CHAPTER 37: – HOW CHARMING –

"What?" Amadeo shook where he stood.

"I no longer have any interest in working at Vizera Luxe, so you don’t have any need to worry about the man I am married to. The headline tomorrow may even hold the title that the heiress of the Di-grassi family quit at her father’s company. I could not care less."

Viviana’s expression grew colder.

"You can keep the apartment in Maison de Vesta. Oh wait, your dear stepdaughter is living there, isn’t she? Well, I still couldn’t care less. I may not be used to living the way I do with my husband for now, but it isn’t that big of a deal. Now, as for the money I worked hard and fairly for, it’s all yours, Pa.. However, in return..."

Amadeo sharply narrowed his gaze on her. "Say it."

"The Hax company you’ve left in the dust, I want it."

He’d had a lot of expectations, but this? "Hax?"

He owned the company, and of course it used to be a S-tier designer clothing brand that was worth millions, even on its way to billions, but it collapsed years ago.

’Why does she want it?’ he pondered.

Amadeo knew his own daughter too well. The girl was too smart for her own good. Asking for this company... what was she planning? He felt unrest.

Viviana forced a light smile. "You lost interest in the agency long ago. Hand it over to me, I’ll sign the legal papers for it. And of course I’ll pay for it, as I do not intend to have it for free. How about that?"

"Is that so?"

Her father folded his arms.

"How much do you intend to bid for it?"

"Four million," she said.

"Too little."

"Seven million."

He smirked. "You are a very stubborn girl."

"Ten million."

"Viviana–"

"Fifteen million."

Amadeo’s expression grew grim. "I have no problem giving this company to you for free. Your wealth is in my hands, and it’s a useless company. However–" He scowled. "–Do you really intend to quit working for me for a dead company that has been completely forgotten and has no chance of growth ever again? What can you even make of it?"

Viviana, slowly, but grinned coldly, saying, "It’s of no concern to you, Pa."

He nodded with a short laugh. "Fine. The company is yours. I’ll have the papers sent to you. Happy?"

Viviana stepped back, walked to the door, and grabbed its handle to leave.

"Viviana."

She paused and looked at him.

"You’re making a big mistake," Amadeo said to her. "Do you really think I’m just going to let you go like this? You and I have a contract. Your loyalty lies with me. It lies with this company, and if you think you can just waltz in here and leave when you feel like it, then you are mistaken."

Viviana stared at him with a frozen stillness. "Then cut down my wings if you can, Pa."

With a subtle smirk, she lowered herself onto her knees, bowing until her forehead pressed against the back of her palms on the marble floor.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Amadeo questioned.

"Take this as the last respect I’ll be giving to you as my father. You will mean nothing to me from today onward, just as I’ve meant nothing to you from the moment I was born."

She rose to her feet.

"I hope you stay very healthy. You’ll eventually need it."

Amadeo was out from behind his desk, storming towards her. He grasped her arm before she could leave, yanking her back.

"How dare you? You are my daughter!"

"Your daughter?" Her face was a blank mask. "What father gives scars to his own daughter?"

She yanked her arm free and left the office, storming down the hall. Stopping in front of the door, she threw her head back, swallowing back her sob.

It hurt.

It hurt more than she liked to admit. He was her father. But what was there to cry for? It changes nothing. He was never going to be better. This was who Amadeo Di-grassi was. The devil. And there was nothing to absolutely hope for.

So, holding her head high, she walked out into the working office room, pausing as all eyes turned to her. Ignoring them, she left for the elevator, only for someone to suddenly race out in front of her.

Giancarlo dropped to his knees before her, pleadingly weaving his fingers that were bandaged as if they’d all been broken.

’What happened to him?’

"I’M SORRY! I am sorry for everything I said to you. I apologize for pouring coffee on you, and if you’d like to return the favor, I’d be more than glad to make the coffee myself. It could even be hot!"

Viviana was taken aback.

What on earth was he doing?

She watched him with half-lidded eyes.

"Please, Lady Di-grassi!" He begged, "Forgive me!"

She blinked slowly, locked gazes with the eyes on them for a second, and without saying a word, she walked past him, stepping into the elevator. "You’re lucky I’ve quit. Or I’d have made you work for it."

The door shut completely at her last sentence, the elevator dropping to the last floor. Gin, who’d rushed after her, was met with nothing, his face growing pale in fright. That devil would kill him.

His body trembled, eyes darting around, scared he was already being watched.

Viviana left the company building but came to a stop at the public bench situated outside. She sat down and lifted her distant gaze as she thought, ’I feel tired...’

’...And I want to talk to him.’

The urge came so suddenly that her hand moved before she could stop it, dialing Nikolas’s number.

[Wife?] His playful voice spilled on the other end of the call.

’How charming.’ The thought crossed her mind. And she wondered, was this how her father had been to her mother? Was this how he lured her in and broke her?

Her lips parted with a bitter smile at the wretched feeling, but she couldn’t get a word out. She hung up instead.

Her shoulder stiffened, and her gaze dropped to her feet.

"Don’t fall for it..." She mumbled to herself, "It’ll only kill you."