Santorini's intern

Chapter six

Enzo’s POV

I’d barely looked at her when she walked into my office. Truthfully, I had expected better. That's the problem with seeing potential in people too quickly. It sets you up just to be let down just as fast. But what can I say? I guess I expected too much, but she was yet another ambitious intern trying too hard to impress me. Most of them cracked the moment they walked through that door.

But Fidelia Alonzo didn’t c***k.

She looked…..calm. Not confident, exactly, just calm. Which irritated me more than it should have.

So I gave it to her straight.

“ I'm highly disappointed by this plaything you submitted, calling it a proposal," I said, letting each word land the way I wanted it to, sharp, final.

This time, she looked confused. Not defensive. Not guilty. Just…confused.

She immediately picked up the documents I had dropped on the table and hurriedly looked through them and then her looks cracked from confusion to realization and then….. Relief.

She looked up at me without a single stutter and said, “You have the wrong proposal”. I remember just…..staring at her. Not saying anything. Not moving. "Because at that moment, I wasn't sure if she was lying and was looking for another excuse to cover her incompetence or had something else gone wrong,“ but then she continued, “This is not the proposal I submitted, sir.“ Then, without a single stammer, she opened her laptop and showed me the real thing.

And just like that, the entire narrative shifted.

The proposal was cleanly structured. Clear points. Practical. Organized. Straightforward. Solid…..damn solid. It wasn't perfect. She didn’t try to oversell. She simply delivered. So different from the paper that had been dropped on my desk this morning, which made me wonder: why wasn’t this the version on my desk in the first place?

My fingers tapped against the wood grain of my desk as I skimmed the final few pages. The formatting, the phrasing—this was the document I was meant to receive. So how did it get switched?

“Seems there was a mix-up” I said, keeping my voice steady. This is more in line with what I expected. She nodded, saying nothing. I could tell she was still on edge.

“ This approach,” I continued, motioning towards her screen, “ has potential." I want it adapted with the plan being made by the team handling the product launch, and you will be working with the team alongside Victoria.

A flicker of surprise appeared on her face and she quickly blinked. "Victoria has already made the foundation,“ I continued.” I want your proposal's approach adapted into the larger presentation."

I watched her closely, she didn't smile, she didn't protest. Just nodded once businesslike“ understood, sir” “Good”

I didn’t mean to watch her leave…at least, that’s what I told myself, but my eyes followed her anyway. The sway of her hips wasn’t exaggerated, just… there. Natural. Like she wasn’t trying to be noticed, which somehow made it worse. Or better_ i wasn’t sure.

She walked with purpose, her shoulders squared, head held high, and for the first time, I really saw her. Not just as an intern, not as the girl who sat quietly in meetings—I saw the woman behind the job.

When the door closed behind her, I blinked. Then I leaned back in his chair, running a hand over my face.“Okay,” I murmured. “Where the hell did that come from?” I shook my head, forcing myself to focus.

Because now the real question wasn't whether fidelia was capable anymore, it was why Victoria had given me an entirely different proposal in the first place.

Victoria never makes careless mistakes, especially not in front of me. I called on Victoria immediately to find out what happened and why she had made such a petty mistake.

Victoria came in almost immediately. That's how competent she is, always attentive. So something must have caused this slip up.

“Why did I have another proposal on my desk instead of the main one,” I asked, and before you say it was a mistake, you and I both know you don't make mistakes like this.” Her eyes moved to the document and then back to mine. “ I didn't think you would see the second version,” she said quietly,“ it came in late. I didn't know it was ready. I reviewed the draft she submitted to me and then submitted it to you to save time.”

I studied her. That's not your call to make. What you did actually prolonged my review time, which eventually led to time wastage, so you did not save me time, you wasted it. She stood quietly, there was something unreadable in her eyes….calculated, almost too calm.

“I will make sure it doesn't happen again,” she said. “You should go,” I said to her. She turns and leaves my office.

Though Victoria has explained what happened, I still have my doubts and I think she switched the documents intentionally, and I'm rarely wrong.