Chapter 17 Eavesdropper
She took a soft, shuddering breath before changing the wallpaper on her phone. Then, she fell back on the bed, her eyes fluttering closed.
“I can’t break my relationship with Luca just because Dante wants it,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Maybe you and I were never meant to be together. There were always signs, but I kept ignoring them. From your mother to my real family… so many secrets between us.”
She grabbed a pillow, burying her face in it, and the night seemed to dim around her, slipping into a heavy silence.
***
The next morning, Dante’s new secretary, Jennifer, walked into his office with a small package in her hands.
“Sir, there’s a personal package for you,” she said. “Usually, we just get office deliveries, but I saw this was addressed personally to you, so I brought it straight to you.”
Dante looked up from the file he was signing, a slight frown crossing his face. “Open it. What’s in there?”
Jennifer nodded and carefully opened the package. As she pulled out a small box and opened it, her eyes widened in shock.
“Sir… this is a diamond ring,” she said, holding it up to him. “Such a huge diamond... is it even real?”
Dante’s gaze fell onto the ring. His body stiffened at once, his entire form going rigid, and his face darkened.
It was the ring he had placed on Anya’s finger when he proposed to her on her birthday.
“Get out,” he barked, his voice thick with anger.
Jennifer jumped, startled, and quickly placed the ring on the table before turning to leave.
“Take it with you,” Dante’s voice was cold, making her freeze. “Throw it away.”
Her eyes went wide in disbelief. This was a very expensive ring, and yet he wanted her to throw it away?
But the look on Dante’s face told her everything she needed to know. She quickly nodded, grabbed the ring, and hurried out of the office.
As she exited, she collided with Triston, who was heading toward Dante’s office.
The news of Dante and Anya had already spread among their friends. After the incident with Anya, Dante had gone to the bar, drinking himself into a stupor in front of them. If it hadn’t been for his friends getting him out of there, he might’ve kept drinking himself into oblivion.
That's why Triston decided to stop by the office to check on him.
He was just about to enter when he bumped into Jennifer, the box in her hand falling to the floor. The ring rolled out of the box, and Jennifer gasped as she quickly scrambled to grab it, placing it back inside the box. She sighed in relief, looking up at him.
"God… Mr. Turner, you just cost me the salary of my next seven generations," she nearly cried.
Triston halted and glanced down at the ring in surprise.
“What’s that?” he asked casually.
She looked at him, a bit sheepish, then answered, “It came for Mr. Kingsley. He asked me to throw it out.”
Triston raised an eyebrow, his expression matching her shock.
“Give it to me,” he said, holding out his hand. He took the box, looking it over and finding Dante, and Anya’s name engraved on the ring.
“Jennifer,” he said quietly, “keep this ring somewhere safe if you don’t want to get fired.”
She nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. “I was thinking the same thing. This looks pretty expensive.”
“It is.” Triston gave a slow nod, the dark circles under his eyes revealing the sleepless night he’d had. He shook his head, muttering under his breath as he glanced at Jennifer.
“This is exactly why secretaries shouldn’t date their boss,” he grumbled. “One mistake, and you’re out the door just like that. Never date your boss, alright?”
“Yes.” Jennifer nodded very seriously.
Inside the office, Dante was anything but calm.
He had told Jennifer to throw the ring away. He’d convinced himself he didn’t care anymore. But the moment he realized what he had said—his chest tightened. His jaw clenched.
In a blink, he pushed away from his desk, chair scraping sharply against the floor. He stormed out of the room.
That’s when he spotted Triston and Jennifer, standing just a few feet from his door.
He walked up to them immediately.
“Where’s the ring?” Dante demanded, walking straight up to them, eyes fixed on Jennifer. “Did you throw it away already?”
She stiffened, clutching her hands nervously. “Didn’t get the chance yet, sir.”
“Give it back.” His palm opened in front of her immediately.
Jennifer quickly placed the small velvet box in his hand.
The second his fingers closed around it, something in his eyes shifted—like the storm inside him had paused, if only for a breath.
Dante turned sharply and strode back into his office, slamming the door behind him.
Once the door shut behind him, Jennifer turned to Triston, her brows furrowed.
Jennifer turned to Triston with wide eyes. “Mr. Turner… are you saying that girl from that day—Anya, his previous secretary—she’s…”
Triston gave a sly shrug with a knowing smirk.
Jennifer frowned, lowering her voice. “Mr. Kingsley looked so... shaken just now. Do you think he’s still in love with her?”
Triston let out a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “Dante’s never been in love before Anya. Hell, he’s never even liked any other girl.” He snorted, shaking his head. “No wonder he’s losing his damn mind. The poor guy doesn’t know how to handle his jealousy.”
***
Back in his office, Dante stared at the ring box in his hand.
He flipped it open slowly, the diamond glinting under the light. His thumb brushed the edge of it slowly
‘I don’t have any relationship with him. He’s just a friend.’
The words echoed in his mind, but all they did was make his blood boil.
She let Luca give her the ring he wanted to give her. And she wore it—like it meant nothing.
His chest ached as he gritted his teeth, the fire burning through his veins unbearable.
