09
Two weeks has flew by since I started working at the Maroni headquarters and everything was going smooth.
Except for my intimidating boss.
There's been a weird shift between us, or maybe I'm imagining it, after the incident where he wasn't so thrilled with me making friends.
I deserve some homies too!
He was still the cold persona person but I would catch him staring at me a lot. Even after I catch him he wouldn't bother to hide that he had his gaze on me, which for some reasons made me things that weren't pure at all.
I wonder how old he is. It was hard to say but surely look to be in his early or mid thirties. The thought only made me flush.
Today however the morning was already off to a nerve-wracking start.
I sat at my desk, constantly checking and re-checking the schedules for the day.
It was my first time taking of a meeting with Mr. Maroni and international clients, and the weight of it made my stomach twist in knots.
Luca—Mr. Maroni—had been clear that this wasn't just any meeting.
These clients, were German businessmen from one of the largest organizations in Europe.
I was stressing.
Slow down Lenora everything's going to be okay.
The intercom on my desk buzzed, startling me out of my thoughts. His deep, commanding voice filtered through.
"Miss Williams. My office. Now."
I didn't even hesitate, grabbing my tablet and notepad before heading to his office. My heels clicked against the polished floor, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent hallway.
When I entered, Luca was already standing by the window, his silhouette sharp and intimidating against the backdrop of the city skyline. He turned as I stepped inside, his piercing gray eyes locking onto mine.
"Do you have the agenda prepared?" he asked, his tone clipped.
"Yes, sir," I said quickly, holding up the tablet. "I've also included a breakdown of their current market strategy negotiation points."
He nodded once, his gaze assessing. "Good. The car will be here in ten minutes. You'll be accompanying me to the meeting."
The words made my stomach drop. "Me?" I blurted before I could stop myself.
His expression hardened, and I instantly regretted my outburst. "Yes, you," he said coolly. "Is that a problem?"
"N-no, sir," I stammered, lowering my eyes.
"Good. You'll take notes and ensure everything runs smoothly. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," I said again, my voice barely above a whisper.
He studied me for a moment longer, his gaze sharp enough to make me squirm, before dismissing me with a curt nod.
The ride to the meeting was quiet. I sat across from Luca in the backseat of the sleek black car, my hands clutching my notepad so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I could feel his eyes on me occasionally, but I didn't dare look up.
"Relax, Miss Williams," he said suddenly, his tone softer than I expected. "You look like you're walking into a battlefield."
I glanced up, surprised by his attempt at reassurance. "I just don't want to mess anything up," I admitted.
His lips twitched, almost like he wanted to smile, but the expression never fully formed. "You'll be fine," he said simply.
Somehow, the words calmed me.
The meeting took place in the conference room of one of the city's most prestigious hotels. The German clients were already waiting when we arrived, their polished appearances and confident smiles only adding to my anxiety.
Luca introduced me briefly, and I kept my head slightly bowed, murmuring polite greetings as I shook their hands. One of the men—Mr. Becker, tall, broad-shouldered with slicked-back blond hair—held my hand a little longer than necessary.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Luca has excellent taste in his staff."
I felt my cheeks heat up. "Thank you, sir," I said softly, pulling my hand back.
Throughout the meeting, I did my best to focus on taking notes, but I couldn't ignore the way Mr. Becker's eyes lingered on me. It was subtle enough not to draw attention from the rest of the room, but every time his gaze met mine, a chill ran down my spine.
At one point, during a pause in the discussion, he leaned closer to me and murmured, "You must let me take you to dinner sometime, Miss Williams. You're far too beautiful to hide behind that desk."
My heart pounded in my chest as I fumbled for a response. "Oh, um, I d..don't think that would be appropriate—"
"She won't be available," Luca's voice cut through, sharp and cold.
I looked up, startled by his tone. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his jaw and the icy glare he directed at Mr. Becker spoke loud.
The rest of the meeting passed without further incident, but the air between Luca and Mr. Becker remained thick with unspoken tension.
The ride back to the office was suffocating. Luca's silence was louder than words, his jaw tight and his hands clenched into fists, knuckles turned white. I didn't dare say anything, too afraid of provoking whatever storm was brewing inside him.
When we arrived, he didn't wait for me, striding into the building and straight to his office. I hesitated for a moment when he snapped, "My office. Now."
Quietly I follow, to face whatever wrath was coming my way.
The door to his office was open, and I stepped inside cautiously.
"Close the door," he said without looking at me as he removed his blazer and left it on the couch.
I obeyed, my hands trembling as I turned to face him.
"What the hell was that?" he snapped, his voice like a whip.
I flinched, my heart racing. "I-I don't know what you mean, sir."
"You let him flirt with you," he growled, turning to face me. His eyes were blazing with anger, and the sheer intensity of it made my knees weak. "You didn't shut him down."
Why do you care?
"I didn't encourage him!" I protested, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.
Control Lenora.
"Didn't you?" he shot back, his voice rising as he towered me. "The way you smiled at him, the way you let him invade your space—you might as well have invited him to continue."
His words cut deep, dragging up memories I'd worked so hard to bury. Memories of being blamed for things that weren't my fault, of being told I was the problem.
"I didn't know how to respond," I said weakly, my voice trembling.
That's not good enough," he snapped, his tone cold and unforgiving.
Something inside me cracked. The weight of his anger, combined with the memories his words dredged up, became too much to bear. My chest tightened, and my breathing grew shallow and rapid.
"That's not good enough."
"Shut the fuck up and let me finish it."
"Your always causing chaos."
"Lenora?" Luca's voice softened, the anger in his eyes replaced by something else—concern, maybe.
I couldn't answer him. I couldn't breathe. The room felt like it was closing in on me, the walls pressing closer and closer until I thought I might suffocate.
"Lenora," he said again, stepping closer. His hand hovered near my shoulder, hesitant, before finally resting there. "Breathe. You're having a panic attack." He had his hand on my shoulder while the other one was starting to caress my hair.
I tried to focus on his voice, but the memories kept pulling me under—memories of shouting, of blame, of being made to feel like I was never enough.
"You're never good enough."
"Look at me," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "You're safe. Just breathe. "
After what felt like an eternity, the tightness in my chest began to ease, and the room stopped spinning.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I didn't mean to—"
"Shh don't apologize," he said, his tone so soft that it made me surprised. His hand still around me except for the one that was caressing my hair was not wrapped around my wait.
Oh my god. We're so so close that I only realized it after noticing how tight my fists were clenching his shirt.
For a moment, we just stood there, the tension between us replaced by an odd, fragile sort of calm.
"Take the rest of the day off," he said finally, his voice quiet but firm leaving no room for arguments.
I nodded, too drained to argue, and turned to leave the office.
As I walked away, I felt his eyes on me, the weight of his gaze lingering long after I'd disappeared from view.