Celine's lips parted as she licked her lower lip, her eyes meeting Cyrus's as she answered. "Just when I kissed you."His smile broadened at her response, their shared enjoyment of the evening's tension becoming palpable. Celine was acutely aware of his gaze, the intensity of it revealing his lingering feelings for her.Maybe she wasn't over him either. After all, her heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings, and she found herself drawn to him in ways she'd never experienced before.As their first date came to an end, Celine couldn't deny the gentlemanly charm of Cyrus. His grace and charisma had swept her off her feet, and she readily agreed to a second date.In bed that night, Celine's phone buzzed with a message from Cyrus. "Can't wait to see you tomorrow..." she read aloud, feeling a flutter of butterflies in her stomach."I can't wait to see you too," she typed back, a coy smile playing on her lips.Celine found herself eagerly anticipating their next rendezvous. Cyrus
The air around them crackled with electricity, as if the universe itself were anticipating their game of chance.Celine broke away from the embrace, patting Cyrus's chest as she sauntered back, smirking playfully. "You have 30 minutes and you're out of coins, remember?" she reminded him, glancing back at the teddy bear.As she turned to look at Cyrus, she saw him marching towards a group of mischievous-looking kids, a wad of bills in hand. Intrigued, she watched as he engaged in some sort of exchange, the kids' expressions shifting from confusion to delight as they handed over a bag of coins in return for the cash.Cyrus strode back to Celine, a smug grin on his face, his pockets jingling with the coins he'd acquired. He held out the bag of coins triumphantly, like a pirate displaying his stolen treasure."I've got my coins now," he said, his voice dripping with mischief. "And I'm going to win that bear in less than 30 minutes. And when I do, I'll claim my prize." His eyes twinkled wi
Celine's concern gave way to frustration as she ushered Ermanno into her apartment, shutting the door with a decisive click. "You look like a mess," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.Ermanno swayed unsteadily, his voice slurred from the alcohol. "I'm so sorry," he murmured, contrition etched across his face. "I didn't mean to hurt you."With a heavy sigh, Celine steered him towards her bedroom, gently laying him on the bed, her emotions a tangled mess.“Get some sleep.” Celine moved to leave, but Ermanno's hand shot out like a viper, snaking around her wrist and tugging her down onto the bed with surprising force."Ermanno, let me go," she protested, wriggling to free herself from his grasp. But his hold was unrelenting, his strength fueled by desperation and alcohol."No, please, let me explain myself," Ermanno begged, his eyes pleading, their depths filled with raw vulnerability.Celine's heart ached at the sight of him, this once proud, confident man reduced to a fr
Ermanno's voice cut through the silence, his gaze unwavering. "Eyes up here, princess. I'm not a piece of meat for your amusement."Celine couldn't help but smirk at his response. "Well, you could have just asked me to come, and I would have come willingly. No need to resort to kidnapping. Besides, I almost killed one of your men."Ermanno's expression was nonchalant as he rolled up his sleeves. "Then I'll bury him. A dead servant is no use to me."Celine's patience was wearing thin."Ermanno, enough games," Celine demanded, her voice sharp. "What do you want with me? Why drag me back here like this?""You're pregnant," Ermanno stated, his voice confident."Yes," Celine confirmed, her tone curt."With our child," he continued.Celine's eyes flashed with annoyance. "My child," she corrected, the words slicing through the air like a blade. "Last time I checked, it takes two to tango. You didn't impregnate yourself."She crossed her arms over her chest, impatience radiating from her ever
~In the dim light of the room, Cyrus gazed at Celine's slumbering form, his heart filled with both tenderness and concern. She had been sleeping fitfully for the past ten hours, shivering from what seemed like a fever.Gently, he cupped her face, feeling her soft skin against his hand. Just as he was about to speak, Celine sneezed, jolting her awake. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light as she yawned and stretched."Good morning, princess," Cyrus whispered, his voice soft and soothing."It’s a new day Already?" Celine's voice was hoarse as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Cyrus smiled reassuringly, offering her a glass of water."It's past twelve," he said, watching her as she gulped the refreshing liquid, her parched throat slowly easing. "You've been asleep for a few hours."Celine's gaze swept across the room, taking in the subtle details that told her she was indeed in Cyrus' house. "Thanks for taking me here," she murmured, finally acknowledging her location.
Ermanno growled, turning his ire towards his guards. "Get out!" he shouted, his voice reverberating off the walls. The men scattered, leaving Ermanno alone with his simmering rage."Back from your honeymoon, I see," he gritted out, a forced smile stretching his lips.Oliver raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'm gone for a few weeks and you've already lost your mind over her."Ermanno raked his hands through his hair, his frustration boiling over. "She's pregnant, with my child," he growled.Oliver's shock was palpable, his eyes wide with surprise. "Wow, even me, newly married, haven't gotten my wife pregnant yet. Congratulations!" he teased,Ermanno shook his head, his expression pained. "She doesn’t want me around her or the baby. She doesn’t want me at all," he whispered, his voice a mixture of desperation and defeat."She won’t want you around if you keep going hard on her, Ermanno," Oliver countered. "She's a woman. Love her softly, gently. I know you still love her
"I saw your handwriting on the letters and gifts," Celine explained, her tone laced with gentle amusement. "And only my secret admirer knew exactly what I loved. You seemed to know it all." She paused, a small frown creasing her brow. "It bothered me a bit, but I'm not mad."Cyrus held her hands, his gaze intense. "I'm sorry," he said, a hint of remorse in his voice. "But after that night at the bar, I couldn't stop thinking about you, Celine. You're impossible to forget."Celine's smile softened at his words, her heart skipping a beat. "So you decided to stalk me for over two years?" she teased, her voice playful."You slipped through my fingers that night," Cyrus murmured, a twinge of regret in his voice. "I wanted to stay faithful to my fiancée, but you took over my mind. I had to know everything about you. But you were still with him then, and there was nothing I could do."Celine nodded, empathy in her eyes. "So when you and your fiancée broke up, and you moved to Los Angeles, I
"Okay," Ermanno replied, his voice devoid of emotion as he struggled to mask the pain in his eyes. The sight of Celine choosing another man over him was like a knife twisting in his heart.As Ermanno turned and walked out of Cyrus's house, Celine could feel her heart breaking. Tears streamed down her face, her emotions raw and exposed.Cyrus gently tugged on Celine's hand, drawing her attention away from the door and back to him. He cupped her face, his eyes warm with understanding as he silently wiped away her tears."Cyrus…I..." Celine began, her voice breaking as she struggled to find the words. He pulled her in close, enveloping her in his arms as her words caught in her throat, choked by the weight of her emotions.Ermanno would always hold a piece of her heart, but she hated the way he always seemed to bring out her vulnerability, leaving her exposed and raw.Her heart ached, her need for comfort overwhelming. Celine buried her face against Cyrus's chest, her tears soaking his s