Chapter 1
“I need to rush to work or I’m going to be late for the third time this week,” I said, grabbing my coat and bag as I hurried toward the door.
“Please, Jenny, take good care of my angel for me,” I added.
She only smiled warmly. “You know you don’t have to ask me every time you leave for work. I will take care of him as if he were my own grandchild.”
“Thank you so much, Jenny. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met you.”
I had met Jenny at the hospital when I was giving birth to my son, Leo. I had no one with me when I went into labor, so I had gone to the hospital alone.
Jenny had been working there as a cleaner. When she saw me struggling to sign in, she immediately helped me. She stayed by my side the entire time until I was discharged from the hospital and even helped bring me back to my tiny apartment.
Since I lived alone, she offered to help me when I told her I was an orphan and an only child. She said she felt sorry for me, but I think it was more than that. Even after I told her countless times that I could take care of myself and my baby, she refused to leave.
Six months later, she was still there—helping me raise my son.
Jenny told me she had a daughter who was married and living in Mexico. Being alone in her house made her feel lonely, so helping me and Leo filled the empty space in her life.
When I got a job as a housekeeper at De Rossi Hotels, she offered to take care of Leo as his nanny.
I couldn’t refuse. I trusted her completely, and I knew Leo was safe with her.
Since the job paid fairly well, I insisted on paying her something for helping me.
“You don’t need to thank me, my dear,” she said with a laugh as she closed the door behind me. “What you need to do is hurry to work, or both of us will soon be unemployed.”
I laughed softly and waved goodbye before leaving the house.
The bus ride to work was surprisingly smooth. Thankfully, the traffic wasn’t bad, and within twenty minutes I arrived at the hotel.
I slipped through the back entrance and rushed straight to the staff room, quickly changing into my uniform before any supervisor noticed I was late.
When Leo was three months old, I had come to this hotel for an interview. I had absolutely no experience, but I begged them to give me a chance. I told them I had a baby and no one to depend on.
They rejected me.
I had left the office building crying, feeling completely hopeless. But as I reached the lobby, I bumped into a middle-aged man.
He asked me why I was crying, and before I knew it, I had told him everything.
“My dear,” he said kindly, “why don’t you follow me to my office so I can offer you a glass of water?”
“I’m sorry,” I replied, wiping my tears. “But I need to hurry and look for another job.”
“I promise I won’t take much of your time. Just five minutes.”
I hesitated before nodding. It wasn’t like I had another interview waiting for me.
We entered a private elevator that took us to his office. The room was the most beautiful office I had ever seen.
He gestured for me to sit, then joined me on a comfortable couch.
“Why didn’t you pass the interview?” he asked gently.
“I don’t have any hotel experience,” I admitted. “But I really need this job so I can feed my son and keep the apartment I’m renting.”
“How old is your son? And what is your name?”
“Hayley. My name is Hayley Adams. My son is three months old.”
“So you want the job even though you have no experience?”
“Yes, sir. I’m a fast learner. I just need one chance.”
He stood up and walked to his desk before picking up the phone and asking someone to come to his office.
A few minutes later, the same man who had interviewed me earlier walked in.
“Mr. De Rossi, how may I help you, sir?”
My eyes widened.
De Rossi.
The same name as the hotel.
Was this man… the owner?
“Jack,” Mr. De Rossi said calmly, “I believe you’ve already met Hayley. She will start working with us tomorrow as a housekeeper. Since she has no experience, I expect you to train her properly.”
Jack simply nodded.
As for me, I dropped to my knees in gratitude.
“Thank you so much, Mr. De Rossi! I promise I won’t let you down.”
His phone rang at that moment, signaling the end of our meeting.
That day had changed my life.
I returned to reality when a guest asked me for directions to the restaurant.
When the guest left, I turned around and saw my best friend and coworker, Joy.
“Hey there, Hayley. Great to see you today.”
“Hey, Joy,” I said quickly. “I arrived late again, so I don’t want Jack to find us chatting. Can we talk during tea break?”
“You worry too much,” she laughed. “But fine—we’ll talk later.”
After she left, I began my work.
I entered one of the presidential suites to clean.
In the three months I had worked here, this was the first time it had been used. Rumor had it that this room was reserved only for the Rossi family.
As soon as I stepped inside, something stopped me.
The scent.
It was painfully familiar.
It was the exact same scent that had filled Luca’s car… his apartment… his arms.
The same scent that had haunted me for the past fifteen months.
It can’t be Luca.
I had promised myself I would never see him again.
I hated him.
With all my heart.
I forced myself to clean the room quickly so I could get out of there.
But my mind kept drifting back to him.
Luca had been the first man I had ever truly been attracted to. And within hours of meeting him, I had ended up in his bed.
That single night had changed my life forever.
Forty minutes later, I finished cleaning and rolled my cart out of the room.
By lunchtime, I had completed all my work and was preparing to leave.
Mr. De Rossi had given me permission to leave early whenever I finished my duties.
Just as I was about to go, I ran into Joy.
“Hey girl,” she said excitedly. “Have you seen Luca De Rossi? He’s the only son of the boss!”
The name hit me like a lightning bolt.
Luca.
De Rossi.
I almost fainted.
There were many men named Luca, I told myself.
It had to be a coincidence.
“No,” I forced myself to say calmly. “I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him.”
Joy grinned mischievously.
“That guy is insanely hot. I could eat him alive.”
I rolled my eyes.
Joy had a well-known weakness for rich, handsome playboys who specialized in one-night stands.
“Joy, you know I’m done with men,” I said quietly. “Leo’s father hurt me badly. I can’t deal with handsome men ever again.”
She blocked my path.
“Hayley, you’re only twenty-four. Having a baby doesn’t mean your life is over. You need a man—someone who can warm your bed and maybe even be a father figure to Leo someday.”
“I agree that I need a man,” I admitted. “But not a playboy who only wants a one-night stand like Leo’s father.”
Joy studied me carefully.
“That’s why you’re coming on a double date tonight.”
I sighed in defeat.
“Fine. But promise me one thing.”
“What?”
“The guy you’re setting me up with is not rich.”
She frowned.
“What do you have against rich men?”
“Just promise.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Be ready by seven.”
That evening, right on time, the doorbell rang.
I kissed Leo’s forehead before leaving.
“Have fun, my dear,” Jenny said warmly. “You deserve to be happy.”
Joy was waiting outside, staring at me.
“Wow. You look beautiful.”
We arrived at the restaurant thirty minutes later.
The place was filled with wealthy people, and I instantly felt uncomfortable.
“I told you no rich guys.”
“Relax,” Joy said. “They just like expensive places.”
Our dates were already waiting.
Hudson was Joy’s boyfriend.
John was mine.
He was sweet, funny, and surprisingly easy to talk to.
For the first time in months, I actually felt relaxed.
Then it happened.
As I lifted my eyes across the restaurant, I saw him.
Those eyes.
The exact same eyes my son had.
The same face.
The same brown hair.
Luca.
The man who had disappeared fifteen months ago.
Leo’s father.
My heart stopped.
Without thinking, I grabbed my bag and ran out of the restaurant.
Because if I stayed one second longer…
I might collapse right there in front of him.
