"She asked me to do it, she wanted to trap you for a long time, and she succeeded. She saw you at a party and became infatuated with you."
Bruno managed to see Nicole approaching. Sondra clung to him and kissed him. Under different circumstances, he wouldn't have allowed it, knowing it would upset Nicole. He enjoyed seeing the expression on her face when she saw them together. When she left, he pushed Sondra away.
"Don't ever do that again without my consent," he said, walking away and leaving her alone in the hallway.
He reached the table but didn't see Nicole. His father told him she was on the terrace. He headed there, and upon arriving, he couldn't believe the audacity of that couple. Maximilian had his arm around her waist, and with his other hand, he held her chin. Bruno approached the guy and punched him in the back. He knew he shouldn't have caused such a scene, but he couldn't contain his anger. He wouldn't let them mock him in that way.
He argued with them and then grabbed his wife's arm in a rough manner because, whether he liked it or not, that's what Nicole was in everyone's eyes—his wife.
“Who the hell do you think you are to hug my wife like that?”
“Now you suddenly care? I'm sure you did something to make her like this.”
“What happens between her and me is none of your business.”
He pulled her towards him, and the girl stumbled. Max couldn't bear to see that and landed a strong punch on Bruno's face. Bruno retaliated, and they got into a fight. Upon hearing the screams, Nicole's parents approached to break up the fight. Bruno thought he didn't owe anyone an explanation, so he hugged Nicole and walked away from there.
Nicole thought about clarifying things but decided it was pointless. When she found them kissing, she decided to go out to the terrace. She didn't want her parents to realize her state. It wasn't just the fact that he was with another woman or that he didn't care if they saw him. It hurt her that out of thousands of women, it had to be with her.
Maximilian followed her and couldn't help but throw himself into her arms. He needed to feel that someone cared about him. Max hugged her and held her chin.
“What's happening, my little dragonfly?” That's what he has called her since she was little.
Right at that moment, Bruno, furious, struck him in the back.
In the car, Bruno began yelling at her.
"All I asked of you was to behave and yet you embarrass me."
"I wasn't doing anything wrong. Max is like a brother to me. But tell me, who do you think you are to question me when your behavior isn't the most appropriate?"
"I don't owe you any explanations. I made things very clear from the beginning. You have no place in my life."
They arrived at the mansion, and Nicole rushed to her room. She was tired of this situation. Sondra would have to listen to her.
In the morning, Bruno was getting ready to go to the office. Emma, Nicole's mother, came to pick her up to have breakfast together at the club. During the party, Nicole had made arrangements with her mother. She knew that Bruno wouldn't be able to refuse, as he was very good at keeping up appearances. Sondra was waiting in the car. Nicole was glad because at the club, she would take the opportunity to have her explain several things.
Upon arriving at the club, Emma went to greet some friends, and Nicole and Sondra sat at a table.
"Now you're finally going to explain to me what you're up to. Bruno, for better or for worse, is my husband, and you had no right to kiss him."
"He was the one who kissed me, little sister. You have to admit that I'm much better and more beautiful than you. If he married you, it's because he had no other choice."
"Sooner or later, I will show our parents what kind of person you are, Sondra."
"Our parents? You mean your father and my mother, which is not the same, dear."
"I don't know why you insist on hurting me. You know well that you're lying."
Their mother returned at that moment, unaware of how bad things were between them.
They had a very light breakfast and then headed to the changing rooms to get ready. They went to the tennis courts to play some matches. Nicole felt liberated in that moment, being away from Bruno felt so good. Upon returning to the changing rooms, the son of one of Noah's business partners approached them. Nicole recognized him because she had seen him at some company events. He was accompanied by a blonde girl whom she didn't know. Nicole realized that the girl was staring at her intently, sending shivers down her spine.
"Hello, Nicole. I don't know if you remember me, I'm Leandro, the son of your father's business partner."
"Hello, of course I remember you."
"I introduce you to a friend, this is Shelsy.""Pleasure to meet you, Nicole. I believe you're Bruno's wife."
"That's correct, I am his wife."
"I know, dear. In fact, all of New York knows, as well as the circumstances under which you got married."
Nicole could notice a malicious smile on Shelsy's lips. She was undoubtedly a venomous snake. Nicole quickly said her goodbyes, leaving Sondra to chat with the couple. Nicole had no doubt that Shelsy and her sister would get along well. It seemed like they were two of a kind.
