CHAPTER 11: Her empty desk

Alessandro’s POV

Rosalie hadn’t come in for two days

Two entire days

I sat behind my desk, hands restless, eyes staring unfocused at the latest report from our Laos expansion. 

The words blurred, turned meaningless, as my gaze moved towards her empty desk outside the glass wall

She always arrived early, I’d grown used to the quiet comfort of her presence, Her soft, careful ssteps,the way she glanced toward my office with clear resentment, sometimes curiosity

But not today.

Not yesterday too

I closed the file and leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking under my weight. 

I felt an unusual pressure settle in my chest, one I didn’t care to name

The scent of her was gone from the hallway, the air had lost something, ssomething sharp, something alive. It had lost meaning 

She was avoiding me, I knew that

And I hated that it worked.

I had spent the past two nights at the office, awake and cold away from my own bed ,pretending not to feel the lack of something I should never have let matter

Rosalie had let me touch her, take her. But afterward when I expected shame or trembling,she looked at me with defiance

"Is that what you wanted, then? A pawn to bend?"

I asked myself but I didn't answer. I never did when truth was obvious

But now, the silence was loud, too loud

   I turned back to my computer, another email from Laos, another file., another list of permits that needed to be signed 

My fingers danced over the keyboard, then paused

My phone vibrated on my desk

Viviana

Again.

Where are you?

Emilia wants to have dinner with you tonight, Please come home.

Is it the meetings again? About the expansion? You’ve been different.

I didn’t reply, not yet. I would later, I always did.

Viviana never called anymore, just texts, short ones. Frequent

I didn’t know when she started counting my absences ,but I knew she had.

A knock.

My assistant, Marcello stepped in.m “Mr. Moretti, there’s a minor issue with the architectural plans for the office in Venice. Should I have them redo it?"

“Tell them to resend and to double check” I said without looking up “We should not bleed over into Ravelli’s land.”

“Yes, sir”

As he turned to leave, I noticed something; hesitation in his step, a look towards Rosalie’s desk, just for a second.

“Marcello.”

He turned back “Sir?”

“Do you know why Rosalie isn’t at work?”

His face froze for a breath too long “I believe she might be unwell”

“She didn’t request leave?"

“No, sir. She didn’t"

I narrowed my eyes “Has anyone been asking about her?”

Marcello shook his head quickly "No one that I known of ”

“Watch the staff more carefully,” I said, tone even. “And tell management not to accept unreported absence without my approval”

He nodded and left.

My jaw clenched

Something in the office felt off, llike the walls had ears.

Someone had been watching her, watching me.

I stood and walked to the window.

 Reputation was paper thin in our world, easy to jeopardize 

And I had risked mine for a waitress with fire in her eyes

No, that wasn’t it. I had done it for the way she made me feel like I wasn’t untouchable, for the way she looked at me like I was a man, not a God 

That was the danger.

I tried to work again, a failed attempt.

Opened her file in the company system, looked at her photo

The one she submitted when she was hired.

Smiling, young. Beautiful.

I closed the screen and stood.l

I needed to see her.

I left the building late that evening, no driver, I walked. 

The streets were cold, street lights scattered across 

Her apartment wasn’t far, I knew the address

I had looked it up once,just once

But I didn’t go

I stood across the street from the small building, watched the windows for signs of movement

There was none

Just silence, curtains closed

A shadow behind the glass. Was it her?

I waited longer than I should have

And then I turned and left.

The next morning, her desk was still empty

And the space she left behind felt like a vacuum

She was considering quitting

I could feel it in the air.l

I could feel it in myself

And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t know what I would do if she did

So, I did what I do best, handled it like a businessman. I made a decision

A three day business event was scheduled in rome; meetings, public appearance, and a dinner.

 I needed someone efficient, someone who knew my work. Someone who could challenge me.

I assigned her as my personal secretary for the trip.

Let’s see if she could run forever.