The Request
It had been three weeks. Twenty-one days. Five hundred hours. Since the blue dress dinner.
Katrina had fallen into a rhythm. Wake up. Eat breakfast alone. Alexandra would be in his study by seven. She'd hear the printer. She'd make him coffee. Black. No sugar. He'd say "thank you" if she was lucky.
She'd walk the house. Elena had only visited twice in twenty-one days. Both times she spoke to the servant. _"Tell Rosa the library needs dusting,"_ she'd said. Then she was gone.
She'd eat lunch in the garden. She'd think about accounting problems. She'd taught herself Excel in secret. Numbers made sense.
She'd nap. She'd read. She'd make dinner.
Alexandra would come home. They'd eat. He'd ask about her day. She'd say "fine." He'd say "good."
No fights. No touches. No bruises.
It was… tolerable.
But tolerable wasn't enough.
Katrina found him in the study. He was reading contracts. His eyes didn't lift.
"Alexandra?"
"Can I talk to you about something?"
The pen paused. He looked up. "What is it?"
She'd rehearsed this. "I… I want to get a job. I studied business accounting in school. I want to work."
Silence.
Matteo would've laughed. Richard would've called her greedy. Victor would've told her no without explanation.
Alexandra leaned back. "Why?"
_Why._ No one asked why. They told her.
"I… I want to do something. I want to use what I learned. I want… I don't want to just be…"
"Be what?"
_Be a trophy. Be a ghost. Be a wife._
"Be… useful," she said.
He watched her. Too long.
"I'll think about it," he said finally.
It wasn't a yes. It wasn't a no.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He nodded. Went back to his papers.
She left.
_He didn't say no._
She didn't sleep that night.
_Flashback._
_Her mother used to say "education is the one thing they can't take from you."_
_Katrina had graduated with honors. She'd applied for jobs. Richard saw the letters. He tore them up. "You don't need to work. You need to marry well."_
_Matteo said "wives don't work."_
_Alexandra said "I'll think about it."_
The next morning, she dressed early. Business casual. The navy skirt. The white blouse. The heels she'd practiced in.
Alexandra was in the kitchen. Coffee poured.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"To… look for a job. You said you'd think about it."
He looked at her outfit.
_In his head:_ _She looks… professional. She looks like she could do it. She looks like she wants to escape._
He said, "I'll drive you."
"To…?"
"To an interview. I set it up."
Her jaw dropped. "You…?"
"I said I'd think about it. I thought."
The interview was at Vega Enterprises. Accounting department.
Katrina straightened her shoulders. _This is it._
Alexandra dropped her at the curb. "Good luck."
He didn't come in. He didn't need to.
The interview was in ten minutes.
She walked in. The receptionist smiled. "Katrina Vega? Right this way."
_Vega._
She was led to a conference room. A woman waited. Fifties. Sharp suit.
"Hi, Katrina. I'm Sofia, head of accounting. Alexandra said you're looking for a job."
Katrina blinked. _Alexandra… set this up?_
Sofia smiled. "We need someone to audit our Mexico City branch. It's… paperwork-heavy. Would you like the job?"
Katrina's mouth opened. Closed.
"I… yes. Yes, please."
Sofia laughed. "Welcome to Vega Enterprises. Monday, eight a.m. sharp. Ask for me."
Katrina left the building floating.
Alexandra was in the car. Parked across the street.
"How was it?" he asked.
She got in. "I… got it. I start Monday."
He looked… pleased. For a second.
"Good," he said. "You'll need a laptop."
_He didn't say "I told you so." He didn't say "I knew you could."_
He just drove her home.
She turned to him before they reached the house.
"Thank you," she said.
He looked at her.
_In his head:_ _She's smiling. She's really smiling._
He said, "Monday. Eight a.m. Don't be late."
She laughed.
_It was the first time she laughed in front of him._
_He didn't know it was the start of something._