Chapter 10 There was a two - second silence on the other end before his deep voice came through . " I'm fine with anything . Just get what you like . " I rolled my eyes , hung up , and went back to selecting fresh mushrooms and beef . On Marco's end , Luca and Giulio exchanged a glance . Having been by Marco's side for years , they knew their president was actually quite picky about food . Back at Casanova Apartments , I tied on an apron and got busy in the kitchen . In the oven , an Italian - style roast chicken was turning golden , its crispy skin giving off a tempting aroma . On the stove , a mushroom soup simmered , bubbling with steam . While slicing onions , I stole glances at the door , feeling a mix of anticipation and nerves . Yesterday , in this very kitchen … dwell on . ugh , that scene was too The lock clicked - Marco was home . He took off his suit jacket , casually draping it over the back of the sofa . Seeing actually walked over . " Need a hand , Alia ? " he asked , his voice lazy with a hint of teasing . me busy in the kitchen , he Go change first ! " My cheeks burned as yesterday's embarrassing moment flashed through my mind . I quickly waved him off . " No , no ! I've got this . G I didn't even dare look up at him , afraid he'd see through my flustered thoughts . " Alright . How about some role - play tonight - maybe a little uniform temptation ? " He leaned against the kitchen doorway , arms crossed over his chest , a playful glint in his eyes . " You ! " I shot him an exasperated glare , grabbing a kitchen knife and gesturing toward his lower half . " You'd look best with nothing on ! " He let out a low chuckle . As he turned to leave the kitchen , he deliberately swayed his hips with a slow , teasing motion . " Careful , ragazza , I might take that seriously . " His suggestive tone made my ears burn . Dinner was quite the spread : Italian roast chicken , onion - stir - fried beef , Mediterranean vegetable salad , and mushroom soup . Looking at the table , I felt pretty proud of my cooking . Marco sat down , his expression neutral . But I noticed his brow furrow slightly when I pushed the onion - stir - fried beef toward him . " Onions boost immunity . Have some more , " I said casually , placing a serving on his plate . However , he didn't touch his chopsticks - or even the handmade pasta nearby . He just quietly sipped his red wine , set down the glass , and n.urmured , " Grazie . " The atmosphere grew heavy . My smile froze , and my fingers unconsciously tightened around my fork . ' Does he not like it ? Did I mess up the flavor ? Or … does he just not want to eat what I made ? ' After dinner , as I cleared the dishes , my chest felt tight . He hadn't said a single word of feedback - not even a polite one ! I forced myself to finish washing the dishes , then retreated to the bedroom and flopped onto the bed , replaying the scene in my mind . The moonlight streamed in coldly through the window , and my eyes inexplicably stung . ' Aria , are you taking yourself too seriously ? Your marriage to Marco is just part of a deal , nothing more . ' I rolled over , staring at the ceiling , telling myself over and over : I can't keep doing this . I know so little about him - his likes , his limits . From now on , I need to keep my distance , No more crossing lines . As mulled over this , I opened my laptop to review the Phantom Game project proposal . Just as I clicked on the document , my phone rang . It was my best friend , Francesca . " Hey ! Aria Rossi ! How could you not tell me about something as big as moving ?! " Her voice came through the receiver , a mix of anger and urgency , laced with reproach . " Do you know how worried I've been ? "