The Sweetest Temptation
Chapter 283: Blackmail

Chapter 283: Blackmail

A few minutes into her work at the desk, Stella’s phone buzzed, signaling the arrival of a new message. She cast a sidelong glance at the device positioned beside her computer screen, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

Matteo, you cheeky... Her thoughts trailed off as her gaze settled on the sender’s name. A wave of uncertainty and speculation washed over her, turning her smile into a cold, tense expression. The message came from an unfamiliar number, leaving her with no choice but to open it. With a reluctant tap, she brought up the message, and what she beheld sent a chill of terror to her bones, rendering her completely unmoving.

"You look so happy, does

he even realize what kind

of slut you truly are?"

As she absorbed the disturbing message, the sender flooded the chat room with a flood of videos and photos. With a mixture of eagerness and trepidation, she snatched up her phone, fingers trembling as she tapped on one of the images. If she had been terrified moments ago, the emotions coursing through her now were akin to the quiver of someone facing their impending execution.

Before her eyes lay a photograph showing her face, smeared with a substance unmistakably identified as semen. Her hand went slack, the phone slipping from her grasp and landing on the desk with a muted thud. It was as though her brain momentarily lost its connection to her body, her vision wavering. Shaking her head vigorously, she fought to reclaim her composure. She couldn’t afford to succumb to faintness. She needed a clear mind to confront this unknown tormentor.

She retrieved her phone, determinedly tapping out a response.

"Who are you?!"

A few seconds after she had sent the message, another one came in.

"If you want to preserve your relationship,

$10 million within 24 hours.

The location will be provided

once you have the money prepared."

******

"Good job, Stella," the receptionist greeted as she emerged from Matteo’s office, having just handed over some hard copy reports.

"Thank you, Ms. Gerardo. You’re doing great as well," Stella replied warmly, returning to her typing until the receptionist was out of sight. As the elevator doors closed, Stella’s expression shifted from her previous cheeriness to a more somber one. The painful truth was, she alone carried the weight of her secret.

Unknown to anyone, not even Matteo, she was wrestling with a heavy burden from her past. Though she wished it could remain hidden, she found herself unable to ignore the haunting memories that had now resurfaced.

She shuddered slightly as the once pleasurable activities of her past lingered uncomfortably in her mind. And for the first time, in her entire life, she questioned what had come over her to ever engage in those actions in the first place.

Certainly, Stella wasn’t so desperate for companionship that she would succumb to what most would classify as abuse and trafficking. Yet, the more she delved into her thoughts, the more she began to comprehend the unsettling truth—it had indeed been the case.

She considered revisiting those haunting memories, digging into the depths of her past to decipher any recurring patterns in her relationship with Matteo. However, the darkness of those memories proved to be an unbearable weight, and she couldn’t fathom traversing that painful terrain again.

In an abrupt motion, she slammed her hands down onto her desk, jolting herself back to the present reality. Her breaths came in ragged bursts, as if she had just completed a grueling marathon. In reality, her mind had unveiled her past like a corridor lined with mirrors, each reflecting a vivid snapshot of her experiences—and the intensity was almost overwhelming.

Cradling her face in her trembling hands and leaning heavily against the desk, Stella allowed the tears she had held back throughout the day to finally flow. She had shouldered her burdens in solitude for far too long, confiding only in her friend Beatrix. But recent events had stretched the boundaries of what she could share even with her most trusted confidante, who had done so much to brighten her life.

Separated for an extended period, Stella had grown acutely attuned to her emotional thresholds—what she could bear to hear, what she could withstand, and what would push her to the brink. Despite the pressing urgency of the situation, she wasn’t willing to test those limits in the moment.

"This is no time for tears," she admonished herself. She surged to her feet with a sudden intensity that nearly sent her chair tumbling backward. Amidst the flurry of her movements, she rifled through her desk, gathering her notepads and assorted items as she prepared to call it a day.

The clock had ticked past ten, the minutes slipping away as she remained in the office, outlasting her colleagues due to her role as Matteo’s personal secretary. As he had predicted, the day had been an onslaught of tasks, enough to potentially hold him captive in his workspace long into the night.

Although Matteo had initially insisted on handling everything single-handedly, Stella had managed to persuade him to let her share the load. Consequently, she found herself burning the midnight oil alongside him.

From an outside perspective, it might have seemed like she was silently packing up, readying herself to depart. Yet, her mind was far from silent. Amidst her practical actions, she was locked in a relentless cycle of contemplation, repeatedly strategizing her response to the demands of the sender.

"Stella!" The resonant baritone of Matteo’s voice unexpectedly pierced the air, instantly snapping her back to the present moment. Startled, she looked up, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of surprise and apprehension.

"Mr.—I mean, Matteo," she stammered, her voice carrying a hint of timidity. She detected a subtle raise of his eyebrow, a silent question formed in his expression at her unusual reaction to being addressed.

Get it together, bitch! she scolded herself inwardly, striving to find her equilibrium. As Matteo approached her desk, her heart quickened its pace, the proximity of his presence intensifying her self-awareness.

"Everything okay?" he inquired, his observant eyes assessing her with a mix of concern and curiosity.