CHAPTER 6 ~ BOSS

ALEXANDRA’S POV

I walked across the soft carpet of the dining room and approached the circular wooden table. Maximilian stood up from his seat and pulled the empty wooden chair out for me. I stepped forward and sat down on the comfortable cushion. He gently pushed the heavy chair forward until my knees rested comfortably beneath the smooth wooden surface. He walked back around the table and sat down in his own chair.

He picked up a pair of silver serving tongs from the center of the table. He carefully transferred three large pieces of cooked bacon, a large portion of warm scrambled eggs, and two thick slices of buttered toast onto a white ceramic plate. He placed the heavy plate directly in front of me. He picked up a glass pitcher and poured fresh orange juice into a tall drinking cup.

"Thank you for serving the food," I said, picking up a silver fork. "You really did not have to cook breakfast for me. I could have easily ordered room service from the hotel kitchen."

"I wanted to cook for you, Alexandra," Maximilian replied softly, keeping his voice very calm and grounded. He did not sound arrogant or demanding. He sounded genuinely concerned for my health. "You experienced a terrible shock last night. You need to eat a proper meal to regain your physical energy. Please eat as much food as you want."

I picked up a piece of bacon and took a slow bite. The food tasted incredibly warm and delicious. I ate the eggs and the toast while Maximilian drank his hot coffee and watched me quietly. He did not make me feel uncomfortable. He simply looked relieved that I was finally eating a solid meal after the horrible events of the previous night.

After I finished eating half of the food on my plate, Maximilian reached across the table and picked up his digital tablet. He tapped the glass screen a few times with his index finger and then rotated the device. He pushed the tablet across the smooth wooden table until it stopped right next to my ceramic plate.

"I told you last night that I would make sure your ex-boyfriend faces the consequences of his cruel actions," Maximilian explained, his deep voice remaining very steady and serious. "I do not want you to worry about him bothering you ever again. I made a few phone calls early this morning to the corporate executives at his financial firm. Read the email on the screen."

I set my silver fork down on the table and looked at the digital tablet. I read the official corporate email displayed on the bright screen. The message explicitly stated that David Foster was permanently terminated from his position as a junior account executive due to a sudden and severe breach of professional conduct. The email also stated that his professional references were completely revoked, meaning he would struggle to find another high-paying job in the city.

My eyes widened in complete shock. I looked up from the tablet and stared directly at Maximilian. "You actually got him fired from his job. You did all of this before eight o'clock in the morning."

"I did," Maximilian confirmed simply. He did not boast about his massive wealth or his corporate power. He looked directly into my eyes with complete sincerity. "David is a cruel man who emotionally manipulated you and verbally abused you. He does not deserve to hold a prestigious corporate job while you suffer. I wanted to remove his financial power so he cannot use his money or his position to threaten you ever again."

I let out a long breath and leaned back against my wooden chair. I felt a massive wave of relief wash over my entire body. David always used his corporate salary to make me feel small and dependent on him. He constantly reminded me that he paid the rent for our apartment. Now, he had absolutely nothing.

"Thank you, Maximilian," I said honestly, feeling fresh tears form in my eyes. "I do not know how to repay you for helping me."

"You do not owe me anything, Alexandra. I just want you to be safe," he replied, reaching out and gently taking the empty ceramic plate away from me.

I turned my head to look at the large digital clock hanging on the kitchen wall. The bright red numbers displayed the time as eight-thirty in the morning. A sudden wave of intense panic hit my chest. Today was Monday morning. I had completely forgotten about my work schedule because of the emotional trauma from last night.

I stood up from the wooden chair so quickly that the wooden legs scraped loudly against the floor. "Oh no. I am completely late for work. I am supposed to be sitting at my desk right now."

Maximilian stood up slowly and placed his hands in his pants pockets. "You do not need to panic, Alexandra. Please calm down."

"I cannot calm down," I rushed out, stepping away from the table and looking down at my dark red silk nightgown. "I am a data intern at Volkov Industries. The managers in the data department are incredibly strict about employee attendance. If I miss my Monday morning shift, they will terminate my internship immediately. I do not even have any dry clothes to wear to the office. My wool coat and my dress pants are completely ruined from the rainstorm last night."

Maximilian walked out of the dining room and headed toward a set of large wooden doors located in the main hallway of the penthouse. I followed him closely, feeling my anxiety increase with every passing second. He reached out with both hands and pulled the heavy closet doors wide open.

I looked inside the spacious closet and gasped loudly. A long row of expensive, tailored professional dresses, silk blouses, and heavy skirts hung neatly on the wooden clothing racks. Several pairs of brand-new leather shoes rested on the bottom wooden shelves. I looked closely at the sizing tags hanging from the sleeves. The clothing looked perfectly sized to fit my heavy curves and my wide hips.

"I had my personal assistant purchase these clothes for you early this morning from a luxury boutique," Maximilian explained quietly, gesturing toward the expensive garments. "I noticed your measurements last night, and I ensured every single piece will fit your body comfortably. You will not wear oversized, baggy sweaters to hide yourself anymore. I want you to feel confident and beautiful."

I stared at the expensive professional clothes and then looked up at his calm face. My brain struggled to process the immense kindness and the impossible logistics of the situation.

"I do not understand," I said, shaking my head slowly. "Why are you doing all of this for me? And how can you possibly fix my attendance problem at Volkov Industries? My manager is going to fire me the second I walk through the front doors of the building."

Maximilian stepped closer to me and looked deeply into my brown eyes. He reached out and gently rested his warm hand against my shoulder.

"Your manager is never going to fire you, Alexandra," Maximilian said, his deep voice vibrating with absolute authority and quiet protection. "You do not need to worry about being late to Volkov Industries today, because I am the Chief Executive Officer of the entire company, and you are riding to the office in my personal car."