"Ana."

My body tautened sharply. I hadn’t recognized I’d been standing for long until Elliot said my name to bring me back to earth.

He came closer behind until I could discern the shroud of his body. He leaned in to check what had made me waver.

There was a long pause before he finally spoke.

"You don’t have to go in there if you don’t want to."

I drew in a breath, an extreme tension shredding through my skin.

That’s right. I don’t have to go in there. Why the heck did I come here to confront him in the first place? It doesn’t matter if he got me shoes or somehow got in contact with my director.

But... as Lisa grew teasing with taking off her bra, almost as if giving him a show, a heat sliced through me.

Does he love a good show? Of course he does... this must be the meeting. A classic live porn between a snaky boss and a secretary made of plastic.

Elliot’s hand stretched out to close the door, but against my better judgment, I forced my way through. Stepping into the office apologetically with a stern expression that could cut through glass.

How dramatic this was... I almost felt like a wife who had caught her husband cheating.

I crossed my arms, impatient as Lisa took forever to acknowledge us.

The bitch was doing it on purpose.

She slipped her blouse back on, seeming startled but slowly... very slowly in a way only I could detect, she flashed a puckish grin.

"Anastasia...?" She cleared her throat, proudly displaying those plastic tits of hers squeezed into that ridiculous bra. "We weren’t expecting you."

I scoffed, louder than I intended, at how crude she sounded.

With a menacing frown, I dropped my gaze on Zade, de-stressing on his leather chair, a lit cigar perched between his lips, with an elbow against the armrest, one hand cradling the side of his head.

"Elias, you should have called," Lisa intoned.

Does she have no shame? She was literally half naked! Elliot didn’t look bothered either.

"I don’t see how that would’ve changed anything..." he replied.

Lisa’s grin stretched wider.

Zade remained unfazed, nor did he divert his attention from me. He probably doesn’t give a shit about the whole thing, then why is he looking at me as if he was... waiting?

I’m seconds away from just storming out of the office and finding a way to rid myself of this humiliation, but I couldn’t move.

An awkward silence stretched for over a minute, and it got more aggravating to just keep standing there like an unwanted piece.

Why exactly am I eaten up about this? I had an idea of what their relationship was all about, and it wasn’t as if I was perceived as his wife to begin with. I was a fucking property.

"Anastasia..." Lisa spoke as if fed up with the eye contest I had with Zade. "We’re a bit busy right now... so if you’d excuse us—"

"Mrs. Salvero..." I corrected before I could get a hold of what the fuck I just did.

It didn’t make sense to me, but suddenly I felt empowered to put the bitch in her place.

"Now... If you don’t mind, I’d like a moment alone with my husband."

"You—"

"You heard her, Ms. Wade," Zade’s voice cut through the tension hanging in the air.

In shock, she faced Zade, who was in the middle of pressing the bottom of his cigar into the ashtray.

Disbelief laced her voice as she asked. "Wha-What?"

Zade rose to his feet, tall and menacing. The full glimpse of him in a three-piece suit with a tie gave off a dangerous gentlemanly vibe I wouldn’t underestimate.

"You heard me the first time..." He threw the words at Lisa, who looked on the verge of objecting, but she chose the safer lane.

"A-As you wish..." She buttoned up her blouse, turned and walked towards the door, shooting me a dark look that spelled I had crossed her territory, and she was gonna get me back for this

Whatever the heck.

The door slammed closed behind me, and we were alone. Now what? I only told that bitch off because I couldn’t stand her anymore, not because I want to be alone with this reptile.

Slowly, a grin spread across Zade’s lips. Why the fuck is he smiling like an idiot?

My nostrils flared. "I don’t care where you fuck your mistress. Just don’t do it in public."

His grin got wider, and I raged more.

"You’re the one who said the public must perceive us as a couple. Anyone could have walked in here and seen you two disgustingly gluing at each other!"

"You’re aware the elevator to this floor is exclusive."

I suddenly recalled there was a compartment where Elliot punched in a password. I was so lost in my head that I hadn’t realized until now.

"So...?" I bit back. "Does that give you more balls? It wouldn’t matter anyway. You obviously have a kick of being caught in the act."

The corner of his lips twitched, and I couldn’t tell if he wanted to laugh or straight up discipline me.

"Careful, kitten..." His voice dipped lower. "For a minute there, you sound... jealous."

Excuse me? What gave him that absurd idea?

"Jealous?" I walked, slowly... counting each step. "Try... insulted."

"Insulted...?"

"Next time you wanna fuck that plastic... consider doing it in a more enclosed space unless you want to be careless and ruin your expensive investment when it’s just getting started."

A dark look consumed his gaze, which sent shivers down my spine. I’m not sticking around to find out what it means.

"Enjoy the rest of your day." I turned on my heels to leave.

"Anastasia..."

I froze mid-way. Not just because he said my name, but the way he said it with so much authority, my body tightened as I turned.

"We’re still discussing insults, aren’t we?" Zade questioned, rounding the table like a snake closing in on its target. "We’re not done."