Upon arriving home, Bruno was waiting for her.
"Starting tomorrow, you will eat with me. I'm tired of doing it alone. You're my wife, and your duty is to cook for me. From today onwards, you will sleep in my bedroom. I've arranged for all your belongings to be moved there, although you'll have to organize them yourself. I pay the maids to attend to me, not to you."
Nicole went up to Bruno's room, and her things were scattered all over the dressing room. It was evident that the cleaning lady had something against her. She began to organize her belongings. She noticed that Bruno's clothes were arranged by color, and the bathroom was perfectly organized. It was clear that he was a cleanliness fanatic.
Night fell, and she refused to sleep beside him, but she had no other choice. Bruno came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. Nicole tried to look away, but the sight was irresistible. Her gaze briefly got lost among the muscles of his well-worked abdomen. Bruno noticed and smirked maliciously.
“Do you like what you see?”
Nicole didn't respond, she was clearly blushing, which caused Bruno to burst into laughter. She quickly ran towards the bathroom.
She took a cold shower, then put on her favorite pajamas, a pink flannel one with teddy bear designs. She came out of the bathroom and headed towards the bed, lying down with her back turned. He was already fast asleep.
The next morning, she woke up feeling a great weight on top of her. Bruno was still asleep, with his arm and leg draped over her, his face resting on her chest. She tried to move away carefully, but suddenly Bruno opened his eyes and stared at her intently.
He grabbed her by the waist, and she wondered what he intended to do. He began to kiss her tenderly yet passionately. Nicole couldn't deny that she enjoyed his kisses. He started to caress her body with his hands, and she tried to resist, but she lacked the strength.
He slowly started to undress her, and she helped him undress himself. She thought that his body was a symphony of pure muscle, a six-foot-three figure of pure muscle. He kissed her breasts with desperation, then began to move down towards her abdomen. She began to tremble at the thought of what was about to happen.
She felt so wet, so aroused, and jumped when she realized that she was indeed wet.
She opened her eyes and saw Bruno with a glass of water in his hand, such a merciless way to wake her up at the most inconvenient moment.
"What's wrong with you? Why did you do this?" she exclaimed.
"I wake up early every morning, and your moaning wouldn't let me sleep. I thought you might be having a nightmare, so I was just being nice and helping you get rid of it," Bruno replied.
Nicole blushed as red as a tomato, grateful that he didn't know what she had been dreaming about. He would mock her; he was a jerk who was determined to make her life miserable.
"I'm going to take a shower. When I come out, I hope you have my breakfast ready. Just so you know, I'm allergic to strawberries," Bruno said.
"Great, now I have to cook for him. What will he ask for next?" Nicole thought to herself.
"Did you say something?" Bruno called from the bathroom.
"No, nothing," she replied.
She put on a pair of shorts and a tank top, wanting to feel comfortable. She went down to the kitchen and encountered the blonde cleaning girl who was preparing a cup of coffee. The girl looked her up and down before leaving with a smirk on her face.
"Could you show me where things are in this kitchen, please?" Nicole asked.
The girl gave her another once-over before walking away.
