Alexa's POVMy hands trembled as I stared at the envelope sitting on my desk. It was plain, unmarked, delivered by Elsie's secretary just moments ago. I knew, with chilling certainty, what it contained. Elsie's threat, "I will do whatever I want, Alexa. This is both a threat and a warning," echoed in my mind.I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the seal. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to pretend it didn't exist. But I knew I couldn't. Elsie wouldn't let me. This was her opening move, a calculated strike designed to instill fear and force me into submission.Taking a deep breath, I tore open the envelope. Inside, nestled amongst crisp white paper, were the photographs.They were damning. The same images of Don Antonio and me, locked in a passionate embrace. The kiss, captured from multiple angles, left no room for misinterpretation. Our faces were clearly shown. My breath hitched. My stomach churned. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. These pictures… they could destroy everythi
Alexa's POV Tears stung at the corners of my eyes as his words reverberated through the large office space, bouncing back to my ears. I couldn't bear the harshness, nor could I bear the man from whom those words were coming. "You're a worthless piece of shit! Just take a look at what you have caused! We lost all those millions because of you!" he screamed. "Dad…" I began. "What is it, Alexa? Are you ready to explain how these documents were signed?" he demanded, flinging the papers at my face. The tears that had stung at the corners of my eyes now clouded them, threatening to spill down my face. "I don't know anything about those papers, Dad. I wasn't the one who signed them." He snorted at my words. "But those are your damn signatures! If you weren't the one who signed them, then who did? Who freaking did?" His eyes burned with fury as he glared back at me. I had to bend my head when I could no longer stand the heat of his gaze. Just then, the office doors opened, and t
Don Antonio Hell no was the answer I gave my dearest friend, Donald Bavarish, when he suggested that I invest in his fashion and lifestyle brand—The Bavarish. He had complained several times how my goddaughter was running down the businesses for years and needed to stop her before she ruined the business completely. I had said no because accepting the offer would mean Alexa ruining not just me, but the friendship I had maintained with her father for over thirty years. My good friend had crazy ideas. Not only had he begged me to invest my money, which is a piece of cake since I had too much of it running in billions. He wanted me to invest my time too, and in no other person but Alexa. How was I supposed to spend time with someone I should be avoiding? Alexa had everything any woman could wish for. A drop dead-gorgeous face, a banging body, and a well-working brain. Her fellow ladies would love to have what she has got, while most men lusted after her. Including me.I have lost c
Alexa's POVI sat down opposite him, stunned from his sudden change of mood. He didn't even wait for me to settle down properly on the chair opposite his before launching into a rundown of the business. It was all facts and figures, a fast-paced gush of information. He insisted that I had been so soft with my way of running the business, and that was why I failed."So, you see, your father was right. The company's bottom line has been slipping. It's clear you haven't been taking care of the right areas," he said, his voice a low growl.My dad had been on my case about it for months. I knew the numbers were off, but I had been focused on building up into new markets, on creating a vision for the company's future. My dad had always been worried about the bottom line, and now Don Antonio was singing the same tune."I know the numbers aren't where they should be, but we've been making progress. The new markets have huge potential. We just need to give it time," I said, trying to keep my
Alexa's POVThe hot water cascaded down my back, but it didn't wash away the lingering ache in my chest. It was the same ache I felt every time I remembered what happened to Mom. How Dad stole her rightful place and gave it to his new wife. I was fifteen when Dad decided to trade her in for a younger model. The divorce ripped our family apart. The pain of it was a gaping wound that never quite healed.Dad's new wife, Claire, was everything Mom wasn't. Blonde, bubbly, and with a smile that never seemed to falter. She was twenty years younger than him, and she'd sneaked her way into our lives with a charm that Mom never possessed.I hated Claire. I hated how easily she'd won Dad over. How she seemed to fit into his life so effortlessly. And how she'd used her beauty and cunning to get everything she wanted.Mom had been a mess after the divorce. She was always anxious, always on edge. She had these episodes, these sudden bursts of anger, and she'd lash out at everything and everyone. S
Don Antonio's POV It was damn hard to go to work with Alexa in the office the next day, especially after she had left in anger the previous day. I felt guilty for agreeing to the crazy idea Donald had set me up for. If I hadn't agreed, maybe he wouldn't have gone ahead and fired her from the CEO position. Now I had to make up for it by helping her. She was my goddaughter, and I couldn’t let Elsie, the other daughter who isn't even Donald's biological daughter, take over the company. I couldn’t let her destroy everything Alexa's mother had built over the years. She built Bavarish right from scratch, even before she met Donald and agreed to marry him. I might have acted nonchalant when Donald divorced Alexa's mother and took over her company, but not this time around when I could do something to stop another unfair act. So I went to the office, my heart pounding in my chest. She was already there, sitting at her desk, her emerald green eyes focused on the papers in front of he
