Dear Gentle Readers, what are your thoughts on Valentina?
Dear Gentle Readers, Please enjoy... Soon Alexander’s proposal to Ava will come! Grazie mille. Yours, E. C.--- Back at the Upper West Side, Ava allowed herself a moment of rest before her phone rang. It was a call from one of her former business partners—the same one who had recently canceled their order. This time, however, they were calling to reinstate it.She exhaled in relief, pressing her fingers against her temples to soothe her lingering tension. At least things were looking up on that front.But as she leaned back against the couch, her thoughts drifted to Alexander’s injuries. The scars on his back had been brutal, and while she knew Mr. Vanderbilt Sr. was strict, punishing Alexander without investigating the truth was harsh.More than anything, she understood the underlying reason for Alexander's tolerance toward this marriage—it wasn’t for love or companionship. It was for his grandfather.As the clock neared seven, Ava debated calling the old man to speak on Alexander’
Alexander, unfazed, merely shot the waiter a glance.The waiter smiled knowingly. "Enjoy your meal."Ava cleared her throat. "Mr. Vanderbilt, you probably don’t go out to eat with women much. This restaurant caters specifically to couples."She spoke lightly, without a trace of embarrassment, as if it were nothing more than an amusing coincidence.Alexander remained composed. "You seem familiar with this place. Do you come here often with your husband?"Her fingers stiffened slightly around the menu."Um… maybe once or twice."Once or twice?His frown deepened.Her husband had only brought her to a place like this once or twice?It didn’t sit right with him, but he let it go. It wasn’t his concern.Ava quickly redirected her focus, her eyes falling on Alexander’s hand.His fingers rested on the table near the scattered red roses. The contrast—the stark white of his skin against the deep crimson of the petals—created a visually striking image.It was… artistic.She wanted to paint it la
A week passed without incident. Both Ava and Alexander were in Charleston for business.Ava was overseeing a project when Aunt Mona suddenly appeared, visibly distressed. Her eyes were red from crying as she clutched Ava’s hands desperately."Ava, I beg you! You know Mr. Vanderbilt, don’t you? He has connections. Please, help me—Jared has been detained. If he goes to jail, his life will be ruined!"Ava tensed at the mention of Jared. Her cousin had never brought anything but trouble. Yet, seeing Aunt Mona so desperate, she couldn't turn away completely. She sighed, rubbing her temples."I’ll try," she said, reluctant but unable to ignore her uncle and aunt’s kindness in the past.Aunt Mona’s grip tightened as she wiped away fresh tears. "Jared only came back for a visit, and now this… If something happens to him, I won’t be able to go on living!"Ava exhaled sharply. "Aunt, crying won’t solve anything. I’ll see what I can do, but Jared assau
The night stretched over the city in a quiet hush, the skyline dotted with the glow of distant skyscrapers. At a private high-rise hotel, Alexander had just finished showering. Dressed in a loose silk robe, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, skimming through the last of the documents on his tablet. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast soft shadows over the elegant furnishings of the suite, giving the space a warm yet distant ambiance.A persistent knock at the door broke the silence. Lynne.Alexander’s jaw tightened. He ignored it at first, but her voice floated in through the heavy wooden door."Alexander, you don’t seem in a good mood tonight. Do you need me to keep you company?"Her tone was laced with careful seduction, but it only deepened his frown. With an air of finality, he set his tablet aside and walked toward the door, pulling it open.Lynne’s face lit up, her delicate features painted with hope as she instinctively clung to
Alfonso’s health had been deteriorating, and yet after spending several days in the hospital, he decided to return to the Morales estate without informing anyone. Araminta had insisted he remain hospitalized for at least a week, especially since Valentina was in the ward upstairs and Josh was occupied with work at the company. Yet, despite their protests, Alfonso quietly left.As he stepped into the grand yet eerily silent Morales estate, his brows knitted in confusion. The place was unsettlingly quiet—none of the servants were in sight. He didn’t recall giving them leave. A feeling of unease settled in his chest as he ascended the grand staircase, following the faint sound of voices from his bedroom.Pausing outside the door, he recognized Araminta’s voice, sharp and conspiratorial."That old fool has liver cancer and won’t last more than a year. The doctor said at most twelve months. Once he’s gone, the company w
(From here, Serena will be referred to as Ava or Miss Alvarez, as Alexander recognizes her as “Ava Alvarez,” the designer.)Ava stood quietly in the corner, her posture still and her gaze lowered. Shadows clung to the delicate contours of her face, and despite her natural beauty, an air of exhaustion dulled her usual radiance. She looked fragile, like a fractured gem left in the dark, waiting to be forgotten.Alexander’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, recalling the previous day when he had seen her standing outside in Charleston. The sunlight had bathed her in a soft glow, making it seem as if she would dissolve into the light at any second and vanish. Now, here she was again—silent, distant, detached.The elevator reached the top floor, and Alexander stepped out first. He didn’t expect her to follow, but the faint sound of footsteps behind him confirmed that she had. When he reached his door, he finally broke the silence."Is there something you need?" His voice was quiet, laced
