Chapter 1: CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

"È davvero sicura di volersi sistemare qui, signorina Aurora?" 'Are you sure you really want to settle in here, Miss Aurora?'

Fabio, one of their family drivers, asked her with a tiny knot on his forehead. They just finished loading everything up to her dorm room on the 5th floor. She also helped in transferring her things. They went back twice until they finished unloading.

"Si, Kuya Fabs. Please don't worry too much." She answered to her worried employee. She was a bit hesitant to make him do the job because of his age, and she was afraid that he might injure his back. It was a lot, but they used a bellman's trolley. Her things were in a mess near the door entrance.

Fabio scanned the whole room to look for anything suspicious. He wasn't just a driver. He stands as Aurora's bodyguard as well.

"Signorina Aurora, se non le dispiace, posso dare un'occhiata in giro? È uno degli ordini di tuo padre per la tua sicurezza." Miss Aurora, if you don't mind, can I look around? It's one of your father's orders for your safety.'

He was still worried. Aurora smiled at that and she stood up. "Sure, kuya. Go ahead." She walked to the sliding glass door and opened it. She stepped into the balcony. She let the old man do the rest of his checking in the room as she faced the scenery outside. She looked at everything her vision could see from where she stood.

She did not expect much that what she could see online as she searched for a dorm to rent was greater than what she'd thought. The room she chose was big enough, and it was the most spacious room for two in the whole building. There's a mini kitchen, bathroom, two semi-double beds, and other usual dormitory set-ups. She just wanted a wider space to move around more freely. And she would be living with someone. She still had to get her at the train station later.

The people lurking below were mostly at the same age as her. It's still moving day for the new university students. And tomorrow was the first day of classes.

She turned her head around and glanced inside the room. She saw the old man walk inside the bathroom. She shook her head with a small smile on her lips. Extra precautions won't hurt. She was certain that he's searching for any hidden camera.

Down below was a highway, and the building across her was exclusive for boys. The one she just moved in was for girls.

She heard a low knock at the glassdoor, and Fabio approached her side. He was pure Italian, and he can understand Tagalog or Filipino. He just couldn't speak it. He worked for them for more than ten years already. That's why he understood them whenever they spoke the language. It's what they usually use at home. And some of their employees were even able to speak it for the years that they worked in their mansion.

"È pronta per la vita universitaria, signorina?" 'Are you ready for your university life?' He asked as he looked at the other building, and he shook his head. She was sure he saw something he didn't like and would take note of that. And she can guess it already. Her spot was an easy target for a sniper attack because of the position of her room, and the glassdoor was the only barrier.

She looked at him with a scrunched nose. "Don't think too much, kuya. Dad's enemies were not that narrow-minded to make me a target. And yes, I'm excited for my next stage. I'll be finishing school soon." She rolled her eyes in that last sentence. Her father wasn't into any illegal business, but risks were inevitable in the corporate world.

"Vuoi che aspetti l'arrivo di Ade così posso aiutarti con i bagagli?" 'Do you want me to wait until Ade arrives so that I can help with the luggage?' He looked at her.

"No. We can take care of it. I'll make sure to make her suffer with her own belongings. She chose to come late." She said it with a slight annoyance in her tone. Her friend was in another city, who was Fabio's niece and the daughter of their mansion's butler. She said she had to take care of some things. That's why she's coming late. And her car was still in the mechanic shop.

Fabio chuckled. "Spero solo che non sia un fastidio nei tuoi studi." 'I just hope she won't be a bother in your studies.'

"Nah-uh. We would be fine." She replied, dismissing his thoughts.

"Prendetevi cura di entrambi. Chiama se c'è qualcosa che non va o qualunque cosa ti serva." 'Take care, both of you. Call if there's anything wrong or whatever you need.'

"Okay po, kuya. Thanks for the help." She gave him a small smile.

"Andrò allora, signorina." 'I'll be going then, signorina.' He bid her good-bye and they both went to the door.

"Take care on your way home po, kuya Fabs."

He nodded, and before she could close the door, she caught him pushing the trolley to the elevator.

She looked at her luggage and boxes, which made her exhale loudly. She should arrange them before they get the place messier later because of Ade's additional belongings. She started to open her luggage and put her clothes in the wardrobe, to the side of the room that she chose. There were two beds across each other.

After some time later, she felt the exhaustion. She was almost done, but she wanted to rest first before going for her friend. She looked at the time on her wristwatch. It's near 2:00 pm. Ade would call her if she was almost at the station.

She was a bit sleepy but she doesn't want to take quick naps, it would only cause her headache for lack of sleep. Instead, she opened her guitar case and brought the instrument with her to the balcony. There were two chairs and a small table situated outside. It's perfect for her tea time also if she was in the mood. The sun wasn't directed in her spot so she stayed there with her guitar. She placed her phone on the table and started playing the strings.

One of the reasons why she liked the building because it was built by solid concrete walls in every division of the room. The noises won't be easily heard and she preferred that because of her hobbies. She liked playing instruments and singing. She doesn't want to create disturbance to other occupants as well. And even her friend was loud enough when watching her favorite dramas.

After some time, her phone rang. She paused in the middle of a song she's playing and glanced at the screen. Adelina was calling. She slid the answer button and pressed the loudspeaker mode so she doesn't have to lift the phone to her ears.

