The sound of Lorenzo's footsteps echoed through the hall, sharp and deliberate, as I struggled to keep up. His long strides devoured the distance between us, leaving me feeling small and out of place in every possible way. The pristine marble floors beneath my heels seemed to amplify my hesitance with every step I took. He didn't glance back, didn't so much as check to see if I was still behind him. It was as though he already knew I wouldn't stop…that I couldn't. His presence alone was enough to weigh on my every decision, a silent warning that refusing to follow wasn't an option.
I could feel the air grow colder as we approached the double doors at the end of the hallway. Lorenzo's hand lingered on the polished brass handle for a brief moment, his posture unreadable, before he pushed them open with a smooth, almost practiced motion. My breath caught as I stepped into the room.
The office exuded power. The dark wood-paneled walls seemed to absorb the faint light streaming from a modern chandelier overhead. A sleek desk dominated the space, its surface littered with a chaotic mix of files and papers that somehow seemed meticulously placed. Beyond the desk, floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the far wall, offering a breathtaking view of the trees and flowers outside the window.
"Sit," Lorenzo commanded, his voice sharp yet calm, as he moved around to the high-backed chair behind the desk. He didn't look at me, didn't wait to see if I would obey.
I hesitated, the word echoing in my mind. Sit. A simple command, yet it carried the weight of a test. My movements felt slow and deliberate as I approached the chair he had indicated. The leather cushion was cold beneath me as I perched cautiously on the edge, my hands fidgeting in my lap before I forced them to still. Every instinct screamed at me to appear composed, even if I wasn't.
Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze finally settling on me. The intensity in his eyes was unnerving, as though he could see through every fragile layer of the composure I had managed to muster. "You've been here less than seventy two hours," he began, his tone measured but unyielding, "and yet you already look like you're drowning."
I stiffened, his words cutting deeper than I expected. He tilted his head, the barest hint of amusement flickering across his features. "Tell me, Daisy, how do you plan to survive in my world?"
The question caught me off guard. My mind raced for an answer, but the truth was, I didn't have one. "I don't know yet," I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended.
His lips twitched, not quite a smile but something close to it. "At least you're honest." He shifted his focus to one of the open files on his desk, flipping through the pages with an air of disinterest. "Honesty won't get you far, though. Not here."
I stayed silent, unsure if I was supposed to respond. The room felt impossibly still, the quiet broken only by the faint rustle of paper as he turned another page. Finally, Lorenzo closed the file with a decisive snap and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk.
"You're not here to be a decoration, Daisy," he said, his voice lowering as if to ensure I absorbed every word. "I didn't bring you into my world to stand in the background and fade into the wallpaper. If you want to survive, you'll have to prove you're worth keeping around."
My stomach twisted at his words, the weight of his expectations settling heavily on my shoulders. "What do you mean?" I asked, hating how uncertain my voice sounded.
He stood abruptly, the chair scraping faintly against the floor as he moved to a small cabinet along the wall. My eyes followed him as he opened it and pulled out a decanter of amber liquid. He poured himself a drink, the sound of the liquid filling the glass unnervingly loud in the silence.
"What I mean," he said, turning back to face me, "is that you're going to learn how to adapt. Starting now." He placed the glass down on the desk with a deliberate motion, then walked toward me, his presence towering and unyielding. Stopping a few feet away, he crossed his arms over his chest. "There's an event tonight. A charity gala. You'll be attending with me."
The declaration caught me off guard. I blinked, struggling to process the abrupt shift in conversation. "Why?" The question escaped before I could stop myself.
Lorenzo's brow arched, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his expression. "Because I said so," he replied, his tone as sharp as a blade. He let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing, "And because it's time you understood the role you'll play. You'll stand by my side, smile when necessary, and keep your ears open. People will talk, Daisy, and sometimes the most important thing you can do is listen."
I stared at him, the enormity of what he was saying sinking in. "I don't belong there," I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could think better of them.
"No," he agreed without hesitation, his tone blunt and unapologetic. "You don't. But you will." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Consider this your first test. Sink or swim, Daisy. Those are your only options."
The weight of his words pressed down on me like a suffocating shroud. Sink or swim. There was no middle ground, no room for hesitation or failure. My throat tightened, but I forced myself to nod. "What do I need to do?" I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me.
Lorenzo studied me for what felt like an eternity, his gaze unrelenting, before finally stepping back. "A car will pick you up in an hour," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Wear something appropriate."
His dismissal was as clear as if he'd spoken it aloud. He returned to his desk, his focus shifting to the files once again. I stood slowly, my legs unsteady as I turned toward the door. My hand hovered over the cool brass handle when his voice stopped me.
"Daisy."
I froze, my heart pounding as I turned back to face him.
He was staring at me, his expression unreadable, though there was something in his eyes, something I couldn't quite place. "Don't disappoint me," he said, the warning laced with quiet authority.
The words lingered long after I left the office. My steps felt heavier with each stride down the corridor, the quiet hum of the building pressing in around me. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was teetering on the edge of something monumental, something I wasn't sure I was prepared for.
Back in 'my' room, I paced restlessly, Lorenzo's words repeating in my mind like a haunting refrain. Sink or swim. Those were my only options. Failure wasn't an option, and yet the fear of it loomed large, a shadow I couldn't escape. I glanced at the clock, the ticking hands reminding me of the time slipping away.
An hour. That was all I had to transform myself, to step into a world where I didn't belong and pretend like I did. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror, the uncertainty in my eyes a stark reminder of just how far out of my depth I was.