Breach of Boundaries

The upscale city plaza was bustling with people, high-end shops lining the streets, their warm lights spilling out onto the sidewalk. Leo strode through the crowd, his usual powerful aura drawing a few admiring glances. He was with a business associate, who had also brought along a friend—an elegant woman who was attempting to engage him in casual conversation, though Leo's thoughts were distant, his responses curt.

It had been a few weeks since Maria left, and despite his attempts to drown her memory, he found her absence strangely unsettling. Every corner of his office, every passing glance at his now-silent phone, reminded him of her. He had almost gotten used to the idea that he might never see her again—that she had truly disappeared.

But as he glanced up, his gaze locked onto someone coming toward him from the opposite side of the plaza, and his heart slammed into his chest.

Maria.

She was laughing, her face lit up, eyes sparkling with a happiness he hadn't seen before. And beside her was a man, laughing and smiling as they walked. Leo felt a wave of something dark and unfamiliar roil through him, a feeling he hadn't felt in a while, a possessive anger he could hardly suppress.

Before he could process his actions, he found himself stepping forward, abandoning his companions without a word. In a matter of seconds, he was in front of Maria, his gaze cold, expression unreadable. Her laughter faded, and her eyes widened in shock.

"Mr. Damarias?" she managed, but he didn't respond. Instead, his hand shot out, gripping her wrist firmly.

The man beside her bristled, stepping forward. "Hey, what do you think you're—"

Leo's glare cut him off, his voice ice-cold. "Stay out of this."

Without giving Maria a chance to object or explain, he turned, pulling her behind him, his grip unrelenting. She protested, stumbling slightly as he led her through the crowd toward his car parked just down the street.

"Leo, what are you doing?" she hissed, trying to pull her arm free. "Let me go!"

But he didn't respond, his jaw clenched, his eyes fixed ahead. When they reached his car, he opened the passenger door and practically pushed her inside before she could object again. She tried to get out, but he leaned over, shutting the door and locking it before getting in on his side.

For a moment, the car was filled with silence, tension thickening the air between them. Maria's gaze was a mixture of shock and anger, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to find her voice.

"What on earth do you think you're doing, Leonard Damarias?" she demanded, her tone sharp.

He looked at her, his expression stormy, jaw set. "I should be asking you the same thing," he replied, voice low and laced with something raw. "You just disappeared. No words, no explanations. And now, here you are, acting like none of it mattered."

She stared at him, bewildered. "None of what mattered? Oh you mean the way you behaved? The way you crossed every line I'd set? I left for a reason, Leonard. And I had no obligation to explain myself to you after what you did." His name burned on her tongue.

He exhaled, a flicker of regret crossing his face, though it was quickly masked by frustration. "And who was that man, Maria?" he demanded, ignoring her words. "Your boyfriend? Is that why you left?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she scoffed, disbelief washing over her face. "This isn't about him. That man is a friend—nothing more." She looked away, gripping the edge of her seat. "And even if he wasn't, you'd have no right to demand answers from me."

Her words hit him like a slap. He gripped the steering wheel, the reality of his actions slowly sinking in. But the thought of her moving on, of her finding someone who hadn't betrayed her, who hadn't made the mistakes he had—it was almost too much to bear.

"Why did you leave without telling me?" he asked, his voice softer, the anger giving way to something that resembled shame.

"Um WHAT. Do you have short-term memory loss or something? Leo you crossed every boundary I set. You lied about who you were. You weren't some understanding boss I found a friend in. No you were exactly the man you showed me that day. You, Leonard Damarias, you sexually harassed me. In front of a room filled with naked women. You sexually assaulted me", she said raising her voice. "That is why I left", she finished.

For a moment, everything was silent.

She looked back at him, her expression softening slightly, though a hardness remained in her eyes. "Leo, I don't know why you did that but you can't control everything. And you can't control me. What happened between us—whatever friendship I thought there was—it's over. I won't compromise my values or my dignity, not for anyone."

Her words lingered in the air, sharp and unyielding. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, the weight of her rejection sinking in. There was no argument, no excuse he could offer that would erase what he'd done.

For a moment, she looked at him, her expression softening just enough to reveal a hint of sadness. "I thought I saw something in you past your reputation that I respected. But you showed me a side I couldn't ignore."

The silence between them felt like a chasm, both of them acutely aware of what had been lost. She reached for the door handle, her movements slow and deliberate.

"Goodbye, Mr. Damarias," she said, her tone final.

And with that, she stepped out of the car, leaving him sitting alone in the silence, a sense of loss settling over him as he watched her walk away, knowing he'd lost her for good.