43 | Breaking News, Breaking Bones
"Is my presence still required here, sir?" I gritted, standing in his office since the past ten minutes, doing nothing at all.
"Yes." He assaulted the keypad of his laptop. He didn't even care looking up at me.
"So you're just gonna trouble me because I've resigned. That's very mature of you, Rafael." I slammed my palms over his desk.
"Do that again and I'll slam you over this desk." A cocky grin stretched over his lips, erupting a series of curses from me.
I stomped my foot, trudging over to the black leather couch and throwing myself on it.
"Did I ask you to take a seat?" He threatened, rolling his sleeves halfway up. He knew those forearms were my weakness.
Bastard.
"I don't need your permission." I kicked my heels away, one landing next to his chair and one in the nearest corner and then laid down on the couch.
Let's see how long will he tolerate me. He'll himself ask me to leave.
"I see what you're doing, señorita." He frowned.
"Duh! You have eyes." I clicked my phone open, scrolling through some memes whilst humming to 'I Forgot That You Existed'.
Go show that fucking ring on you finger to someone else.
"Vittoria!" He growled. "I got the message, alright. Now stop singing. I'm trying to work."
"So can I go?"
"No." He replied instantly.
Ugh! If only he hadn't locked the door with the key in his pocket.
"Imagine me singing Queen as a reply to your song." He laid back in his chair, shutting his laptop close.
"Why would I want to torture myself?" I said, laughing at some meme. I kept scrolling and passing my time like I didn't have a huge pile of pending work that I've left behind just because the CEO felt like playing childish games with me.
That was until a certain notification popped. My first reaction was a loud appalled screech. Shooting myself up in a sitting position, I clicked the fresh news article, blinking several times to assess the things my eyes witnessed.
"What's wrong?" Rafael ran over to me, a gasp departing from his lips the moment he saw the contents of my screen.
It was an article titled The CFO and The Supermodel.
"Ollie and Alli kissed! Aahh!" I jumped around like a lunatic monkey. "Omg omg omg! Finally!"
"I'm sure that's the prime concern right now." He muttered, quickly making a call.
"Travis! Come here immediately and get few more men with you. Stay with Allegra and make sure she's safe- What! Oh, okay." He hung up with a funny face as if confused.
"What now?"
"Grandpa beat me to it."
"So worried about his girl, huh?" I grinned. "Let's go and collectively tease them." I pumped my fist in the air.
"Are you on an overdose of viagra?" He let out a hearty chuckle. "About grandpa, he isn't here. He's got a meeting, you forget?"
Oh! That was today?
"Rafael! Open the door!" A voice yelled from outside, rigorously knocking on the door of his office.
We exchanged confused glances.
"Oliver?" Rafael whispered to himself, opened the door, slightly stumbling back as Oliver shouldered his way inside, gripping a magazines in his hand. His overwrought face clearly conveyed an upcoming catastrophe.
But first things first.
"Are you guys official, now?" I hugged him excitedly. It was only then did he notice me.
"Is it about Allegra?" Rafael asked cautiously, knowing better than to mess with him when he's like that.
"Yeah, that too." He closed the door back. "I asked her move in with us after the stunt she pulled but she just won't listen."
"Why don't you calm down first, Oliver." Rafael tried to reason.
"I've pushed the meeting to next week."
"That's fine." He studied him carefully, his eyes squinting in suspicion. "What is it, Oliver? There's something else."
He suddenly tensed.
And then looked at me instinctively.
That gaze wasn't good. Something was very, very wrong.
"This is a very bad day." His head dropped in his hands.
"Hey, it's okay." I sat next to him, wrapping my arms around him. I let him catch a breath for a while, allowing him to cool off. "Tell us what's bothering you."
His eyes, harboring a familiar agony looked at me with a utter helplessness. He took a deep breath, opened his mouth to speak but set his lips back into a thin line as his gaze zeroed at my heels.
Oh no!
"Why are your heels lying around like this? Why was the door locked? Rafael!"
"Oh my god! No! It's not like that, really." I gushed. "See? It's all your fault. You and your stupid games." I scowled at the CEO.
"You were saying something, Oliver. Cut this suspense." Rafael was losing his patience now.
Oliver let out a tired sigh, the magazine in his hand crumpling with the pressure of his fingers. "I'm sorry, muffin." He looked at me with pitiful eyes. Flipping a few pages of the magazine, he displayed us the story printed on the pages.
I couldn't breathe.
My nails dug deeper into their soft leather of the couch. I struggled for air. My vision blurred. Don't know what was causing the effect— tears or fear?
It was yet another article. About me.
Homewrecker or Gold Digger? — That was the title.
And the article, well, it was our entire story, adjusted with some plastered facts. The story had two protagonist— Rafael and um..no, not me. Camila. I was the villain.
The article displayed how I lured an engaged man into my trap for money while his fiancée was away to complete some Arts course in London. It said how he disowned me once she was back, claiming of me being just a fling.
Then there was a sub story about their wedding, a mocking photo of the couple hurting my eyes. It even had the gossip of me slapping Camila out of jealousy.
It was heartbreaking. The pain I felt was so immense that after a point, I didn't feel anything at all.
But it didn't end there. There was something more. Sometimes more devastating.
Every person who read that article will know my real identity, who I am.
A Rivera, not an Andress.
It clearly stated I was Oliver's sister. The evil sibling who tried snatching away her sister's fiance for money because I didn't live with Oliver due some 'unknown reason'.
"Merde!" Rafael cursed, snatching the magazine from my hands and tossing it in the bin.
