Chapter 10 Dante's Revenge

• I had always perceived my boss' physique as imposing and robust, owing to his towering height and muscular build. Yet, now that I'm in such close proximity to him, it feels stifling and unsettling.
• He's undeniably attractive, which explains his numerous conquests, like the one persistently knocking at the door. But in this moment, he's intimidating, and the fear radiating from his anger is a clear indication of the danger he poses.
• It's evident that he won't entertain negotiations, and the thought of my son being taken away and myself being imprisoned for conceiving him illegally fills me with immense anguish. Despite my efforts to hold back, tears well up in my eyes, and my voice breaks.
• "Mr. Delacroix..." I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion.
• No, Kim. We must show strength. If he senses weakness in you, he will take the child away faster, and it will be like taking candy from a baby for him. He knows the baby will cry, but he won't do anything to get him back, and that's why he takes him away in one swift motion.
• “What do you have to tell me, Kim Morgan?” he demands.
• “He is not your son yet. So, stay away from me and behave, or I’ll have to report you for workplace harassment,” I say firmly, catching him off guard enough to make him step back from me.
• “Well, you have the guts to say that to me, Kim Morgan. Why are you so sure? Maybe you think you can beat me because you're almost a lawyer. But it's not that simple,” he retorts.
• “There’s no "almost" when it comes to something like this, either you are or you are not. Indeed, I am not yet a lawyer, but after completing my internships, I will have a professional card certifying that I am a lawyer. However, I'm not telling you this because I study law. I'm telling you this because, even though I took a sperm sample, the chances of it being yours are slim,” I say confidently, even though I know I'm lying.
• “You're very sure of that, my little sperm thief,” he says mockingly.
• "Mr. Delacroix, I appreciate your efforts to address me in a more respectful manner if 'Miss Morgan' no longer suits you," I say, adjusting my dress.
• Alessandro's smile appears forced, lacking any genuine amusement, likely fueled by anger or indignation.
• "You are quite a surprise. So impeccable and serious you appear to be, but you are a..." he begins, but I interject firmly.
• I beg you to think about what you're going to say next, Mr. Delacroix, or I assure you this won't end with an apology by message. " I warn him as the woman behind me continues knocking.
• "Fine," he mutters begrudgingly.
• "Now, I'll leave you to talk to your potential partner who is calling you insistently. Later, you can find me at my workplace or call me to come here, with permission. " I say, opening the door before he can respond and leaving, leaving the woman inside his office.
• "Kim Morgan, I haven't finished speaking with you yet!" he shouts angrily, but it's his "third conquest" who responds to him.
• "Oh no. I'm here because you asked to discuss business and other matters. So, don't keep me waiting any longer, Alessandro," she retorts.
• "Stay away from me," my boss says, leaving the office, and I quickly pass by my workstation, realizing he won't let me escape easily. With no other option, I dart toward the elevator, my only route of escape.
• Fortunately, the elevator opens immediately, and I slip inside before Alessandro Delacroix can reach it. Breathing a sigh of relief, I select the first floor. Knowing I can't even retrieve my purse, I exit the elevator as soon as it reaches my destination and sprint to the nearest exit, desperate to escape the CEO's wrath.
• Terrified and realizing I must leave the country as soon as possible, I flag down a taxi and rush to Lu's apartment. I dial her number frantically, knowing we must flee together before Alessandro Delacroix's anger catches up to us and exacts a heavy toll for our theft.
• Lu doesn't answer, so I leave her a message that's as urgent as it is clear: "He knows, and believe me when I tell you that he won't settle for just sending us to jail. That man is so angry that he could have us killed. So, go quickly, let's go together to Transylvania, if possible."
• I send the message and anxiously monitor the route to my destination. After the taxi ride and a quick stop, I pay the fare and use the last of my money to ask the building guard for a spare key. With luck, it will cover the fare to the airport or bus terminal.
• I take everything I can and when I rush to the bathroom to grab some personal items, I see someone I didn't think would be here. He watches me and smiles at my surprise, causing me to step back.
• "Finally, we meet, Kim," Dante says in an unfriendly tone.
• "What are you doing here?" I ask, stepping out of the bathroom.
• "Obviously, I've come to make you pay for humiliating me like you did," he says, opening and closing the lid of a gray lighter.
• "Humiliate you? What are you talking about? You were the one who deceived me," I ask, annoyed.
• "And you certainly got back at me in many ways," Dante comments, getting closer to me.
• "What are you talking about?"
• "Don't pretend to be innocent when you know damn well what you did. Not only did you search for your things, you broke everything I had bought and ruined the bed by emptying all its stuffing."
• As soon as I enter, I grab bags from the kitchen and hastily start packing as many clothes as I can fit, desperate to make a swift escape. Mindful of avoiding detection, I ensure that Lu has received my messages and has turned off her phone, fearing that Alessandro Delacroix might trace me through my number.
• I hastily gather my belongings and rush to the bathroom to collect some personal items when I'm startled to find someone I didn't expect to see. He watches me with a smirk, causing me to instinctively step back.
• "Finally, we meet, Kim," Dante says in an unfriendly tone.
• "What are you doing here?" I ask, stepping out of the bathroom.
• "Obviously, I've come to make you pay for humiliating me like you did," he says, opening and closing the lid of a gray lighter.
• "Humiliate you? What are you talking about? You were the one who deceived me," I ask, annoyed.
• "And you certainly got back at me in many ways," Dante comments, getting closer to me.
• "What are you talking about?"
• "Don't pretend to be innocent when you know damn well what you did. Not only did you search for your things, you broke everything I had bought and ruined the bed by emptying all its stuffing.”
• “Not only that, you took a picture of me with one of the girls I was seeing and exposed me on social media. Now, all the girls I was getting money from have left me, and the ones I slept with for pleasure don't want anything to do with me for fear of catching something from me because I'm so promiscuous," Dante mutters, glaring at me with resentment.
• “Great, Lu. You just had to unleash your vindictiveness on my ex-partner,” I scolded her silently.
• "Well, what are you here for? Do you want me to accidentally reveal the truth or something?" I ask, trying not to show my annoyance.
• "I knew you wouldn't regret what you did to me. That's why I'll show you that messing with me will cost you your life," he says, dropping the lighter onto the carpet, leaving behind a thin trail.
• His smile is mocking as I watch in shock as the trail grows longer than anticipated, serving as a path for the flames to escape the room, alive and vibrant.
• "I hope you find your revenge in hell, Kim. And there, you can have the bastard you so desire," Dante says, vanishing through the window. I lunge towards him, but a deafening explosion fills the room, and I instinctively throw myself to the ground.
• The fire spreads so quickly that it surprises me, while the faint smell of gasoline confirms that the fire will spread thanks to it. Desperate to escape the apartment, I reach the window, but only seeing the height and the absence of any secure means of descent leave me paralyzed with fear.
• “I can't go down there, but if I stay, I'll die from suffocation before the fire reaches me,” I tell myself mentally.
• Quickly, I approach the bedroom door and try to run towards the exit. But the line of fire crosses it and passes through the door, kitchen, and living room like an X that runs in all directions of the apartment.
• Nervously, I watch as the flames has already started to burn the doorknob of the living room, showing that the probability of getting out of here is almost nil.
• "Oh my God, what am I going to do?"