Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Max Colt, known for his unwavering focus and iron discipline, was having an unusual morning. The voice of Alice, his secretary, echoed in the room, but he couldn't focus on her words. The image of the young redhead he had seen earlier dominated his thoughts.

"Mr. Colt?" Alice repeated, noticing the unusual silence.

Max blinked, coming back to reality for a brief moment.

"Oh, yes, Alice..." he replied, his voice somewhat distant. "Call Arthur. Tell him I want to see that model... Now."

Alice stared at him, surprised. The CEO didn't usually call models to his office, and this made him seem more distant than ever.

"Sure, Mr. Colt," Alice replied, although still a little confused.

As she made the call, Max got up and walked to the window, trying to calm the torrent of thoughts that invaded him. He knew that getting involved with an employee was against company guidelines, but something about that woman awakened in him a madness he had never experienced before. He needed to get to know the redhead better, hear the sound of her voice, smell her scent again, which was already engraved in his mind. It was as if every detail of her was engraved in his brain, impossible to forget. When Alice returned, she informed him that Arthur had said that the model had already been hired and released from the test. Max felt a tightness in his chest, frustrated at having to wait. "Okay, Alice. You can go," he said, disguising his impatience. As soon as the door closed, Max ran his fingers through his hair, trying to compose himself. Now, he had no choice but to wait. The hours that separated him from seeing her again seemed endless, but he knew that the wait would be worth it. The desire to see her again only grew with each passing minute, becoming almost unbearable. While he held his head with one hand, the other drummed his fingers on the table, the sound of the tapping echoing in the silent room. Max was lost, his thoughts completely dominated by the image of that woman, until the door opened abruptly, interrupting his anguish.

"Hi, Dad."

Max looked up and, upon seeing Daniel, his 25-year-old son, smiled with relief. He stood up and hugged him warmly.

"Hi, son. Are you coming to visit me?"

"I was nearby and thought I'd invite you to lunch."

"Then let's go," Max replied, grabbing his suit and getting ready to leave.

At the restaurant, while they were having lunch, Daniel casually mentioned that he was thinking about spending a few days in Las Vegas. He asked if his father would help him financially, since he didn't work, just attended college.

"Sure, son. You can go, but come back with a girlfriend this time," Max joked, trying to introduce a more serious subject.

Daniel rolled his eyes and replied with disgust.

"Oh, Dad, come on. I don't want to get tied down. I already have plenty of women to sleep with."

Max sighed, worried about his son's outlook on life.

"Life isn't just that, Daniel. I was very happy with your mother."

The memory of his mother brought a glint of sadness to Daniel's eyes. He quickly hid it, but the memory of the family being united and happy before her death hit him hard. He blinked away a stubborn tear, keeping his true suffering hidden, as he always did.

---

Natasha returned to the hotel. She decided that a bath was what she needed to relax and get ready for dinner with her friend Lu. Entering the hotel's luxurious bathroom, she began to fill the bathtub with hot water and relaxing fragrances. As soon as the bathtub was full, Natasha slid in, feeling the warm water envelop her body and wash away the accumulated tension.

As the warm water caressed her skin, she began to gently massage her arms and legs, spreading the scented soap that made her skin soft and fragrant. Each movement was slow and careful, as if she were preparing for a ritual. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. Despite all the excitement of the day, she knew she had to stay focused. She needed to show herself that she could move forward without letting herself be carried away by fantasies. She was a strong woman who had worked hard to get where she was. But when she thought about the mysterious man she had met at the company, her thoughts became uncontrollable. The image of that penetrating gaze and his discreet smile made her heart beat faster. After a while, Natasha got out of the bathtub and began to get ready. She applied moisturizing lotion to her body, feeling her skin become even softer to the touch. She chose a dress that highlighted her curves without being excessive, something that made her look elegant and confident. She also decided on light makeup, but that highlighted her green eyes. Ready, she grabbed her bag, looked at her watch and saw that it was time to go get Lu. She knew that dinner was more than just a meal.than just an outing with her friend. It was an opportunity to try to distract herself, but also a test to see if she could put aside the confusing feelings that were taking over her mind.

She felt a cool breeze touch her face as she left the hotel with the car. The two greeted each other with a warm hug, and went to the restaurant.

"It seems like you had a busy day, huh?" Lu said with a smile as the two entered the restaurant.

"You have no idea," Natasha replied with a light laugh, trying to push away her thoughts about the "handsome old man". "Let's see if this dinner helps us relax a little."

The two friends were led to a table near a large window, overlooking the illuminated city. While they chatted about trivialities, they chose their dishes.

But suddenly her heart raced. Through the front door, she saw the "handsome old man" enter, accompanied by an elegant woman. He was impeccable in his dark suit, and his self-assured gaze dominated the room. Natasha felt a chill down her spine when she saw him, even more impressive than before.

"What's wrong?" Lu asked, noticing the change in Natasha's expression.

"He... he's here," Natasha whispered, trying not to look too affected.

Lu followed her friend's gaze and saw a tall, imposing man, accompanied by a stunning woman, who walked beside him with the same confidence. They seemed to be engaged in an intimate conversation, and he occasionally smiled in a way that Natasha found disturbingly charming.

"Is this the handsome guy you mentioned?" Lu asked, not hiding her surprise. "He's all that and more."

"Yes, it's him," Natasha replied, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "And the woman he's with... I don't know who she is, but I can't take my eyes off them."

Max and his companion were led to a table not far from theirs, but Natasha made an effort not to look too much. Fate seemed to play with her emotions, testing her resolve in every possible way.

As she tried to focus on her conversation with Lu, Natasha couldn't help but glance at Max. He was absorbed in his conversation with the woman, but at one point, their eyes met. It was only for a second, but it was enough for Natasha to feel a wave of electricity run through her body. Max, in turn, held her gaze for a moment before looking away, as if trying to maintain his composure, but his expression became more serious after that.

Lu noticed that Natasha was distracted and tried to ease the tension with a light comment:

"Maybe it's time for a drink, huh?" Lu said, raising her hand to call the waiter.

Natasha laughed nervously and nodded, trying to return to the present and not think about the man who was just a few feet away from her.