Chapter 4: Beneath The Surface

“Are you just going to stand there?” Dominic said with a deep voice, sending chills down her spine, and at the same time she vaguely recalled the things he said to her that night as she heard his voice making her face heat up.

She can’t help but give him a disgusted look, he is already engaged yet he actually cheated on his fiancé like it’s nothing.

Isabella didn’t realize that she’s been standing frozen all this time, her face scrunched up into a frown, it’s as if the time had totally stopped on her, and the next thing she knows, Dominic is already standing right in front of her. His eyes boring into her soul, examining all the little action she does.

“Are you deaf? Did you not hear me?” Isabella snapped out of her stupor, and accidentally looked him in the eyes, her green eyes meeting his cold ocean blue eyes.

“Uh…I—I’m sorry sir,” she quickly bowed her head down not wanting to meet his gaze. She feels like any time she would melt by how intense he was looking at her.

Now that she thinks of it, even if that was just one night, she basically had relations with a married man. If he finds out it was her, what will he do to her?

Lots of images flashed in her head about her future, and not one didn’t lead to her untimely death, making her shudder in fear. Dominic is a very influential man, so he must be very cautious with his reputation. And a scandal such as this would surely make him alarmed, so she has to be careful around him if she ever get’s this job.

“Do I know you from somewhere? You look familiar.” He asked her. And Isabella’s eyes shot out by that question.

‘Did he finally realize it’s me? What should I do?!’

Isabella kept nibbling on her bottom lip, desperately trying to search for any plausible excuses.

While she kept thinking of an answer, Dominic on the other hand subtly smirked seeing the cute expression she’s displaying. He felt a connection with her somehow, weird as it is but it’s the truth. If it’s other people being this reckless and stupid in front of him he would’ve kicked them out already, but her, she’s different. It’s like she’s trying everything she can to not be in the same room as him which he hardly see any woman do.

He met every type of woman, but it’s the first time he sees this kind of woman who’s not interested in him. And the way she looked at him earlier, it definitely was the look of disgust, making him wonder what he did to her to make her look at him like that.

“You want to be my assistant?”

Dominic's question hung in the air, and Isabella's heart raced. She felt the pressure of his gaze as if a boulder is pressing on her shoulders. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

"Yes, sir," she managed to say, her voice trembling slightly.

“What’s your name?”

“Isabella,” she answered meekly.

Dominic studied her for a moment, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "Well, I have to say Isabella, you’re certainly making this interview memorable. Most people don’t react to me quite like you do.”

Isabella flushed with embarrassment. "I-I’m sorry if I’m not what you expected," she stammered, trying to avoid his penetrating gaze.

Dominic moved back, creating a distance between the two of them and took a good look at her from head to toe, a playful smirk forming on his lips. "Oh, not at all. In fact, it’s quite refreshing. But I must say, you seem awfully nervous. Is there something you’re not telling me?"

Isabella’s mind raced. What could she possibly say to diffuse this situation? "No, sir. I just want to make sure I do well and—"

"And avoid making any mistakes?" Dominic finished for her, his tone teasing. "I think we both know that you’re more than capable of handling this job. You look like a reliable person, so that’s reassuring. But I think there’s something more you can offer to me right?”

Isabella’s cheeks burned with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Sir, with all due respect, I came here with one purpose only, and that’s to get a job. Plus, you already have a fiancé, it is totally inappropriate for you to say those things to me,”

“Fiancé? Inappropriate? I’m just telling you to sell yourself to me, what you can do and your area of professional expertise, what’s so inappropriate about that?” Dominic raised his brows at her and sat on his table with his arms crossed exuding a leisure look.

Isabella’s mouth opened and closed not knowing what to say. She totally misunderstood him! She thought his words had double meaning to it but it turns out it was all just in her head.

“I…I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry, I thought you meant something else.”

“Hmmm—really? What did you thought I mean exactly?” He asked, his eyes squinting.

Isabella felt her face flush with embarrassment as Dominic’s question hung in the air. She struggled to find the right words.

