Chapter 11
A R I A N A
I left the Russo mansion before the sun was fully up, I was looking foward to stepping out of the suffocating place.
Dante was already gone Lina told me he left at 5 AM for some business trip.
Good.
I didn’t want to see him anyway.
The car ride to Melendez Corp felt strange, it had been years since I’d been to the family company, back then when I was still just Ariana Lopez, nobody special.
Now? Things have change.
I won’t lie part of me missed the less attention I use to get when I lived a simple and affordable life with Angelo before he messed everything up.
The car stopped in front of the tall glass building.
I took a deep breath and stepped out.
The moment I walked through the revolving doors, whispers started.
“That’s her p>
“The Melendez heiress p>
“She married Dante Russo yesterday p>
I kept my head high, ignoring them all. The elevator ride to the top floor felt endless, when the doors opened, everything looked exactly how I remembered the plush carpets, the expensive artwork.
My office was untouched, big windows overlooking the city, a shiny desk with nothing on it except a pile paper work that I’d be attending to.
I was barely sitting down when the door burst open.
“Ariana p>
Raya, my personal assistant, rushed in, her dark eyes wide she looked different, last time I saw her was two months ago when I had met up with her at the park concerning Angelo’s promotion.
She was dressed in black suit, tablet always in hand, hair in a perfect bun.
“God!!” She grinned. “You have no idea how it has been! It’s good to have you back boss”
I managed a small smile raya was one of the few people I’d missed. “It’s good to be back p>
Raya immediately switched to work mode, pulling up schedules on her tablet. “Okay so first things first… today you have a 10 AM meeting with the board you need to annouce your return. Then lunch with the investors at 12:30. And at 3 PM p>
I held up a hand. “Just give me the highlights p>
Raya nodded, then hesitated.
“So she said carefully. “The marriage p>
I stiffened then she’d ask the whole city was talking about it. Dante and I were on the headlines, so who was I kidding.
Raya sat across from me, her voice dropping. “Ariana… Dante Russo? Really? After everything with Angelo p>
I looked out the window, my chest tight. “It wasn’t my choice p>
Raya’s eyes widened. “Your father forced you p>
I didn’t answer I need to. Raya has always been aware of how my relationship with my father is. She was more than an assistant most times, I’d rant to her if my father had frustrated me.
Raya sucked in a breath. “Damn. I knew your dad was cold, but this She shook her head. “The papers are going wild. ’Melendez and Russo empires unite ’Wedding of the century They have no idea, do they p>
I laughed bitterly. “No they don’t p>
Raya studied me for a long moment before she reached across the desk and squeezed my hand. “Whatever you need, I’m here. Okay p>
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding at least here, in this office, I was still Ariana Melendez.
Not Mrs. Russo.
Not Dante’s property.
Just me.
“Thanks, Raya,” I whispered.
She gave me a small smile, then stood, all business again. “Alright, boss. Let’s get to work. You’ve got a company to run p>
And for the next few hours, I almost forgot about my messed-up life.
Almost.
after a long meeting it was finally time for my lunch time break, I slumped in my office chair, rubbing my temples.
Raya had gone to get us food, leaving me alone in the quiet office.
I shut my eyes momentarily taking a deep breath and letting it out, then suddenly a loud bang makes me jolt up.
The door flew open so hard it hit the wall.
What the hell was wrong with Raya but to my utmost suprise, it wasn’t Raya.
Angelo stood in the doorway, his face red with anger, his chest heaving like he’d run here his tie was loose, his hair messy nothing like the perfectly put-together Angelo I remembered if I wasn’t mistaken I’d say he looked miserable, like he barely got enough sleep last night.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, my own anger rising. “Did you forget how to knock p>
Angelo stormed in, slamming the door behind him. “The fuck is this!?” he fired back.
I blinked. Was he serious? “Excuse me p>
“Ariana Melendez,” he spat my name like it was poison. “You know I can still wrap my head around the lies. All this time, you lied about who you were, you let me believe you were some—-” he paused. “Then continued, aren’t you ashamed p>
I laughed a cold, harsh sound. “Me? Ashamed? Says the fucking chest that was hooking up with my best friend”
Angelo’s jaw clenched. “That was different p>
“Oh really?” I stood, planting my hands on my desk. “How p>
“It just happened! But you, you planned this! You’re trying to bring me down p>
I tilted my head, giving him my coldest smile. “And if I am? What are you going to do about it p>
Angelo’s eyes darkened he stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You forget who you’re talking to Ariana, you know me better than anyone else and you know what I’m capable of doing p>
I chuckled at his audacity. “You’re forgetting something to Angelo, You work for Melendez Corp. Which means you work for ME p>
His face went pale.
I circled my desk, getting right in his face. “That’s right, Angelo, I’m your boss now and if you ever speak to me like that again, I’ll have you fired so fast your head will spin p>
Angelo’s hands clenched into fists. “You bitch p>
I smirked. “Careful. That’s Mrs. Russo to you p>
His face twisted in pain at that. Good.
“You think this is funny?” he growled. “You think marrying my uncle is some kind of game p>
I leaned in close, so close I could see the sweat on his forehead. “Oh Angelo,” I whispered. “This isn’t a game, this is war one which I’m going to destroy you piece by piece until you regret ever cheating on me p>
Angelo stumbled back like I’d hit him. “You… you can’t do this p>
I straightened my blazer, smiling sweetly. “Watch me p>
The door opened then, and Raya walked in carrying lunch bags. She froze, her eyes darting between me and Angelo.
“Uh… should I come back later p>
“No, Mr Marino was just leaving” I say smirking.
If looks could kill I would be six feet under the ground, he hissed turning in his shoe, shoving past Raya and stormed out, slamming the door.
Raya whistled low. “Damn what was that about p>
I sat back down, my hands shaking slightly from the adrenaline. “Just putting an employee in his place p>
“Well, whatever you said, it worked he looked like he’d seen a ghost p>
This was just the beginning.
And Angelo?
He had no idea what was coming.