Alexa's POV My whole body tensed up at the first contact his hand made with my butt. The pain quickly spread all over my body. However, I was shocked when I started getting excited each time his hand landed on my butt. It's like my body betraying the anger I was supposed to feel towards my godfather for thinking of punishing me in the first place.He got to seven, and I raised my butt a bit higher for him, eager for his hand to land another firm spank on my soft butt cheeks. It did, and a low moan escaped from my throat. I licked my dry lips nervously as I waited for the next one.But his hand hung in the air. "It seems like you are more of enjoying the pain instead of enduring it.""Huh?" I asked in a low voice. "This was meant to be a punishment. What is wrong with you, Alexa?" He cautioned me.My godfather's voice was sounding different. Like he was in between annoyed and amused with me. I cranked my neck a little bit sideways to see his facial expression. My brow creased in con
Alexa's POV I sighed in relief when I saw my godfather's familiar figure and majestic steps as he came towards me. Seeing him alone washed almost half of the tension gripping my body. "Little Alexa…" he murmured, pulling me into a hug.I clung tight to his embrace as if my whole life depended on it. "Thank you for coming," I whispered.He loosened his arms a little from my body, but didn't release me. "Tell me what happened to your mother."He took me to the nearby chair in the waiting area. I narrated everything that happened to Mom to him. He listened to me, while some of his fingers were unconsciously pulling at the strands of my hair. "The doctors had sedated her for now, but they couldn't promise me anything. I don't know if Mom would be alright or not."He embraced me again, holding me tight onto his chest. "It's going to be alright."He talked to the doctors after consoling me. He couldn't get much out of them since they would have to run some tests on her before they coul
Alexa's POVMy hands trembled as I stared at the envelope sitting on my desk. It was plain, unmarked, delivered by Elsie's secretary just moments ago. I knew, with chilling certainty, what it contained. Elsie's threat, "I will do whatever I want, Alexa. This is both a threat and a warning," echoed in my mind.I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the seal. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to pretend it didn't exist. But I knew I couldn't. Elsie wouldn't let me. This was her opening move, a calculated strike designed to instill fear and force me into submission.Taking a deep breath, I tore open the envelope. Inside, nestled amongst crisp white paper, were the photographs.They were damning. The same images of Don Antonio and me, locked in a passionate embrace. The kiss, captured from multiple angles, left no room for misinterpretation. Our faces were clearly shown. My breath hitched. My stomach churned. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. These pictures… they could destroy everythi
Alexa's POV The image of Dr. Jeremy's charming smile flashed in my mind, even before I noticed the golden rays of the beautiful sunrise. I had spent the previous night after the date battling conflicting emotions – guilt for snapping at my mother, fear for my relationship with Don Antonio, and a strange, unsettling curiosity about Dr. Jeremy. The date had been unexpected. I had gone into it hesitant, unsure of what to expect. But Dr. Jeremy, with his easy charm and genuine interest, had quickly put me at ease. We had spent the evening laughing, sharing stories, and discovering a shared love for old movies and swimming. We had even planned to go swimming sometime next week. It had been a refreshing change of pace, a welcome distraction from the anxieties that had been plaguing me.I slid up from my duvet until my back met the headboard. As I stretched my arms, a strange sense of contentment washed over me. I had actually enjoyed myself. I had stepped outside my comfort zone, and it
Don Antonio's POV The hours ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. I paced my penthouse suite, the panoramic night view of the city offering no solace. My phone remained stubbornly silent, the last attempt to call Alexa ending in voicemail. She had been calling me insistently for the last few days, so why wasn't she picking up her calls? Especially tonight when I had planned on surprising her with a romantic dinner. I was getting worried sick with each passing minute. What if something had happened to her? What if the stalker she had been complaining about had finally caught up with her and put her in danger?When I could no longer take it, I called my security detail. "Marco," I said, my voice tight with anxiety, "I need you to do something for me right now if possible. I know you might have already called it a night, but I will double your pay if that's what it would take."Marco, my trusted confidante and head of security, was all business. "I don't mind what time is it