He gritted his teeth, muttering under his breath, “Even if he’s just a friend, how could you wear his ring and come to me?”
His chest burned. The longer he stared at the ring, the harder it became for him to think.
Had she really given up and walked away, like what they had didn’t matter at all?
"I can’t even breathe, and you returned my goddamn ring to me?" he whispered, his anger burning with each word.
***
“Come with me. I’ve already arranged the best spot for you,” Luca said softly, placing a gentle hand on Anya’s shoulder as he guided her toward the CEO office.
They were at the Carters Diamonds’ headquarters, a sleek, multi-story tower that screamed power. The fifteenth floor was home to the top executives—where the real decisions happened.
As they neared the main workspace where others were seated, Anya gently shrugged his arm off with a quick whisper.
“Don’t let people know we know each other.”
Luca’s face tightened slightly but he gave a silent nod, respecting her request.
They walked casually past the rows of employees. Luca opened the CEO’s private office door and let her in first.
Behind them, gasps erupted like wildfire.
“Was that Mr. Stanson?” one woman gasped. “Did he just open his office door for her?”
“No way. He’s never that polite to anyone,” another whispered.
“Let alone walking someone in. He doesn’t open doors, not even for the most important clients.”
“Who is she?”
“Must be someone really important… or maybe…”
Speculations flew as employees gathered in hushed circles, whispering about the mystery girl who had walked beside their notoriously reserved COO.
Inside the office, Luca walked to the center of the room and turned to Anya with a bright smile. “Welcome to your future,” he said, gesturing around the sleek office.
“This is technically my space, but if you want it, it’s yours. You can have any office you want. Soon, you’ll be my partner in this company—my equal.”
He walked toward her slowly, speaking gently. “Just ask for anything, and I’ll give it to you.”
Anya gave a small laugh. “You’re way too generous, aren’t you? You keep spoiling me. I’m afraid I’ll get used to it.”
She met his eyes with a teasing grin. “What if I ask for something you’ll regret?”
“There won’t be a day like that,” Luca said softly. “These are just things. Anything I give you, I can get again. A new office, a new chair, a new title. I can always make more, buy more, build more. But your happiness? If I lose that, I can’t get it back. And I never want to see you sad.”
Anya froze, struck by the softness in his voice. The honesty. The way he said it—not as a charmer, but as a man who meant it.
She smiled at him. “Whoever ends up marrying Luca Stanson is going to be the luckiest woman alive.”
Luca turned away, ears tinged with red.
Anya couldn’t help letting out a little laugh.
How could someone so powerful, so sleek and commanding—blush like a shy schoolboy?
Luca finally looked back at her, his composure returning.
“Do you want to start today?” he asked, his tone lighter now. “What position do you want? You can start as the CEO if you want. I’ll help you until you can run the show on your own.”
“No,” Anya shook her head, looking up at Luca and reaching for his arm gently. “I want to start from a lower position. I need time to adjust, to understand how the company works. I’ll learn first, then take on something higher.”
“Alright,” Luca muttered, his voice softening. “Whatever you need. Where do you want to sit? I can get a desk arranged right here in my office if you’d like. That way, if you need anything—anything at all—you can ask me directly.”
Anya chuckled softly, the corner of her lips lifting in a teasing grin. “I think it’s better if I sit outside with the regular employees. If I’m in here every day, people will start whispering. Didn’t you notice the glances people were giving us earlier?”
“Let them talk,” Luca said flatly, without a hint of hesitation. His eyes locked with hers, quiet but intense. He didn’t explain further, and he didn’t need to. His meaning was clear in the way he looked at her.
Anya bit her lip and looked away, letting her eyes wander around the office—anything to avoid meeting that gaze.
Anya left his office a little while later, only to stop just behind a corner wall when she heard voices.
“That new girl’s been in Mr. Stanson’s office for more than half an hour. What do you think they’re doing?”
“I don’t think Mr. Stanson’s interested in her like that,” another replied. “He seems too serious for that kind of thing.”
“I don’t care what she is,” a third voice chimed in coldly. “She’s just another employee. She’s not going to be anything permanent in his life.”
“Are you sure? They seemed pretty close,” someone else said.
“I’m sure,” the first voice muttered.
The first woman scoffed, then leaned closer. “By the way, I heard Mr. Charles’ daughter is joining the company today. Any idea when she’s coming? I haven’t seen any other girl around yet.”
“Could it be that the girl who just came in with Mr. Stanson is her?”
Just then, one of them stepped forward. “Let’s go find out.”
They all started walking toward the room—only to freeze as Anya stepped out, standing right in front of them. The girls jumped back in shock.
One of them clutched her chest, startled. “What the hell!”
“Oh my god,” another hissed, “were you spying on us, you eavesdropper?”
Anya let out a loud sigh of annoyance. “Don’t you have work to do or something? Or are you here just to fight with me?”
The girls chuckled bitterly, looking her up and down.
“From where does she look like Mr. Charles’ daughter?” one sneered. “There’s just no way.”
