Each one landed with quiet weight—authority in motion—followed by the faint rustle of expensive fabric and the scent of dark cedarwood and leather.
This authority figure who had just walked in was nothing like Bruno—not even close.
My spine straightened without permission.
My body reacting to something deeper than thought.
Recognition.
There was only one man in this city who carried a presence like that.
One man who didn’t need to raise his voice to be obeyed: Rafael Pérez, the CEO of the company I worked for, the richest man in the city, and, inconveniently, Bruno’s brother.
But it could not be him—could it? A man like that had no reason to be in my apartment at all.
The question had scarcely taken shape before he spoke.
“Isn’t this the new intern?”
Rafael’s voice was smooth and controlled in a way that felt more dangerous than anger.
It slid through the room like aged whiskey—warm, refined... but burning all the same.
“Yes,” Bruno answered quickly.
I could easily sense the respect in his voice.
The arrogance had vanished. So had the mockery. What remained sounded... smaller.
“I came here to teach her a lesson,” he added, defensively now.
“She literally slapped me at the company a few hours ago. I was just making her understand that crossing a Pérez always comes with consequences.”
He spoke clearly, but fear was unmistakable in his voice.
“You broke into a blind woman’s apartment to teach her a lesson,” Rafael repeated, almost thoughtfully. “Interesting choice of target.”
Bruno let out a rough grunt, the sound tight with frustration.
“Another reckless display, Bruno.”
“Henceforth, spare this intern your petty games,” Rafael said calmly. “You’re done here. Leave.”
The command settled into the room like something final.
Bruno hesitated. Just for a second.
I heard it—the slight shift of his weight, the breath he held back, the anger he swallowed.
Then—
“Yes, Rafael.”
His footsteps moved quickly after that—no longer dominant, but retreating.
The broken door creaked as he passed through it, the night air slipping in behind him once more.
Then—
