Chapter 5 - THE AFTERMATH IN THE EMPTY RESTAURANT
The private dining room grew deathly quiet once again.
The beeswax candles flickered softly in their crystal holders, casting long, dancing shadows across the scattered red wine spills on the white linen table.
Nora sat motionless in her chair, her heart still pounding against her ribs, her fingers resting on the mahogany armrest.
Victor remained standing beside her, his hands tucked neatly into his trouser pockets, looking down at her with an intensity that made her cheeks burn.
"Are you injured?" Victor asked, his voice low and steady.
Nora shook her head, looking down at her stained shirt. "No. Just... shocked, Mr. Moretti. I had no idea Camilla was working for the Sinclairs."
"Very few people did," Victor replied, pulling out his leather cigar case and selecting a thin, unlit cigar without lighting it. "She was careful. But greed makes people sloppy. She thought she could empty our subsidiary accounts and walk away to Zurich before the merger was finalized."
"What happens to Moretti Enterprises now?" Nora asked, her professional instincts instantly kicking in despite the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. "The board members from Europe... they saw everything that just happened."
"The European partners represent capital, Nora, not loyalty," Victor said, a faint, dangerous smirk touching the corner of his mouth. "And capital respects strength. By midnight, they'll be calling to renegotiate their terms in our favor."
He leaned down slightly, resting his hand on the back of Nora’s chair.
"Go home, Nora," he instructed gently. "Take the rest of the week off. Full pay, plus hazard bonus."
Nora looked up into his dark, piercing eyes, feeling the overwhelming pull of his magnetic authority. "I... I can't leave work unfinished, sir. The quarterly tax filings are due Friday morning."
Victor let out a low, rich chuckle that rumbled deep in his chest.
"Let the accountants handle the tax filings," he said, his face inches from hers. "Right now, your only job is to change out of that wine-stained shirt and get some sleep."
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Before Nora could form a reply, Victor turned on his heel, walked toward the private exit, and disappeared into the hallway, leaving her alone in the candlelit dining room.
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