The heavy door to the CEO's office clicked shut behind them. Silence filled the air, broken only by the steady tick of the wall clock.
Elena clasped her hands nervously, her eyes fixed on the floor. She could feel the weight of his gaze burning into her.
"Sit," Vincenzo said softly, though his tone left no room for refusal.
She obeyed, lowering herself into the leather chair across from his desk. Her heart pounded so loudly she thought he might hear it.
For a long moment, he said nothing. He simply stood there, studying her with an intensity that made her skin prickle.
Finally, he moved. Slowly, deliberately, he circled the desk and came to stand behind her chair.
"Elena," he murmured, his voice low, "do you have any idea what you do to me?"
Her breath caught. "M-Mr. Marino, I don't—"
Before she could finish, his hands gripped the arms of her chair, pinning her in place. He leaned down, his face so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear.
"I tried to ignore it," he whispered. "I told myself you were just another employee. That if I kept my distance, it would go away. But every day, watching you… enduring your silence, your pain… it drove me insane."
Her eyes widened. She turned her head slightly, and suddenly his face was only inches from hers.
"Sir, this… this isn't proper," she stammered, trying to keep her composure.
Vincenzo's lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile. "Proper?" He leaned closer. "Do you think I care about proper when it comes to you?"
And then, before she could react, his mouth claimed hers.
The kiss was searing—possessive, desperate, as though he had been starving for years and finally tasted what he had been denied.
Elena gasped against his lips, her body going rigid. She had never been kissed like this—never with such fire, such raw emotion. Her hands trembled as she pressed against his chest, torn between resisting and surrendering.
At last, she managed to pull away, breathless.
"Mr. Marino—!" Her voice shook. "You… you shouldn't have done that."
His eyes darkened, a storm raging within them. "I couldn't stop myself."
She stood quickly, putting space between them, her heart racing like a trapped bird. "I… I need time. This is too sudden."
"Elena," he said, stepping toward her, his tone pleading now, stripped of its usual steel. "I don't want to hide it anymore. I want you. Not as my secretary. Not as an employee. I want you as mine."
Her chest tightened. His words… his kiss… why does my heart feel like this?
But she shook her head, fighting the chaos inside her. "Please, don't. I can't… not right now."
For the first time, Vincenzo looked uncertain. Vulnerable. He straightened, his jaw tight, but his eyes softened.
"All right," he said finally, his voice low. "I'll give you time. But know this, Elena—" He stepped close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. "I don't share. And I don't give up easily."
Her breath caught again, and before she could respond, he turned away, walking to the window.
The room was heavy with unspoken words, with a tension so thick it wrapped around them like chains.
Elena pressed a trembling hand to her lips, her mind spinning. What just happened? What do I even feel?
She could still taste him. Still feel the weight of his kiss burning against her skin.
Confused and overwhelmed, she whispered, "I'll… I'll get back to you."
And with that, she fled from the office, her heart pounding, leaving Vincenzo staring after her, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Run if you must," he murmured under his breath. "But you'll come back to me. One way or another."