The lady of the house

Nicole couldn't help but smile. Dante was so different from Bruno, like two opposite poles. She was happy that she could finally go out.

Despite Jack's disapproval, they left the mansion. He followed closely behind. Dante took them to a trendy restaurant, stylish and modern, located on the top floor of a building facing Central Park, offering a marvelous view.

"It's wonderful to be able to go out and enjoy this view again. I thought I might be a prisoner forever," Nicole exclaimed.

"I know, sis. I'm sure Bruno has gone too far, but I believe he'll be different when he returns. This time apart will give him some time to think," Dante reassured her.

"I truly hope Bruno treats Nicole better. She doesn't deserve everything he's done," Sophie commented, embracing her friend.

They continued chatting for a while when suddenly Leandro and Shelsy approached.

"Hello, Nicole. We meet again," Leandro greeted.

"Hi, Leandro. What a coincidence. Would you like to join us? We haven't ordered yet, and the food here is delicious," Nicole invited.

Dante and Shelsy remained silent. The atmosphere became tense and uncomfortable. Nicole thought inviting them might have been a mistake. Fortunately, Leandro declined the invitation and bid them farewell. As the couple walked away, Dante regained his smile, but Nicole sensed that something strange was going on, something she didn't know.

They had a peaceful meal filled with anecdotes and laughter, and later they left the place.

"I'm really sorry, Dante. I didn't think their company would make you uncomfortable," Nicole apologized.

"Don't worry about it. It's a long story that I'll tell you someday. For now, I'd rather not talk about it," Dante replied.

He drove them back to the mansion. Sophie wanted to stay with Nicole, but Jack didn't allow it. So, Dante dropped her off at her house.

A month had passed without any word from Bruno. Nicole realized she didn't even have his phone number. She tried to get it from Jack, but it was impossible. That man was as loyal and stubborn as a guard dog.

It was the end of the week, and her mother came to pick her up to take her home. Her father wanted to see her, and they had planned a meal together. As always, Jack was following her. Nicole was happy because she would get to see Max, although she wasn't pleased that Sondra would be there.

They had a splendid day. Sondra was absent, and Max and Nicole caught up. He told her he had started a small design company.

"I'm glad you've started your own business. I know it will soon become one of the best. I know you, and I know you'll go far with it," Nicole said.

Sophie arrived at that moment, and finally, the three of them could be together.

"That's great, Sophie. Finally, the three of us will be together for a while," Nicole said as she got up to hug her friend.

The day went by quickly, and as evening approached, Nicole bid farewell to everyone. She tried her best not to cry. How she wished she could tell them everything and stay there, but she didn't want to worry her parents.

Her father offered to drive her home, and Nicole gladly accepted. It wasn't pleasant to travel with Jack; he was a very cold man.

As they were about to get into the car, a strange woman called out to her father. Nicole could tell he was nervous. The woman locked her gaze on Nicole, but her father hurriedly got into the car, ignoring her.

"Dad, who is that woman? She seemed really odd to me," Nicole asked.

"I don't know, honey. Maybe she approached me by mistake, thinking I was someone else," her father replied.

"But she called you by your name, or at least that's what it seemed like to me."

"Relax, honey. You must have misheard."

She noticed his nervousness and slight irritation, so she decided to remain silent. She just hoped he wasn't deceiving her mother. That would shatter her.

Despite her extremely slim figure, the woman was very beautiful. She had black hair and blue eyes, just like Nicole.

Leandro decided to talk to his father about his feelings for Nicole.

"There's a girl I'm interested in, you know I haven't taken anyone seriously so far, not even Shelsy, who, by the way, I'm tired of now. This girl is different, but she's now Bruno Leone's wife."

"Well, son, if you're really interested, you just have to win her over. If you succeed, you'll have your girl, and I'll have the satisfaction of seeing one of the Leone family defeated."

"You've never told me why you hate them so much."

"There's no point in telling you. You just need to know that I want to destroy them."

In the Leone mansion, Nicole was feeling happy. Her mother had brought her nanny to live with them, knowing that Bruno would be upset. But she couldn't refuse her mother's insistence. The nanny suspected that something was wrong and had mentioned it during the meeting at Nicole's parents' house.

It had been a week since the nanny arrived. Jack couldn't do anything to prevent her from staying, although he tried. It was an imposition from Nicole's parents, but she was glad they did it. It made her feel much better in that cold place.

She was getting ready in her room when there was a knock on her door. It was the blonde girl from the staff.

"The master is about to return. He has ordered that all your belongings be taken to what used to be your room."

"Look, Alondra, I think that's your name, nothing will be moved from here unless he asks me himself."

"Do I really need to repeat an order I've already given?" Nicole was surprised to hear her voice.

"Bruno! You're back."

As she turned around, she saw him leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest. She thought he looked very handsome, wearing jeans and a white shirt. She stared at him intently, forgetting the depth of his gaze.

She approached him with her arms open, but he immediately stopped her, giving her a cold greeting.

"I missed you. You didn't even call."

Suddenly, she heard a woman's voice calling him. Did she hear correctly that she said "love"? She was dumbfounded when she saw hands wrapping around him from behind. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Did I hear correctly? Did you call him 'love'?"

"Hello, little sister. You heard correctly. I have a lot to tell you, especially about how well I enjoyed my time with Bruno in Italy."

Nicole felt the ground opening beneath her feet. The castles she had built in the air collapsed in an instant.

"I guess now you'll give me my freedom."

"Don't even dream about it. From now on, Sondra will be the lady of the house. She will stay with me in this room. Tomorrow, two more people will arrive to take care of the staff. You won't do your own things anymore. I don't want your family coming here later, claiming anything. I know your father brought your nanny and insisted that she stays to keep you company."

Sondra clung to him like a slippery leech, constantly touching him. Nicole realized that those two had allied to annoy her. She had to quickly plan her escape from there, although she knew that if she did, her parents would turn their backs on her.

"Love, have the maids take Nicole's clothes out of the dressing room and put mine next to yours."

"Alondra, do what the lady has asked you to do. From now on, she gives the orders in this house."

Alondra immediately did as they ordered, enjoying seeing Nicole humiliated in this way. Nicole left the room and went down to the living room, searching for her nanny. She found her in the kitchen.

"Nanny, from now on, you will stay in the room next to mine."

The nanny already knew what was happening. The cleaning girls tended to be very talkative.

"Child, what is going on? I will call your father. No matter how much he spoils your sister, he won't overlook this."

"No, nanny, you know that ever since Dad had the heart attack, he shouldn't receive any news that might upset him. This doesn't really matter to me or affect me."

For Bruno, it had been difficult to be so far away from Nicole. He believed that what he did was for the best. He didn't want to fall into her trap as she had planned. Sondra had visited him in his office to tell him that Nicole had planned a long time ago to take Noah's fortune and his as well. She offered to help him make her pay, and he accepted.

He took her with him to Italy, keeping her accommodated in a hotel, but that's where she would stay. He wanted to keep Nicole away. He hadn't touched Sondra, nor did he intend to. He wasn't interested in her that way. At the back of his room, there was a small office with a sofa bed where she would stay. What he couldn't stand was Sondra's constant desire to touch him. He would have to warn her; his patience was running out.