I glanced at the clock, shocked by the late hour. The day had been a whirlwind of meetings, rescheduling, and last-minute cancellations, which had left me frazzled. On top of that, Miss Caruso .a.k.a. "Cruella" had earlier tasked me with reviewing some documents, insisting it to be on her desk by the next day. "Heartless," I muttered under my breath. I couldn't help but wonder how someone so demanding and self-absorbed had risen to such a high position
As I finished the review, I connected my laptop to the printer, made copies, and stapled them together. With a sense of relief, I dropped the documents on her desk and carefully closed the door behind me. The office, usually bustling, was now deserted except for the security team, who always lingered until everyone else had left. I let out a weary sigh as I took in the building's grandeur. The chandeliers, gold and silver pillars, and opulent decor that made "Bellini Gioielli" feel like a palace.
"What else would you expect from BG. co, Italy's finest jewelry maker?" I mused, my eyes roaming over the stunning interior. "This place is spellbinding and you could get lost in its beauty if you're not careful", I reckoned.
It was enchanting, but the stark contrast between the company's beauty and the bitter, stressed atmosphere among employees was jarring. "If only the staff's attitude matched the beauty of this place," I thought, shaking my head. Apart from Isabella and Matteo my work buddies from day one, the rest always act like they are being cursed with bitterness and anger. No doubt about it , Cruella's masterclass in toxic leadership is the gift that keeps on giving. I've had the absolute honor of sipping that bitter tea myself. She has a real talent for keeping everyone walking on eggshells while she glides around in outfits that leave little to the imagination, accomplishing the impressive feat of doing nothing and somehow making it look like hard work.
My ringtone jolted me back to reality, and I was greeted by Kathy's worried face on my screen.
"Hey, are you okay? Why aren't you home yet? I've been waiting in your apartment," she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I had a lot of work to catch up on. Sorry I didn't call to let you know," I replied.
"Why would your boss keep you till this late? It's already 8 pm!!!", She said, her tone escalating with each word.
"Girl, I need you to chill out. I'm already done for the day, so I will gather my stuffs and get home real quick. Okay?"
After a deep breath, she whispered, "Alright, just make it quick, I've got cake waiting to celebrate your birthday!"
"Alright I will catch you at home, see ya".
"Bye baby, and be careful", She said and with that ended the call.
"I need to get my stuff and leave this place before Kathy sends a search party for me", I thought as I moved quickly to my office and gathered my things and left the company to catch a cab.
*5 mins later*
Still waiting for a cab in front of the company, I figured that I have spent 5 mins waiting for one and I sighed inwardly and decided to walk home while praying that I see a cab on my way. As I walked, I silently cursed Cruella once more for keeping me till this time. "it's all her fault that I can't find a cab or a bus because of course it's already late", I murmured, taking the alley shortcut which to me is quicker, quieter and honestly felt safer than walking on the main street Venice
And then I saw him.
Initially, it seemed like a discarded heap of trash. But then the pile groaned. Deep, guttural, in pain.
I froze, realizing with a jolt that it was something more.
Suddenly, I heard some angry voices and feet scuffing the pavement. My survival instinct swung to action immediately and I hid myself in a corner, making sure not to be seen. The heap I saw before was dragged up by the collar and I tried to make out his face and what was going on. Peering at the corner, I got what I wanted, I saw him. Although not too clearly, I could still make out the fact that he is tall, has broad shoulders and had blood running down his face. He looked so battered. He had his back against the wall and six men circled him with different weapons. They didn't see me yet and my pulse hammered as I took in the scene knowing what was about to happen. Clearly this man is alone, outnumbered and wounded and looking at all of them including him, they don't seem like normal people to me. In fact they look like people I would not want to mess or get involved with. One of them landed him a punch and I flinched, shutting my eyes and silently praying that I don't get caught. As he was about to land a second punch, I did something very reckless...
My pulse thundered in my ears and my voice escaped before I could even process it.
"Please, stop! Don't kill him!" I begged, my voice cracking as tears welled up in my eyes.
The men momentarily hesitated, and in that fleeting instant, the battered figure exploded into action. With swift precision, he seized one attacker by the collar and slammed him against the wall. The others spun back, shocked, as he took them down with calculated efficiency. Realizing they were outmatched, the men turned and fled. He gave chase, but it was brief. Clutching his bleeding side, he winced in pain and slowed to a stop.
I could clearly see that he was bleeding badly. He carefully leaned against the wall, his breath slow and ragged. He needs to get to the hospital immediately if he wants to survive this. The sound of approaching voices loud and angry spurred me into action. I knew we had to escape before more people arrived.
Without hesitation, I grabbed his arm, whispering urgently, "Come on, you need to survive." The warmth of his blood seeped onto my hands as I pulled him but he remained frozen, staring at me. I tugged again, my gaze darting toward the voices. Finally, he budged, stumbling slightly as I led him behind a dumpster shrouded in shadows. The dumpster's stench was overwhelming, but it concealed us.
As I glanced at him, our eyes locked, his dark intense gaze sent shivers down my spine. What is his identity, and why were they after him?.
Well, I don't know who he is or what he does but I know I just watched him take down six armed men alone and with that I could only come to one conclusion...
He is dangerous and I shouldn't be here with him!!!