Chapter 2

"Alia! What are you doing?!" A sharp female voice yanked me back from my reverie. I looked up abruptly and saw Sofia Monica, the PR department manager, standing in front of me with a dark expression, glaring at me.

"S-Sorry, Manager Monica..." I quickly lowered my head, fumbling to organize the documents on the table. As an intern from San Luca University, being able to work at Cortese Tech was already an incredible stroke of luck, not to mention that I was assigned to assist in the PR department. But this morning, I spaced out and got caught red-handed—how utterly embarrassing.

Monica snorted coldly, pointing toward the company’s reception area and ordering, "Everyone, be on your A-game. Today’s press conference has to be flawless. The new CEO, Mr. Vittorio, is about to make his official debut. Anyone who messes up will face the consequences!"

New CEO? Vittorio? My hand trembled, nearly dropping the water glass I’d just picked up. Why did that name sound so familiar? Wait, it couldn’t be…

A tense atmosphere permeated the air. Monica, with a stern face, walked up to me.

"Alia, I’ve heard you’re the most outstanding intern in our company. Later, you’ll be by the new CEO’s side, responsible for assisting with all his needs during the reception."

I nodded, trying hard to suppress the panic rising inside me, forcing a professional smile. "Yes, Monica, I’ll do my best."

"Oh my God, why Alia? She’s just an intern, can she even handle it?" Colleagues whispered among themselves.

Camilla, standing nearby, leaned over and lightly poked my shoulder with her finger, painted with bright red nail polish.

"Alia, you’re dressed so flashy today. Are you planning to throw yourself at the new CEO?"

I rolled my eyes, wishing I could shove Camilla’s smug face straight into the coffee machine.

"Camilla, is gossip the only thing in your head? This is professional attire, got it?"

‘Come on, I’m just wearing a slightly fitted white blouse and a black pencil skirt. How is that flashy?’

Monica shot Camilla a cold glance. "Today is critical for all of our jobs. I expect everyone to maintain a professional attitude." Her gaze carried a clear warning, and Camilla immediately shut her mouth, though reluctance still lingered in her eyes.

I took a deep breath, adjusted the silk scarf around my neck, and tried to make myself look less nervous.

‘Alia, you’ve got this. It’s just assisting a new boss, not defusing a bomb.’

…

The atmosphere in the reception hall grew increasingly oppressive as everyone whispered among themselves. The sudden change in CEO was like a bombshell dropped into a calm lake, without even a hint of prior warning.

Who was the new CEO? What was his background? No one knew. I stood at the edge of the crowd, my fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of my folder, staring curiously at the entrance door just like everyone else.

"The CEO’s convoy has arrived. The board members and the new CEO are about to enter the building," a security guard’s low voice crackled through the intercom. The entire reception area fell silent instantly, everyone straightening their backs as if welcoming an emperor’s arrival.

My heart raced even faster, my palms starting to sweat. ‘Don’t chicken out, Elia. This is your chance to shine.’ I gritted my teeth, clutching the folder tighter, my eyes locked on the glass doors.

The doors slowly swung open, and a group of people in suits walked in. The man at the forefront was tall and imposing, his deep blue custom-tailored suit accentuating his perfect physique. His steps were steady and powerful, each one exuding an innate authority. Platinum-framed glasses sat on his sharp nose bridge, his cold, chiseled face looking like it had stepped out of a Renaissance sculpture.

A wave of murmurs spread around me. I looked up and saw a tall, familiar figure leading the group.

‘Impossible!’

In that moment, my brain completely shut down, leaving me with only one thought: "Dear God, my husband Marco is the company CEO?"

My eyes widened in shock, my heart feeling as if someone had squeezed it tightly. My mind exploded with a loud buzz, and I froze in place.

"No way!" I blurted out involuntarily. Though my voice was soft, in this pin-drop silence, it still drew a few sideways glances.

I quickly lowered my head, frantically pinching my arm to calm myself. ‘Ouch! Not a dream! It’s really Marco! How could he be the new CEO? I told him I intern at Cortess, but he never mentioned any connection to this company!’

Marco’s gaze lingered on me for a brief moment, his deep, night-like eyes showing no emotion before coldly shifting away. He continued speaking in a low voice with the board members beside him, as if I were just an insignificant passerby.

‘Is he pretending not to know me?’ My mind was a chaotic mess, a strange, bitter feeling welling up inside me.

Monica’s voice suddenly rang in my ear, low and stern. "Alia, do you realize what occasion this is? Do you know what you’re doing?"

"Sorry, Monica, I… I’ll be more careful." I hurriedly composed myself, lowering my head to hide my flustered state, though my hands trembled uncontrollably. ‘Calm down. If he doesn’t want to reveal our relationship, he must have his reasons. Right now, you’re an intern, not his wife.’

…

The press conference that followed was pure torture.

I followed Marco into the banquet hall, carrying a thick stack of company reports and press conference materials, taking each step with caution, terrified of making another mistake.

"CEO, these are the financial reports for this quarter and today’s speech draft." I tried to keep my voice steady as I handed over the documents.

However, perhaps due to nerves, my fingers slipped, and several pages slid out of the folder, scattering across the floor.

"Damn it…" I muttered under my breath, quickly bending down to pick up the fallen papers.

Just then, a long, strong hand reached over, effortlessly gathering a few sheets and handing them to me.

I looked up and met Marco’s deep, penetrating eyes.

He leaned down close, his low voice brushing against my ear like a feather teasing my nerves. "Clumsy hands, not great technique. We’ll practice more when we get home tonight."

His tone carried a hint of mockery, even laced with a touch of ambiguity.

My face flushed bright red in an instant, and I froze on the spot, completely at a loss for words.

‘What does he mean by practicing more at home tonight? Is this guy flirting with me in public?’ My heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of my throat, while he had already straightened up, casually adjusting his cufflinks and resuming his conversation with others as if nothing had happened.

A few curious glances turned our way. I quickly lowered my head, pretending to be busy as I clumsily gathered the remaining documents.

‘Oh my God, Marco, what are you trying to do? One moment you’re cold as ice, the next you’re teasing me. My heart can’t handle this kind of rollercoaster!’

…

The press conference finally concluded successfully, and I let out a long sigh of relief, feeling the weight on my shoulders lighten a bit.

People started leaving the banquet hall in small groups. I was about to ask Monica for permission to return to my department when Camilla blocked my path.

With her arms crossed and a mocking smile on her face, she said, "Alia, earlier when you ‘accidentally’ dropped those files, you sure managed to catch the attention of our handsome CEO."

Her tone was so sour it could drip vinegar, especially when she dragged out the word "attention," making my teeth itch with irritation. I didn’t bother giving her a second glance and walked past her toward Monica. "Manager Monica, may I return to my post now?"

Camilla clearly hadn’t expected me to be so dismissive. Her expression stiffened for a moment, a flash of anger in her eyes.

"Alia is just here to help temporarily. Stop stirring up trouble," Monica said, frowning at Camilla with clear impatience in her tone. Then she turned to me and nodded. "You can go back. You did well today."

"Thank you." I gave a small smile and turned to leave, completely ignoring Camilla, who looked like she was about to explode with frustration behind me.

After a few steps, I heard Camilla mutter under her breath, "Cousin, I get it."

‘Cousin? So they’re related. No wonder I always felt something off about their dynamic.’ I thought to myself but didn’t dwell on it. Today had already given me enough headaches.

Especially Marco’s comment about my "poor technique" and "practicing more at home tonight"—it kept replaying in my mind, making my cheeks burn again and again.