Camila
"Ma'am, I didn't know you'd be coming this morning," the door was kicked open, and Sam walked in, hot on his tail as he followed me towards my desk. I dropped my bag and car keys on the desk before settling down, sparing a nervous Sam a look.
"I thought I had already informed you yesterday to make the necessary preparations," I answered. Sam's eyes darted left to right, as if what I said was the most confusing thing.
"You didn't, Ma'am. I bet it had skipped your mind. But I'm glad you are here. Work has been choked up on my neck," Sam looked like someone who was on the verge of passing out. Poor guy. I left him with all the work. I know there are a lot of pending tasks that needed my attention. One of them being getting to the bottom of the problem from my company's documentation. I needed to know why on earth my investor would play such a game with me.
"It's okay, Sam. I'm here now. Schedule a meeting with Mrs. Gave. Let's hear what he has to say regarding the bomb he threw yesterday," I said, switching on the desktop in front of me.
"I will do that right away. I have already taken care of last week's paperwork. The only one that needed your immediate attention is the Blueseal company," My hands instantly went to a halt at the mention of Blueseal.
"Haven't we passed on that already? We are no longer taking any projects from that fraudulent man," involving myself with Mr. Fred should be the last thing I'd want to do. I might have to compare him to Antonio. People like them lack respect and manners. He had done enough damage to my career. Cutting him off is the best option for both of us.
"You did say that, but Mr. Fred insisted that he wants to have a meeting with you. His Secretary had been sending emails and disturbing with calls. I think you should see him for the last time and maybe give him a piece of your mind properly," I couldn't help but smile at the way Sam clenched his fist, as if someone who wants to throw a punch.
"Alright then. Schedule the meeting after Mr. Gave. Thank you." As Sam scribbled down notes on his phone as he always did. No matter how much I tried explaining to him that he has passed that level, Sam still sticks to the old method. I can't blame the poor guy. If that's his way of learning, then so be it.
The first thing I was greeted with on the face of the internet was news about my father's company. Reporters, media houses, and every other part of the internet were covered up with news about his company. The smile plastered on my father's face as he spoke through the speaker amidst the reporters questioning him regarding the storm that almost swept his company to bankruptcy.
I watched as he lamented how hard he worked to bring his company to the success it was. He added that he was a blessed man destined to run a business. Bitterness settled in the pit of my stomach. He didn't even care to give credit to me. I was the backbone of his company getting back on track. But then again, who was I kidding? My father exposing the real deal behind saving his company wouldn't do me any good. No one knows about the deal underground. And it better stays that way. I'd rather have it over my dead body than allowing the world to know I had married Antonio Di Salvatore.
He can do whatever he wants for all I care. I will never allow myself to be chained to him. My phone chimed beside me with Rina's name. I braced myself for her long rant over the course of the matter. I had composed a detailed message for her before I left the house. I told her everything. That I had gotten married to Antonio Di Salvatore. "You better get your ass here before I come there myself and break your legs!" Came her loud voice, as expected.
I slightly pulled the phone away from my ears, closed my eyes, opened them again, and then placed it back to my ears. "Save all your insults for later. I don't plan on dodging it. I will meet you for dinner later."
"Why not now? You got married and can't even tell me!"
"I didn't before. But you know now. So, my dear Miss Rina, can we talk more later? That way your temper should have subsided," I said as calmly as I could muster up.
"I don't plan on calming down. Just make sure you come on time. I will be waiting." And then the line went dead silent. Great, Rina.
Call me hot-tempered? You haven't met Rina yet. Her face is enough to show her character. Rina gets angry at little things but she's a sweet person. What I mean by a sweet person is, she puts you before herself. Which is one thing I love about her. Which is why she's my best friend. My second family. I dropped my phone, discarded the news still showing on the face of the desktop, before proceeding to take care of the task at hand.
My arms are folded across my chest as I stare at Mr. Gave, who has already finished two cups of coffee, yet we have not come to a conclusion in the meeting. "At this rate, you might just buy the whole coffee shop," I said, leaning forward to sip mine. I haven't touched it more than twice since I ordered it.
"I'm trying to regain my energy before you kill me."
I shot him a glare. "That's what I was going to do. So I will allow you to enjoy your coffee. As your last." His eyes widened for a nanosecond before he let out a sharp breath.
"Seriously Miss Camila, I had no idea about that. I was given orders by the director to withdraw the investment. I don't know what happened."
"How can you not know when you're working for him? Why would he just pull out all of a sudden? I'm sure there was something underneath. Maybe someone offered him more than our genuine agreement." Funny enough, all my interactions were with Mr. Gave and not his boss directly. I have never met or seen him before. What matters is that we are doing business without any holes.
