Realtor Project

I know I've been MIA, but I'm back!!!

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Without Mama, I would have been a sopping mess on the tarmac. I held my composure as I watched Dominic take a seat closest to the window. He strapped in, spoke to the flight attendants before turning his head to look at me through the window. He waved slowly as the door to the plan shut, and the crewmen rolled the large staircase away. We were rushed into a private lounge area as the plane began to take off. I blew Dominic a kiss right as his plane began to drive down the tarmac. Soon, his plane soared up into the air, leaving me alone.

Mama and Roberto practically carried me back to the car. My heart feels as if it was torn out of my chest when his plane started to move. The moment he left my arms, I wanted him back. The car ride home was quiet. I cried softly in Mama's arms as she rocked me gently. Her sweet scent brought me back to the times I would get hurt as a child, and she would run straight to me whenever she heard my cries. Papa would be right beside her, kissing my tears away. It feels weird to be here heartbroken, and papa is nowhere to be found. Dominic helped keep all the sad thoughts away, and now that he's gone, they're all rushing back.

We dropped off Mama and Roberto before stopping by the cottage. There was a grey Mercedez parked beside my car when we pulled up to my house. The front porch light was on, and there was light-emitting through the living room curtains. I entered my home and was welcomed by a tall champagne glass filled with a peach bellini filled to the brim and adele playing through the surround sound system.

My girls sat on my couch sipping on their bellini. They turned to look at me when they heard the front door shut behind me.

"Love, grab your glass and join us on the couch," Juliana screamed out.

I grabbed my glass and sulked my way towards the couch. I plopped down between Juliana and Bambina.

"How are you feeling?" Bambina asked as she pulled me into her side. I cried instantly.

Juliana rushed to my other side and hugged me tightly. I cried into their shoulders. I knew this day was coming, and it wasn't going to be easy, but I never thought Dominic leaving would cause me physical pain.

My chest feels as if someone was sitting on my chest. Breathing became challenging for me the moment the plane door closed. One inhale of breath feels like a punch to the lungs. Breathing felt...wrong without him. It was weird. There was a time where I hated Dominic. I wanted him gone and far away from me; now I don't I can sleep tonight without him.

"Tereso, don't cry! It's not like you're going to be away from him for long. You can go see him anytime." Juliana reminded.

"I know, but we need this break."

"For what reason, though? He's proved he can change, and you now know that what you two have is real and can be fixed." Bambina question.

"We need to prove to each other that we won't fall back into our old ways. That means me running back to him only because I miss him and forgetting the whole reason why I ran out in the first place. I want my freedom; I need to enjoy it while I can because I know committing to Dominic means giving up my freedom again."

"How long are you planning on staying in Milian?"

"Hopefully for a month, but my minimum is another two weeks. I can barely stop crying, so I'm not sure if I can last a month."

"Are you going to visit him if you really miss him?" Juliana wondered.

"No, he needs to focus on work. Besides, missing him confirms my feelings for him."

"Eww, you love him." Bambina giggled as she sipped her Bellini.

"Yeah, I do."

We stayed on the couch the entire night. Juliana had a marathon of romantic comedies lined up for us to watch. Bambina warmed up my mother's leftovers for us to eat. 4 movies and 3 servings of risotto later, I said goodbye to my girls and walked upstairs towards my empty bedroom.

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Sleeping without Dominic seemed impossible. We were synced beautifully when we slept. His body heat kept it warm enough for me to sleep with the covers slightly off my body. His soft breaths were calming to me, like ocean waves crashing on the beach. We kept our space, but throughout the night, our bodies always found each other and entangle ourselves together until the sunrise.

I woke up cold and shivering from lack of heat, irritated from lack of sleep, and extremely alone. It was 5 am, and all I wanted to do was sleep in, but my body refused. A ding chimed from my phone. Dominic's name appeared on my screen with a sweet message.

I can't sleep without you.

I smiled at my screen. I'm happy to know he arrived safely in Genoa and he's thinking of me. I'm also delighted to know he couldn't sleep without me. Dominic is a heavily masculine man, so to know he needs me to sleep well is heartwarming.

I can't sleep without you either. I miss you.

I sent the text and placed my phone back on the nightstand. I'm more eager to start my day knowing I've had some communication with Dominic.

A few hours later, I was out the door and headed back to my job. When I arrived, a different reality started to settle in; a reality I never wanted to consider. Without Dominic here, life was dull. Before, I had amazing days at the office. We would laugh and talk, business was always steady, and the feeling of independence was almost overwhelming at times, but it felt amazing to be free. Now, being only two hours into my nine-hour shift, I was bored and sad. My colleagues would say hi, and my energy could barely gather a smile to shoot back at them. The days that were once so sunny and filled with surprise and curiosity were now dull and slow. Simple tasks of scheduling and organizing that satisfied me were now endless useless tasks.

My love for Dominic might be grand but not grand enough to consider my once amazing free life as a long-lasting prison sentence! I needed to remain focused. If I think life is no fun without Dominic, we will be right back to our old toxic ways.

It was midday when Mr.Gabbana called me into his office. He was busy from the moment he entered the office. Everyone morning, he would stop by my desk to say hello and chitchat about our evenings and weekend plans before we start our workday. Today, he zoomed past me and ran straight into his office. He's been on a work phone conference since he got here.

I entered his office right after he paged me down. He was no longer on the phone but typing furiously on his keyboard. He barely bothered to look at me until he was done with whatever he was working on.

"This is unorthodox, but you will be getting additional work added to your workload." Mr. Gabbana spoke as he rummaged through his desk drawers.

He pulled out several design plans, sketches, and locations and placed the pile in front of me.

"Sir, what would you like me to do with this?"

