Chapter 4 The Butterflies In My Stomach Are Dead {Rosie}

“Is she broken?”

“I hope not. I terribly need an assistant, Kieran is too much to handle alone.”

“She’s as stiff as a doll.”

“I’m sure she will come around soon enough, it’s the shock.”

I broke out of my trance with a loud gasp. Like I was pulled from underwater. My head whipped left, then right. Same futuristic buildings, same plate glass windows. And Lydia, arms folded, brows raised like I was drooling like a fool.

“I wasn’t dreaming?” I blinked rapidly.

Lydia scoffed. My eyes dropped, and there it was. The black Amex card in my hand. His name engraved on it. Ferrara.

Wow.

Not only did my new boss call Elizabeth Grant gorgeous but he also gave me his card to go shopping.

Disbelief swarmed in my gut. I brought up the card and inspected it like I expected it to blow up in my face. That interview went more smoothly than I deserved. “Is your boss this ……” for the first time in a long time, I was speechless.

“Generous?” Lydia arched a brow.

I nodded.

She laughed lowly. It was dark and bitter. I finally noticed the other girl standing by her desk with a cup of coffee in her hand who also joined Lydia to laugh.

When their laughter died down, Lydia grabbed her purse and stood. She pinned me down with a bored expression, her cat eyeliner made her eyes appear more fierce. I remembered her telling me to wipe off my make up earlier, and suspicion pricked at the back of my neck.

“Mr. Ferrara is a lot of things.” she said coolly.  “I advise you don’t fall for it and focus on your job here if you plan on staying for a while.” Her gaze swept me up and down, then curled into a scowl.

Realization dawned upon me.

I see.

She wanted to walk past me but I side stepped and blocked her path.

She cut me a glare but I towered her in height and it gave me an advantage. She had to tilt her chin to meet my eyes.

I may not be Rosie Eleganzo right now but I sure as hell won’t be bullied by some cheap, Dami lavato wannabe.

My head tilted lazily to the side, I sized her up. Her glare slowly dissolved into uncertainty. My lips curved slowly, bathing in her wavering confidence.

I had a dictionary of nasty words to spew to her but I rather not so I simply smiled at her. Sweet but packed with venom.

When I stretched out my hand, she flinched but I only touched her to take out the piece of lint off her check. Only then did her shoulders ease.

“Lydia is it?” My voice dropped, a calm warning. I leaned in close enough that only she could hear. “We are mature girls, this sort of petty behaviour?”  my eyes narrowed. “It’s  beneath us so I advise you to maintain professionalism unless you intend to find out who I really am. And trust me, you won’t like it.”

I stared at her for a few more seconds, just to let the silence sting, then gave her side kick a single, dismissive once over. Satisfied, I turned on my heel and strutted off like I was on the runway.

“Let’s go, I know a place.” I tossed over my shoulder coolly but deep down, I was kicking my feet with glee.

While we shopped at the mall a few buildings away from the company, Lydia filled me with info I needed as her assistant PA. but truthfully, I wasn't fully listening so I didn't lose my focus on the items I was picking. If Kieran Ferrara wanted professional and sophisticated ... .I planned on suffocating him and every other person at Helios dynamics.

As I shopped, I wondered if the universe is trying to tell me something by making my boss coincidentally be the same man that took my virginity and stirred something in my heart as well.

I couldn't wipe off the giant smile off my face at the possibility of having an office affair with my new boss. What if we were meant to be together? That night, he said he wanted to keep me. What would have happened if I stayed?

Would I be dating a sexy ass billionaire? Had the universe seen enough of my suffering and decided to spoil me with a rich, dangerously sexy daddy?  I giggled inwardly as I picked the fiery red blazer suit gown from the rack. It would go well with my gold Phillipe watch.

I paused to remember where I dropped said watch. I wore it to the club that night but I don’t recall coming home with it. Must have misplaced it.

Without it, this dress would still wow the crowd. I bit my lip and giggled again, tucking the gown against my chest.

“And Elizabeth,” Lydia’s voice cut into my daydream, pulling me back to reality. I straightened, wiped the smile off my face and cleared my throat before I turned toward her, still clutching the dress like a prized jewel.

“Mr. Ferrara will be celebrating his wife’s birthday party next week so I…….”

The words hit me like a gunshot. My hand froze mid-air.

A shrill ringing went off in my ears, drowning out the rest of her words.

My hand lifting the dress slowly came down. It was like a bucket of ice freezing water was dumped on me. I found it hard to comprehend the news she just dropped on me. Wife.

Wife?!

The man I shamelessly gave my v-card was married?!

My throat dried instantly.

My eyes blinked rapidly at Lydia, hoping-no, praying she was wrong. Maybe she was gossiping about someone else entirely but the reasonable part of me knew she wasn’t.

She kept talking about the party details, caterers, guest lists and other random stuff that were like stones to my heart.

It became harder to breathe.

My insides churned. Bile formed at the back of my throat. The night replayed in my head like a sick joke. The way his lips branded my skin, the love bites he left all over me. There was the sudden urge to scrape them off with something sharp.

I denied that lying, cheating and abusive ex-fiance of mine the chance of taking my virginity, only to give it away….. to a married man?

The humiliation was sharp and gut wrenching.

Hurriedly, I shoved the red suit into Lydia's unsuspecting hands, muttered something incoherent, and bolted for the nearest bathroom. I didn’t care if it was meant for females. I dropped to my knees, clutched the cold porcelain of the toilet and hurled the contents of my stomach into it.

I was so fucked.