Anne's POV
I trembled as I strode towards the eleventh floor of the office building. I had just received a promotion letter for a post I had applied for over two months ago. For a week after submitting my application letter for the position, I had slept with my heart in my mouth. After a month I had completely forgotten about it. And now, two whole months letter, I had received the mail that had kept me up at night for several days; I had been promoted to the office of secretary. And not just any secretary, the CEO's secretary at that!
My pulse raced faster with every step that I took forward. I was elated, but that didn't compare to the tension I felt at the moment. I had seen the him just once before, Riccarrdo Antonelli. He was everything the media said he was; a charming young man who seemed to have the entire business world wrapped round his finger. His presence alone was enough to send some people into shock, and he was a man who didn't tolerate misconduct.
When I reached the glass door with the engraved silver letters "CEO – Mr. Riccardo Antonelli", I froze. My palms were damp despite the chill, and my throat felt too tight to swallow. Mustering enough strength, I brought my frail hands down on the wooden door.
A soft, clipped voice from inside said, "Come in."
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The office was spacious and elegant, bathed in natural light that streamed through the wide floor-to-ceiling windows. Everything in the room spoke of wealth and quiet authority. But my eyes didn't linger on the decor for long. They went straight to the man behind the desk.
Mr. Antonelli was standing, one hand tucked into the pocket of his tailored black suit. His dark hair was perfectly styled, not a strand out of place, and the sharp line of his jaw looked as though it had been carved by an artist. His skin had a warm tone that contrasted beautifully with his crisp white shirt, and when his gaze lifted to meet mine, the warm brown of his eyes sent a strange shiver down my spine.
His presence was domineering, but it wasn't cold like I had expected. He had a warmth that I didn't anticipate, one that seemed to calm the tension I had carried into the office.
But I wasn't alone with him.
Seated across from his desk was a woman–tall, polished, and strikingly beautiful. Her long dark hair glimmered in the sunlight as she turned slightly toward me, offering a faint, practiced smile. Her dress was a deep red that clung elegantly to her figure, and the way she sat, legs crossed, chin slightly tilted—suggested she was comfortable in this office, perhaps too comfortable.
For a brief second, my confidence faltered.
His gaze remained on me, his expression almost unreadable. "You must be Anne," he said, his deep voice smooth. "The new secretary."
I swallowed and managed a nod, my voice catching as I replied, "Yes, sir."
The woman's eyes flicked over me, assessing, curious, perhaps even amused. I felt her attention like a physical weight, but I forced a polite smile, determined not to let my nerves show.
"She looks better than I expected, will she do?" She said, turning towards Mr. Antonelli who took his turn at accessing me as well.
I went still, unsure of what to make of what was happening. What exactly was going on? Had I been called here for something else? Had I read the email I received wrongly?
After a few seconds of silence, Mr. Antonelli motioned toward the chair opposite him. "Please, have a seat. We were just finishing up."
I obeyed, settling down without wasting a second. "Thank you." I mouthed. He responded with a short smile that didn't quite reach his eyes before walking over to the woman who sat just beside me. For a second they discussed in low hushed tones, and all I could do was sit there and admire just how handsome this man was up close. I had seen the magazines, the posters, they were impossible to escape. But neither of those did justice to just how captivating he was in real life.
It was no wonder he rarely had female workers around him. For a hot minute rumors of him being gay had been the talk of the town. He never addressed it, and he didn't seem to care about what the people had to say. The rumor had disappeared as swiftly as it came, and people suspected that he had paid the people spreading such news hush money, or worse taken care of them.
None of that interested me until this moment. Was he really gay? What were my chances with him?
"Stop!" I shouted at myself inwardly. This was exactly why he avoided female coworkers, they were probably always too busy dreaming about sleeping with him instead of getting their job done.
After what seemed like an eternity, the lady finally rose from where she sat, planted a kiss on Mr Antonelli's cheek and flashed me a warm smile, one that I mirrored nervously.
As though noticing my nervousness, she walked closer to me, placed her hand around my chin and gave me another warm smile. "You're going to be just fine, there's no need to be worried."
Now I was even more weirded out than nervous. Who was this woman? I had never seen her before, so she likely didn't work here. And the way she acted so carefree around Mr Antonelli, she was either his lover—
"You should get going, Lisa." Mr Antonelli's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Alright." She replied casually before turning and striding out of the office. Now we were alone, and suddenly the air had gotten thicker. For a moment I forgot how to to breathe, I just sat there, frozen in place, my blue eyes locked onto his hazel own.
"Mr Antonelli, I…I didn't mean—"
"There's no need to apologize, and call me Riccardo from now henceforth." He cut me short.
"Riccardo…" I played with the name for a second.
"I'm sure you're aware of why you're here." He started, his tone slowly getting stricter with every word he spoke.
Unable to handle all the tension while seating down, I shot to my feet, still trembling while I formed my response. "Yes, I am! And I promise to work to the best of my abilities. I'll do everything to make sure I carry out my work perfectly well."
"Everything huh?" He returned, and I felt a wave of fear sweep through my body. He closed gap between us, only stopping justt short of me. His tall frame casted a shadow that swallowed my own. My back instinctively met the edge of the desk, and I froze. He didn't touch me, not yet, but the distance between us had vanished—barely a breath apart.
The scent of his cologne wrapped around me, sinking into my senses until I forgot why I was even trembling. His gaze dipped briefly to my lips before returning to my eyes, sharp and unreadable, as though he were studying every flicker of emotion written across my face.
"You said you'd do everything," he murmured, his voice low enough to send a ripple of heat down my spine. "Everything to prove yourself?"
I nodded, unable to form words.
He leaned closer, his breath brushing the side of my neck, warm and teasing. "Tell me, Anne…" he whispered, his tone now softer, yet infinitely more dangerous. "How do you feel about being my wife?"