Chapter 4 Releasing Anger

• Alessandro’s POV
• I was seething, a pulsating ache building in my head like a pressure cooker about to blow. Ten minutes had passed since I set the deadline for my secretary's arrival, and each passing second only fueled my frustration.
• Suddenly, my phone pierced the air with my father's caller ID flashing on the screen. Anticipating the nature of the call, I chose to ignore it. Almost instantly, Samantha, one of my conquests and the least bothersome, rang me up.
• Intrigued by her unexpected call, I answered, hoping she might offer some respite from the morning's turmoil.
• "What a surprise to hear from you, my dear Samantha," I greeted, masking my inner turmoil with a veneer of calm.
• "Is it true what they're saying in the news?" She cut to the chase.
• "News? What news are you referring to?" I countered.
• "About your divorce and how it's allegedly due to your infertility," Samantha dropped the bombshell, igniting a surge of rage that threatened to consume me.
• But there was no grand release, no majestic eruption like a fountain's cascade. Instead, I remained silent, abruptly ending the call before frantically scouring the internet for information. Within moments, a slew of articles flooded my screen, recounting the conversation with my wife just an hour prior.
• Among the headlines, a damning photo captured my wife exiting the fertility clinic, accompanied by italicized captions detailing her claim that the divorce stemmed from my infertility—the cause, pinned squarely on me.
• Once again, my father's call flashed on the screen, accompanied by a barrage of messages that fueled my simmering anger, pushing me to the brink of throwing the phone to the ground.
• As the elevator doors slid open on my floor, I prayed fervently that it wasn't my father or anyone else seeking answers to the truths my wife had divulged without my consent.
• Thankfully, it wasn't my father, but my tardy secretary who appeared, breathless and flustered. Despite her obvious distress, I couldn't muster an ounce of sympathy. Her tardiness was her problem, and I cared little for the excuse behind it.
• At that moment, the last thing I wanted was to be confronted by any woman, especially one as clumsy and tardy as my secretary.
• "You finally decided to show up, Miss Morgan," I greeted, attempting to maintain calmness, though the pulsating vein in my forehead and the burning anger in my gaze betrayed my facade.
• "Mr. Delacroix, I apologize for being late..."
• "Late? You apologize for being late? Miss Morgan, I should rename you, Miss Tardiness, and give you a clock and a map for Secretary's Day. But I doubt your clumsiness would even help you tell the time with that gift," I interjected sharply.
• "Mr. Delacroix, when you assumed the CEO position, your father informed you in my presence that I was studying. Given that I pursued my studies outside of working hours, my academic pursuits shouldn't affect my performance during the day. However, out of consideration for my situation, it was agreed that I could arrive an hour later than usual and leave an hour earlier to attend my classes.”
• “So, technically, I haven't been late. It's just that you expect me to be here upon your arrival, which coincides with the end of my classes. Given that my study location is on the other side of the city, arriving here within a minute is simply impossible. Nonetheless, I do make an effort to arrive early, hence my punctuality relative to our agreed-upon arrival time,” she explained.
• "So, should I be grateful that you arrive half an hour after me instead of an hour?" I inquire, my annoyance palpable.
• "I'm not here to engage in arguments with subordinates. If your studies are taking up so much of your time, perhaps it's best for you to focus solely on them. That way, I can find a competent secretary who won't cause disruptions like you," I retort, my frustration evident in my tone.
• "Sir, I understand your frustration regarding my delayed arrival. However, I was caught in traffic, which prevented me from arriving on time," she explains.
• "Today is Sunday. Where could you possibly have been if you didn't have classes?"
• "I had a... medical appointment," she responds hesitantly.
• "A medical appointment on a Sunday?" I question incredulously.
• "Yes, sir. My gynecologist saw me today; it was the only available appointment slot," she clarifies.
• Omnipresent POV
• Kim knew she couldn't disclose the truth that she had stolen a sperm to Alessandro, but she decided to mention her visit to the gynecologist, knowing her best friend Lucia was one. She hoped this explanation would appease him, but instead, it fueled his anger. For Alessandro, the mention of a gynecologist only served as a painful reminder of his wife's betrayal and the public humiliation he endured.
• "Get out of here, Miss Morgan! I don't want to see you again!"
• "But Mr. Delacroix, I'm not lying. I did visit the gynecologist today. She saw me in her office," Kim insisted, hoping to clarify the misunderstanding. However, her words only seemed to further enrage Alessandro, who grabbed her arm forcefully and marched her towards the elevator.
• "I told you to leave. If you refuse, I'll have you escorted out of the company. Then you can attend all your appointments without worrying about work," Alessandro spat, his grip tightening around Kim's arm, causing her to wince in pain.
• As the elevator doors slid open, Bill Delacroix, the former CEO and Alessandro's father, emerged, startled by the scene unfolding before him. Sensing the tension, he intervened to rescue his secretary.
• "Mr. Delacroix, please, let go of me. I understand that you're upset that I arrived late to work because of my appointment with the gynecologist. But I don't deserve to be treated like this. You're hurting me!" Kim complains, trying to free herself from his strong grip.
• "I will when I get you out of here. I don't want to see you anymore." Alessandro says, and then he reluctantly lets go of Kim. Immediately, Kim caresses her arm, already red and marked by Alessandro's fingers.
• “Kim, go home and return to work tomorrow. Prepare everything for my return as CEO. I will handle certain matters with him. Apply cream to the wound and forgive my bastard son for hurting you," Bill Delacroix says, staring fixedly at his son, who only lifted his gaze from the ground when his father announced his dismissal.
• “Yes, sir. " Kim whispers and quickly returns the way she came, fleeing from the dispute that is about to occur between father and son.
• Fleeing the scene, Kim's fear only intensifies when she encounters the press gathered at the entrance. As she leaves the company, Bill Delacroix enters the office and seeing the mess in it, he ends up entering the conference room where he sits in his place as the company's CEO.
• "I will ask you two questions, and you will answer with a simple yes or no. Firstly, is it true that you are infertile?" Bill addresses his son directly.
• "Yes, but—" Alessandro begins, but his father interrupts.
• "Do you want to divorce Yocelyn?" Bill interjects, cutting off any further explanation.
• "Yes.”
• "Perfect. I'll instruct our lawyers to handle the separation in our favor, and we'll issue a press release to mitigate the fallout. In the meantime, refrain from meeting or discussing this matter with anyone. Understood?" Bill commands.
• "Yes, Father," Alessandro acquiesces.
• "One more thing, if you want to vent your anger, you have a gym at home to do it. Because if I see you mistreating that girl again, I will personally teach you what it means to take out your anger on someone smaller than you," his father threatens him, and Alessandro nods.
• "Alright, father. Whatever you say," Alessandro mutters, keeping his anger locked up.
• This problem was going to change their lives. Not being able to have a child was now a public problem, and on top of that, the divorce. If Kim decides to report his violence, Alessandro won't escape the public eye, and it would go very badly for both him and the company. Such a scenario was one they could ill afford.