The Truth

Ch.11: Causing Trouble

I felt like a complete idiot. I'd just laid it all out there, and he didn't even flinch. No reaction. No care. I might as well have been talking to a wall. A very tall, ridiculously handsome wall.

I stormed out of his office, but frustration got the better of me. Before I knew it, I was back in front of him, slamming my hands on his desk. Oh, God, why did I do that? I was practically daring him to fire me.

"Why did you just dismiss it? Like nothing happened?" I hissed, trying my best to keep my voice steady, but my eyes betrayed my anger.

He didn't even blink. Just stared at me with that infuriatingly calm expression. No anger, no annoyance-nothing. It was like he was carved out of stone.

And then he stood up. The man was like a damn skyscraper. I'm 5'9" and I suddenly felt like I was 4'11". He towered over me, his gaze locked on mine, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. My breath caught in my throat. I was ready to bolt if he so much as twitched in my direction.

"Angelica," he said, his voice firm and sharp, "what have you eaten today?"

What the hell? Was he serious? I thought he was going to scold me, or fire me, or-I don't know, something that matched the situation! But he just stood there, towering over me, asking about my diet like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Alessia had every reason to cheat on this guy. I mean, not that I cared, but come on! He was so damn annoying. Two months of working here and I'd had enough. He treated everyone like they were beneath him, like even the birds in the sky should stop and bow when he walked by. He expected the clouds to part for him in the middle of a storm. And yet here I was, standing my ground like a fool.

Was I going to apologize? Hell no. My stubbornness wouldn't let me, even if I knew I was digging my own grave.

I stared up at him, trying to make sense of the situation. "What have I eaten today?" I echoed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Really? That's what you're worried about right now? I just told you your wife is cheating on you, and you're concerned about my lunch?"

His expression remained maddeningly calm. "Yes, I am," he said, like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. "You seem to be making rash decisions. I'd like to know if hunger is the cause."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Oh, sure, blame it on low blood sugar. Maybe I just skipped breakfast, and that's why I'm imagining your wife having a cozy little affair with Tyson, right?"

His gaze didn't waver, and he didn't take the bait. "Your imagination isn't in question here. You seem to be under the impression that this information is news to me." He paused, letting that sink in before continuing, "It's not."

I blinked, thrown off by his response. "Wait, you knew? And you're just... okay with it?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, but his tone remained even. "I'm not okay with it. But I'm also not going to let it disrupt my business. Personal matters don't interfere with professional ones."

I folded my arms, trying to keep the edge in my voice. "Must be nice, having such a thick skin. I guess nothing gets to you, huh?"

"Things get to me, Angelica," he replied, his voice lowering just a fraction, enough to make me feel the weight of his words. "But I control how I respond. Unlike you, who seems to be ruled by impulse."

I bristled at that, the heat rising to my cheeks. "So what, you're saying I'm some kind of loose cannon? Just because I care enough to tell you the truth?"

"I'm saying," he said, his tone firm but not unkind, "that caring doesn't mean you need to lose your composure. You could've told me this without the dramatics."

"Well, excuse me for having emotions," I shot back, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. "Not all of us can be robots like you, Mr. Caesar."

He took a step closer, and suddenly, the air between us felt charged. His voice was low and measured as he said, "And not everyone needs to act like the world is ending because of a piece of information that I've already accounted for."

I opened my mouth to retort, but nothing came out. His calmness, his damn unshakable calmness, was infuriating-and yet, it was making me second-guess everything. The tension between us hung thick in the air, but he remained cool and collected, as if this was just another business negotiation.

Finally, I let out a frustrated breath. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

He arched an eyebrow, the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes. "I've been told."