I smiled. "You? Cook?"Even though his words made me feel butterflies in my tummy, it was also funny. In the sense that, I have barely eaten what he has cooked or made before. "Don't tease me, Sandy. I can cook." He poked my forehead. "And I want you to feel comfortable tonight, seeing that you may still be in shock from what happened today."The memory of the attempted attack on me flashed in my head. I sighed and nodded in response."I'm kinda still in shock… a little. I mean, I'm used to this band of people making viral posts of how you're this and that, how the company is this and that but it's different when they come to us and attack us."Anthony cupped my cheeks and drew his body close to mine, making me feel the warmth of his skin through our clothes. He smiled softly at me and traced his gaze around my face."I'm going to make sure that she pays for trying to hurt you. I will deal with anyone who even thinks of hurting you." He kissed my forehead and stepped away, leaving me
I woke up to the sound of my phone’s alarm ringing, making me groan and turn on the bed I was on. My body felt different only to remember that I was not in my house nor in my bed but at Anthony’s place. It wasn’t as if I wasn’t used to sleeping over but the fact that I was finally living with him. It made me feel different and nervous. I never sat down and thought of our living arrangements when we get married. Would we sleep in one room or stay separately? It made me self-conscious for some seconds before I shook my head and grabbed my phone. I turned off the alarm and laid on my back to stare at the ceiling.My thoughts began to drift back to what had happened last night. The way Anthony had teased me with the piece of chicken and how he had left my body feeling turned on and the spot between my legs throbbing. Things would be even harder now that I was living under the same roof with him.Just thinking about how enticing Anthony had looked and how he had stood between my legs, rubb
Anthony’s POVAfter spending a good amount of time in the shower, enough to dispel the thoughts of best friend, I quickly wore my clothes and picked my work bag before rushing out of the room. I had an important meeting with some new investors, and I couldn’t afford to be late.I struggled with my tie in one hand and my bag in the other as I rushed through the hallway that as soon as I made a turn in the curve of the hallway, I almost bumped into Sandy. The first thing I noticed was that she was dressed in her usual work outfit; long pencil skirt and a top. I blinked at her and opened my mouth to protest, instead she wagged her finger at me.“Not now, Anthony. I really want to go to work. I won’t feel good idling around. Besides, people at work will most likely think I have too much privilege.” She smiled up at me and I rolled my eyes.“Sandy, they already know that you are my girlfriend. What will they say that I haven’t heard? I just don’t want anyone hurting you again,” I said with
Sandy's POV It hurt. It hurt so much. I hated how I allowed myself to get hurt over the fact that I saw one of Anthony’s lovers. I was supposed to be used to the fact that they were always around him but as long as I still was in love with Anthony, I would always feel jealous and angry within me. The girl was everything Anthony wanted in a woman. She was beautiful, even I who barely felt insecure about myself, suddenly felt insecurities. Her long hair, toned body and nice smile was enough to make Anthony see me as someone not even an inch of who the woman was. I started to regret not arguing with Anthony about the second rule. I knew the day would come when he would bring his lover home or at least be with her somewhere away from home just to get a fill of his sexual needs. I knew that we would never sleep with each other when there are means of me getting pregnant without me sleeping with him. I bit my lip and shut my eyes tight against the pang in my heart. I bowed my head and cu
Sandy’s POVAfter work, I rushed home with the thoughts of an hour ago in my head, how Anthony had been so close to kissing me. I was still feeling the sting of what happened and how he would never return my feelings. As far as he was clueless, I was only going to get hurt, especially seeing that I agreed to pretend to date and marry him just for the sake of his family business. It was foolish of me to accept this, but I was only helping him for just a few years and after that, I was going to move on. That is, if I don’t move on before the end of the marriage.I sighed as I walked into the house. I saw Gina flipping through a magazine in the living room and I smiled when she looked at me.“Your home early,” she said and dropped the magazine.I nodded and closed in on her before sitting beside her on the couch. I leaned against the couch and hummed.“Yes… and that is because I have a date tonight,” I said, and Gina sat up in surprise.“A date?” She smiled. “With Anthony?”I scoffed and
Sandy’s POVI woke up the next morning with a gasp when I realized I may have slept in a bit. My heart was pounding so hard. I got up and snatched my phone from the side table and sighed in relief when I saw I still had some time left. I ran my fingers through my hair and scrolled through my phone for any message from Anthony… Weird. He always left me a morning message, even if it had to do with work. My eyebrows furrowed as I wondered why he had not sent me a message, or even an email.“Maybe there is nothing important today. Besides, I don’t think I’m in the mood to entertain him today. Pfft.”I got out of bed and went over to my closet. I took out my work clothes and every other thing I wanted. After I was done, I left the room and entered the bathroom in the hallway. I quickly took off my clothes and turned on the shower, then waited for the hot water to flow. As I crossed over to the sink to brush my teeth, the same ache hit my abdomen. I hissed and leaned against the sink then p
