Lucas was captivated. Wrapped in her office suit and formal attire, Velia remained enchanting.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
Velia looked at herself, either directly by lowering her gaze or by looking at her reflection in the mirror.
“Isn’t this too much?”
Velia felt a bit awkward. It was somewhat uncomfortable to wear branded clothes to work. Her track record did not allow that to happen. What would people think?
“I think it’s not something worth discussing,” Lucas replied as he approached Velia. He turned his body and smiled. “You look perfect in this outfit.”
The shirt, skirt, and shoes fit her body perfectly. It was not overdone, but rather impeccable.
Lucas satisfied his eyes by capturing Velia’s appearance that morning. He occasionally caressed her upper arm.
“How about we have breakfast now? I don’t think you want to be late on your first day back at work, right?”
It took Velia and Lucas no more than twenty minutes to enjoy their breakfast. Shortly after, they went downstairs, where two different cars were already waiting.
Lucas accompanied Velia until she got into the car. “Take care of yourself.”
“Don’t worry, Luc,” Velia nodded and smiled. “I’m just going to work.”
Lucas did not say anything else, but he exchanged glances with Carter. The driver seemed to understand and gave him a definite nod.
*
Just as Velia had expected, people were astonished by her appearance. It was not just the clothes; even the accessories she wore attracted attention.
“Good morning,” Velia greeted stiffly, as if her words had no meaning, as the eyes of her coworkers were drawn to the shoes and bag that complemented her outfit. Not only that, some of them openly stared in awe at the earrings hanging from her ears.
Velia bit her lower lip. She gathered her strength and headed towards her previous desk. She tried her best to ignore the gazes, although it was difficult.
Oh my. Even without the jewelry, bag, and shoes, people still seem suspicious of the shirt I’m wearing.
Their gazes felt like piercing rays stabbing Velia’s back. It was hot and uncomfortable. Ignoring them was clearly difficult to do.
“Ve!”
One call caught Velia’s attention. The voice was familiar and instantly made Velia turn around.
Just as Velia had guessed, it was Mecca approaching her.
“Mecca!”
Velia stood up and greeted Mecca with a joyful face, while her friend looked rather stunned.
Mecca’s steps slowed down. The enthusiasm that had burned to meet Velia suddenly faltered. It seemed that she experienced the same shock as the other employees.
“Ve,” Mecca whispered with a trembling voice. Her gaze scanned Velia from top to bottom. “You look so different.”
No burden on her mind. Problems resolved. Free from the terror of thugs and landladies. Moreover, living a secure life in a luxurious apartment with all the facilities. It certainly had a real impact on anyone, especially Velia.
Furthermore, Lucas did not take it lightly when it came to taking care of Velia. What was the point of living in an elite apartment if they did not take advantage of all the amenities and facilities available?
Lucas chose the luxurious residence for a reason. He wanted to pamper Velia according to the desires of most women.
And the result? As it was evident. Only a month had passed since Mecca last saw Velia, and she was amazed by the transformation.
Mecca blinked. “I-I’m sorry,” she quickly said. “I didn’t mean to. I-I’m just happy to see you. You look fine.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. How about you? How have you been?”
Velia’s attitude remained friendly as usual. She smiled and did not seem offended by Mecca’s reflexive response, even though the opposite had happened.
A little bit. There was a slight squeeze in Velia’s heart. But it did not mean anything.
“I’m fine too. Oh, I almost forgot.”
There was an important task that Velia had to do on her first day back at work. For that reason, Ricardo had already informed Mecca.
“You’re supposed to meet Mr. Bell in his office this morning.”
Not the ideal way to start her work. Mecca could certainly understand Velia’s concerns.
“I’ll accompany you. Like I said before, you should never meet Mr. Bell alone.”
At least there was something that could calm Velia.
“Thank you.”
They arrived at Ricardo’s office about 15 minutes before eight o’clock. Velia knocked on the door, and Ricardo’s voice was heard.
“Come in.”
Velia opened the door and entered, and Ricardo immediately stood up from his seat with an astonished expression.
“Velia.”
It seemed that Ricardo did not feel the need to maintain his composure. His gaze, too, displayed a certain intensity as he looked at Velia’s arrival.
Ricardo got up from his desk, his face lit up with a disgusting smile, as he walked towards Velia with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, his spirited steps came to an abrupt halt when he noticed someone else entering with Velia. His astonishment was momentarily interrupted as he looked at Mecca with a puzzled expression.
