" Signor Capelli doesn't have a space in his schedule for another five months." The stunning blonde at the reception desk spoke impeccable English and was very well trained. "Divorce lawyers of your caliber are in high demand."
Lindsay clenched her fists.
—I don't need a divorce lawyer. That's not why I want to see him.
She knew very well that all her clients were men. She knew everything about him. She knew that when a man entrusted his divorce proceedings to Alessio Capelli, the other party might give up. The mission of that ruthless Sicilian lawyer was to leave women who ended their relationships helpless. Alessio Capelli had become a millionaire at barely thirty years old, and if he was still practicing, it was for pure pleasure.
But what kind of man found pleasure in destroying fragile marriages?
The receptionist tapped her perfectly painted nails gently on the table.
—I can call someone on your team.
"I need to talk to him." Consumed by worry, Lindsay tried to think clearly. She hadn't slept in three nights, and adrenaline was pumping through her veins.
—Please, I came to Rome for this reason. It's something personal. Something that concerns only Mr. Capelli and me.
Her sister's pale face tormented her endlessly, but Lindsay wasn't willing to reveal her family secrets to that icy beauty.
The receptionist raised her eyebrows in disbelief, as if she didn't believe someone like Lindsay could have something personal with Alessio Capelli.
—Have you given him your mobile number?
—No, but...
—So it's clear he doesn't want me to contact him. Women in a special relationship... always have that number.

Lindsay wanted to tell him that arrogant, cruel lawyers weren't her type, but she realized he wouldn't believe her.
Alessio Capelli was a magnet for women. Far from being a deterrent, his profession only increased his appeal. It was as if every woman on the planet had set out to win over that famous cynic.
Lindsay stepped aside to make way for another beautiful young woman. "The boss is in the gym, blasting energy against the
punching bag. If that report I've been waiting for comes in, send it to the sixteenth floor.
While listening to the conversation, Lindsay noticed the elevators at the end of the hall. Without thinking about what she was doing, she walked toward them and entered the open one. Without wasting a second, she pressed the button for the sixteenth floor.
As the doors closed, he felt a great relief, and then he realized that it wouldn't last long.
I still had to get to Alessio Capelli.
With trembling hands, he opened his bag and searched through the documents he'd brought with him to work on the plane. What kind of report was Alessio Capelli expecting? Something formal and discreet? Thick? Thin? Something in a sealed envelope?
Heart pounding, Lindsay pulled out a folder and tucked it under her arm. It didn't look very official, but she had nothing else.
He looked in the mirror one last time and found a serious young woman dressed in a sober white blouse and a black skirt just above the knee. Her blond hair was tied back in a sleek bun at the base of her neck; her makeup was simple and professional. The woman in the mirror was someone Alessio Capelli would never notice.
The receptionist had made it very clear.
Something stirred inside Lindsay; a spark of vanity that she immediately smothered.
He had noticed her once, though. Just once.
If I hadn't rejected him, they would have...
Lindsay lifted her skirt slightly to reveal the same length of legs as the secretary. She looked at herself in the mirror again.