Chapter 23
Valeria leaned back in her chair, the faint clink of her glass against the table punctuating the stillness of Room 205. She sipped her wine with an air of unshaken calm, a wry smile tugging at her lips as she spoke, her tone laced with gentle self-mockery. “When I founded Starbright Group, I was a shadow in the spotlight—barely a whisper in the public eye. Then came my marriage to Dominic, and I retreated further, stepping away from the chaos of the corporate world. For nearly three years, I let the company drift from my grasp, hardly dipping a toe into its currents. It’s no wonder some employees wouldn’t know my face from a stranger’s.”
Diego’s hands clenched into tight fists, the knuckles whitening as frustration simmered beneath his polished exterior. “Humph,” he huffed, his voice a low growl of indignation. “This is all Dominic’s fault! He shackled you to that stifling domestic cage for years, dimming your brilliance, and now he has the gall to try and shove you out of your own empire. The man’s shameless—beyond redemption! Honestly, Valeria, you should storm back in as CEO, make a grand, blazing entrance, and ram it down that bastard’s throat just how colossal his mistake was!”
“Absolutely not!” Valeria’s retort came swift and firm, cutting through his fervor like a blade through silk. Her eyes flashed with a quiet resolve that left no room for debate.
Diego’s jaw dropped, disbelief etching deep lines across his face as he stared at her, incredulous. “Valeria, you can’t be serious,” he muttered, his voice softening with a trace of alarm. “Surely you’re not thinking of forgiving Dominic—patching things up with him, are you?”
Valeria sighed, her fingers pressing against her temples as if to ward off an encroaching headache. She fought to keep her composure, her tone measured yet tinged with exasperation. “Do I strike you as a masochist? He betrayed me—shattered every trust. Why in the world would I even dream of crawling back to him? No, what I mean is I’ve been gone too long. The company’s pulse beats on without me—I’m out of sync with its rhythms, blind to its daily dance. A bold return would be reckless. I’d rather slip in quietly, maybe as a regular employee, and take the measure of our branches from the shadows.”
Understanding dawned in Diego’s eyes, and he exhaled a breath of relief, his tension melting into admiration. “Ah, I see it now!” he said, his voice brightening as he leaned forward. “Valeria, this is why you’re the heart of Starbright Group—your vision cuts through the noise. Alright, if you’re set on this, I’ll handle it when we’re back. There’s a branch right here in Pierith—how about I arrange an assistant role for you there?”
“That works,” Valeria replied, her lips curving into a thoughtful smile after a moment’s pause, the flicker of a plan taking root in her mind. The meal arrived soon after, a parade of steaming dishes that filled the room with savory warmth. Over dinner, their conversation flowed like a lively stream, weaving through Starbright’s recent triumphs and bold strides, the clatter of cutlery punctuating their laughter and shared ideas.
By the time they savored their final bites, the clock’s hands had crept past one, the late hour cloaking the city in a velvet hush. Diego rose, offering to walk Valeria home, their steps syncing as they strolled through Pierith’s quiet streets. Along the way, they polished the details of her discreet return—titles, timelines, a seamless reentry into the fold—before parting at her doorstep with a nod and a promise.
Inside her apartment, Valeria surrendered to the embrace of a steaming shower, the hot water cascading over her like a cleansing tide. The day’s exchanges replayed in her mind—Diego’s fire, the restaurant’s chaos—each memory swirling with the steam. Wrapped in a plush towel, her skin still flushed from the heat, she was poised to slip into bed when her phone buzzed, its screen flaring with a new message.
She squinted at the display, the number stirring a vague recognition deep within her. Two curt sentences glowed in the dimness: “Everything is prepared as requested. Don’t forget the medical appointment on Saturday.” Her lips pressed into a thin line as Javier’s distant, stoic face flickered through her thoughts—an image as unyielding as the man himself.
With a brisk tap, she replied, “Okay,” her response clipped and functional. A brief silence followed, the stillness stretching until her phone lit up again. “Still awake this late?” The question hung there, uninvited.
Valeria frowned, her mood souring at the prospect of small talk. After a beat of consideration, she typed, “Yes, I’m finalizing preparations for the treatment. Asking for a hundred and fifty million means every detail has to be flawless.” Her fingers hovered over the send button before pressing it, a quiet assertion of her focus.
Miles away, in the sleek, modern confines of the Five-Star Building’s office, Javier sat behind his desk, the city’s skyline a glittering backdrop through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He studied her message, a faint crease of concern etching his brow. His thumbs moved swiftly across the screen. “A healer of Egret’s caliber likely has a quirky character—could be tricky to manage. Thanks for your diligence.”
Back in her bedroom, Valeria had set her phone aside, ready to surrender to sleep’s embrace, when his reply buzzed through. The corner of her mouth twitched upward, an involuntary smirk breaking through her fatigue. Had she really missed this side of him in their past dealings—this spark of imagination in a man carved from military precision? Her offhand remark had spun him into picturing Egret as some eccentric enigma.
Though a flicker of irritation prickled her, she recognized the value of keeping this powerful client on her side. With a blend of professionalism and a touch of warmth, she typed back, “That’s not quite it. Just some details needing confirmation.” She sent it off, her head sinking into the pillow.
Javier’s skepticism lingered, undeterred. His response came swiftly: “No need for formalities. I get the complexity of your position. Once it’s handled, don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help with anything.” Valeria’s eyes skimmed the words, a quiet hum of appreciation escaping her lips as she set the phone face-down, the glow of its screen fading into the night. Sleep claimed her then, a dreamless tide washing away the day’s echoes.
