“It seems like you didn't have a good night's sleep, Boss, huh?” Diego curiously asked, knowing that the two slept in the same room.“Shut up. Your voice is the last thing I wanna hear this morning.”Diego zipped his lips shut and folded them tightly.Semion, on the other hand, sat on the high chair in his office at Elite Realty Group. Even though he hasn't started working yet, he's already tired.He just stayed up late last night because of his and Celeste's relationship rehearsal.He felt like Celeste's soft chest was still pressed against his, as well as her arms wrapped around his waist.“Sir Primo Semion?” Semion's male secretary knocked three times from outside the office.“Come in, Nate.”“You summoned me, Sir?” the man with glasses and wearing formal business attire asked as he entered.“Yeah, I'd like to talk to you about our competition in the real estate industry.""Of course, sir. Tell me about it.""I've been hearing a lot about a company called Apex Estates, owned by the
“Take me home, Paulo,” Semion tiredly instructed his personal driver as he entered his car.“How are you, boss? You look more exhausted than usual,” Paulo noticed before starting the car and driving out of the parking lot.“Tsk! That's none of your business. Just tell me what happened at the mansion while I was away.”“Well, I heard that your family sent over some new people, more than a dozen of them.”He raised an eyebrow. He expected that to happen, but he didn't think his family would be so obvious about wanting to monitor him and Celeste.“What a pain in the ass. What did Celeste do?”“She only accepted five, Boss. And she just sent a message to your family.”“Oh!” he chuckled. “Good.”As the car journeyed, he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a brief rest.Eventually, they arrived at his mansion, and his energy returned as soon as he stepped out of the car.“Hey you, where's my wife?” he asked a passing maid.“Good evening, Primo Semion! Seniora Celeste is in the dining room,
"Yahoo! Semion’s wife picked up the two servants I sent her!" Primo Luca joyfully announced to his parents."Well," Primo Alessandro, Semion and Luca's father, placed down the letter Celeste had sent him, expressing her gratitude for being accepted into the family but stating that she could only accept five people for various reasons. The truth was, their family deliberately sent over many people to increase the chances of Celeste choosing among them. Because if it were only ten people, Celeste would surely only pick two or three.“That's just a trick, and it's not bad that we got five people to report to them about the current relationship of our son Semion and his wife Celeste,” Primo Alessandro released a mischievous grin. “Three of them will be with Isabella and me.”“You're right about that, hon,” Isabella, his wife, smiled as she sipped her hot coffee."Argh! Annoying! Not even one of the people I sent was chosen!" Valentina shouted in frustration. "But weren't the ones I sent
Celeste woke up the next morning to find Semion no longer lying beside her. She felt around the bedsheet where he had been and noticed it was cold, indicating he had gotten up a while ago.She sighed in relief and also got out of bed despite feeling sleepy and having her eyes half-closed. She headed straight to the bathroom. She went to the toilet and lowered her pajama pants to sit down and relieve herself.*BAM!*“C-Celeste…”At that moment, Semion had just opened the sliding door of the shower in the same bathroom. His eyes met Celeste's, who was sitting on the toilet, and they widened, although only one eye witnessed the scene.His pants were down to his knees, along with his white underwear. She saw the smooth and fair skin on the side of Semion's thigh. Her mouth dropped in shock.“S-Semion?” Celeste's sleepy eyes suddenly widened in alarm. Her face quickly registered extreme surprise.With her own eyes, Celeste could see Semion's bare torso. His hair and body were soaked, and s
One Month Later (Lombardi's Residence)"It's been years since the Lombardis last hosted a party! I heard they laid low for a while because of Primo Alessandro's health issues. What do you think the party is for this time?""I have no idea, but maybe they just want to make some noise again. Do you think it's because Primo Alessandro's condition has improved, or is he passing on the inheritance to Primo Semion?""If that's the case, I should start attracting Primo Semion! He still hasn't responded to Dad's marriage proposal—maybe I'm one of the candidates he's considering to be his wife!""I don't know about you, Veron, don't you already have a boyfriend?""Well, then I'll break up with him, duh!"The three women conversing were none other than Celeste's friends. Celeste had been standing behind them for a while, while they stood around a stand-up cocktail table, holding glasses of wine and gossiping.She couldn't find a moment to interject because her friends wouldn't stop chatting.'F
The mansion where the Lombardi family often hosted events like the current one was majestic and enticing, its doors open only to those who came from influential families.Upon entering the luxurious ballroom, one could see sparkling candelabras, beautifully arranged and expensive flowers serving as decorations, and the dazzling chandelier.The invited guests murmured in awe at the beautiful sound of the live performance by the famous orchestra.“I've never expected the House of Lombardi to hold such a random event out of nowhere. Knowing they've been quiet all this while, this is truly surprising.”“What do you expect? The Lombardi family has always been this secretive and mysterious.”“That's true. But it only makes me want to form an alliance with them. My younger sister is already an adult, so…”The group of men conversing were businessmen or respected professionals. Some were politicians, lawyers and judges, doctors, and architects. Almost everyone in the ballroom exuded class and
