Irresistible Invitation

Chapter 5

As I realized I had been caught eavesdropping. The man before me, Max, had a gun pointed directly at my forehead, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. I prayed silently that Zachary would see me before it was too late, but the massive man before me seemed to be blocking his view.

When Zachary spoke, I was grateful for the distraction but Max wasted no time in pointing the finger at me, accusing me of being a spy. As he pressed the gun against my forehead, I thought my time had come to an end.

"Boss, we have an intruder here. She was eavesdropping. A spy!" Max spoke, pressing the gun onto my forehead. "Boss, I got this! I'm just gonna blow her head," Max snarled angrily.

I seriously thought that today was my end. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to pull the trigger and kill me. But I heard Zachary speak as calmly as he could "Put that damn gun down."

"No! Boss, she is an intruder. She was eavesdropping," Max argued.

"I said put that gun down, or I will blow your head off," Zachary snapped which confused me because this was the first time ever I saw him losing his demeanor.

"But, Boss-" Max was cut off by Zachary.

"Put that gun away from my wife's head before I kill you," Zachary yelled angrily, and my eyes fluttered open hearing the word "wife" from his mouth.

"W-Wife?" Max stammered, and I think I heard him gulping.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Ma'am," he finally took the gun down, and I exhaled a breath that I didn't know I was holding.

"Please forgive me. I didn't know that you were his wife," I heard Max's apologies.

"How dare you-" My eyes widened as I watched Zachary pull out his gun, seething with anger at Max. The situation was escalating quickly, and I knew that something terrible was about to happen. But before he could commit another crime, Whitney intervened, holding her head and stepping in between them.

As if this wasn't enough.

As Zachary's eyes darted back and forth between Whitney and me, a sense of dread washed over me. It was as if the earth could open up and swallow me at any moment. I realized that if Zachary discovered I had struck Whitney and attempted to flee, I would prefer to face his wrath than the alternative. My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I observed Whitney straighten her clothing and composure. Then, she extended her hand toward me.

"What's going on?" Zachary demanded, his eyes piercing through Whitney.

"She felt suffocated, I took her out for a walk in the hallways," she lied smoothly, and I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. She had just lied to Zachary to protect me, and I couldn't help but feel both confused and horrified.

It's funny how fear can alter our perception of reality. Everyone in the room was scared of Zachary, even though, compared to Max, he was nothing. Max was muscular, well-built, and tall - all things that could easily overpower Zachary in a physical altercation. Yet, despite this, Max looked as if he was about to wet himself at the mere sight of Zachary's anger.

Whitney's apology was almost inaudible as she turned to Zachary and mumbled a quiet "Sorry." Without a word, she helped me back to the damn room, making sure that I was comfortable.

As Whitney helped me sit on the edge of my bed, she said, "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Juliette. Zachary can be quite intimidating when he's angry."

I nodded, feeling the weight of the situation settle in my chest. "I had no idea things could get so out of control," I admitted.

Whitney gave me a sympathetic smile. "Zachary can be a difficult person to work for, but there's more to him than what meets the eye. He's helped countless people over the years, in ways that no one else could. That's why I have so much respect for him."

I couldn't help but feel curious about her words. "What kind of things has he done?" I asked, my interest piqued.

Whitney hesitated for a moment before replying, "I can't really say. It's not my place to share his secrets. But just know that he's not all bad, Juliette."

"Despite his rough exterior, there was a kindness within him that only a few were privy to." Whitney smiled in the end and my eyes fell on the bruise forming on the side of her head and guilt washed over me for hitting her. "I am sorry," I apologized sincerely.

"Thank you for helping me, Whitney," I said, grateful for her presence. She nodded and rose up to leave. The door was quietly closed and I sat at my exact spot thinking for hours.

"My wife," I couldn't help but sneer at the thought of Zachary using it while confronting Max.

***

A/N

Dear readers,

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