ELEANOR
I felt a sudden poke on both sides of my waist, and I jumped, startled. I whipped around, only to find Enzo standing behind me, a playful smirk on his face. I wasn’t expecting him to follow me into the kitchen. I had hoped for space, to be alone for a bit, to figure out what was going on inside my head. But he was persistent, always trying to keep the moment going.
I didn’t turn to look at him. I just stood there, facing the counter, hoping he would get the hint and leave me alone.
But he didn’t.
“What’s going on, Eleanor? You’ve gone all quiet on me,” he asked, his voice carrying that same flirtatious tone he’d used earlier.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The way he was talking, trying to be flirty and charming, I wasn’t in the mood for it anymore. The space between us felt heavy, and I was desperate for air. The heat from earlier had already faded, and now I just felt drained.
All I wanted was to be alone with my thoughts, to figure out why I had let things go so far in the first place. Although I could feel his eyes on me, waiting for a reaction, I wasn’t going to give him one.
He stepped closer, trying again. “You don’t have to act shy. We were both into it a moment ago.”
His persistence was grating. I wasn’t “acting shy,” I was over it. I wasn’t that person who gave in so easily, and the fact that I nearly did made me feel ashamed.
I shifted to move past him, but he blocked my way, his hand resting lightly on my arm. He leaned in, his eyes soft but searching, like he was still trying to charm his way through whatever wall I’d thrown up.
“Hey,” he said quietly, “what’s wrong? Talk to me.”
I swallowed hard, still not able to meet his gaze. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, not from attraction this time, but from embarrassment. I didn’t want to see the man I had almost let get the best of me. My body had betrayed me back there and the shame of it washed over me in waves. I felt weak, like I had lost control of myself and almost handed it over to someone else.
How had I let it go so far?
I hated that I had been so close to letting things spiral. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been treated kindly in so long-by anyone or even life itself-that when someone finally showed me a little bit of care, I was swayed. Maybe that’s why I let my guard down.
I blamed myself. I was vulnerable, and he knew it.
“It’s nothing,” I mumbled, trying to step around him again. But he didn’t move.
“Nothing?” he repeated, tilting his head like he didn’t believe me for a second. “Doesn’t seem like nothing. You were all into it and now you’re acting like I did something wrong.”
I bit my lip, trying to hold back everything swirling inside me. “You didn’t… it’s not you.”
That was the truth. He hadn’t done anything wrong-he had been charming, playful, and all, but that was the problem.
I didn’t want to feel like I was just another easy target, and that’s exactly what I felt like now. I wasn’t thinking clearly, letting myself get swept up in the moment because, well, when last had anyone shown me any sort of kindness?-treating me like I really mattered.
But it still wasn’t just that alone-it was Armando.
That image of him flashing in my mind had stopped me cold. I didn’t see a reason to care, but I did and it made me feel weak.
Enzo sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back against the counter, still studying me. “You’re being weird. Come on, just tell me what’s going on. We were having a good time.”
I glanced at him for the first time since we entered the kitchen, and I could see he wasn’t going to drop it. His persistence made me feel even worse. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“I just… don’t know, okay? I got caught up in the moment, and now I just need some space,” I finally admitted, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Space?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, as if the concept was foreign to him.
“Yes, space,” I said, more firmly this time. “It’s not about you. I just-” I stopped myself. I didn’t owe him an explanation. But the words tumbled out anyway. “I just don’t want to make a mistake, okay? I don’t want to do something I’ll regret.”
His expression softened a little, but he still didn’t seem to get it. “We were just having fun. No strings attached. I didn’t think it was that serious.”
Of course he didn’t. For him, it wasn’t, but for me, it felt like it was. I wasn’t sure why, but the guilt that had hit me out of nowhere, the image of Armando’s face-it all made me realize that I wasn’t just playing a game here.
“I-I just need to figure myself out.”
