Alessia hurried through the bustling lobby of Marco's company, Vani Enterprises, clutching a folder tightly to her chest. She approached the elevator, hoping she could catch up with the next ride.
She smiled as she remembered the fatherly taxi driver that gave her a ride the night before. He seemed a little intoxicated but he was kind. When he saw the mark on her face, he passed her an ice bag and a tiny hippo plush toy. He also gave her his jacket. She had hidden the mark with her hair before entering her home, not wanting her siblings to see.
She saw her closest colleague, Laura, a petite woman, also running towards the elevator with her 4 inches heels, their eyes met and they both giggled.
"What a busy day!" Laura exclaimed, her smile wide as she squeezed into the crowded elevator.
"I don't know how you manage in those shoes," Alessia replied, shaking her head in mock disbelief.
"If I get promoted and leave the operations team, I'll be free," Laura panted, placing a hand over her chest to prevent it from being squished against the man in front of her.
Laura was her partner in crime and gossip. She always filled her in about the office scandals. On many occasions had she let her in on some trap planned against her. The workers in the company weren't particularly nice to Alessia. Laura was the only one who understood her, she also knew of her relationship with Marco.
The elevator chimed and the doors opened. As everyone dispersed to their destinations, Laura gave Alessia a reassuring wink before walking away.
Alessia stood outside Marco's office, her stomach in knots. She clutched the project folder, bracing herself, and knocked lightly.
"Enter," Marco's voice commanded from within.
Alessia stepped inside the spacious office, its dark hues and and sparse furnishing exuding an oppressive atmosphere. Marco sat behind his massive mahogany desk, a look of irritation already etched on his face.
He barely glanced up as she approached. "What is it now, Alessia?"
Her anger flared at his dismissive tone. She lamented silently, 'We were in love. How did it come to this?' Marco didn't call or text after the party. She didn't expect an apology but this felt too much.
"I need us to discuss..."
"There's no need to discuss anything. You did wrong, and I put you in your place," Marco interrupted coldly.
Alessia scoffed, gripping the hippo plush toy hidden in her pocket. "The budget proposal for the new project needs corrections. I saw you approved it already," she began. "There are significant discrepancies we need to address before moving forward."
Marco finally looked up, his eyes narrowing. "You mean you were nitpicking my decisions? Who do you think you are?"
"Someone who pointed out this mistake in your car last week. If we don't fix these, Marco, it could lead to major financial issues down the line," she said.
Marco's eyes flashed with anger. He stood abruptly, sending the files before him flying off the desk and the papers scattered across the floor. "Do you know what your problem is, Alessia?" he spat, his voice rising. "You think you're smarter than everyone else. You think you can just dictate how I run my company."
Alessia's chest heaved with suppressed fury. "I'm only doing my job. This isn't about ego; it's about the company's success!"
'Maybe it all went wrong when I accepted to work with him knowing how fragile his ego was'. Alessia thought.
Alessia and Marco met when she was in her sophomore year at a tech conference. She had helped out with the pitch presentation of a friend's start-up. Her feminity and charisma shone as she walked up the stage that day in a pink pastel gown.
She got $700,000 seed capital for her friend and a standing ovation. She remembered her eyes also meeting with Mr Francesco's and he gave a nod. She told everyone but no one believed her.
Marco contacted her after the event and they started talking. After 5 months of Marco's persistence, she said yes. Their first 3 years in relationship was a long distance relationship, and they only talked twice a month as they were both busy. He had always shown signs of aggressiveness but she didn't think much of it, as it never felt abusive.
Marco stormed around the desk and walked towards her till his face inches from hers.
"You don't get it, do you? You're expendable. I can replace you in a heartbeat. So, if you want to keep your job, you better start acting like it."
"So you'll jeopardize the company's future because you can't handle criticism?"
Marco grabbed her arm, his grip painfully tight. "You listen to me, you ungrateful little bitch" he began, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper, "You will do as I say, or I will make your life here a living hell. Do you understand?"
Emily yanked her arm free, glaring at him. " We know between ourselves that me being in this company is doing you a big favor, so eat up your pride and think like a leader "
Alessia yanked her arm free, glaring at him. "Like it isn't a living hell already. Eat up your pride and think like a leader. I'm not that easily replaceable."
Marco was a natural born business man, giving his Sanguine personality, he could sell a $1,000 dollar bag to an armless woman, he was that good, but his weakness was that he wasn't good with numbers or documentation, and that was Alessia's forte, she had been dealing with figures since she was 8. Her room was littered with awards from various maths competition both national and international.
Marco sneered. "Get out of my office. Now."
"You'll regret this very soon, Marco," Alessia retorted, turning abruptly. As she walked through the lobby, she kept extending her lips, forcing a professional smile to her lips.
She unlocked her phone and opened a hidden banking app disguised as a muffin icon. Seven figures stared back at her. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile. 'Alessia, your escape plan begins now.'