Chapter Two: The Mafia Boss
906 Words
The office was quiet, empty of its noise, the hum of computers and the faint ticking of the clock filling the silence. Lucy sat at the long conference table, papers scattered in neat stacks, her laptop still glowing. Her boss leaned against the edge of the table, sleeves rolled up, looking far less intimidating than he did during the day though just as devastating.
“I need your advice,” he said suddenly, turning one of the fashion board overview documents toward her. “They’ll be expecting something fresh in tomorrow’s meeting. Something bold.”
Lucy blinked at him, surprised. “You’re asking me?”
“Why not?” His lips curved in the faintest smile. “You’ve got an eye. I’ve noticed.”
She hesitated, then leaned in, pointing at the presentation. “Everyone’s chasing trends. But if you want them to actually listen, give them what they don’t expect: timeless over trendy. Remind them that fashion doesn’t start with a season; it starts with confidence.”
He stilled, watching her. His blue eyes lingered on hers longer than necessary, as if her words had reached him deeper than he wanted to admit. For a moment, neither of them looked away.
Lucy’s breath caught. She broke the spell with a sudden yawn, covering her mouth, embarrassed.
“You’re exhausted,” he said quietly.
“I’ll be fine. Just a few more minutes.”
“No.” His tone softened but held its usual finality. “Let me drop you home.”
She shook her head quickly. “Thanks. I’ll get a cab.”
“Lucy…”
“I said no.” She forced a smile, standing to gather her things.
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he pulled out his phone. “Then I’ll at least call you a ride.”
Minutes later, a cab pulled up. She slipped inside, offering him a polite wave before disappearing into the night.
He stood watching until the car vanished, then walked to a sleek, black luxury car that seemed to command the road even before he started the engine. The ride home was silent, heavy with thoughts he couldn’t escape.
---
By the time he reached his mansion, its tall iron gates sliding open, the weight of it pressed harder. The house was vast, polished, breathtaking, and very expensive yet hollow. Inside, he pulled off his tie, let it drop, and collapsed onto his gigantic bed. His eyes closed, but sleep didn’t come. All he could see was Lucy. Her laugh. Her sharp mind. Her eyes met his like she saw more than she should.
For months now, he had kept his feelings locked away. How could he tell her? His lifestyle outside the company. He wasn’t allowed to want her like this. And yet, he did.
The next morning, Lucy arrived at the office early, determined to shake off the fog of last night. She walked briskly toward her desk only to nearly collide with Ethan.
He leaned casually against her chair, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Well, well. Early bird for once? Trying to impress the boss?”
She stiffened. “Move, Ethan.”
“Relax.” His grin widened. “I’m just saying, no matter how early you come, you’ll never catch up. Some of us are just… built for success.”
Her chest tightened, anger bubbling. She tried to swallow it down, but his chuckle scraped against her last nerve.
Her voice cut sharper than she intended. “Maybe success came easy for you, but respect clearly didn’t. Probably because your mother didn’t raise you
The smirk vanished. His expression hardened, his jaw ticking as if her words had struck deeper than she realized.
Without another word, Ethan turned and walked away. But there was no swagger in his stride this time, only a weight, shoulders slumped as though she’d stolen something vital with her words. His usual arrogance was gone, replaced with something raw, almost wounded.
Lucy blinked, caught off guard. She’d seen him annoyed, smug, even furious but never like this.
From the corner of her desk, Benny's voice broke through. “What’s up with him? Didn’t you see his face? He looked like someone had punched the air out of him.”
Lucy frowned, pretending to shuffle papers. “I don’t care.”
Benny tilted her head, unconvinced. “Come on, you can’t deny it
Ethan’s got that… look. Strong jawline, tall, clean-cut, seductive eyes. Half the women here whisper about him when he walks by.”
Lucy rolled her eyes, but Anthony, seated across the aisle, joined in before she could answer.
“She’s not wrong,” Anthony said with a shrug. “Objectively speaking, Ethan has the kind of features that would land him in a magazine spread. The guy’s… annoyingly handsome. Honestly, Lucy, you and Ethan together would make quite the power couple.”
Lucy’s head snapped up, glaring at them both. “Excuse me?”
Benny smirked. “Just saying. The chemistry would be explosive.”
Lucy turned and gave Benny an irritated look. “ I would rather let the earth swallow me than be with someone like Ethan.” Lucy huffed and turned back to her screen, determined not to let the heat in her cheeks show.
Still, the image of Ethan’s expression lingered, unshakable, and for the first time, she wondered if she had gone too far.
- Writer
