Chapter 5: Dinner With The Boss

Alice's heart raced even more, and she clenched her fists tightly to snap herself out of her wild imaginations.

Zade Vicenzo observed her with keen eyes after he had introduced himself, seemingly waiting for her response. 

"I am Simone Leonardo, Mr. Vicenzo's bodyguard," she introduced herself.

"I heard. If you need anything, let me know," Zade smiled warmly, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

Alice would have fallen for his charm if she hadn’t encountered him at the hotel. She stared at him warily. 

Nevertheless, Alice nodded with a faint smile. 

"It seemed like you were in quite a hurry yesterday," Zade drawled, his intelligent gray eyes fixed on her brown eyes.

"Yesterday? Ah, yes, I was," Alice replied. Did he remember? Why was he so insistent on tormenting her?

"I see." Zade nodded. "We'll be seeing more of each other lately. How about dinner sometime?" he asked.

Alice felt a cold sweat trickle down her back and quickly shook her head. "I have a very busy schedule. I'm not sure I'll have time for that."

"Let me know if you change your mind," Zade said, giving her a calm smile before leaving her office.

As soon as he left, Zade’s smile vanished, replaced by a grim expression. He rarely interacted with the workers, lest invite them for dinner, but there was something intriguing about this one. Her cautious demeanor and clear fear piqued his interest. He would find out what was going on.

Two weeks passed, and Alice continued to keep to herself. She spoke only when necessary and avoided mingling with people. Most importantly, she steered clear of Zade, who was a source of distress for her.

She accompanied Enzo everywhere and visited places she had never seen before. The rich had a world of their own.

At an event with Enzo, Alice was relieved it was almost over. Some men in expensive tuxedos exchanged words with Enzo, and Alice observed them closely.

She escorted Enzo to his sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom. The chauffeur bowed, and once Enzo was inside, Alice would finally be free to go home for the night.

"Simone," Enzo called, staring at Alice. "I'm inviting you for dinner at my mansion tomorrow at 8 p.m. You must be there, and I don’t want any excuses."

Dread crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "Yes, boss, I'll be there," she said. Enzo nodded and entered his car.

As Alice watched the car drive away, worry clouded her expression.

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The next day at 7:30 p.m., Alice stood in front of her house in her disguise. She wore a black suit with a white long-sleeve shirt, and her short wig was combed neatly. 

As promised, Enzo had sent one of his drivers to pick her up. Alice climbed into the luxurious Maybach GLS, and the door was shut.

Alice felt uneasy. Why did she have a nagging feeling that something might go wrong?

After 30 minutes, the car arrived at Enzo’s mansion. Alice gaped at the opulent building. It was a testament to luxury. She exited the car and was led inside.

Her eyes widened further at the beautiful interior. A maid guided her to the dining room where she waited for Enzo. Alice struggled to calm her racing heart; something felt off.

Enzo arrived shortly, and Alice stood to greet him with a polite bow. They took their seats at the table, which was set with multiple expensive dishes.

"So, Simone, can you tell me more about yourself and your family?" Enzo asked, causing Alice to clench her fists under the table.

"I'm an orphan. The woman who adopted me passed away years ago," Alice lied smoothly. Enzo nodded sympathetically.

Just then, Zade entered the room. Alice gave him a slight bow. He sat next to her, and she cursed her luck. She had avoided him for the last two weeks, but here he was.

Fortunately, Zade didn’t engage with her and focused on conversing with his grandfather. This spared Alice from further questioning by Enzo.

Suddenly, Alice felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She clenched her fists, trying to hold back a scream. The pain was unbearable. Was she poisoned? Was that why Enzo invited her to dinner?

"Please, where’s the bathroom?" Alice asked Enzo, unable to endure the pain any longer.

"Keep walking straight and then take a right. If you want, Zade can show you," Enzo said, but Alice quickly shook her head.

"No, I’ll find it myself," Alice said, rising and heading for the bathroom, following Enzo’s directions.

She found the bathroom, entered, and locked the door with the key for precaution. The pain hit her again, making her feel like tearing off her disguise.

Beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead as she realized what was happening. She managed to remove her trousers and underwear, discovering a large amount of blood.

"Fuck!" Alice cursed under her breath. How had she been so careless? She had been so preoccupied that she hadn’t tracked her menstrual cycle. 

The pain made her dizzy, and she sat on the floor with her back against the wall. She checked her stained trousers, needing to put them back on and think of a solution. The pain was so intense it numbed her senses, and she had to restrain herself from crying. Her menstrual cramps were excruciating, often requiring hospital visits.

Back in the dining hall, Enzo noticed Simone's prolonged absence. "Where is Simone? It’s been almost an hour. I should send someone to check," Enzo said.

"You don’t have to; I’ll go instead," Zade offered. He rose and left the dining hall.

His long strides carried him swiftly to the bathroom. He had noticed that the bodyguard had been gone for too long and suspected something was amiss. He wasn't in the mood for games, but checking was prudent, especially when it concerned his grandfather's safety.

He reached the bathroom door and knocked twice, receiving no response. He tried the door, finding it locked from the inside.

"I guess I’ll have to break the door down," he said loudly enough for the person inside to hear.

Zade kicked the door open, he entered and he frowned at the sight he saw.

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