Chapter three: Night in Milian

 A few minutes later, a soft knock interrupted Isabella's solitude. "Finally, food, so I can get my mind off that nonsense I heard there," she muttered, a touch of annoyance coloring her voice. With a sigh, she swung her legs over the bed and padded towards the door.

Opening it, she was met with a trolley laden with food. A hotel attendant, a woman with a warm smile, stood beside it. "Your dinner, madam," she said, her voice soft.

Isabella nodded, stepping aside to let the woman enter. The trolley was set up with a small table, and the attendant began to unpack the meal. The aroma of roasted chicken and roasted potatoes filled the room, a welcome distraction from her earlier irritation.

As the attendant left, closing the door behind her, Isabella moved to the table. The sight of the food was almost comforting. She sat down and began to eat, the rich flavors filling her mouth and temporarily soothing her frayed nerves. With each bite, the earlier disturbance faded into the background, replaced by the simple pleasure of a good meal.

Her phone buzzed beside her as she took a break from her meal to glance at the screen. An incoming call from Gina lit up the display. "Oh…" Isabella muttered to herself as she reached for the phone and answered it.

"Hey, darling!" Gina's cheerful voice came through, and Bella couldn’t help but smile. "Girl, you called at just the right time," she replied.

"What's going on? Any issues? How's the room?" Gina fired off questions one after another, her concern evident.

Bella sighed, a tiredness creeping into her voice. "I'll be heading home soon. Honestly, I can't wait to leave this place tomorrow morning."

Gina, sensing her friend’s frustration, scratched her head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

Rolling her eyes, Bella couldn’t hold back her irritation. "Why are some couples so noisy? I went out to the balcony to relax, and I could hear them making all sorts of crazy noises from their room."

Gina burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. "No, don’t laugh…okay?" Bella said, trying to sound stern, though the exasperation in her voice was clear.

Gina, still giggling, asked, "You mean they were making love, and they were that loud?"

"You should’ve been here to hear the way that woman was screaming. Ugh!" Bella scoffed, clearly disgusted.

Gina's laughter erupted again, unable to hold back at the mental image Bella had painted.

"You’re funny. Well, lucky her… sounds like the man’s doing a good job," Gina teased, but Bella just rolled her eyes.

"I couldn’t care less about that. I just want to finish my meal and get to bed. I have a lot of business to handle tomorrow morning," Bella replied, bringing a piece of steak to her mouth with her fork.

"Don’t you ever take a break? You just got back from that business trip in Paris, and now you’re in Italy to dive right back into work?" Gina sighed.

"Yeah, you know how packed my days can get. I need to see my parents, manage my brand, and take care of everything else," Bella explained, her tone reflecting the weight of her responsibilities.

Gina, exhausted just thinking about it, rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah… but you’ve got to carve out some time because I’m coming to take you out. You can’t be all work and no play. You’re a girl—have some fun!"

Bella sighed, "Whatever, you should get some sleep too…."

"It’s not just 'whatever.' I’m serious, so be ready. Want me to come over tomorrow morning?" Gina asked, determined.

“You want to drop me home? Girl, don’t you have business to attend to?” Bella laughed, the sound light and almost teasing. On the other end, Gina groaned dramatically, making Bella smile even more.

“Am I that much of a workaholic like you? Girl, I take breaks when needed, when I want to,” Gina retorted, a playful edge to her tone.

Bella chuckled, shaking her head. “Whatever you say. Talk to you tomorrow then. I’ll let you know when you should come by. Goodnight, Gina.”

“Goodnight, mama,” Gina replied, her voice warm and affectionate.

Bella ended the call, placing her phone back on the table. She sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the day start to settle on her shoulders. Picking up her fork again, she took a bite of her steak, savoring the rich flavors but already feeling the pull of exhaustion. Her thoughts drifted as she continued eating, her mind running through the tasks she had lined up for the next day.

After finishing her meal, Bella stood up, her limbs heavy with fatigue. She gathered the dishes and set them aside, her movements slow and deliberate. As she walked back to her bed, she couldn’t help but think about Gina’s words. “Take breaks when needed,” she had said. Bella knew she should take that advice more seriously, but there was always something pressing, something that demanded her attention.

She changed into her nightwear, the soft fabric brushing against her skin, and slipped under the covers. The bed was comfortable, but sleep didn’t come easily. Her mind kept replaying the events of the day, the noise from the neighboring room still lingering in her thoughts. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the world, but the restlessness remained.

Bella sighed and turned over, staring at the ceiling. The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle light across the room. She reached for her phone again, almost out of habit, and checked the time. It was late, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to be doing something, anything but lying in bed.

Finally, she forced herself to put the phone down and close her eyes once more. This time, she focused on her breathing, letting the steady rhythm calm her racing thoughts. Gradually, the tension in her body began to ease, and she felt herself drifting off to sleep, her mind finally quieting.

As she fell asleep, thoughts of tomorrow loomed in the background, but for now, she let them fade away. Tomorrow would come soon enough, bringing with it a new set of challenges, but for tonight, she allowed herself a moment of peace.