登入┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈Leonardo┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈I had just clocked out for the day as directors filtered out of my offices with their different folders discussing quarterly projections.Andrei walked in before I reached for my suit on my headrest. I turned to him, his expression told me this wasn't routine business.“What is it?" Without a word he handed me a tablet, a breaking news broadcast filled the screen:NATIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES ISSUE PUBLIC WARNING OVER ILLEGAL DRUG KNOWN AS OBLIVIONThe anchor continued speaking:“*Hospitals across three cities have reported multiple emergency admissions linked to an unidentified substance known as Oblivion. Authorities believe the drug is being distributed through organized criminal networks and are urging citizens to avoid any unidentified recreational substance while investigations continue.*”I watched silently, another headline appeared: POLICE FORM SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO TRACE ORIGIN OF OBLIVIONI lowered the tablet, “how much?" I ask
❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈ Natalie ❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈By the second morning, I had convinced myself that yesterday had simply been an introduction.Today would be different. Today someone would explain my responsibilities, assign me an actual work and prove that Leonardo had not place me into one of the country's biggest corporations simply to occupy an expensive office.A knock interrupted my thoughts. “Come in." Andrei entered carrying a thin black folder. "Good morning, Miss Rossi,” he greeted.“Please tell me you're here to explain what am supposed to be doing,” I said, furious."I am.”He took a step forward and placed the folder on my desk before stepping back."This contains your schedule for the next four weeks.”I picked it up hastily, and opened it immediately; board meeting, executive luncheon, foundation gala, charity fundraiser, press conference, quarterly shareholders meeting.I looked up, “That's it?" "Yes," he replied.I narrowed my gaze, “I meant my work,"
❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈ Natalie ❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈I was still staring at Leonardo when the silence finally broke; Special Projects Coordinator.The title echoed inside my head over and over again like repeating it would make it sound less ridiculous.Nearly forty executives sat around the conference table staring at me with different degrees of confusion and disbelief.While few looked like they were actively questioning Leonardo’s sanity.I couldn't blame them, because I was questioning it too.Meanwhile, Leonardo looked completely unfazed by the chaos he had just created.Afterward, the meeting began almost immediately as the people discussed, I sat through the meeting understanding maybe a third of what was said.Numbers, Projections, names attached to departments I didn't know existed. I nodded when it seemed expected and said nothing otherwise, every now and then I caught someone looking at me.some of them looked curious while others looked irritated.A woman look
┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ Leonardo ┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ The smile disappeared from Linda's face so quickly it was almost amusing. For a brief moment she simply stared at me like she was trying to determine whether I was bluffing or whether I actually knew the answer already. Then she laughed. It sounded forced. “You really came all the way here to accuse me of leaking your contract?" I didn't answer. She shook her head and reached for her wine glass. "That's insane.” Still, I said nothing while the silence lingered. It always amazed me how uncomfortable silence made people. Eventually she looked away first. “You haven't changed,” she muttered. "No.” A bitter smile appeared on her lips. "Still convinced you're always right.” "No," I replied and that made her look at me. “I'm convinced facts matter." The apartment became quiet again. Linda folded her arms, "then present your facts.” I leaned back slightly. "You were with me the day I initiated the contract.
┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ Leonardo ┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈By the time I returned home, the interview had already done what I wanted; Confusion, doubts, questions.The media no longer knew which version of the story to believe and uncertainty was always useful to me.I sat in my office while Andrei stood across from me holding a tablet. “The interview helped better than I expected,” he said.I looked up briefly.“The company's stock recovered more than five percent before market closed.”"Just five?” I said."That's better than reduction," he said. “Also the media is buzzing.” He handed the tablet to me, I glanced at the screen. Articles were appearing faster than anyone could keep track of them.MORETTI FIRES BACK AF FHE CONTRACT SCANDALWHAT DID LEONARDO MRAN BY “DO YOUR JOBS"?IS THE RELATIONSHIP REAL AFTER ALL?A humorless smile touched my lips as I scrolled silently.Exactly as planned, people had stopped discussing the leaked contract and started discussing uncertainty instead.
┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ Leonardo ┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈I barely slept. Every time I shifted in bed, pain shot through my shoulder, reminding me that getting shot was considerably less enjoyable than I had made it seem.By sunrise, I had given up on sleep entirely.The door bell rang and the door opened as Palmira walked into my room carrying coffee and a medical kit.The moment she saw me standing by the widow she sighed dramatically.“Wonderful. The patient is pretending he's healthy again." "I'm fine.”"That's exactly what people say before collapsing.”I ignored her and sat down.Palmira set the tray down before unwrapping the bandage around my shoulder.The wound looked better than yesterday. Not good. Just better."You should be resting,” she muttered."I have work.”"You have a death wish.”I almost smiled. Almost.Palmira finished replacing the bandage before narrowing her eyes at me. “You have a live television interview in a few hours.”I nodded once in agreement. “Appar
┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ Leonardo ┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ The elevator chimed and the doors slid open just as she stepped out too quickly like she had moved without thinking and only to realize it after she was already here. She stopped immediately, the motion abrupt to make it obvious that she had not
❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈ Natalie ❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈Soft sunlight filtered through the curtains, brushing against my face and pulling a slow breath from me as my eyes opened.I stirred slowly, stretching just a little before a sharp sting at my neck forced me to stop. The pain wasn't sud
┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ Leonardo ┈◆┈┈◇┈┈•⊰⊱•┈◆┈◇┈┈ “And my mom… she definitely cannot get a job,” Natalie said, her voice trembling. “Meaning it's over for us, for my family.” She turned back to face me, anger and desperation burning in her red rimmed eyes. “So I ask again," she continued. “What ex
❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈ Natalie ❈─────≪ °❀° ≫─────❈ Tears slipped out of my eyes; not from pain neither humiliation but from relief and joy. A breath I hadn't realized I might've been holding for days rushed out of me in a broken laugh as I sprang off the bed, the sudden movement made me dizzy.







