Page 262 of Merciless Daddy

“No,” she said. “Tell them the figure is final.”

Marco leaned against the counter, watching her.

He offered her coffee.

She ignored it.

He moved the cup into her free hand.

She took a drink without interrupting the call.

I respected the technique.

Donatella stood near the champagne and criticized the flowers.

“That one leans.”

“It’s a flower,” Cora said. “It’s what they do.”

“The ribbon is uneven.”

“You have hands.”

“I have standards.”

“You also have hands. Use them if you care about the flowers so much.”

Donatella lifted her glass. “Sorry, hands a little occupied right now. Important business.”

Sal came through behind me carrying the breakfast tray we had brought downstairs.

Katerina pointed her spoon at him.

“Restaurant.”

“I only came to—”

“Restaurant.”

“I own part of—”

“Not the bakery. Out.”

Sal looked at me.

I smiled sweetly.

“You heard her, Daddy.”

His eyes narrowed with a promise I intended to collect later. Kiryl appeared from the new room carrying a stack of cake stands.

“Men are banned,” he told Sal.

“You are a man? Is there something I’ve missed?”

“I work here. So I don’t count. My gender is immaterial.”

“You work here? Since when?”