The Exiled Jeweler: a contemporary romance novel (The Rosa Legacy Book 2) (3 page)

Her mother led her to a suite of rooms. The grandeur of the house surprised her. The company was in trouble and needed an infusion of cash so why had they spent millions on a new house? Her mother must have been set on living in a private community, away from everything.

“I’ll check on dinner while you have a look.”

Emilia opened the doors to the walk in closet. Her clothing from four years ago was all neatly arranged. Walking into the space, she noticed everything was labeled. There were childhood art projects, trophies from swimming competitions, and her doll collection from when she was very young. Stepping forward, she picked up her leather riding boots from boarding school. She and her cousins were obsessed with horses years ago and would ride almost every day while at school.

Finding her way back to a magnificent dining room, she saw her father. The tears she had been holding back began to fall. He wrapped her into a tight embrace.

“Don’t worry, Lia. He is fine. We were very lucky this time.”

“I feel so grateful.”

Composing herself, she drew back and her father pulled out a chair for her. A maid served a chopped mixed green salad for the first course.

Emilia kept her voice neutral. “Mama said you met with Alexander Armati today.”

Her father didn’t meet her gaze but nodded. “The economy has changed. While you have been able to sell designs to the very wealthy, the small jewelry stores have been buying less and less. So sales have been dismal.”

“
Nonno
has been worried?”

“At first I thought it was just a blip in the economy. The cost of the natural resources had increased, but the other part of the equation is people aren’t spending at the same rate. Unfortunately, we expanded and moved the shop at the wrong time. Now we can barely hold on. With your
Nonno’s
health failing, we have to make some tough decisions.”

Emilia thought about her grandfather and the stress of facing the overwhelming business issues. Her father and uncle would try to take the safest option instead of fighting for the company.

“There has to be a way to cut costs and increase sales.
Nonno
started the company almost seventy years ago. He spent his life building it into a successful, highly respected jewelry empire. To let all of that go seems wrong.”

Her father looked anxious and didn’t meet her gaze. “We aren’t letting it go, but we do need to sell off shares if we are going to survive.”

The maid came in and served a main course of grilled mahi mahi over a risotto with roasted eggplant.

Taking a sip of wine, her mother said, “The business is not easy. And your father and I are getting too old to deal with the stress.”

Her parents looked defeated. They barely held her gaze and spoke softly. It had to be an enormous strain on them as well.

“Papa, I know it is dire, but we can find a way to re-invent ourselves instead of giving up. I have a few ideas for the launch. We can use some of the publicity around the large commissions that I’ve done to spotlight Berceto.”

Her father sat back and nodded his head. “With your return, things could improve. The company needs new energy and focus.”

“I don’t want to sell a large portion of Berceto. I know we can turn the company around.”

Her mother said, “Be reasonable, Lia. Your grandfather’s heart is weak. He doesn’t need more stress. If the business was sold or took on a business partner who could invest a substantial amount of cash, then
Nonno
could rest.”

Emilia remained calm. She knew if she showed too much emotion her mother would argue for selling the company. Her mother couldn’t stand uncertainty. “I know you are worried. I’m concerned about the financials as well. But we shouldn’t rush into a decision that we may end up regretting.”

Her parents exchanged glances and the conversation moved to the upcoming trade show.

She held back from saying too much about her design ideas. Her parents would need to see the actual designs to understand her ideas.

They moved to the sitting room for coffee and her father further discussed some of the issues facing Berceto.

At almost nine o’clock, Emilia stood up and said, “I’d like to go over and see
Nonno
. I’ll come into the shop in the morning.”

Her mother disappeared from the room for a few moments and came back with the keys to a spare car. “Your father and I purchased this car for you while you are in California.”

“Thank you, mama.” Hugging her mother and then her father, she said, “Goodnight.”

A silver Mercedes-Benz SUV was waiting for her in the driveway. Climbing into the luxury vehicle, she typed her grandfather’s address into the GPS.