I leaned against the counter, trying to ignore the fact that Enzo was still standing too close. I felt irritated now, the same acts of kindness that I’d appreciated earlier starting to feel like manipulation. My mind was spinning, unable to make sense of anything. I couldn’t even react to his questions-it was all too much. Was he just trying to get me horny again so we could finish what we started? Or was he genuinely being nice? I couldn’t tell anymore.
Enzo stood in front of me, his eyes searching mine, like he could read my thoughts. It made me uncomfortable, like I was exposed. After a moment, he asked softly, “You’re not thinking about him, are you?”
I froze. Of course, he knew.
I didn’t want to answer him, didn’t want to admit that Armando was on my mind. But before I could even attempt to respond, Enzo spoke again.
“It’s him, isn’t it?” he asked, his voice lower now, almost frustrated. “You’re thinking about Armando.”
I shook my head slightly, but it was more out of habit than denial. Enzo’s grip on my arm tightened just a little-not harsh, but firm enough to keep me from walking away. His tone shifted again, becoming sharper, more direct.
“Eleanor, he doesn’t love you,” he said bluntly. “Armando treats you like you’re trash. Isn’t that what you told me? That he doesn’t even care about you, that he barely even acknowledges your existence unless he’s trying to control you?”
I flinched at his words, because he was right-I had said that. But hearing it from him felt different.
“And yet, here you are,” Enzo continued, his voice softening just a little. “You’re standing here, thinking about him. Why? Why, Eleanor? You told me he doesn’t even like you. So why are you acting like this?”
I didn’t have an answer. I was as confused as he was. My lips parted, but no words came out. I didn’t know what to say, how to explain the mess of emotions inside me. How could I tell Enzo that even though Armando treated me like nothing, there was still something about him that had a hold on me?
Enzo’s eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to piece together the puzzle himself. “You don’t love him,” he said, his tone more serious now. “So why are you letting him get in your head like this? Why are you acting like you owe him anything?”
I swallowed hard, still unable to form a response. I didn’t love Armando, that much I was sure of. But why did I feel this pull, this strange loyalty to someone who didn’t care about me? I had no idea how to explain that to Enzo. Hell I couldn’t even explain it to myself. But that didn’t change the way I felt, the confusion and guilt swirling inside me.
Enzo sighed, his hand slipping from my arm. He took a step back, giving me space. “You deserve better,” he said quietly. “You deserve someone who actually cares about you, Eleanor. Not someone who treats you the way he does.”
He was about to speak again when I interrupted him, finding myself suddenly a bit defensive of Armando.
It didn’t make sense, but the words just came out. “What we almost did in the living room… it was wrong,” I said, shaking my head as I spoke. “I mean, think about it. What if Armando had come back and walked in on us? Can you imagine what would’ve happened?”
He furrowed his brow, clearly not expecting that. “What do you mean? So what if he came back? Eleanor, you work for him, it’s not like you’re his girlfriend or something. Why are you so worried about what he thinks?”
I stayed quiet, biting my lip. I couldn’t tell him why-couldn’t explain the complicated and twisted nature of my relationship with Armando. It wasn’t just that I worked for him. It was so much more than that, but how could I tell him? How could I explain that Armando practically owned me without sounding crazy?
Enzo sighed, stepping closer, his tone softening but still pressing. “Look, I don’t get why you’re so attached to what Armando thinks. It’s just a professional relationship. You’re his employee. Even if he did find out, why would he take it personally? It’s not like you owe him anything.”
He had no idea. He couldn’t possibly understand. So I just nodded, trying to keep it together. “It’s… complicated,” I muttered.
“It doesn’t have to be,” he said, still trying to convince me. “Just because you work for him doesn’t mean he controls your life. You have your own personal life. You can do whatever you want.”
I swallowed hard, knowing that wasn’t true in my case. There were so many things I couldn’t do because of Armando-so many invisible chains that kept me tied to him. But I wasn’t going to explain all of that to Enzo. It was too much, too messy, and definitely not something I was ready to talk about. Not with him.
