Sasha’s POVI was bored in the ward, with nothing to do except contact Jared to discuss work.In my idle moments, I played with my phone and scrolled through my Instagram feed.There was some news about Valentino on my IG, and I found myself subconsciously paying attention to him, feeling inexplicably guilty afterwardI checked Valentino's Instagram page. He didn't post frequently; it seemed he rarely used it for personal updates, mostly sharing company news.Feeling bored, I was about to close Instagram when suddenly, the door to the ward opened. In walked a pair of slender legs, and our eyes met—Valentino's and mine.My heart skipped a beat.The thought of Valentino's return flashed through my mind.What does he want now?Nervous inexplicably, my expression betrayed my flustered state. I had expected to see Valentino, but now, I didn't want to face the man standing before me.He seemed terrifying, someone not to be trifled with.The three-year contract suddenly felt daunting. Would
Sasha’s POVEmilia looked at me with concern, distressed by what I might have endured at Valentino's hands. "If Valentino has done anything to you that's not right, I won't let him off the hook.""Well, if he crosses a line I can't accept, I won't tolerate it," I replied with a smile.Jared knocked on the door and entered, holding a stack of papers in his hand."Excuse me, Sasha. Do you have time to talk now?" Jared asked politely."Sure, come on in. This is my best friend, Emilia. You can discuss anything in front of her," I said, gesturing towards Emilia.Jared nodded, entered, closed the door behind him, and handed the documents to me.Throughout this, Emilia eyed Jared with hostility."Well, a beast in human clothing," Emilia muttered coldly.A beast in human clothing? Was she referring to him? What had he done to earn such disdain? How had he become this so-called beast in human form?I frowned at Emilia. I understood her anger stemmed from Valentino's actions, but her hostility
Sasha's POV As I walked through the company, I noticed how everyone greeted me with respect and, in some cases, apprehension. It seemed my absence of just a few days had elevated my presence to something almost intimidating.Entering the chairman's office, I found Jared immersed in his work, glancing up as I approached. "Sasha, you're here?" He said, surprised to see me back at work so soon."Yes," I nodded, curious. "What's going on with everyone in the company? They look at me like I'm a ghost."Jared explained, “Valentino dealt with Mr. Joe firmly. Word spread and people are cautious no, fearing they might meet the same fate as Mr. Joe."Thinking of Mr. Joe, my frown deepened. "What happened to Mr. Joe?""He's in prison," Jared replied. "They gathered evidence of his illegal dealings. He's looking at a long sentence.""Good," I muttered, my teeth gritted. Mr. Joe had almost assaulted me. Prison seemed like a fitting punishment for him.After a brief chat with Jared, I delved into
Jared’s POVAs soon as I walked through the door, Valentino asked without looking up, "Has Sasha been discharged? How's her recovery going? What’s the progress at work?""Boss, that's exactly what I'm here to report," I said, stepping closer to him. "Sasha left the hospital this afternoon, and you won't believe what she did this evening."Valentino fixed his cold gaze on me, his eyes narrowing with a hint of menace.I shivered slightly, realizing I shouldn't tease him.Taking a deep breath, I recounted the day's events, focusing on the evening's developments. Valentino listened intently as I detailed Sasha's accomplishments, nodding slightly.It was clear she was smarter than we initially thought. In under a month, she grasped essential skills and improved her negotiation tactics.Let's let Sasha run the company on her own for a while. I'll keep an eye on things and step in only if necessary," I suggested.Valentino nodded thoughtfully."By the way, Sasha mentioned finding a persona
Sasha’s POV"You're lying! Did I seduce your husband? Where is he? Do you want him to come here and confirm that? You can't just accuse me of seducing other people's boyfriends. My boyfriend here is proof, and his injury is proof!" she yelled, pointing below the drunk man.Laughter erupted around us.Even though it was clear I was the one being wronged, the situation was still amusing. This woman and her drunk boyfriend were quite the pair.I could see that everyone knew I wasn't the one who had seduced him. They were all waiting to see how I would handle this.Emilia, clearly angry, shot back, "You believe everything your boyfriend says? Are you that naive? It's obvious your man harassed my friend first, and she defended herself. We didn't even accuse him of assault, but you're here causing trouble for us.""Look, everyone, they admit it! They hit my boyfriend!" The woman with heavy makeup suddenly got excited. "If you hit someone, you have to pay. This is a serious injury for a man.
