“Ida, Mr. Valencia,” the receptionist supplied before adding throatily, “But you can call me whatever you want, sir. After all, I’m here to do your every command.” Out of the corner of her eye, Ida noticed the way the cleaner was gaping at her, and she shot the other woman a nasty look before turning back to the billionaire and gushing, “You’re also absolutely right, Mr. Valencia. It’s just so gross, the way some women—-” She inclined her head towards the cleaner. “Overestimate their beauty,” Ida finished with a roll of her eyes.
“Quite so,” Luca averred and stepped to the side as security arrived.
Oh, this will be so bad, Vivian thought and turned her uneasy gaze towards the floor.
Oh, this will be so good, Ida thought and smiled nastily at the way the cleaner lowered her head and avoided everyone’s stares.
“Inform HR that I have been subjected to improper advances and that I suggest immediate termination,” Luca murmured.
When the billionaire gestured towards her, Ida’s smile widened, thinking that she was about to be introduced as the woman who had helped him deal with his pathetic and delusional admirer.
“Make sure that she’s not allowed back in here for whatever reason or in any premises under my ownership.” Luca curved his arm around Vivian. “Shall we go?”
Ida’s smile froze on her lips.
A moment later, security had gotten around the reception counter, with one of them saying stoically, “Please gather your belongings and allow us to escort you to HR.”
“No, you’ve got it wrong,” Ida snapped. “I’m not the one—-” She turned towards the billionaire and the cleaner. “It’s her—-”
Hearing that, Luca raised a brow. “Do you have a problem with my fiancée?”
Ida whitened.
Luca shook his head and turned away from her. Pulling Vivian closer to him, he said in a voice that was neither loud nor soft but one that was just right for everyone to hear, “It’s an unfortunate fact, cara, but experience has taught me that the world is filled with many unpleasant women exactly like her. Please do me a favor and promise to stay away from such trash.”
A screech of rage followed Luca’s words, and unable to help it, Vivian looked back over her shoulder and flinched when she saw the other woman actually climbing over the counter in her desperate need to get to them. Hatred flashing in her gaze, she sped towards Vivian and Luca, clearly intent on inflicting harm—-
Vivian jerked. “Luca—-”
Luca didn’t bother to turn back. “There is nothing to worry about.”
And he was right.
Before Ida could take another step, security caught up with her, holding her back and even as she struggled and cursed, there was no way for Ida to go against the two burly men holding her captive. They marched away, half-carrying the receptionist towards the service elevator—-
Which was the dirty little hole that people like her came from, Vivian couldn’t help thinking.
And if the irony wasn’t enough, Luca was now leading her towards the elevator at the other end of the lobby, which was reserved exclusively for the use of the company’s executives.
“Good morning, sir, ma’am.” Everyone they walked past were painfully quick to greet both Luca and Vivian, the nervous expressions on their faces making it clear that they were aware of what exactly had gone down earlier – and who Vivian was to Luca, despite the fact that she was wearing her cleaner’s uniform.
When they entered the elevator, no other passenger was willing to ride with them and the doors slid close, leaving Vivian alone with the billionaire.
Noticing the way Vivian was again gnawing on her lip, he asked calmly, “You are troubled?”
“A bit,” she admitted reluctantly. “You know, don’t you? About…her and me…last night?”
“Yes.” He didn’t offer an explanation and was glad when she didn’t waste his time asking for one. It meant she was beginning to understand him in a more fundamental way despite the short amount of time they had known each other.
Vivian took a deep breath before confessing, “You were…surprisingly ruthless.”
Luca almost shook his head. Trust his Vivi to be so softhearted that rather than feeling properly vindicated, she instead felt pity for the one who had treated her abominably in the past. “You are too soft,” he told her in chagrin. “But then, that is also why I have chosen you, so I am not complaining.”
She grimaced. “You make being soft sound like a sin, but it’s not.”
“And you say that so easily, despite the fact that your enormous debt is all because of—-”
Knowing he had a point but hating to acknowledge it, Vivian couldn’t stop herself from sticking out her tongue.
Luca let out a startled laugh. “How refreshingly…immature.” Deliberately taking her by surprise, he tugged her towards him and as she fell against him with a gasp, he didn’t waste any time and covered her open mouth with his.