My Husband Is a Million Years Old Vampire-Chapter 44

Hearing what Valentina just said,

Maximilian hesitated, his throat dry. Valentina’s gaze was unwavering, pressing him for an answer.

He exhaled slowly, glancing away.

"She doesn’t know," he realized. "She has no idea what she’s wearing."

Again his mind flashed back to his grandfather’s stern voice, the words etched deep into his memory:

"The moment you see a woman wearing that ring, no matter who she is, no matter where she comes from—you must do everything to stay in her good graces. If you fail... everything we have built for generations will crumble in less than an hour."

The weight of that warning settled heavily on his shoulders.

Even now, he didn’t know why.

His grandfather never explained.

But one thing was certain—he wasn’t willing to test the truth behind those words.

At that moment his jaw tightened.

Valentina tilted her head slightly, watching him.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

The boss’s fists clenched at his sides.

"Because even I don’t know the answer."

He slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers.

His grandfather told him to protect the one who wears that ring. No exceptions. No explanations.

The silence in room stretched like a rubber band about to snap. Valentina’s fingers curled into her palm, her nails leaving crescent marks on her skin.

"I assure you, Mrs. Valentina, there’s nothing to be concerned about." Mr.Maximilian voice was smooth, practiced, like he’d rehearsed this conversation. He adjusted his gold cufflinks, a nervous tick she’d noticed during their previous meetings. "Edward’s behavior was... unfortunate, but I want you to understand that this isn’t how we conduct business."

Valentina watched him shuffle papers on the desk – annual reports, she noticed, all bearing Edward’s signature in bold blue ink.

"Our company policy is quite clear about client relations." He lifted his chin, meeting her gaze.

"We’re taking full responsibility for the director’s actions. Edward will face appropriate consequences."

The words felt hollow, like echoes in an empty room. Her throat tightened around unasked questions. Why had Edward’s office been cleared out before the investigation? Where were the security footage files from that day?

At that moment her phone buzzed in her pocket – probably the funeral home again, waiting for her final decisions about Mom’s remembrance service. The weight of her mother’s absence pressed against her chest, heavier than any corporate conspiracy.

Mr Maximilian’s smile never reached his eyes. "Will there be anything else, Ms. Valentina?"

Valentina rose from her chair, smoothing her skirt. The clock on the wall ticked past four – she needed to meet with the florist by five. "No," she said quietly, "that will be all."

But as she walked toward the door, his explanation rang false in her mind, like a discordant note in an otherwise perfect symphony. Something was wrong here – she could feel it in her bones. Yet time, that merciless taskmaster, was pulling her toward more pressing matters,

At that moment Beads of sweat glistened on Mr. Richardson’s forehead, catching the harsh fluorescent light. Beside him, the manager’s hands trembled as he straightened his tie for the third time in as many minutes. The fear radiating from them was almost tangible, like static electricity before a storm.

"Officers," Mr.Maximilian’s voice cracked before he cleared his throat.

"Return Ms. Martinez’s belongings. All of them. Now."

The security team moved with unprecedented speed, producing her phone, and personal items.

At that moment one officer nearly dropped her purse in his haste.

"Mrs Valentina," Mr. Richardson stepped forward, his designer shoes squeaking against the polished floor. "We deeply apologize for this... unfortunate situation."He wrung his hands, eyes darting between her and the door.

"A terrible misunderstanding, truly terrible."

The manager nodded too eagerly behind him, like a puppet on strings.

"About today’s events," Mr. Maximilian lowered his voice to barely above a whisper, "we would greatly appreciate your... discretion." He swallowed hard.

"If word got out, the implications for the company would be... substantial. Especially at this delicate time."

Valentina ran her fingers over her returned Phone, feeling the familiar scratch on its corner. The power was in her hands now – she could feel it in the way they watched her every movement, waiting.

"I’ll keep this to myself,"she said finally, watching relief flood their faces. Then she hardened her voice: "On one condition. Edward and Victoria – they stay away from me. Completely." She shouldered her purse, standing straighter.

"Do that, and I won’t push this any further."

"And if any of you dare to try something like this again," Valentina’s words sliced through the air, her voice carrying the weight of steel wrapped in silk, "I won’t be nearly as forgiving."

Immediately Mr. Maximilian’s mouth opened, likely to offer another polished excuse, when the sharp trill of her phone cut through the tension.

At that moment Valentina glanced at the screen, her brow furrowing at the string of numbers that danced across it.

Something about those digits tugged at her memory.

She pressed accept, raising the phone to her ear.

"Valentina?" A familiar voice wrapped around her name.

"It’s Raymond."

Heat crept up her neck as recognition dawned.

"Raymond," she breathed, watching Mr. Maximilian’s face drain of color at the masculine tone carrying across the space.

"Hi."

"Been thinking about you," Raymond’s voice carried a smile she could almost see. "Feels like ages since I’ve seen you around."

Shame coiled in her stomach as she wondered how he’d gotten her number, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she managed a casual, "Everything’s fine here, I will text you soon."

Then the she ended the call, she didn’t want Raymond to have any idea of what was going on.

Across the room, Mr.Maximilian had gone rigid, his complexion ashen. His eyes darted between Valentina and her phone, shoulders tensing with each word from the male voice on the other end. In his mind, he could almost see him conjuring images of an enraged husband about to storm through his carefully maintained corporate walls.

The boss’s fingers trembled slightly as Valentina tucked her phone away. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable, but he forced a tight-lipped smile, trying to compose himself. He didn’t know who Raymond truly was, and that was what terrified him the most. The legend behind the ring had been drilled into him since he was just a boy. His grandfather’s warning had been clear—whoever bore that ring held a power that should never be challenged.

Valentina turned to him one last time, her gaze sharp and unwavering.

"This should be your last warning," she said, her voice carrying a weight that made the boss swallow hard. "Make sure I never have to step foot in here for something like this again."