Sandy’s POVThe wave of awareness dawned on me, and a weightless feeling made me confused as I opened my eyes, which I shut the moment a bright light flashed in my eyes. I waited for some seconds before I opened them again. I blinked and stared at the white ceiling with its ceiling fan, twirling slowly. The room was unfamiliar and to understand where I was, I looked to the side, and I saw a wide window showing me the daytime brightness and buildings close by and in the distance.I looked to the other side and realized from the IV pole and bag, the small wardrobe across the room, the leather couches close by and the large TV screen on the wall, that I was in a hospital. I looked down at my body and saw I was laying on a large hospital bed.I knew what hospital I was in just by the style of the room. This was Anthony’s family hospital, and I was in one of the VIP rooms. I heard a shuffle, and I glanced in the direction of the noise. Anthony was sitting up from a lounge-like couch, rubbi
Sandy’s POVI heard Anthony speaking somewhere in the living room and I made my way to the room. He had his back facing me as I walked out of the kitchen to where he stood, on a call with someone. As if sensing me, he turned around and smiled at me. I smiled back and he opened his free arm. I went closer and wrapped my arms around his firm body then inhaled his scent. I rested my head on his broad chest for some seconds before I propped my chin on it with my eyes on his face.“Yes… The meeting was scheduled for next month and the invites was sent out yesterday. All I need is for the board to be present for the briefing at the end of this month,” he said and winked at me, making my insides flutter. “Mhm… Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”The call ended and I sighed in relief before smiling again with subtle blinks. He smiled and wrapped his other arm around my waist.“What do you want?’ He asked.I opened my mouth to reply, instead he wagged his finger in my face, making me pout.“No… I
Sandy’s POVI had been bold.Infact, I was going crazy. I had to be out of my mind because the bold step I took into telling Anthony that I wanted us to go on the honeymoon and consummate our wedding was crazy. Now, I was nervous from what happened minutes ago.The wedding was about to end and I was getting nervous about what was going to happen at our honeymoon. It did not help that my mind was still flooded with our kiss and how he has been looking at me ever since we had the discussion. Every corner Anthony was, he would always look at me with a look so dark that it made goosebumps rise on my skin. I didn’t want to delude myself into thinking that he was looking at me with lust in his eyes because I knew he was just looking to make sure I was still certain.This marriage was a lavender marriage but without the gay part involved or more like a marriage of convenience but I was beginning to pray that our marriage led to something more.“Hey.”I almost dropped my water when I heard so
Anthony’s POVMy mother was lying and trying to manipulate us. Something was not right.“H-How.”I stared right into her eyes, digging deep into her mind to see what exactly was going on and the fact that she was suddenly saying this out of nowhere.“Come with me, you two,” she said and walked away.I exchanged glances with Sandy and shifted my gaze to my mother walking. I sighed and motioned for Sandy to start walking. Together, we made our way to where she was standing, waiting with a glass of wine in her hand. Once we arrived, she smiled at us and looked at me, expression switching to seriousness.“Look, a lot is going on behind the scenes and you already know how important the family business is to your father. It took me a while to beg him to step down for his COO to take the seat as the current ceo. The man is getting old and as you already are aware, your father wants someone competent to take over. I do not know what he sees in the man, Trent Flintwood but all I am trying to s
Sandy’s POVAnthony was kissing me!He was kissing me on the lips!My whole body was on fire from the way his lips were moving on mine, making me go crazy because he was finally kissing me. For years, I fantasized about his lips and now, he was kissing the goosebumps out of me.I could not help but to kiss him back, putting every emotion I held for him into the kiss and when he held my hips and pulled me closer to his body, I felt my body ignite even more. I placed my hands on his chest and tilted my head sideways, deepening the kiss. Just as I was about to open my mouth for him when his tongue asked for entrance, I heard someone clear their throat.It was as if I remembered where I was and pulled away at the same time he did. I became shy when I heard the loud noises coming from the crowd watching us and looked down, trying not to also look Anthony in the face.Anthony held my hand and turned me with him, so we were facing the crowd. I took a deep breath and raised my head with a big
