CHAPTER SIX: THE GALA - I

She had just met up with him and the only thing he could say was, "Get in."

Not a greeting. Not even a glance back to see if she was following.

Elena clenched her jaw. "You could at least pretend to have basic manners."

Xavier stopped with his hand on the door handle, his head tilting slightly like he was considering whether she was even worth responding to. Then, with zero hesitation, he shrugged.

"I could. But I won't."

Elena's lips parted, a scoff bubbling up before she caught herself. She inhaled, squared her shoulders, and yanked the passenger door open with more force than necessary.

"Charming." She slid inside, slamming the door shut.

Xavier started the car without a word. The low hum of the engine filled the silence as he pulled away from the curb. Elena folded her arms, watching him from the corner of her eye.

"So, are you actually going to tell me why we're here?"

Xavier tapped his fingers against the wheel with an unreadable expression. "I already did. Hotel accommodations."

"Right. Because Moretti Enterprises couldn't handle this with a simple email?"

A brief smirk flickered across his face. "You work for me, I get to call the shots. Not you or anyone else."

Elena exhaled deeply. As much as she tried, she couldn't believe what she had just heard. Did he really call her out to boss her around?

And then, to her absolute shock, he chuckled. Low. Amused. It was gone in an instant, but she heard it.

Her brows furrowed as she turned in her seat. "Wait… was that a laugh?"

Xavier's expression remained perfectly neutral. "No."

"It was. You laughed."

"You're hearing things."

Elena narrowed her eyes. Was he messing with her?

She studied him again, his sharp jawline, the perpetual frown, the way he looked like he was always five seconds away from telling someone to get out of his sight. Not the type of man who laughed easily.

Yet, here he was.

A strange feeling settled in her chest. A sliver of curiosity.

Maybe there was more to Xavier Moretti than just his rough edges.

Just maybe.

The silence in the car stretched, discomforting Elena in a way. It was clear Xavier had no interest in casual conversation outside of business, which only made Elena more determined to break through his cold exterior.

But she had to be smart about it. If he wouldn't indulge small talk, she'd start with work-related topics and gradually steer the conversation toward something more personal.

"Why does Ms. Gabriella act so rude around you?" she asked, keeping her tone light.

Xavier barely spared her a glance. "She doesn't."

Elena raised a brow. "Oh, so she just naturally treats you like she's irritated by your presence?"

A muscle in his jaw ticked, but he didn't take the bait. "Next question."

She tried again. Then again. Each time, he evaded smoothly, redirecting or giving just enough of an answer to shut down further questioning.

Finally, when she opened her mouth to ask the next one, he cut her off.

"We're here."

Elena blinked, then turned toward the tinted window. A massive high-rise building loomed over them. Easily thirty floors, maybe more. The architecture was unique, all glass and steel, reflecting the city lights in a way that made it look almost intimidating. 

She barely had time to take it in before Xavier was already stepping out of the car, walking toward the entrance without a minute to waste.

"Wait!!" she yelled, scrambling to open the door.

She had just shut it when she heard the distinct click of the car locking. She turned almost immediately, he had locked it remotely, without even looking back.

"Unbelievable."

She half-jogged to catch up, entering the lobby just behind him.

"What is this all about?" she huffed, frustration spilling over.

Nothing. No response.

That was it. She had put up with his dismissive behavior long enough.

"Why are you so mean?! What happened to you?"

Her voice came out louder than she intended, drawing the attention of a few passing people. 

That made him stop.

Slowly, he turned.

For the first time since she'd met him, she saw actual anger in his eyes.

Elena barely had time to register it before he grabbed her wrist, not hard, but firm enough to demand obedience, and led her through a hallway, past a few rooms until they reached a secluded corner.

Only then did he let go.

He exhaled through his nose, tilting his head slightly, as if reining himself in.

"What is wrong with you?" His voice was calm. Too calm.

It sent a chill down her spine.

This type of self-control was dangerous. No one should be able to mask anger this well.

"What do you mean what's wrong with me?" she shot back.

Outside, she kept her posture straight, arms crossed in defiance. Inside, her heart was hammering.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied her, really studied her, as if trying to decide whether she was worth explaining anything to.

Then, almost imperceptibly, his gaze shifted.

Just for a second.

And in that second, Elena saw something. A crack. A sliver of something raw and deeply buried.

Then, just as quickly, it was gone.

"You're my employee," he finally said, his voice controlled again. "I don't owe you answers."

Elena inhaled sharply, gripping her arms tighter.

"You know, 'sir', for someone who clearly has a lot to say, you sure love pretending you don't."

For the first time, he smirked.

She watched him speak, confidence in his voice, cutting through the space with the kind of authority that made people listen without question.

