Choices and threats.

Choices and threats.

LEONARDO

The sharp clack of Alicia's heels against the marble floor grated on my nerves long before I even saw her.

The sound echoed through the quiet of my penthouse, a herald of the chaos that always seemed to follow her.

"Leonardo!" she called, her voice as sharp and demanding as ever.

I exhaled slowly, bracing myself as I stepped into the living room.

There she stood, dressed to the nines in a sleek black dress that clung to her frame. Her red lips curled into a practiced smile, the kind she used when she wanted something.

"What are you doing here, Alicia?" I asked, keeping my voice as even as possible.

She turned, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she walked toward me. "We need to talk," she said simply, as if she hadn't barged into my home uninvited.

"There's nothing to talk about," I said, crossing my arms.

"Oh, but there is." She settled herself on the couch, crossing her legs with the confidence of someone who thought they belonged here.

I stayed where I was, watching her carefully. Alicia was a master manipulator, and I knew better than to let my guard down around her.

"You've been avoiding me," she began, her tone deceptively sweet. "Ignoring our families' arrangement, humiliating me in front of your staff, it's unacceptable."

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to remain calm. "Alicia, I've told you before there is no arrangement. Whatever our families planned, it doesn't involve me."

Her smile tightened, and she tilted her head, studying me like a predator sizing up its prey.

"You can't keep running from this, Leonardo. Our families have expectations. Do you really think you can throw all of that away for some... assistant?"

The mention of Olivia hit a nerve, but I didn't let it show. "This has nothing to do with her," I said firmly.

"Oh, doesn't it?" she shot back, standing and closing the distance between us. "Leonardo, you're letting her distract you. She's beneath you, and you know it. She doesn't belong in our world."

Her words grated against my nerves, but it wasn't just the insult to Olivia that bothered me, it was the way she said it, so smug, so sure of herself.

"Enough, Alicia," I snapped, my voice cold.

She flinched but quickly recovered, her expression softening as she placed a hand on my arm.

"Leonardo, I'm saying this because I care about you. You're better than this. You deserve someone who understands you. Someone who can help you build an empire-not some naive little girl who's out of her depth."

I pulled away from her touch, my glare hardening. "What I deserve is to make my own choices. And I've already made it clear, you're not one of them."

Her eyes darkened with anger, but she quickly masked it with a condescending smile. "You're blinded by her. But when the truth comes out, you'll see I was right."

I frowned, her words planting an unwelcome seed of doubt. "What truth?"

She took a step back, smoothing her dress as she spoke. "Do you even know who she is? Where she came from? Because I do. And when you see the kind of person she really is, you'll realize what a mistake you've made."

"Leave," I said, my voice sharp and final.

Alicia smiled again, but this time it didn't reach her eyes. "Of course. But remember this, Leonardo, everything I do is for you."

She turned and walked toward the door, her heels clicking with the same confidence she'd had when she arrived.

The door closed behind her, leaving me alone in the silence of the penthouse.

I walked to the bar, pouring myself a glass of whiskey and taking a long sip. Alicia had always been relentless, but tonight felt different.

Do you even know who she is? Where she came from?

Her question echoed in my mind, and I cursed under my breath. Did she know about Olivia?

I knew Olivia was different. I'd known it from the moment she walked into my office, nervous but determined. She wasn't like the polished socialites who threw themselves at me, or the scheming debutantes my family tried to push into my life.

She was real. Honest. And that scared the hell out of me.

I told myself my concern for her was professional, rooted in pity for the way Alicia had treated her. But if that were true, why did I feel this gnawing urge to protect her? To keep her safe from Alicia's claws?

I took another sip of whiskey, staring out the window at the city skyline. The truth was, Olivia had gotten under my skin in a way no one else ever had.

And I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a very dangerous one.

The next morning, I walked into the office with a single goal: to make sure Alicia stayed away from Olivia.

"Mr. Gael," my assistant greeted me as I stepped out of the elevator.

"Schedule a meeting with legal," I said curtly. "I want the Hayes family contracts reviewed immediately."

Her eyes widened, but she nodded. "Of course, sir."

As I headed to my office, I spotted Olivia at her desk, her head bent over a stack of papers. She looked up as I passed, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she quickly looked away.

The memory of Alicia's words crept back into my mind. She doesn't belong in our world.

I pushed the thought aside and walked into my office, closing the door behind me.

But even as I tried to focus on the day's tasks, my mind kept drifting back to Olivia. To the way she'd looked at me in the hallway, her expression a mix of nervousness and something else I couldn't quite place.

I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair.

This isn't about her, I told myself.

But deep down, I wasn't so sure.

Continue Reading!!