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Chapter Eighteen
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2024-10-14 18:22:46Related chapters
APHRODISIA Chapter Nineteen
ZaraAs Marcello pulls up in the posh driveway, the nerves in my stomach multiply tenfold. I have been dreading this meeting for the past one week, since he informed me. It’s one thing to meet your fiance’s family for the first time but meeting your fake fiance’s family? That’s on a whole different level. The door to the main building opens and a petite, dark haired woman steps out and skips down the stairs. Judging by the strong resemblance she shares with the man in the driver’s seat, who is grinning from ear to ear, she is Marcello’s mother.Marcello opens the door and steps out and I follow suit. To my surprise, his mother walks in my direction and pulls me into a hug. Her arms around me remind me so much of my mother that I find myself tearing up. She smells homely; like rich spices. Marcello whines beside me and she detaches from me and goes to hug him. Shortly after, she’s back by my side, grabbing my hands and giving me a once over. Then, she concludes that I have in fact,
Last Updated : 2024-10-16APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty
Zara“Hi babe, I’ve missed you”“Yes babe, I’ve missed you too” he repliesI turn my head towards him so fast, I almost get whiplash. Babe? Who’s this woman anyway?My shock slowly morphs into fear. Does this mean I have been lured here to be made fun of? Did Marcello’s parents already know about our fake relationship? Does this…“ You must be Zara”I turn my attention to the new addition in the room. “ That would be me”Something about her seems familiar though, but I can’t seem to place my finger on it. I take a proper look at her and my belly churns with something unpleasant. Judging by her dress sense, she is a classy woman. She has on a green dress that does wonders for her figure. Long legs, a designer bag hanging delicately on her hand, long dark hair. A brunette, I see.“Zara?”Wait a minute…I knew she looked familiar for a reason. I raise my eyes to her face . She has quite sharp features and a smile on her face. Why is she smiling?“Zara. Mi’ja”Has she figured it all ou
Last Updated : 2024-10-18APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty One
ZaraA week has passed after the incident that night but Marcello has not called even once. No surprise there.Within the last week, the girls and I met once for dinner and I had informed them about my decision to get married to Marcello. I left out the fact that it is a contract marriage; I just didn’t know how they would take the information. Their reactions were priceless and even now, it is clear as day in my head.Valerie had stood comically, mouth agape and Emily, still in shock reached out to pinch her mouth closed. Laughter bubbles in my throat at the reminder. Then I told them about the events that went down after the dinner. That didn’t go down as well as the previous information. Although she did not overreact, I could see the silent storm brewing in Emily’s eyes. One thing about Em is that she is ever the calm girl but when she gets upset about something, she is capable of setting a forest on fire.She had calmly held my hand and looked into my eyes with all seriousness
Last Updated : 2024-10-23APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty Two
Zara Within the next hour, I walk into the premises of Paradise Group. I figured a phone call would not adequately portray the range of emotions I am currently feeling, so a physical confrontation is the best bet; for someone as thickheaded as Marcello , that is. I do not bother going to the reception, I move straight to the elevators and step in. The entire ride to the last floor, I picture different scenarios that would be most befitting to channel my anger. Maybe I should knee him in the balls…Nah, he would probably dodge that without much stress. Stupid ,annoying, athletic body. Or…Maybe I should act out a scene from a movie like those crazy protagonists; Push my way through his office, step on his work desk and give him a piece of my mind while wagging my finger in his face. The middle finger preferably… I catch myself from envisioning further torture tactics. He definitely brings out the worst in me. ... Makes me question how on earth I am going to survive four yea
Last Updated : 2024-10-23APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty Three
“ You did what?”My head buzzes with the new information. I move forward on the edge of my seat, more anxious than anything else. “ What did you tell them?”“ I still have your resumé remember? You’ve met my family, I thought it’s only fair that I meet yours as well.”“ Yeah, after you told me that they weren’t my family and not to bother getting friendly with them. What the hell is wrong with you?”He merely shrugs. Shrugs, I tell you!I can’t seem to find my bearings at the moment. A lot is going through my mind. Did he tell them about the pregnancy? I turn to him in alarm“ You didn’t tell them about the pregnancy…right?”His silence confirms my fear. Blood rushes like torrents inside my head, muting the sounds around me. I stand up on shaky legs. “ This whole thing....the contract …let’s call it off. I can’t deal with this. Clearly, you have no idea what a partner is; fake or real.”I move with guarded steps towards the entrance and he makes no move to follow me; not that I want
Last Updated : 2024-10-24APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty Four