Anthony’s POVI woke up to the sound of my alarm ringing— Today was the day I marry my best friend and it felt like a different person entirely. Everything around me felt as if I barely could recognize it. The atmosphere just felt different.I sat up from my bed and turned off the alarm and stared at the door of my room, head empty. After a few minutes, I blinked and got out of bed. The stylists would be arriving soon and I needed to get ready before they arrived. The wedding was going to commence in a few hours. I already knew that the world was waiting for this wedding. The attention was huge on us and I didn’t need to go online to see what was being said about me and Sandy.Sandy…Fuck. Sandy was marrying me to save me, to save my inheritance and protect me in more ways than I have ever done. It made me feel something like a flutter in my heart. This has been happening over the week. I had no idea what was going on with me but so far, I have been getting the urge to touch her, to b
Sandy’s POVEach day I woke up, I was elated, barely containing myself for the D-day. For the past few days, Gina and I have been going shopping, planning the wedding while Anthony did the same with arranging the guests for the wedding since he knew more people than me.The best part of this was the fact that the wedding was going to be the wedding I have ever dreamed about. Even though this would be a wedding for a marriage that was not real, I still wanted to experience this, especially with the man that I was in love with.Warm arms around my waist startled me out of my thoughts. I relaxed when I saw it was Anthony and put my focus back on the pictures of halls I was looking at. Choosing a wedding venue was the hardest. It was either ridiculously expensive or not just fitting what I wanted.“You’ve been standing here for a long time now. What’s wrong?” He asked against my ear, sending shivers and warmth through my body.His arms tightened around my waist and put his face in the cro
Sandy’s POVI was so excited I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I knew this was fake but this was beginning to seem real to me. I was going to actually marry my best friend and he was ready to give me anything and everything to make it perfect for me. Three million dollars was too much for just planning. I didn’t know much about it but I was not sure of what it could cover.As I mulled over it, my office door opened and I looked up. Anthony walked in, smiling. I rose to my feet and I approached him.“Anthony, you… you’re serious?” I asked, not having much to say because I was still in shock.He chuckled. “Yes, Sandy. I told you I want to give you the best wedding ever. You marrying me to save me has snatched the opportunity for you to have the best wedding of your dreams, so…”He wrapped his arms around me, and I gulped. I felt my body heat up from how close we were.“I want you to get the most beautiful wedding dress in the world with the money I sent. I already told my secre
Sandy's POVI didn't even know when I spoke but it made them look at me. She gave me a nasty look and took a step back from Anthony who was stunned to a spot. I looked from him to her then back to him, waiting for an explanation to who she was."Who is this, Anthony?" She was looking at me. "I've met her before? What are you even doing here? Don't you work at that store or something?"I was offended and this lady already ruined today for me. I didn't want to entertain her but I needed to still know who the hell she was."Anthony, wha–""Angela, what are you doing here?" He cut her off, his tone clipped.I could sense in the tone of his voice that he was not happy about her being here. They probably have a past as Anthony never told me anything about Angela. Unless she was one of his one night stands but she had mentioned that they were supposed to get married and have kids?"Anthony, why are you like this? You should be happy to see me," she said in a whiny tone. "Come on, let's go to
Sandy’s POVWhen I woke up the next day, the first thing I did was to raise my left hand and stare at the ring wrapped around my finger. I still could not believe that I was engaged. I was going to marry Anthony. This was getting even more real and even though none of it was real, it still made me feel like I was lucky and loved. Just the weight of the ring around my finger made me giddy and want to squeal.I became still when I heard him moving behind me on the bed, followed by a heavy sigh. I kept my gaze on my shoulder, waiting to see if he was waking up or not. I exhaled softly when he did not move again before going back to staring at the ring on my finger, only to freeze when his arm went around my waist and his bare chest pressed up against my back.I swallowed at the contact and folded my hands then stared at the window across from where I lay. My body tensed up more when his hand moved from my waist to my stomach, right under my shirt. I knew it was a habit of his but each ti
Sandy’s POVI walked into the usual bespoke store that made Anthony’s favorite suits. Two weeks had gone by, and he was better than before which I was glad for because most of the work, I had to take care of was due to me forcing him to stay away from working. It made me understand just how hard he was working and me being his assistant did not truly understand it until these past two weeks. Today, I needed to pick up some new suits he would be wearing to resume work on Monday.When I got to the front desk, I smiled at the woman behind it.“Hi, Fiona,” I said to the woman, and she smiled back, widely.“Hey, Sandy. Came to pick up Mr. Hogan’s suits?” She asked and started typing on her computer. “It’s ready. I’ll go get it from the back.”I smiled with a nod as she walked away from her desk. I turned around and leaned against the desk. My gaze swept around the expanse of the place, taking in the racks of bespoke outfits and the large portraits of male models hanging on the wall. As I c