Chapter 46Sasha’s POV"No one told me," I insisted, looking at Valentino and trying to explain patiently.But he didn't give me a chance to explain. He suddenly stood up, grabbed my neck, and started to squeeze as if he wanted to strangle me."You're sent by Sandra, aren't you?" He quizzed me and began to hurt me.I tried to pull his hand away, shaking my head desperately.No, I'm not. I don't even know Sandra!Was he going to kill me?I could hear my neck cracking, and I felt like I was about to suffocate. My chest felt like it was about to burst from the pain."Let go." I used the last of my strength, struggling desperately to push him away.Finally, he let go.I collapsed on the ground, looking up at him in horror.“I don't know Sandra. I'm not anyone's pawn. I'm just Sasha!”"Who made you pretend to be her to get close to me? Do you know all the women who pretended to be her ended up dead?" Valentino's cold gaze bore into me.He was convinced of his delusions. He thought I was se
Sasha’s POVI felt like I had endured a catastrophe. Suddenly, I needed to know who Sandra was.Why did Valentino keep mentioning her name whenever he abused me?It seemed likely Sandra resembled me in some way, or he wouldn't accuse me of impersonating her.One thing was clear: Sandra had deeply wronged Valentino, evoking both his love and his hate.The next morning, I woke up feeling like my bones might shatter. Despite my weakness, I muster the strength to rise from the bed.I see my mistakes and how I allowed my naivety to take over. The contract with Valentino was just the beginning.From Valentino's demeanor yesterday, it's clear he harbors both deep hatred and love for Sandra. I must be the one he's chosen to replace her.I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but end up retching instead.Examining the bruises and ambiguous marks on my body, I grimace. I gingerly step off the bed, only to find my legs buckling beneath me, forcing me to sit on the floor.My legs are like
Sasha's POVValentino stood at the door, but before he could utter a word, I had instructed Jared to drive off.My change had unsettled him. It seemed he couldn't control me. He had signed the contract, but my transformation surpassed his expectations.As soon as I entered the company, I was greeted with immense respect."Good morning, Chairman Sasha!""Good morning, Chairman!"...and so on.Everyone greeted me with reverence, their eyes filled with admiration.I acknowledged their greetings with a nod, maintaining a professional distance. Walking briskly, I surprised those around me with my speed.Most employees had met me before.Previously, I was like a timid rabbit, protected under the former chairman's wing. I rarely took an active role, visiting the company more as a formality than to engage with its operations.Now, everything has changed in just a month. My presence exuded confidence and capability.Not only had my demeanor transformed, but my competence had also grown.Clemen
Valentino’s POV I promised if I found Sasha, I was going to make her my wife. This time for real and no longer would she be a placeholder. “Arrgh,” I screamed as Jared let me in on Sasha being kidnapped by that fool, Dave Martin. I had beaten him to a bulb and had him leave her alone. After all these years, all these moments, he had been lurking, laying siege to Sasha, and I..I foolishly let her leave into harm’s way. Sasha was a beautiful bird and a lot of predators were circling her, trying to take advantage of her. “Get me Dave on the line, Jared,” my voice hurried as I threw my fists in the air. “Dave Partner boss?” Jared questioned. I didn’t know if to smack his face or to laugh this over with but there were no jokes tonight. Only thing on my mind was getting Sasha back, here with me, whole and as my real wife. “Fuck it Jared, I’m talking about Dave Martin, get him on the line now. Didn’t you just tell me he’s the one who’s got Sasha and you're talking some gibberish.”
Sasha’s POV “Let me go…please..let..me..g…” I had a wood plank on my head and I lost consciousness. It was at this moment I wished I had not run away from Valentino. Problems seemed to follow me each time I was away from him. He was a refuge and a strong fortress for me and this time, more than ever, I hoped he’d found me. I felt a weight over my body as I slowly gained consciousness. Studying the environment, I opened my right eye slowly, as it hurt so much, and my head hurt so much to open even my very own eyes. I was tied up in a chair and I couldn’t tell where exactly I was but it didn’t seem like a warehouse. I could tell this was someone’s house but couldn’t tell who exactly it was. “I am blindfolded so how do I even know where this is,” I uttered under my breath. Maybe I should scream and some passer-by could come to my rescue or call the police and I could get out of here. I didn’t want any of those men who must have brought me here to find me here. They were damn mea
Sasha’s POV “What was that?” I yelled, my voice shaking with frustration. I couldn’t believe Emilia had let me down like this. She was the only one I had trusted with my secret, the only person who knew exactly where I was. I had begged her not to tell anyone until I was far away, safe in Spain. And now, it felt like everything was crashing down around me. I felt this deep pain in my chest like someone was pressing down on me with the weight of a thousand boulders. Everything I loved had been ripped away from me. My family was gone, my company had been stolen from me, and even Valentino—my Valentino—was no longer by my side. There was nothing left for me here. Nothing. But when I heard Valentino’s voice over the phone, it did something to me. It was like a tiny spark in a room full of darkness. My heart, which had felt so cold and broken, suddenly stirred with the smallest flicker of life. “I can’t do this anymore,” I whispered, talking to no one but myself. “I can’t stay here.
