Mr CEO, Love me gently

Chapter 2

Elena sat across from her father, the silence between them stretching out like an eternity. Though only a few minutes had passed, the tension in the room had grown suffocating, heavy with unspoken words. Her father's expression was inscrutable, his eyes fixed on some point beyond her. He hadn't uttered a word since she'd entered his study, merely gesturing for her to take a seat.

As she waited, she took the opportunity to study her father more closely. The lines on his face seemed deeper, etched into his skin like the grooves on a well-worn book. His eyes, once bright and piercing, now appeared dull and weary, weighed down by the burdens. Elena's curiosity got the better of her as she wondered what could be weighing her father down. He was a man known for his carefree and jovial nature, always ready with a warm smile and a joke. But now, he looked weary, his once-thick black hair flecked with threads of white. The silence between them had become oppressive, and Elena couldn't bear it any longer.

"Dad, how bad is it?" she asked, her voice breaking the stillness.

Her father's eyes slowly focused on hers, his gaze distant, as if he was still trying to grasp the present moment. "What?" he asked, his confusion evident, his mind clearly a million miles away.

Elena's concern deepened. "You haven't said a word to me since I got here," she pointed out, her voice gentle, but laced with a hint of worry. The silence was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and Elena's frustration grew. "Dad, you need to say something," she urged, her voice tinged with exasperation. "Why did you ask me to come back home?"

Her father's gaze remained fixed on some point beyond her, his expression unreadable. But then, slowly, he turned to face her, his eyes locking onto hers with an unnerving intensity. "I need you to get married tomorrow," he stated, his voice low and resolute.

Elena's eyes widened in shock as she searched her father's face for any sign of jest. But his expression remained deadpan, leaving her with the unsettling feeling that he was utterly serious. A spark of hope still lingered within her, though - the hope that this was all some kind of twisted prank, and that her father would soon reveal the real reason for her return.

As the oppressive silence in the room dragged on, the air grew thick with unspoken tension. She couldn't bear the weight of her father's unwavering gaze, which seemed to bore into her very soul. The silence was oppressive, and she felt compelled to shatter it. With a forced, awkward chuckle, she attempted to inject some lightness into the atmosphere. "Okay, Dad, very funny. What's really going on?"

But instead of the anticipated smile or laughter, her father's expression remained unyielding, his eyes fixed on some invisible point beyond her shoulder. The unsettling intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt a growing sense of trepidation. It was as if he had retreated into a world of his own, leaving her to navigate the uncertain terrain of his emotions.

Her confusion deepened as she struggled to comprehend the enigmatic statement he had made earlier. "Get married tomorrow?" The words echoed in her mind like a cruel joke. Who was she supposed to marry? The idea was absurd, a surreal nightmare from which she couldn't awaken. She stretched out her hands, placing them on his fisted hands, which rested on the desk like two clenched bulwarks. "Dad, I don't have a boyfriend, no one to marry tomorrow or anytime soon. That's just not possible." Her voice was laced with a mixture of desperation and confusion.

As she searched his face for answers, he turned away, pulling his hands out from under hers. The gesture felt like a rejection, a withdrawal of emotional support. She was left grasping at air, her questions and concerns hanging in the balance. The silence that followed was oppressive, a heavy blanket that smothered all attempts at communication. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of uncertainty.

"Dad!" Elena yelled, desperate to grab his attention. Finally, he turned to face her, his eyes locking onto hers with an unnerving intensity. His expression was a mask of calmness, but his words cut through the air like a knife. "You'll be marrying Luca Moretti, Alexander Moretti's son. There's no room for discussion." With that, he sighed, turned and walked out of the room, leaving Elena to bear the burden of the disgruntling news he had just dropped.

The weight of his words crushed her, suffocating her with fears and doubts. Her mind racing, Elena couldn't help but think of the rumors surrounding the Moretti family. Alexander Moretti, the CEO of Moxy Group, was infamous for his ruthless business tactics. He was a man feared by many, with a reputation for stopping at nothing to get what he wanted. The nickname "The Tyrant" suited him all too well.

But what about his son, Luca? Elena had heard barely a whisper about him. He seemed to prefer the shadows, keeping a low profile that only added to the mystery surrounding him. Elena's instincts screamed that this quiet, mysterious stranger was more dangerous than his father. After all, it's always the quiet ones who hide the darkest secrets.

Elena's gaze drifted to the door her father had exited through, her mind consumed by a single, haunting question: What kind of shady deal had he gotten them into?