Page 12 of Claim Me
I turn away from the glass and walk toward my desk. My life flows through this absolutely sterile space, this minimalist office full of cold surfaces.
With a touch of my finger, I activate a hidden compartment that slides open, revealing my laptop. I sit down and begin replying to emails, scheduling meetings, analyzing reports…
I start answering the first email.
But my hands suddenly freeze. In a single paragraph alone, autocorrect changed the same wordstwice. Instead of load and loss, I see something silly there.
I never use autocorrect, but there was some software update yesterday, and apparently it turned itself on by default.
My lips tighten because the word sitting there sparks an unreasoned irritation inside me.
Current projections remain stable, although the system predicts a temporary increase in operationalloveacross the eastern sector if shipping costs continue rising. I also want the analytics department to double-check the latest retention reports, since even minor fluctuations could significantly increase our projectedlovemargins next quarter…
What is this supposed to be, a stupid joke from some computer gremlin?
For a brief second, a tiny crack appears in my airtight armor.
A faint shiver runs down my spine, like some longing is knocking against my subconscious, something Ikilledinside myself years ago. With a quick motion, I correct both words, then reread the paragraph carefully just to make sure Ikilledit for good.
There’s no place for silliness in the life of a corporation CEO.
But then, against my own will, a strange flash crosses my mind.
I see my hand intertwined with another man’s, and I catch the faint scent of apples mixed with sweetness, something like a fresh apple pie pulled straight from a warm oven, warm colors all around.
Green apples and sweet pastry…
Then the vision fades. The world returns to black, white, and gray.
Only the laptop screen faintly glows, filled with emails waiting for my replies.
GABRIEL
So yeah… I throw the fight.
Eliano Ferro has to be shocked that I basically handed him the win after going undefeated in my division for quite some time, but at this point I don’t even care anymore. The money hits my account, I check it the second it’s over, then slip out through the back corridor.
Unfortunately, the second I try to disappear into the shadows, a hand lands on my shoulder. I turn around and find myself face-to-face with Ennio Ferro. Ennio’s the cousin of the fighter I just beat, and also kinda his manager.
"What happened out there, Gabriel? Only a blind man wouldn’t notice you threw that fight. Eliano gave you a thousand openings for a knockout, and you didn’t take a single one."
Ennio’s black eyes stay locked on me, obviously trying to figure out what my angle was.
"Don’t know what you’re talking about. Just had an off day."
"Bullshit."
I squeeze my eyes shut for a second as that crushing feeling closes in again, the sense that my life’s completely slipped out of my hands and I’m trapped inside a runaway train speeding straight toward a cliff.
"Fine. I’m done with all of this anyway, so none of it matters anymore. Yeah, if you really wanna know, I threw the fight."
Ennio tilts his head slightly, his eyes somehow looking even darker than before.
"Rocco?"
I let out an irritated breath.
"Who else? You, Ferros, care about keeping your family on top, don’t you? But whatever. I’m not coming back here again. Eliano can enjoy his shot at the title in our division."
