THE COLD MARBLED PATH

AURELIA

I looked up and cursed internally when I realized I lost my cool. Now I was getting kicked out of here because I couldn't control my temper. I was starting to think about how disappointed Vincenzo was going to be when he discovered I got kicked out on the first day when I suddenly noticed the man who had interrupted the squabble between me and Jade.

I stared at him.

He stood there like a shadow carved from marble, impossibly still, and for a heartbeat the world around us seemed to narrow until only he remained. His face was almost too perfect to be real, high, sharp cheekbones that could cut glass, a strong, defined jawline, and a straight nose that spoke of old-world aristocracy. Full lips pressed into a hard line, and dark, thick brows framed eyes so black they looked like polished onyx, swallowing light instead of reflecting it.

Those eyes... God, they pulled you in and warned you away at the same time. His skin was smooth and lightly tanned, stretched over features so symmetrical it felt unfair, like nature had broken every rule just for him. He wasn’t merely handsome, he was devastating, the kind of beauty that made people forget how to speak.

Yet nothing about him felt warm. A cold aura radiated off him, heavy and electric, like the air before a thunderstorm. He screamed danger without saying a word: ruthless confidence in the way he held his broad shoulders, untouchable arrogance in the slight tilt of his chin. Power rolled off him in silent waves, the kind that didn’t need to announce itself.

My pulse quickened despite myself, a sharp flicker of fear licking up my spine. This man looked like he could ruin lives with a single decision and never lose sleep over it. I could feel it in my bones. But I refused to let it show. I kept my posture straight, my gaze steady, refusing to shrink or look away. I wasn’t easily intimidated, and I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

His dark onyx eyes held an annoyed expression at first, stormy and raging, like thunderclouds churning with barely leashed irritation. They bored into me as if I were an inconvenience he hadn’t planned for, something disruptive to whatever cold calculations were running behind that flawless face.

Then, in the space of a breath, it shifted.

A glint of amusement flickered across those eyes, sharp, fleeting, almost predatory. The corner of his mouth didn’t even twitch, but I caught it all the same, like a predator toying with its prey for a split second before the mask slammed back down. The amusement vanished as quickly as it appeared. I blinked, wondering if I’d imagined it entirely. The cold, annoyed storm returned, colder than before, leaving me unsettled in a way I couldn’t quite name.

He was beautiful. He was terrifying. And something told me I had just stepped into his orbit whether I wanted to or not.

“I asked a question,” he snapped, his voice still etched with irritation.

“Your security here was trying to play tricks and I had to put him in his position,” I said and stood up, refusing to be intimidated by him. The bodyguards who stood behind me looked at me as if wondering why I dared speak with such audacity. I didn't care what happened at this point, I would rather be kicked out than watch someone try to publicly harass and humiliate me, Vincenzo didn't train me to be a loser.

I watched that amused look return to his face and he stared at Jade who grunted as he picked himself up from the floor and cradled his arms to his chest.

“The rest of y'all are dismissed, come into my office, you interest me,” he said after a long moment of silence. I was stunned.

I wasn't getting kicked out?

Jade who had a lazy smirk on his face seconds ago stared at the man in disbelief.

Who was he?

I walked behind him as he walked down the long dark corridor and pushed open a door. My mouth was left hanging open as I took in the dark and polished exterior of the mysterious house. I followed close behind him, my shoes silent on the cold marble that probably cost a fortune. The door shut with a heavy final click, and the house wrapped around us like a living thing. Dark walnut panels swallowed the light, making the whole place feel expensive and menacing at the same time.

“Shit,” I whispered, eyes darting everywhere. The chandelier glowed low overhead, throwing long, threatening shadows across the floor. The staircase swept upward into pure blackness, its thick banister carved like it belonged to old kings and richer sins. Everything here screamed money and danger.

In the living room, a massive fireplace crackled softly beneath a violent painting that looked museum-worthy. A bronze wolf on the side table looked ready to tear someone’s throat out. I drifted closer to the glass cabinet and felt my stomach tighten. Row after row of luxury wines and collector blades gleamed under spotlights. One knife in particular looked sharp enough to end lives quietly.

My heart raced, a messy rush of fear and forbidden excitement twisting inside me. He walked a bit further and pushed open a door leading to a study.

It was awfully dark there. He flicked on the light and I stared at the cabinet filled with expensive wines and a mini arsenal that held just a simple weapon. A sniper, a marksman rifle and a shotgun.

It laid delicately there and I paused to stare and admire the beautiful collection of the gun. I would do anything to genuinely use this someday.

“Sir,” his voice cut into my trail of thoughts. I turned and walked towards the chair behind the dark mahogany table and sat down. I immediately got lost staring at his handsome face. He reached for a bottle of wine on his table and walked to a shelf to get a wine opener and a tumbler. He poured dark liquid which swirled around the inner walls of the glass as he poured.

It was at that moment I noticed that name on the desk.

Zayn Di Laurentiis.