Andrea’s POV I had to leave Adrian with Kristina at home the next morning. Zayden was restless to attend school, and I dropped him at his pre-kindergarten on my way to work. With everything within walking distance from my home and office, it was quite convenient to keep track in between work. At the office, I was relieved to see we still had the project with us. Maybe Zion hadn’t got a whiff of it yet. I worked on the design all morning and by lunchtime I could complete the first draft and arrange for a client meeting. It pleased me immensely that I hadn’t given in to Zion’s pressure. Roberta came into the office with a pleased look on her face. “Andrea, there’s good news. We’ve bagged a renovation project for celebrity chef, Rick Salisbury’s restaurant, Rick’s Delights! This will make us famous!” My jaws dropped with surprise. Why would such a famous person want to work with me? “Oh, how did you get it?” “They called us, Andrea! Do you remember the last villa renovation project
Andrea’s POV “Never! Stop stalking me, Zion.” I stormed into the elevator, furious at his question. What did he think me to be? I wasn’t a weakling to give in to his manipulation. I could fend for myself and fight it out.He followed me into the elevator, making me even more furious. “I won’t stop until you give in. So, why waste time?” I sucked in a deep breath to stay calm. “You’re wasting your time pursuing me. I’m not interested in you. Get out and stay out of my life.” The elevator stopped at my floor and I marched out. To my immense annoyance, he still followed me. “I see. So, who are you interested in now?” He grabbed my arm to stop me. I turned around to face him for the last time. This was getting too complicated now. I hadn’t expected him to pursue me to this level. Why was he doing it? Didn’t he have any important work to do?“No one! Can you leave me alone, Zion? I’m tired of this. The more you pressurize me, the more I’ll run from you. I am married to my business and
Zion’s POV I drove over to the headquarters of the Concorde Group to attend the annual board meeting. It was something I couldn’t ignore, although I dreaded meeting Delia. She would definitely try to convince me to take over the reins of the business once again but as her puppet. Only she didn’t realize that I would never be her puppet. I would take over as CEO again only if she signed 20% more shares over to me. With a majority of the company shares in my name, I would have a clear advantage over her. For the last four days, my life has been a roller-coaster ride with no time for anything. After the massive disappointment on Saturday when Andrea skipped the get-together because of me, I realized my mistake. Her words echoed in my head all the time. I realized Andrea had rejected me! She had moved on from me! There was no place for me in her life! The realization hurt me a lot, and I spent the entire night seeking solace in my bottle of Jack Daniels. The next morning, I noticed t
Zion’s POV “If I die, I won’t let you live either!” I opened the door and walked in, leaving Delia seething outside. What did she think? Would I let her get away with what was rightfully mine? I smiled at all my employees, who were slogging hard to get the conference room ready for us. “Sir, do you need anything else?” asked my events manager, Genevieve Chloros, who had joined us eighteen months ago. Although I had a very brief association with her before stepping down as CEO, I was surprised to see her still sticking here. Delia hated the woman at first sight, and I was sure she would soon replace her. I inspected everything and gave her an appreciative nod when Delia stormed into the room. “Where are the name tags? I asked you to reserve specific seats for the board members. Why hasn’t it been done, Ms. Chloros?” She fumbled and looked completely at a loss. “I wasn’t aware, ma’am. I’ll do it right away.” The door opened and a few of the board members walked in before Genevieve
Andrea’s POVSix Months Later “Roberta, ask Mr. Johnson to meet me right away. I want him to email me the month’s updated accounts.” Dean Johnson was my finance manager who has been working with Ratio for the last four months. Ever since Zion returned my projects and disappeared from my life, sales had picked up and I was neck-deep at work. Yet not a moment passed by when I didn’t think about Zion. What would he be doing? How did he forget his wish to have me move in with him? The Zion I knew never gave up if he wanted something truly. Then how did he give up on me? “Sure, Andrea!” She walked out and after three minutes, Mr. Johnson came in. I had no time to ponder over what could have been and concentrated on the figures instead. “Ma’am, last month’s figures have broken all records. It’s been the best so far.” I nodded, but I frowned at the half payments received from a few incomplete projects. The work pressure was so much, that I had to build a design team to help me. Currently,
Andrea’s POV It was almost 10 o’clock when I wrapped my work at the office. I facepalmed when I realized I had forgotten to send Zayden and Adrian’s belongings to Cromwell Mansion. Now they all would be furious with me. It was well past their bedtime, anyway. Would they be expecting me? Maybe I could drop the stuff tomorrow morning on my way to work. I drove, wondering whether to go to Cromwell Mansion and face everyone’s disappointment in me or to go home and sleep. The latter sounded a better option, and I drove home. Maybe one night I could just relax and catch up on some sleep. Parking my car, I went up the elevator to my apartment, but a nagging sense of guilt crept into my heart. I should have picked up the twins from Grandpa’s house instead of dumping all my responsibilities on them. Maybe I should make it up to Danielle this weekend by inviting them to dinner at my place. I groaned at the thought of preparing dinner. Grandpa insisted on having home-cooked meals instead of
