It had been two days since my return home, and I had spent those two days married to an unfamiliar Italian Don. He had promised to follow me here, but I hadn't seen any men in black lurking around my building yet. A tinge of disappointment washed over me, but I quickly pushed it aside as I entered my building.
"Good morning, ma'am," my employees greeted me as I walked past them. I acknowledged their greetings with a nod before stepping into the elevator.
I let out a sigh as I checked my wristwatch; it was nearly ten o'clock, and the traffic was to blame for my tardiness.
I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through Twitter. My notifications had been buzzing incessantly, indicating that something significant had happened. As it turned out, there was a flurry of gossip surrounding a recent event.
The elevator chimed, and I stepped out, having reached my floor. I made my way to my office, my eyebrows furrowing as I noticed my usually chatty secretary's uncharacteristic silence.
"Good morning, ma'am," she greeted me when she saw me, even going as far as to give a slight bow, a departure from her usual behavior.
I returned the greeting, clearly taken aback by her unusual deference. This was only the beginning of a series of surprises that awaited me inside my office.
Upon opening my office door, I was greeted by the sight of him standing by the glass window, looking out. He appeared every bit the powerful man in his customary three-piece suit. Even with his back turned to me, I could sense the aura of authority he radiated. Was this the reason the building had grown eerily quiet? And why hadn't I seen any men in black outside?
"You're later than usual, my wife," he stated, sending a shiver down my spine. Why was I nervous? This was my company, after all; I was the boss.
I closed the door behind me and approached my desk. "Uh, traffic," I stammered as I placed my bag down and powered up my laptop.
"You have a splendid view from up here," he commented.
"Yes, it's soothing," I replied as I examined my company's financial status. I sighed when I noticed a decrease of -1.22%. It might not have been a substantial drop, but I was affected nonetheless. I couldn't allow any decline in my company's performance.
"You have a fantastic view from up here," he remarked again.
"Yes, it's calming," I repeated, focused on the data on my screen. Gathering my courage, I took a seat at my desk.
"I came all the way here from Italy just to see you, and you aren't giving your husband any attention," he whispered, his low voice sending shivers down my spine. I was at a loss for words and simply stood there. Finally, I raised my arms hesitantly and wrapped them around his neck.
I couldn't understand why I felt at ease in his arms, given that we had only known each other for a few days. We were strangers, yet here I was, embracing him as if we had been together for years. Why did his touch make me feel so comfortable?
We stayed locked in our embrace for what felt like ten or fifteen minutes. When he finally released me, his arms remained around my waist.
Now, I was back at my desk, working on my laptop while he had to attend to his duties, taking his leave before disappearing behind my office doors. I tried not to dwell on what had transpired earlier, focusing instead on the stack of files and emails demanding my attention.
"What's on my schedule for today?" I inquired over the intercom, keeping my eyes on one of the files that had been sitting in my office for far too long, a project I had been avoiding.
"Nothing, ma'am. Your schedule is clear for today," my secretary responded.
"Are you sure?" I asked her, a bit surprised, as my schedule was rarely empty.
"Yes, ma'am."
Hours passed unnoticed, and before I knew it, it was already lunchtime. I was jolted from my thoughts when the door to my office swung open, accompanied by a squeal from a familiar face that I knew would pester me until she heard my story.
"Oh my gosh, you didn't tell me you're already married!" she exclaimed, plopping down on the couch. I let out a sigh before closing my laptop.
"And girl, he's so...wow. Incredibly handsome and downright sexy. Yumm," she said, lost in her dreams. I chuckled and threw a pillow her way, to which she responded with a playful eye roll.
"Shut up," I retorted.
"Jealous, are we?" she teased. "But seriously, tell me what happened. Why did you come home married? Last I checked, you were single and didn't have a boyfriend, and now you have a husband? Spill the beans!"
I sighed and obliged, telling her the entire story from start to finish. I omitted no details, except for the intimate moments that were reserved for us alone.
"Are you serious? You accidentally married an Italian Don?" she asked incredulously after I had finished narrating. Her expression was a mix of disbelief and amusement.
"Yes, I did," I replied as I scrolled through my phone. I was starving and craving some carbonara pasta.
"Unbelievable! Aren't you scared? What if one day he decides to harm you or use you against his enemies?" she asked, her concern evident. The realization of my safety in this newfound arrangement with a Mafia Don finally struck me.
"Well, I'm not," I replied with a sigh as I placed my order. "I actually feel safe with him, and I haven't witnessed any violence so far. Besides, don't forget that I know how to handle a gun and defend myself."
My words seemed to calm her, and she stopped her anxious pacing in front of me, relief evident on her face.
"Oh, yes, I remember now. Well, let's hope nothing bad happens," she said, her tone lightening.
I was about to respond when my phone rang. I answered it and listened as the delivery guy explained his predicament.
"Hello!" I greeted him. "I'm already in my building, but they won't let me in, especially the men in black outside."
I glanced out of my window and saw numerous men in black suits scattered around. They hadn't been there before; perhaps Massimo had ordered them to be there.
"Let me talk to them," I instructed.
"Ma'am," an unfamiliar voice spoke on the other end.
"Let the man in," I said, and after a few minutes, I heard the man give the delivery guy permission to enter. I ended the call and waited for my order to arrive.
Turning to my secretary, who had comfortably seated herself on my long lounge, I chuckled and said, "Don't make my office your home."
She playfully rolled her eyes at me. I shook my head, amused by her antics.
When a knock came from outside my office, I opened the door and smiled at the delivery guy as I collected my order. My secretary looked at me with a mix of amusement and disdain as I devoured my pasta with relish.
"Don't tell me you're going to eat all of that," she exclaimed.
"Oh, believe me, I can finish all of these," I replied, and with a small burp, I wiped my hands and face clean before tidying up my desk and disposing of the trash.
I let out a sigh and settled into my swivel chair, gazing out at the people below who were going about their daily lives. It was a scene I had often longed to be a part of, but now, I couldn't.
"Oh, you're done," a woman's voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see her standing there, and I greeted her with a smile.
"Do we have an appointment today?" I asked.
"Well, I didn't want to inform you of this, but I must... Mr. Alvarez wants to terminate our contract," she said.
"What? We still have two more years left, and our business is thriving," I exclaimed.
"I don't know. His secretary called and informed me without providing a reason," she replied.
My fingers raked through my hair in frustration. This was an unprecedented situation in my business career. Contracts were typically terminated after they expired, not abruptly like this. I couldn't fathom why it was happening.