Big bomb

Big bomb


The woman nodded in approval the moment we placed our order and immediately began dishing out our food. While she scooped the fried rice and arranged the chicken neatly on the plates, I noticed Felicia’s eyes roaming around the cafeteria as if she was scanning every corner of the room. Suddenly, her gaze drifted back toward me and settled on my face with a thoughtful expression that made me raise a brow.

"You kind of look like my favorite model, Perry Matric," she said with total seriousness.

I almost choked on my saliva. My cheeks warmed instantly, almost burning. Perry Matric? The Perry Matric? The legendary beauty who was considered the most breathtaking woman in the entire country? No way.

Nah, she was definitely exaggerating. Maybe she was just being friendly. There was no way she was comparing me to someone on that level.

"Thank you so much," I laughed nervously. "But stop pulling my legs and stop giving me false hope."

Felicia burst into laughter, tilting her head back slightly.

"Tell me you are not serious right now. You are too funny," she said, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye.

I chuckled, though deep down I was flattered in a way I could not explain. Still, Perry Matric was a goddess. Me? I was just a girl trying not to embarrass herself on her first day at work.

The woman finally handed us our plates, and my stomach growled loudly enough that Felicia shot me a quick amused look. I quickly slid my hand into my pocket and asked the woman, "How much is everything, ma'am?"

Before she could answer, Felicia touched my arm gently.

"Dear, it is free food," she said, smiling. "The company provides free meals for all their workers."

I froze.

My eyes widened so hard I thought they might fall out.

Free food? High quality food like this? This company was beyond rich. This was not a normal workplace. This was a kingdom. A paradise. A palace disguised as a corporate environment.

Luxury. Luxury. Luxury. The word screamed in my head like a chant.

It was no longer surprising why everyone was smiling. Who would not smile when they were eating free five star meals every day?

Before my thoughts could drift too far, Felicia snapped her fingers softly and gestured at me.

"Come on, let us find a comfortable place to sit."

I followed her as we walked through the cafeteria, our plates balanced carefully in our hands. We paused a few times, searching for the perfect spot. There were so many beautiful corners, from soft leather seats to glass side tables decorated with small indoor plants.

Finally, Felicia stopped.

"Here, let us sit there," she said, pointing toward a quiet corner of the cafeteria where a low round table was placed between two cushioned seats.

We walked over with smiles, placed our plates down gently, and immediately began digging in.

The moment the fried rice touched my tongue, my eyes widened. It tasted heavenly. The chicken was crispy outside and tender inside, perfectly seasoned. I almost chewed my tongue along with the food.

Felicia laughed at the expression on my face.

"So tell me," I said with my mouth half full, "what is this company like? What should I expect?"

She chuckled softly and wiped her fingers with a napkin.

"Well, it is lovely," she said. "But the ladies on the second floor are extremely nosy. Oh God, they can gossip about a stone if it stays still for too long."

I burst into a huge laugh, imagining it instantly.

She continued giving me small details about the company, the departments, the work culture, and even some of the unspoken rules. During our conversation, I learned something that left me stunned.

Diego did not only own this company. He also owned another famous one that almost everyone in the country knew about. The popularity, the power, the money, the influence… I finally understood why he carried himself the way he did. The man was a walking empire.

And as strange as it sounded, I found myself enjoying my conversation with Felicia more than I had enjoyed anything in years. Her energy was bright, warm, and comforting. Something inside me loosened as I laughed with her. A part of me that had been silent for too long woke up again.

For years, I had cried silently, suffered in silence, accepted things I should not have accepted, all in the name of survival. Trying to make money had pushed me into corners I never wanted to be in.

Now, sitting here in this elegant cafeteria, laughing freely, I felt something I had forgotten how to feel. Happiness.

But beneath that happiness, another emotion crawled quietly to the surface. A very heavy one.

I was here for a reason. A reason I did not want to think about.

I was here because Ellie wanted me to seduce Diego.
To lure him.
To pull him in.

It was not something I was used to. It was not something I wanted to do. It was not something my heart aligned with. I felt forced, confused, and emotionally exhausted just thinking about it.

How was I supposed to start? How was I supposed to seduce a man who intimidated me with just his presence?

I inhaled deeply as the weight of the mission rested heavily on my chest. The fried rice in my mouth suddenly tasted bitter, as if my tongue rejected it. I swallowed weakly, my mood shifting instantly.

Then suddenly, the air around us changed.

A strong, expensive fragrance lingered in the air. A scent so elegant it demanded attention.

I looked up.

Standing directly in front of me was an elegant and extremely expensive looking woman. Her outfit screamed class. Her hair was sleek and neatly styled. Her makeup flawless. Her presence alone was loud enough to shift the atmosphere around us.

Her eyes traveled to me slowly, like the hand of a clock. Then her gaze drifted to Felicia.

Even as a woman, I felt intimidated. Her aura was powerful. I could tell instantly she was not someone ordinary. She looked like someone raised in wealth and privilege, someone who never lifted a finger unless she wanted to.

Behind her stood two other ladies, dressed just as neatly, their arms crossed as if they were her personal bodyguards. The realization hit me. These were her companions. Her little entourage.

I glanced at Felicia instinctively and noticed a shift in her expression. Her face tightened a little, a hint of irritation settling around her eyes.

Oh.
So she knew this woman.
And judging from the tension in her posture, she did not like her. At all.

The elegant woman turned back to me.

"You do not mind adjusting for me, will you?" she asked in a soft, seductive, calculated voice.

I knew instantly that adjusting meant she wanted to sit beside me. Her tone was gentle, yet it carried a hidden command.

Without thinking too much, I moved slightly, making space for her. She sat down smoothly, crossing her legs elegantly like she owned the entire cafeteria.

She gave Felicia a small wave.

"Hello Felicia. How are you doing?" she asked sweetly.

Felicia ignored her completely.

Ah.
So she really was trouble.

The elegant woman turned to me, placing her hand on her chest dramatically.

"Oh dear, where are my manners? I am sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I am Yola, Diego's girlfriend," she said with a proud smile.

My spine froze instantly.

My brain stopped working.

Her words sank into my mind slowly, painfully.

Diego's… what?

"What?" I breathed out, confused, shocked, lost.

She leaned forward slightly.

"Oh dear, it seems I should repeat it for you," she said with a slow blink. "I am Diego's girlfriend."

Behind her, her girls nodded and murmured yes in support, like a trained chorus.

Felicia scoffed silently.

My heart began racing.
My mind felt like it was spinning.

Diego had a girlfriend?
Ellie wanted me to seduce a man who already had someone?
What kind of mess was this?

Yola’s eyes burned through me, sharp with jealousy and suspicion. She was not here for a friendly conversation. She was here to intimidate me.

"So, miss Lyla," she said my name with emphasis, and I almost flinched.
My eyes widened.
How did she know my name?

She smiled knowingly.
"Honey, do not worry about how I got your name. There is something I want to ask."

My breath caught in my throat.

"I heard you came with Diego today," she said casually.

My jaw dropped slightly.

How did she know that?
How did she know every detail of my morning?

If she had access to all these things, it meant one thing.
What she claimed was true.

She truly was Diego’s girlfriend.

My chest tightened painfully.

"Now I want to know," she continued calmly, "what exactly is the connection between you and Diego?"

Her eyes were sharp and threatening.

Felicia glanced at me, her expression saying be careful.

But something in me snapped.
I lifted my h
ead and answered boldly.

"I am Diego's wife sister," I said firmly.

Felicia’s head snapped toward me in shock.

And just like that, the entire cafeteria felt suddenly frozen.