Just then, Luca stepped out of the office. The girls didn’t notice him at first as they continued ridiculing Anya.
“You’re just another employee,” one snapped. “Stop acting like you’re special. If you keep sneaking around like this, one of us is gonna deal with you.”
Luca’s jaw tightened, his gaze turning dark as he stepped up beside Anya, glaring at the group.
“What did you just say to her?” His voice was sharp as steel.
They turned and froze at the sight of him standing beside Anya, arms crossed, face dark with fury.
One girl let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, it’s nothing, Mr. Stanson. We were just talking to the new girl—”
“Yeah, I heard,” Luca cut in coldly. “Is this how you speak to everyone here, or just the ones who haven't even finished their first day?”
“No, Mr. Stanson, that’s not it,” one of the girls stammered, but Luca silenced her with a sharp glance.
“She’s going to be the—”
“—COO’s secretary,” Anya interrupted immediately, stopping Luca before he could say anything further.
Luca gave her a questioning look, but she motioned for him to stay quiet. “Let me handle it,” she whispered.
The girls blinked. “Oh, so you’re Mr. Stanson’s secretary? You should’ve told us earlier.”
They gave forced laughs, trying to play it off.
“Well, that explains it,” another girl chimed in.
“I was wondering why you were in his office for so long—”
She stopped mid-sentence when the others shot her a warning look.
“Get back to work,” Luca ordered, voice clipped.
Then he turned to Anya and said, quietly, “Come. Let’s go. I’ll help you with the tasks for today.” He guided her back into his office.
Later that evening, Anya returned home just around dinner time. The sky outside was dimming, painting soft golden streaks across the windows. Though she’d only joined the company today, she was already feeling the pressure of everything she needed to learn. Luca had insisted she leave early to get some rest.
She kicked off her heels and collapsed onto the couch with a sigh of relief.
A maid stepped into the living room, glancing around as if searching for someone. When she saw only Anya, she walked over.
“Ms. Anya, has Mr. Luca returned with you?”
“No,” Anya answered, stretching as she sat up. “He’s still working. He asked me to go home first. Why?”
“I was wondering if I should serve your dinner now or if you’ll wait for him,” the maid said politely.
“I’m just going to take a shower first, then I’ll eat,” Anya replied with a tired smile, already getting up and stretching. “I’m exhausted.”
Just then, the doorbell rang, and both women looked toward the door.
“Who could it be at this hour?” Anya muttered, standing up.
“I’ll go check,” the maid said quickly. She rushed to the door and glanced through the camera before turning back to Anya with wide eyes.
“Ms. Anya, it’s Mrs. Kingsley. Janet Kingsley.”
“Shit,” Anya hissed under her breath, her entire body going still.
Anya’s body stiffened at the mention of Janet’s name. She had almost forgotten about the woman’s persistence. But Janet was not the kind of woman who let herself be forgotten for long.
“I’m going upstairs,” she said quickly. “Just tell her no one’s home. Say Annie is sick and can’t meet visitors.”
The maid nodded, and Anya disappeared up the stairs.
The maid opened the door, and Janet was standing there with a large basket of fruit, dry fruits, and chocolates in a box.
“Mrs. Kingsley,” the maid greeted her, stepping aside slightly.
“Hi! Where is everyone?” Janet’s voice was sugary-sweet. “I brought some gifts!” She tried to step inside.
The maid didn’t move. She stood firm, blocking the doorway politely but clearly.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kingsley, but no one is at home today," the maid said, her voice polite yet firm. "Miss Annie is also sick, so she can't see you."
Janet shoved past the maid, storming into the house, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "That's alright. I'll wait for Charles to come home or for Annie to feel better,” she said, as if she owned the place.
"Mrs. Kingsley, I really can't let you stay," the maid insisted, trying to block her.
But Janet ignored her, pushing past her roughly as she stomped deeper into the house.
Just then, Charles walked through the door, and entered the house, his eyes immediately narrowing when he saw Janet.
His jaw tightened at the sight of Janet, and the anger he'd been harboring for the way Dante had treated Anya flared up again. He also knew Janet’s personality. He was always able to see through her facade of sweetness. She was nothing but a greedy woman, and he didn't want her anywhere near Anya.
Janet, noticing Charles, immediately plastered a grin on her face and walked toward him. "Oh Charles, you’re finally home! I was wondering if I’d get to see you today." She offered him the gifts. "I thought Annie would enjoy these."
Charles didn’t even glance at the gifts. His jaw tightened, his face hardening with the anger he’d been holding back. "What are you doing here?" Though he tried to mask it, his displeasure was clear.
Janet took a half-step back, her smile faltering for a moment before she quickly recovered. “I brought some medicine for Annie. Remember that skin doctor I had mentioned? I went to see him just for her, and he prescribed this. It should help with her treatment.”
"We don’t need it," Charles replied curtly, brushing her off. "You can leave now."
Janet was taken aback by his coldness but quickly regained her composure. “Why don’t I stay and help apply the medicine on Annie? I’m sure it would be good for her.”
Charles snapped. "She has everything she needs, Janet." His tone was sharper now. "Leave this damn house. Now."