The Forgotten Sister - 45 | My work - Wattpad

The Forgotten Sister

by YourTemptationx

The Forgotten Sister

I fell in love with Dante Moretti, never knowing he was once engaged to my older sister, Celeste Hart.
It was the kind of secret that changed everything.

Lia's POV
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The next morning, I walked into the office carrying the same feeling I'd gone to sleep with.
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Nothing felt normal anymore.
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Dante had arranged for two of his guards to stay with me, both dressed casually so they wouldn't attract attention. They stood at the end of the hallway outside my office, silent but watchful.
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I sat at my desk, staring at my computer while trying to lose myself in work but my focus was gone, my mind somewhere else entirely.
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Suddenly the receptionist stepped into my office as the tension on her face immediately told me something was fucking wrong.
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"Lia? The boss wants to see you in his office right away," she said, her voice dropping to a nervous whisper.
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"Sure, thank you," I nodded, keeping my voice even as I stood up.
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As I walked down the main corridor toward the executive suite, I felt the entire office change around me. The usual sounds of typing and conversations faded, replaced by an uncomfortable silence that followed me with every step.
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I could feel people watching me from their desks, their eyes lingering longer than they should have. The looks they gave me weren't subtle either. They stared like they were trying to figure out what kind of person I was like I was some kind of scandal they had been waiting to gossip about.
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The second I caught someone looking, they quickly turned away, pretending to focus on their screens while whispering to the person beside them.
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It was obvious.
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Everyone knew something.
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My stomach sank but I kept my chin high. I pushed open the door to my boss's office and walked inside.
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"Take a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair across from his grand desk.
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I sat down, crossing my legs, fully expecting him to hand me a new project or ask for an update on my current files. Instead, he leaned forward, clasping his hands together with a bitter expression.
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"Mrs. Moretti.... you have always been a smart woman," he began, his tone measured and professional. "You finish your projects ahead of schedule, your work ethic is good and you are, without a doubt, a truly great journalist. But....."
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I narrowed my eyes instantly, my defensive walls snapping right up. "But what?"
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"But I do not tolerate violence being used by my employees in the workplace or out in the public eye," he stated bluntly.
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"What violence?" I asked, genuine confusion bleeding into my tone.
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Without a word, my boss turned his laptop screen around so it faced me, pressing play on a video file.
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 The video hadn't gone fully viral yet as it only had a few thousand views.... but the headline attached to the clip was bad: A journalist from the reputable media company xxxxxxx violently pushes a woman to the ground!
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I watched the storefront footage play out as It was the exact clip Arthur had warned me about. The bad angle perfectly captured me stepping up behind Celeste in the pouring rain and shoving her full-force into the mud, making her face-plant against the pavement.
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"What happened was that she came directly to my place of work and harassed me," I explained rapidly, my voice rising panic. "She cornered me on the sidewalk, she laid her hands on me first and she literally slapped me across the face-"
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"I don't care what happened, Lia," my boss cut me off, raising a hand to silence me. "If this was your usual small city, maybe we could sweep it under the rug. But we are in New York. Our corporate rivals are already actively talking about this topic to smear us and we have already lost a noticeable number of viewers and sponsors because of it this morning."
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"But she targeted me-"
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"I get that you may have been completely innocent in the scheme of things," he cut me off a second time. "But this is my company. I inherited this legacy from my father and I refuse to let this entire company go down or lose our core audience over a public relations nightmare."
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A cold sensation settled deep into my chest. "What exactly does this mean?"
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My boss looked at me, a flash of pity crossing his features before it vanished behind a corporate mask. "You know exactly what this means.... You are fired." He pulled a set of documents from a folder. "But since this company has a strict corporate policy, you will be receiving severance pay. We're offering you eight weeks of severance and HR will provide the official agreement and explain your remaining benefits."
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I stared at him, the reality of the words crashing over me. "So..... that's it? After all my hard work?"
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"That's it," the boss said quietly.
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"Is there absolutely nothing I can do or say to change your mind?"
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He shook his head decisively. "No. I have a strict obligation to protect the company's image and the safety of the rest of the employees. I'm sorry."
