Chapter 84 You Answer to Her
Leitana stepped out of the sleek black Maybach, the cool air of the underground garage brushing her skin. Ravial’s arm wrapped around her waist immediately, possessive, steady as they walked toward the private elevator for the Ashbourne Global Modeling Division headquarters. This building, a gleaming tower in Manhattan’s fashion district, housed the heart of the conglomerate’s talent scouting, runway shows, and contract management. Ravial rarely set foot here; he preferred overseeing from the central Ashbourne Global skyscraper downtown, where music, film, and entertainment divisions intertwined under his iron control. But Celeste’s death had shifted things, drawing scrutiny, and now, drawing him here with his wife in tow.
Leitana’s heart pounded like a drum, her sundress fluttering slightly in the artificial breeze from the vents. She glanced up at him, blindfolded eyes unreadable as always. “Mi scared right now, Ravial,” she confessed, voice small but honest.
He paused just before the elevator doors, turning her gently to face him. His free hand cupped her chin, tilting her face up. “Fear is natural, little lamb,” he said, voice calm“But you are mine. No one in this building or anywhere dares touch what’s mine. Walk in there like you own it. Because you do.”
The words settled over her like armor, his sociopathic certainty bleeding into quiet warmth just for her. She nodded, drawing a shaky breath. “Okay… mi try.”
The elevator rose smoothly to the executive floor, doors opening to a bustling atrium filled with sleek desks, digital mood boards of upcoming shoots, and staff in sharp designer wear. Conversations halted mid-sentence as Ravial stepped out, Leitana at his side. Whispers rippled like wind through leaves…”The CEO… with his wife? Here?”
Employees gawked openly, frozen in place. Ravial ignored them, striding toward the central conference room where a hastily assembled meeting waited. Valentina Rossi stood at the head of the table, poised and polished in a tailored black suit, her dark hair in a severe chignon. Her green eyes widened fractionally at the sight of Leitana, shock quickly masked, but there. Ravial hadn’t visited this division in months; Celeste’s “suicide” had forced his hand, and now this unannounced arrival with the new wife? It screamed something was afoot.
Ravial took his place at the head of the table without a word, pulling out a chair for Leitana beside him. The room filled quickly, managers, scouts, Valentina’s team all murmuring until he raised a hand. Silence fell like a guillotine.
“I’m here to make an announcement,” Ravial said, voice flat and commanding, echoing off the glass walls. “Effective immediately, my wife, Leitana Ashbourne, will serve as Special Advisor to the CEO for Talent Welfare and Relations in this division. She will have full access to contracts, schedules, and personnel files. She answers only to me. You will provide her with whatever she requires, no questions, no delays.”
Gasps rippled through the room. Valentina’s perfectly manicured hands tightened on her tablet, her smile frozen in place. Leitana? The wide-eyed girl from nowhere? Overseeing talent welfare? It was a new role, crafted on the spot, giving Leitana legitimate cover to poke around without raising flags, while keeping her under Ravial’s thumb.
Ravial turned to Leitana. “Come, lamb. Say a few words.”
Leitana’s heart leaped into her throat. She stood slowly, hands clasped nervously in front of her sundress, cheeks flushing under the stares. But she lifted her chin, drawing on the strength he’d given her.
“Tank yu… for welcome mi,” she said, voice soft but steady, her accent curling around the words like music. “Mi new to all dis… but mi wan’ learn. Mi wan’ help make sure all talent here feel safe, happy. Mi look forward to work with yu all.”
It was simple, sincere, no mention of investigations or ghosts. The room softened slightly; a few nods, even smiles. She sat back down, Ravial’s hand brushing her knee under the table in silent approval.
“Dismissed,” he said.
The employees filed out, buzzing with whispers. Valentina lingered, eyes flicking between them, but Ravial’s gaze, blindfolded yet piercing pinned her in place until she turned and left.
Leitana caught Lafu’s arm as she passed, the woman’s face pale and confused amid the crowd. “Lafu… plis stay small.”
Lafu froze, eyes wide with fear—glancing at Ravial.
