CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Natalie kicked off her heels the moment she stepped into her apartment. The day had been a rollercoaster of emotions, but overall, she felt victorious. She walked straight to her kitchen and pulled out a bottle of red wine from the cabinet.

The cork popped with a satisfying sound as she opened it. She poured herself a generous glass, the deep red liquid catching the light from her kitchen window. This called for a celebration.

"To progress," she whispered to herself, raising the glass.

She took a long sip, savoring the rich taste. Everything was falling into place better than she had hoped. Rafael was choosing her over Isabella for important business deals. Isabella was clearly rattled and losing her grip on Rafael's attention. And most importantly, she had planted the first seed of doubt in Rafael's mind about her true identity.

The slip about the Amalfi Coast penthouse had been risky, but it was worth it. She could still see the shock in Rafael's eyes, the way his face had gone pale when she mentioned it. He was starting to question things, starting to wonder. That was exactly what she wanted.

Natalie moved to her living room and settled onto the couch, wine glass in hand. She thought about Isabella's angry expression in the hallway. The woman was losing control, and it showed. Soon, Isabella would make a mistake. They always did when they felt threatened.

She took another sip of wine and smiled. Revenge was sweeter than she had imagined.

Her phone rang around nine-thirty that evening. Rafael's name appeared on the screen, and her pulse quickened. She let it ring twice before answering, not wanting to seem too eager.

"Hello?"

"Natalie, it's Rafael. I hope I'm not calling too late."

His voice sounded tired, but there was something else in it. Concern, maybe. "Not at all. I was just relaxing after today's meeting."

"Good. I wanted to check if you made it home safely. I should have called earlier, but I got caught up in back-to-back meetings that ran longer than expected."

Natalie felt a flutter of satisfaction. He was checking on her, showing concern for her wellbeing. Another small victory. "That's very thoughtful of you. Yes, I'm home safe. Thank you for asking."

"I'm glad to hear that. How are you feeling about the G and O project? Any initial thoughts after our discussion?"

She set her wine glass on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch cushions. "I'm excited about it, honestly. It's exactly the kind of challenge I've been hoping for."

"That's what I like to hear. Your enthusiasm is refreshing."

"I've already started sketching out some preliminary ideas for the client presentation. I think we can offer them something really innovative."

Rafael's voice warmed slightly. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Your perspective on things is always interesting."

"Thank you. That means a lot coming from you."

There was a brief pause before Rafael continued. "I have to admit, I'm impressed by how quickly you've adapted to our company culture. Not everyone fits in so seamlessly."

Natalie chose her words carefully. "I've always believed in immersing myself completely in whatever I'm doing. When I commit to something, I give it everything I have."

"That's evident in your work. It's one of the reasons I wanted you on this project."

"I won't let you down, Rafael. I promise you that."

Another pause, longer this time. Natalie could almost hear him thinking on the other end of the line.

"So, the trip," Rafael began, after a while.

"Of course. Now, speaking of the trip, I think we should plan for at least five days at each client location. Does that work with your schedule?"

"Absolutely. I'll make whatever arrangements necessary."

"Excellent. I'll have my assistant coordinate the hotel bookings and travel arrangements."

They spent the next few minutes discussing logistics and timeline details. Rafael's voice gradually relaxed as they focused on business matters, but Natalie could still sense an underlying tension. He was still thinking about the penthouse comment, still trying to piece together how she could know about it.

"I should let you get some rest," Rafael said eventually. "Tomorrow will be another busy day."

"Yes, I want to be fresh for reviewing all those project files you're sending over."

"They should be in your inbox first thing in the morning. Take your time going through them, but let me know if you have any questions."

"I will. And Rafael?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for trusting me with this opportunity. I know it's a big project, and I appreciate your confidence in me."

"You've earned it, Natalie. Your work speaks for itself."

"That's very kind of you to say. Have a good evening."

"You too. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Natalie ended the call and immediately reached for her wine glass again. The conversation had gone better than she expected. Rafael was still suspicious about the penthouse comment, but he wasn't pushing too hard. Yet.

She took a long sip of wine and smiled. The call had revealed something important – Rafael cared enough to check on her safety, to make sure she got home okay. That kind of concern meant he was getting attached to her, whether he realized it or not.

Perfect.

She thought about his voice when he asked about the penthouse. There had been confusion there, but also something deeper. Pain, maybe. The mention of that place had triggered memories of Alina, she was certain of it.

Good. Let him remember. Let him think about the woman he had loved and lost. Let him wonder why this new woman in his life seemed to know things she shouldn't know.

Natalie finished her wine and headed to her bedroom. Tomorrow would bring new opportunities to get closer to Rafael, to learn more of his secrets, to position herself deeper in his life.

And eventually, when the time was right, she would reveal the truth. She would watch his face when he realized that the woman he had betrayed, the woman he had helped murder, was standing right in front of him.

The thought sent a shiver of anticipation through her. Soon, Rafael Volkov would understand exactly what it meant to face the consequences of his actions.

But for now, she would continue playing her part. She would be the perfect employee, the trustworthy business partner, the woman who made him feel comfortable and safe.

Right up until the moment she destroyed him.

Natalie changed into her nightgown and slipped into bed, her mind already planning the next phase of her revenge. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.