Mr. Gave cast his head down before lifting it up and looked at me. I could tell he was going to confess. I have known him for a while, enough to understand how he is. "I'm sorry that your building belongs to someone else now. Which means you have a new boss."
At some point, I should be shaken by the news, but I found myself not finding his confession surprising. "Meaning?" I asked.
"Mr. Antonio Di Salvatore bought your building."
"Tell me you are joking, Camila! Don't tell me Caesar Di Salvatore has a son!"
I took a sip of my drink, my lips curving up. But that wasn't what was bothering me at that moment. The fact that he has the audacity to buy my building, where I lead my company. "I was shaken also," I answered.
Rina burst out with laughter. "This has to be the most exciting news of my life. I wasn't shaken up even when I found out Nathaniel has a wife!" She exclaimed, gulping down her own drink and pouring more. I pushed my glass too.
Nathaniel was Rina's ex-crush. Yes, not a boyfriend. He was her current boss. Rina works at his company where they deal with anything skincare. Rina didn't know he actually had a wife until her feelings, which she labeled as a crush, grew deeper. But currently, Nathaniel is single. He got divorced a few months ago. That means Rina still has a chance.
"But he doesn't now, right?" I said, reaching for the glass she had poured the drink in. Drinking two shots won't do me any harm, right? I know how to hold my alcohol level. Okay, maybe a bit.
"But that wouldn't change the fact that he was married before. I want a fresh hunk, not a second hand." I shook my head at her outburst.
"It doesn't matter. You still have feelings for him. You should not forget he was the reason why you joined his company. And now you're getting the credit." Rina is the sales manager at the company. More reason why I said I'm blessed to have her as my best friend. Rina is a smart one.
She threw me a glare. "I should be pissed off at you right now. We are talking about you here, not me. So how is she? In terms of looks?" she emphasized. I didn't miss how her face was glowing in the light of the night.
"He's ugly," I declared.
"You must be crazy. If Mia Di Salvatore can be that piece of meat, I'm sure he'd be dangerously handsome. Beauty runs in their family. You can't tell me otherwise."
Maybe Rina is right. Dangerous is the right word to use for him. He's a danger to me. "He might think he can tame me. But you of all people know I won't allow that, Rina." Rina knows the kind of person I am. Disrespect is one thing I dread.
"I know, Camila. Are you okay?" She said, her voice going softer this time around.
I shook my head. One thing Rina knows so much about me is I don't hide my worries. "I'm not. Not until I kill Antonio myself."
Her eyes diluted suspiciously. "What are you planning on doing? Don't hurt yourself in the process."
I chuckled at her remark. "Are you worried about me going to jail for killing my husband just two days after the marriage?" I asked, lifting up my brows.
"Who knows? Sometimes you're dangerous. And now that you're married into a powerful family, I should be scared for you."
My grin widened, and I went for another glass, getting a warning from Rina in return. "I won't be able to carry you if you pass out. And I don't have your husband's contact number."
She's making it sound as if he was the typical husband. He is a fool.
"You don't have to do that. I'm still sober. But I'm sure Antonio will not like what will come to him."
"What are you going to do about the building now? Is he going to be your new boss?" She asked.
"I own that building, Rina. He might have the documents in his name, but the firm belongs to me."
By the time I arrived back home, it was close to midnight. Rina had called an Uber worried I would get into trouble since I was a bit drunk. Don't worry. I'm still sober enough to know where I'm heading to and can see where I'm stepping on. The entrance door wasn't locked as I sauntered inside. The large living room was a stark reminder of how I was going to lead my life with a hell dangerous man. Just the aura of the room was enough to give me goosebumps.
I glided my way upstairs towards the designated room given to me. "You should learn how to abide by the rules," as dark as the surrounding was, the voice resonated through my eardrums.
I said nothing and still went on to pull the doorknob. My body was suddenly yanked back and was hauled to the walls of my door. Two pairs of dark eyes attacked mine. I know I said I wasn't drunk, but at that moment, my head spun around. "Let me go," I managed to muffle out. I was trying not to do what I would regret. Because the only thing running through my head at that moment was to strangle him to death.
"I had made myself clear that you shouldn't leave the house," he seethed. I didn't miss how his jaw was clenching. He was angry.
"You don't get to decide my life," I spat back equally.
"Oh, is that so?" His tone held a warning, and I would be damned if I said my body didn't shiver at the way his hand circled around my wrist. In a matter of seconds, my body was pushed inside the room. "I'm going to teach you how to behave around me." As dangerous as that sounded to my ears, it didn't do good to my heart that was thumping inside its ribcage. One of us was sure going to lose his shit tonight.