“I—uh, I thought you might have been implying something… inappropriate,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dominic’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then he chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to echo through the spacious office. “Oh, so you were worried about my intentions? Did you thought I was hitting or planned on taking advantage of you?” He asked, a faint of amusement laced on his voice.

“No! Of course not,”

“Well then…how would you like things to proceed from here? Are you still interested on the position?” He asked her again, and this time, Isabella is debating whether she should get this job or not, but alas! She really need money, so she has no choice but to swallow her pride and nodded her head slowly.

Dominic smiled at her charmingly, “Well then, see you again tomorrow then. You’re hired.”

“What? Really?!” Isabella couldn’t believe what she was hearing, after hearing countless rejection she finally heard something she thought she would never hear.

“Yes, you’re starting tomorrow,”

Dominic then extended a hand toward her. “Welcome to Titan Holdings, Miss Isabella. I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do for me.”

Isabella shook his hand without second thought, completely forgetting all the tension earlier.

“Thank you so much! I’ll do everything I can to please you.” She blurted without thinking, failing to recognize the error in her words that would surely misunderstand others who would hear what she said.

Dominic smirked at her as a cold glint passed through his eyes, full of interest as he watched the excited looking woman in front of him.

Isabella was still enthusiastically thanking Dominic when the office door suddenly swung open.

They both turned to see a striking woman in an elegant white hat and a luxurious dress enter the room. A mole near her eye punctuated her refined appearance, and she carried herself with an air of practiced confidence ,like the way Dominic handles himself.

“Fiona, what are you doing here?” Dominic’s previously calm demeanor shifted to one of cold distance. His eyes narrowed at the woman who had just walked in.

“Why? Am I not supposed to pay my beloved fiancé a visit?” Fiona replied back sarcastically, walking inside graciously with confidence, swiping a look at Isabella, and the moment her eyes landed on her, her face cracked, there was something in her eyes that showed emotion that Isabella couldn't quite understand. Fear and hate.

The tension in the room thickened, and Isabella felt an uncomfortable heat rising in her cheeks.

The interaction between Dominic and the woman, made her feel like an intruder in an already complicated situation.

Dominic’s gaze was hard as he looked at Fiona. “I wasn’t expecting you today,” he said, his voice carrying a chill that was at odds with the warm welcome he had given Isabella moments earlier.

Fiona was still looking at Isabella, but hearing Dominic's voice pulled her out if her reverie, her lips curled into a thin smile as she looked at him. “I just wanted to surprise you. It’s not like you’re doing anything shady that you don’t want me to see, right?” she said, then glanced at Isabella, scanning her from head to toe.

Isabella just stood there, unsure of what to do. The sudden shift in the atmosphere made her heart race. She felt like she was caught in the middle of a private drama she had no place being a part of.

Dominic’s eyes flicked toward Isabella, and for a brief moment, she saw a flicker of something she couldn’t quite place—perhaps frustration, or maybe just resignation. “Excuse me for a moment,” he said to Fiona, his tone colder than before.

He walked toward Isabella, his steps measured and deliberate. “I think it’s best if we continue this conversation later,” he said softly, though his eyes were filled with an intensity that made Isabella’s skin prickle.

'What are you doing?! Why are you being nice to me yet so rude to your fiancé? What if she misunderstands us?’ She shouted in her head.

And for a brief moment Isabella locked eyes with Fiona, and she clearly saw the disdainful look she gave her.

“Of course. I’ll… I’ll leave now.” She turned on her heel fast, wanting to escape quickly, her hands trembling slightly as she pulled open the door and stepped out into the hallway.

As soon as she was out of Dominic’s office, Isabella leaned against the wall, trying to steady her breathing. Her emotions were a tangled mess—excitement from securing the job, anxiety from the awkward encounter, and fear from the sudden appearance of Fiona.

'Sigh! Why do I feel like the world is going against me?’

She glanced back at the closed door, feeling a pang of disappointment. She had been so excited to share the good news with Kara, but now the encounter had left her feeling off-balance.