The next morning, the gallery was quiet again.
Riyana was grateful for that.
After Bosco's unexpected visit the day before, she had half expected something strange to happen again. But the morning passed peacefully. Visitors came in small numbers, soft music played through the speakers, and sunlight poured through the tall windows like warm honey.
Everything felt normal.
And Riyana wanted it to stay that way.
She stood behind the counter, reviewing a few documents for the upcoming exhibition when Elena suddenly rushed into the gallery from the entrance.
Her eyes were wide with excitement.
"Riyana!" she whispered loudly.
Riyana barely looked up.
"What?"
"You need to come see this."
Riyana sighed.
"Elena, if this is another dramatic reaction to a customer buying coffee across the street—"
"It's not that."
Elena grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her toward the entrance.
"Just come."
Riyana frowned but followed her.
The moment she stepped near the front door, she noticed something unusual.
A large wooden crate stood in the center of the gallery.
Two delivery men were standing beside it, looking slightly nervous.
Riyana stopped walking.
"What is that?"
One of the men cleared his throat.
"Delivery for Miss Riyana Leone."
Riyana's stomach tightened.
"I didn't order anything."
The man checked the clipboard again.
"The sender asked us to deliver it personally."
Riyana folded her arms.
"And the sender is?"
The man hesitated slightly.
He pointed toward a small envelope attached to the crate.
Riyana walked closer and pulled the envelope free.
Her name was written neatly on the front.
Inside was a small card.
Riyana opened it.
The message was short.
For the woman who refuses everything.
— Bosco
Riyana closed her eyes.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
"Elena," she said quietly.
"Yes?"
"Tell me this is a joke."
Elena looked like she was about to explode with excitement.
"Oh my God, it's from him, isn't it?"
Riyana didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Elena grabbed the card from her hand and read it quickly.
Her jaw dropped.
"Riyana… this is actually romantic."
"It's actually ridiculous."
Elena turned to the delivery men.
"What's inside?"
"An artwork," one of them replied.
Riyana immediately shook her head.
"No."
The men blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm not accepting it."
Elena looked horrified.
"You're not accepting it?!"
"No."
The delivery man looked confused.
"Miss, this piece was purchased specifically for you."
"I don't care."
Elena leaned closer to the crate, clearly dying of curiosity.
"Can we at least see what it is?"
Riyana hesitated.
Part of her wanted to send the entire thing back without opening it.
But another part of her curiosity won.
"Fine," she said finally.
"Open it."
The delivery men carefully removed the wooden panels of the crate.
Slowly, the object inside became visible.
Elena gasped.
"Oh… my… God."
Inside the crate was a painting.
Not just any painting.
A massive oil painting with deep colors and incredible detail. It showed a night sky over the ocean, with silver moonlight reflecting across the water. The waves were calm this time, gentle and peaceful.
Riyana recognized the style immediately.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"This… can't be real."
Elena looked at the small plaque attached to the frame.
Then she screamed.
"RIYANA!"
"What?!"
"This is an original Armand Virelli painting!"
Riyana froze.
Armand Virelli was one of the most famous modern artists in the world.
His paintings sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Sometimes more.
Riyana stepped closer, studying the brushwork carefully.
It was real.
Completely authentic.
Elena looked ready to faint.
"Do you know how expensive this is?"
Riyana knew.
That was exactly the problem.
She slowly looked back at the card in her hand.
For the woman who refuses everything.
Her jaw tightened.
Elena was still staring at the painting in awe.
"This is the most romantic thing I've ever seen."
"This is the most arrogant thing I've ever seen."
Elena blinked.
"What?"
"He thinks he can buy my attention."
"Elena," Riyana said firmly, "call the delivery company."
The delivery men looked confused again.
"Why?"
"Because this is going back."
Elena nearly screamed.
"YOU'RE SENDING IT BACK?!"
"Yes."
"Riyana this painting is worth a fortune!"
"I don't care."
Elena looked at her like she had lost her mind.
"Most women would faint if Bosco Leone sent them a gift like this."
Riyana folded her arms.
"I'm not most women."
The delivery man hesitated.
"Miss… the sender paid a lot for this piece."
"Then he wasted his money."
Elena grabbed her shoulders dramatically.
"You're rejecting a gift from the most powerful mafia boss in the city."
"Yes."
"You insulted him yesterday."
"Yes."
"And now you're sending back a painting worth possibly half a million dollars."
"Yes."
Elena stared at her.
"You're insane."
"Maybe."
But Riyana picked up the card again and wrote something on the back with a pen.
Then she handed it to the delivery man.
"Give this back to him."
The man looked nervous.
"What does it say?"
Elena grabbed the card and read it out loud.
Money doesn't impress me.
— Riyana
Elena covered her face.
"Oh my God."
The delivery men looked terrified.
"You're sure you want to send this message?"
Riyana didn't hesitate.
"Very sure."
After a moment of awkward silence, the men carefully packed the painting back into the crate.
Within minutes, they carried it out of the gallery.
The door closed behind them.
The gallery was silent again.
Elena slowly turned toward Riyana.
"You just declared war."
"It's not a war."
"Yes it is."
Riyana walked back toward the stormy sea painting.
"Elena."
"Yes?"
"If Bosco thinks expensive gifts will change my mind…"
She adjusted the frame calmly.
"He clearly doesn't understand me at all."
Elena shook her head slowly.
"You know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think this is only going to make him more interested."
Riyana scoffed.
"Good."
Elena blinked.
"Good?"
"Yes."
Riyana stepped back from the painting and crossed her arms.
"Because if he thinks this is a challenge…"
She smiled slightly.
"He's about to lose."
But across the city…
Bosco sat calmly in his office while Marco entered the room.
"The painting was returned," Marco said.
Bosco looked up slowly.
"Oh?"
Marco placed the small card on the desk.
"She sent a message."
Bosco picked it up.
Money doesn't impress me.
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Bosco laughed.
Not angrily.
Not offended.
Just amused.
Marco shook his head.
"You just spent half a million dollars and she sent it back."
Bosco leaned back in his chair.
His smile was calm.
"She's interesting."
Marco sighed.
"You're enjoying this."
"Very much."
Bosco looked at the card again.
Most women tried to impress him.
Most women accepted anything he offered.
But Riyana?
She rejected everything.
The gift.
His attention.
Even his money.
And strangely…
That only made him want her more.
Bosco placed the card in his desk drawer carefully.
"This is going to be fun," he said quietly.