Twenty-Three

I entered the black Range Rover with Luca’s name fully plated on the vehicle. It was uncomfortable. I was going to come down from the car, and everyone was going to see me.

Luca was quite popular; I could only imagine the many people who had also been in this car.

"Andrew, please turn up the volume of the radio,” I told him as he turned on the car to finally take me to the hospital.

I had been absent for almost a week, and I did not even take a leave of absence. I wonder what is going to happen when I reach there.

Andrew cleared his throat immediately as we reached the front of the Avante building.

"It will be advisable if you stay away from Hope Salvatore. The boss will not like it if he sees you talking to a Salvatore, especially Hope. It will bring you nothing but trouble,” he  said.He tried to look out for me, but I was livid.

"You do not get to tell me what to do! We are not married, dating, or even in love. Are you going to report me to him?” I raised my voice.

I felt my nails pierce my skin. I looked down and saw blood, and my nails had grown out. There was blood on my skin, but the wound healed up immediately. Then I looked out the window, and my eyes had turned blue.

"Look at your neck,” he said.

I pulled the mirror from my back and looked at my neck, and there was a scar there. It was healed, but the scar was not healing. It was abnormal. She remembered the day of the turning; she had passed out from pain and pleasure. Her cheek turned red out of embarrassment.

   “What is that? I thought you monsters had healed completely.” She asked, forgetting the fact that she had turned into one of them too.

Andrew laughed and parked the car in front of the office building.

"If you do not know, you are now part of the monster community. The mark on your neck says you are mated, and the fact that you are mated to a wolf is the same thing as being married. Your bodies and souls are bound, and you cannot do anything about it. Many people want to be in this position, but they have not been able to, so do not mess this up,” Andrew told Elena.

Andrew was one of Luca’s most important people, and he was loyal. Andrew was the person who would report every single thing to Luca if it were wrong.

Elena closed her eyes, trying to reverse the eye color.

"Breath in and calm down, and it will turn back to normal. You will have to take control lessons so you will not expose us to the public. I hope you did not tell anyone about your current situation,” Andrew said calmly.

He was trying very hard not to disrespect her because if he did, no matter how young she was, Luca was not going to have it.

Elena walked out of the car. She looked around, and the palace was clear. Apparently, she was already late, and everyone was on and about their work.

"When you are ready to go, let me know. I will be waiting for you." He drove away.

Elena entered the office, swiped her card at the entrance, and went straight to the office that was assigned to her.

It was going to be her first day in the office. The last time she was here, she followed her boss to Luca’s house.

She looked at her dress, brushed her hair, topped up her lip gloss, and said a few words to motivate herself.

"Hi, I am Elena Williams, and I am the new curator of Avante Museums." She introduced herself as she entered the manager’s office.

She gave a big smile after that.

"When was this job given to you? Is this what your work ethic is? A job has been given to you since last week, and you are resuming  today."The man asked her.

She stood quietly and looked at the man, unsure of what to say. She was not sure if she was supposed to lie or tell him the truth about her whereabouts.

"Sir, I came in last Monday. I had to follow the boss to a screening." She spoke calmly; she did not want to annoy him.

"I was aware you were on duty on Monday, but that does not mean you should miss the rest of the week,” he said.

He received a call immediately, and Elena was left to stand, waiting. The manager looked at her as he was speaking to the person on the phone.

"Bob, an order from the boss. Clear Elena and introduce her to the team. She got permission from the boss. Create a conducive environment for her to be comfortable,” Mr. Alexander, the head of the museum, said over the phone.

The man cleared his throat.

"Follow me; let me introduce you to the team." He smiled and directed her to the office, where she was going to be sharing with the other workers who were in her field.

She stood quietly and looked at the man, unsure of what to say. She was not sure if she was supposed to lie to him or tell him the truth about her whereabouts. "Sir, I came in last Monday. I had to follow the boss to a screening." She spoke calmly; she did not want to annoy him. "I was aware you were on duty on Monday, but that does not mean you should miss the rest of the week,” he said. He received a call immediately, and Elena was left to stand, waiting. The manager looked at her as he was speaking to the person on the phone. "David, an order from the boss. Clear Elena and introduce her to the team. She got permission from the boss. Create a conducive environment for her to be comfortable,” Mr. Alexander, the head of the museum, said over the phone. The man cleared his throat. “Follow me; let me introduce you to the team." He smiled and directed her to the office, where she was going to be sharing with the other workers who were in her field. Please continue the chapter and make it longer.

Elena followed the manager through the maze of corridors that led to the office area. As they walked, she couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and excitement. It seemed like her unexpected absence was forgiven, and now she was not only welcomed back but also given a clear directive to join the team.

The manager, whose name she realized she didn't know yet, opened the door to a spacious, well-lit office. Desks were neatly arranged, and the air carried a faint scent of old books and artifacts. Several people were engrossed in their work, and as they heard the door open, they looked up with curious expressions.

