Chapter 2

She tried to steady her breathing as she was escorted down the long hallway by the man named Luciano. His tall figure walked in silence beside her, each step echoing faintly against the marble floors.

The quiet stretched too long, gnawing at her nerves. She couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Excuse me, Mr. Luciano…”

“Just Luciano is fine, Ms. Marshall,” he interrupted, his voice calm, steady—almost too composed.

The correction startled her, but she quickly recovered. “Alright then… Luciano.”

Her lips pressed together in hesitation. She wasn’t the type to pry, but curiosity burned inside her. She had heard enough whispers about Caius Grivano to form an image of him—a ruthless man with a heart of stone, an employer known more for his indifference than kindness. And yet, he had extended a hand to help her in her darkest moment.

Why?

That was what she couldn’t understand.

In this world, no one gave without expecting something in return. No one came rushing to help unless they had a reason—hidden or otherwise. She knew that much.

And still… she wanted to believe he wasn’t as heartless as the rumors painted him to be.

“If it isn’t too much…” she finally said, her voice softer now, careful. “May I ask… what kind of man is Mr. Grivano? Is he… always this generous with his employees?”

Luciano paused mid-step, clearly not expecting her to ask such a question. Most women who caught Caius’s attention never cared about his character—they only cared about the power, the wealth, the danger that surrounded him. They never asked what kind of man he truly was.

Luciano exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable.

“…You could say that,” he replied after a long moment, though his tone was far too vague to satisfy her.

She frowned at his hesitation, sensing there was more he refused to say. He could have told her the truth—that Caius Grivano did nothing without purpose, that every gesture was calculated, intentional. But Luciano held back, unwilling to let her glimpse that side of his employer.

“One thing I will say,” he continued, voice firm but not unkind. “Please, don’t think badly of him. He… isn’t what he seems on the surface. If you want the truth, you’ll need to look deeper.”

His words left her unsettled. What truth was he hinting at? And why did it sound like a warning?

Still, she nodded politely. “Alright.”

Luciano gave a small, satisfied nod, and silence settled between them once more.

Not long after, they reached the tall, imposing door of Caius’s office.

“We’re here,” Luciano said as she straightened her posture, trying to calm the sudden flutter in her chest.

Just as Luciano raised his fist to knock, the door burst open. A stunning woman stormed out, her heels striking sharply against the floor.

“You’ll regret this, Caius!” she spat, her voice trembling with rage.

She shoved past Luciano, bumping into his arm without so much as an apology. His expression didn’t change—cold, detached—as he brushed off the spot where she had touched him, as though she’d left behind something dirty.

The woman’s perfume lingered in the air, cloying and heavy.

Inside the office, tension still burned from the confrontation that had taken place only minutes earlier…

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Fifteen Minutes Before

Caius sat behind his massive desk, flipping through the freshly prepared contract Luciano had delivered. The office was silent but for the faint rustle of papers.

Then—BANG!

The door flew open. A furious woman stormed inside without permission.

Caius lifted his head slowly, his dark eyes narrowing in irritation.

“Tiana.” His tone was flat, unimpressed.

“Are you fucking serious with me, Caius?!” she snapped, her voice shrill with outrage. “Breaking up with me over a damn text? What do you take me for?!”

Her beauty was undeniable—flawless features, a body sculpted to perfection—but Caius felt nothing. Only annoyance.

His jaw tightened. He despised scenes like this the most.

Their relationship had never been about love, only convenience and mutual gain. And once she became unbearable, he had ended things without hesitation.

“I never said you were welcome in my office, Tiana,” he said coldly, his gaze dropping back to the papers in his hands.

His lack of reaction only fueled her fury. She stormed forward, slamming both palms against his desk with a thunderous bang.

“Go to hell with that attitude! Answer me first!” she hissed, her face flushed crimson. “Why would you throw me aside like this? We had chemistry, Caius! I even met your—your mentally ill daughter—”

The words slipped out, and in that instant, she knew she had gone too far.

Silence fell, thick and suffocating.

Caius’s head lifted, his eyes locking onto hers with a darkness so sharp it cut the air between them. His stare alone made her knees weaken.

She had stepped onto dangerous ground, and instinct screamed at her to back down. But her pride chained her in place.

“I dare you,” Caius’s voice dropped, low and lethal, each word carrying the weight of a death sentence, “to say that again.”

Her mouth went dry. Her body trembled, sweat prickling her skin. “T-that’s not what I meant, I swear!” she stammered, panic creeping into her voice.

But he wasn’t moved.

“You want to know why I ended things?” His words were calm, almost conversational—yet more terrifying than a shout. “The answer lies with you.”

He opened his desk drawer, pulling out a small stack of glossy photographs. With one smooth motion, he tossed them across the desk. They scattered at her feet, fanning out like cards.

Her eyes dropped. And the color drained from her face.

The photos didn’t lie.

There she was, in hotel rooms, pressed against men she thought she’d kept hidden—the mayor’s son, the wealthy heir, the senator. All powerful. All influential. And all proof of her betrayal.

“How…” she breathed, voice trembling, before he cut her off sharply.

“I warned you, Tiana. Fail me, and you’d regret it.” His tone was matter-of-fact, cold as ice. “I don’t care if you want to spread your legs for every man in the city. But you will not do it while standing at my side.”

His words struck like a blade.

“I don’t need a shameless woman to play wife. And I sure as hell won’t let someone like you near my daughter.” His eyes narrowed to slits, his gaze burning through her. “You think I didn’t know it was you who made her cry last week?”

Her body jolted. She had thought no one would find out.

“You… you spied on me?” she whispered, horrified.

Caius’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “Spy on you? No. You misunderstand.” His voice dropped lower, colder, sharper. “Did you really think I’d allow an outsider near my daughter without watching their every move? You were naïve to believe I could ever be that careless.”

His words cut deeper than any blade. It was no longer just a breakup. It was a warning. A demonstration of the power he wielded—and a reminder that anyone who crossed him would not walk away unscathed.

And in that moment, Tiana finally realized she had picked a fight with a man she could never win against.

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