Chapterfour
1036 Words
Mila’s POV
I still have weak legs the following morning. I barely slept. Each time I closed my eyes, I could see the black car that wascoming to me... and Ruben taking me away at the very nick of the time.
Once I get into the office, Ruben is already standing near my desk.
His jaw is tight. His eyes are sharp. He looks like a storm.
"Mila," he says. "My office. Now."
My heart jumps. People along the corridor all gaze at me as I walk into him. Ruben shuts the door firmly, almost banging.
I flinch.
He has his hair run through. "Sit."
I sit slowly. "Sir... are you angry?"
"Yes," he says. "Very."
My chest tightens. "I'm sorry–"
"Don't apologise," he snaps. "You didn't do anything wrong."
He breaths and attempts to calm down. You might have been killed last night.
I look down at my hands. "I'm fine. Nothing happened."
Something nearly happened, he says, in a low voice. "And that's enough."
I shake my head. "I don't need protection. I don't want to cause trouble. I just want to work quietly."
"No," he cuts in. You do not work quietly anymore.
His eyes burn into mine.
I am assigning you two security guards. They will keep an eye on you within and outside the building.
My heart jumps. "What? No! I don't want–"
I do not want what you want this time, he says, raising his voice. "You are not safe."
I stare at him. I've never seen him like this. His walls are gone. He looks furious... and scared.
"Why do you care so much?" I whisper.
His jaw clenches. Since somebody had it out against you. And I will never permit that again.
At the very end, his voice trembles a little.
I am more scared of that than that car.
I swallow hard. "Okay... I'll accept the security."
He closes his eyes in relief. "Good."
I stand. "Thank you... for saving me."
He opens his eyes slowly. "I'd do it again."
I feel something warming in my chest, and I turn away before my feelings can reveal themselves too evidently.
As I get out of his office, I find Victoria waiting.
Her arms are crossed. Her smile is sharp.
"Mila," she says coolly. "Do you have a minute?"
I nod nervously. "Yes... of course."
She takes me to a small meeting room and closes the door.
So, she starts, looking me up and down, You seem to be so thick and close to Ruben nowadays.
I swallow. "I'm just his assistant."
"Mm." She smirks. "Is that what you call it?"
I blink. "I don't understand."
Don't be crazy, she says in a sharp cry. "I see the way he looks at you. I have known how men are transformed when something comes into their path.
I step back. "Victoria, I'm not trying to–"
She laughs at me coldly. "You don't have to try, dear. You are already creating trouble.
Her eyes turn icy. "Let me make something clear. There is an agreement between Ruben and me that has held this company together. And I will not allow an assistant to spoil it.
My voice cracks. "I'm not ruining anything."
She leans in close. "Stay where you belong. At the bottom."
The door suddenly opens. Ruben stands there.
Victoria straightens on the spot.
"What are you doing?" he asks her, voice frozen.
"Talking," she says. "That's all."
Ruben steps between us. Next time you need to communicate with my assistant, you must speak with me.
Victoria's smile drops.
You are becoming reckless, Ruben, you see," she tells him. "Don't forget our deal."
"I haven't," he says calmly. "But I decide who I trust. Not you."
Her eyes darken. "Careful."
Then she storms out.
Ruben looks at me. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," I lied.
He is aware that it is a lie, but he allows that.
That evening, Luca texts me.
I need to talk to you. It's important.
We meet on the bridge by the canal. My fingers are stiff because of the cold wind.
Luca appears to be serious, more serious than I have ever seen him.
I discovered something, Milla, he says.
"About what?"
He takes out a small notebook. "Your family."
My breath catches.
"My family? Why?"
I was attempting to know about your past, he says. And there was something that I found. Your mother's name... Annelies Daan appears in the old books of Titan Corp.
I freeze. "That can't be true."
"It is," he says. She had worked with someone who was related to the establishment of the firm. The name of her was removed in the subsequent paperwork, but it was present in the beginning.
My legs feel weak again. Why should she be affiliated with Titan Corp?
"I don't know yet," Luca says. "But whatever this is... It's big. You may have a hand in it that you do not know of at all.
My heart races. "Luca, stop. This is too much. I'm just an assistant."
"No," he says firmly. "I don't think you are."
His eyes look troubled. "You need to be careful. You're not safe."
His lines are a reiteration of those by Ruben.
And all of a sudden, everything becomes worse still.
The following day, I am filling out some paperwork, and Ruben comes beside me.
This weekend, there is a charity gala, he says. "I want you there."
I blink. "A gala? Me? No... no, sir, I can't."
"You can," he says calmly. "You're my assistant. You will assist with documents and scheduling.
"But people will stare at me."
"Let them," he says. "You're coming."
Soft, but firm, his voice leaves no mistaking.
I sigh. "Fine... I'll go."
His lips are touched with a little smile. "Good."
He goes, and I sit there with my heart aching.
Me? At a gala? With him?
What is happening to my life?
Across the room, Victoria stands near the windows, watching us.
Her eyes are cold.
She steps aside and makes a call.
“Make sure that girl never reaches the gala,” she says quietly.
My whole body chills.
Something terrible is coming.
- Writer