"I'm sorry, Vittoria. I can't even begin to imagine what you must be feeling right now. But I promise you I'll find out who did this." Oliver held my frail body in his arms, gently caressing my head.
"Fucking find this bastard and bring him or her home. I want that person alive." Rafael roared, the nerves on his neck threatening to pop out of his flesh.
I stood up, not wanting to be here or anywhere for that matter.
"Use the private elevator. I'll make sure no one sees you. Go home. I'll find this person before you have to come back here tomorrow." Rafael cupped my face.
I shook my head, wiping my tears away. "I haven't done anything wrong. I'll go down and continue with my work."
"No wait." Rafael held my arm. "You don't have to do this, Vittoria." His thumb grazed over my cheek while Oliver simply watched us.
"He's right. Please don't go down. You won't be able to hear the things they talk about you." Oliver mumbled in a painful whisper.
"I hear that everyday. I've become immune to it."
"You've become used to it. There's a difference." Rafael stated.
"Let go, Rafael. I won't run away like a coward. I'd be ashamed of myself if I did so." I pushed his hand away and strode downstairs with determined steps, ready to face all the whispers and glares.
I met every single pair of accusing eyes with a dexterous confidence until they looked away, some backing away in fear while some in pure disgust.
"You want an autograph?" I simpered, walking the isles like I fucking owned this place.
"Vittoria." My name left Liam's lips as a pitiable sigh.
"We're going back to work. How about you guys?" I asked, faking a smile before closing the door of my cabin which flew back open instantly, carrying Ariel in.
"Is it true?" She switched her eyes between Liam and me, her chest heaving from shock and disbelief.
"If you're referring to that part about me being Oliver's sister, then yes." I proclaimed. I was surprised by the way I felt after saying that.
I felt happy. It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.
I waited for a reaction from her, for her suppressed astonishment to spurt out but it didn't.
"First, I don't believe in that gold digger nonsense. Second, this changes nothing between us, Vittoria." She placed my hand between those of her.
A simply gesture, right? It managed to break the barrier I had created. I let my tears flow, silently thanking the universe to bestow me with a friend like her.
She left after a while and Liam gave me some time, patiently waiting for me to get over it.
"Uh... Vittoria. You know what I'm worried about, don't you?" He looked out of the window, staring at the opposite building.
"I know. Luca."
•••••••
"What's wrong, Vittoria?" Harri hesitantly placed a hand over my shoulder, gently pushing me back, a little away from the cheering crowd.
It was Mason fighting some tattooed guy. It was boring. Mason was winning very easily.
I focused back on the disquiet emotions running in my mind. I felt hollow on the inside. But there was something more prominent coursing in my veins.
That fire.
"I need to beat the shit out of someone, Harri."
The persisting concern coupled with a hint of despair as he cupped my shoulders. Shame washed over me as I turned away to wipe the tears escaping my eyes. The attempt was futile. He saw it.
Great! Now I was crying in front of him. Just amazing.
"Please be okay, Vittoria. It'll be alright."
Those words were too comforting. So much that it made me collapse into his chest with my palms covering my face. I can't do this. I can't get it out of my head. I thought I was strong enough to endure it but I wasn't.
"Um.." He refrained from holding me which reminded me of my inappropriate gesture.
"I'm sorry I- I didn't m-mean to... I'm sorry." I scurried back frantically.
"That's alright. Come here." He sat down with his back rested against the craggy wall, patting the spot next to him.
"Something very bad happened today." I sniffled.
"That means something very good is going to happen tomorrow." He smiled. "The universe believes in balance."
"Not when it comes to me."
"No pain lasts forever, Vittoria. It has to heal. There has to be a way out of it."
"How do I find that way, Harri?" I looked into his eyes, desperately trying to search the answer.
His gaze locked with mine as if commanding me to wipe away that sorrow. It was slowly fading. How did he do that? Was that magic that he did with his eyes?
"How do you do this, Harri?" I gasped.
"Do what?"
"This." I pointed at his eyes.
"Do you feel okay now?"
"Yes?" I whispered, asking myself. "Yes. Oh my god! Yes, I do."
"Then it worked." He shrugged. "Now get up and get ready to beat the shit out of your opponent." He stretched out his hand for me.
I smiled, placing my hand in his as he pulled me up, my body crashing with his as he did so. For the first time, although accidentally, I was so close to him. His aftershave swirled into my nostrils, making my mind go hazy. That's because that scent was familar.
A spicy cologne.
Not exactly the one Rafael used. But close.
"I'm sorry, that shouldn't have happened." He mumbled an apology but our hands were still intertwined and our eyes still locked.
And then suddenly the spell broke.
We looked around awkwardly, well aware of the color of our faces but not ready to confront it just yet.
"I hope you're prepared for today's fight." He said, clearing his throat. "This one's not gonna be easy. The opponent is quite skilled."
"He's got a super bad luck. I'm so in the mood today." I looked straight ahead at the ring, cracking my knuckles.
"That's very narky." He side eyed me.
"That's very British." I nudged him playfully.
He laughed, showing off his perfect white teeth. "If I was him, I'd be terrified."
"Oh yeah?"
"Absolutely. And I am." He raised his brows, curling his full lips up in wonder.
"You're what?"
"Terrified....of you." He held my wrist, tugging me towards the ring.
"Wait wait wait! What do you mean?" I squeaked.
He stopped dramatically, cocking his head to the side with a cheeky grin dancing on his lips.
"You're fighting me tonight, Leia Skywalker."
Who's ready for the fight?
Vittoria: Not me for sure. Send help.