Chapter Two
Lisa's POV
Three years later.
Christian Moretti had been waiting six months to meet the owner of Cross Holdings.
Six months of requests, negotiations, and postponed meetings just for this one moment.
I let him wait.
The elevator doors slid open, and my heels clicked softly against the polished marble floor as I walked toward the conference room.
Inside that room sat the man who had destroyed my life.
The man who had taken everything from me.
Christian Moretti.
For a brief second, my hand tightened around the door handle.
Three years.
Three years since I had last seen him.
Three years since I had left this city with nothing but my mother's blood on my hands and revenge burning in my chest.
And now I was back.
Not as the maid he once loved.
But as the woman who could either build the Moretti empire… or destroy it completely.
And the beautiful part?
I was the only one capable of deciding which it would be.
I pushed the door open.
The room fell silent.
Every seat around the long glass table was already occupied. Executives sat patiently with files open in front of them, waiting for the mysterious owner of Cross Holdings.
None of them knew who I was.
None of them were prepared for what was about to happen.
My heels echoed softly across the floor as I stepped inside.
Christian was seated at the head of the table speaking to one of his board members when his voice suddenly stopped.
His eyes had landed on me.
And they stayed there.
For a moment he didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
His gaze slowly traveled over my body as if his mind was struggling to understand what his eyes were seeing.
Then his chair scraped loudly against the floor.
He stood up.
Abruptly.
His eyes never left my face.
He stared at me like I was a ghost.
A ghost from the past he thought had been buried three years ago.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," I said calmly, my voice smooth and composed. "My apologies for keeping you waiting."
The room remained silent.
I walked toward the center of the table where the seat reserved for the CEO was positioned.
My seat.
Christian still hadn't moved.
His eyes were locked on me like he was afraid I might disappear if he blinked.
"Lisa…?" he whispered.
Even though his voice was barely audible, I heard it clearly.
And for a brief second, something painful twisted in my chest.
But that girl died three years ago.
I placed my files neatly on the table before looking up at the stunned faces around the room.
"I believe introductions are in order," I said calmly.
Several executives exchanged confused glances.
Christian still hadn't spoken.
Still hadn't taken his eyes off me.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly."
I paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make the moment unbearable.
"My name is Lisa Romano."
A ripple of whispers moved across the table.
I looked directly at Christian as the words left my lips.
"And I'm the Chief Executive Officer of Cross Holdings."