He'll definitely ask

"And by the way his hands clung to my waist and pressed my body closer to his, I could tell that he needed me... more than the lips on mine could ever say"

• Viviana •

I entered the office
As Casper tried to talk Lucian down
"Yes?" I asked
It was the first time we had come face to face all day

"Can't you do your fucking job right?!" He shouted angrily
"Excuse me?" I asked
It was Ellis that screwed it up? He's still learning

"You aren't done here yet! I remind you that you're still here training the next secretary! Can't you teach him how to do anything?" He said
Is he serious? This is all on me?

"Don't talk to me like that" I said
"Lighten up Lucian, it was one mistake" Casper tried
"Shut up. If you can't train him sufficiently then maybe you should have left weeks ago when you handed your notice in" he said angrily

And it made me angry
Because how dare he?
He was just angry because of yesterday
Because the man can never just talk about what he's feeling.

"Maybe I should have" I agreed
"I beg your pardon" he snapped

"Maybe I should have" I said stronger
"You can't talk to me like that. I'm not one of your employees that you can treat like shit! I get up at five every single day to be at this office. To work for you! I get your coffee, I get your files, I take notes, I arrange everything for you because you're incapable! I even had to look for my own fucking replacement. All while being completely and utterly degraded and dismissed by you with a fucking smile on my face" I shouted by the end of it.

He said nothing
"He made a mistake. He is learning, but give him some slack as working for you isn't a regular job. It's a fucking minefield" I said, walking out of the office
I grabbed my coat and my bag
"Where are you going?" Ellis asked

"Miss Romero!" Lucian shouted, appearing from the doorway
"I'm going home" I said, looking to Lucian
"Like I should have done weeks ago. Like I should have done six fucking years ago!" I shouted, walking towards the elevator

I felt everyone's eyes on me
It wasn't surprising as no one ever stood up to Lucian let alone shouted at him.

I felt... like a massive weight was off my shoulders
That everything I had bottled up business wise for that man had flooded out and I was now clear minded

I had no clue what I was going to do tomorrow
I had no idea if I would even be able to brave coming back in
I didn't want to think that far ahead
Right now I felt confused

As I just shouted at the man I had been kissing and moaning under last night.

• Lucian •

The floor was silent
"Get back to work" I said, shutting the door
Eros and Casper had remained seated, looking at one another as I returned to my chair
"So I'm guessing Viviana is the reason you're in a bad mood" Casper mumbled

"That was definitely... an outburst" Eros commented
"Forget it. Forget her" I dismissed
"Forget her?" Casper repeated
"She's done here" I said bluntly
"We all know that's not true" Eros chuckled

I stopped
"She just shouted at me in front of my entire staff, what would you call it?" I said
"Frustration. I'm surprised she didn't explode at you sooner" Eros said
"Or hit you" Casper added

"What did you do to trigger that?" He asked
"You saw what I did, I reprimanded her lack of training" I said
"No, what did you actually do?" He asked
"Nothing. I called you here for work not a lecture, we're meeting a client tonight" I said, trying to change the subject

I didn't want to think of it all
Of her
Or her words. Because they were true
Deep down I knew that.

• Viviana •

In the hours I was supposed to be at work, I managed to tidy the flat ready for dad arriving
Before Camilla took me to the airport to pick him up.

"It's a lovely place butterfly" dad complimented
"Thanks" I said
"All down to me, I have an eye for design" Camilla said, kissing Kat as she rounded the kitchen island
"This is Kat" I introduced

"Ah the lawyer, you work at the same place as Viviana?" He questioned
"No, she works for the rivals" I teased
"I work for a better and nicer boss" she argued

She wasn't wrong
She worked in the same place as Eros
The difference was that Eros had made partner

"Hey, I didn't think you were arriving till later?" Archer greeted us, showing Alyssa in
"This is Archer and his daughter" I told dad
He shook his hand
"Lovely to meet you"

"Lovely to meet you, it's a lot less stressful knowing she's in a different country when she's living with a policeman" he replied
Archer laughed
"Happy to help, I was actually just about to start dinner, who's eating?" Archer asked

"We are, I have to cram a lot of marking in before tomorrow" Camilla groaned, letting her head fall against the counter
"Not us, we're actually going out" I said
"Are we?" Dad asked

"Yeah, I want to show you the city. Before I move home and you have no reason to ever come here again" I laughed
Dad wasn't adventurous
He nearly had a heart attack when I moved here nine years ago.

