A Russian playboy

Amadeus Richter, a renowned Russian entrepreneur, was the owner of one of the world's most prestigious hotel chains, the Richter Hotels. The Richter hotels were known for their 5-star quality, and the man was committed to ecological and sustainable development. 

This aspect had caught Nicole's interest, as she had studied several projects related to the design of these hotels. If she hadn't signed the contract with Bruno, she would have undoubtedly accepted Mr. Richter's job offer. Not everyone would have such an opportunity.

Bruno was visibly jealous and was unsure if it was the right time to divorce Nicole. Doing so would undoubtedly be like throwing her into the arms of that Russian playboy, because that's what this guy was. After leaving Nicole's office, Bruno went straight to his computer to do some more research on who this man was, trying to pull Nicole away from his side.

"So, Amadeus Richter, huh? He has quite a history of conquests around the world, from Arabian to Japanese women, including Latinas, Europeans, and even Africans. Quite the collector of love affairs."

She copied the links from a few pages and sent them to Nicole. When Nicole received them, she opened them immediately, thinking it was some work-related matter. As she read through them, she realized what they were actually about. She became visibly upset and stormed off towards Bruno's office, entering without knocking.

"What do you think you're doing?" She had managed to exasperate her once again.

"What do you mean?" He replied, pretending to be oblivious.

"The links you sent. I have absolutely no interest in the romantic lives of our clients. I thought it was something important related to work. We're grown-ups, for God's sake!"

"It's just so you can be careful and not get carried away by that guy's advances. I'm worried you'll become just another one on his list."

"That's something that shouldn't concern you anymore. Thank God we're finally getting divorced."

"I care about everything that happens within the walls of this company."

"Are you serious?" At that moment, she felt the urge to hit him.

"Absolutely," he replied, satisfied.

"Okay, if I decide to entertain Richter's advances, I'll do it outside of the company and during non-working hours," she said before leaving, leaving Bruno surprised by her response.

Bruno took a deep breath to calm himself. He had planned to give Nicole the divorce, not because he no longer cared, but because he wanted to win her back, make her fall in love with him again, and then marry her, but this time out of love, not obligation or duty.

He hadn't anticipated the appearance of Amadeus Richter on the scene, interfering with his plans. He clenched his fists; he had to find the dirtiest side of that man. Someone like him always had one. He needed to uncover and expose all that darkness.

He called the best private investigator in town; he needed to set his plan in motion before it was too late, before that man succeeded in capturing Nicole's attention.

Dante entered at that moment, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hello, brother."

"Hello," he replied curtly.

"Well, looks like we're in a bad mood again."

"I can't deny the obvious."

"And now, what happened?"

"Some guy who thinks that just because he's a globally recognized billionaire can show up here and try to take Nicole away with him."

"What? Someone tried to take my sister-in-law?" he asked, alarmed.

"Well, not in that sense," Bruno realized he was exaggerating.

"Then how?"

"Amadeus Richter offered her an individual job to work on the renovation and construction of his hotels."

"Ah, that's different."

"It is different. Nicole has a contract with this company, and she must fulfill it. Besides, he was practically undressing her with his eyes."

"Hahaha, that's called jealousy, even if you don't want to admit it as always."

"Dante Leone, get out of here before I commit fratricide."

"Hahaha, calm down, Cain. I just came to inform you that I plan to propose to Sophie."

"Are you serious?" Bruno couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I am, completely."

"Congratulations, brother. Sophie is an amazing girl."

"She has suffered too much. I love her, and I know that by her side, she won't suffer anymore. I plan to make her very happy."

"That's fantastic, brother. I'm really happy for you."

Later, Nicole received a message from an unknown number. She hesitated to read it but eventually did.

"Miss Williams, could we have a meal together? I need you to start working on the designs for the gardens of my hotels as soon as possible. The renovation and construction designs of the buildings also need to start as soon as possible."

Upon reading it, she realized it was from Amadeus. She hadn't saved his number in her contacts yet, which is why it appeared as unknown.

She immediately added him to her contacts and sent a quick reply.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Richter. Of course, please let me know the place and time."

