Chapter 018AliceI stood before the imposing Bianchi Corporation, its sleek white building soaring into the sky as the early afternoon sun cast a radiant glow. Four days ago, I'd asked Mario for directions to his office after that explosive incident at the restaurant. He'd invited me to visit, but I'd declined. Now, I was here to submit my terms and conditions for the contract, as Mario had been evading the topic since then. His avoidance tactics left me no choice but to confront him directly. I hadn't even told him I would be visiting. As I walked past the company garage, lined with luxurious vehicles, I took a deep breath. Inside, the reception room bustled with activity. The air was thick with different colognes, and the soft click-clack of keyboards filled the space. Employees, engrossed in their work, didn't notice my arrival and I loved it that way, grateful to avoid recognition as the woman entangled in Mario's scandal with Elsa.My gaze settled on a woman chewing gum wit
Chapter 019AliceI sat surrounded by my kids, Ava, Paul, and Liam, and Alex, in our cozy sitting room. They were getting ready to interview Mario, who sat confidently on the opposite couch, dominating the space with his presence. It had been one week since we started our fake dating arrangement, and Mario had taken to his new role as a father figure with ease. The kids adored him, and Alex, whom I'd grown to love like my own, seemed to have found a new sense of security with Mario around. My kids' faces had lit up with joy every day since Mario took up the responsibility, and their happiness had become contagious. They'd even stopped getting ridiculed at school, thanks to Mario's bold move of declaring himself their father, despite me being reluctant.However, the news of the incident at his office had been circulating, and I'd tried to brush it off as mere gossip. It seemed that some scandals were just too hard to shake off. I'd even pleaded with Mario to reinstate his secretary,
Chapter 020AliceAs I gazed around the opulent dinner hall, the air vibrated with the hum of conversation and the soft clinking of glasses. The scent of expensive cologne and perfume filled the air, mingling with the aroma of exquisite cuisine. People in elegant dresses and tailored suits moved with grace, their jewels glinting under the crystal chandeliers.I was struck by the air of power and sophistication that permeated the room. It was clear that this was no ordinary gathering of the wealthy elite.Mario had introduced me to several people earlier, including our host, Mr. Roger, a man in his fifties with a warm, kind smile. He'd welcomed me graciously, unaware of my true identity, thanks to the mask Mario had gotten for me. I'd been adamant about wearing it, and Mario had reluctantly agreed, stopping at a store to purchase it while I waited in the car on our way earlier. The other guests couldn't help but stare, whispering and looking my way. But they kept their distance, car
Chapter 021Alice"Hi Ma'am!" Lara, my staff entered my office with a parcel in hand. I tore my gaze away from the disturbing news on my phone which was a burnt, mangled body found on the bridge.My eyes went to Lara's hands, expecting the familiar sight of Mario's red roses, accompanied by lunch for the kids and me. But what I saw made my heart skip a beat. The roses were different. This one was a deep, velvety red with white stripes."Hand it over," I took the parcel from her. She stood before me, her hands clasped together. I turned the parcel over in my hands. Who could have sent this? And why the sudden change from Mario's usual routine? Or, have I had a secret admirer? I thought with a chuckle. I dropped the flower on the table and opened the brown envelope, adorned with a small yellow flower. "You can go, Lara," I said, and she left.The envelope contained a white paper, folded neatly. I hesitated because this was the first time I'd received a message in an envelope. My c
Chapter 022AliceWhat’s she doing here? I wasn't in the mood for her drama today. Elsa's silence was long, lasting several minutes as she sat motionless beside me. Her unusual quietness forced me to steal glances at her, waiting for her to break the silence."You know, I've never seen Alex this happy," Elsa said, breaking the silence. Her somber tone caught me off guard, and I turned to look at her. "I feel like I've been a bad mother," Elsa continued. "I feel so bad and terrible about it. I've never experienced a childhood filled with feelings of being cared for. I never knew what it meant to be loved. Hell, I don't even know what that big word 'love' feels like – to be shown it, to feel it." Her eyes finally met mine, and I was struck by the sadness and longing in their brown depths.I found myself feeling a deep sense of pity for her. Her childhood, much like mine, had been marred by pain and loneliness."You are not a bad mother," I began, but Elsa cut me off."Don't say anythi
Chapter 023AliceMy hands pushed at the low-slung waist of his suit, zipping it and pulling it down which he helped in. They slided down, and I trembled when his thick cock sprung free against his abs. I swallowed as my eyes grew wider. He’s so fucking big. My cheeks flushed as I continued to gazed at him. As a twenty-five-year-old woman, I had never experienced pleasure before. Life had been tough, but in this moment, I felt a spark of desire.Mario's words were my undoing. “Go ahead, wifey. You can do it. And, you're not stopping tonight because you've started it already when I stopped. Now, take that fucking cock into your hot mouth.”My thighs clenched furiously and another wave of wetness dripped down my thighs.Mario groaned, pulling me in to kiss me as I wrapped one hand as much around this length as I could and stroked him slowly. He pulsed in my hand, the vein throbbing under my grip. But I wanted more this time. I’m ready to give him more. I slipped my lips from his and
