Chapter 16

Elara's POV

Mr. Russo stares at me, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he's trying to place where he knows me from. “Do I know you?” he asks.

I’d laugh if I wasn’t moments away from peeing my pants. A powerful man like him knowing someone as insignificant as me? No way. “No, sir, you don’t. I’m just… nobody. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get out of your way now,” I say quickly, already turning to leave.

“Wait,” he calls.

I freeze, clenching my fists and forcing a polite expression onto my face. I’m exhausted, and all I want is to run away from his grumpy son, but there’s no walking away from this either. Not when I’m face-to-face with a man like him. “Yes, sir?”

“What are you doing here?” His gaze flickers to the private elevator I just exited. “You came from Lorenzo’s floor, didn’t you? Only people who work there have access to that lift.”

“I—um, yes,” I stammer, unsure what to say. He’s Lorenzo’s father, after all. Shouldn’t he want to know who works in his son’s office? I would if