CHAPTER 5. CONTROL ISSUES
769 Words
Elena didn’t speak to him the next morning.
Not really.
Only what was necessary.
Schedules. Meetings. Files.
Nothing extra.
Nothing personal.
And that silence—
It irritated Alessandro Moretti more than any argument ever could.
“Morning,” she said when she walked in.
Professional. Clean. Detached.
Like nothing had happened.
Like she hadn’t walked out on him last night and left his entire office feeling… wrong.
Alessandro looked up slowly.
“Morning,” he replied.
Pause.
Then, colder than necessary—
“You planning to keep acting like that?”
Elena didn’t blink. “Acting like what?”
“Like I don’t exist.”
A beat.
Then she gave a small shrug. “I treat my job professionally.”
“Bullshit.”
That got her attention.
Her eyes lifted.
Sharp now.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he said, standing up. “Don’t start acting innocent. You walked out last night like I said something to offend your entire bloodline.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Elena closed the file in her hands slowly.
“You had company,” she said.
“So?”
“So I don’t stay where I’m not needed.”
That line hit harder than it should’ve.
Alessandro stepped closer.
“You weren’t ‘not needed’,” he said low. “You decided that.”
“I made a professional decision.”
“No,” he snapped. “You made an emotional one.”
Her jaw tightened slightly.
“There was nothing emotional about it.”
“Really?” he said, voice dropping. “Because it looked a hell of a lot like you didn’t like what you saw.”
Silence.
Then—
Elena laughed once.
Short. Cold.
“You think everything is about you.”
That landed.
Hard.
A knock interrupted them.
Too late.
A man stepped into the office.
Confident. Expensive suit. Smug smile.
“Alessandro,” he greeted.
Then his eyes slid to Elena.
And stayed there.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Alessandro didn’t move. “You are.”
The man ignored him.
“Didn’t know you had staff like this,” he said lightly. “Hello.”
“Elena,” she replied flatly.
Professional.
But Alessandro noticed.
The way the man looked at her.
Like she was something to be claimed.
And something inside him shifted.
Fast.
The man stepped closer to Elena’s desk.
“You free after work?” he asked casually.
Silence.
Elena didn’t even get the chance to answer.
Alessandro did.
“No.”
The room went still.
The man chuckled. “Relax. I was asking her.”
Alessandro’s voice dropped.
“I know exactly who you were asking.”
A pause.
Then he stood.
Slow.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
“She doesn’t do after-work anything,” he said.
The man raised a brow. “Since when?”
Alessandro’s smile was sharp now.
“Since right now.”
Elena finally looked at him.
“What are you doing?” she asked quietly.
He didn’t look at her.
Didn’t answer her directly.
Instead—
“I’m busy,” he said to the man. “Get out.”
The man scoffed. “You serious?”
Alessandro stepped forward.
Just one step.
Enough.
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Silence.
Then the man backed off slightly.
But not before one last look at Elena.
“I’ll be back,” he said.
And left.
The door shut.
Quiet again.
But not calm.
Not even close.
Elena turned fully now.
“What the hell was that?”
Alessandro didn’t hesitate.
“You’re not entertaining him.”
“That’s not your decision.”
“It is in my building.”
Her eyes flashed.
“That’s not how the world works.”
He stepped closer.
Voice lower now.
“Then let me make something clear,” he said. “While you’re here, no one gets near you like that.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Then Elena said quietly:
“You don’t get to decide who gets near me.”
Something dark flickered in his expression.
“Oh?” he said. “Watch me.”
That landed between them like a spark.
Dangerous.
Uncontrolled.
For a second—
Neither of them moved.
Then Elena grabbed her files again.
“You’re impossible,” she muttered.
“And you’re still here,” he shot back.
She paused.
Looked at him.
Then, softly—
“That’s the problem.”
And walked out again.
Alessandro stood there long after she left.
Jaw tight.
Breathing slower than usual.
Because this wasn’t just irritation anymore.
It was obsession starting to show its teeth.
And he was losing the damn fight.
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