"Everyone, this is Elena," the manager announced, gesturing towards her. "She's joining our team, and I want you all to make her feel welcome."

The team members exchanged glances, some offering friendly smiles, while others continued typing on their keyboards or sketching on notepads. Elena felt a bit awkward, not knowing anyone, but she returned the smiles and nodded politely.

"David, here, will be your desk mate," the manager said, pointing to a young man engrossed in arranging some documents. David looked up, a bit surprised but friendly.

"Hey there," he greeted, extending a hand. "Welcome to the team. I hope you're not allergic to dust; we're surrounded by ancient artifacts here."

Elena chuckled, shaking his hand. "No, I think I can handle a bit of dust."

As the manager left, David filled Elena in on the team dynamics, the ongoing projects, and the general atmosphere of the museum. Elena learned that they were a tight-knit group, passionate about preserving history and showcasing it to the public.

She settled in, and she heard the other workers talking among themselves. It was pretty clear they were talking about her.

"Is that the girl you saw coming out of one of Mr. Luca’s cars?” She asked the girl with the blonde hair.

The girl nodded her head. It was work hours, but they decided to create a nuisance. It was clear that none of them knew how to mind their business here. Elena could hear their conversation perfectly.

"Of course, I am sure she got her way in through sleeping with the boss." Another girl spoke.

She threw Elena a disgusted face, and Elena did not care; she was not even moved.

"I thought it was Felicia who was his girlfriend; how did this one get into the picture?”

"And she is young too; I do not know why she thinks it is advisable to spoil her future like this."

Elena got up and walked out. They were spreading gossip, which was not even through, and this was just her first day. She could imagine what else was going to happen.

She just needed to pass through this for a few more hours, and then her work was going to be gone. It was not that difficult. She visited the restroom and pulled out a blunt from her stash in her purse and smoked it. That was the boost of confidence she needed. She sprayed herself with perfume and went back to her office.

Her work was easy: accepting emails from buyers who were willing to purchase pieces in their upcoming auction, getting samples of the art work the company wanted to purchase, and then screening them in person.

Being in the art industry was very fulfilling; it gave her the opportunity to meet with talented artists like herself and also the opportunity to travel to get pieces that were painted by historical artists.

The afternoon passed in a flurry of emails, phone calls, and the meticulous screening of art samples. Despite the initial rumors circulating about her, Elena found solace in the familiar rhythm of her tasks. The art world was her sanctuary, a place where talent and passion spoke louder than baseless gossip.

As the day drew to a close, the office began to quiet down. Elena decided to take a break and explore the museum, hoping to clear her mind from the earlier distractions. She strolled through the corridors, admiring the artifacts and paintings that adorned the walls. The museum, with its rich history, provided her with a sense of purpose and inspiration.

In the quiet halls, she crossed paths with David, her deskmate. He flashed a friendly smile, breaking the tension that had lingered since her arrival.

"Hey, how's your first day going?" he asked.

Elena shrugged. "Not bad. I'm just dealing with some unnecessary drama from a few colleagues, but I'm not letting it get to me."

David chuckled. "Ah, the office grapevine. Don't worry about it; it usually dies down after a while. Focus on the work, and you'll earn their respect."

She had finally closed for the day, and she started walking outside, forgetting she had a driver to pick her up. Andrew brought the car.

     “I totally forgot. You have been waiting here." She asked him.

“I know when work closes, so..." He replied. The drive back home was very quiet, and all she could do was think about everything that was happening at the moment.

As Elena entered her house, the air felt heavy with an unspoken tension. The subdued lighting in her living room cast mysterious shadows across the furniture, adding to the suspense that hung in the air. Her eyes widened as she noticed a figure seated on her couch, bathed in the dim glow of a single lamp.

The stranger was a woman, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that hinted at affluence. She had an air of quiet confidence that sent a shiver down Elena's spine. Her heart raced as she cautiously took a step forward.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?" she demanded, trying to maintain a sense of composure.

The stranger looked up, her eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her uneasy. A slow, enigmatic smile played on her lips, adding to the mystery surrounding her presence.

"Elena, isn't it?" She said it in a voice that sent chills down her spine. "I've been waiting for you."

Confused and alarmed, Elena's mind raced to make sense of the situation. She glanced around, searching for any sign of a break-in or disturbance. The stranger seemed to anticipate her thoughts.

"Don't bother looking for signs of forced entry. I have ways of getting where I need to be," she remarked, her tone casual yet disconcerting.

Elena felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "What do you want? How did you get in here?"

The stranger stood up, her movements deliberate. She approached her with an unsettling calmness, and as she came closer, Elena could see a glint of something in her eyes—something that hinted at a hidden agenda.

"I have a proposition for you, Elena," she said, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "A proposition that could change the course of your life."

Elena's mind raced, her instincts urging her to be cautious. She had never encountered anything like this before. The stranger seemed to know more about her than she was comfortable with, and the mysterious aura surrounding him only deepened the sense of foreboding.