Driving out of the gated entrance, her thoughts went to Alexander Armati. She had been obsessively devouring articles about him online. His business success along with his polished mannerisms and model-like appearance brought a tremendous amount of attention from the media. He had more money than he knew what to do with and he’d had his sights set on Berceto for years. It was probably why he sought her out that evening. But even the great Alexander Armati wouldn’t have been able to predict her parents’ extreme reaction to seeing nude pictures of their only daughter in the tabloids.

Emilia turned onto the street where her grandfather lived and tried to banish his image from her mind. She would face him soon enough and hopefully four years of distance would allow her to keep her carefully constructed facade intact

Her grandfather’s house came into view. He had lived in the same house for the last forty years. It was private and well cared for and didn’t shout wealth or prestige.

Parking her SUV in the driveway, she walked up the path and let herself into the house.

His housekeeper, Cecilia, greeted her warmly. “You’ve come home. Thank goodness. It’s just what Leo needs.”

Cecilia pulled her through the house until they came to the enclosed porch. Her grandfather was watching a soccer match on television.

“Look who has returned home.”

Her grandfather smiled broadly and put the game on mute.

“Don’t get up. You need to rest.” Emilia reached down and kissed both of his cheeks.

“So, you have come home at last.” Her grandfather winked at her and asked Cecilia to bring them a drink.

Noting the older woman’s disapproval, Emilia said, “Yes, maybe some hot tea?”

Emilia sat in a nearby upholstered chair. “You gave the family quite a scare.”

“I scared myself this time.” He smiled at her and she relaxed.

They spoke about his hospital visit and all the tests.

Cecilia came back into the room with a tray filled with tea and biscuits.

“My parents are convinced that accepting a partner or large investment into Berceto is the right move.”

Emilia poured her grandfather a cup of tea and placed it near him.

“I think it is time for them and your uncle to retire. Their hearts are not in it. Since you went away, they push themselves through each day. I don’t think they have any hope or ambition left.”

Emilia took a sip of her tea. “They sent me away.”

“You allowed yourself to be sent.” Her grandfather’s voice was kind but firm.

They sat and talked about the future. He made it clear that if she wanted the company, then she would need to fight for it.

“I’ll never convince Uncle James that I’m capable. He will hold the past against me.”

“You don’t need to convince him. He doesn’t own a majority share. And you father and I will stand by you.”

Emilia thought about her grandfather’s faith in her ability.

“Both your father and he underestimate how strong and talented you are. But to take over, you have to be willing to stand alone at times.”

She placed her tea cup down on the table. “I don’t want to force my ideas through. I’d rather work collaboratively.”

His night nurse came into the room and gently suggested that he get some rest.

“Then maybe you are not ready.” Her grandfather stood up slowly. “A leader needs to be tough and at times needs to make hard decisions.”

She said goodnight to him and took the tea tray back into the kitchen.

Being back in Los Angeles brought her unexpected challenges. Instead of simply worrying about design, she had to think about the future of Berceto.

Thinking about her
Nonno’s
life, she realized he was a legend in his own right. Enormously talented, Leo Berceto had built the family business from nothing. She remembered listening to stories about him leaving home at eighteen years old with a small amount of pocket money to travel to California and seek his fortune. While there were plenty of stories of hard times—times when thieves stole his scant inventory or he was mugged before having a proper place to live—he succeeded in building Berceto Designs into something. Within a few years he had a storefront and was able to produce silver pieces. He found a niche market among the newly wealthy that would spend large sums of money on exquisite jewelry. Slowly over sixty years he built a name for the Berceto family.

She wouldn’t let Alex Armati destroy the legacy her grandfather built. She needed to find a way to keep Berceto family-owned. Starting in the morning, she would look for other sources of revenue to keep the company from imploding. If she were lucky, Alex Armati would give up and move on to another failing company. He couldn’t possibly be as captivating and charming as she remembered.

