Roman’s POV
The weight of the day settled heavily on my shoulders as I strode through the halls of Rome International, my mind consumed by the damn Lex Corp deal.
For weeks, the contract had been at a standstill, indefinitely paused after their firstborn, Jameson, was caught selling illegal goods. The scandal had rocked their company, sending investors into a panic, silencing board members, and leaving everyone else in the dark. No updates. No reassurances. Just uncertainty.
And uncertainty was the one thing I couldn’t afford.
Lex Corp was supposed to be a crucial partner, a stepping stone in expanding Rome International’s reach. Their resources and connections were invaluable. But now? They were a liability. And I didn’t deal in liabilities. The only reason I hadn’t pulled out yet was simple—I needed to see who would step up in Jameson’s place.
If they sent someone competent, someone who could salvage the mess he left behind, the deal could still happen. But if they didn’t…
I exhaled sharply, adjusting my cuffs as I reached my office. Derrick was already inside, leaning against my desk, flipping through some files like he had all the time in the world.
"You look like hell," he remarked without looking up.
I shot him a dry look. "And you look entirely too comfortable in my office."
He smirked, finally meeting my gaze. "Still no word from Lex Corp?"
I shook my head, my jaw tightening. "Nothing. Either they’re still scrambling for damage control, or they don’t know who to send."
Derrick let out a low whistle. "If they don’t figure it out soon, we might need a backup plan. You can’t keep waiting on them forever."
"I know," I muttered. And I hated waiting.
Before I could say more, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen.
A text from an unknown number.
Expect a call soon regarding Lex Corp. The deal isn’t dead yet.
I frowned.
Derrick leaned closer. "Good news?"
I wasn’t sure yet.
"Someone’s about to step in," I said slowly. "But they didn’t say who."
Derrick’s brows lifted. "Interesting."
Interesting was one word for it. Another word for it? Risky.
Whoever it was, they had better be worth my time.
I was still staring at the cryptic message when Derrick’s phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen, and in an instant, his expression changed. The lazy amusement vanished, replaced by something sharper.
"What?" I asked, noting the shift in his demeanor.
Derrick exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You’re gonna want to hear this."
I raised a brow.
"It’s Sally. She says Avah’s downstairs."
Something inside me stilled.
Then, just as quickly, a rush of warmth spread through my chest.
"She’s here?" I repeated, unable to stop the slight curve of my lips.
It was the first time she’d ever come to my office. The thought of her stepping into my world on her own, choosing to be here, sent a strange kind of excitement coursing through me.
Derrick smirked. "Look at you. Didn’t know a text from your wife could make you look so damn happy."
I ignored him, already moving toward the elevator.
But then his smirk faded as he reread Sally’s message. His brows furrowed.
"Wait—there’s more. She says there’s a problem. A big one."
I stopped in my tracks.
"What kind of problem?" My voice was sharper now, the warmth in my chest cooling instantly.
Derrick typed quickly. A moment later, his phone buzzed again. His jaw tightened as he read the response.
"Shit," he muttered.
I grabbed the phone from his hands, scanning the text myself.
Your security is manhandling Avah. The receptionists called them, saying we were causing a scene. They laughed while the guards grabbed us. The whole lobby is watching.
My blood ran cold.
A slow, deadly rage coiled in my chest.
Without a word, I stepped into the elevator, pressing the button with more force than necessary.
Derrick followed, his usual playfulness gone. "They must not have known who she was," he muttered.
Not knowing was no excuse.
The doors slid open, and immediately, I spotted the commotion in the lobby.
A crowd had gathered, forming a loose circle. Murmurs and whispers filled the air, people watching like it was some kind of entertainment.
And then I saw her.
Avah.
A security guard had his hands on her arm, gripping too tightly. Another one was reaching for Sally. And my receptionists, my own goddamn staff, stood to the side, laughing.
Laughter.
A sound that sent something primal surging through me.
Everything else blurred.
I moved.
Fast.
Before the guard could react, I wrenched his hand off Avah and shoved him back. Hard. He stumbled, his expression twisting in shock.
The second guard turned just in time to meet my glare, but before he could even think about touching Sally again, I stepped between them, my voice dangerously low.
"Touch them again, and you won’t have hands left to do it with!"
Silence crashed over the lobby.
The guard stiffened, the arrogance in his posture fading as he registered the full weight of his mistake.
The receptionists who had been laughing? They weren’t laughing anymore.
Avah’s wide eyes met mine, something flickering in their depths; anger, relief, something else I couldn’t name.
I turned my gaze back to the guards, barely reining in the rage coursing through my veins. "Who gave you the order to put your hands on my wife?"
The first guard, now pale, opened his mouth but no words came out. The second shifted uncomfortably, glancing toward the reception desk.
One of the receptionists, Sandra, visibly tensed under my stare.
"B-Boss, we didn’t know she was...."
"Shut up," I cut her off coldly. "You knew enough to call security. You knew enough to laugh. So tell me, Sandra, what exactly did you not know?"
She swallowed hard, her confidence crumbling.
I let the silence stretch, watching as every single person involved began to sweat under my scrutiny.
Then, finally, I spoke again.
"All of you." My voice was calm, deadly. "Kneel now."
The security guards hesitated.
"I said kneel!."
This time, they moved, scrambling like rats fleeing a sinking ship.
The receptionists weren’t far behind.
Only when they were all kneeling did I finally turn back to Avah.
She was still watching me, her expression unreadable.
I reached for her, my hand grazing her arm where the guard had held her. A faint red mark remained. It ignited something dark inside me.
"Are you okay?" My voice was softer now, but the rage hadn’t left. It wouldn’t. Not until I made sure nothing like this ever happened again.
She exhaled, nodding slowly. "I’m fine."
But I wasn’t.
Not even close.
Because no one laid a hand on what was mine and walked away unscathed.
And by the time I was done, every single person who had made her feel unwelcome today would understand exactly what that meant.