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Not the same woman
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Got Too Close Prelude to downfall
[NICO]Standing before her, watching the excitement fade off her countenance, he had thought he was ready for it, but seeing her now and how she crashed, he knew he wasn't.Though she appeared dressed for bed, he knew she didn't intend to sleep. Damon, who had been standing behind her, safeguarding her privacy, had stepped out of the room, leaving them alone as his phone rang."What did you say?"What was he to do? Hold her? Keep lying that he had everything under control when he didn't? Zayne had forced him to see the truth of what he was."He won't do that" She shook her head in disbelief, walking past him and seeing her hurry towards the bar to grab a glass; he didn't want to know what her inner turmoil would be like.He followed her, and reaching the mini bar, he saw her gulping the contents straight from the bottle, dumping a mouthful into her mouth; she clutched at the neck of the bottle, breathing hard.He knew a panic attack when he saw one.So racing till he was in front of
Got Too Close Lone wolf
ELENA'S POVI didn't mean to spew out everything I felt inside like I had done, but after years of holding it in, after years of being neglected, I finally reached a breaking point.Not to mention the terror that had gotten me good. The thoughts that I'd never see my kids again.Zayne had been my last resort after his promise to help in any way he could, even to the detriment of his brother, had spiked my hope and kept me going, but now that his response was negative, willing to let my kids go to waste, all because of a years-long rift, I felt my will to live slowly drain.I wished I could close my eyes, and when I opened them again, Mia and Matteo would be right in front of me, asking me why I had been sleeping for so long. This was a nightmare I wanted to get out of.Added to the fact I was suddenly feeling sick all day long, feeling the puke up in my throat, I lay still at my side, hugging the picture to my chest and breathing slowly to keep it at bay. And to think gulping down boo
Got Too Close Order up!
[MATTEO]_"Just a little while, champ, Daddy is coming; I swear I'll get you out; just hold on..."_And holding on was what he did, which kept him from sinking his teeth into the hands of the men after the first time he did it.All of his life, he was used to adoration, teachers complimenting him for being a smartass, his mother savoring him in her warmth, and Grandma Maya dubbing him the cutest names.What was unfamiliar to him were the acrid odors of smoke, the piercing stares he reciprocated, and the single instance when he had been struck while trying to shield Mia from being taken away.But that time, the one whom he had suspected was the leader had told the smacker off, despite him placing a gun against the side of his head when he ordered him to speak to his father.He was the one who referred to him as "Little Monster."Since he got abducted, the only time he cried had been when Mia was taken from him; other than that, all he felt was anger for the men that had taken her silent
Got Too Close Prelude to downfall
"Now listen carefully, you offered to give your life in place of your children's as any loving father would, so here's my deal, get the press, call it an... Uhm, let's say a national announcement about to be made in the Quirinal Palace, then turn yourself in.""Done"The voice chuckled in unbelief, "You sure you don't wanna bargain?""No""But that's not all; I thought to keep it from you, but there's no use; you'll comply with everything. You'll be murdered there, Nikolai, right in front of millions, and before you ask, your bodyguard, the buffy one, yeah. I'll send him the location to pick up the kids." Silence, then; "That's my deal.""Done"***So he was here."...What really happened to Fabio Conti."He had felt It might end this way; Fabio's son was never discreet about his intentions to get rid of him, but that it had taken three awful days to come to terms with it finally was what infuriated him.When Nico walked to the podium, lips close to the speaker, he had sighted him rig
Got Too Close Prelude to downfall (3)
Parking was swerving the car to a forced stop, almost crashing into a rock, raising dust and smoke, and zooming out of the vehicle, leaving Noah still struggling to catch his breath. Spotting a group of uniformed men surrounding a Lansia Ypsilon, his heart raced as he sprinted toward them. Despite the short distance, it seemed like covering a thousand miles.The car possessed a moderate sleekness, considering its intended use. The surroundings appeared deserted, yet he anticipated they wouldn't remain so for long. The press had already caught sight of his departure, and the police had taken note of his reckless driving.So soon, he would be given a speeding ticket. He could even hear the sirens from afar."Mr. President, we are about to get them out; just calm down" One of them began to stretch out his hand, walking towards him; what he didn't expect was to be shoved aside.Nico was before the window, which had been wined down a little to allow for ventilation or for him to have a fi
Got Too Close Dynamics
Before the timer exploded.And tiny strips of colored paper covered every surface of the car, some slowly dancing down until they landed on the seat, and even he who was trying to shove his way out of the confusion surrounding him."Wha—what?" eyes widened, and teeth grinding; he had no clue he was holding his breath until he felt his face reddened.A confetti bomb, seriously?!Nico glared ahead out of the windshield, struggling to breathe at the same time.He gripped the steering wheel, slamming against the brake, but either the car was getting out of control, or he was running out of control.He could feel himself growing faint. The road ahead seemed blurry. Was that a wall? Why could he hear the sounds of the waters slushing against beach sands?His grip was becoming limp on the steering, his back slowly dropping to the car seat, staring forward, keeping his eyes on the surface he was about to slam against.Or would he drown? Trying to fight his way out of the water for air and a j
Got Too Close Too good to be true
First came disbelief, all thanks to the gravity of the news not matching Milo's tone, then shock when he walked away, leaving the bigger man at the door. He moved like he owned the place, giving me the impression that this wasn't his first time here.I searched the bigger man's face for answers, and he nodded. "Damon is waiting outside." The unbelief still raged when I stepped fully downstairs and found Milo pulling down a canvas on which Nico had painted their mother. When he saw me, he shrugged, "He won't notice."The shock came for me while I stood at the door of my children's ward, and well, there they were. THERE THEY WERE.I let my tears go. Tears made of days of ache, fear, and anxiety. Incisions made of self-blame, I walked into the ward, where a couple of nurses leaned over my children's bed. And I leaned against the door to avoid falling on my face.Their sleeping expressions still bore the traces of the terror they had witnessed. Matteo's appearance showed signs of malnou
Got Too Close Deep Breaths
But sitting next to awakened Matteo hours later, I had no choice but to gather myself from the wreck I had become in Nico's ward.The Doctor stood before us; I could only make out her lips moving, for most of the words were flying over my head. The much-needed siesta I had taken in Nico's ward on his sick bed wasn't enough to carry me on.The doctor had a lot of words to convey Mia's suddenly being mute. The abduction had taken its toll on her. Matteo's explanation had us understanding that they had separated them. Those monsters had separated my children.Mia was in Nico's arms, and time and again, he kissed her face and whispered things in her ears. She was even more comfortable with him than she had been with me."They'll both be needing psychological counseling," she was saying to Nico. There was a high chance she had observed that I wasn't paying attention to her words.Nico nodded; he was engrossed with the feel of Mia in his arms that he only inputted in the conversation a few
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Got Too Close Oops
"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
Got Too Close Reunion (3)
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
Got Too Close Reunion 2
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
Got Too Close Reunion
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
Got Too Close Who again?
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
Got Too Close Unbreak my heart (2)
"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
Got Too Close Unbreak my heart
"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
Got Too Close All good.
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
Got Too Close Falling apart
"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