Andrea’s POV The next morning, I didn’t get a moment to think about Zion. It was a weekday, and I hadn’t packed the children’s stuff last night. It took me almost thirty minutes to do so. Afterward, I got ready for work, loaded the stuff into my car, and drove over to Cromwell Mansion. It was just seven in the morning and I could get the twins ready for school on time. The door opened, and Kathy smiled at me. “The twins just woke up. You’re in time.” “Great! I got late last night. So I brought their stuff now.” “That’s okay. Let’s get them ready.” I was glad of the help since I was used to doing it all by myself. With Kathy’s help, Zayden and Adrian were ready before Zane. “Your dress is totally ruined, Andy. How will you go to work wearing this?” asked Danielle with concern as we sat down to grab a quick breakfast. It was a luxury for me since most of the days I didn’t get the time to have my breakfast. Kristina arrived after we left and stayed over late. “I’ll manage.” In my h
Zion’s POV Yes, I felt jealous of Knox’s children. Andrea left her work and took out time for them, dropped them home, and even kissed them. Whereas she behaved like a stranger to me, not willing to listen to my side of the story. I watched her read the message I sent her, roll her eyes, give me a haughty look, and drive away! What the hell! I didn’t want to stalk her anymore. What was the use? She wouldn’t get out of her car and confront me. The Andrea I knew would have gotten worked up and faced me, demanding an explanation for stalking her. I have known her for so long, but never had I seen this cold side of her nature. From where did she acquire so much patience? I was running out of mine. My phone buzzed with an incoming call from Maddox. I knew why he was calling me. They were meeting at Escapades tonight to celebrate Christian’s birthday! Christian St. James was our close friend who married the girl he loved for years, Skylar Carnell. He was one lucky guy! I accepted the c
Andrea’s POV There was excitement in the air as we drove down to Zion’s beachside villa in the Athenian Riviera. The twins and their pups couldn’t contain their exuberance. The prospect of meeting Zane and Angel after so long excited them beyond words. My pregnancy hormones had settled down and, apart from a little fatigue, I had no other symptoms of the first trimester. Zion took good care of me and employed lots of help to organize our dream wedding. Despite the short notice, I wasn’t stressed at all. Our event coordinator, Ms. Pappas, was extremely efficient and handled everything well. My wedding dress was perfect, just the way I wanted, and so was the decor. Despite my hectic work schedule, she completed every task effortlessly. Ever since she took over, even Zion could relax a lot. “Mom, when will Zane and Angel come over? Tomorrow?” asked Adrian hopefully. “No, after two days.” “Why can’t they come tomorrow? We’ll be bored,” said Zayden. “There’s so much to do, you won’t
Andrea’s POV The next morning, Zion took me to the gynecologist for a proper checkup. We found out I was two months pregnant! “How can that be possible when I felt no symptoms of pregnancy?” “Sometimes the only symptom is the missed monthly cycle. Since you have an irregular cycle, you might not have realized it. There might be subtle signs that you didn’t notice.” I nodded, agreeing with the doctor. “Yes, I had been a little preoccupied with work!” “It’s quite normal not to have symptoms. Don’t worry, the fetus is growing well. Follow the diet chart and folic acid supplements and you’ll be fine.” Zion released a sigh of relief and insisted I took the day off. With the twins at school and Zion at work, I was bored all morning. A call from Grandpa Vincent brought a smile to my lips. “So, how is everything going?” I smiled, knowing what he wanted to know. He wanted to know when we were planning our wedding! “Everything is fabulous here, Grandpa. The twins have settled down at s
Andrea’s POV The music slowed to a romantic number, and the twins walked away to watch a lighthouse near the coast. I wrapped my arms around Zion’s shoulders and swayed to the music. The temperatures had dipped after sunset, but the heat radiating from his body kept me warm. “This is what I wanted!” he whispered, planting a kiss on my neck as we caught a moment with one another. We were the only couple dancing on the deck. Anacá escaped Eros the moment the romantic music started. Although I was curious about what was going on between them, I kept mum. “This is the best part of the day!” I admitted, resting my head on his shoulders. His arm around me drew me closer, and it felt like bliss. The mesmerizing location, the gentle movement of the yacht as it cut across the bay, surging ahead, the moonlight above and the sparkling lights all around heightened my emotions. The day’s exhaustion diminished a little, and I felt better. “No, the best part is yet to come!” I looked up to see