Alexa's POV My mind was a whirlwind of emotions during my drive home. I kept replaying the conversation I had with my mom in my head, every word, every inflection of her voice. Has she always felt this way about Don Antonio? Or was this a recent development, a reaction to the scandal that threatened to engulf us? And then, there was Dr. Jeremy. His kind smile, his genuine interest in my mother… I couldn't deny that he was charming. And my mother, bless her heart, was definitely drawn to him. She wanted him for me. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I couldn't let myself get distracted. I had bigger problems to deal with. Elsie, the blackmail, my father's disapproval… The weight of it all was suffocating. I pulled into the driveway, my hands trembling as I unlocked the door. The apartment felt cold and empty, a stark contrast to the warmth and chaos of the hospital room. I sank onto the couch, the events of the day crashing down on me. I picked up my phone, hoping to se
Alexa's POV I was less tense on my way to work this morning, so I decided to pay my mom a visit. It was better now that my mood was relaxed, than later in the day when Elsie might have done something to upset me. The hospital room was a burst of color, a stark contrast to the sterile white walls it used to be. I didn't want to overthink it, but it was a sign that my mom was feeling way better than she used to.She was sitting up in bed, looking surprisingly lively, engaged in a lively conversation with a handsome young doctor. He had a kind smile and a twinkle in his eyes as he listened to my mother recount her latest escapades, her voice filled with a mischievous glint. "And then," my mother was saying, "I told the nurse that her hairspray was interfering with my oxygen supply!"The doctor chuckled. "I can see why you're the most popular patient on this floor, ma'am."My mother beamed. "Oh, you flatter me, Doctor," she replied, her eyes twinkling. I cleared my throat to get thei
Don Antonio's POVThe image of Patricia, her eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and malice, haunted me throughout the night. Her words, "She still talks about you sometimes, you know. Says she misses you," echoed in my mind all through my sleep, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions. I had thought I had moved on from Isabella, from the pain of our divorce. But Patricia's words had reopened old wounds. Does she still think about me? About us?Isabella. My Isabella. We had been so young, so deeply in love. We had built a life together, a life that had shattered like a fragile vase. The memory of her tear-stained face, the pain in her eyes as she told me about the affair, still tormented me over these years. Even though we had gone our separate ways for almost two decades, the memories are still fresh like a green grass in my mind.I picked up my phone and dialed her number. It rang a few times before she answered, her voice cautious. "Isabella," I began, my voice hesitant. "It's me
Alexa's POVI paced the floor of my apartment, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. I tried calling Don Antonio again, but it went straight to voicemail. I started imagining the worst-case scenarios: an accident, a confrontation, anything. The thought of something happening to him, of losing him, was unbearable. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my father. "Alexa," his voice was grave, "I need to speak with you.""Dad, what is it?" I asked, my voice trembling."Come to the office immediately," he said, his voice stern. "Something has come to my attention."He hung up before I could ask any questions. My mind raced. What did he know? Had Elsie gone to him? I rushed out of the apartment, feeling a surge of adrenaline. I had to get to the office to find out what was happening. As I drove, my mind raced. I tried to anticipate my father's reaction, to prepare myself for his anger, his disappointment. I knew he wouldn't approve of my relationship with my godfather, so I would have to bear
Alexa's POV The flight back to the city felt shorter than usual. I was buzzing with newfound energy, a confidence I hadn't felt in a long time. Don Antonio's insights had completely shifted my perspective. I was no longer just presenting data; I was telling a story, painting a picture of the future of the Bavarish brand.As the plane touched down, I felt a surge of adrenaline. I was ready to conquer this presentation. I was ready to show my father, and everyone else, what I was capable of in moving this company forward. It should have been me and not Elsie.The presentation went off without a hitch that morning. I was nervous at first, but as I began to speak, my confidence grew. I spoke with passion and conviction, weaving a compelling narrative that captivated the audience. I made them see reasons why my ideas and strategies would push the company to its highest peak. My father, sitting in the front row, watched me with a mixture of pride and surprise. When I finished, the room er
Alexa's POV I woke up with a jolt, the memory of the previous night's events flooding back. The intoxicating scent of jasmine still lingered in the air, a bittersweet reminder of our stolen moments. I reached for my phone to check the time, only to see a text from my father's secretary. "Reminder: Presentation on the new marketing strategy tomorrow at 10 AM. Please prepare accordingly." My heart sank. I had completely forgotten about the presentation. Panic started to set in. I scrolled through my emails, finding a trail of unanswered messages from her. I had been so caught up in the whirlwind of Santorini, in the intoxicating embrace of my forbidden love, that I had completely neglected my responsibilities. Now, I would have to face the consequences. My mind raced. What could I possibly present? How could I salvage this situation? I felt a wave of panic wash over me. I had to do something, and fast. My fingers trembled as I typed a frantic reply to my dad's secretary, apologizin