And then it finally hit her.

The hotel was breathtaking.

The temperature was perfectly cool, carrying a faint scent of fresh linen and something luxurious she couldn't quite place. The marble tiles beneath her were polished to perfection, so clean that her reflection shimmered faintly as she walked. The chandeliers overhead cast a soft, golden glow, making everything look expensive, because it probably was.

Elena barely had time to admire the details when she heard him call her name.

"Ms. Carter. Let's go."

She looked up abruptly, realizing that she had been staring at the floors for far too long. Xavier was actually waiting for her to catch up, something he hadn't done tonight. Usually, he just walked ahead, expecting her to keep up or get left behind. When she finally reached him, he said nothing, just pressed the call button gently and then relaxed.

The elevator was worse, the ride to the penthouse was silent.

Xavier stood there, quiet and composed, hands in his pockets as they ascended. The atmosphere felt heavier than before, but maybe it was just her imagination. Elena glanced at him from the side, watching the way his jaw tensed slightly, as if he was deep in thought, or maybe just tired of her presence.

"Suite 3102," Xavier said, handing her a key card. "Inspect it and get back to me. I'll be at Suite 3104."

She took the card, nodding before heading down the hall.

Suite 3102

After walking past a few identical-looking doors, she found it. Swiping the key card, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

And instantly, she felt small.

The room was massive, easily bigger than her entire apartment. The floor-to-ceiling windows were becoming a trend, reflecting thousands of tiny lights against the night. The furniture was elegant, each piece carefully selected to fit the room's modern yet sophisticated theme. A plush king-sized bed sat in the center, the sheets crisp and untouched. The bathroom alone looked like something out of a luxury magazine, complete with a freestanding bathtub, golden accents, and rainfall shower.

"What exactly am I supposed to be checking for?" she muttered to herself, her fingers lightly trailing the smooth surface of the bedside table.

The place was perfect. What was there to inspect?

Feeling ridiculous, she sighed and turned on her heels, heading back to 3104 to find Xavier.

Suite 3104

The door was slightly ajar.

She hesitated before stepping in.

"Sir, what exactly are we inspecting or checking for?" she asked, crossing her arms as she leaned slightly against the doorframe.

Xavier turned toward her, looking like he was about to respond, until his phone rang.

He stopped mid stride, pulling the phone from his pocket.

"Hello, Father."

Elena stiffened.

Matteo Moretti.

The Matteo Moretti, the man at the top of the Moretti empire, Xavier's father.

Her curiosity piqued, but she knew better than to linger too obviously.

So instead, she stepped outside the room, staying just close enough to hear bits and pieces of the conversation without making it obvious she was listening.

Xavier's voice remained even, controlled, but there was an edge to it. A tightness.

"Yes. The arrangements have been made."

"It will be handled."

"No, I don't need your interference."

A pause.

Then his voice dipped lower, quieter.

"I told you, I have it under control."

Elena didn't need to hear the other end of the conversation to know that something was off.

A few more clipped responses, then the call ended.

Silence.

She waited a moment before stepping back inside.

Xavier was seated on the sofa, his fingers pressed against his temple, as if trying to compose himself.

That was the first time she had ever seen him sit like that, not as a CEO, not as someone untouchable, but as someone… human.

Her voice softened before she even realized it.

"Is everything alright?"

He looked up sharply, his cold eyes scanning her face.

Was she genuinely worried, or was she just being nosy?

He didn't trust it.

Didn't trust her.

Didn't trust anyone.

"Mind your business, Ms. Carter," he finally said, his tone sharp, as if re-establishing the wall between them.

Elena expected the response. But somehow, it still stung.

She folded her arms, tilting her head. "You know, for someone who walks around like they don't care about anything, you sure care a lot about keeping people out."

His eyes darkened.

"And for someone who just got this job, you're awfully close to losing it."

There he was again. Cold. Sharp. Distant.

But it was too late, Elena had already seen it. The crack. The glimpse of something real underneath all that 

She could drop it. She should drop it.

But she didn't.

"The suite is perfect, by the way," she said over her shoulder. "No need for inspections."

And with that, she walked out.

Elena made her way downstairs without hesitation, pushing through the grand hotel entrance and stepping into the cool night air. She crossed her arms, exhaling sharply as she stood near the curb, waiting.

For him.

For Xavier.

She should have just gone home on her own, but she wanted to see what he'd do.

Minutes passed.

Then, she heard him.

From inside the lobby, his voice was smooth, steady, too steady for someone who had just had a tense call with his father.

"Did you see the woman I came in with?"

A security guard nodded toward the entrance.

Xavier turned.

Elena's head snapped toward him, eyes widening in shock.

The gala. The biggest event of the year. His event.