"Well, I guess I'll have to figure it out myself," Nicole said, then she searched the fridge for something to cook.She put on her headphones and started cooking to the rhythm of the music. Unlike her sister, she always enjoyed cooking. Her nanny had been her best teacher, teaching her many things. Through her, Nicole developed a passion for gardening, and her nanny always told her that if you speak nicely to plants, they become beautiful and bloom.She prepared some eggs Benedict, toast, coffee, and orange juice.When she turned around, she saw Bruno leaning against the wall, watching her. She ignored him, set the breakfast for both of them on the table, sat down, and started eating."I didn't think you'd enjoy cooking. You're really good at it," Bruno commented."Thanks," Nicole replied.They finished their meal in silence, and after they were done, Bruno left while she stayed behind to clean the kitchen.The house was truly grand, in Victorian style, inherited by Bruno from his gra
Nicole couldn't help but smile. Dante was so different from Bruno, like two opposite poles. She was happy that she could finally go out.Despite Jack's disapproval, they left the mansion. He followed closely behind. Dante took them to a trendy restaurant, stylish and modern, located on the top floor of a building facing Central Park, offering a marvelous view."It's wonderful to be able to go out and enjoy this view again. I thought I might be a prisoner forever," Nicole exclaimed."I know, sis. I'm sure Bruno has gone too far, but I believe he'll be different when he returns. This time apart will give him some time to think," Dante reassured her."I truly hope Bruno treats Nicole better. She doesn't deserve everything he's done," Sophie commented, embracing her friend.They continued chatting for a while when suddenly Leandro and Shelsy approached."Hello, Nicole. We meet again," Leandro greeted."Hi, Leandro. What a coincidence. Would you like to join us? We haven't ordered yet, and
In the Williams mansion, Noah was trying to find a way to talk to Emma. Rina had returned, and she could harm them. Nicole couldn't find out who she truly was."I've noticed you've been acting strange and distant. Is something wrong?""On the day of the gathering, when I was leaving with Nicole to take her home, Rina appeared. After all these years, she dares to come.""That can't be. We must keep her away from my daughter. She abandoned her when she was very young. She can't expect to reclaim her now.""I know. We must keep a close watch on her without Nicole finding out. We must do everything in our power to prevent her from getting close to our daughter."That night, Leandro invited Shelsy to dinner. It would be a great opportunity to end things with her and make everything clear. After all, she didn't love him; she was still in love with Bruno. He knew that if he asked her, she would help him separate Bruno from Nicole. She was a hollow and empty woman, and he couldn't stand being
Nicole felt upset when she heard the tone he was speaking to her in."He's my friend and he came to visit me," she said."He needs to leave immediately. I'll order them to ban him from entering," he replied.Max clenched his fists. That man was a complete idiot. He couldn't understand why Nicole was still with him. It was clear that he was aggressive and didn't respect her. He wasn't aware of what was really going on. Nicole had asked Sophie not to tell him anything because she knew he wouldn't be able to control himself and would try to hit Bruno.When Bruno returned to his office, he noticed that Nicole wasn't with Bertha. He needed her to find a file, so he decided to go downstairs to look for her and bring her back to her workplace. He didn't expect to come across that scene. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. They were making a fool out of him in front of his company's staff. That girl was tempting the devil, seeing her so close to someone else made his blood boil, especiall
Nicole had heard the loud noise caused by things falling and glass shattering. She sat calmly, ignoring what was happening. Bertha got up and ran off, and a little while later, she returned looking completely pale."Mr. Bruno is in a bad mood. He threw everything off his desk, the glass broke, and he ordered that you clean up later," she said."Well, he makes the mess and I'm the one who has to clean it up," Nicole replied, annoyed.During lunchtime, Bruno came out looking very serious and stood in front of Nicole's desk."You will come and have lunch with me," he said in an authoritative tone."Sorry, I already made plans to eat with Bertha," she responded, irritated by his way of addressing her."I'm not asking you. Let's go," he said, approaching and grabbing her arm to force her to get up.Nicole felt that she had had enough of Bruno's behavior. She couldn't stand him anymore and needed to find a way to distance herself from him. They walked to the restaurant together, which was on