“I just… I don’t know what came over me,” I said, “and I shouldn’t have let things get that far. I’m sorry. But this… this won’t happen again”
Enzo looked at me, confused. “You don’t have to apologize, I just don’t get why you’re so worried about Armando. You don’t owe him anything.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that simple. I can’t explain it. But trust me, it can’t happen again.”
Enzo’s tone shifted, calmer now, more rational. “Eleanor, listen to me. There’s no need to apologize. You can’t deny there’s something between us-some kind of spark. I mean, it’s barely been a full day. It’s chemistry, you can’t just ignore that.”
I shook my head, my patience running thin. “There’s no spark, Enzo. Seriously, just let it go. I want to go back inside now.”
I tried pulling my hand away, but he didn’t let go. He kept talking, his voice still soft but insistent. “Why do you care so much about what Armando might think? If you don’t love him, and he doesn’t love you, why does it matter?”
That was it. My frustration boiled over. “Just stop it!” I shouted, my voice echoing. “Whatever happened-or was about to happen-between us isn’t happening again. So please, let me go.”
Enzo looked taken aback, but then his expression hardened. “I just don’t get it. Why do women always do this? You go back to the men who treat you like crap, but the ones who actually care about you, you push them away.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, a bitter, sarcastic chuckle escaping me. “Care about me?” I repeated, shaking my head in disbelief. “How the hell can you stand there and say you care about me, Enzo? We met less than 24 hours ago. Now you’re claiming you love me? First, it was a ‘spark,’ and now it’s ‘love.’ All just to fuck!? What’s next?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. “You don’t even know me. You barely know anything about me! And now you’re trying to act like you’re some kind of savior, like you’re different from Armando? At least he doesn’t pretend to be something he’s not.”
The words spilled out before I could stop them, my voice sharp and full of anger. I couldn’t believe how fast things had escalated. And the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became. I had actually liked Enzo at first. I thought he was charming, funny, easy to talk to. I’d let my guard down around him, and now I was regretting it.
“Eleanor, that’s not what I-” he started, but I cut him off again.
“Don’t.” I raised my hand, stopping him mid-sentence. “Don’t even try to explain. Just… drop it. Please.”
I was starting to regret everything-regret even being here, regret trusting him. For a moment, I thought maybe he was different, that he wasn’t like Armando. But now, I wasn’t so sure. Sure, he wasn’t trying to force himself on me, but this constant pushing, the way he kept trying to get me to see things his way, was making me uncomfortable.
Enzo’s voice took on a sharp edge, his frustration spilling out. “If all I wanted was to fuck, I wouldn’t be here having this conversation with you. I could go to a club, throw a little money around, and I’d have girls fighting over me. You think I need to do all this to get laid?”
I crossed my arms, staring him down. “Wow. You’re really making yourself sound like a catch right now.”
He stopped, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me. “I’m just being honest. You’re acting like I’m trying to manipulate you or something. But if it was just about sex, don’t you think I have easier options?”
I shook my head, biting back the urge to scream again. “You’re doing a fantastic job convincing me how much better you are than Armando. Really, keep going.”
He shot back, his voice rising. “I’m just saying I don’t get it. You act like I’m some kind of player when I’m just trying to show something real here.”
I laughed bitterly. “Real? Tell me, what’s ‘real’ about all this? You’ve only known me for less than a full day, and you’re already telling me how you could just go out and sleep with a bunch of whores. So tell me Enzo Luca, what’s real about that?”
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly getting more agitated. “That’s not what I meant. Quit twisting my words.”
“No, I’m not,” I snapped. “You’re making it pretty clear what kind of person you are.”
His face hardened at that, and for a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence was heavy, thick with tension. I couldn’t believe I had let things get this far, I felt sick to my stomach knowing I’d almost fallen for him.
I finally broke the silence, my voice cold and steady. “You should leave Enzo.”
He stared at me for a long second, as if he was waiting for me to change my mind. When I didn’t, he scoffed under his breath and turned toward the door. “Fine. Have it your way.”
As he left, I felt a strange sense of relief wash over me. Thank goodness I didn’t fall for him.