Chapter 6 The Interview

Aria again did not sleep well that night.

The moment Isabella walked into the office like she owned it-firing the way Niccolo shut her down smacked her hard in the face and so she kept replaying it.

It really should have comforted her.

But it didn't.

Because the venom behind Isabella's smile-the way her eyes were left Aria knowing this was not the type of woman who would give up easily.

Nor played fair.

By the time Aria got herself into the office the next morning, nerves crawled under her skin like cold water. She kept her arm in, straight without breaking her head down to avoid the curious looks passed by other staff, directly to her desk.

Flooded Inbox meeting security briefings financial reports coded easily with strange acronyms and numbers that just didn't work.

Frowning, she continued reading, noticing some terms that made no sense at all and were foreign to the Moretti Enterprises' supposed core industries-real estate or tech.

Shipping manifests? Offshore transfers?

What on earth were they?

And then she spied it.

One with the subject tagged "Internal Vetting - Confidential: Aria Bennett."

Her stomach dropped.

Before she could open it, a voice cut through the placid day.

"Good morning."

Niccolo.

Aria jumped and spun around, clutching the mouse like it was a weapon.

He permitted that maddening calm to take effect when he looked at her, as if the very penetrating gaze he threw on her was what left his mind open to the alternatives.

"I trust you're finding everything...manageable?"

She nodded. "So far."

His eyes flicked over to her screen. "Curious, are we?"

Aria straightened. "Should I not be?"

He stepped closer. "Depends what you want to know."

She hesitated. Then, quietly: "Why me?"

He tilted his head, amused. "Still stuck on that question?"

"You hired me out of nowhere. You knew who I was the second you saw my name on the file. You don't usually make impulsive decisions do you?"

"No," he said. "I don't."

"Then why break your rules for me?"

He was quiet for a beat.

Then he said, "Because I don't like loose ends."

Aria blinked. "Excuse me?"

"That night," he continued, voice low. "You became a loose end."

She swallowed. "You hired me because you couldn't stand not knowing who I was?"

"Correct."

"That's psychotic."

"No. That's business."

She stared at him, stunned.

And then-he smiled. "But you're proving to be much more interesting than I had anticipated."

Aria narrowed her eyes. "You vetted me."

"I vet everyone. You just...had more to hide than most."

Her breath caught. "What does that mean?"

"You have a delinquent student loan. You have changed jobs thrice in just the last year. You had one harassment report lodged against your last employer but, never sought justice. Why?"

She stepped as He slapped her, "you have no authority to probe that."

"I had every right. I trust no one."

"But you will trust me out-of-your-office days with the records?"

"I trust you," he said. "But I'm watching."

Her jaw clenched. "What is this place really, Niccolo? Because I have worked in offices before-and none of them ever used encrypted folders labelled after dock numbers."

His eyes darkened. "You're not paid to ask questions."

"And you are not God," she snapped. "Therefore, you don't get to control every part of my life."

Something in his expression changed. For the first time, she saw a flicker of restraint and like he was holding back something.

Then soft-spoken words were, "Go home early today."

"What?'

"Go home. Rest. I will have new orders ready tomorrow."

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you firing me?"

"No. I'm warning you."

"Warning me of what?"

The man didn't reply.

Aria stepped out of the office with her heart in her throat.

She walked around the city for a long time-failing to head straight home-feet aching, mind racing.

What have you got yourself into?

He was not just a businessman, but an exceedingly powerful one, as evident by everything surrounding him-his files, his codes, and the men in suits with their little ear buds lining the halls.

It was control. Secrecy. Teeth in Power.

And she'd stepped straight into the lion's den.

"But I thought I could handle it."

Now, she was not so sure.

That night, Aria opened the email.

The confidential one.

Her hands shook as she read it.

> Subject: Internal vetting File opened: Aria Bennett

Observations:

Emotionally guarded

Intelligence: high

Loyalty: untested

Risk factor: unknown

RECOMMENDATION:

Watch carefully. Do not include in deeper operations unless Trust has been"""

Potential asset.

Asset..

They are watching her like a weapon.

Or worse-a liability.

Sitting in the dark, cold realization settling upon her.

It is not the flexible office schedules and coffee orders this job has in store for her.

It is actually a test.

She is not an assistant.

She is being watched, judged, and measured.

And only one person holding her fate in his hands-

Was the same man who had at one time made her forget the world in a single night.