She was sure that knowing it would help her recover what belonged to her daughter, the inheritance that Sergio stole from her. It had been left to her by her parents, who never agreed with her marriage to Noah. She had no other choice. Gío had abandoned her, forced by his parents. He didn't find out about her pregnancy and made Noah believe he was the father. After the baby was born, she made him believe that the baby was premature. The doctor she hired helped her with that.On his part, Gío had returned to the United States. Doing so brought back so many memories. He had to leave the love of his life to please his parents and marry his goddaughter. His father was in poor health, and that was his final wish.Alessandra had not been a bad wife, but he never managed to love her. She passed away while giving birth to their son, who died days later. He was left completely alone as his mother also passed away just a few months later. He returned to find Rina, but he learned that she was al
Nicole reacted furiously to Bruno’s audacity. She was tired of his games and of him feeling like he owned her. She was paying for something that wasn’t her fault and wasn’t willing to tolerate it anymore.“You’re an idiot, a boor. Don’t ever come near me again. If you gave me a divorce and I never saw you again, I would be the happiest woman on earth.”“Wow, you’ve got guts, kitten. Don’t you dare do what you did again or I’ll forget that I’m a gentleman. I’m informing you that next Saturday we’ll be attending the charity gala your parents are hosting. The driver will take you after work to choose the dress you’ll wear that night. I’ve already spoken to Madame Sutie, she’ll be waiting for you. Wait for me in your room tonight, don’t lock the door or I’m capable of knocking it down.”Nicole couldn’t believe the nerve and audacity of that man. She pretended to accept his order to avoid continuing the argument.“I don’t feel like arguing, it will be as you command, master and lord.”She s
Nicole was puzzled by the stranger's behavior. The woman stared at her intently, and suddenly, it clicked in Nicole's mind."I remember now. You're the woman who approached my father the other day.""Yes, that's correct. Your father hasn't been willing to talk to me. He has put up surveillance to keep me away from you.""Do you have something to do with my father? Are you his lover?""I was his wife twenty years ago.""It can't be. Were you his wife when my mother was pregnant with me?""No.""Then please explain, because I don't understand.""They have lied to you. Please, just allow me to finish speaking. What I'm about to tell you is very difficult, and it will be a shock to you. When I married Noah, I was pregnant with someone else's child. That person abandoned me. Your father was terminally ill, and his dying wish was for him to marry someone else. He didn't know I was pregnant because I found out afterward, when he was already married.""I looked for Noah and agreed to marry him
Bruno and Nicole were enjoying their honeymoon. They had barely seen Dante and Sophie, as they had explored much of the beautiful island. It felt like being in a completely different world, wonderful and peaceful."The island of the gods, now I understand why it's called that," Bruno said, standing on the beach and gazing at the beautiful turquoise waters. He was barefoot on the soft sand, feeling like they were in paradise on Earth.Nicole was playing in the water, resembling a little girl. She was collecting some seashells, and when she had gathered several, she would return them to the sea."What are you doing?" Bruno asked, amused."I'm observing these little shells. They all have something different," she replied. Bruno looked at them, seeing them all as absolutely identical.He approached her and kissed her neck, a playful smile forming on his lips."How about we postpone our trip to Ubud until tomorrow?" he suggested, hoping she would accept his proposal."What plans do you hav
They transferred Nicole to the delivery room. Bruno was given special clothing to accompany her. After they were sterilized, he set up two cameras to film the birth from different angles and stood beside Nicole, holding her hand.Nicole was sweating profusely. The doctor tried to administer an epidural, but she adamantly refused. Bruno took a cloth to wipe her forehead.The pain from the contractions became even stronger, and she squeezed Bruno's hand tightly."Damn it! It hurts so much.""My love, sweetheart, you're going to rip my hand off," Bruno said gently, trying not to upset her."You can rip off my hand and what's between your legs, and you still wouldn't feel what I'm feeling."Bruno turned pale at the thought of actually doing what she had said. Instinctively, he squeezed his legs together.He decided to endure her tight grip on his hand without complaining. That way, she wouldn't decide to squeeze anything else. The doctor instructed her to push with force, and she did so w
Nicole was in her bedroom, unable to believe what was happening. She had brought with her the photo that Leandro had in his house in Milan. They had transferred his body to be buried in New York, and she still couldn't grasp the reality of what had happened.Shelsy and her mother had traveled with them. Bruno allowed it because the pain Sergio had caused him no longer hurt, and it was important for Nicole and Rina because the baby she carried in her womb was Leandro's.Nicole stood in front of the window, her gaze fixed on the photo. Bruno entered the room and approached her, pained to see her in such a state. He wiped away her tears with his hand."It's time, my love. We need to go to the church and then to the cemetery. I can't bear to see you suffer like this. I never got along with Leandro, and I apologize for that. I know he was very important to you and our child. By the way, my mother will stay with Santi. The doctor has advised that he should not be exposed to strong emotions.
