The Second Moretti: He was nothing like I imagined

‎The announcement had barely ended before the HR manager appeared beside my desk carrying another folder.

‎"Mr. Hart."

‎I looked up hopefully.

‎"Is Mr. Moretti here already?"

‎"The CEO has another task for you." He handed me the folder. "He wants these files taken to the records department downstairs."

‎I stared at him.

‎"... Right now?"

‎"I'm afraid so."

‎I glanced toward the executive floor. Somewhere up there, the Vice CEO had just arrived. The entire office had spent the whole day whispering about him, and now that he was finally here...

‎I was being sent downstairs.

‎"...Of course I am," I muttered.

‎The HR manager smiled politely, completely ignoring my suffering.

‎"The files are in the storage room."

‎With a sigh, I headed toward the records room. The moment I stepped inside, I stopped in front of a trolley stacked with folders.

‎"...You've got to be kidding me."

‎There had to be at least thirty of them.

‎I glanced around.

‎No one else was there.

‎"...Fine."

‎Instead of making two trips, I bent down and gathered the entire stack into my arms. The folders reached almost to my chin, blocking most of my view.

‎"If these fall," I muttered as I nudged the door open with my shoulder, "...I'm pretending I don't work here."

‎Somehow, I made it to the elevator without dropping anything. The doors slid open, and I stepped inside.

‎A few moments later, they opened again on the executive floor.

‎I shifted the stack higher in my arms and walked out, my view still blocked by the folders.

‎Someone else stepped out at the same time.

‎Neither of us saw the other.

‎We collided.

‎The folders slipped from my arms and scattered across the polished floor.

‎"Oh—"

‎I dropped to my knees immediately.

‎"I'm so sorry."

‎I reached for the nearest file.

‎A hand holding the a folder came into my view.

‎I looked up.

‎The man smiled politely as he held it out to me.

‎"I should've been watching where I was going," he said.

‎I accepted the folder with a small smile.

‎"No, that was my fault. I couldn't see a thing bhind these."

‎"That's a fair excuse."

‎I let out a quiet laugh as I took the folder from him.

‎"Thanks."

‎For a brief moment, the stranger simply watched the young man before him. His expression remained calm, but his eyes lingered, quietly studying him.

‎"Mr. Hart."

‎I looked up.

‎Mr. Moretti stood a short distance away.

‎His expression was as unreadable as ever, but his eyes weren't on me.

‎They had settled on the man beside me.

‎For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

‎Then the stranger smiled.

‎"It's been a while... brother."

‎I froze.

‎...Brother?

‎My eyes darted from the stranger to Mr. Moretti and back again.

‎There wasn't even the slightest resemblance.

‎The stranger had warm amber eyes and an easy smile. Mr. Moretti's gray eyes were as cold as ever, his face giving away nothing.

‎They were brothers?

‎The stranger said nothing.

‎H simply watched the confusion spread plainly across Elias's face.

‎So...

‎This was Elias Hart.

‎The young man Dante had been keeping so close.

‎A smile formed inwardly.

‎...Interesting.

‎"Elias."

‎Dante finally looked away from the stranger and back at me.

‎"Come with me."

‎I shifted the folders in my arms. "...Yes, sir."

‎Without another word, he turned and walked down the hallway.

‎The stranger fell into step beside him as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

‎I hurried after them, still trying to process what I'd just heard.

‎Brothers.

‎I honestly couldn't see it.

‎As we walked, the office had gone strangely quiet. Employees buried themselves in their work the moment we passed, though I caught more than a few glances from the corner of my eye. Nobody dared stare for long.

‎We stopped in front of the private elevator.

‎One of the bodyguards pressed the button without being asked.

‎The doors slid open.

‎Dante stepped inside first.

‎The stranger followed.

‎After a brief hesitation, I walked in behind them.

‎The doors closed.

‎Silence settled over the elevator as it began its slow descent.

‎I adjusted the folders in my arms and looked at the floor numbers above the doors. No one said anything. The silence stretched long enough to make me wonder if the entire ride would be like this.

‎Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the stranger looking at me. His gaze lingered for a second before a smirk appeared on his face. He turned to Mr. Moretti and said, "È così piccolo... può davvero tenerti, fratello?"

‎Mr. Moretti's jaw tightened.

‎I frowned.

‎I had no idea what he'd just said, but judging by the way Mr. Moretti's expression hardened, it couldn't have been anything good.

‎"Non toccarlo, Xavier," he replied, his voice calm and cold.

‎The name caught my attention.

‎Xavier?

‎Wait...

‎Vice CEO Xavier Moretti?

‎So this was the man everyone had been whispering about since lunch.

‎Xavier let out a quiet chuckle. The warning didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. His eyes drifted back to me, lingering just long enough to make me shift the folders in my arms.

‎...Why does he keep looking at me?

‎The corner of Xavier's mouth lifted again.

‎"Sembra più interessante di quanto pensassi... non credi, fratello?"

‎Mr. Moretti's expression darkened.

‎Neither of them spoke after that.

‎I wasn't stupid enough to look at either of them. I kept my eyes on the elevator doors and pretended they were the most interesting thing in the world. I didn't understand a single word they were saying, but I understood enough to know I was somehow the topic of their conversation.

‎Please...

‎God.

‎Buddha.

‎Anyone.

‎Just let this elevator hurry up.

‎A second later, a soft ding echoed through the elevator.

‎The doors slid open onto the underground garage.

‎A row of black vehicles waited beneath the bright overhead lights. Enzo stepped forward and opened the rear door as soon as he saw us.

‎I hesitated for a moment.

‎Not knowing where I was supposed to sit, I glanced at Enzo. He gave a small nod, so I climbed into the back beside him, balancing the folders on my lap.

‎Xavier was just about to get in when Mr. Moretti spoke.

‎"Enzo."

‎"Yes, Boss."

‎"Drive."

‎For a brief second, no one moved.

‎Xavier looked at Mr. Moretti, the easy smile still resting on his face.

‎Enzo didn't question the order. He closed the door, walked around to the driver's seat, and started the engine.

‎I stared.

‎...Weren't we waiting for him?

‎The car pulled away from the parking space.

‎Unable to stop myself, I glanced into the rearview mirror.

‎Mr. Moretti was already looking at me.

‎Our eyes met.

‎I immediately looked away and fixed my gaze on the windshield, pretending I'd been looking at the traffic ahead all along.

‎Neither Elias nor Enzo noticed the faint smile that briefly touched the corner of Dante's mouth before it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

‎***

‎Behind them, Xavier remained where he was, watching the black sedan disappear down the exit ramp.

‎The smile on his face lingered for another second.

‎Then it faded.

‎His expression turned cold.

‎A black sedan rolled to a stop beside him. His right-hand man stepped out, opened the rear door, and waited.

‎Without a word,Xavier got in.

‎A moment later, the second car pulled out of the garage, following the same road.

‎