ZaraThe doctor said I could go home today. Since I regained consciousness, I have spent an extra day here and this hospital room is beginning to suffocate me. I haven’t seen Marcello since I woke up, although my mom swears by him. A good man, my foot.I could tell my dad was not excited about the whole thing but he managed to keep things civil for me and mom’s sake. The girls also came by yesterday. I called to inform them and they were here within the hour. I hit the jackpot with those ones.Marcello’s family came by a few times. Maria came beating all kinds of food; I struggled to even eat some of them. Morning sickness is the devil. His father was especially worried, since he was there when the whole thing went down. He even promised to knock Marcello down a peg, which in my opinion, was the best thing I heard during my stay here.My bag is packed and ready to go, courtesy of my mom and Maria. Both women have been fussing over me like mother hens. Fortunately, they hit it off righ
Last Updated : 2024-11-04APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty Five
ZaraAfter my discharge from the hospital, wedding preparations began in earnest. Dad and mum stayed back in New York on the insistence of Maria and Mr. Hernandez. For the past two weeks, I have been home, thanks to the leave my boss graciously offered me. At first, I wasn’t sure how I was going to spend all those weeks but now, I’m thankful that he was thoughtful enough to bring it up.My days are spent going through wedding catalogues after the other, with both mothers breathing down my neck for wanting a small wedding. I thought I could try convincing them once again to see from my perspective — I am already showing and I do not want to attract even more attention by inviting a crowd.Of course, it fell on deaf ears. The only person who seemed to see through my lens was dad. Mr. Hernandez also assured me that he understood my concern but the Andres family was a big family in the business world; a small wedding was simply unacceptable.It is one week to the dreaded event, after whic
Last Updated : 2024-11-05APHRODISIA Chapter Twenty Six
Zara I woke up at five today. Last night’s sleep was fitful; I was too anxious to sleep. I tossed and turned before I managed to get some shut eye at about 2:00am. Two hours of sleep. I tried to force myself to go back to bed but all efforts proved abortive. So, I came down to the kitchen to get a glass of warm milk. I haven’t had caffeine in awhile and the sight of the coffee machine almost has me drooling. No, Zara ,think of your baby. I take a seat on one of the stools around the kitchen island. The last time I was here at Marcello’s parents, I didn’t have a good look at other places except the dinning and living rooms. The kitchen is made with neutral colors of black, white and grey. The most fascinating part of it all is the sink. It’s not your conventional sink, which comes in basin form. This one is made of black granite and bears the same structure with the entire island, save for the drainage at the corner. Money sure can do a lot. Someday, I would love to have a ki
Last Updated : 2024-11-05
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APHRODISIA Chapter Forty
ZaraI throw on a pair of leggings and a large t-shirt. I almost didn’t go downstairs on Marcello’s request. I mean, who’s he to boss me around? But, my grumbling stomach became a motivation. I could quickly pop into the kitchen and grab a bite. Maybe listen to what he has to say in the process. Not that it’s important anyway.I meet him sitting in his usual position at the head of the table, surrounded by an array of mouthwatering dishes. Damn, Julio has outdone himself again. I look around the kitchen to catch a sight of him but I don’t see him anywhere. “ Julio’s not in. I sent him home early”I look around the table again. If he went home early, when was he able to make all these?“ I ordered the food”I raise my brows at him. That’s surprising.“ What’s the occasion?”“ Well, Julio told me you always wanted to try Indian dishes, so I got you some.” Julio and his big mouth.I pull the seat at the other end of the table to get as far away from Marcello as possible but he stands up
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty Nine
ZaraThere’s something heavy pressing down on my belly. Does my baby already weigh so much? I try to turn on to my side but the weight would not budge. I open my eyes in panic and look down at my belly, coming face to face with a mop of dark hair. My first instinct is to scream as loud as I can. So, I scream until the head of hair raises itself.“La chingada! ¿Qué onda es todo este escádalo tan temprano?” ( fuck! What is all this noise so early in the morning?)The owner of the head rises to his full height, rubbing sleep from his eyes and then he stretches in a way that has my heart beating rapidly. He’s shirtless, in nothing but the pair of slacks he had on yesterday, slightly unbuttoned. But that’s not the part that almost has me hyperventilating.It's the very large and obvious tent in his pants that has my eyes glued to him. The tent starts moving until it is right in front of me. “ I said , my eyes are up here, Sugar”That snaps me out of it. I stare at him, willing myself to
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty Eight
MarcelloSomehow, the drinks tonight do not do much to calm the turmoil within me. In the last thirty minutes, I have nearly emptied the bottle of whiskey before me. Someone slides onto the stool beside me. It’s Mike. He drags the bottle towards himself and signals the bartender for a glass. “ I knew you’d be here”I cut him a side glance “ I never told you I was coming here. So, how did you find me”A ghost of a smile tugs at his mouth and he raises his glass to his lips and takes a sip. “ Let’s just say I have my ways”I squint at him and he chuckles. Knowing Michael, there’s something going on in his life that I do not know about. Yet. But, there's never a secret between us , so he’ll definitely tell me when he’s ready . Besides, I’m already in a shitty mood and do not need any of his lecturing at the moment.We sit in silence for a few minutes until he breaks the silence. “ Is there something going on ?”I raise my head from the glass I have been nursing and start to respond but
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty Seven