As soon as Alexander got into the car, his phone rang. It was Victoria."Alexander, I’ve been waiting for twenty minutes. Where are you?"He glanced at his watch. "The meeting just ended. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.""You’re still so devoted to work," she huffed, her voice carrying a hint of grievance. "How can you bear to let me stand here waiting?""Find a place to sit," he replied, rubbing his temple, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.Victoria fell silent for a moment, then her voice softened, tinged with something unspoken. "Alexander, you’ve changed. You weren’t like this before."He exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I’ll be there soon. The restaurant is already reserved."Her mood seemed to brighten. "Okay, I’ll wait for you."After hanging up, Alexander sat motionless in his seat, staring blankly ahead. Jonathan, sitting in the front, caught his expression in the rearview mirror but remained silent, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter.Twenty minutes la
After speaking with the doctor at the hospital, Ava left, her body heavy with exhaustion. The city lights blurred past her as she drove back to the hotel, her hands gripping the wheel tighter than necessary to keep herself awake.As she stepped out of the top-floor elevator, the elevator beside her chimed softly before opening. Alexander stepped out.He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, the crisp lines accentuating his tall frame. With effortless precision, he adjusted his cufflinks, his expression unreadable. Unlike usual, Jonathan was not with him—he had returned alone.Ava blinked against the fatigue weighing down her eyelids and instinctively greeted him."Mr. Vanderbilt."The doors of both elevators slid shut simultaneously, the faint mechanical hum echoing in the otherwise silent corridor. The floor was eerily quiet, amplifying the subtle sounds—the soft click of Alexander’s polished shoes against the marble, the faint rustling of fabric as he moved.He strode towar
Ava rushed out of the hospital, her heels clicking against the pavement as she hurried to her car. Once inside, she started the engine with shaking fingers and glanced at her phone. Her heart dropped. The roads were packed—an evening traffic jam clogging the city like a pulse grinding to a halt.Her fingers clenched the steering wheel, frustration bubbling up. She honked the horn more times than she could count, each one sharper than the last. A twenty-minute drive had now turned into a maddening forty-minute crawl.Alexander had given her exactly one hour.With every passing minute, her heart beat faster, the pressure building like a kettle about to boil over.And then—bang.Her car lurched forward. She’d been rear-ended. The sudden jolt slammed her head into the steering wheel, sending a flash of pain through her skull. Her eyes stung with tears, but she blinked them away, biting down on her panic. The driver behind her got out, waving his arms and pulling out his phone to call the
Alexander couldn't focus, his thoughts scattered and restless. As his phone rang with a call from a business partner, he seized the moment and stood up.“Grandpa, the business partner is calling. I need to go over the details of this morning’s meeting,” he said, already moving away.Grandpa let out a long, weary sigh. To him, it looked like Alexander was just eager to escape. “If you put that much effort into Serena,” he grumbled, “you two would have had a house full of kids by now. Go on, but no matter how busy work gets, don’t forget the wife waiting for you at home.”Alexander didn’t answer. He slipped into his car and glanced at the dashboard clock—8:00 PM. Ignoring the call still ringing on his screen, he turned the key and headed straight to the hotel.By the time he arrived, it was 8:30.His phone buzzed again. It was Jonathan, this time with more urgent news—Ryan had been arrested, and sensitive information about PW Group had been leaked. By morning, the media would be ablaze w
The Vanderbilt building was unusually still for a Friday evening. Outside, the city buzzed as it always did, but inside Alexander’s top-floor office, silence reigned.The only light came from the city skyline pouring in through floor-to-ceiling windows. Alexander stood by the glass, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a thick, official envelope.The divorce had been finalized. Her name — Serena Ava Morales Vanderbilt — would no longer be linked to his. And yet, the weight in his chest hadn’t budged. If anything, it had settled deeper.The quiet was broken by the buzz of his phone.Hugo.He answered with a low, “Yeah?”“Finally!” Hugo’s voice crackled through the speaker. “You’re free. About damn time, man.”Alexander didn’t respond.“So,” Hugo continued, voice laced with mischief, “how about some celebratory drinks? I’ve got a private room at 230 Fifth, and I might’ve invited a few… distractions.”“Hugo—”“Come on, don’t be boring. Half the city would give their left arm for a
