The office was a furnace, the air thick with tension as Victoria stormed in, her heels clicking on the polished floor like a staccato beat.
The sound echoed through the room, punctuating the heavy silence that hung between Luca and me. Victoria's eyes blazed with fury, her face twisted in a scowl that made Luca's assistant take a step back, her eyes darting nervously between the two of them.
"Luca, I need to speak with you," Victoria demanded, her voice sharp as a razor, cutting through the air like a hot knife through butter. Her words were laced with a venom that made my skin crawl, and I could feel the weight of her anger bearing down on me like a physical presence.
Luca's eyes never left mine, his gaze holding me captive like a magnet, drawing me in with an inexorable pull. His expression was unreadable, a mask of calm that belied the tension that seemed to vibrate through every molecule of air in the room.
"I'm busy, Victoria," he replied, his voice low and even, a gentle stream that flowed smoothly over the jagged rocks of her anger. "Make an appointment."
Victoria's face turned red, her anger boiling over like a pot left unattended on a hot stove. Her eyes flashed with fury, and for a moment, I thought she might lash out, might say something that would shatter the fragile peace that hung between us like a delicate glass vase.
"This can't wait," she insisted, her voice rising like a stormy sea, crashing against the shore of Luca's indifference.
Luca's expression didn't change, but his eyes flickered with annoyance, a spark of irritation that flashed like a firefly in the darkness.
"I'm not interested in whatever drama you're peddling today, Victoria," he said, his voice dripping with disdain, a cold, calculated tone that made my skin prickle with unease. "Leave."
The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Victoria's anger turned to desperation, her voice dropping to a whisper that was barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat.
"You're making a mistake, Luca," she said, her words laced with a quiet urgency.
"She's not what you think she is."
Luca's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing like a knife through the fog of Victoria's words.
"I think she's exactly what I see," he replied, his voice low and husky, a gentle purr that sent shivers down my spine.
The words hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down like a glove, and for a moment, I felt like I was caught in the crossfire of their battle of wills. Victoria's face contorted in rage, her eyes flashing with hatred like a wild animal cornered in a trap.
"You think you're so special, don't you?" she spat, her voice venomous, a poison that seemed to seep into my skin like a cold, dark stain.
"You think you can just waltz in here and steal him away?"
I felt a surge of adrenaline as I stood my ground, my heart pounding in my chest like a drumbeat in a primitive ritual.
"I'm not trying to steal anyone away," I replied, my voice steady, a calm, clear tone that seemed to cut through the chaos like a beacon in the darkness.
Victoria's laughter was cold, mirthless, a sound that sent shivers down my spine like a ghostly whisper.
"You're just a pawn in his game, Bella," she said, her voice dripping with malice, a poison that seemed to spread through my veins like a slow-moving venom.
"He'll use you and discard you like yesterday's trash."
Luca's eyes flashed with anger, his face darkening like a stormy sky, and for a moment, I thought he might lash out, might say something that would shatter the fragile peace that hung between us like a delicate glass vase.
"That's enough, Victoria," he growled, his voice low and menacing, a warning that seemed to hang in the air like a challenge.
The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Victoria's face paled, her eyes darting to Luca's face like a trapped animal searching for an escape. For a moment, I thought she might back down, might retreat like a wounded animal, but then her expression hardened, and she took a step closer to me, her eyes blazing with fury like a wildfire in a dry forest.
"You'll never be enough for him," she spat, her voice dripping with malice, like a poison that seemed to seep into my skin like a sting.
"He'll always want more."
The words stung, but I refused to back down. I stood my ground, my eyes locked on Victoria's as I replied, "I don't need to be enough for him. I'm enough for myself."
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the air conditioning. Luca's eyes never left mine, his gaze holding me captive as Victoria's face twisted in rage.
For a moment, I thought she might lash out, but then she spun on her heel and stormed out of the office, leaving me feeling shaken and exposed.
The door slammed shut behind her, and the room fell silent. Luca's eyes never left mine, his gaze holding me captive as he spoke.
"You're not just a pawn, Bella," he said, his voice low and husky. "You're a queen."
The words sent shivers down my spine, and for a moment, I felt like I was floating on air. But then reality crashed back down, and I remembered the danger that lurked beneath the surface of this world.
I took a step back, my heart still racing from the confrontation. "I should go," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Luca's eyes never left mine, his gaze holding me captive as he replied, "You don't have to."
The words hung in the air like a challenge, and for a moment, I felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff, staring into the unknown.
I really am playing with fire.