Valentino's POV I grab Emilia’s phone and frantically try to call Sasha, but I can’t get through. Frustrated, I look at Emilia coldly and ask, "Do you know where she is? What do you know about her?" "I... I don’t know," Emilia says, frowning. "Sasha is being super careful this time. She didn’t tell me where she’s staying. She said you might come looking for her through me, so she didn’t want to risk it because she thinks I can't keep a secret." Emilia pouts, looking all upset. "But it's late. Maybe she's already asleep, so not picking up isn’t that weird." Jared turns to me. "What about tomorrow?" I frown, thinking it over for a second. "Track her number. Find out where Sasha is," I say, determined. "Alright, I’ll get someone to track her phone and find her," Jared replies, nodding. Emilia just watches us, looking a little confused. She pouts again, like she’s thinking something over, but doesn’t say anything after a while. Finally, she shrugs. "You guys do your thing. I’m
Sasha's POV Fred and I are really funny after we drink too much. We keep guessing things and playing games, and we hold each other a lot.Gabriel looks annoyed as he tries to separate us, not wanting us to keep holding on to each other."Enough already! Stop it!" Gabriel frowns and says, "You’re both drunk.""We're not drunk!""Yeah, you’re the one who's drunk!" We both stare at him for a moment and then start laughing.Gabriel looks frustrated as he watches us, knowing he can’t change our minds.Luckily, Fred and I pass out after drinking. That gives Gabriel some time to clean up after us.Over the next two days, I talked with Gabriel and Fred about starting a film company in the United States.In the end, Gabriel agrees that Fred and I can work together to plan this film company.…Valentino's POV I keep searching for Sasha, but with Gabriel and Sandra causing problems for me, I haven’t heard from her at all.Jared comes to my house and tells me what he’s found during his search.
Valentino's POV Sasha disappeared, and for two days, I, Valentino, searched for her, but I couldn’t find her anywhere.Jared was looking everywhere too. He tried all kinds of things, but it felt like someone was always getting in the way. Many surveillance cameras had been hacked, and some videos were missing, so he couldn’t find Sasha directly.I was left with no choice but to use the simplest method: sending a lot of people to ask about Sasha’s whereabouts.All over the city, people were taking photos of Sasha, trying to find out where she was.But no one knew where she had gone.It was like she had vanished completely.I was losing my mind. I couldn’t believe Sasha had disappeared from my life, and I just couldn’t accept it.“It’s time for you to eat, sir,” one of the maids said, sounding worried about me. I had lost a lot of weight in just two days. “Even if you don’t eat, your wife might not show up. You should have a good meal. I don’t think she would want to see you like this.
Sasha's POV I looked at Gabriel like he was an idiot. "If I went to be a cook with this kind of skill, I'd probably get myself killed..."Seriously, who doesn’t know how to make hot pot? It’s just tossing everything into a pot to cook. When I was studying abroad and craved hot pot, I used to make it in my dorm all the time."Really? It all looks so delicious. You seem pretty talented. How could you get yourself killed? If anyone dares to mess with you, I'll take care of them first," Gabriel said, grabbing his chopsticks to sneak a taste.Once I finished setting the table, I told him, "Sit down and eat.""Alright," he replied.But just as Gabriel was about to sit, the doorbell rang."Who is it?" I asked, looking at him."I'll go check. Maybe it's some big star!" Gabriel joked as he ran to the door, chatting briefly with whoever was outside.From the sound of it, it seemed like more than one person had shown up. A little curious, I peeked out and saw a familiar face.Why is he here?I
Sasha's POV The maid stopped me as I was leaving and asked, "Where are you going, ma'am?"It seemed like she was confused about why I was leaving. Everyone always thought my husband and I were close, so this sudden departure must've seemed strange. Maybe they thought Sandra had some evil plan to push me out.The maids didn’t trust Sandra. They knew she wasn’t a good person, and it seemed like they wanted me to stay.I smiled at the maid and said, "I'm leaving. I'll see you later."I tried to walk out with my head held high, pretending everything was okay. But inside, I was breaking. I was sad, hurt, and didn’t want to leave at all.As I walked out, I could feel Sandra’s eyes on me. I knew she was smiling, satisfied with herself. With me gone, she probably thought she could hide better and make Valentino forget about me.The maids were glaring at Sandra, clearly not happy with her. But she didn’t care. She knew she would be the lady of the house soon and could treat them however she l
Valentino's POV I came back home, but I couldn’t sleep all night.Early the next morning, my phone rang. It was my grandfather telling me to come back to the old house.“I got it. I’ll be there soon,” I replied before hanging up.After changing into a fresh set of clothes, I went to Sasha’s room. She drank too much last night and stayed up late, so she was still fast asleep. Her sleeping posture was a bit messy, almost childlike, but she looked so cute.I tucked her in before heading downstairs.“My wife is still sleeping. When she wakes up, make sure to prepare some breakfast and soup to help with the hangover. If she’s not feeling well, call a doctor to check on her. I’m heading out.”“Yes, sir.”I drove off, leaving the maids to continue their work. I overheard them talking about yesterday and how drunk my wife had gotten.But one thing was clear—they knew I cared about her. They’d make sure she was well taken care of.I pulled up in front of the old house in my car. As I stepped