Chapter 024Alice I quickly composed myself, clearing my throat. "It's nothing, baby. What are you guys up to here?" I asked, trying to divert attention from the awkward moment.As I moved past Mario, he reached out to grab me, but I dodged him. "We're making pancakes, Mom!” Paul replied.Liam's looked up at me. "Dad said we should make a surprise breakfast for you because you were really tired yesterday after...some exercise which you did with him." His voice trailed off, and he shot Mario a glance before muttering under his breath, "But you already ruined the surprise, Mom."My cheeks burned as I turned to Mario, who was smirking at me while expertly flipping the pancakes in the pan at the some time. His shirtless form and flexing muscles were distracting, to say the least. I tried to maintain a neutral expression, but my cheeks betrayed me, flushing with a warm glow.Ava's curious voice cut my thoughts. "Mom, is that true? Did you do something with dad that made you tired?""Y-y
Chapter 025AliceThere was few minutes of silence with Jake looking at Aria. Then, he turned back to me.“You're right," Jake began. "I saw and picked Aria up from the streets, just like I was once found. Hers was a story of abandonment, just like mine.""I remember that night vividly," Jake continued. "I was seventeen, and I'd been sleeping in an uncompleted building. I saw her wrapped in a shawl there, left all alone in the world. My initial reaction was fear and anger - who could do such a thing to a helpless child?""But then I held her little fingers in mine and she'd stared at me with those innocent brown eyes," Jake said, his eyes gazing into the distance. "And something shifted inside me. I knew I'd do everything in my power to protect her, to give her the life she deserved. I'd go to the end of the world, move unmovable mountains for the little girl.""I was scared of the authorities, of course," Jake admitted. "But I knew I had to do the right thing. I did everything I coul
Chapter 036Alice “No, it’s not that. I just don’t want to do this anymore.” I replied after a while.“Why?” he demanded, his voice hardening.“Because I have another lover,” I replied, “A man that is—”“Stop.” His voice was sharp, cutting me off. “Say another word about him, and I’ll go after him, break every bone remaining in his fucking body and come back with his blood on my hands and find a way to keep that mouth of yours busy.”I flushed at the insinuation, understanding exactly what he meant. But then his threat also made my heart pounded, I knew he wasn't joking. Mario never jokes. He released me abruptly and sat down on the bed, the tension in the room thick as silence fell between us.After a long pause, he spoke again, his voice quieter. “You’re doing all of this because you still feel guilty about Alex’s death, isn't it?. You’re blaming yourself and using that guilt to push me away. And I also have this feeling that someone is threatening you, making it all worse.”His w
Chapter 035Alice It'd been one month. One long, torturous month since Alex died. One month since my kids began bombarding me with questions about him. Their innocent curiosity nearly broke me but I'd to tell them a big lie which still had them satisfed. For now.Then, one month and three days since I made a deal with Elsa. As the days dragged on, sticking to Elsa’s plan became more harder than I’d imagined. Mario had re-entered our lives with full force, more protective than ever, as though Alex’s death had snapped something in him. Every attempt I made to push him away only brought him closer.Tonight, I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. I was taking a drastic, dangerous step to end this once and for all.I walked to the bed where a man lounged, staring at me with lustful eyes. My stomach churned at the sight, but I maintained my composure.“This is just an act. Don’t forget that,” I snapped. He smirked, clearly amused.I clenched my fists. I knew Mario would come tonight, and
Alice I stood in front of the mansion’s entrance, my hands trembling as I adjusted the black veil to better hide my swollen eyes. Alex had been buried three days ago, but the ache in my heart hadn’t dulled. Not even a little. Now, here I was, standing at Elsa’s doorstep, unsure if I had the strength to face her.The guards at the gate had reluctantly let me in after much persuasion. They knew I wasn’t welcome here. Mario hadn’t been to the house he’d placed us in since the day Alex died. After delivering the news, he’d vanished. I’d even thought of packing up and leaving with my kids and to my old apartment. But how could I explain anything to them? I don't have a tangible explanation. They still didn’t know what had happened to Alex, and I didn’t think I could ever bring myself to tell them.As I took a deep breath, raising my fist and knocked on the door, memories of the burial three days ago flooded back.Elsa and I had exchanged no words at the cemetery. When Alex’s small coffin
