“No.”
The refusal escaped sharper than intended.
“I do not wish to work that closely with you.” My grip tightened around my cane. “And I reject the offer.”
Silence.
The pen stopped moving.
The sudden absence of sound felt catastrophic.
When he spoke again, his voice was softer.
“It appears,” he said slowly, “that you are under the impression I am a man one refuses.”
A chill crawled down my spine.
“I do not hear the word ‘no’ often, Miss Loretta. Individuals far more powerful than you have learned not to test me with it.”
He rose from his chair then, the sound controlled and unhurried.
“I take what belongs to me,” he continued, each syllable carrying quiet aristocratic authority. “Positions. Territories. Loyalty.”
A faint pause. “People.”
My pulse stumbled.
“And once I decide on something...” His voice lowered slightly behind me now, close enough to make my stomach tighten again. “I do not relinquish it simply because it became frightened.”
How exactly did he expect this arrangement to function?
A blind woman... serving as personal assistant to a man like Rafael Pérez.
A man who did not merely oversee a corporation, but commanded entire networks of power.
Men like him did not walk into rooms—they owned them. Bent them to their will without ever raising their voices.
And somehow, he expected me to stand at the center of that world beside him.
“What exactly do you expect from me?” I asked, my voice quieter now, trying to contain the storm building inside my chest. “You’re asking a blind woman to step into a role built almost entirely on sight.”
I let out a slow breath, steadying myself before continuing.
“I’ve heard what your schedule looks like. Meetings stacked back to back. Documents that need immediate review. Constant travel. Real-time decisions.”
My fingers tightened slightly over my cane.
“I can’t read printed contracts. I can’t scan visual reports. I can’t anticipate what’s placed in front of you unless it’s described to me first.”
A small pause.
Then, more directly—
“Why me?”
The question came out sharper this time.
“Of all the capable staff in this building...” I tilted my head slightly in the direction of his voice, grounding myself in his position across the room. “Why choose the blind intern?”
