A Second Chance For The Billionaire

16. Ravi Bonetti

The glass doors opened as soon as I approached, and the familiar smell of fresh coffee and polished wood enveloped me. The reception of Costa & Cardone Investments was already bustling, with employees walking briskly and phones ringing in the background. I greeted a few of them with a brief nod as I made my way to the elevator.

"Good morning, Mr. Costa." Sophie's voice, my secretary, echoed as soon as I stepped onto the executive floor. She walked toward me with a cup of coffee in her hands and a leather folder under her arm.

"Good morning, Sophie." I took the coffee and took a sip. Strong, just right. "Any urgent news?"

"Nothing critical. But your schedule is full today." She accompanied me down the hallway to my office. "First meeting with the partners at nine, then a conference with the Dubai group at noon. Lunch is booked with Mr. Cardone. In the afternoon, two more internal meetings and the quarterly report review."

"Great." I walked into the office, leaving my coat on the armchair. The panoramic windows displayed London covered by a gray sky, and the cold seemed to want to seep through the glass.

At nine o'clock sharp, Pedro appeared, as always with a smirk and an extra coffee in hand.

"You've been here for a while, haven't you?" he asked, throwing himself into the chair across from my desk.

"I came in early. Couldn't sleep well."

He studied me for a moment but didn't insist. Instead, he opened his folder and started going through the presentation slides on his laptop. Shortly after, the other partners arrived, and we headed to the conference room.

The meeting was efficient, but with every chart projected on the screen, my attention drifted. The numbers were there—growing investments, solid profits—but my mind kept going back to the previous day. To Manu's expression, so guarded and vulnerable at the same time. To the way she avoided my gaze when I mentioned going to the appointment.

"Ravi?" Pedro's voice brought me back. "What's your opinion on expanding our portfolio into the renewable energy sector?"

"I think it's a valid strategy. The market is heating up and could bring good long-term results." I took a deep breath, refocusing on the slides. "But we need a more in-depth study on regulatory risks."

Pedro nodded, satisfied. The meeting continued with more charts, more numbers, more decisions I couldn't fully register.

At noon, we left together for lunch. We chose a discreet restaurant a few blocks from the company building, the kind of place where no one would stare for too long.

We sat at a table near the window, the smell of fresh pasta and pesto sauce filling the air.

"You're acting strange today," Pedro commented, fidgeting with his cutlery. "And don't bother saying it's work. I know you."

I let out a sigh, looking out the window at the busy street.

"It's about Manu."

"The waitress? The same one from the bar months ago?"

"Yes." I looked at him, my chest heavy with the confession to come. "She's pregnant."

Pedro raised his eyebrows but said nothing. He waited.

"The baby is mine. I found out a few days ago. She told me she found out right after that night... but she disappeared. Now she's married to another man."

Pedro let out the air slowly, as if needing to process.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Confused." I ran my hand over my face. "I haven't been able to get her out of my head since that night. Now knowing she's carrying my child... I can't just walk away."

"And her? What does she want?"

"She says she wants to protect the baby. But... I feel like she's protecting herself too. Like she's scared."

Pedro was silent for a few seconds, then rested his elbows on the table.

"Ravi, listen to me. If she's running from something—maybe her husband, maybe the situation—you need to take it slow. Don't force the approach. Show her she can trust you. Only then will she let you in."

I nodded, his words weighing on me. I knew he was right.

"I'm not giving up. It's my child. And..." I hesitated, but finished. "She deserves someone by her side too."

Pedro smiled slightly.

"Then prove it to her. Not with promises, but with actions."

Back at the office, my desk was full of reports waiting for me. But before diving into the numbers, I picked up my phone and dialed Manu's number.

She answered after a few rings.

"Hi, Ravi."

There was caution in her voice, almost as if she was already expecting some kind of demand.

"Hi, Manu. I wanted to let you know that tomorrow I'm sending a car to pick you up from work. That way we can go to the appointment together."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. I could almost hear the sound of her breathing.

"You didn't have to, I can go alone..." she said, hesitantly.

"I know you can." I kept my voice calm. "But I want to be there. I want to give you a little rest."

More silence. Then, finally, she gave in:

"Okay. Thank you."

"See you tomorrow, Manu."

"See you."

When the call ended, I stared at my phone for a moment, my heart beating faster. I didn't know what the future held for us, but one thing was certain: I wasn't going to let her face this alone.