Alessia stepped into the office, her mind spinning as she tried to process the events of the morning. Christian’s calm, unaffected demeanor haunted her. How could he act like nothing was wrong? she thought bitterly. The weight of the unanswered questions pressed down on her chest, making it hard to focus on anything else.
Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she made her way to her office, barely acknowledging the greetings of her staff. She sat heavily in her chair, running a hand through her hair and letting out a deep sigh. The betrayal, the confusion—it was all too much.
“Alessia.”
The unexpected voice startled her. She looked up sharply to see Gianna—no, Pamela—standing in the doorway. For a moment, the tension between them was palpable.
“Gianna,” Alessia said curtly, her tone sharper than she intended.
Pamela’s face tightened, but she kept her composure. “Please, call me Pamela.”
Alessia raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. “Alright, Pamela,” she said, her voice icy. “What do you want?”
Pamela hesitated, her hands twisting together in front of her. “I wanted to talk. I know things are… strained between us, but—”
“No,” Alessia interrupted, standing abruptly. She walked around her desk, her heels clicking decisively on the floor. “I don’t think we need to talk. In fact, I think it’s best if you leave.”
Pamela blinked, taken aback. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying you’re fired,” Alessia said coldly, crossing her arms. “Pack your things and leave.”
Pamela’s eyes widened, and she took a step closer. “Alessia, wait. You don’t understand—”
“No, I understand perfectly,” Alessia snapped, her voice rising. “You lied to my family, you infiltrated my company, and you worked with the man who’s been trying to destroy us. Why should I let you stay?”
Pamela’s voice trembled as she responded, “Because I’m trying to fix it! I made mistakes, yes, but I didn’t have a choice. Damian—”
“Damian didn’t force you to betray us,” Alessia interrupted, her eyes flashing with anger. “You chose to go along with him. And now you expect us to forgive you just because you feel guilty?”
Pamela looked down, her shoulders sagging. “I don’t expect forgiveness,” she said softly. “But I thought… I thought you’d understand.”
“Understand what?” Alessia demanded, her voice hard. “That you played a part in tearing my family apart? That you lied to Zane and let him think you were dead?”
Pamela flinched at Alessia’s words, tears welling in her eyes. “I did it to protect him. To protect all of you.”
“Don’t,” Alessia said sharply, her tone cutting. “Don’t stand here and pretend you were protecting us. You had plenty of chances to come clean, and you didn’t.”