The Don’s 89-Point Wife Chapter 07
Six months later, I finished a multinational negotiation in Geneva.
Julian Voss handed me a thermos.
“Your doctor told you to cut back on coffee.”
“I’ve only had one today.”
“You said that last week.”
I took the cup and smiled.
“Does Mr. Voss manage that too?”
“Not manage. Remind.”
He handed me the meeting notes.
“No one gets to score your judgment. Including me.”
I looked down at the documents.
Even after returning to work, I still instinctively corrected every pause I made.
After my first meeting, I’d asked Julian how I did.
He’d only said, “You finished. That’s the answer.”
Slowly, I learned that not everyone carried a ruler, waiting for me to make a mistake.
An assistant entered.
“Signora, the Marchetti family is here.”
I looked up.
Adriano stood outside the door, much thinner than six months ago.
He glanced at Julian, then at me.
“You’re really here.”
“The meeting starts in ten minutes.”
I put away the thermos.
“Don Marchetti, please wait in the conference room.”
He reached out to stop me.
“Elena, let’s talk first.”
“Business or divorce?”
“The baby.”
My steps paused.
Julian quietly moved between us.
“Mr. Marchetti, she doesn’t want to talk.”
Adriano’s gaze cooled.
“This is between me and my wife.”
I corrected him calmly.
“Ex-wife.”
“I haven’t signed.”
“The Geneva civil court will rule next month.”
He looked at me, his eyes reddening.
“I didn’t know you were pregnant.”
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have left.”
“Adriano, I didn’t use the baby to make you stay.”
I looked him in the eye.
“I only said I needed you.”
“And you still left.”
His lips moved.
“I thought you were making a scene.”
“Because in your mind, I’m always competing, making trouble, getting jealous.”
“I never thought that.”
“Your scoring ledger says otherwise.”
His face turned paler.
In the conference room, both sides formally discussed the cross-border asset custody agreement.
The Marchetti family desperately needed Julian’s family bank to restructure the troubled Aurora Line business.
And Julian had one condition:
I had to participate as an independent arbitrator.
Adriano pushed the revised agreement toward me.
“Your father’s shares won’t be diluted. You’ll also receive two additional board seats.”
I turned to the last page.
“Not enough.”
One of the Marchetti advisers immediately frowned.
“Signora, these terms are already far above market standards.”
I looked up.
“First, restore my mother’s manuscript to its original form. Remove Isabella Ricci’s credit publicly, and have the Marchetti family admit the infringement.”
Adriano didn’t hesitate.
“Agreed.”
“Second, publicly clarify that I led Aurora Line and formally apologize to the original team members Isabella fired.”
“Agreed.”
“Third, remove Isabella from every family position and hold her accountable for forging emails and leaking business secrets.”
The advisers exchanged looks.
Someone warned quietly, “Signorina Ricci knows a great deal about internal family affairs. If we go after her, she may retaliate.”
I closed the file.
“Then there’s no deal.”
Adriano pressed his hand on the agreement.
“I agree.”
After the meeting, he followed me to the elevator.
“Elena, I’ve done everything you asked.”
“That’s what you owed me. It’s not compensation.”
“Then what do I have to do for you to come back?”
The elevator doors opened.
Julian stood inside, holding the door for me.
I didn’t answer Adriano.
He suddenly caught my wrist.
His grip was light, as if he was afraid of hurting me.
“Give me a standard.”
I pulled my hand away.
“There is no standard.”
“You changed for me before. I can change too.”
“But I’m not you.”
I stepped into the elevator.
Just before the doors closed, Adriano held out the silver Montegrappa.
“I had Isabella’s name removed.”
I didn’t take it.
The silver pen slipped from his fingers and fell into the gap between the elevator doors.