant into their portfolio. As the only daughter of the Rasetti couple and the restaurant’s manager, I have an appointment with Mr. Richard Hamilton.
• — The appointment with the Hamiltons is on Friday the twenty-second at 8:00 a.m. — my mother states while reviewing her notes. — Mr. Hamilton’s secretary confirmed the appointment this morning, Isabella. It’s crucial that you are punctual. It’s lucky we managed to get an appointment in less than a month; we can’t miss such a great opportunity.
• — That’s because the restaurant is making waves — my father comments proudly. — It’s incredible to think that Mr. Hamilton is interested in our little gastronomic corner.
• — Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be punctual. I promise — I assure her, and she sighs with relief. She still treats me like a little girl and not a woman of almost twenty-three years.
• — I just don’t want us to miss this opportunity — she adds with notable excitement. — The future of the Rasetti could change forever if we achieve the merger.
• I nod, and she sighs again. I roll my eyes, and my father laughs at the situation.
• — Relax, dear. Isabella will be punctual, don’t worry — my father says, trying to calm her nerves.
• — Of course! This merger is important to me too — I add, wanting to show my commitment.
• After saying goodnight to my parents, I go upstairs and make sure to set a reminder on my phone for the appointment that day. I’m not usually late, but I was afraid that karma might somehow make me late or, worse, that I would forget. Who would then endure my mother’s melodramatic scene?
• I am an only child, the fruit of an illusion that ended in love. Although my parents longed for a boy, fate gave them a girl. For Stella Rasetti, raising a daughter was quite a challenge. She is a woman who makes her appearance a cult. At fifty, she dazzles with her straight black hair, hazel eyes skillfully made up, and slender figure that looks like a woman barely in her forties. Every morning, she takes time to choose the perfect outfit. For Stella Rasetti, image is everything; it is the business card to the world.
• My father is also not far behind in elegance and poise. He is fifty-seven years old but maintains an athletic build and a tanned face that contrasts with his sky-blue eyes, which I inherited. They have always seemed to me like a couple from a romance novel, the kind that falls in love at first sight and lives happily ever after.
• One of the things I am immensely grateful to my mother for is teaching me not only basic skills like eating, sitting, talking, and walking but also doing so with grace and distinction. She has shown concern for my appearance as if it were a reflection of herself. Tania, my best friend, often tells me that I look like I stepped out of a fashion magazine. For me, taking care of my image has become an ingrained habit, so I head to my room and open the closet, looking for something appropriate to wear on Friday for the appointment with Mr. Hamilton.
• Meanwhile, my phone buzzes with a WhatsApp notification. It’s Tania, sending me a message with an upside-down face emoji. I smile at it and unlock the phone, wondering what mischief my friend has come up with.
• — Isa, I need your help! I just broke up with that jerk Edward.
• «Ha! He’s no longer called ‘sweetie,’» I thought.
• — I want to go out and have fun, — she continued saying — drink something and maybe find a new love. Don’t leave me alone, please. I’ll pick you up on Saturday at seven-thirty. Love you.
• Without thinking twice, I reply.
• — Why is it that every time you break up with one of your boyfriends, I have to suffer the consequences and accompany you in your craziness?
• — Because you’re my friend! — she responds, and I laugh as I read her message. — It’s part of the pact we made. If you were in my place, I would support you.
• — Fine, I’ll be waiting, but I’m not looking for a boyfriend.
• — Haha, we’ll see. — she replies, accompanied by a tongue-out emoji.
• I roll my eyes at the screen, knowing it’s useless to argue with Tania about this. She always gets her way.
• ***
• At 7:40 AM, I find myself standing in front of the imposing glass building that houses the luxurious offices of Hamilton Hotels. I walk to the reception, where they direct me to the first floor. I step out of the elevator and find the desk where the secretary is seated.
• I approach and say:
• — Good morning, I have an appointment with Mr. Hamilton. — I say with a firm and polite voice.
• — Please, one moment — she immediately searches on the computer and nods — yes, of course, let me inform Mr. Hamilton that his appointment has arrived.
• She picks up the phone and calls.
• Meanwhile, I analyze the secretary. She is a woman in her forties, with short blonde hair at shoulder length. Her olive green eyes have a severe expression. Her appearance denotes an efficient woman.
• After a few minutes, the secretary addresses me with a professional demeanor.
• — You may go in, Miss Rasetti — she says, snapping me out of my thoughts — Mr. Hamilton is expecting you.
• We head to an office with double doors. The secretary pushes one of them open and lets me in.
• As I enter the office, I stand still at the door. Behind an imposing mahogany desk, I see a man around thirty years old, exuding an aura of power and confidence. His dark brown eyes reflect a mix of determination and curiosity, while his long eyelashes highlight his penetrating gaze. His black hair, elegantly slicked back, adds a seductive touch, making him look devilishly attractive.