One Night Mistake… Now I Carry the Mafia Heir

Chapter 85: 85/moment of truth

Chapter 85

Stephanie’s point of view

I pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside with cautious steps. The room was breathtakingly spacious, its neutral-colored walls adorned with luxurious frames housing international fashion designs and rare fabrics that reflected the rich heritage of the place. Behind a broad, massive desk made of dark, polished mahogany sat a woman in her late forties. She wore elegant, black-rimmed reading glasses and a classic, impeccably tailored business suit. Her facial features were stern, highly precise, and completely devoid of leniency, her short hair styled with meticulous care that didn’t allow a single strand to rebel.

Sophia slowly lifted her head from the numerous papers and sketches scattered before her, assessing me from head to toe with a sharp, swift, and piercing look from behind her lenses a look that made every inch of my body stiffen and shudder. I stood with a forced posture, shaking the dust of fear off my shoulders, trying with all my might to hide my severe agitation that my audible breathing threatened to expose.

I spoke in a tone I fought hard to keep steady and strong: "Good afternoon, Mrs. Sophia. I’m Stephanie Miller. You contacted me by phone a short while ago regarding the job interview."

She pointed her luxurious fountain pen toward the wide, black leather chair opposite her desk and said with formal coldness, her tone empty of any warmth: "Ah, Ms. Miller. I was expecting you. Please, take a seat."

I took measured steps forward and sat slowly on the edge of the chair, making sure immediately to place my cursed bag on the floor right next to my feet. I checked the zipper tightly to ensure it was completely closed so the catastrophe wouldn’t repeat itself, then placed my leather portfolio carefully on the edge of her polished desk.

Sophia leaned back into her comfortable chair, lacing her fingers together on the desktop, and looked at me gravely. "Very well, Stephanie... I will be frank and clear with you from the very first moment to save time and effort for both of us. I know perfectly well that you feel surprised, and perhaps suspicious, about our sudden call and summoning you at this late hour of the evening, at a time when all employees leave their offices and return home. But you must understand and grasp the nature of working within the walls of Vincetti; we do not run an ordinary shop. We work here under constant pressure and fierce competition that shows no mercy to the weak. Our work does not have fixed schedules or conventional hours; it might extend until midnight or even dawn to finalize exclusive collections and meet global runway demands."

Sophia took a deep breath, then continued to hold me in her scrutinizing gaze, piercing deep into me. "This sudden call and demanding your presence at unusual, disruptive times is actually the very first practical test we place before applicants. We want to see with our own eyes how they conduct themselves under sudden pressure, and to ensure we can rely on them during the critical, difficult times the company faces. Your acceptance to come this quickly without making excuses is the first step you have passed with distinction."

I felt a surge of life flow back into me, a slight, warm relief spreading through my cold limbs. So, it had absolutely nothing to do with Alex! He hadn’t intervened, he hadn’t pulled any strings, and this strange, intimidating timing was nothing but a brutal, clever test from the company’s management! I locked my gaze with her stern eyes, and despite the racing thuds of my heart that nearly deafened my ears, I spoke with a firmness and boldness I had never known in myself: "I understand you perfectly and grasp your vision, Mrs. Sophia. I am here fully prepared to handle any type of work pressure, and I am entirely ready to prove myself and my worth to this place."

Sophia’s eyes gleamed with a mysterious spark that carried a blend of satisfaction and challenge, her mouth curving into a faint hint of a smile. "I like this enthusiasm and competitive spirit. Let’s see what you have to back up your words, then. Show me your design portfolio."

I extended my hand, which had regained some of its steadiness, and opened the large leather portfolio before her, revealing the first white pages containing the drawings and lines I had conceived during that long darkness. Every single detail was inspired by Cedric’s dark, dominant, and sadistic presence that I had lived through with him.

Sophia reached out and pulled the portfolio toward her slowly, starting to leaf through the drawings with sharp precision and intense care, turning one page after another. In those moments, a deadly, terrifying silence reigned over the room a silence so intense that I could hear the rustle of her fingers touching the paper and turning pages, along with my cursed heartbeat drumming violently against my chest like war drums. I monitored her facial expressions and the movement of her eyes with extreme accuracy, eagerly searching for any sign indicating her opinion: a raised eyebrow, a tightening of the lips, or even a look of boredom.

Suddenly, Sophia’s fingers stopped moving, her eyes freezing on a specific design. It was a mesmerizing black gothic dress, integrated with a tight leather corset and sharp, bold, harsh lines that clearly expressed possession, dominance, and hidden lust. She narrowed her eyes behind her glasses, leaning her body closer to the drawing, examining the details of the shading, the cuts, and the fluidity of the lines with high focus for several minutes.

Sophia finally lifted her head and looked at me with a completely different expression, one from which the harshness had vanished, leaving room for genuine awe and admiration she couldn’t hide behind her formal mask. The edge in her voice softened as she asked in a curious tone: "These lines... and this dark, bold, and powerful spirit in the design... where did you draw your inspiration from, Stephanie? This isn’t just fashion; it carries an aura of terrifying possession and authority, yet at the same time, it is alluring, highly attractive, and captivates the eye."

I swallowed with difficulty, feeling a faint heat touch the skin of my face and rise to my cheeks as I recalled last night in all its passionate details the authority of Cedric and Alex surrounding me from every side, igniting every inch of my being. I spoke in a low voice that carried a mysterious, enchanting undertone: "I drew it from real, conflicting emotions that I lived through... and I turned them into something tangible on paper."

Sophia stared at my face for long, silent seconds, as if trying to pierce through my features and read my deeply buried secrets.

Then, she leaned back, saying in a calculating tone: "But I see in your résumé that you have never worked in any fashion house or company before. This means you completely lack professional experience in this complex field."

I squared my shoulders and said in a firm tone: "That is true, but I will do everything in my power, and I am entirely ready to learn and develop my skills with extreme speed, Mrs. Sophia."

Sophia closed the portfolio suddenly with a light slap of her palm that echoed through the quiet office, speaking in a decisive, final tone: "Your designs are more than stunning, Stephanie. They possess a unique, raw, and sophisticated sense, which is exactly what our new production line desperately needs during this period. The talent here is naturally gifted, and I cannot deny or ignore this creativity."

Before I could let out the sigh of relief I had been holding in, and before my joy at the initial acceptance could fully form, Sophia suddenly turned toward the large glass door of the office, which was covered by a thin silk curtain. Her features shifted to become more serious.

Through the glass, I saw the broad shadow of a tall man standing there with absolute firmness.

Sophia rose from her seat with deep poise and immense respect, saying in a lowered voice: "It seems the ultimate decision-maker and the first voice in this company has arrived to see to the matter himself."

I turned my body slowly toward the door, and at that exact moment, the blood in my veins completely froze, my heart dropped into my stomach, and my body turned into a sheet of ice. The glass door swung open, and in walked the man in the elegant red suit and the piercing, hawk-like blue eyes... the very same man who had been with me in the elevator just a moments ago, the one at whose feet that shameful toy had rolled to a stop!

He stepped into the office with an imposing, confident, and dominant stride that imposed its majesty on the place. He looked directly at me, his eyes gleaming with intense mischief and a provocative challenge that made me want to vanish into thin air.

Meanwhile, Sophia bowed her head slightly and whispered with utmost politeness: "Welcome, Mr. Vincetti. We were just speaking about the stunning and unique designs of Ms. Stephanie Miller."