Zion’s POV The entire week, I was busy planning our getaway to the Schinias Bay area on the eastern shores of Athens. I had been there almost twenty-five years ago when my mom was alive. The place was secluded then, but Eros informed me about the development of snorkeling activities around Nea Makri and the hidden bays of the Marathon Cape Area. He wanted to accompany us with Anacá, and Andrea willingly agreed. I didn’t mind too, as he was more knowledgeable than I was. “Are we going to the beach with Blaze, Chase, and their mom?” gasped Zayden in disbelief. Anacá’s pet golden retriever, Lucy, their mom, would obviously accompany us too since she never went out without her pet. “Yes, Uncle Eros and Aunt Anacá will accompany us also!” I added, making them grin. “I love the plan. You’re the coolest dad!” said Adrian. “I’m glad, buddy! Now help your mom pack up!” They rushed to the kitchen to force Andrea to pack while I smiled at their enthusiasm.Despite living in LA, it was surpr
Andrea’s POV Zion helped to expedite the shifting of Ratio Architects to Athens in twenty days. With his experience, the move happened so smoothly; I was impressed. “Mr. Lazarus will educate you about the work permits and visa process. I’ll see you at lunch.” I smiled, but couldn’t thank him for his efforts in front of his lawyer. After Zion left, I was extremely busy with the visa process. Afterward, I had a meeting with Mr. Aetos, the GM of ZC Architects, followed by a meeting with Mr. Barlos, the GM of Conrad. With both companies doing well, I was still considering a merger for ease of operation. I would have to consult Zion before making a final decision. My new PA, Cora Adamis, was an intern and fumbled with the work. As such, I missed my efficient PA, Roberta, back in LA. It was just a matter of a month. She would be here to handle my schedule like before. I couldn’t wait to connect with my old team of Ratio! We had grown into a family! Cora came in and handed me the folder
Andrea’s POV The next morning, I was in the brightest of spirits, eager to go to the twins’ school and then to the office. The twins were more excited than I was at the prospect of being alone at home. With their charm, they had Jenna and Melinda dancing to their tunes in such a brief span of time. Their pets were no less, and I panicked at the thought of the mayhem the quartet would create at home. “Don’t worry about them. It’s just a matter of a few days. When their school starts, they would need to leave with us.” I nodded, and we soon left. Zion’s eyes swept over the entire length of me and I blushed at his lust-filled scrutiny. I was still getting adjusted to this horny side of his nature that he had effectively kept hidden from me for so long. How? I had no idea!“Did you have to wear that skirt? I’m getting an erection just at the sight of you!” he chuckled as he drove on. I rolled my eyes at him, glancing down to check the bulge growing at an alarming rate. “Tomorrow onwar
Andrea’s POV I tucked the twins into bed and walked out of the room, only to find Blaze and Chase following me out as well. “Where do you think you’re going? It’s sleepy time for you too. Go, sleep!” They trotted off to their cots, disappointed that their playtime was over.At last, I heaved a sigh of relief and walked over to our bedroom, where Zion had been waiting for me for over an hour. Surely, he would be annoyed with me. I wondered what he had planned for us! I couldn’t wait to see. The moment I walked into the bedroom, Zion grunted with frustration. “I thought you were planning to sleep with Blaze and Chase tonight!” I chuckled as I closed the door. “They were planning to follow me here. I swear these pups have more energy than the twins.” I turned around and gasped to see him right in front of me. He picked my hand up and led me towards the coffee table in one corner. How had I not seen it before?It was decorated with heart-shaped balloons and a white drape over which lay
Andrea’s POV We walked hand in hand into the cozy café at the clubhouse. With the twins eager to start practice immediately after enrolment, we were free to enjoy ourselves. He led me to a corner seat, and we poured over the menu card, excited to be on an outing together. It wasn’t an outing in the actual sense of the term, but for me, it was like a surprise date with the man I loved. “What do you want to have?” I asked, only to find him gazing at me instead of the menu card. “You.” I blushed yet rolled my eyes. “I’m not available right now. Choose between coffee or drinks.” He groaned as if he didn’t know it already. “Shall we have a coffee date, then?” My heart skipped a beat on hearing something I was dying for. Yes, for the last seventeen years, I had been dying to go on a date with him. This time, as his fiancée, when I had started dreaming of a life together with him, he was abducted. “Are you sure? I don’t know if you want a date with me. You have always left me hanging!
Zion’s POV The water cascaded down our naked bodies as we stood wrapped up in each other’s arms under the shower. This was a dream I had been wanting to fulfill since the day I met her! I hadn’t expected it to be fulfilled after seventeen years when I had almost given up hope! My hands roamed freely on her delicate skin, feeling her curves. “Mine!” I whispered hoarsely as I trailed my mouth to her neck, her throat, and down to her breasts. My fingers inched towards her slick pu*sy and plunged in. “Oh! Zion, please!” She begged me to please her, but the pain in my leg disturbed me. I couldn’t do justice to my dreams in this position. “Let’s continue in the bathtub! It’s more comfortable!” She groaned when I released her, leading her toward the bathtub. I felt a little disappointed that I couldn’t please her the way I wanted to. “Are you in pain, Zion?” She turned to glance at my injury as she filled the tub. I wondered how she knew. “A little. It’ll be fine once we’re in the tub