Mi Casa, No Tuya

Sofia's POV

By the time I got home, exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. It wasn’t the work—because I hadn’t done much of that—but the infuriating, arrogant man who’d talked to me like I was dirt beneath his designer shoes. Leandro Rossi. The name alone made my jaw clench. If self-control were a trophy, I deserved it for not punching his smug, perfect face.

I reached my tiny apartment, fishing my keys out of my bag, only to find the door slightly ajar. What the hell? My pulse quickened. Was I about to walk into a crime scene? But then again, if thieves had broken in, the lock wouldn’t still look perfect. I scanned the hallway nervously, grabbed the stick I kept nearby for emergencies, and tiptoed inside.

The place was dark, but nothing looked out of place. Before I could piece things together, a loud smack landed on my ass, accompanied by an irritating laugh. What was it with people and slapping my ass today for fucks sake?

“¡Mi hermanita!”

I jumped a mile and screamed, spinning around with my stick raised. Standing there, completely unbothered, was Gabrielle—my best friend, or as I called her, Bri.

“Bri, are you trying to kill me?” I yelled, clutching my chest.

She laughed harder, tossing her long hair over her shoulder as she sauntered to the couch. And because it’s Bri, of course she was naked, with only her red panties on.

“Why are you walking around naked in someone else’s house? Do you think this is your house?”

Bri looked completely unbothered as she grabbed a throw blanket to wrap around herself.

“Of course it’s my casa. Tu casa es mi casa, baby.”

I rolled my eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be in France with your parents? What are you doing back in Mexico?”

Bri plopped down on the couch, stretching like a lazy cat.

“Can’t a girl miss her soulmate in peace?”

“Soulmate,” I muttered under my breath, kicking off my shoes. “You’re always coming here to make me uncomfortable in my tiny apartment, yet your rich parents have mansions scattered all over the city.”

She looked up at me with a mock frown. “You know the big houses ruin my mood, Sof. Do you want me to be unhappy?”

I threw my bag down and slumped on the couch beside her, exhausted. “Unbelievable.”

Bri grinned at me, clearly enjoying my irritation. “You got any food?”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “You mean you at least brought food, right? Because if you didn’t, Bri, I swear—”

She feigned a gasp, slapping her hand to her forehead.

“Oh, my baby! I forgot. But there’s some leftover chicken if you want.”

I blinked at her, my voice rising. “Leftover chicken? Are you serious? This is my house! And that was my chicken! You didn't bring nothing?”

“Oh, true.” She nodded, as if just remembering. “My bad. I thought I picked some up, but I realized it was all in my head. Didn’t carry out the task, you know?”

I shook my head as I headed to the fridge. My stomach growled as I grabbed the chicken and put it in the microwave to warm.

“Rich girl and still a liability,” I called out from the kitchen.

“And proud of it!” Bri shouted back, laughing.

I sighed. This girl was going to be the death of me.

As soon as the microwave beeped, I pulled out the steaming plate of chicken, my stomach growling with anticipation. I grabbed a can of beer from the fridge and headed back to the couch. Before I could even set the plate down, Bri’s hand shot out to snatch a piece.

“Why are you such a thief?” I slapped her hand away, glaring at her.

“She scoffed, feigning innocence. “Sofi, you barely have any food at home. I’m only trying to help you ration. Besides, I ordered chinese. It’ll be here soon, so we have to share the rest of these.”

“Share?” I narrowed my eyes. “If that food isn’t here in two minutes, I swear I’ll kill you because I’m starving.”

Bri chuckled, reaching for the chicken again. This time, I didn’t bother stopping her. Instead, I grabbed a piece for myself and sank into the couch, ready to enjoy it in peace.

She watched me with a mischievous glint in her eye. “You look exhausted. Don’t tell me it’s from your job? Because your male manager obviously doesn't let you work because he likes you."

I sighed, taking a sip of my beer. “No. I left that place. I couldn’t stand him anymore.”