Marcello acted the perfect gentleman the entire night. He cut my steak , filled my glass and even gave me a peck on the lips outside the restaurant, after our dinner. Completely lost in the moment, I made an irredeemable mistake. What did I do ,you ask?Patience, dear reader.Marcello didn’t drive us back. He called for a driver because he had a few glasses of wine over dinner. Since someone else was driving us, Marcello and I sat in the backseat. He was still so carefree, lightly patting my thighs every now and then, even offering me small smiles. Smiles I thought were sincere . That’s why I let go of my senses for a minute and said. “ I went to the doctor’s last week, yunno”He hummed in response, his head leaned back on the headrest. I should have stopped there but no, I didn’t.“ The doctor said something funny.” I chuckled to ease some of the awkwardness that I was feeling. “ The doctor said we need to have more sex, because it will help the baby. Pfft… funny right?”But, he did
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty Six
ZaraThe realization hit me like a train wreck. The realization that I was giving away too much, reacting too much, contrary to what was in my head. As I followed Marcello to the diner two mornings ago, I made up my mind to not let him get to me and to not give away too much through my expression. But , I failed.I can’t believe I sat there pouting and crossing my arms like a petulant child. It dawned on me the minute he mentioned the contract and I realized just how ridiculous I was being. Being so unguarded before Marcello was a wrong move . I am not friends with him. He died not deserve to see my vulnerability. We are NOT friends.Today, he decided that, in a bid to keep up with our ruse to mislead the paparazzi, we should go out on a ‘ date’. A little too late for that, if you ask me. I thought the order was dating, marriage , then sex. But we did it the other way round.My phone chimes with a message notification. It is Marcello , letting me know he’s downstairs. He’s early. We d
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty Five
MarcelloBringing Brenda back home was a dick move on my part but a part of me wanted to prove that I was uninterested in the woman I currently cohabit with. It was an impulsive move, one I clearly didn’t think through. It didn’t dawn on me until I saw her standing outside my room , with hurt in her eyes. She tried to mask it but I’ve come to know the little cues about her.Then I double fucked up by my words to her . After I left her room, I stood outside her door for a while, listening for any activity from within. Minutes passed and I almost left, when I heard the unmistakable sound of crying. Zara Parkinson acts like she’s so tough every other day but she actually cried. It made me feel like a little bitch.To make matters worse, a picture of me and Brenda has been circulating the internet all day. I was working late into the night when Michael called and almost bit my head off. I managed to calm him down , to get him to help me out with PR but he only said “ You’re on your own”
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty Four
ZaraThe insistent ringing of my phone is what wakes me up . Whoever it is, better have something important to say, because right now, it feels like a tiny person is practicing rugby in my head. I reach for my phone on the nightstand, with groggy eyes. I see a number of missed calls from Valerie and Emily-Rose, even my mum.My brows furrow and something like panic registers in my subconscious. I go to call mum back but another call from Valerie comes through. I swipe immediately and Valerie’s voice filters through the receiver. “ I’ve been trying to reach you for hours now. Take your calls , damnit!” She sounds panicked. “ I was still asleep and I didn’t hear the phone ring. I went to bed late last night”The line stays quiet, just the sound of our breathing being heard. The anxiety in me spikes. “ Valerie”? I call outShe lets out a deep sigh and says “ I saw the news.”Huh?“What news?”“ The one about your dick of a husband”Now, that’s strange. Valerie may think Marcello is insu
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty three
ZaraMaria didn’t let me spend a penny. The moment I stretched my card towards the cashier, she pushed my hand away and replaced it with hers. All my protests fell on deaf ears, even when I offered to split the bill. When people spend on me without strings, it burdens me. I feel indebted to them. I’ll definitely have to bake some treats for Maria this weekend. Mr. Phillip picked us up after we were done shopping and Maria has been dropped off already. She almost invited me in for dinner but one look at my tired face, had her changing her mind. Thank God for that , because a warm bath and a good night’s rest, sounds about lovely right now.As I walk into the house, I notice that something is way off in the atmosphere. Everyone seems to be looking at me a certain way. Even Celine who has no more than two expressions, is looking at me with …pity? And Julio looks kinda nervous. StrangeThe staff all help to bring in the shopping bags and I make my way up to my room. Only, as soon as I a
APHRODISIA Chapter Thirty three
ZaraYou know the thing about people who see you wanting to be alone and go ahead to talk to you? They’re evil. That’s why I think it’s very beneficial to learn social cues and expressions while you’re at it. You see a person nose- deep in a book or doing everything to avoid eye contact? Leave them alone.This morning, after I was dressed for work , I went down for breakfast. Lo and behold, I found Marcello already on the table, sipping on coffee and working on his iPad. That or he was commissioning the execution of the person who stepped on his toes last night. You never can tell.Anyway …I sat down at the other end, far away from his overbearing self , while waiting for my breakfast to be served. I could feel his eyes on me, but I decided there and then that every other thing in the room, was more interesting than him. Of course, he didn’t get the cue, he had to go and talk to me.I think he said , “ childishness really becomes you”And you know I’m usually very quiet and put tog