“Leitana… what’s going on?” She whispered.
Leitana moved to her side, Ravial rising to join, his presence like a shadow. He leaned down, pressing a slow, possessive kiss to Leitana’s temple. Then his voice dropped, cold and lethal, directed at Lafu: “If anything happens to her, if she so much as stubs her toe because of this little scheme, you will wish you’d never existed.”
Lafu blanched, nodding mutely, terror in her eyes.
Ravial straightened, turned, and strode out, his guards falling in behind like silent wraiths.
Valentina, who had lingered just outside the door, rushed after him, her heels clicking sharply. “Mr. Ashbourne….wait!”
He didn’t stop.
She caught up in the hallway, one manicured hand daring to brush his sleeve. He halted instantly, blindfolded gaze dropping to her fingers like they were an insult. She snatched her hand back, cheeks flushing.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, voice low and urgent. “Why appoint her as Special Advisor? She knows nothing about modeling, nothing about this industry. With all due respect, She’s… she’s a child playing dress-up!”
Ravial turned slowly, towering over her. His voice was icy. “You forget yourself, Valentina. Leitana is my wife. She doesn’t need to know the industry—she owns it now. And you? You answer to her. Every decision, every contract, goes through her. If you have a problem with that… resign.”
Valentina’s lips parted, shock rippling across her flawless face. “But I…..”
He cut her off with a single, raised hand. “She answers to me. You answer to her. End of discussion.”
He walked away without another word, leaving her standing there, fists clenched.
Valentina watched him go, then glanced back through the conference room glass, Leitana smiling gently at Lafu, talking animatedly.
“Something’s wrong here,” she thought, green eyes narrowing.
“That clueless little ingenue waltzing in like she belongs? I’ll get to the bottom of this. That position should be mine , not some wide-eyed trophy who can’t even speak properly.”
Back in the room, Leitana placed a gentle hand on Lafu’s arm. “Plis… no worry. Him jus’ joking.”
Lafu shook her head, still pale. “He wasn’t. That man… he’s not the joking type.”
The door opened, Marco and Stacy slipping in, summoned by Lafu’s quick text. They froze at the sight of Leitana alone, the air still thick with tension.
“What happened?” Marco asked, eyes darting around. “We saw Ravial leave. And Valentina looked like she’d swallowed glass.”
Leitana drew a breath, twisting her hands. “Mi… mi tell Ravial everything. ’Bout the plan. Mi no lie to him.”
The room went dead silent.
Lafu’s face drained of color. “You… what?”
Stacy stepped forward, voice sharp with panic. “Leitana, he knows? Everything? The voicemails, Jim, Valentina… all of it?”
Leitana nodded, eyes wide and earnest. “Yes. Mi no wan’ hide from mi husband. It no right. Him know now… and him say mi can help. But on him terms. Mi text him every hour, tell him everything mi hear.”
Marco ran a hand through his hair, exhaling hard. “Holy shit. Ravial Ashbourne knows we’re digging into his company? We’re dead. He’ll bury us.”
Lafu nodded, still shaking. “He already threatened me. Said if anything happens to you… I wish I didn’t exist.”
Stacy paced, chewing her lip. “This is bad. But… he’s letting you continue? Why?”
Leitana shrugged softly. “Him already investigating Celeste death. Him say mi can observe, listen. But no confront.”
The three exchanged glances, fear, shock, but a flicker of reluctant relief.
Marco sighed. “Well… at least you didn’t lie to him. That could’ve been worse. But now we’re playing with fire. Ravial’s not just powerful, he’s… terrifying.”
Lafu nodded, voice steadying. “We proceed carefully. Very carefully. If he’s watching… we can’t slip up.”
Stacy crossed her arms. “Agreed. Leitana, you’re our eyes now. But if it gets too hot… we pull back.”
Leitana smiled faintly, determined. “Mi understand. Mi wan’ help Celeste. We do dis together… safe.”
The group nodded, tension easing just a fraction. But in the back of their minds, Ravial’s shadow loomed, watching, waiting, always one step ahead.