“Of course,” Bri said, smirking. “With a face like yours, you’ll get another one in no time. So, where’s this new job?”

I paused, hesitating. “Well...I got fired on my first day.”

Bri burst into laughter, nearly choking on her chicken. “Fired? Who fires someone with that face?”

When I didn’t join in on her laughter, she stopped mid-chew and squinted at me.

“Wait, you’re serious? You’re not joking?”

“Nope,” I muttered, sinking further into the couch.

“Today was mentally exhausting. My life is about to take a turn, and I have no idea what’s coming.”

Her curiosity piqued, Bri leaned forward. “Okay, spill. Where was this job?”

I sighed. “Ros’Notte.”

Her eyes went wide as she screamed, “Rossi Group?! Are you kidding me? That’s one of the biggest—wait, what did you do to get fired in a day?”

I took a deep breath, recounting the night to her, from the bar incident to the encounter in the bathroom and then the upstairs meeting with Leandro. When I got to the part where he demanded I become his personal assistant, Bri’s jaw dropped.

“El diablo, Sofi! Leandro Rossi? The Leandro Rossi wants you as his PA?”

I nodded miserably. “Yes. Starting next week. What do I know about office jobs, Bri? I’ve never been a secretary in my life."

Bri’s shocked expression shifted to one of realization.

“Wait a minute. Hermanita, do you remember that blind date my parents set up for me a few years ago? The one with the ‘perfect son’ of their rich friends?”

I frowned, confused. “Yeah...the one who never showed up, leaving you waiting for hours at the restaurant. What about it?”

Bri leaned closer, her voice dropping as though revealing a secret. “That was him. Leandro Rossi.”

It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. “What?” My voice came out in a strangled gasp.

Bri nodded eagerly. “Yes! The Leandro Rossi! My parents were furious when he stood me up, but they let it slide because he’s Leandro Rossi. You’re telling me you’re going to work for that idiota?”

I groaned, slumping back into the couch. “Of course it was him. That explains everything—why he’s so rude and insufferable.”

Bri burst into laughter again. “This is gold. You, Sofia Flores, working as a secretary for Leandro Rossi! Oh, chica, this is going to be fun to watch.”

I glared at her. “Fun for you, maybe. My life is officially a disaster.”

The doorbell rang, and Bri shot up like lightning, heading for the door. I raised an eyebrow. Bri never did anything willingly, especially not without complaining first. Suspicious.

A couple of minutes passed, and she was still at the door. What the hell was going on? Curiosity got the best of me, and I got up to check.

As I approached, I saw Bri standing at the door, grinning like an idiot. Intrigued, I took a peek at what—or rather, who—was causing that reaction.

A man stood there, holding our food. But not just any man—a drop-dead gorgeous man. He had a strong build, sharp features, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through you. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine, not delivering food. But his expression was far from welcoming; he wasn’t smiling, not even a little.

Meanwhile, Bri was doing everything short of batting her eyelashes and twirling her hair.

She wasn’t letting him go anytime soon.

“Look,” she said, her voice dripping with flirtation, “I’ll pay for your time too, okay? Just give me five minutes.”

I could see the discomfort etched across his face. He looked like a man with a million things to do and zero patience for Bri’s antics.

I rushed over, plastering on a polite smile. “Sorry about this,” I said, cutting Bri off as I handed him the cash for the food.

He muttered a quick “thanks” and left without sparing another glance.

As soon as the door shut, Bri turned to me, her glare sharp enough to cut glass. “What the hell was that?”

“What do you mean?” I shot back, equally annoyed. “You couldn’t tell he was uncomfortable?”

“I was just flirting." She scoffed. " He wasn’t uncomfortable.”

I crossed my arms. “You told him you’d pay for his time, Bri. How do you not see how rude that sounds?”

“I don't. That was me being playful." she protested.

“Playful?” I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re dumb, and you can’t read the room to save your life.”

Bri rolled her eyes and muttered "!Estás loca!" before sauntering off into the bedroom.