Chapter 6 Where the Past begins to Bleed

Romans pov***

She turned...

"Hi," she said with a bright smile on her face, but this wasn't Zara; the woman who stood in front of me was nothing like her. This was a confident and composed young lady in her black gown that clung to her body.

"I'm Sera Quinn," she said while stretching out her hand for a handshake. "And you are Roman, Roman Vale, my new boss," she continued. I stared down at her hand but didn't shake it.

"I thought you were someone else," I replied and turned my back on her.

I needed air. I walked outside the terrace to revisit what I had just seen, the soft hum of the party behind me. I took a sip of my drink, and Tania came out to join me.

"Hey handsome," she said, touching my back with her fingertips I gazed at her like she was nothing, and she quickly removed her hand.

"Don't you dare touch me again," I glared at her

"I'm sorry," she stammered.

"What do you want?" I asked her, already irritated

"Have you seen the new PR specialist?" she asked, trying to sound casual, her tone betrayed her as I could sense a hint of jealousy. also, I knew where she was headed, and I wasn't ready to talk about it, not with anyone.

"Tania?" I said quietly, "Leave!" She walked away without another word.

I stood there a moment longer, letting the night breeze hit my face. My mind couldn't shake her-Sera. Or rather, the woman who looked too much like Zara. The resemblance had cracked something open inside me that I had spent years cementing shut. Three long years since Zara disappeared-three years of silence, questions, and betrayal.

I pulled out my phone and called Levi. He answered on the second ring and agreed, though reluctantly, to leave the party with me.

"Did you meet the new PR specialist?" he asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

Not again, I thought, I almost wanted to punch him. It was evident that she looked in some ways like Zara, and if she were back, I would make her pay for her crimes, three years ago. But this wasn't her; there was something different about this woman, and I was going to find that out.

"What about her?" I asked him, pretending not to care

"I think she is cute," he said, shockingly, not what I was expecting.

"You think she is cute?" I asked him to be sure I wasn't missing things.

"Ya, I had a talk with her and she had so much to say, she was so full of life," he chatted away. Something in me began to wonder what he saw in her. It was unlike him to talk about a woman that way. Like me, he had always acted like women were trash.

"I see," I replied, again brushing it off.

"I am going to ask her on a date," he added

I wondered if he was blind or if he was intentionally being blind. he had been acting strange for a while, but I never bothered to push things with him. With Levi, you never know.

"I just want to sleep, Levi," I said and leaning my head against the car seat.

Truthfully, I was drained-not physically, but emotionally. People called me a monster, a beast without a heart. But they didn't know. They didn't understand that I hadn't always been this way. That once, I'd loved with the kind of intensity that burned everything in its path.

Being abandoned by my mother as a child had taught me not to trust women. To treat love like a curse, not a gift. And Zara... she had been the exception. I had closed my heart once again to anything pertaining to commitment.

It didn't help matters that Lucien, my dad was never in the picture, he was married to his damned company. He would always say...

"Roman, you would end up thanking me for this," he would smile, and I would resent him even more.

"Roman... Roman" Levi called and nudged me, I snapped back to reality.

"I asked you a question."

"What was that?" I asked, trying to focus back on the recent

"Tania, what do you think about Tania?" he asked.

I frowned. "Why would I think of her? I asked him

"You've both been dating for some time now," She said

"Tania is just a filthy rag for my use when I please," I told him, and the rest of the ride continued in silence.

Zara's pov***

I observed his eyes closely as I turned to face him. I was searching, searching for guilt, maybe. I noticed them flicker in surprise. It was obvious he didn't recognize me now.

"I thought you were someone else," he said and hurried off like someone was chasing him. I couldn't help but chuckle, he'd probably have enough to think about now. Just then, Miss Sylvia approached me.

"How did that go?" she asked somewhat excitedly.

"Just as much as we hoped," I told her eagerly, and her smile widened in response.

"Oh, and another thing," I added. "Levi showed no hint of recognition; he chatted on and on, and I think he's smitten by me."

"Stick to the plan, Sera," she urged firmly before walking away.

I noticed that Roman had left with Levi even before the party was over. It was a habit of his, but I hoped this time he left from worry. I had planted my bait, and all I needed was for him to pluck it. A mischievous smile spread across my face.

"Come now, Zee, you don't want to be late on your first day," Sylvia said as she tried to pull me up, but I wouldn't budge. this was the first time I was going to be away from Leo and Aria for a whole week. On top of that, I didn't get to see them awake before leaving.

I sighed.

"I want to talk to them as soon as they wake up," I told their nanny.

"Sure, I'll give you a call," Sylvia answered instead.

"All alright then, bye," I said and walked off.

We had gotten a house close to the office where I would spend the week and return home.... Over the weekend. I wished Leo and Aria could come with me, but for this to work, they would need to be out of the picture.

I walked into the company wearing a tailored pair of trousers and creamed-colored satin blouse. Roman had a thing for cream, and I was going to take advantage of that.

"Hello," I heard a voice say. it was Tania again.

"Hi," I responded flatly as I walked on.

"Early for your first day at work, good," She continued talking regardless, and I simply smiled in acknowledgement.

"Your office is just next to mine, you have a secretary from the company already waiting for you, and you have a conference room just by your office for you and your team." She blabbed on as we walked.

"Thank you," I said, attempting to convey some sincerity.

My office was on the same floor as Romans, I remembered the layout of the company keenly. I could watch him daily from my vantage point.

"I've got it from here, miss..." I pretended not to remember her name

"Tania," she said, a little disappointed.

I entered the office and for a moment I paused and prayed silently, I wouldn't get caught.

"Ma'am, your schedule is on your desk," the secretary told me

"You look beautiful, ma'am," she added and walked away smiling

Ever since the surgery, compliments like this have come every day, and I was used to them. I sat on my chair and waited. Roman would arrive in thirty minutes unfailingly, and I needed to be prepared.

I touched my lips again with the red lipstick and some gloss, and I walked into his office, unnoticed by his assistant, who seemed to be struggling to get things in order before her boss came in.

I deliberately unbuttoned the first 2 buttons of my blouse and waited patiently for him while backing the door.

After a while, I heard the door open. I pretended to have been caught off guard and turned.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought this was Levi's office," I spoke with sorry eyes, and I watched as his expression shifted from surprise to anger to confusion and then back to anger as his gaze lingered on my blouse.