I barely remembered leaving Luca Valencia's office. One second, I was sitting there, drowning in the weight of his gaze, and the next, I was stepping out into the wide, glass-paneled hallway. The hallway stretched before me, long and sterile, but it did nothing to steady the pounding in my chest.
I didn't know how long I stood there, gripping my bag so tightly that my knuckles ached.
Get it together, Bella.
It wasn't the first time I'd been in a room with a powerful man. My father had friends in high places, and Matteo had dragged me to more stiff, corporate events than I could count. But Luca Valencia wasn't just powerful. He was something else entirely.
Something dangerous.
Suddenly, I noticed my legs moving and it dawned on me that I have started walking.
I walked with purpose. It was shocking how I was walking with so much confidence like my legs weren't slightly unsteady beneath me. Like my mind wasn't still trapped back in that office, wrapped around the impossible weight of Luca Valencia's presence.
God!
I felt him everywhere. Even now, the ghost of his voice curled against my skin, smooth and edged with something dangerous. Something that felt like a promise and a warning all at once.
A part of me knew— knew I should be running. But another part? Another part of me was still sitting in that chair, trapped beneath his gaze, unable to move.
I exhaled sharply, forcing my thoughts into order.
This was a job.
That's it.
An internship. A means to an end.
I kept repeating this internally. To convince myself, maybe?...
I wouldn't let a man like Luca Valencia pull me into whatever twisted game he played.
No mistakes. No distractions. My job. My internship. Résumé. Future!
Damn right.
But the moment I turned the corner, a sharp prickle crawled up the back of my neck. That feeling, that undeniable sensation of being watched. Not like before. Not like him. Him!
This was different. This wasn't a stare that pulled. This was a stare that measured.
Slowly, I followed the pull of instinct, and saw her. She leaned against the glass railing like she owned the place. Like she had never known hesitation a day in her life. A woman sculpted from confidence, wrapped in a blood-red dress that clung to every dangerous curve like a weapon.
Gorgeous. Intimidating.
Dripping in something I couldn't quite name, but I already knew it wasn't good.
Thick, dark waves of hair cascaded over one shoulder, styled in that 'effortless but not really effortless way'. Her green eyes gleamed the moment they locked onto mine.
Sharp. Assessing. Hungry. Hungry for what?
Like she already had me figured out. And then she smiled. Not warm. Not kind. Not even remotely welcoming.
It was the kind of smile that said, I know exactly who you are and I don't like you. Evil much?
"New intern?" she mused, tilting her head slightly, her voice dripping with the kind of casual boredom that wasn't casual at all.
I held her gaze, keeping my posture relaxed even as my pulse hammered. "Bella Romano."
The moment my last name left my lips, something flickered in her expression.
Recognition and not the friendly kind.
Her smirk stretched wider before she extended a perfectly manicured hand. "Ariana Sinclair. Senior Executive Assistant to Mr. Valencia."
Her voice purred over his name, smooth and practiced, like she'd spent years saying it in ways I didn't want to think about. I hummed as I shook her hand, firm, steady. But the way she held it? It wasn't a greeting.
It was a warning.
"I take it you just met him," she said lightly, like it was nothing. Like she wasn't reading everything on my face.
I kept my voice even. "Yes."
Ariana's smirk deepened. Like a cat who already knew the ending of the story.
"And?"
I blinked. And?
What kind of question was that?
She didn't wait for an answer.
"You see, Luca doesn't usually waste time on small talk. He's not exactly known for… entertaining interns."
That last word? Dripped in something ugly, something close to condescension.
Her gaze flickered over me in a slow, deliberate way, like she was piecing something together. Deciding how much of a problem I was going to be.
"He kept you in there for a while, didn't he?" I didn't like the way she said it. Like she knew something. Like she knew exactly what it meant to be in his office, under his scrutiny. Seriously, what is her problem?
I kept my face unreadable. "He was just going over my responsibilities."
Ariana hummed. Unconvinced and then she took a step closer lowering her voice just enough for only me to hear.
"Listen, sweetheart," she murmured, voice silk over steel. "A little word of advice? Don't get comfortable. Interns don't last long around here."
A slow, sharp shiver danced down my spine. Not from fear but from something else. Something sharp defensive even. Because I knew what this was. I knew where she was heading to.
This wasn't a warning.
This was a territorial claim!
Before I could respond, she pulled back, flashing a bright, perfectly fake smile. "Welcome to Valencia Enterprises."
And then she turned on her heels and walked away, her red dress swaying like a silent threat.
I stood there, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. That was not a friendly conversation. That was a declaration.
Which meant only one thing.
She wanted him and for whatever reason, she saw me as a threat! How funny!
I wasn't here for Luca Valencia. I wasn't playing this game.
But somehow, I had a sinking feeling–a feeling that It didn't matter what I wanted.
Because this game, it's a game that I couldn't win.