Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Ellie Miller

I hear the sound of breaking glass.

I hear the screaming, the crying.

They were mine, coming out of my mouth, even though I was trying not to make any sound, but it was impossible.

More broken glass.

I fall to the ground, and feel something wet on my arm.

It was my blood dripping from where the skin was exposed, and the bone was visible. A loud scream comes out of my mouth.............

I wake up scared and sweating.

Another nightmare.

I look at my cell phone and it is 3 o'clock in the morning, I will hardly be able to sleep again, so I get up and look for something to watch and pass the time.

Most nights were like this, nightmare after nightmare, so I sit down on the couch in the living room watching and when I realize, it is already dawning, like now.

And I start the routine of getting ready to go to work.

I take a deep breath as soon as I arrive at my office, at the company, today was not a good day.

I review some reports in the magazine, and then I don't do anything else, my head keeps going back to the nightmare, over and over again.

And the worst thing is that the nightmares only trigger memories that I try to forget.

But quickly, in the same way it started, I forget, because your Edgar enters my room in a rush, I think I've never seen him like that, he was red, his look is of pure fear. And before I say anything or ask him what happened, he says

“ Open the Fascículo magazine website, urgently!”

I was seriously worried about him having a heart attack, so I opened it and almost had one myself.

Scandal

"Méier enterprises, new partner, leaks exclusive Mancini models and files "

And right below listed several documents that were leaked, that would ruin Mr. Edgar's life.

Help! My face should give away my shock.

“ Ellie, we are now going to Mancini's to try to reverse this situation”

And we practically fly there. In the blink of an eye I find myself sitting in the CEO's office, I have no doubt that a hole will open up in the floor from all the walking around.

“ HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? “ he shouts.

My breathing fails me, I cringe on the spot, they hate it when people scream in anger.

“ Dan, please calm down “ Mr. Edgar speaks with his patience. I don't know if I mentioned that the families of the two know each other, maybe this will influence him to at least listen to us.

“ Tell me, Edgar, how can I calm down, with news like this, that puts my entire life at risk? Everything that I have fought to build? My trusted lawyer is not even here “ he is still behind his desk, walking from one side to the other.

“ There must be a way, we will find a way. “ He emphasizes, and then looks at me “ What do you suggest, Ellie?”

I must be sounding like one of those caged bugs, and it gets worse when he stares at me.

“ I... I... it...”

“ IS TO TALK! AND NOT STUTTER!” It was noticeable that he had no patience at all.

I cringed even more.

Coarse.

He notices my fear and takes a deep breath.

“ Sorry “ he sits down “ What do you suggest?”

“ Perhaps we could issue a note, I am sure that our company has not leaked anything, it would be good for you to call and ask your lawyer if we could do that. And start an investigation, in addition of course to the process of removing it from the media. “ As I speak, he gets up and walks away again, uneasy.

“ Are you implying that the information came from inside my company? “ Still standing, he puts his hands on the table and stares deep into my eyes.

Even in anger this man is beautiful.

“ There is no other explanation, sir! “ I say, still afraid. “ Several of the documents that were leaked from YOUR company, we don't have access, there are absurd things associated with Méier that we never laid eyes on “ I speak with total conviction, in the end, I was already more confident to speak “ They are trying to dirty our partnership”

He stares at me for a long second, a different look this time, and takes a deep breath.

“ I'll call my lawyer," and goes to the corner of the room.

“ I'm sorry to involve you in this, my child," he looks at his Edgar again and smiles, "You're the person I trust most for this kind of situation.

“ It's okay, even if you hadn't called me, I would have wanted to help in some way. “ he comforts.

“ You did very well, I must say that he is not an easy person to convince, or to accept the opinion of others, especially those he doesn't know”

This horse's face doesn't deny it, thick, ignorant, asshole, idiot...

“ Let's make the grade. “ he speaks cutting my thoughts.

Everything was already dark.

I was sitting in front of my notebook trying to do something coherent.

And I say clearly that until this moment nothing came out, why? Simple, we haven't argued less than 20 times, seriously, what an irritating man, I pity his wife, poor thing must endure the bread that the devil made of having this creature in the house.

Mr. Edgar will pay me back this time for leaving me alone with that creature.

I was sitting in his chair, and he was right behind me.

And at this moment we are in yet another beautiful discussion.

God give me patience.

“ Mr. Mancini, please. “ I'll cut whatever he was talking about. “ It's late, I'm tired, and if we don't reach a consensus, we won't leave here today. “ I speak as calmly as possible”

But instead of an answer, I feel his breath on my neck, and I don't even have time to turn around when I hear it:

“ Believe me, despite all the discussion, I'm not the least bit interested in going home. “ he whispered in my ear.

I shivered.

“ Believe me," I turned to him, and we were so close that I could feel his breath on my face, "I'm already very interested in going home”

He simply laughed.

“ I'm serious “ he had to be kidding me.

“ Well, your body says totally diferente”

I kept quiet, because he wasn't wrong”

“ Do what you think is best and publish it soon," he says after he sees that I keep quiet.

Thank God!

And that's what I do, in detail, and around 10:00 at night, after his approval, we publish the note.

“ Let's go," he says, grabbing his things and heading for the door.

We take the elevator together in an awkward silence.

“ Let's go to the car, I'll drop you home”

“ No need, Mr. Mancini," I hasten to say.

“ I insist”

“ You don't have to, really Mr. ........”

I don't finish because in the blink of an eye I'm trapped between his muscular arms, my breathing becoming even more irregular when he bends down and brings his face closer to mine. His eyes focus on mine and he gives me a smile.

I can't look away. Damn. Why did he have to be so beautiful.

“ You know, Ellie, I'm not going to lie about wanting to kiss you when your lips move to speak sir. “ Do I still have legs? I must have lost them when they looked down at my mouth. “ But I must say that they must be even more beautiful when they pronounce my name, so from this moment on just call me Dan”

Someone stole my voice. And not only because of his last words, but because as he uttered them, he leaned his face against the curve of my neck where he planted a kiss.

And another.

And when I opened my mouth to say something, he gave me another, and instead of any words coming out, I moaned.

I moaned.

God, I'm crazy.

“ God, I'm crazy. “ he stares at me again.

There can't be anything redder than me right now.

But before either of us could say anything else, the elevator opened its doors and he simply let go of me, a smug smile on his face, and walked to the only car in the garage.

“ Aren't you coming? “ he said when he saw that I didn't leave the premises.

Then I figured out how to walk and follow him to his car.