Adam turned to the door when someone knocked and opened it. He saw his secretary, James.
"What is it?" he asked, busy reading a report.
"Gianna wants to see you, sir," James replied.
He sighed. "What is it again?"
Again, because she always came to his office for no reason. Adam knew Gianna liked him, but he had never liked her. He couldn't ban her from the company because she was the daughter of one of the shareholders, Alejandro Salvatore, a friend of his father, Abraham Gardner.
Gianna had always been a headache for Adam. Even when he was married to Erela, she constantly paid attention to him. Her unwanted advances had once caused a fight between him and his wife.
"Tell her I can't entertain her if it's not important. I'm too busy to waste time," Adam ordered.
"Why? Can't I be important?" Gianna suddenly entered the office without permission.
"Ma'am, you can't just enter without the CEO's permission," James reminded her. She rolled her eyes at him.
"I can enter if I want because I'm the daughter of one of the shareholders. I have the right to go wherever I want, even the CEO's office! Who are you to tell me otherwise?" James bowed his head.
"Gianna, stop it! You have no right to talk to my secretary like that. I outrank both you and your father, so respect my decision," Adam said sternly.
Gianna looked at him in disbelief. "You're taking his side over mine?"
He stared at her coldly. "Yes. Now, tell me what you want or leave. You're wasting my time."
Gianna stared at him. "Fine! I'll act like this never happened." She turned to James. "So, will you please leave now?"
James looked at Adam for permission. He nodded, and James left quietly.
"My gosh! He's really getting on my nerves," Adam heard Gianna complain. She walked up to him and smiled sweetly.
"What is it?" he asked impatiently. He wanted to get rid of her quickly.
"Why are you so cold to me? Don't you miss me?" Gianna asked, sitting across from him.
"I've told you, if what you say isn't important, you can leave."
Gianna frowned. "You really hurt my feelings." Adam ignored her complaint. "My father wants to talk to you about something over dinner," she said.
"Why?"
She shrugged. "Maybe about business?"
"About what?"
"Maybe about business?" she shrugged again.
"Why does he need to talk about it somewhere else if Mr. Salvatore can just talk to me here in my office?"
"I don't know. He just told me to tell you to meet at Glaux restaurant at six PM." Adam nodded. "And you don't have to bring your secretary," she added.
His forehead creased. "It's Dad's request. Maybe it's not serious, just a friendly business talk." To end the conversation, Adam agreed. When Gianna left, he sighed in relief.
When Adam finished his work, he headed to Glaux Restaurant across the street from their building. He went alone, as agreed. When he arrived, a receptionist escorted him to their reserved table.
He wondered why Gianna was there and her father Alejandro was not. "Where's Mr. Salvatore?" he asked as he approached the table.
Gianna looked up and smiled sweetly. "You're here! Come sit beside me." Instead, Adam sat across from her. He saw her smile falter.
"So, where's Mr. Salvatore?" he asked again.
She ignored his question, reaching for his hand. "You can just call him Tito. You're too formal. It's like our families aren't close. You can even call him Dad. I'm sure he'll like it."
Adam's jaw tightened. He didn't like it when people ignored his questions. He pulled his hand away and wiped it as if it had dirt on it. He didn't want another woman to touch him, especially not Gianna. Only his wife could hold him.
"I came here for business, so be serious. What's your reason for being here? You never said you'd be here." Gianna knew nothing about business because she had never been interested in her father's work.
Gianna was stunned by his words. "Why? Can't I be interested in our business?" she asked sarcastically. "Maybe Dad's on his way. Let's order while we wait." She called a waiter.
She ordered for both of them when Adam didn't respond. She began to chatter about pointless things. Adam had no interest in listening.
He kept checking his watch. Fifteen minutes passed, and still no sign of Mr. Salvatore. He asked Gianna several times when her father would arrive, but she always said he was on his way. She didn't even bother checking her phone or calling him. Adam realized her true intentions.
"Your father isn't coming, is he?" he asked.
Gianna couldn't meet his eyes. "What?"
"There's no business meeting, no Mr. Salvatore. You lied to me," he said, glaring at her. She had wasted his time.
Gianna looked surprised. "Would you have come if I had just asked you to dinner? I had no choice but to lie to get you to agree." She tried to hold his hand again, but he pushed her away.
"Please don't be angry. I just want to be with you," she pleaded.
Adam couldn't take it anymore. Without a word, he got up and left. Gianna followed him out.
"Wait, Adam. Please hear me out!" She tried to grab him, but he dodged her hand. "Do you hate me so much that you won't even let me touch you? Why? Because of your wife?" she scoffed.
"Your wife has been gone for a long time. You should forget about her. I'm here, why not just me?" she pleaded desperately.
"Whether my wife is dead or alive, I will never love you. Do you understand? So stop those damn feelings. I won't reciprocate them." Adam turned his back on her.
"You'll be mine, Adam. Do you understand? I won't give up until I get you!" she shouted.
He ignored her. He had promised himself he would never love again if it wasn't his wife.