Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Max stomped into his office, each step reflecting the irritation that was consuming him. The day had barely begun, and before he even set foot in his office, Junior was already confronting him in the lobby, tormenting his mind with legal problems that needed to be resolved. However, as important as these matters were, most of his irritation was not due to that. It was something deeper, something he was still trying to process, what he felt when he saw that young redhead.

She had to be one of the models from FashionTech Colt, he thought. The company had a strict policy regarding the selection of models, and they were all extraordinarily beautiful. Many of them took the breath away from the employees, who tried, most of the time, to disguise their interest. But some couldn't resist and ended up getting involved, with varied results, some successful, others completely ignored.

Max didn't want to be one of those men. He had never been afraid of falling in love; it had only happened once in his life, with the mother of his son, Daniel. "May God rest her soul," he thought briefly. Since then, he had closed himself off to love, preferring to focus on business, where he had absolute control.

But that woman... The redhead crossed the company lobby with a confidence that completely disarmed him. She made him lose all the stability he had cultivated over the years, and worst of all: he was on the verge of giving in to the irrational impulse to go to the rehearsal room to look for her.

Max entered the room, still absorbed in his thoughts, and walked straight past his secretary without greeting her. Alice, an impeccable woman, had always been attentive and efficient, and her beauty was undeniable.

Max knew that she was interested in him, it was obvious from her looks and subtle gestures. He admired her for being persistent, but at the same time, for not suffocating him with that interest. However, as beautiful as she was, Alice had never awakened in him what that redheaded woman managed to do in an instant.

"Mr. Colt?" Alice's voice brought him back to the present.

"Yes, Alice," he replied, not looking at her as he sat down and surveyed the desk. It was covered in an exorbitant amount of papers and letters, all meticulously organized, yet still intimidating. Max knew he would be busy with this all day, not to mention the meetings he had scheduled. He was considering having lunch in the company cafeteria or even in his office, just to save time.

"I brought the documents you requested for the two o'clock meeting. Do you need anything else?"

Max nodded, a brief, automatic gesture, still not looking away from the pile of papers in front of him. But no matter how hard he tried to focus on his work, his mind kept wandering back to the young redhead. She unhinged him in a way he couldn't ignore, and the thought that she might be there, somewhere in the building, made him uneasy.

"Mr. Colt, are you okay?" Alice asked, a hint of concern in her voice now.

"Yes, it is," he replied, more abruptly than he intended. He knew he was lying to himself. He wasn't doing well at all.

Finally, Max made a decision. He stood up suddenly, his eyes fixed on the door. Alice watched him with curiosity and a hint of surprise.

"I need to check something, I'll be back soon," he said, quickly leaving the room without giving any further explanation.

He walked with long strides through the hallways, not noticing the greetings of the staff. He could feel his heart beating fast in his chest, as if he were about to do something forbidden. And, in a way, he was. The usual Max would never have allowed himself to be guided by such an irrational impulse, but that day was anything but ordinary.

When he reached the rehearsal area, Max stopped at the door. He could hear the soft music playing inside, an enveloping melody that perfectly matched the environment. He took a deep breath and, with a determination he hadn't had a few minutes ago, pushed the door open and went in.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the center of the room. There she was. The redhead, now dressed in a tiny bikini that left very little to the imagination, strutted down the runway with mesmerizing grace. Max's heart skipped a beat, and he felt his blood boil in his veins. She wasn't just beautiful; she was absolutely stunning. The bikini highlighted every curve of her body, and the way she moved with an almost predatory confidence left him completely disarmed. Max, who had always prided himself on his self-control, felt for the first time in a long time at the mercy of an overwhelming desire. He tried to pull away, to turn around and leave before he did something he would regret, but his feet felt rooted to the spot. His eyes couldn't leave her, and he watched her, fascinated, as she finished the show. When she finally reached the end of theThe catwalk and turned, their eyes meeting once more. And in that moment, Max knew. He knew he was completely lost. Before she left the scene, he asked the coordinator who was nearby, in a tone that left no room for questioning: "What's her name?" The coordinator, not knowing what was going on in the powerful CEO's head, immediately answered: "Natasha. Natasha Miller, sir." Maximilian Colt felt a shiver run down his spine. Natasha. Now he had a name for the woman who had left him completely bewildered. And he knew, with a disturbing certainty, that this would not be the last meeting between the two. Natasha Miller. The name reverberated in Max's mind like a dangerous melody, one that he knew he would not be able to get out of his head anytime soon. He watched her every move as she prepared to leave the catwalk. The confidence with which she strutted now extended beyond the stage, and he knew he was watching a woman who dominated the environment around her.

When Natasha finished her strut, she grabbed a towel that was nearby, delicately wiped the sweat from her neck, and prepared to leave the room. Max, still frozen in place, felt his body react involuntarily to what his eyes saw.

She walked past him, but not without first casting a brief sideways glance, as if she knew exactly the effect she had on him. And then, as if to seal the moment, Natasha began walking toward the door, her hips moving in a rhythm that seemed designed to seduce. Every step she took, every subtle sway of her perfect ass, made Max's heart pound harder.

He felt completely disoriented, as if gravity had shifted, and the only thing keeping him anchored to reality was her. Max tried to maintain his composure, but the way her body moved, the way the fabric of her bikini hugged her curves, made him loosen his tie again. It was as if the air in the room had suddenly become thick, suffocating. Natasha left the room, leaving a trail of perfume and a palpable tension in the air. When the door closed behind her, Max was still there, unable to move, his mind dominated by desire and confusion. He knew it was dangerous, but what he didn't know was how to get out of this web he had so quickly entangled himself in. And deep down, part of him didn't even want to leave.