Hours later, the doctor emerged from the operating room, and everyone gathered around to hear the news. They could tell by his expression that it wasn't good."How is my son?" Rina asked desperately. Something inside her heart indicated that things were not going well. She felt a strong pressure in her chest."We managed to stabilize him. Unfortunately, the bullets did not exit his body, so we had to remove them. Internal organs have been compromised, so we'll have to wait and see how he responds in the next few hours. He's a young and strong man, so perhaps a miracle will happen. He will be transferred to a room, and in a few hours, he will wake up. Only one person at a time can visit him, only the closest ones, please. It's important not to exhaust him. He keeps mentioning a name, Nicole, repeatedly in his unconscious state."The women cried inconsolably, especially Nicole and Rina."Even near death, he thinks of me all the time. I can't handle this, really, I can't," Nicole said, i
Leandro received the location, and the convoy of vans sped towards the outskirts of the city. However, further ahead, the tire of the van carrying Bruno began to malfunction, and Leandro, who was in the front, didn't notice.When he arrived at the location, he realized that the other two vans weren't behind him. He immediately called Bruno and instructed them to have some men from the third van get into their van. Then, he sent them the updated location. They were relatively close.Leandro was impatient; time was crucial to save her.Inside the house, Sergio had tied Nicole and the child to chairs. The child was frightened but tried his best not to cry. He didn't want Sergio to punish him as he had done so many times before.Sergio blindfolded them, turned on the camera, and started recording."Leone, I truly hope you can see this. Your wife will have to sign some documents if she wants me to release her son. Let me make it clear, she will leave this place feet-first, so these will be
Later, the men went out in search of Sergio, leaving only Emma, Nicole, Rina, and Mara in the house, guarded by the bodyguards. In the evening, Nicole was resting in her room when her phone started ringing. It was an unknown number, and she was grateful to be alone at that moment. She already knew who it was.—"Hello," she answered.—"Well, you answer my calls quickly, my little dove. Are you already in Milan?" a chilling voice spoke on the other end.—"Yes," she replied weakly.—"Hahaha, I know. You're at my son's house. How obvious you've been," he taunted.Nicole felt shivers running down her spine. Could that man see them?—"Listen to me. Tomorrow, at four in the morning, a van will be waiting for you at the corner of the house. So, it's better for you to leave without being seen. When you arrive here, I will release your son. You will stay in your place."—"How do I know I can trust you? After all, you're not a trustworthy man," Nicole said, her voice filled with doubt.—"You hav
Bruno said, getting up from the armchair where he had been sitting. Perhaps it was the strength of the liquor that allowed him to react. He looked out the window, and Nicole was still out on the terrace. He approached her and embraced her, and they stood there, silently holding each other.They were interrupted by Mara and René, who arrived shortly after. Nicole's parents also arrived, and they all gathered in the living room, simply looking at each other."What can we do? I feel like I'm wasting time here. I'm leaving for Italy right now. I didn't want to leave Nicole; I wanted to be by her side throughout the process. Leandro offered to search for him so that I could stay with her. Knowing that Santi was no longer in Sergio's hands gave me some peace of mind, but now my son's life is once again in the hands of that monster," Bruno said."We're deeply sorry for what happened to Deborah," Noah said. Despite having abandoned Bruno, she was still his mother.Bruno responded with a nod.
Sara observed the couple with satisfaction as they continued to show their love for each other."It's only a couple of months until we have our baby in our arms. I know Santi will be with us soon, and our happiness will be complete," Bruno exclaimed, taking Nicole's hand and kissing it.In Italy, one of Sergio's men received a call."Sir, you have a call. It's one of the men who fled with Deborah."Sergio hurriedly approached, a satisfied smile on his face. He knew offering a large sum for Deborah would work."Speak," he answered, feeling restless."Sir.""Lazarus, it's good that you've decided to call me. Tell me, where is that damn bitch? You know I will reward you handsomely.""Transfer the amount you're offering to my family, and I will tell you where you can find her.""Send the account number to Sandro. He will make the transfer immediately. If you lie to me, your family will suffer the consequences. You know I can be very cruel when I set my mind to it.""Wait a moment." The ma
Shelsy stood there, petrified. She wished she could tell him that she was expecting his child, but she couldn't speak. She just watched him silently walk away while she cried. Endra approached her at that moment."Did you tell him?" he asked, seeing her state. He thought she hadn't liked the news of her pregnancy."I couldn't. He doesn't want anything to do with me or my mom. I won't force him to stay by my side.""The problem here is what you'll tell your father. When he finds out, he'll go after Leandro.""I'll figure out what to tell him. Please, don't say anything."Endra couldn't understand what was going through his daughter's mind. Leandro had the right to know he would have a child. If she didn't tell him, she would.Leandro returned to Milan in the helicopter. They had circled the city several times, hoping to spot the vans that matched the description they had been given, but it was futile. That woman had the ability to vanish in an instant. He called Bruno at that moment."