4- Angelical estructures
Hours later, I found myself in the office of my boss, the sexy pianist and Italian CEO Ignacio Salvatorri.
It's the band My Chemical Romance, they're a great rock band. I think if we bring them to the Royal Albert Hall in London and combine it with a good opera, we could organize a great event with millions – I tell Ignacio while showing him photographs of the Royal Albert Hall and showing him the plans for the proposal and the event I want to create.
Wow, you have the mind of a businesswoman, and you also have a good ear for music – Ignacio says. In that moment, my heart races as I feel his body so close to mine. We look at each other for a moment, in silence, while sitting next to each other, facing his computer in his office. Completely alone, my heart beats fast.
Do you really believe that? – I ask him.
In the business world, there's tough competition.
The fall of Lucifer – I murmur.
What do you mean by the fall of Lucifer? – Ignacio asks me.
In the metaphysical world, there's something called the fall of Lucifer. It's very similar to the jealousy artists feel when they're not recognized. We work from the heart, the magic, our inner child. In the world of business and finance, maybe there's a feeling that they're never in the future, that they always have things to learn.
Yes, scientists are like scientists, never satisfied, always wanting more.
I understand that. In art, on this side of artistic production, there's also jealousy. It's what we call the fall of Lucifer – I explain. Ignacio smiles candidly at me and there's something in his eyes that shines fiercely, which scares me.
There's jealousy, envy, a lot of comparison – I tell him.
There is, but don't pay attention to those comments. Your creative gifts are unique and specific, Anais, you're a wonderful woman. It was time for you to break free from the prison your father had you in.
My father is overprotective, but I know I have a lot to contribute – I firmly tell him.
I have no doubt about that – Ignacio says in a soft voice, and at that moment he tilts his face slightly towards me. At that moment, someone knocks on the door, and Ignacio tells them to come in. I move away in the swivel chair a bit from him. I take a deep breath, look up, and to my surprise, my father enters through the door.
He looks at me with energy, and then stares at Ignacio and smiles. My father reflects energy and respect in every step he takes.
He always makes his way through the business world, never fails, all businesses succeed and nothing can stop him. The only battle my father has lost is the one in his marriage, and I knew that even though he was with another woman, losing my mother hurt him deep down in his heart.
His shoes, shiny and new, dazzle under the office lights, and dad walks on the red velvet carpet. I move to the side of the swivel chair and stand up.
Hello, father – He bends down towards me, as he is much taller, and kisses me on both cheeks. "I'm glad to find you working, and I'm glad you have Ignacio to supervise your work," my father says. I smile. Ignacio stands up from his chair and shakes his hand. "Collins wants to show you this market proposal," he says, showing my father the work of My Chemical Romance and the Royal Albert Hall theater that we were looking at minutes before. "I love the idea, we could even hire the Italian ballet. Oh Ignacio, you're definitely the best marketing manager this company has had," my father says. "Actually, your daughter Anais came up with the creative idea," Ignacio says. "But what are you saying? Anais may have suggested a band, but the Royal Albert Hall and a ballet company, it will be a great campaign. You are the mastermind of this company," my father says. I look at him perplexed, and Ignacio and I exchange an awkward glance. I remember that I have the energy of an empowered woman and that I am capable of creating great ideas and bringing them to life, like this proposal in the Italian theater, and I feel deeply hurt by my father.
That's absurd, father, not all great ideas have to come from a male mind. I am also capable of creating great proposals.
Of course you are, my dear, you are very talented, but remember that humility is the first step to success.
Be more humble and be grateful that Ignacio allows you to work in this wing of the company to support the campaign.
Support?
No, father, not just support. As Ignacio just said, or Mr. Salvatorre, I was the one who came up with the idea – I say firmly. My father looks at me with a confused air, and I notice that he furrows his brow over his green eyes, then he smiles at me and lightly addresses Ignacio. "Anyway, I congratulate you on this proposal, Ignacio. We will make the sale for a ballet campaign and hire the band My Chemical Romance. Congratulations, Ignacio," my father says and gives him a strong hug. I felt like the neglected eldest daughter, that more than half of the wealth my father had acquired with his technology company had been handed over to a new wealthy CEO. I smiled amusedly without saying anything, I knew Ignacio Salvatorri had won this battle. I didn't care if I lost my dreams and cried and fought, and I wouldn't give my dad another penny.
For a split second, which felt like an eternity, I felt a sense of betrayal from the man who was slowly winning my heart. Ignacio shakes my father's hand, and like soulmates, they smile at each other and exchange a pat on the back.
At that moment, I stand up from the chair, furious, and leave the office. I can barely contain my tears. I walk on my high heels and my blonde, wavy hair moves with my frantic steps. I enter my office and grab my Louis Vuitton bag, running towards the elevator, ready to leave. But at that moment, Ignacio runs towards me and enters the elevator.
He looks at me with furious eyes, burning with love.
I fear that he might discover how my eyes perceive him, what I feel when I look into his eyes. I see him as a beautiful, fiery treasure that warms my heart. But now I understand that Ignacio is just another acquisition for my father, like his companies or his bank accounts filled with many zeros, and like any acquisition of my father, I feel completely alienated from him. In my father's eyes, I'm never good enough to have what he has. How could I have Ignacio now that I know the value he holds in my father's life, in his business world? I sigh. And I press the elevator button to close the doors. I avert my gaze and inwardly pray to contain the tears, so that this will be the last image he has of me, seeing me standing strong, if only he remembers me as beautiful.
"I quit. You can keep the position, keep the campaign, I don't care," I say with a broken voice.
"Anais, I told him it was your idea, you heard me," Ignacio pleads.
A tear falls down my cheek.
"My father thinks I can't be as good as him, just because I'm a woman. I wish I were a man."
"Don't say that, God, I thank God that you're a woman," he replies, and at that moment, he takes my face and wipes away a tear running down my cheeks. He enters the elevator just in time, and the doors close behind him.
I look at him intently, unable to hold back, I lean upwards and kiss him.
"Anais, I'll tell everyone that the credit is yours, but don't leave, don't leave me without your angelic structures."
"You have the plans on your desk in your office."
"No, I'm not talking about those plans, I'm talking about your structures," he says, and with one hand, he caresses my waist and with the other, he gently slides up my legs. "I'm talking about your angelic structures, your angelic skin." He murmurs, and his voice gets lost between our lips.