Cecilia has left the lights on in the guest house. Leaving the kitchen through the back door, she crossed over the patio and out the back gate to her car. Removing her suitcase from the trunk, she pulled it along the brick walkway to the private entrance to the guest house.

She smiled walking into the familiar guest house. It had the same décor and furniture that she remembered. Shutting the door, she left her suitcase in the main living room. She had spent many nights in the guest house with her cousins through her teenage years. Her grandfather’s house had always been a safe haven for pool parties and family gatherings.

Driving out to Berceto’s new location in the morning, Emilia was surprised at how large the shop was. The building was brand new and part of a larger development of commercial buildings. Her car had a security tag so she was waved into the parking lot. Going through an additional security checkpoint, she was allowed accesstoaccess to the main part of the building.

Emilia recognized most of the employees and was welcomed with warm embraces and offers to show her around. She became engrossed in the design work and was surprised when her father came to find her.

He waited until she was finished admiring a long time employee’s work with a diamond pendant.

“Lia, I scheduled a lunch meeting with your uncle.”

She glanced around. “Is Uncle James here?”

“No, he rarely comes into the shop these days. I thought we could meet him in town.”

Emilia found where she had placed her handbag. She wore a fitted wrap-style grey dress with stylish shoes. It was odd to be a visitor in the company that she was helping to salvage. Her design studio in Florida seemed so far removed from the size and scale of the company headquarters.

She would need her own residence if she was going to spend any length of time in California. Living with her grandfather and then coming to the shop each day would feel like living under a microscope. In Florida, she lived a solitary life and didn’t have to consider anyone else’s schedule.

Driving into Los Angeles proper with her father, they used the valet parking in front of Spago and went into the exclusive restaurant.

Why would her uncle want to meet at a high profile restaurant instead of the at the shop?.? Her uncertainties about the future increased.

Emilia wondered at what point would she be photographed and then mocked in the press as the “sheltered and hidden- away daughter.” The media had made her feel like some sort of oddity whenever they ran a piece about her.

Emilia stopped walking and touched her father’s arm. “What does Uncle James want?”

Her father led her into a foyer area by the glassed in patio. “We were fortunate to get a meeting with Alexander Armati. He owns the Armati Auction House, a series of luxury hotels, a company that builds private planes and other smaller ventures.”

Her heart constricted. She knew him more intimately than her father realized.

She remembered dancing with him at his private gala. He had neglected his guests and focused solely on her that evening. A friend had asked her to go to the benefit gala then at the last minute something had come up. Emilia had been at loose ends and had decided to push herself socially and had taken a taxi to the event.

She remembered Alex stepping forward and holding out his hand when she walked in the front door. She had tentatively shaken his hand and he drew her into a conversation that lasted the entire evening. She could vividly remember kissing him in the garden and feeling as if her body melted into his.

She watched in shock as her father stepped forward to greet Alex Armati.

Alex observed the expressions fleeting across Emilia’s face as she acknowledged him. Her shoulders straightened and she turned a pale, set-in-stone face toward him. She had been so elusive that it had been impossible to make contact with her. But making a bid for Berceto had brought her out of hiding.

The elusive heiress said something to her father. Emilia Berceto held her father in the palm of her hand. But handing her the company on a silver platter was beyond her father’s ability at this point. Berceto would be lucky if they were in business in six months.

She had refused any contact with him after that night, which still rankled him. Her parents had shipped her off to parts unknown. He would have insisted on protecting her and suing the tabloids.

He could feel his chest tighten as he remembered her spell. At the gala, he could barely keep his eyes off of her. She tempted him in a way that no other woman had and then left without a backward glance.

But he had made a mistake with her. He hadn’t known how sheltered and out of her element she had been. She had been kept hidden from view and overly protected so the press didn’t even have her on their radar. He had been shocked when he found out several days later that their moment of passion had been caught on film.