“Mecca? Why are you here too?” Ricardo asked, his tone filled with confusion.
Mecca quickly took a seat next to Velia, briefly holding her friend’s hand and noticing the trembling in Velia’s grip. “I was worried that there might be something you wanted to tell me regarding Velia.”
Ricardo furrowed his brow. “If there was something, I would have called you as well.”
Ricardo waited, gesturing to Mecca with repeated glances towards the door. He wanted Mecca to leave, but she remained unmoved. Eventually, he could not do anything except invite them to sit together.
“Welcome back, Velia,” Ricardo greeted, not only with words but also extending his hand hesitantly, offering a handshake.
“Thank you, Sir,” Velia reluctantly accepted the handshake. It did not last long, as she quickly pulled her hand back when she felt Ricardo squeezing her fingers, his gaze turning wild.
“How have you been, Ve?” Ricardo asked with a smirk.
“I’m fine, Sir.”
“Of course. You must be fine,” Ricardo nodded, unable to contain his desire to keep observing Velia’s appearance. “You look even more beautiful.”
The statement caught not only Velia off guard but also Mecca. They had not expected Ricardo to speak in such a manner while he, a middle-aged man, seemed at ease without any sense of guilt.
“From now on, you can return to work, Ve. I have been working tirelessly to convince the company, so don’t waste this opportunity.”
Velia simply nodded. In her heart, she hoped that the conversation would end as soon as possible. Even with Mecca’s presence, Ricardo didn’t show any restraint.
“Oh, by the way, there’s something I wanted to ask. Where do you live now?”
Velia’s lowered gaze suddenly lifted. Surprised? Needless to ask. Why would Ricardo inquire about her address?
“Yesterday, Mecca mentioned that you moved from your previous rental,” Ricardo explained with a gleam in his eyes. “So where do you live now?”
“I-I live with my family, Sir.”
That was not the answer Ricardo wanted. He needed a more detailed response.
“Where?”
Velia hesitated for a moment. She remembered Lucas’s words.
“You’ll be safe here, Ve.”
Velia realized that. The apartment Lucas provided was the safest place she had. Especially when it came to Ricardo.
“I actually live just a few blocks away from my previous rental, Sir. Not far from there.”
Ricardo nodded. “Oh, I see.”
There was no further conversation. Ricardo simply observed Velia while the two women felt awkward.
“Sir?” Velia finally mustered the courage to speak. Ricardo, looking at her with a wild gaze, seemed excited.
“Yes? What is it, Ve?”
Velia clenched her hands. “Can we go back to our workspace? We need to start working.”
“Ah, right! Of course. Please, go ahead. You should work diligently.”
Ricardo groaned. Her departure left him pacing back and forth with unbearable astonishment.
“How is this possible? How can Velia become so beautiful?”
The desire within Ricardo intensified. Especially when he looked at his own hands.
Ricardo swallowed hard, still able to feel the softness of Velia’s skin from their handshake earlier.
“Argh!” Ricardo growled. “Velia!”
The urge became overwhelming. Ricardo’s rationality fought against his primal desires. In the end, he could not resist. It was difficult, but he immediately contacted Boy.
“Hello, Boy.”
The greeting meant nothing to Ricardo. He quickly expressed his purpose and intentions.
“Boy, it seems we need to change the plan from yesterday.”
“What do you mean, Sir?”
Ricardo took a deep breath, momentarily lowering the room temperature. The influence of Velia seemed to make his body feel hot.
“Today, Velia started working. You can follow her after she leaves the office. Investigate and find a way to abduct her. After that, we’ll deal with her,” Ricardo explained enthusiastically. “Earlier, she mentioned that she now lives with her family, not far from her previous rental, just a few blocks away.”
“Understood, Sir.”
“Remember, Boy. I don’t want you to forget. Kidnap her. I want her to live without a scratch. I have other matters to attend to before we kill her.”
Now Ricardo’s turmoil began to subside slightly. The change in plans provided a certain tranquility for the disgusting desires that had been occupying his mind.
Oh, my goodness. Why are you becoming more beautiful, Velia?
It was a risk. Ricardo knew that. However, he couldn’t erase the anticipation of the pleasure he would derive from tormenting Velia.
Stay calm. Everything will go according to plan.
A wicked smile appeared on Ricardo’s face. The gleam in his eyes conveyed unwavering determination.
I will violate her, and then I will kill her.
*