"I'll see you at the entrance of the building in two hours," he replied. He was a very busy man, but they needed to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

"Alright, sir," she responded. She knew Bruno would be upset, but now she only cared about moving this project forward. If they did well and completed it as quickly as possible, they could impress the client, and he would speak highly of her work to other businessmen.

She hoped her work would meet the standards and that her designs would please him. She didn't want to miss the opportunity to be recognized worldwide for the quality of her work.

She had clothes stored in the dressing room of the room that Bruno had set up for Santi behind his office, so she hurried to finish her pending work and entered to get ready properly. She put on a navy blue dress with short sleeves that hugged her body. The length was below her knees—a simple yet elegant dress that accentuated her curves. She tied her hair up in a bun, trying to appear more professional, grabbed her purse, and left her office.

In the hallway, she ran into Bruno, who scanned her with his eyes.

"Are you going on a date?" He commented, noting that she was too dressed up for it to be anything else.

"For work," she hurriedly replied.

"I see," he said.

"He wants to start as soon as possible with the designs for the renovation and construction of his hotels."

"From the looks of it, you're in a hurry," he remarked. It had to be that man again.

"That's right."

"Well, I hope it goes well for you," he said before turning around. He managed to control himself, but for a moment, he thought about grabbing Nicole and locking her away to keep her away from that man.

Nicole hurriedly left the building and saw a luxurious black Aston Martin parked nearby. Amadeus got out of the car, and she was surprised when he approached and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. He opened the passenger door and took her hand to help her get in.

From the window of his office, Bruno watched the scene intently. If Amadeus thought he would have an easy time, he was mistaken.

Meanwhile, Leandro tried to forget about Nicole in the company of Shelsy. She had definitely changed, and an event that drags us to the bottom makes us reflect on our lives.

She couldn't forget Bruno, and he couldn't forget Nicole. After discussing it, they decided to help each other. They had cut off all communication with Sondra. That woman had the word "trouble" tattooed in large letters on her forehead. Wherever she went, she found herself in trouble.

Maximilian, on the other hand, was caught up in a great dilemma. Two nights ago, he had gone to a bar to relax and get Nicole out of his mind once and for all. He had been in love with her for many years, she was like his unrequited love, and he knew he didn't stand a chance with her. He had never dared to reveal his true feelings for fear of rejection and ruining their friendship.

That day, he drank too much. He was sitting alone at a table, watching the show on the dance floor. Two girls were caressing each other's bodies to the rhythm of the soft music. They had practically stripped off all their clothes, putting on a spectacle as their bodies seemed to want to merge into one. He didn't realize that a pair of light eyes were watching him attentively. At another table, some men were also enjoying the show, accompanied by beautiful girls.

Max stood up from the table and headed towards the bathroom. The owner of those light eyes followed him with his gaze and decided to follow him. Max was very drunk, and while he liked women, there was something about that guy that caught his attention.

He entered the bathroom and found Max there. Max was standing in front of the sink, splashing water on his face, trying to clear his mind, perhaps thinking that the cold water would help.

The man approached him slowly, feeling curious. Maybe it was the effect of all the drinks. Max turned when he felt someone's presence near him, and he found himself face to face with that man—a tall, blond man. Max tried to move aside, but the man wouldn't let him.

He observed Max with curiosity, and after a few minutes, the man ran his fingers across his lips. Before he knew it, the man was kissing him. Max, without knowing why, responded to the kiss. When he finally snapped out of it, he pushed the man away and quickly left the place.

What the hell had just happened? Max grabbed his head, trying to comprehend it all.

He got into his car and drove away from that place. He had never had a girlfriend as he had always focused on his studies. When his parents died, the Williams practically adopted him, and he had been close to Nicole since they were children. She was a unique woman to him, and he considered her perfect in every aspect. That's why he believed that no other woman caught his attention because they fell short of being like her.

Upon arriving home, he immediately lay down and tried to sleep. He touched his lips—why did he actually enjoy the kiss from that man? This simply couldn't be happening to him.

As for the man, he returned to his table after spending a moment in the bathroom, trying to digest what had just happened. He was a notorious womanizer, having countless lovers around the world. However, none of them could fill the void in his heart. 

Having one was no different from having any other. He collected them like trophies. But that day, when he saw that guy, something within him changed.