Ava sat cross-legged on the floor of her apartment, Rex’s warm head resting against her knee. The golden retriever let out a soft, contented sigh, completely unaware of the life-changing moment that had just arrived.On the table before her lay a sealed envelope.Her name printed clearly beneath it:Serena Ava Morales Vanderbilt.She knew what it was. In fact, she’d been waiting for this moment for years — though not in longing or hope.She had never begged for Alexander’s attention. Never sought his approval.Not five years ago, when she signed that marriage certificate under the cold gazes of the powerful Vanderbilt family and Alfonso, her father’s watchful eyes.Not when he had left the country right after signing the marriage certificate without a word, abandoning a marriage neither of them had wanted.She had lived alone since then.Alone with the Morales debt, the fading reputation of he
Alexander didn’t remember much of the drive back. The city was a blur of lights and shadows, his thoughts tangled and restless. The tight knot in his chest refused to ease.The image of Ava — Serena — standing by that window lingered with painful clarity. The hollow look in her eyes. The way her voice had cracked when she spoke of dignity, safety, and the things he’d stripped from her.He’d always considered himself a man in control, measured and strategic in every move, every decision. But tonight, for the first time, he felt powerless.And ashamed.He’d broken something he had no right to touch. Now, all he could do was try — maybe hopelessly — to repair what pieces remained.By the time he arrived at the Vanderbilt estate, the staff were long asleep, and the house was quiet. But he didn’t stop there. He headed straight to his private study, locking the door behind him.He pulled out his phone and made a call.Jonathan picked up on the second ring, sounding slightly groggy. “Sir?”A
The city lights blurred past as Alexander sped through the streets, his grip tight on the steering wheel. The cool night air seeped through the slightly opened window, but it did nothing to calm the restless storm inside him.For the first time in years, his usually sharp, calculated mind was clouded — not by business, not by rivals, but by a woman.His wife.And how badly he’d wronged her.Ava. Serena.Every time he said either name in his head now, it twisted something deep in his chest.He thought back to her messages — not a single word of accusation, not one plea for sympathy.Even after everything, she hadn’t used his name.She called him Mr. Vanderbilt.Professional. Distant. Like a stranger.And wasn’t that what he’d made himself?As he pulled into the underground parking of the hotel, he sat in the car for a long moment. His reflection in the windshield stared back at him — polished, cold, successful. A man respected, feared, envied. But none of that meant anything now.He gr
Alexander let out a sigh, leaning back in the chair as his grandfather rifled through a worn leather photo album placed neatly beside the chessboard. The old man flipped through its pages, mumbling to himself. The room felt heavier somehow, the air thick with nostalgia and something Alexander couldn’t quite name.Alexander leaned back against the worn leather chair in the grand sitting room of the Vanderbilt Mansion, pretending to sip his tea while his grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Sr., dug through an old photo album. The scent of aged paper and tea leaves hung in the air, mixing with the warm, familiar atmosphere of a home built on old money and endless pride.He didn’t want to be here.His mind had been elsewhere all evening — on Ava.The hotel. The time. Her waiting.She’d agreed to meet him there, not because she wanted to — but because she had no choice.Because of Ryan Kuzmin.Alexander had promised her that if she surrendered to his terms — ten nights, no conditions — he wou
Dear Gentle Readers, Thank you for your support from the beginning until this point. This author really appreciates it. Never thought this story will have these many readers...This author understands your wish for this story to end therefore there will be 2 branches of the story from here onwards. The first branch is for Alexander to realize that Ava is Serena and the story can conclude there.The second branch is what the author has already prepared from the beginning. All good things must come to an end at some point...Please enjoy the ride and if you wish to read other story, please check out "Taming the Wild CEO" which has the following premise :For nearly four years Ella Stanford has been working as a secretary to Javier Summers, and for most of that time, she has been fighting her own feelings for him. Javier was undeniably sexy but she knew she should never fall for a ruthless playboy. He has never paid heed to her, so this has not been a problem but a struggle on her own
When Ava pulled up in front of the boutique, she sat frozen in her car for a long minute, her fingers clutching the steering wheel, her heart pounding. The neon lights reflected off the windshield in lurid pinks and reds, making everything feel surreal.With a deep breath, she opened the door, keeping her head down as she briskly walked toward the entrance.Inside, a burst of artificial floral perfume and soft pop music hit her. The boutique was dimly lit, with shimmering silk and lace displayed under glowing spotlights. Ava didn’t dare meet anyone’s eyes.The sales clerk approached — a middle-aged woman with shrewd eyes and a practiced smile that brightened the moment she saw Ava.“Beautiful lady, what kind are you looking for?” the woman asked warmly.Ava’s mouth opened, but the words wouldn’t come. She had no experience here — none of this belonged in her world. “A-anything is fine…” she stammered, avoiding the clerk’s gaze.The woman’s expression turned stern. “How can you be so c