• Lucian •

"Don't you need me to come with you?" Ellis asked as I strode out of my office
"No, Casper isn't bringing his secretary so I don't need mine" I brushed him off
Granted, Casper didn't currently have a secretary as she was on maternity leave, but Ellis is fucking useless

I am not taking him to a meeting with potential clients
These specific clients who could boost the company tenfold
I went to the kitchen, Viviana isn't here and Ellis can't make coffee to save his life.

Or his job

"I can't believe she kicked off like that" a woman laughed
"It was brave, you got to give her that" a man spoke as I appeared in the doorway
"Brave? She just wanted attention, she's leaving, anyone who's leaving would try and rip the boss a new one" she argued

"I think she was just fed up, it's hard working for him, I couldn't imagine being at his beck and call twenty four seven" he said
"Oh come on she was shit at her job anyway, all she was good for was strutting around in those heels and batting her eyelashes his way" she replied

I stepped into the room
"Miss Romero is a fine employee" I said, earning their attention
"A better employee than both of you. What's your name?" I asked the woman
"Sandra" she said, clearing her throat

"Sandra... clear you desk. And don't come in tomorrow" I said
"What? Why? We were just talking, I didn't mean offence-"
"Offence? You just accused my secretary of trying to seduce me and you accused me of keeping her around for the same cause. Get out" I said

"Sir pleas-"
"Get out" I said again
She did so, glancing at the man for help
Who was clearly fine letting her sink on her own.

• Viviana •

"Questo è... lussuoso" dad grumbled as we were seated
'This is... lavish'

• Viviana's Outfit •

"It's a nice place dad, I wanted to spoil you" I said
"It should be me spoiling you kid, moving back home for your grandfather" he said
"It's not a sacrifice okay? It's family" I argued

"It's wonderful" he smiled
"Come on, pick something" I urged, nodding at the menu
"Okay okay... I don't understand half of this gibberish..." he began to reel out, looking over the menu

But my eyes drew across the room
To the table that seated four
Two people I had never seen before
And Casper and... Lucian

They were talking, laughing, dinner plates long forgotten and a collection of glasses on their table
I watched Lucian place his drink down, I watched his eyes roam the room in boredom as Casper shined like he always does.
And his eyes found mine
And mine darted away, back to dad
Why is he here?
Of all places, why here?

"Oh god" I let out
"Che cosa?" Dad questioned
'What?'

"My boss is here" I said, he turned his head
"Don't look" I said quietly
"Why?" He asked

"We're not exactly on the best terms right now" I summarised
"Maybe we should go somewhere else" I suggested

"We're not leaving, and you won't be bullied out. We're eating here" he stood his ground
Fuck.

•

Ten minutes
That's all it took for acknowledgment
Of the awkward situation
Of both of us being here
When Casper appeared at our table side and said hello

"This must your... father?" Casper asked warily
"Yes, are you Viv's boss?" He asked
"Me? No. No. I'm much like Viv, under Lucian's thumb" he laughed, looking behind him to their table

"Is he still mad?" I asked
"Why would he be mad?" Casper asked
"Casper" I deadpanned
"He's always mad about something, he'll get over it" he said

"But, might I say that no one has talked to Lucian like that in a long time" he chuckled
"Like what?" Dad asked
"Nothing dad just... just tell him I'm sorry, if he asks" I said
"Oh he'll definitely ask... enjoy your meal" he grinned, walking away

• Lucian •

What is he saying?
He said he was going for a smoke.
Why is he talking to her?

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