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I gave a small nod, refusing to let him see the devastating crack in my composure. I stood up and walked out of his office.
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The walk back to my desk was another humiliation ritual.
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I could feel every single pair of eyes drilling into my back. The whispering was louder now, echoing through the department as people gave me disgusted and judgmental looks. I ignored them entirely, keeping my face a completely blank mask as I grabbed a cardboard box, packed up my personal belongings, my notes and my framed awards before I headed out the front doors.
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The two guards immediately fell into step behind me but I didn't even acknowledge them. The guards drove me home as I stared out the window.
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An uncontrollable anger burned through me.
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I was so furious at Celeste that it felt impossible to think clearly. She hadn't just ruined my night by getting me thrown into a jail cell but she had taken away the one thing in my life that had always been mine.
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My work.
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It wasn't some huge company or a glamorous empire but it was something I had built myself. It was proof that I could stand on my own without my parents and without their expectations.
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It was my escape and my independence.... But Celeste had taken it from me like it meant nothing.
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The second the car stopped in front of the penthouse, I got out and walked inside without slowing down.
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I walked inside the penthouse as the entire place was silent.
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I didn't bother looking around. I walked straight down the hallway toward the guest room, stepped inside and slammed the door behind me.
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The second the lock clicked, I completely broke down.
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A sob ripped from my throat and the overwhelming rage took over my entire body.
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I grabbed the cardboard box of my office supplies and hurled it across the room. Documents scattered everywhere and the glass of my framed awards shattered loudly against the floor. I didn't stop. I grabbed a vase from the nightstand and smashed it against the wall. I thrashed around the room, kicking at the furniture, screaming out in agony and frustration as I smashed my things to pieces.
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Not only had I lost the one thing I built for myself but my boss had thrown me away like I was nothing... like all those years of hard work could be replaced overnight.
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This is the consequence of your actions, Lia.
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In my blind rage, I barely noticed the sting in my palms as the broken glass cut into my skin. I was sobbing hysterically, completely losing my mind in the wreckage of the room.
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Suddenly, a pair of massive arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
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I froze for a split second before the familiar and intoxicating scent of expensive cologne and tobacco hit my senses. I knew instantly that it was Dante.
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He had obviously heard the destruction from down the hall and burst inside as he pinned my arms down against my sides, his grip hard as he realized I was actively hurting myself on the shards.
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"I got you," Dante rasped against my ear, his voice thick with emotion, his chest heaving against my back. "I've got you, gattina."
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"I DON'T WANT YOU!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice cracking in despair as I began to thrash violently in his hold. "LET ME GO!!! I HATE YOU! I DON'T WANT YOU!!!!"
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"I don't care!!!" Dante roared back, his grip tightening until it was physically impossible for me to break free. He pulled my back flush against his broad chest, anchoring me to his body. "I don't care what you want right now! I want you! And I'm not letting you go!!"
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I fought against him like an animal. I thrashed my body, throwing my weight back and violently digging my fingernails straight into the skin of his forearms. I clawed at his skin with everything I had left, ripping through the fabric of his shirt until bright red blood began to pool and track down his arms from my scratches. I slammed my elbows into his ribs, kicking blindly, doing everything in my power to hurt him, to make him release me.
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Dante didn't care.
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He didn't even flinch as he absorbed every single blow, every painful scratch and every desperate hit without an ounce of retaliation, completely unfazed by the blood dripping down his skin or the bruises forming on his body. He just held me. He kept his arms wrapped around me, absorbing my rage into his own chest.
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I fought and fought until my muscles grew entirely numb, my breath catching in broken gasps as my energy completely drained out of me, leaving me utterly exhausted.
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Finally.... I gave up.
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My arms finally gave out, hanging uselessly at my sides as my body collapsed against him.
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The anger that had been keeping me going disappeared all at once, leaving nothing but me weeping like a small child....  But even when I stopped fighting, Dante didn't let go.  He stayed right there, holding me in the middle of the mess I had made, his body marked by every hit I had landed.