Elena's POVThe sirens brought him early the following day when the kids were still asleep and watched the window because my insomnia had come knocking again.When he climbed out of the car, He looked weary and hurt and had his arm in a cast, his jacket around his shoulder; being walked on both sides, I could see the discomfort on his face.Guess he also wasn't comfortable with the life he told me to be satisfied with.And I wasn't sure if I was excited to see him back or just satisfied he was alive; I hurried down the stairs before maintaining simple steps when he was close.He was alone with Noah, who was hovering around, offering help that was refused over and over again.When his eyes met mine at the top of the stairs, he stopped, making me rub my arms in anxiety.All traces of weariness left my face when his lips turned up in amusement, "I don't want to believe you came down for me?"All of my concerns went down the drain; he had that look, the look when he had countered me in his
His eyes danced, almost like he was happy to see me in his personal space, glad I had broken in. With the towel wrapped around his waist, I suddenly felt unsafe.He swept his damp hair back, muttering, "Sikes."I began the awkward apologies knowing I was turning pink right there in front of him, "Look, I'm sorry I know I shouldn't be here," I started, walking around to get past him, "I'll just go, and you'll never see me again I promise."He gripped my wrist, pulling me to him, my body crushing against his, "I think it' is; what are you doing here, Elena?"I bit my lower lips stuttering to get my excuses out; no word was formed; what more, he held my gaze, seeing me coil in my terror."I thought so," he grinned, and using his foot, he kicked the door shut. "Now that you're here, why don't we make you a souvenir."Pushing me backward towards the table, I struggled with him, but he gripped my hand firmly behind me, trapping me between himself and the desk."Hush love, a little too much,
He sat with his legs on the desk, the MacBook on his lap as he scrolled through search results, grimacing and scoffing.Sensing the worry from Noah, he had decided to say nothing, although both knew nothing was right with him.He had tried, by God, he had tried, but all came crashing down after years, all because of a messy human who had decided his way of living didn't apply to her.She had rubbed off on him, not that; she had pushed him back into his rabbit hole, and now he couldn't believe how much he missed this; it was almost like he was back home where he could be himself.Only this time, she'd be the only one handling him, taking all the bad things he had in store, which was a lot after being suppressed for years."Sir, you're smiling to yourself again."Noah would, too, if he knew what he had in his left pocket.The grin turned wider, and Noah almost groaned."Any luck?"Nico raised a brow at him, "Not to sound cocky, but that shouldn't be a question" With his focus back on th
I stood by the car with my sunglasses on, wearing a flat pair of black shoes under a summer gown. The glasses weren't needed since it was just morning, but it helped. Right now, I glared at him, and he didn't notice.Or maybe he did because he was looking right back at me.I was mad, so mad I felt I would pop if I got angrier; all happened this morning when I was informed that I was being shipped to Sardinia with the kids.Deciding without my consent, I didn't even have the time to see him about it since Noah told me, and he didn't sleep at home.Now he was kissing Mia's forehead, whispering in Matteo's ear before he looked up at me, letting the nanny hold the kids.And slowly, a smile began to creep on his lips, and as I continued to watch, his fingers wiggled in a slight wave, and to push my annoyance, he threw me an invisible kiss.I raised both middle fingers to him, feeling the heat creep on both cheeks; I turned so he won't notice how he had swept me off with just a smile and ent
My mother slowly shifted away from me to the side, sober and staring at my father, who didn't look too happy to see me, his face holding his displeasure.I clutched at my bag, holding his gaze, my eyes pleading for forgiveness.How could he still be angry with me when it was many years ago? He knew my reason; didn't he say I took after him with my fighting spirit?"Father," I whispered.But then, as I watched, his lips curled into a smile, and then opening his arms wide.I didn't have to be asked twice; I ram into his arms, curling into the comforting smell of seawater and fish; it was the smell I remembered breathing in since I was a child.He caressed my hair, his hold tightening around me, "My little girl," he muttered against my hair, "My little girl is back.""I missed you, Father; I missed you so much."From the corner of my eyes, I could see my mother picking Mia up and hugging her, staring down at little Matteo, who was suddenly looking protective."You look so beautiful," my
Elena's POV."We watch you on TV; the last one had your father howling," my mother gossiped as we were alone making dinner, and as she stirred the fish soup, I was trying to slice carrots without my fingers following it. "It was good for him to come back to you."I only smiled, fixating my attention on the knife; my mum didn't know the marriage had been a contract. However, my father had suspected it during the wedding.Married couples were supposed to be touchy, but on that day, Nikolai and I had stayed widths apart, not even looking at each other, but each time we locked eye contact, I felt my heartbeat racing.Although my father hadn't said it directly to my face, he only grumbled it to my mother; his only agreement on the wedding was because I stood my ground, screaming that was what I wanted."You said you two were divorced, but I always thought it wasn't over," she smiled at me, "Look how he shows you off now, can't seem to get enough of ....""Mummmm," I groaned when I almost sl