Chapter 033AliceImmediately after they were out of sight, I stood up and walked to Mario. “What’s going on, Mario? Where is he?” I asked, my voice sharp.Mario didn’t answer. He just looked at me with a strange, heavy expression in his eyes, a look I had never seen before. My stomach twisted. Something was wrong. I could feel it in the air, in the way his shoulders sagged.“Mario, talk to me,” I pressed, my voice rising.He hesitated, his lips parting as if to speak, then closing again. Finally, he said it, his voice breaking:“He’s dead, Alex. He’s dead.”The words hit me like a train. My body froze, my heart stalling as if it couldn’t process what I’d just heard. For a moment, I convinced myself I hadn’t heard him correctly. “Who is dead?” I whispered.Mario didn’t respond.“Who the fuck is dead, Mario?” I shouted, the curse word slipping out before I realized it. Not that I cared at this point.“Alex…” he repeated, his voice soft, his gaze now fully meeting mine.I stumbled bac
Chapter 032Alice“Mario, tell me something. Where the hell is Alex? Who the heck kidnapped that innocent little boy?” I asked, pacing around the room. My chest felt tight, and my thoughts were spinning out of control. Mario just sat there there, watching me intently, but he didn’t say a word. For the first time since I met him, he looked...tired. Not just physically, but emotionally drained. It was as though the weight of the world was pressing down on him, and he could barely hold it up anymore.He had returned only a few minutes ago, his face filled with exhaustion and something else—guilt, perhaps? He hadn’t even spoken to me, and I wasn't liking it.“You haven’t even been home for two days, Mario,” I continued. “You come back now, looking like this, and you can’t even give me an answer? I need to know what’s going on! Alex is missing!” I stopped pacing, looking at him for some kind of reassurance.Still, he said nothing. It’s been three days since Alex was kidnapped, and the
Chapter 031AliceI still found it hard to believe Mrs. Smith was Mario's younger sister, even as I watched my kids clinging to her, Mario, and Adrian sitting on the couch while the rest of the guests were dining. Mrs. Smith herself had explained to me earlier when I went to the kitchen to get her something to eat, and she’d came to join me. It was very hard to believe but I was forced to accept it when I noticed the glaring resemblance among all three of them.I kept asking myself this question ever since she told me about it: Did Mario know about her coming to the hospital when Paul was sick? My gaze shifted to Mario, who was already watching me as he spoke with his siblings. I glared at him, though I tried not to make it too obvious. He had come back late for the kids' party, but that wasn’t what was making me this angry. No, it was because Mario had gifted the kids an island, a freaking island! I didn’t like it. It made it seem as if my kids had been lacking before he came into
Chapter 030Alice"I would go to any extent for you, Wifey, even to the very end of the world. Do even the unthinkable" Mario murmured.His words, though seemingly tender, sent a shiver of unease down my body. It wasn’t just the way he said them, it was the intensity in his eyes. He meant every syllable, and that terrified me.I hated to admit it, but he scared me sometimes. Not because I thought he’d hurt me, but because his possessiveness was... consuming. Ever since Mario came into our lives, he’d brought joy and stability to the kids, but with me? He was cold, distant, and now this. For a fleeting moment, I had believed his demeanor had softened these past weeks, but yet again, Mario Bianchi had proven me wrong."Okay, okay, fine. I agree," I said, exhaling shakily. "But... What about Elsa?" My hands rested on his chest."Ha!" He let out a sharp laugh, his grip on me tightening slightly. "Do you actually think you'd be living with Elsa?""Yes.”"Well, no." His smirk widened. "You
Chapter 029AliceI sank onto the kids' bed with a deep sigh. I'd just finished reading the kids their bedtime story, and now the house was quiet, except for the sound of my own ragged breathing. The party had ended hours ago, and I had to admit, I'd had a blast. It had been a long time since I'd let loose and had so much fun. But now, I didn't want to go to my room, knowing he was waiting for me. I knew I couldn't avoid Mario forever. He was a man who always got what he wanted, and I had a feeling that tonight would be no exception. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and all I wanted to do was crawl into the comfort of my bed and forget about the world. But, I couldn't.My phone suddenly shattered the stillness of the night. I hesitated, wondering who could be calling at this ungodly hour. But as I picked up the phone and saw the name flashing on the screen, my heart skipped a beat. It was Mario.My hand stilled, my fingers trembling slightly as I debated whether to
Chapter 028AliceI sat with my phone in hand, reading a story on an app while occasionally glancing at Mario, who the kids cuddled up to as they watched their favorite cartoon show.Mario's gaze would often drift towards me, and I'd meet his eyes, but look away when it gets intense.Just as I was getting lost in the story, Ava's voice cut through the air. "Daddy," she called out, raising her head from Mario's chest. "I want to tell you something." My heart skipped a beat as I stiffened, praying that she wouldn't reveal the secret we'd all agreed to keep.Ava looked at me, and I discreetly placed my fingers on my lips, signaling her to remain silent. I also demonstrated flogging gesture with my finger, trying to remind her of our earlier conversation. Ava simply giggled and looked away.I'd warned the kids earlier about keeping Alex's true identity hidden, and they'd promised to keep it a secret. But now, with Alex's face and the mask still fresh in their minds, I wasn't so sure. I