As the night deepened, the crowd inside the ballroom grew even larger. Semion observed the elegant people inside, each in their respective groups engaged in conversation.He stood straight on the second floor of the venue, leaning slightly against the corridor.“Oh, would you look at that?” he fixed his gaze on the man wearing a white suit, holding a glass of wine and chatting with two other men. Arrogance was evident on his face.““I'm betting ten million as well. This party is for showcasing their wealth and status. They have nothing else to do in life but throw money around and flaunt it in our faces.””Semion smirked deviously upon hearing those words from the small wireless earphone in his ear, spoken by none other than Darson.The ballroom was filled with recordings, allowing him to listen to people's conversations inside even though he was far away.He heard Darson's annoying laughter, so he irritatedly removed the wireless earphone from his ear and crushed it, causing it to ma
"It's been years since our family threw such a lavish party," All attention was focused on the elderly man speaking into the microphone at the center of the stage. Despite the evident signs of aging on his face, Primo Alessandro's physical vigor was still apparent."It looks like he's in good shape," whispered one guest. "That's probably why they're hosting the party."Primo Alessandro continued speaking. "To all who have accepted our invitation, I'm delighted to see you on this important evening. In fact, I'm not the star of tonight, and I won't dwell on my health recovery, as you all can see that I'm still doing fine. But tonight, my first son is the one who is behind this party, as he has a special announcement he's been excited about."The murmur of whispers quickly grew louder and filled the room. Just hearing Semion's name thrilled the women---it was evident in their sparkling smiles and the way they gazed at Semion as he stepped onto the stage next to his father.Who wouldn't b
Anna quickly turned around, pulling Danica away from the dangerous scene. They ran as fast as they could, her desperate need to escape the forest pushing her forward. The faint light ahead told her they were nearly out—the low clouds overhead slowly beginning to disperse.But even as they moved, her mind swirled with confusion. Killian’s words kept echoing in her thoughts, and she couldn’t make sense of them. How could he be willing to kill to save her life? Tears welled up in her eyes. She had been wrong. She had misjudged him. Killian wasn’t like Primo Alessandro. Just because he was a Lombardi didn’t mean he was an enemy. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, blood-curdling scream: "UNCLE, NO!!"Without thinking, Anna stopped running and turned. She knew exactly who the voice belonged to.But before she could even react, a loud gunshot echoed through the air. A searing pain ripped through her shoulder, and she stumbled, feeling the blood begin to trickle down her arm. She ba
"No! No, no, no!!" Danica’s voice broke with desperation as she dropped to her knees in front of her. "No, Anna, I won’t do it! I—I can't!" Her gaze shifted to Primo Alessandro, filled with defiance, as she stood up. "Who the hell are you to do this?! Do you really think I’ll play your disgusting game?!""Danica," Anna called out firmly, standing up beside her. Her voice was steady, but the uncertainty that gripped her heart was clear in her eyes.Primo Alessandro stood up abruptly, his sudden movement sending a chill through the air as he swiftly pulled out a gun, aiming it directly at her. Anna’s eyes widened as she instinctively took a step back."Primo," KIllian’s voice rang out, his grip firm as he seized his uncle’s arm, halting him mid-action."What!" Alessandro snapped, grabbing Killian’s arm in turn, but Killian didn’t even flinch.Their actions drew the attention of everyone in the room. Killian's gaze, full of intensity, was locked on his uncle. He gripped Primo Alessandro’
"Déjà vu." Primo Alessandro's smile was maddening.Anna could hear every beat of her heart, so loud it felt deafening. The wind’s chill brushed over her hands and feet, sending a strange shiver through her body. Her skin prickled, refusing to settle, as she stood frozen, her eyes wide open and fixed on him. Her breath was heavy as she stared into his eyes, and memories of seventeen years ago came rushing back.The pounding in her chest screamed with fury, a fury born from his murder of her parents. The memory of his men beating her mother was still fresh in her mind. The sound of the gunshot that ended her mother’s life echoed in her ears."We've met again," Primo Alessandro said, his smile dripping with the promise of death.Anna couldn’t speak. Her tears had dried up, but the sharpness of her glare remained, piercing through him. If her glare were made of knives, his head would have been severed from his neck by now.He hadn't changed at all in appearance or posture. But the gray in
