54

54
Rachel had always been a free spirit, and she loved the feeling of living life on her own terms. But lately, she had begun to feel suffocated by the expectations placed on her by Leo and the others. She was tired of the constant attention and the scrutiny. She needed a break, a moment to just be herself and recharge.
As she called for a taxi, she glanced around the Chateau, making sure that no one was watching. She had taken the chance to sneak out when Leo and his friends were having drinks in the living room, and she had felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of getting away for a while.
When the taxi arrived, she climbed in, grateful for the chance to escape. She switched off her phone and leaned back in the seat, allowing herself to relax.
The ride to her friend’s apartment was peaceful, and she took the time to think about the events of the past few days. She had married Leo in a whirlwind romance, and it had been a dream come true. But now, reality was setting in, and she was starting to feel like she had made a mistake.
When she arrived at her friend’s apartment, she was greeted with a warm embrace and a glass of wine before they left for the club.
The night air was chilly as Rachel stepped out of the cab and into the club, a neon-lit building that pulsed with music and laughter. Her friend from South Korea had met her there, and the two women hugged each other tightly, happy to be reunited. They drank, laughed and danced together, the alcohol flowing freely and Rachel feeling more carefree than she had in a long time.
However, the night took a dark turn when a man approached Rachel and started to grope her. She was taken aback and felt violated, struggling to get away from him. Just as she thought things couldn’t get any worse, she saw Leo appear out of nowhere, his eyes blazing with anger as he pushed the man away from her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Leo growled, his voice low and dangerous.
“I was having fun,” Rachel slurred, her words slightly slurred from the alcohol. “Why are you here?”
Leo didn’t answer, instead, he took her by the hand and led her out of the club, his grip firm and unyielding. Rachel was confused, but she couldn’t deny the spark of attraction she felt towards Leo.
As they made their way back to the Chatteau, Rachel couldn’t help but ask Leo why he didn’t want to make love to her. She flirted with him, her words slightly slurred from the alcohol. Leo didn’t respond, instead, he remained quiet and focused on driving.
When they arrived back at the Chatteau, Leo helped Rachel up to her room and tucked her into bed. She asked him to stay with her, and he hesitated for a moment before giving in, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching over her as she drifted off to sleep.
As Rachel lay there, her mind whirring with questions and thoughts, she couldn’t help but wonder what was holding Leo back. Despite her drunken state, she was starting to realize that there was much more to Leo than meets the eye, and she was eager to uncover the mystery that surrounded him.
The sun peered through the large windows of the Chatteau, illuminating the room and casting warm rays on Rachel’s face. Her eyes fluttered open, and she let out a groan as she tried to sit up, her head pounding. It took a moment for her to remember the events of the previous night – the club, the dancing, the man trying to grope her, and then Leo taking her away.
She looked over to find Leo’s arm wrapped around her, holding her close. She smiled, feeling content and safe in his embrace. Carefully, she untangled herself and made her way to the kitchen. She brewed a pot of coffee, taking small sips and trying to quell the ache in her head.
As she prepared breakfast, she noticed that Leo was awfully quiet. He didn’t say a word and instead simply observed her, his eyes never leaving her. She couldn’t help but feel self-conscious under his gaze and she wondered what was going through his mind.
“Good morning,” she said, breaking the silence.
“Morning,” Leo replied, his voice gruff.
They sat down at the table, and Rachel tried to make conversation, but Leo only responded in monosyllables. She was about to ask him what was wrong, when he suddenly stood up and walked over to her. He pulled her into a hug.
Leo’s silence made Rachel feel a bit uneasy, she wasn’t sure what was going on in his head. She tried to make conversation but he just nodded in response. As they sat down again to eat breakfast, Rachel mustered up the courage to ask what was wrong.
“Leo, is everything okay?” she asked, her voice soft and full of concern.
“Of course,” his raspy voice replied as he turned his attention back to the food and ate. She asked no more questions and focused on the food.
When Rachel started talking about her own work and how she was itching to go back, Leo grew pale and excused himself from the table. He drove out of the Chatteau and Rachel couldn’t help but wonder why he got so antsy.
Towards evening, Rachel was watching the news on TV when she made a shocking discovery.
Towards evening, Rachel was sitting in the living room of the Chatteau, surrounded by plush velvet couches and the warm glow of the fire. The room was filled with a comfortable silence, as she gazed absently at the television screen.
Suddenly, the calm was broken by the sound of a news anchor’s voice. Rachel’s attention was instantly drawn to the screen as the newscaster began speaking about the latest developments at Dante Company.
“In other news,” the newscaster announced, “there have been rumors circulating about a major shake-up at Dante Company. Reports are coming in that the CEO, Leo Dante, will be stepping down from his position.”
Rachel felt a sudden jolt of shock run through her. She sat up straight, her eyes fixed on the screen. This was the company she used to work for, the place where she had met her husband.
As the newscaster continued to speak, Rachel realized with growing horror that the Leo Dante being talked about on the news was none other than her husband. The man she had married, the man she had fallen in love with, was the CEO of the company she used to work for.
Her mind was racing as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing. The Leo Dante she had known and loved was so different from the man being described on the news. How could she have missed this? How could she have not known that the man she loved was her boss?
The newscaster’s voice droned on in the background, but Rachel was no longer listening. She was lost in her own thoughts, trying to understand how this could have happened. She felt a sense of betrayal wash over her, as if her husband had been hiding something from her all along.
Finally, with a sense of resignation, she turned off the television and sat in the darkness, her mind still racing with the ramifications of her discovery. She had been living in a world of blissful ignorance, but now she was faced with the reality of who her husband truly was.
Her own boss?
No fucking way!
As Rachel processed the information, she felt her stomach drop. She had been married to her boss, Leo Dante, for months now and she had no idea. How could she have been so blind? How could she not have noticed the similarities? She thought back to the day she met Leo, to the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, the way he looked at her. It all made sense now.
She couldn’t help but feel like a fool. She had been so caught up in the romance of it all, the idea of being swept off her feet by a mysterious stranger, that she had failed to see the man behind the mask. She wondered if this was why Leo had been so distant, so reserved. Perhaps he had known all along and had been trying to protect her.
She tried to shake the thoughts from her mind and focus on the present. She needed to talk to Leo, to get to the bottom of this.