"Everyone is extremely busy, so I need you to become my designer. I have a top client who is interested in building one of many forever homes in Milian. They want it done from scratch, which means we need a location to buy land. The couple isn't too specific in what they require. The house has spectacular views, open but secluded land, Enough space for guest houses and private chambers for staff, and safe for a large famiglia. I want you to look at these locations and pick which one is best and fits those criteria."

"You want me to pick the location?! Sir, I know nothing about building a home or designing anything from scratch. I am not qualified for this job."

"Nonsense, the buyers are a unique couple who trust the opinion of who fits their style. You seem like the type to fit their style. They're young and adventurous; they enjoy the finer things in life but still want to keep humble energies. Overall, love and family are their most important qualities. I instantly thought of you. You're the only person I want working on this project."

"I don't want to mess up!"

"You won't mess up! Think of it as designing your home? What would you look for when picking land? What features make the house pop? Go off your instincts, and we'll see if the couple likes it."

Mr. Gabbana has become an answer to my prayers. I wanted something to keep my focus on my road to freedom, and this was the opportunity! I never thought of designing a home. I wouldn't even know where to start, but the idea of starting a new project is exciting.

"What would I do first?"

"I wrote down some addresses of the potential locations. After lunch, could you go check them out? Take the company camera and take some pictures. I want you to imagine where you would want you forever home to be. We partner up with a construction company that builds upscale homes. I'll call them to send someone to accompany you."

"Okay, I should be ready by one.

"Perfect. Take these and this binder and start brainstorming." Mr. Gabbana shoved the papers to the edge of the desk. He took an empty leather binder from his desk drawer and placed it on top of his desk.

Eagerly, I gathered the papers into my arms and walked out of the office.

Today was a slow workday, so I had plenty of time to organize the binder before I go scouting for locations. There was a note of small demands this home and location must-have. The client wanted a breathtaking view, most likely overlooking the sunset/rise. It needs to be secluded with no neighbours for miles, enough space for multiple structures on the property, enough landscape to create a forest for more privacy and on top of a hill or overlooking the water. I researched the locations and made notes from what I could find from my searches. Most of the locations were outside Milan in places like Tuscany and Bologna, but the drive wasn't too far from Milan.

The client wanted a property with a mini forest surrounding it; Tuscany is perfect. If they want privacy, Bologna is their location. If they're looking for a hilltop manor, there are places in Milan that would be exceptional for them. The issue is which location I should present to Mr. Gabbana.

I worked right into lunch. I became so invested that I had my salad right by my desk as I continue to scan for locations. It was a tough task, but I narrowed down three properties in each city. The first property I wanted to see is in Lombardy. From research, I found private property around a private lake. It was on the coast of Lombardy with no other properties around for another six miles. The 2-acre property sits on a levelled hill, and there's enough space for a small detachment near the ground level of the hill.

The second property is in Tuscany. The land sat on the top of a hill, and similar hillsides surrounded the area. The 4-acre property was large enough for multiple attachments and included a forest to seclude the home further. Like the other property, there are no neighbours found for miles, and the area is close to cities. The last property in Bologna already has a villa built, but the clients can always renovate the home. The house sat on the top of the hill with a 2-mile driveway leading up to the home. The property had large trees that created a private barrier between any glancing eyes or cars driving by. There is enough space for an attachment, and the house has a beautiful pool in front of the home.

After lunch, I drove over to the first location in Lombardy. As promised, Mr.Gabbana set up a builder to assist me during my scouting. There was a tall, dark-haired man waiting for me at the first location. He was dressed in all-black business casual attire. I parked beside his red Porsche and exited out with the binder in hand.

"Ciao, Bella. You must be Ms. Mortelli. I'm Marco, a builder from Rossi Construction." Marco greeted. He shook my hands with a strong lingering grip before letting it go.

"Ciao and Grazie for the compliment. Please, call me Alessandra."

"Of Course, Alessandra. This is a nice property you chose. Let's go take a look."

We walked side by side around the entire property. I took pictures from each level, the view from the entrance of the private lake, and the surrounding areas for inspiration. The pictures online did not do the property justice. This hill can be transformed into a beautiful 3 story home with a small guest house near the property line. There's enough space down by the lake to make a level deck for guests and parties. Also, there's enough space on the home side for open fields for future children to play.

"Are you happy with the location?" Marco wondered as we walked back to our cars.

"I am. What would the process be to build a villa here?"

"It would take longer to build near the water than it would on a hillside. At least 6-8 more months than the usual year to year and a half build. I can make the home into at least 3 stories which are typical for these homes. You mentioned added privacy; what were you thinking?"

"The client suggested a forest around the home. So if we can add a condensed small forest with tall, thick trees around the perimeter would be good. Also, they're looking to add an addition to the home."

"We can build a small addition near the property line, but it will be small if you want a condensed forest as a fence."

I wrote down everything Marco noted on the property. He discussed the upscale cost of building a deck closer to the water and the cost of adding a basement for more space. We even discuss the space needed to have an open concept backyard in case of a growing family.

Overall the first property has great potential, but it depends if the client has a substantial amount of money saved for renovations.

"You like the property?" Marco asked as we stopped in front of the cars.

"I like it and took some great pictures. I'm hoping the next two are going to be just as amazing." I said proudly.

"You seem excited. Is this your first project?"

"It is. Believe it or not, I'm just a secretary. I don't understand why Mr. Gabbana would put me on the project, but I am really excited. I hope I do well."

"Mr. Gabbana doesn't make mistakes when it comes to business; if he put you on the project, that means your perfect for the project. Time to discover a new career."

Marco is right. Mr. Gabbana takes business and his work seriously. If he believed I'm perfect, then I must have some potential. Besides, this is the perfect distraction from my aching heart. I'd say this is the best of both worlds.