Chapter 2 - The Man Who Called Her Beautiful
Friday arrived with rain.
Diana had spent three days pretending Marcus’s invitation meant nothing.
She had also spent three days noticing Dominic noticing her.
He never mentioned the handkerchief again.
But something had changed.
Every time Marcus entered the executive floor, Dominic’s attention shifted toward Diana.
Every time Marcus made her laugh, Dominic became quieter.
On Friday afternoon, Marcus stopped beside her desk.
“Eight?”
Diana looked toward Dominic’s closed office.
Then back at Marcus.
“Eight.”
Marcus smiled.
“Good.”
Unfortunately, Dominic opened his door at exactly that moment.
His eyes moved between them.
“Diana.”
“Yes?”
“My office.”
Inside, Dominic handed her a folder.
“I need these contracts reorganized.”
She opened it.
There were nearly two hundred pages.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Diana stared at him.
“You said these weren’t due until Monday.”
“Plans changed.”
“Did they?”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“Something you want to say?”
She closed the folder.
“Yes.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“I have plans.”
“Cancel them.”
“No.”
Silence.
Dominic leaned back.
“Excuse me?”
“I said no.”
“You work for me.”
“Until six.”
“You’ve never had a problem staying late.”
“Maybe I should have.”
Something flashed behind his eyes.
“Is this about Santoro?”
Diana laughed in disbelief.
“So that’s what this is.”
“What is?”
“You know exactly what.”
Dominic stood.
“I don’t care who you have dinner with.”
“Wonderful.”
“But Marcus Santoro is not somebody you understand.”
“And you are?”
Dominic stopped.
The question hung between them.
Diana’s voice softened.
“Do I understand you, Dominic?”
For once, he had no immediate answer.
She placed the folder on his desk.
“I’ll finish these Monday morning.”
Then she left.
At eight, she met Marcus at a quiet Italian restaurant in SoHo.
He was charming.
Easy.
Funny.
For two hours, Diana remembered what it felt like to exist outside Dominic Caruso’s schedule.
Marcus asked about her sister.
Her childhood.
The graduate degree she had postponed.
The places she wanted to travel.
Nobody at work asked Diana questions like those.
“You know,” Marcus said over dessert, “Dominic talks about you.”
Diana almost dropped her spoon.
“What?”
Marcus smiled.
“Not directly.”
“What does that mean?”
“He notices when you’re absent.”
“That’s because his calendar becomes a disaster.”
“He notices what coffee you drink.”
“I order his coffee.”
“He knows when you change perfume.”
Diana became still.
Marcus leaned closer.
“You really haven’t noticed?”
“Noticed what?”
“That Dominic Caruso is completely different around you.”
She laughed.
“That man told me I was replaceable.”
“Yes.”
Marcus’s expression became strangely thoughtful.
“And I think he’s been regretting it ever since.”
Diana looked away.
“Why are you telling me this?”
Marcus studied her.
“Because Dominic doesn’t know how to want something without trying to control it.”
Something about his wording bothered her.
“Something?”
Marcus smiled.
“Someone.”
The restaurant suddenly felt warmer.
Diana reached for her water.
Then Marcus’s phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen.
His smile disappeared.
“Problem?”
“No.”
He turned the phone facedown.
But Diana had seen the message.
Only four words.
SHE DOESN’T KNOW YET.
“Who sent that?”
Marcus’s eyes returned to hers.
“Business.”
Diana’s instincts sharpened.
“About me?”
“No.”
He answered too quickly.
Diana pushed back her chair.
“I should go.”
“Diana.”
“Thank you for dinner.”
Marcus reached for her wrist, then stopped himself before touching her.
“I didn’t invite you here to manipulate you.”
“Then what aren’t you telling me?”
For several seconds, Marcus said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Diana left.
Monday morning brought another surprise.
Dominic was already in the office when she arrived.
On her desk sat coffee.
Her coffee.
Oat milk.
One sugar.
Cinnamon.
Beside it was a note.
We need to talk. — D
She entered his office.
Dominic stood near the window.
“You left the contracts.”
“I did.”
“I finished them.”
Diana blinked.
Dominic Caruso had personally reorganized two hundred pages?
“I was angry,” he said.
That might have been the closest thing to an apology she had ever heard from him.
“You were controlling.”
“Yes.”
Another surprise.
He looked at her.
“I shouldn’t have told you that you were replaceable.”
Diana’s throat tightened.
“No. You shouldn’t have.”
“You aren’t.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
Dominic continued.
“I know exactly what you do here.”
“Then why did you say it?”
“Because I was angry.”
“That doesn’t excuse cruelty.”
“No.”
Again, no argument.
Diana stared at him.
Who was this man?
Dominic walked closer.
“Did you enjoy dinner?”
Her defenses returned.
“That’s none of your business.”
“You’re right.”
She blinked.
He was making this extremely difficult.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
Dominic opened his desk drawer.
For one second, Diana thought he would show her the photograph.
Instead, he closed it again.
“Stay away from Marcus.”
There he was.
The old Dominic.
Diana sighed.
“We were doing so well.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“He is not who you think he is.”
“Neither are you.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“You don’t understand the situation.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can’t.”
“Convenient.”
Diana turned.
Dominic caught her hand.
Not hard.
Just enough to stop her.
Both froze.
His thumb rested against her wrist.
Diana felt her pulse jump beneath it.
Dominic noticed.
His eyes lifted to hers.
For one suspended second, there was no boss.
No secretary.
No Caruso empire.
Only a man and a woman standing far too close.
Dominic released her.
“Go.”
Diana did.
That evening, she stayed late voluntarily.
At 9:10, Marcus entered the office.
“You avoided me all day.”
“I was working.”
“Diana.”
She looked up.
Marcus stepped closer.
“I owe you an explanation.”
“Yes.”
He leaned against the desk.
“The message Friday wasn’t about you.”
“Then show me.”
His expression changed.
“You want my phone?”
“If there’s nothing to hide.”
Marcus smiled faintly.
“You’re good.”
“At what?”
“Knowing when people lie.”
He reached into his pocket.
But before he could produce the phone, Diana’s eyes filled unexpectedly.
She hated herself for it.
“I’m tired of men deciding what I’m allowed to know.”
Marcus’s face softened.
“Hey.”
He stepped closer.
“You look beautiful, Diana.”
She gave a sad laugh.
“That’s a strange response.”
“I mean it.”
His hand gently touched her cheek.
Diana looked down.
“Thank you.”
Neither noticed the office door opening.
Dominic stood there.
Motionless.
Watching Marcus’s hand against Diana’s face.
Diana sensed something.
She turned.
Marcus followed her gaze.
Dominic’s expression was terrifying precisely because it was calm.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Marcus lowered his hand.
“Dominic.”
Dominic looked only at Diana.
“Leave us.”
“No,” Marcus said.
Dominic finally looked at him.
“I wasn’t speaking to you.”
Diana stood.
“I’m leaving.”
She picked up her bag.
Dominic stepped aside.
But as she passed, he spoke quietly.
“Diana.”
She stopped.
His next words changed everything.
“The man Marcus was texting Friday night?”
Her heart skipped.
Dominic’s gaze moved to Marcus.
May you like
“He died seven years ago.”
---
