Chapter 5

"Ross, are you even listening?"

The sound of Eliana’s voice, sharp and deliberate, brought Ross back to reality.

He blinked, realizing he’d been staring at Liz. His mother hit the table lightly, her lips pursed in disapproval.

“Sorry,” Ross muttered, shaking his head. “I was… distracted.”

Eliana raised an eyebrow. “Obviously. We were saying you’ll be training Emma at the company. She seems smart, but she’ll need to learn how things work around here.”

Ross straightened his posture. “Right. Sure, I’ll handle it.”

Before the conversation could continue, Ross’s watch beeped. He glanced down at the notification and stood abruptly, his face darkening. Liz recognized the same tense behavior he’d shown in the car before.

Eliana caught the look on Emma’s face and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about him, dear. He’s just dealing with something that he’ll fix soon enough.” She leaned closer and added, “Give him time. He’s struggling more than you realize.”

Liz nodded, unsure what to say. She didn’t press further.

After breakfast, Eliana suggested Emma get ready to accompany Ross to the company. “You bought some nice corporate outfits during your shopping trip. Put one of those on, and you’ll fit right in.”

Liz agreed, choosing a simple yet elegant dress from her new collection. When she stepped into the car, Ross didn’t look at her. The drive was tense and silent, Ross gripping the wheel tightly, navigating the streets with little regard for smoothness.

When they arrived at the company, she followed Ross inside. A staff member approached, but before they could speak, Ross slapped him hard across the face.

“What took you so long to get this done?” Ross demanded, his voice cold and biting.

The staff member stammered an apology, but Ross slapped him again. Liz flinched at the sound. She noticed another staff member approaching, her demeanor instantly changing when she saw Ross.

“Good morning, Mr. Dale,” the woman greeted with an exaggerated smile.

Ross ignored her entirely and turned to Liz, grabbing her hand. “Come with me.”

He led her into a sleek, private room, its glass walls tinted for privacy. “This will be your space while you’re here. Ask for anything you need, but don’t wander around unless it’s necessary. I’ll come check on you later.”

Liz nodded, still trying to process everything. As Ross left, she overheard some of the staff whispering.

“The boss never lets anyone into that room,” one murmured.

“Who is she?” another asked. “His girlfriend?”

Liz tried to ignore their words, focusing instead on how out of place she felt. She stepped out of the room, approaching one of the staff members with a question.

“Excuse me,” she began hesitantly. “Where should I start working?”

The woman chuckled, crossing her arms. “Why would the boss’s girlfriend need to work? You’re obviously here for special treatment.”

Liz opened her mouth to correct her, but before she could, Ross’s voice rang out behind her.

“Honey,” he said loudly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Liz froze, her eyes wide with confusion as Ross pulled her closer. “Don’t let anyone here belittle you,” he said firmly. “If you want to make friends, come to me first. I’ll show you who’s worth your time.”

Her heart raced as she tried to process his sudden change in behavior. Just hours ago, he hadn’t even looked at her during breakfast, and now he was acting like they were a couple.

When they returned to the private room, Ross’s expression hardened. “Didn’t I warn you not to wander around unless you needed something?” he said sharply.

“I wasn’t….” she started, but Ross cut her off.

“You just want to cause trouble,” he said, pulling out his watch. A staff member appeared almost instantly.

“Show her around the company,” Ross instructed. He unstrapped the watch from his wrist and handed it to her. “Keep this with you. If you need anything, use it.” Then, without another word, he left the room.

The staff member introduced herself as Lily and smiled warmly. “I’ll show you a few places today, and we can cover the rest another time. Sounds good?”

Liz nodded, grateful for Lily’s kindness. They toured the offices, passing through various departments.

Halfway through, Liz asked to use the bathroom. Lily led her to a luxurious restroom with marble countertops and gold accents. Liz didn’t think much of it until another woman walked in, her expression sharp and judgmental.

“Why are you using the VIP bathroom?” the woman demanded, crossing her arms.

Liz blinked, surprised. “I… I didn’t know it was VIP.”

“Liar!” the woman hissed, slapping Liz across the face. “Do you even know who I am?”

Liz’s cheek stung, but she kept her composure. “Touch me again, and I won’t hold back.”

The woman scoffed, her eyes narrowing. “Who are you? Tell me your name so I can have you fired.”

Liz raised her chin. “I don’t work here yet, so there’s nothing to fire me for.”

The woman’s expression darkened. “Then who are you? A stray dog?”

Liz didn’t respond, pushing past her to leave the restroom. But before she could get far, the woman grabbed her hair, yanking her back.

Just then, Secretary Mando appeared in the doorway. “Mrs. Eliana is looking for you,” he said calmly to the lady, ignoring the tension in the room.

The other woman glared but stepped aside, muttering under her breath as she left. She followed Secretary Mando out, definitely not happy with him for interfering.

Liz wasn’t paying attention while she was walking out of the bathroom, she was too busy foaming in anger at what the other lady did to her, and she accidentally tripped. Strong arms caught her before she could hit the floor. She looked up and found herself staring into Ross’s piercing eyes.

Ross frowned, helping her stand. “What are you doing here?”