Page 86 of Sinful Obsession
I clenched my fists, rage simmering beneath my skin. Trapped again—by paperwork, of all things. “That’s ridiculous,” I snapped. “I’m done here.”
Cassian’s eyes flicked to Viktor, his voice sharp. “And why are you calling her ‘babe,’ Viktor?”
Viktor paled, stammering. “Sir, I—It was a slip. And about our first meeting... I owe you an apology. I was only looking out for Charlotte—the way I do for all my staff.”
Cassian’s gaze darkened, pinning Viktor like a predator. “Or you have feelings for her.”
Viktor shook his head, then froze, his shoulders slumping. “Fine, sir. I do have feelings for her. I can’t control that. And it’s clear you do too, but she’s obviously not into you anymore.”
I stood frozen, caught between Viktor’s reckless confession and Cassian’s barely restrained fury.
Who the hell gave Viktor the audacity to challenge a man like Cassian Moretti?
He might think Cassian was just some polished billionaire CEO, but I’d seen the truth—Cassian was a mafia kingpin, his hands stained with blood, his power absolute.
Men like him didn’t negotiate; they eradicated.
Cassian stalked to Viktor’s desk, his movements deliberate.
His gaze swept over the cluttered files, spreadsheets pinned under coffee mugs, and half-finished proposals—Viktor’s fifteen years of work laid bare.
The company relied on him; his client relationships were its backbone. Any rational leader would see his value. But Cassian wasn’t rational, not when it came to me.
“You’re fired,” Cassian said, his voice a lethal blade.
Viktor’s face crumpled, his eyes flickering to the stacks of work as if they could shield him. “Sir, this is a mistake. No one can step into my role without disrupting major accounts. I’ve built trust with clients overyears—you can’t just—”
Cassian cut him off, his expression unyielding. “Stay away from Charlotte. She’s mine—always has been. This is your only warning. If I see you near her again, I’ll kill you. Test me, and find out.”
Viktor’s mouth opened, then closed, his bravado crumbling under Cassian’s stare. “You’re tearing the company apart on day one,” he stammered, “all because of some delusion about a woman who doesn’t want you.”
Cassian’s fist clenched, knuckles whitening, and for a moment, I thought he’d lunge across the desk and end Viktor right there. Instead, he pulled out his phone, his voice cold as he spoke into it. “Security, get this nuisance out. Now.”
The door burst open, and two burly guards stormed in, their faces impassive.
Viktor’s protests rose, sharp and desperate. “This is insane! I’ll sue the company—you can’t fire me for doing my job!” As they dragged him out, his voice faded down the hall: “Mr. Cassian, think this through... You’ll never have her...”
Cassian turned to me, his eyes softening, but only slightly, like a predator lowering its claws but not its guard. “I don’t want to suffocate you, Charlotte. You know that, right?”
I crossed my arms, my voice sharp with defiance. “That’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re everywhere—my work, my life, myhead.”
“You didn’t answer my calls last night,” he said, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. “Why?”
“Because I don’t want to talk to you,” I snapped. “Get it through your head: we’re done. Six years apart, and now you think you can just barge back into my life? I need distance, Cassian, not your power plays.”
He tilted his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “You can’t quit yet. Your contract locks you in for nine months post-resignation notice. You’re stuck with me—at least at work.”
My blood boiled. “You are disgusting.”
He paused, his expression flickering with something like hurt. “You hate me that much?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice trembling. “You sent me away, abandoned me for years, and now you’re trying to control me again. It’s too late, Cassian. Stop this.”
He studied me for a long moment, then straightened, his tone shifting to cold authority. “You’ll report to my officethree times daily—morning, after lunch, and before you leave. You’re taking over Viktor’s role as department head. Review his projects, pick up every thread. I want nothing left undone. If you falter or show incompetence, I’ll demote you to an entry-level position. You’ll be a laughingstock to everyone you used to outrank until those three months are up.”
He turned and strode toward the door, pausing only to add, “Don’t test me, Charlotte.” Then he was gone, leaving me in the suffocating silence of Viktor’s office.
I sank into the chair, my hands trembling as I gripped the armrests.