I stood in the middle of the room, face red and sweat pouring down my chin, the causes of my sudden mood swings running around the table, screaming at the top of their lungs, prodding me to, 'Catch me, mummy."It didn't help I was also on call with Charlotte."So far, spicy has top the sales; Elena, we need publicity; the competition is a lot,"I groaned, the urge to stuff my face into a pillow taking its hold on me; it didn't help that my mum and dad had left me with the little monsters suddenly hyperactive.I was surprised at how they had adapted to their new habitat; Matteo was always in the river playing with the neighborhood children, while Mia had found the sand to be her new best friend.Right now, sand was in both their hairs; Matteo looked like he had swum in mud."Dear God, Matteo, you look horrible.""I don't, Mama," he defended, jumping on the table, my mother's head tie around his neck while he wielded a spatula at his sister, who giggled when the wood poked her chest."H
I ran my mascara over my lashes for the umpteenth time, making sure it was just enough; I loved my mascara in between messy and just okay.And all those while he sat there looking at me."He was the one who came yesterday, then?" My father asked, and I rolled my eyes, "What? I'm just inquiring, don't act like I just told you he was a wimp.""Dad, when you came yesterday, you said he was a wimp.""Yeah, because only a wimp would be so scared not to come along with his usual flashy cars," my dad chuckled, "what is he scared off, robbers?"I dropped the mascara picking up my lip gloss, promising myself it would be the last touch; I turned to my father, "Dad, I promise you'll learn to love Nikolai if only you want to."He stood behind me as I checked myself in the mirror, "Just promise me one thing, Elena?""Anything, Dad""If he eventually leaves again, gets me right. I'm not saying he will, but if he does again," he held my hand turning me to face him, "That you won't lock us out too?"
"Is that it?" Gianni frowned when I finished. "You've got to be kidding me." Midway, I had almost burst into tears, explaining in as much detail as I could that the men's beachwear collection, which would have been next week, had to be postponed because of the lack of models."You don't get it." I sniffled, dabbing my cheek. "It's bad for business. Bad publicity goes a long way, and the investors...""Hey," Maya says, wrapping her arms around my shoulder, shooting Gianna, still sitting, a glare. "There has to be something we can do about it." "You've got to be kidding me!" Gianna retorts again, "That's why you're crying?" "I'm so sorry," I sobbed. "I don't know why I'm so emotional; what's wrong with me?!" "Oh, I know." Clara mumbles."Gianna!" Maya's tone is laced with a warning tinge. "Be nice." But she was right. This was nothing to cry about; I was a grown woman. It was shameful that once they thought I was the epitome of strength, but now they knew I was just a crybaby."Do
The next few days we spent indoors; still, it was hard to see Nico. The air in Calabria was hearty, the laughter infectious. It wasn't hard to notice that Nico and Zayne still stayed away from each other. They had tried to hide it, but they didn't try hard enough to take off our suspicions.Milo, sometimes in the middle of a conversation with the whole family, set up opportunities for them to exchange a word two, but like two peas of the same pod, we found them, mouth full and chewing slowly until the attention was taken off their back."You want me to do it for you?" I asked Nico when we were alone in the room, watching his face as I applied my lipstick, "I could talk to Zayne, Nico. It doesn't have to..." I wasn't done when his arms curled around me, flattening his opened palm against my stomach, sending my heart racing, and then he kissed me, shutting me up briefly.When he broke it off, sending me breathless and wanting, he searched my eyes and murmured, "It's all right. It's my
Authors POVElena didn't look back as she walked away with the others, Milo staring at the top of her head with amusement as he pushed Gianna out of the sitting room.Nico didn't like that look in his eyes. It was the same look he held for Gianna, and now, whenever Milo was around, Zayne had to work for a bit of time with his wife.He pulled his eyes off the door they just walked out of, and when he turned to Zayne, who continued to give Matteo audience, his countenance a mixture of pride and sadness, Nico felt his stomach churn.He wasn't prepared for this, wasn't ready to be knocked down from the truth he believed in. He thought that Zayne would let the children die, all for petty malice, but all this while, it had been him who did nothing to help.Then why did he hide it? Why did he go through all that only to give all of the praise to Milo? Was that why Milo distanced himself for so long? Suddenly, he felt like he wasn't part of a family he had always known."How are your injuries
