Chapter 6

Elara's POV

I walk into Lorenzo's office at exactly 8:30 a.m. the next day. My plan is to make him see me as a great and obedient employee, and then, when he isn’t aware, I'll strike hard. Lorenzo is sitting calmly behind his desk, his eyes focused on his laptop.

His jacket is hanging on the edge of his chair, and he's only in a black shirt, which is rolled to his elbows. He looks handsome.

I look around, and my eyes widen at the view. The office is stunning, radiating modern sophistication with dark wood furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows, and the most magnificent view of the city below.

“Good morning, Mr. Russo,” I chirp happily, but he doesn’t respond.

I roll my eyes, muttering under my breath, “Arrogant bastard.”

At that moment, he looks up, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. “Ms. Walker, come on in,” he says, and a chill runs down my spine. Did he hear me?

“Uh, yes. Thank you, sir.” I walk further into the room, his intimidating presence making the incredibly large office seem small for the two of us. He gestures to a chair, and I sit, trying to wipe my sweaty palms on my dress.

“Let’s get a few things straight,” he begins, leaning forward, his expression serious. “You’ll be assisting me with various tasks today, but first, go get me a coffee. I take it with three sugars.”

“Of course, right away, sir.”

The break room is bustling with coworkers, making me wonder if they didn't have breakfast at home. I ignore everyone else and focus on getting Lorenzo's coffee just right.

When I return to his office, I set the coffee down on his desk. “Here you go, Mr. Russo.”

He takes a sip and grimaces, pushing the cup away. “No, this is not good. Go again.”

What in the actual shit? I made it as he ordered. Great, this is how it starts. Jerk.

The second trip ends up with the same result. “Too bitter. I trust you can count right, Ms. Walker. I asked for three sugars,” he says dismissively.

The third time he does this, I groan with annoyance. Does he even know how to appreciate a good cup of coffee?

He takes a sip and scowls. “This is unacceptable. You need to learn to pay attention.”

As I turn to leave, I overhear him muttering under his breath, “Now you’ll learn not to talk bad about me, even under your breath, stupid girl.” Oh, so he heard me and this is his revenge, huh? Okay then, Lorenzo. You want me to give you excellent coffee? We’ll see about that.

On my next trip to the break room, I grab a pinch of salt and pour it into the cup before returning. I set it down in front of him and smile widely. "Your coffee, sir, just the way you like it?"

He narrows his eyes at me, but I maintain a straight face. However, my expression slips into a smirk when he spits out the coffee. “What the hell is this? Why is there salt in my coffee?"

I feign innocence. I pick up the cup and take a sip, then inhale deeply with a small smile. “Sir, this tastes wonderful. Your taste buds are surely not working well because there is no salt in this coffee. I assure you, sir, this is the best coffee ever.”

He glares at me, his expression darkening. “Elara, do not joke with me. Why would you do this?”

“Sir, I assure you there is no salt,” I say with a smirk.

“Get out of my sight,” he snaps, frustration evident on his face. “And make sure you finish all these tasks by the end of the day. Or you're not going home.”

As I turn to leave, my arms filled with the stacks of papers I'm to work on, I feel a rush of satisfaction go through me. This battle is far from over.

As the morning drags on, I keenly follow his instructions. When the clock strikes noon, I remind myself that I should take a break. I walk toward his office to ask for permission, but just as I raise my hand to knock, I overhear something that makes me freeze in my steps.

“Demolitions are set to begin on the east side,” Lorenzo's sharp voice announces.

I freeze, my heart racing. The east side? That’s where the Roselia's orphanage is—the one I’ve cared about for years. That place is my first home. The home for older adults and the homeless shelter are also there. No! They can’t do that!

I lean closer, straining to catch more snippets of the conversation.

“Yes, sir, and once the plan gets approved, there’ll be no turning back,” a second voice replies urgently. “We can’t afford any delays.”

“No delays,” Lorenzo agrees. “Make sure everything is in place. I want the project completed on time and perfectly.”

I step back slowly, my mind racing with thoughts of how to disrupt this. I couldn't do anything when my home and livelihood were being destroyed by Lorenzo's henchmen. But this time, I won't stand here and watch them do the same to others.

I had tried so hard to put up a fight for the first time. I tried everything I could to sabotage their plans. But I had failed. This time, I was bound to succeed.

Just as I make my resolve and turn to head towards my desk, a creaking sound behind me alerts me to Lorenzo's door being opened. I turn around as he steps out. When he sees me, he raises an eyebrow. “Are you not going to take a break?”

“No, sir, I’m fine. I’m not tired.”

He shrugs, his gaze piercing as he marches past me, his footsteps echoing down the empty hallway as he heads for the elevator.

As soon as he’s gone, I waste no time. I open his office and walk in. My plan is to find anything that could help me uncover more about the demolition plans. That way, I'll know how to stop them.

After a long search, which consists of me opening and closing all cabinets multiple times, I hit the jackpot. Right on top of his table is a file named “East Side Projects."

I open it and quickly scan through. My eyes land on a date: 23/01/25. That must be the date for the demolition.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoes from outside. Lorenzo is coming. Shit.

I quickly close the file and place it back in its original position. My heart drums wildly in my chest, threatening to break my ribcage. My eyes lock on the door as the knob turns. Shit. Shit. Shit. How do I explain my presence in his office when I am clearly not supposed to be there?

I have no more time to think as Lorenzo walks back in, and our eyes meet. His expression shifts from surprise to disbelief, and then a smirk takes over his features.

Tension coils in my stomach. Why is he smirking? And what will he do to me now?

As he steps further into the room, his smirk deepens. "Care to explain what you were looking for, Ms. Walker?"