Fated reborn - Chapter 260: Chapter 260

Luciano's Pov.
The morning started off normally—at least, that’s what I thought. I had my usual routine: waking up early, showering, getting dressed, and heading down for breakfast. Victor was already at the dining table, casually sipping his coffee while reading through some papers.
“Morning,” I greeted as I sat down.
Victor gave a small nod without looking up. “Morning.”
The maid came in, setting our plates down before offering a polite greeting. I barely paid attention, my mind already shifting toward the day ahead. After finishing our meal, we got into the car and headed straight to the company.
Everything seemed to be going as usual. Employees greeted us as we walked in, the elevator ride to the top floor was uneventful, and once we got to our offices, I was already mentally preparing for the workload ahead.
But then Clara walked in, looking slightly uneasy. That was never a good sign.
“Something wrong?” Victor asked before I could.
Clara sighed, rubbing her forehead. “I wouldn’t say wrong, exactly. Just… unexpected.”
Victor and I exchanged a glance. “Go on,” I said.
She hesitated for a second before blurting it out. “My mother is here.”
There was silence for a moment.
“Wait,” Victor said, setting his papers down. “Your mother? As in…?”
“Yes,” Clara sighed again. “My actual mother. She said she was too lonely at home and wanted to join me at work today.”
Victor raised a brow. “And you told her no, right?”
Clara exhaled loudly. “Of course, I did. But she wouldn’t listen.”
I couldn’t help but smirk. “Sounds like she takes after you.”
Clara shot me a glare. “Not funny.”
Victor leaned back in his chair. “So, where is she now?”
Clara crossed her arms. “In the lobby, waiting for me to come back down.”
We all went quiet for a moment, then Victor sighed. “And you’re sure there’s no convincing her to go back home?”
“She wouldn’t budge,” Clara muttered. “She says she’s bored, and since I ‘never bring her along for anything,’ she’s decided to take matters into her own hands.”
I shook my head, amusement creeping in. “You know, we could just let her stay. It’s not like she’ll burn the place down.”
Clara groaned. “That’s what I’m afraid of. My mother is… let’s just say, very social. If you think I talk a lot, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Victor smirked. “Sounds entertaining.”
Clara gave him a flat look. “You say that now. Just wait.”
A knock on the door interrupted us, and a moment later, the receptionist stepped inside.
“Sir, Miss Clara, your guest has arrived.”
Clara sighed dramatically. “Well, here we go.”
The door opened wider, and in walked an older woman—Clara’s mother. She had the same confident posture as Clara, with a proud smile on her face. She didn’t hesitate for a second, striding into the office as if she owned the place.
“Well, well, so this is where my daughter spends all her time.”
Clara pinched the bridge of her nose. “Mother…”
Victor and I stood up, offering polite nods. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said.
She waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, no need for formalities! I feel like I already know you two, with how much my daughter talks about work.”
Clara looked mortified. “Mother, please.”
Her mother ignored her, placing a hand on her hip. “Now, don’t try to send me away again, young lady. I’m here, and I’m staying. Might as well make myself useful.”
Victor raised a brow. “Useful how?”
She grinned. “Oh, don’t you worry about that. I can handle myself just fine.”
Clara groaned. “She’s going to take over the entire office.”
I chuckled. “She’s got spirit.”
Clara’s mother puffed her chest proudly. “That’s right! And let me tell you, I know how to run things. Back in my day, I handled more business than you can imagine.”
Victor leaned toward me and whispered, “This is going to be fun.”
Clara shot him a deadly glare.
The rest of the morning was spent trying to keep Clara’s mother occupied without causing too much chaos. She made rounds, chatting with employees like she’d known them for years. Some were confused, some were amused, and some looked a little terrified.
By midday, she had somehow managed to get involved in reviewing documents—something she absolutely wasn’t supposed to do.
“Mother,” Clara hissed, snatching the papers from her. “Stop acting like you work here.”
Her mother simply shrugged. “Well, maybe I should. You all need some fresh ideas around here.”
Victor smirked. “I like her.”
Clara groaned. “Of course, you do.”
The entire day felt like a balancing act, making sure she didn’t cause too much disruption while also realizing there was no stopping her. Eventually, when the day was almost over, she finally sighed.
“Well, I suppose I should head home,” she said. “But I had a lovely time!”
Clara muttered under her breath, “You caused chaos.”
Her mother ignored her. “Next time, I’ll come back with some new ideas for you all.”
Victor grinned. “We’ll be waiting.”
Clara groaned even louder.
When she finally left, we all exhaled in relief.
Victor smirked at Clara. “So, is she coming back tomorrow?”
Clara shot him a glare. “If she does, I’m quitting.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “I have to admit, she’s got energy.”
Clara rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and too much of it.”
Victor leaned back, clearly entertained by the whole ordeal. “Well, at least it wasn’t a boring day.”
Clara groaned. “You both enjoyed this way too much.”
I smirked. “Maybe just a little.”
At the end of the day, we all packed up and got ready to leave. The office was finally quiet again, and I could see the exhaustion on Clara’s face.
Victor chuckled. “Well, that was… eventful.”
I nodded. “Yeah. But hey, at least we survived it.”
Clara muttered, “Barely.”
We all laughed as we headed out, knowing that after today, we probably wouldn’t hear the end of it from Clara’s mother.