The Mafia Don's Stylist

I jolted awake to the insistent blaring of my alarm. Annoyed, I buried my head deeper into the softness of my pillow. Eventually, I mustered the determination to rise from my cozy cocoon and hurriedly made my way to the bathroom for a refreshing morning routine. With freshly brushed teeth and a rejuvenating bath, I quickly dressed and set off towards the beloved establishment known as Night Cafe.

Owned by Lilian and her husband Greg, Night Cafe exuded a quaint charm that drew people in. The space, though small, emanated a warm and inviting atmosphere that captivated our loyal customers. Its simple and unpretentious interior held a special allure that no amount of lavish renovations could match. Lilian and Greg had insisted on maintaining the cafe's homely ambiance, explaining that it was the very essence that made it so beloved by all walks of life. Here, both the affluent and the humble could gather, shedding their titles and enjoying a cup of caffeine and delectable treats.

Entering the kitchen, I cheerfully greeted Lilian, embracing her in a warm hug. As she deftly stirred a pot of eggs, her youthful energy radiated from her bright blonde hair and sparkling brown eyes.

"Good morning, Lilian! How was your night?" I inquired, genuinely interested in her well-being.

She reciprocated my smile, her warmth filling the air. "Good morning, my love. It was pleasant. And how about you?"

"I'm fine, Lilian," I replied, my eyes wandering around the bustling kitchen. "By the way, where's Greg? I expected him to be here already."

Lilian's expression softened as she turned off the gas stove. "He should be back by now. He stepped out to fetch some fresh coffee beans," she explained, deftly serving the scrambled eggs onto a plate.

Nodding in understanding, I left the kitchen, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as Tom, a familiar face, entered the cafe with a couple of shopping bags in tow.

"Good morning Greg" I greeted cheerfully. He looks up at me and smiles cheerfully, his grey eyes glistening.

"Good morning Ana" he greeted as he dropped the bags on a nearby table.

"Tom I have always told you to not carry such heavy things" I frowned playfully.

"Yeah! Yeah ! I see you are on your way to the office, let's not keep you"

I thought about it for a while before nodding in agreement. I had to go to work as fast as possible. I'm an early bird wherever I go.

"Alright I will see you later take care and please tell Greg I'll come over for dinner one of these days" I promised before kissing Tom on the cheek and exiting the cafe.

I got into my car and drove to my office, got out and went straight into my building. I know I have worked hard for this but it always surprised me each time I saw it. I looked at what was mine... It was a two story building with Anastasia designs written boldly on it. As I walked pass, I could hear my employees greeting me. I smiled at them and walked straight to the elevator. I don't joke with my business and I make sure everybody is doing their work right. Before the elevator doors could closed, my assistant Clara Books rushed in anxiously, her head low as she tried avoiding eye contact.

"Clara you are late again" I scolded, my voice stern. She held the hem of her black floral short gown nervously before clearing her throat. She looked up and stared at me with her deep brown eyes like a deer cut in an act. I love Clara, she is good at her job but it's just that she can be a little clumsy at times. Clara had deep black hair that complimented her skin tone, she is tall and bold and she reminded of the person I never was at her age.

"I am sorry miss Fisher, it won't happen again I promise" she apologized, genuinely sorry for her reoccurring late habit. I thought about it for a while, before hesitantly nodding my head. I'm very serious with my work, it's my whole life so I hardly mixed business with pleasure. That being said, all my employees knew that even if I was close friends with any of them or very friendly, I won't take any of that into consideration when I'm at work.

We rode up together in silence. When we got to the floor of my office, we got out of the elevator and then the business of the day started. A lot of schedule corrections and business meetings. I've been heavily booked for the past few days, I've been quite surprised.

"Alright what else do we have for today?" I asked as I gulped down my cup of coffee.

"You have a meeting by 11am you are meeting with Valentino, then Prada by 2pm on your latest designs" she said as she scanned her iPod. I sighed in relief as I played with my phone.

"Ok set the conference room for the meeting. Make sure you inform the rest of the staff about the meeting. Some of our clients are very picky with what they want to eat when we take a coffee break, we need to be very prepared for this conference. Make sure to call me when they are here"

"Okay ma'am " she turned to leave my office but I stopped her. I was suddenly feeling tasty, I want more caffeine for some awkward reason.

"Clara please get me coffee" I asked I closed my eyes.

"Sure miss Fisher, anything else?" she asked.

"Let Mia know that I will like to see her please" I added before getting back to work on my laptop.

Clara left my office and I got down to business, I started replying my emails and read through some contracts. I heard a soft knock on the door and then someone walked in.

"Ana really? You are zoning out again what's the problem?" Mia asked as she sat opposite me, two cups of coffee in her hands. She dropped a cup in front of me before dropping hers. I gave her a warm smile before taking a sip of the hot caffeine.

"Nothing much, I was just thinking of how lucky I am that you are my best friend" I joked.

Mia blushed at my statement "that's so sweet, why are you being so touchy feelings? You know I hate emotional stuff" she complained playfully.

I scrunched up my nose in disgust "you should be happy I'm in a good mood today. Savour this moment because you won't here this from me ever again... I promise" I joked as I enjoyed my coffee.

"So... After our meeting today with Prada what do you have in mind we should do?" I asked mia.

"So I was thinking that we should go to this new club called dream. It opened about a month ago and it's really good. So what do you say?" Mia asked.

"It's a date!!! We are gonna get drunk tonight baby" I joked and Mia laughed, her perfect teeth on display. I smiled at her before gulping down the remnants of my coffee.

"I miss this Ana, thank God she is coming out " Mia said happily.

"She didn't go anywhere... I have just been busy you know, but I am back and we are going to turn up real good. Though I'm not certain we'll go today, I need to check my schedule. Even if we can't go today, we can always reschedule"

"Anytime is fine by me. As far as you're up for it, I am"

As I engaged in conversation with her, the atmosphere suddenly shifted, interrupted by the entrance of Clara. Her presence was marked by a subtle nervousness, evident in the slight tremor of her voice as she relayed unexpected news.

My brow furrowed in confusion and frustration. "Another client? But I don't recall any scheduled meetings for today," I muttered, my plans for a carefree evening with Mia suddenly threatened. The anticipation of a night at the club, filled with laughter and dancing, now hung in the balance.

Clara's anxious expression mirrored my own inner turmoil. "I apologize, but these clients are of utmost importance," she pleaded, her urgency palpable. "They have been waiting for you."

The weight of her words hit me like a bolt of lightning. The unexpected nature of the situation heightened my curiosity and stirred a sense of urgency within me. What could this impromptu meeting hold? Why were they so insistent on my presence?