"She was fire. And I wanted to burn."
#4 in Forbidden Love.
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Ariella Faure is just a 5'3, timid woman looking for one thing and one thing only: a better job to provide for herself. After just starting i...
It had been only a day since Dante and I had had that exchange in the conference room and I still was having trouble wrapping my head around it.
From a kiss to a trip to Thailand. He skipped second and third base and just went straight to home.
He had said it as a demand that I go with him, but I knew the choice was still mine to make. The question was did I want to go?
Maybe I did, but what would he need me there for? Was he bringing other employees with him or was it just me?
Alone in a foreign country with Dante Acosta. My boss. Who I had only met a week ago. Was it safe? Could I bring Maddie with me?
I don't think he'd like that idea, but what would it hurt to ask? After all he was stopping my life here in New York, not that I had much going on but still.
The next day at work, I hadn't seen Dante. I figured he was busy making sure everything was in order here before he left. Maybe he was giving me my space before we joined on our way to Thailand. The question still rung in my head on whether or not I was making a bad decision to go.
But of course Maddie encouraged me to live a little. That didn't mean I hadn't noticed the sadness in her eyes at the thought of her not coming with and her friend leaving her for three days. But maybe she was right.
Today went on as it usually did. I filed paperwork for Veronica at my computer for a few hours before she walked up to me.
"How are you doing?" She asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Oh, I'm fine," I said, only taking a small glimpse of her as I finished typing the last data entry.
"Mr. Acosta requested I tell you if you would like to go home early today then you are welcome to," She nodded towards me, grabbing the stack from atop my desk as if i had already said yes. "He understands that you have an important trip coming up."
"Oh, um please send him a thank you from me," I muttered, slowly sliding from behind my desk in the roller chair. I wondered if Dante had told her that the trip would be with him. She'd probably think that's a stupid idea on his part, perhaps because it was.
He had no reason to bring me along. And it would be a cardinal sin for the CEO to have relations with an intern. Maybe it was different because it would be in Thailand? What did he expect from me there? Would I file paperwork there too? Would having a female along help seal the deal? Surely, Karina would be a better option. But Deana informed me on one of her gossip episodes that Karina wasn't into men. So, I guess it wouldn't have that same sex appeal.
I shook my head when I realized that I was once again over-thinking. I walked out the door and looked for a cab in the distance. I'd call Maddie but I'm sure she's still at work.
A cab stopped once I waved it down with my phone in hand and I climbed in, finally making up my mind. It's a once in a life time chance to go to a foreign country. With my boss or not it'd be a worthy experience. Out of all the workers he could have offered that amazing opportunity to, he offered it to me.
And I was deffinetly going to take it.
- Maria Bellamy
"No."
My resolve broke and my cheek stung as a hot tear fell.
He told me no.
Me.
After all I've done for him. Nightmare after nightmare. It was always me there when he couldn't act like a grown man and handle his dreams. Not Ariella. Not SEO. Me. I may not have known what they were about, but I knew what it meant when he called me at one or two in the morning. And then right after I'd show up on time for work to deal with his client's accounts. I deserved some type of credit.
I never denied him.
Yet, he denied me.
After yelling in my face.
I loved him. He only used me and trashed me after he found his next fuck. He had officially become the stereotype of an arrogant CEO. He threw away what we were accustomed to for an entire year.
And for what? Some low-life intern? Ariella had only started a week ago and already had Dante wrapped around her little finger. He had never let me ride with him in his limo or offered to take me to work at all. But he let her. Her innocent act might have fooled him, but it wasn't going to fool me. What could he have seen in her anyhow?
She was nothing to be compared to me. Whatever it may be, he was foolish for it. Dante had no idea what he had just done. I would see to it that him and Ariella would both get what they deserved.
I stepped out of my car and sauntered into the massive building with my head held high in my red stilettos and matching dress just as though I owned this place.
No one stopped or eyed me as I stepped right into an old friend's first floor office. I leaned against his desk as he smiled at me. He was leaned back in his chair with his hands entwined over his mid-section.
"Well, look who it is,"He smiled at me and his eyes glimered. "Dante finally get tired of you? Or did he just send you to seduce me into giving you information?"
I laughed, strolling behind his chair as he continued to look forward, unbothered. I brought my hands to his shoulders and lowered them as I spoke in his ear in the most sexy voice I could administer.
"Actually.. I have some information for you, Mr. Fausti."
Nothing beats a woman scorned.
Photo of Maria:
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If she thinks that's bad just wait til she finds out he's taking her to Thailand, YIKES. But HEYYYY guys. It took me a minute to find a good model for Maria but I finally settled with Jennifer Lawrence. I hope you liked the chapter. Please vote and comment!
