Page 1 of (UN)Bounded

Prologue

Isabella Bianchi

Santiago, Chile

Being back at Villa Libélula brings me so much joy; I love spending time at my brother Luca’s place. He and his wife, Karina, own a beautiful vineyard in Alamo Peaks, a small town just outside of Santiago. I love walking around the endless rows of vines to clear my head in the mornings, going for a stroll after dinner, and watching the beautiful, starry skies against the imposing Andes mountains. It brings me peace and comfort, which is something I never experienced in my hometown of San Miguel, Argentina.

I graduated yesterday with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chile, and in the next few months, I’m supposed to be figuring out what to do next with my life. But all I want to do is let loose and enjoy life—be a carefree twenty-two-year-old—before the responsibilities that come with being an adult overwhelm me for the rest of my life.

Some people have life figured out at an early age. Exhibit A: my big brother, Gio. Ever since he was a kid, he has known he wanted to be a professor. He’s currently teaching at a big university in the United States. My chest fills with pride every time I get to tell my friends—or any acquaintance, really—that my oldest brother has a doctorate in Forest Engineering, and his students call him Dr. Bianchi.

Exhibit B: Cata, my best friend and a kickass soccer player. She’s the same age as me, but I can already tell she’ll be one of the greatest players in the world. She’s been called to the Colombia Women’s National team, which is such a big honor and the reason why she won’t be able to make it to my party today.

“There you are, Isa. We’ve been looking for you everywhere. Your guests are here.” My brother Luca takes me out of my daydreaming as he comes into the cultivar.

Smiling brightly at my brother, I shake myself from my thoughts and plaster a huge smile on my lips. The day my parents decided they were done being parents, Luca stepped up and filled the role for me.

“Oh, perfect. I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone.” I hold onto my brother’s arm and walk back toward the patio where we’ll be hosting the gathering.

My oldest brother, Gio, is chatting with Karina, and the moment he sees me, he starts clapping. My cheeks turn beet red when everyone turns in my direction. Luca joins Gio, and suddenly, everyone starts clapping. I try to keep a smile on my face while tears run down my cheeks. I’m overwhelmed with emotion that all these people are here to celebrate my college degree: Luca, his wife and in-laws, Gio, and my friends Luisa and Ana with their families. Even some of the people who work at the vineyard are here, including Ines, our nanny in Argentina. She moved to Chile after Luca bought the vineyard—yet my parents are nowhere to be seen. It’s amazing to feel this much love, but at the same time, it’s incredibly sad to know that I can have all the love in the world but not from my parents. I mean, the people who brought me into this world don’t give a crap about me, so my brothers had to fill in the void left by them.

How sad is that?

Four years ago, I moved here because my parents had already disappeared, but I don’t think I will ever stop missing them. I had the best childhood; we weren’t rich, but we never wanted for anything. Both of my parents were hard workers, and we used to go to Grandpa Bianchi’s farm every weekend and ride horses. Sometimes, we even helped feed the chickens, goats, and cows.

But once Grandpa died, everything changed. He left a lot of money to my parents, and they did a 180. Suddenly, they started going to charity events. They would spend the night in Buenos Aires and leave us with Ines. The charities became more important than us, so they quit their jobs and became full-time socialites. That’s when my older brothers stepped up and became my parental figures. And although I’m so thankful for my brothers, I miss my parents every single day.

Maybe if I became a big name in the art scene, they would look for me again.

“We’re so proud of you, Isa. Graduating with honors and a bright future ahead,” Gio says as soon as we’re in close distance, and my two awesome brothers embrace me.

I can’t help it—my tears start running faster and harder. There are so many things I want to tell my parents, but they never answer the phone. I wonder if they changed their numbers after we came to Chile.

“This is not a day for sadness. We are truly proud of you and cannot wait to see what you do next,” Luca says in a serious but kind tone.

I can’t help but chuckle. “When did you become the wise older brother? I thought that was Gio’s job.”

Gio chuckles, and Luca simply rolls his eyes. “Har, har. You know very well Karina knocked some sense into me and made me see what an amazing man I can be. And I’m not talking only between the sheets.” Luca wiggles his eyebrows.

Gio and I immediately groan in fake disgust. I try as hard as I can to hold my laugh in, but a small smile forms on my lips. He doesn’t need his ego to get bigger than it already is.

“What a way to kill the mood. bro,” Gio says, shaking his head at Luca.

With a shrug, Luca replies, “Hey, I made her laugh. That’s all that matters.”

My friends Ana and Luisa join us in the circle I’ve made with my brothers, and I’m reminded we’re not alone—I need to be a good host.

“Where are my manners? These are my brothers, Gio and Luca. The girls reach out to shake hands with my brothers. “And these are my friends, Ana and Luisa; they also graduated with me.”

After introducing everyone and mingling for a bit, I peruse the buffet—a mix of Chilean and Argentinian foods on display. Tapping my index finger against my bottom lip, I think about what I should try first. The shrimp or the roasted beef sliders? Since today is my day to eat whatever I want, I put a couple of both onto my plate.

I’m about to grab a healthy load of salad when a deep and sensual voice says, “Excellent choice. I can’t wait to try the sliders myself and see how the Argentinian asado compares to the Chilean one.”

I’m feeling way more flustered about this food conversation than the last time I had sex, and that’s not a good sign.

“Oh, hi. I didn’t realize you were going to be here,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant, but my voice takes on a high pitch at the end.

Gabo Godoy—Karina’s brother and the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my life—has more power over my hormones than I do. That’s not something I want to deal with right at this moment.

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