Chapter 5The Woman He Doesn’t Recognize
1135 Words
(Elara's POV)
Dominic laughs out loud, pointing his fingers at me.
“Is this some kind of joke or what?” He asks.
He turns to Matteo, his expression hardening. “Who’s really running this deal?”
He stands at the edge of the table, a file in his hand, eyes locked on Matteo, but not fully. Part of his attention stays on me, like he doesn’t trust where to place me yet.
Matteo stays quiet, not wanting to respond immediately, then he clears his throat and moves closer to him.
“The Virelli Group,” he says finally, smooth and unbothered.
Dominic’s jaw tightens slightly. “That’s not what I asked.”
There's a bit of silence. I don’t look at Matteo, but I feel the shift in his expression.
The moment Dominic realizes he’s not being given direct access, he speaks up. “If I’m expected to sign anything, I need to know who I’m dealing with.”
There it is. I expected this side of him and he didn't disappoint.
I lower my gaze briefly to the file in front of me, then lift it again and without turning my head, I glance at Matteo.
He catches it immediately. A barely-there pause, then the slightest incline of his head, he acknowledges it.
Matteo clears his throat again. “You are dealing with the Virelli Group,” he repeats. “That should be sufficient.”
Suddenly, two of my father's men joined us at the table. I smile and then face Dominic with a rigid face.
Dominic lets out a quiet breath and he shifts his eyes. “It's not, especially when there are… unfamiliar faces sitting at the head of the table.”
Isabella follows his gaze. He looks at me directly, tapping his fingers gently on the table.
“Elara,” Dominic says. “You still haven’t explained what you’re doing here.”
I meet his eyes, unmoved. “I wasn’t aware I needed to.”
His brows pull together slightly.
“You don’t,” Isabella cuts in lightly, her voice smooth, stepping in almost immediately. “She probably just has some kind of role here.”
Probably? I chuckle as her fingers curl slightly around his arm.
I lean back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other, composed.
Matteo steps forward again, sliding another document across the table.
“Shall we proceed?”
Dominic doesn’t take it. His eyes are still on me. “You’ve changed,” he says.
I tilt my head slightly. “So have you.”
Then I shift my attention away from him, like he’s no longer the focus because he isn’t and I see how it unsettles him.
Finally, he takes the file and flips it open.
Isabella leans slightly toward him, glancing at the pages, her expression tightening as she looks at them.
“There’s a discrepancy,” Dominic says after a moment. “This projection doesn’t align with our current market position.”
“It reflects your projected position,” Matteo corrects.
Dominic’s gaze sharpens. “Based on what?”
Another document slides forward and stops right in front of him. He opens it and looks up quickly.
“What is this?” he asks.
“Internal movements,” Matteo replies. “Withdrawn investors, delayed contracts and pending board concerns.”
Isabella straightens, swallowing her saliva so hard. I could see the fear in her eyes and how anxious she is.
“Those are confidential,” Dominic says, lifting the file up.
“They’re accurate,” Matteo replies, staring straight at him.
Dominic closes the file slowly, then looks at me again. “You’re involved in this,” he says. “You fuckin' did this, right?!”
I chuckle as I fold my arms over my chest because silence, used right, forces people to fill in their own answers.
His jaw tightens. “You’re working with them?” he presses, moving closer to where I am.
I don't respond to him yet.
He leans back slightly in his chair, studying me like I’ve become a problem he didn’t anticipate.
Beside him, Isabella smiles, but it’s thinner.
“They wouldn’t put someone unqualified in a position like this,” she says, her tone light. “So whatever she’s doing here, I’m sure it’s.. minor, unless she slept her way through.”
Slept my way through? The guts to slander me when she stole my husband. She's supposed to be my f*****g best friend!
I straighten slightly in my seat and finally, I speak. “If your concern is authority,” I say calmly, “you’re already in the right room.”
Dominic’s eyes narrow. “What does that mean?”
“You’ll get your answers when they matter.” I say turning my gaze away from him.
“Then I’ll wait,” he says after a moment.
Of course he will because walking away isn’t an option.
Matteo continues the briefing, but Dominic barely looks at the documents now. His attention keeps drifting back to me, trying to understand something I’m not letting him see.
By the time the meeting slows, nothing is signed, but the ground has shifted and he knows it.
And Isabella? She feels the weight too.
Dominic stands first, slower than before.
“You’ve positioned yourself well,” he says, his gaze fixed on me.
I don’t respond.
He steps closer. “And whatever game you think you’re playing,” he adds quietly, “you should stop because you won't get my attention!!”
I almost laugh, but I hold back as I look at him. “Are you worried?” I ask.
He chuckles. “In your dreams! He turns and walks toward the door, then stops and stare back at me. “Pray so hard the Virelli’s heiress doesn't kick your ass out.”
He walks away as Isabella follows behind him. The door closes and the room is quiet again.
Matteo steps forward. “All contained,” he says quietly.
I rise from my seat, walking toward the window, staring across the city.
“He’ll start digging,” Matteo adds.
“I know.” I say not sparing him a glance. “Make sure he finds nothing.”
Matteo nods. “He won’t.”
Suddenly, my phone buzzes. I take it from the table and glance at it.
Unknown number. Something about it feels wrong, but I can't tell.
I answer. “Who is this?”
There's a bit of silence, then a distorted voice speaks up. “You should’ve died that night.”
Everything inside me stills. I remove the phone from my ear and place it back again, to be sure I was hearing correctly.
“You weren’t the target,” the voice continues. “The baby was.”
The line goes dead.
- Writer