"Hello, signorina. Kumusta po diyan?" 'How are things there?' Her thrilled greetings to her. She rolled her eyes when she mentioned 'signorina', even though she told her countless times to stop calling her that but it only fell on deaf ears.

"The place is fine. Are you almost there?" She leant backwards to the chair and combed her hair back with her hand.

"Si. In less than 30 minutes, I'll be there." Aurora can feel Ade's excitement. "Signorina, would you come get me?" There's pleading in her tone.

"Sciocco, ovviamente. (Silly, of course.) Yun naman talaga ang plano. (That's the plan.) Okay. I'll be on my way to the train station. See you there."

"Salamat, signorina. The best boss ka talaga." 'Thank you, signorina. You're really the best boss.' Her thrilled reply. "Take care in driving."

She shook her head and ended the call as she stood up. She picked up her phone and brought the guitar back with her inside. She locked the sliding door and put the guitar on its stand situated beside her bed so that she can easily reach for it whenever she wants to play.

She brought her pouch and went inside the bathroom to fix herself. The white tiled floor and walls were neat and spotless clean. Of course, the owner of the building prepared everything as she'd requested and paid extra for it.

Aurora looked at herself in the half-body mirror in the sink. Her long, wavy brown hair was a bit dishevelled and she tamed it by her fingers. She put on some face powder. She had those cute cheekbones that most people noticed when she smiles and that was one of her attractive features. She tapped a bit of pink lip gloss to her heart-shaped lips. And lastly, a little blush-on to her pale skin. She liked her pale skin color though because she mostly wore dark-coloured clothes. The reflection in the mirror glinted her hazel eyes. She had some freckles on her adorable button nose that could be hidden if she uses just a small amount of make-up. Everyone considered her face angelic because of how innocent she appeared. Then she sprayed some perfume before walking out.

She doesn't have much to adjust in her outfit. She was wearing an off-shoulder red blouse and black skinny jeans, paired with Aston Martin boots. She preferred wearing comfortable clothes most of the time. She got an athletic body for working out and playing some sports as one of her hobbies. She was tall enough for the standard Filipina or Italian women, she's 5'7 tall. She's two inches taller than her friend.

She snatched her car keys on the vanity mirror. Everything in the dorm was set when she arrived. They had some of their employees deliver the things she needed to be comfortable and mostly customized to how she likes it to be. So that once they settled, they would be comfortable already.

There were two elevators in the building but she was waiting for some time already. She decided to take the stairs then. When she reached the ground floor, many students were hobbled around the lobby. And she saw that the elevators were busy for some students that wasn't yet done moving in.

People were looking her way. Everyone was checking around. Maybe for beauty competition, fashion critiques, or finding who to befriend with for their benefits. For her, she's picky who she wanted to associate with. She doesn't like plastics.

She looked straight ahead and went to the door but the receptionist called for her attention.

"Mi scusi, signorina Aurora, è appena arrivata una mail per lei e la sua coinquilina." 'Excuse me, miss Aurora, a mail just arrived for you and your roommate.' A middle-aged lady from the counter said respectfully.

She took a step closer to her area. "Posso prenderlo più tardi al mio ritorno?" 'Can I take it later when I get back?' She already knew what's in it. It was their schedules and school IDs.

"Certo, signorina. Nessun problema." 'Sure, miss. No problem.'

"Thank you." She smiled at her and proceeded on her way out. Her car was parked in a few distance at the side of the road. Some people gathered around her car and stared at it blatantly. Maybe they were thinking who was the owner of the Rolls Royce Dawn convertible. Its roof was open and the interior design was really gorgeous. She pressed the keys and people flinched from the sudden beep. Their attention was turned to her.

As she walked closer, she can feel their stares in her every move. They retreated to give way for her to open the car's door. Whispers started of who she was, and maybe she got the car from a sugar daddy. Boys and girls were gossiping. She even heard them that they wanted to get involved with her, and some were catcalling. She wanted to laugh out loud for how ridiculous the things that they've thought of her. She shook her head from all the plastics and opportunist individuals. She didn't just have a pretty face, of course she had brain to know who's fake or not towards her.

She opened her front compartment to pull out her sunglasses and wore it on her face. She put her things down at the passenger seat and inserted the car keys. She propped an elbow on the window rim. Her other hand was at the steering wheel, she was ready to leave. She saluted to everyone and gave them a smile. She doesn't care if people thought of her as arrogant because she had the resources to be.

She's Aurora Fontalva. The only daughter of the owner of Stellare Creations. Stellar. Their business was all about producing jewellery, furniture, and fashion garments. Their company was among the top in designs and quality products in Italy and was well-known in some countries around the world. Her father is pure Italian and her mother is Filipina. She was born and grew up in Philippines until Grade school. Then she transferred to Italy. She was starting her university life in the University of Bologna in Rimini Campus. One of the top schools in Italy. She does have Filipino blood but her Italian features was dominant. She got her button nose from her mother and having a mestiza skin because she also had Spanish blood.

While driving, her stomach grumbled, she'll eat after fetching Ade at the train station. She's certain that Ade could be hungry too.

After a few minutes, she arrived at the train station. It wasn't that far from the dorm.