Author's POV.Matteo continued to chatter, "...He said you were coming for us, Dad, and you came." his innocent smile didn't match the struck expression on his father's face, which also mirrored mine."Can I say hello?" He askedSeeing Nico couldn't say a word, I took charge, "Of course, Matteo, go tell your uncle Hi.""My uncle?" His eyes widened, "Cool Ma," before he was running off towards his sister and Zayne, who, on seeing him, seemed unsure at first, but then slowly, he went on his knees and wrapped his arms around my son.That first hug held a lot of warmth for someone who had ensured he avoided Matteo initially."What's going on?" Maya asked Nico, "Why is everyone so quiet?"Nico, appearing utterly helpless, felt his tense muscles relax as he gazed ahead, overwhelmed by guilt and discomfort. Without even making eye contact with his mother, he softly responded, "Yeah, just surprised," his voice almost trailing off, "Mia doesn't talk to strangers."Although Maya wasn't entirel
He returned to tell the kids they could move before he was gone again.After a bit of fun with them, to which half my attention was not in, I left them an hour later, only to discover Nico was gone.Out of the Manor, no information, just like that, disappeared into thin air, making me wish I had stayed long enough at work, for in my head, I was running wild, helpless, and perspiring.The deja vu kept coming repeatedly; it hit me out of the blue. Standing there, watching her get into his car, his chin up, refusing to spare me a glance as she planted her thumb on his chin.My stomach churned as I let out a bitter laugh. Adding to the already complicated situation, I was pregnant. It felt like the only missing piece to complete that agonizing scene from years ago was walking into his office and discovering the papers on his desk.But I wasn't going to do that; I folded my fist against the window pane, and neither was I going to cry; that girl was gone, and in her place was a grown woman
"You're so choosey." Joey huffed, biting into a doughnut, the chocolate toppings sticking to the tip of his nose as he narrowed his eyes at Charlotte."Well, I'm sorry for wanting to make everything perfect instead of just picking out anything my lazy ass tells me to," Charlotte retorted, shuffling through the pictures on my desk, "And believe me when I say, I still haven't found that perfect model."Joey sipped noisily from his coffee cup, and when Charlotte narrowed her gaze at him, he rolled his eyes at her.Seeing this made me wonder how La Belle had endured two people who would fight about everything, including what toppings they wanted for their doughnuts.If I had come to La Belle with the hopes of finding everything for the launching of the men's beachwear project finished, then no surprise, it wasn't even half done.With all of the models unappealing to Char's taste, everything was left on standby.Remembering I left all of the work to them for weeks, the least I could do was
"Can't believe you're giving her thirty million, Elena," Noah huffed, "There are a million reasons she doesn't need it but wants to see your pride smolder."Complaining was never Noah's thing until I came to him that morning, cheque in hand, and explained everything that had happened while he was away.His reaction made me understand why Alexa demanded he didn't come alone.I did feel as if my pride was smoldered, but the feeling was nothing compared to how it would have been if she had eventually waltzed back into Nico's life.Nico had written the cheque immediately after he walked into the room, even before he strolled into the bathroom. When I entered the room, while the showers still gushed, it was sitting pretty at the edge of the bed.The first action I took when I picked it up was to inhale it, proving my desperation. The unbelief was gone. In its place was a dripping heart that he was bent on proving me wrong on all of my beliefs.He hadn't asked. Yet I had been digging up a l
Nico and Noah were unavailable for two days straight until, watching the news, I discovered the campaign for this year's election was about to commence.There he was, the smile on his face giving the aura that he had no problems, shaking hands with his shoulders straightened and chin held high.The control he exhibited standing right on that platform, the mic close to his face, talking to crowds was unnatural, and although I was just behind the TV, it was as if he was staring straight at me.I spent most of the time in the sitting room, losing my attention at the slightest distraction. 'That's a small sum for the two people that mean so much to me.'When I told Clara, she didn't look as affected as I was; instead, she frowned, "I'm surprised you don't have that amount on you right now."It dawned on her immediately, "Really, Elena?"At first, the decision to be financially independent had come from a place of keeping up my esteem; I mean, being paid to be a wife was low enough. Or t
"What did you just... What?!"The sterile white walls and the scent of antiseptic were starting to affect me, along with the news that Clara had just uttered in the most awkward imaginable.She knew this wasn't good news; she knew how much this would ruin my life. I didn't need something like this now! Not when I wasn't sure I could even hold myself up..."You're six weeks pregnant, Elena," she repeated, the papers in her hold; she seemed to be scared of my reaction had to explain why she was a safe distance away.I clutched at the buttons of my shirt, fighting to breathe, every damn passionate night returning to me.That was what the morning sickness was all about, the emotional roller coaster that had me weeping my eyes out with every bit of provocation.I thought it was stress, the children's abduction, and now the fear that Nico would leave me.And here I was, within the four corners of a hospital that I and Clara had driven to, with Noah waiting in the car.Nico had been called t