CHAPTER 114: – AM I CONFUSED? –

[Boss, I’m done evaluating the girls]

"How many models do we have now?" Viviana asked as she walked into her father’s company, her phone propped by her ears.

[We have about six now]

Dawn was on the other side of the phone.

"That’s not enough," Viviana shook her head as she stepped into the elevator to head to the second floor. "We need at the lowest, ten models. So yes, more than ten models will be prefered."

[But boss, aren’t we tight on funds?]

"Not anymore. My bank issues are solved. Nothing to worry about. Just get as much models as you can. And let me know when you do."

[Alright!]

She hung up, and stepped out to head toward the conference room. Within were every employee that worked in the Project Management Department. The second she stepped in, every single one of them, rose to their feet, deeply bowing to her.

Every soul in the company was aware her title had been given back.

"Good morning, Boss."

Viviana gave a nod of acknowledgement. They all sat back down, notes out and laptops open.

Viviana set her bag aside. She picked out her tablet, swiping through slides as she began.

"Okay, everyone. This is the second time this event will be held, and this time around, the chairman wants something better than the last. There will be no third time as this will be the only and final launching of Project horizon AB2."

They all nodded.

"Let’s go through the steps."

She pointed to the first slide. "First step: Objective. This event is about showing out new collections and making a complete sellout in the first week if possible. And if not, two weeks at most. Everything and when I say everything, I mean, lightning, music, and the models, should support the goal..."

The meeting went on and on.

Everyone was far too busy and focused, no one noticed Amadeo who’d walked past, but stopped, took a step back to stare at Viviana through the glass door. He cocked a brow, eyes shifting to the screen on the wall.

Without warning, he pushed the door open and stepped in, interrupting them for a moment. The workers were quick to stand, bowing deeply to him.

Viviana did as well. But he waved a hand of dismissal as he walked over to sit at the edge of the desk, arms folded. "Don’t mind me. Continue from where you stopped."

Viviana eyed him. He lifted a questioning brow at her in response.

"The last of this meeting is execution and follow up. Document the event, get feedback from guests if you can. Survey, interviews. And review everything so the next event goes smoother. We’d like to tackle whatever flaw we have."

She looked at them. "Any questions?"

One of the assistants raised a hand. Viviana nodded at him. "Good, let’s get started."

It went on for over an hour before they proceeded to wrap up. Amadeo stayed throughout the entire thing.

"Please make reports to me and do not go ahead with any sort of improvisation without my approval, understood."

"Yes, boss!"

"Meeting dismissed."

They all stood up, deeply bowed to both father and daughter before making their way out of the conference room.

Viviana took a deep breath. She didn’t say anything to her father, but grabbed her back to leave.

"Good job."

His words brought her to a stop. She looked at him.

"Can’t you see you were made for this, Viviana?" Amadeo asked. "Yet, you fight me like I’m your enemy."

Viviana clenched her hand around the strap of her bag. She didn’t waste her breath, turning and storming out of the room, the door slammed shut.

Stopping at her office, she gathered up the stacks of documents she needed to review, before hurrying off to leave the company. However, when she stepped into the company, she came to a stop, startling backward at the person inside.

"You!"

It was Emilio, swathed in a striped three piece suit. He caught her hand before she could fall, steadying her on her feet.

Viviana immediately snatched her hand back. She didn’t say a word to him, turning around to stare at the door that had already gone shut, the elevator falling to the first floor.

The silence was deafening, which surprisingly, she preferred. But then he spoke.

"You refuse to see me."

She made no response.

"Why are you being this mean, Viviana," he asked, voice broken as if a man who’d been cheated on. "I know that I fucked up in the past, but I’m a man you loved. You can’t—"

"Loved?" His word set her off and she spun on her feet to level him with a seething glare. "Listen to me, Emilio, I’m not going to entertain your nonsense, but I will tell you this. You’re lucky I don’t have any interest in pursuing what you did that day at the restaurant. If not, you’d be sorry for yourself. Leave me alone and stay the hell away from me. I am married and even if I wasn’t, I’d still want nothing to do with you."

"Do you even love him?"

The question made her pause. But then her face hardened in the next moment as she gritted out, "Yes, I love him. Why?"

"Love? That man? What can he even give you?"

Her brow shot up. She felt amused for the first time inside this elevator.

"He’s nothing, Viviana. He can’t—"

"Keep him out of your mouth. Don’t disrespect him like that. You don’t know him. How dare you?" She huffed, turning away from him.

Emilio balled his fists. "You loved me, and I loved you. Actually, I still love you and that is why I came back here. Do you really think that man loves you? He’s just using you. That is what they do—"

"Like you used me?" She shut him up, twisting her head to glare at him. "Listen here, Emilio, I don’t even want to ask what you’re doing here at my father’s company. But I’m going to warn you. Our relationship is none of your business. Whether he truly loves me or not, it does not concern you. It is my business and mine alone. Leave me alone. I want nothing to do with you, and I will tell you here and now that even if the earth is collapsing, I would not want you anywhere near me. Stop, barging into my space. I don’t like it."

Her tone was cold, too chilling, Emilio didn’t dare argue she didn’t mean every single one of those words. He could only stand, stunned and frozen, watching as she stormed out of the elevator to leave the office.

She didn’t stall, getting into the car and driving off.

.....

By the time Viviana left her own company, it was almost six in the evening. She tossed her bag aside on the sofa, stalked to the fridge and yanked it open.

She grabbed a can of beer, and would drink for a little while, before heading into the shower for a warm bath. She came out later, throwing on a silk night dress and walking back into the living room to drop into the couch.

She took another can of beer, eyes fixed at the window that was wet and slapped by the pouring rain.

"Do I really think he loves me?" She muttered to herself. "Whatever. I do not care." She took another sip, eyes falling subconsciously to the ring on her finger. She’d wanted to process a divorce paper, but no matter how much she thought of it, she could never bring herself to do it.

Why?

’What is going on with me?’ She played with the ruby necklace hanging around her neck. ’Is it that I can’t leave him or what?’ Her brows zipped. ’But why? He can’t have that sort of hold on me. He’s just like any other man. There is nothing special about him. But why can’t I leave? Why am I lingering?’

Viviana took another sip.

’Am I confused?’