Chapter 5
The command fell like an executioner’s blade. The absolute ruthlessness of Aurelio's retaliation stunned the room. He wasn't just kicking Soraya out; he was dismantling her family's entire legacy in response to a ruined suit and a dropped phone.
Soraya’s arrogant fury evaporated, replaced by genuine, unadulterated terror. "You can't do that!" she shrieked, struggling against her own bodyguards as they finally hauled her to her feet. "The commission won't allow a hostile takeover over a personal dispute!"
"Do you believe the commission cares about the survival of a woman who attempts to assault a sitting boss in public?" Aurelio asked, his voice a low, mocking rumble.
He didn't wait for her to process the absolute lack of mercy in his gaze. He gestured slightly with two fingers toward Carlo.
"Get her out of my sight," Aurelio ordered softly.
Carlo and three other heavily armed enforcers moved in, completely surrounding Soraya and her two bodyguards. They didn't draw their weapons, but the threat of overwhelming violence was absolute.
"Aurelio! Please!" Soraya begged, her high heels crunching loudly on the broken glass as she was forcefully marched toward the exit. "We can fix this! I was just angry!"
"Does a king negotiate with a viper?" Aurelio asked, turning his back on her completely.
The heavy, glass-paneled doors of the showroom swung open, and Soraya was dragged out, her frantic screams fading down the long, marble corridor.
The room was suffocatingly silent once more. The fifty guests remained frozen, unsure if the violence was truly over. The bright, cinematic lighting illuminated the overturned glass, the ruined designer heels, and the stark contrast of the black and white maid uniform standing next to the dark, tailored suit.
Aurelio let out a long, slow breath. The rigid tension in his broad shoulders relaxed by a fraction of an inch. He turned his attention back to the room.
"Are all of you waiting for a formal invitation to vacate my showroom?" Aurelio asked the crowd, his deep voice carrying a cold dismissal.
The spell broke. The buyers, politicians, and socialites scrambled for the exits, desperate to escape the wrath of the mafia boss. Within minutes, the vast, luxurious room was entirely empty of civilians, leaving only a few trusted guards, Aurelio, and Nerea.
Aurelio looked down at his ruined, polish-stained suit jacket. He slowly unbuttoned it and pulled it off, tossing it carelessly onto a nearby chair. He stood in his crisp white shirt, the sleeves rolled up slightly, revealing the full extent of the artistic tattoos wrapping around his forearms.
He turned back to Nerea. She was standing perfectly still, her hands folded tightly over her white apron. She looked incredibly small amidst the grand, chaotic aftermath of the room, her expressive eyes filled with residual worry.
"Are you harmed anywhere, Nerea?" Aurelio asked quietly, his perceptive eyes searching her delicately featured face.
"I am unharmed, sir," Nerea answered, her voice trembling slightly. "But... I know what just happened. I know her family will come for you because I pulled her down."
"Do you believe I would allow a woman who disrespects me to harm the woman who defended me?" Aurelio asked, a flicker of profound, protective warmth entering his cold eyes as he stepped closer to her.
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"I didn't know what to expect, Mr. Grantham," Nerea whispered, her expressive eyes wide with fear. "I just knew I couldn't watch her step on you."
"Did you think a monster would punish the only person with the courage to stand by his side?" Aurelio asked gently, reaching out with his tattooed hand to gently touch her arm.
