Loving Leonardo

Chapter Eight

When Ella woke up the next day, she prepared Sean's lunch for school. He had to leave soon, so she made them breakfast. She told him about her new position and said she would take him shopping when she received her first pay.

"You need to buy yourself some new things for a change," he said with his mouth full of toast.

"Maybe I will," she said before washing up, a smile on her face. They left simultaneously, and Ella was about to hug him goodbye when she spotted the black SUV outside the front of her apartment. Leonardo stepped out of the car to greet her, dressed impeccably as always.

Whenever she saw him, she couldn't help the fluttering sensation in her stomach.

"No way, do not tell me that's your boss's car! It's worth a fortune!" Sean shook his head and let out a low whistle in admiration.

"Yes, it is. Now hurry up and get to school," Ella smiled and waved goodbye, ushering her brother off before walking over to Leonardo.

"Hello, Ella. Does your son require a lift?" Her son? He couldn't mean Sean, could he?

"My son? Do you mean Sean? No, his school is only around the corner. He will be ok, thank you," she said, shaking her head while he opened the door.

"You must have been very young when you had him. Where is his father?" Leonardo questioned, sitting beside her. 

"Sean is not my son, he is my younger brother, and I am his legal guardian. I don't have a boyfriend!" She snapped, feeling defensive over her brother. He looked to be considering something for a moment, then he looked out of his window, his elbow resting on the door.

"I see. So where are your parents, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Didn't you run a background check when you looked up my references?" She asked, surprised that he didn't already know this.

"No. Diana assured me that you were trustworthy. She only recommended that I follow up on your last employer, which I am glad I did."

"Why?" She thought the conversation they'd had in the office on her second day was the end of the subject.

"I did it so I could find out what a sleaze the guy was and have him fired, you weren't the first girl he had harassed, and you certainly were not going to be the last."

Ella opened her mouth, shocked that he'd done that for her.

"I was going to tell you about it when my lawyers obtained the check from them."

"Check for what?" She asked, eyes wide as he let out a sigh.

"What that man did, the way he fired you, it was an unfair dismissal. Not to mention what he said on the phone, that could have cost you this job."

In truth, Ella didn't want anything to do with her old job or that man. She just wanted to move on and forget it.

"I figured you would be uncomfortable with dealing with the situation, so I let my lawyers deal with it. The company was only too happy to sack Mr. Richards and compensate you with a substantial cheque."

He shrugged and began reading an email on his phone, and Ella felt her eyes turn damp. It was so unexpected and generous of Leonardo to go out of his way to do this for her. 

She didn't want to let Mr. Richards get away with his actions but was powerless to do anything, having to leave her job with the knowledge he had won. Leonardo Russo had not only believed her but had made sure the man didn't get away with his actions.

"Thank you so much, you really did not need to do this for me, but I am glad you did."

Leonardo looked taken aback at her teary voice, uncomfortable even as he watched her wipe a tear from her eye.

"Let us speak of your contract. Have you signed it?"

Ella regained her composure and could see he was relieved. It turned out he was not very adept at dealing with emotional women. "I only have one issue; there is a point mentioned about me needing to leave the country with less than a day's notice? That I can't do. However, I will be happy to accept a pay decrease for this reason-" he put his hand up and shook his head before interrupting her.

"No. Your pay will stay the same. I will need to know your reasons for not fulfilling that part of the contract," Leonardo demanded. 

"I am also my brother's legal guardian, and as he is only thirteen years old, I cannot leave him alone in the apartment. I'm very sorry if this is an inconvenience."

An awkward silence followed once she'd finished talking, and Leonardo nodded but didn't say his thoughts on the subject.

Looking out of the window, she noticed they were not at the office but in the city's center. Ella would never usually come to this side of town, knowing even a cup of coffee would be out of her price range.

"I have contacted Diana. She is excellent with children and teenagers. She will be able to mind your brother if I require your assistance overseas. I have asked her to come into the office this afternoon to discuss it."

When Ella met Diana in her interview, she found the older blonde-haired lady to be very sweet and instantly put Ella at ease. She had a naturally kind face with laugh lines around her eyes and rosy red cheeks.

"We can talk through the details later. I need to go. Otherwise, I will be late for my appointment. Ah, here she is now."

Ella could see a beautiful Persian woman with a short sleek black haircut stepping out of a sports car, wearing a black dress with heels that looked unsafe to walk in.

Ella looked down at her outfit. Her usual white t-shirt and jeans, scruffy white converse with the coat Leonardo brought her made her stick out for all the wrong reasons.

"I thought you would like to buy some clothes for your new position. This is your company card. Today you may buy whatever you need."

He held out a black card, and Ella hesitated. She had not been expecting this at all.

"My stylist is expecting you. I have a meeting in the office, so I suggest you get going. Do not say no. This is for work. You will need to be dressed appropriately as my assistant."

He let go of the card, and Ella was about to refuse again when the driver opened the door, and a woman waited with a big warm smile.

"Hello! You must be Ella. My name is Kai. How nice to meet you!"

Kai seemed genuinely friendly, so Ella stepped from the car and smiled back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.