"The Complexity of Desire: Loving Two"

Nightmare

As soon as I walked through the office door, Mona's expression stopped me in my tracks. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with an almost palpable fear. She rushed up to me, her breathing rapid and uneven.

"Thank goodness you're here," she said, her voice a whisper as though speaking louder might summon whatever horror she'd encountered. "One more minute and he would have... he would have done something awful."

I was taken aback, my mind struggling to make sense of her words. "He? Who are you talking about?" I asked, my confusion evident.

Mona took a deep breath, her hands still shaking slightly as she continued. "Vanesa did show up, but she brought her boss with her. And apparently, he's... well, he's not someone you want to cross."

My eyes darted to the clock on the wall. I saw that I was ten minutes late, and the weight of my tardiness pressed down on me, amplifying my sense of guilt.

"I'm so sorry," I said, my voice filled with earnest regret as I stepped into the reception area. "Something came up. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

I was stunned.
There he was, looming in my office with an almost tangible aura of authority, the man I had hoped never to see again.
Why was he here?
His presence was commanding, impossible to ignore, the same arrogant who had previously caused a scene a week ago.
And there he was. Now accompanied by Vanesa. What was he doing here, intruding upon my meticulously organized day?

My breath faltered, each inhale growing shorter as my heart seemed to momentarily lose its rhythm. The man was a force of nature, radiating an intense fury that charged the room with an electric tension. His eyes blazed with a potent mix of anger and impatience, making the atmosphere almost unbearable.
When he saw me, a flicker of surprise crossed his face, reflecting his own astonishment.
It was as if time had frozen, and the world outside ceased to exist.

Vanesa, sensing the oppressive tension, attempted to ease the situation.
"No problem, Meg," she said, her voice strained. "Let me introduce you. Meg Hart, meet Dante Morelli, the CEO of Morelli Prestige Holdings."

The name struck me with unexpected force. Dante Morelli was a name that commanded respect, and the man before me was far from that. His mere presence seemed to pull on my nerves, and the way he behaved me made my blood boil in anger.

Vanesa continued, though her voice seemed to blur into the background. "We're here to thank you for the fantastic work you did at the Rooftop Lounge and to discuss our contract for the weekly event at your venue. Mr. Morelli wanted to be here to discuss the details..."

But Vanesa's words faded, overshadowed by the electric charge between Dante and me. His eyes, a fierce and penetrating green, were locked on me with an intensity that made it difficult to breathe. There was a storm of eagerness and anger in his gaze, his disbelief turning darker as his brows furrowed and his lips twisted into a smirk that was as infuriating as it was irresistibly attractive.

I found myself immobilized, unable to look away from the way he scrutinized me. The raw intensity of his gaze felt like it was setting my entire being on fire. The heat emanating from him was an invisible force, tugging at my core. It was clear that working with him would be more complicated—and more alluring—than I had ever anticipated.

"Vanesa, leave us alone," Dante's voice cut through the tension with an authority that was both commanding and intimate. His tone was not a request but a demand, brooking no argument.

"But—" Vanesa's protest faltered in the face of his uncompromising tone.

"Leave," Dante ordered, his voice carrying a finality that left no room for discussion.