Chapter Fifteen
Valentina
It has been five days of absolute silence in the penthouse, and five days of torture at the office.
True to his word, Viktor has buried himself in work. He has started networking aggressively, leveraging the connections he made during our cross-corporate events. He has more security consulting contracts than ever before. But he doesn't run them by me anymore.
No. He runs them by Sarah.
I never in my life thought I would feel this much animosity toward my own assistant. Sarah is a sweetheart. She is a miracle worker who literally works herself dry for me, never letting me down a single time in three years.
But every single time I see Viktor running to her for advice, asking her to help him network, or reading over his new contracts with him, I feel rage so violent it could literally make me sprout horns.
And Sarah, of course, is more than happy to help him during her lunch breaks. Just like every other person in this company, she seems to have total heart eyes for him.
He is gone all night now, working private security. Yesterday, he informed me that he would be working through the weekend too.
Is it really because of his promise to me? Or is he just frustrated? Maybe he's finally realizing he doesn't need to beg for my touch when the world is full of women who would gladly open their legs for him. Maybe he's taking girls out on dates. Maybe he's taking Sarah out.
Fuck.
The murderous violence that crashes through my veins at that thought is indescribable.
My hands fist so hard my manicured nails bite into my palms. What can I even do?
Tell him no? Command him to stop? The stupid little contract explicitly states I control his schedule, but I will be absolutely fucked if I stoop that low.
By 1:00 PM, the walls of my office feel like they are closing in. I can't focus on anything. Viktor hasn’t had lunch with me in five days, let alone dinner, since he’s out all fucking night doing God knows what.
I push back from my desk, grab a stack of random files just to give myself an excuse, and walk out to search for him.
As I approach Sarah’s office, I catch the gravelly rumble of his voice. The door is slightly ajar. I stop in the shadows of the corridor, my chest heaving as I look through the gap.
Viktor is standing over Sarah’s desk, his massive frame clad in a charcoal button-down that strains against his back. He points a blunt finger at a clause in the contract in front of them.
But Sarah isn't looking at the contract. She is twirling a pen between her fingers, leaning forward so her blouse dips to expose her ample cleavage.
"You know, Viktor, if you're working the gala on Saturday night, I'm actually off duty," she flirts. "I could show you around the city afterward."
I don’t hear Viktor’s response, but it must not have been harsh, since she’s still giggling up at him.
"Oh, come on, big guy," Sarah persists, playfully tapping the cuff of his sleeve. "You can't work all the time. You must get lonely."
He works for me, Sarah.
He isn’t lonely because he has me.
Inside my head, a red-hot, screaming siren goes off.
Insecure.
Insecure.
Insecure.
I swallow the bitter taste of my own pride and push the door to Sarah’s office all the way open.
Sarah instantly jerks her hand away from Viktor’s sleeve. "Ms. Blackwood! I—we were just—"
"Sarah," I interrupt. I keep my eyes locked strictly on my assistant, actively ignoring Viktor’s presence just inches away. "Did the quarterly projections from the Zurich branch hit your desk yet?"
"Oh. Um, no, not yet, but I can call them right now and—"
"Do that," I order.
Every instinct in my body is screaming at me to look at him, to demand his attention, but I refuse.
He doesn't say a single word.
He was perfectly happy speaking to Sarah just a second ago, but the moment I step in, he shuts down completely.
Fuck.
If I explode and let the jealousy show, I am proving him entirely right. I am proving that I am exactly what he said I was: insecure.
"Actually, Sarah, forget the Zurich files for now," I sigh. "I need you to go down to the archives on the third floor. Personally. Go through the physical paper trails for the 2022 international distribution audits, please."
Sarah’s mouth opens in shock. Pulling those physical files manually will take her hours. In my defense, I truly do need them. I could have let the interns do it, but she just had to flirt with Viktor.
"All of them?"
"Yes. Start now."
"Right away," she murmurs, quickly grabbing her tablet and scrambling out of the office.
With Sarah gone, it leaves just the two of us. But I fight my urge to stay, instead walking out without a backward glance.
Chase me, I think, my chest tightening until it aches. Chase me down like you always do.
For the past month, if I skipped a meal or walked away angry, he would be right on my heels. He would stalk into my office with a loaded salad container or a plate of fruit, cornering me behind my desk, barking orders about my health until I gave in just to quiet him down. I wait for him.
But the hallway behind me remains entirely silent.
He didn't chase me. He isn't coming.