The loud commotion pulled her out of a restless sleep. Anna's eyes snapped open, her head pounding and her vision blurry. It took her a moment to realize she had fallen asleep on the cold, hard floor of her room the previous night.Her sluggish thoughts were quickly jolted into clarity by an ear-splitting explosion that shook the entire mansion. The tremor was so violent it felt as though the earth itself had shifted beneath her.What’s happening?She bolted upright, twisting the doorknob and stepping out into the hallway. Her ears rang with the deafening sound of gunfire, and her breath hitched as she peered down the staircase. Smoke engulfed the mansion like a suffocating shroud.Her eyes widened in horror. Men clad in all-black tactical gear swarmed the premises—uncannily similar to the Lombardi’s men. She froze on the spot, watching as the Costas guards exchanged relentless gunfire with the intruders.“A-are those…?” She covered her mouth, a trembling hand betraying her growing p
Decades ago, when she was only six years old, Anna vividly remembered the night her life changed forever.It was late evening when she arrived home from school, walking alone because she had assumed someone would pick her up. Innocent and unaware, she returned to find their house in chaos.Scattered belongings littered the floor, shards of broken glass crunched under her small shoes, and droplets of blood painted a chilling path across the ground. Still clad in her uniform, her bag slung over her shoulder, she froze in the doorway, her voice trembling as she called out.“Mama?”“Mama? Mama!” Her cries echoed as she searched the house, growing more desperate with each unanswered call. The sound of a baby’s wailing drew her to one of the rooms. There, she found her infant sister, Danica, locked inside a wardrobe.“Danica!” she gasped, her shock momentarily paralyzing her. Without hesitation, she scooped her into her arms. The baby babbled incoherently, managing only, “A... A!”—her attem
"Can you please just stop?!"After an hour of non-stop crying from the baby, Chiarra couldn't handle the frustration anymore. She clutched the infant in her arms even tighter, which only made the baby wail louder."Enough! Enough! Stop it!" Overwhelmed by the incessant noise, she nearly dug her fingers into the small, swaddled body of her child. Her eyes filled with tears, no longer sure what to do to make the crying stop.The exhaustion from sleepless nights spent caring for her baby, combined with the constant arguments with Darson, left her drained and on edge every day. Because of this, all her pent-up anger and frustration were taken out on the maids in the mansion—and on her own child."I told you to stop already! I can’t take this anymore! Please, just give me a break!" Chiarra pleaded tearfully, her voice shaking with both rage and desperation as she yelled at the baby."M-Madam… I'll take care of Chrystal for you. Please, just get some rest—""If I could, I already would have
Celeste woke up the next morning feeling like she had just competed in a championship sport the night before—her body was sore and battered.She rubbed her eyes, stretching and turning her gaze to the man beside her, who was holding her tightly.Sunlight was streaming onto his handsome face. It was no longer the early morning peek but rather noon.She lifted her weak arm to smooth out Semion's thick, disheveled hair. Her eyes traced his prominent brows and long eyelashes. She ran her fingertip down his high nose and over his thin lips.Then she realized Semion was awake, as he couldn’t suppress the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile. His cheeks also rose, trying to fight returning to their usual state.Unable to help herself, she smiled and closed her eyes. “S-Se…” She stopped, her voice hoarse, likely from all the shouting and cheering from the previous night’s joy. “Are… um, have you been awake for a while?”“No.” His eyes remained closed.She tried to remove Semion’s heavy a
Celeste leaned back against the wall as she sat on the low cabinet. The items that were neatly stacked there earlier were now scattered across the floor.Her heartbeat was as rapid as her breaths as she watched Semion’s head between her parted legs.This was the second time he had lowered himself like that in front of her. She was used to seeing Semion with his head held high, as if he never bowed to anyone. But now, the scene before her was the complete opposite.There was something in her feelings she couldn’t explain, despite the darkness enveloping the room and the single dim light providing scant illumination.He was torridly kissing her intimate parts, just like how he had kissed her lips earlier. Hungry and thirsty for her essence.“Ahhh… Ummm, ahhh!” The heat was overwhelming. She was leaking slick fluids that mingled with Semion’s lips and tongue. The addicting sound only ignited every muscle in her body.She gasped for air as Semion spread her long legs further apart. The on
“S-Semion…”Celeste gasped as Semion’s soft lips descended on her neck. Biting her lower lip, she dug her nails into the luxurious fabric of his black coat.“Mmhhmmp!” She couldn't help but moan at the sensations coursing through her.The room was dark, perhaps because as soon as they entered, Semion had seized her with a kiss, like a thirsty stranger.Her plan to shower and change into comfortable clothes was quickly forgotten due to what Semion was doing to her body.His large hand slid up her dress, moving toward her underwear. Semion’s fingers pressed down on her lower body with a mixture of intensity and possessiveness. Celeste felt it acutely when he suddenly bit her neck!“Ahh!” She cried out in pain, her throat dry as she gasped for breath.“My wife,” Semion’s warm breath invaded her ear, making her shiver and raising the hair on her arms. “I want to mark you as mine…” He kissed the spot he had bitten. “Just for me…” He licked the mark. “All mine.” His teeth brushed against he