It certainly wasn't the right thing to do if she really wanted to leave her old and stupid self behind. She knew it.
But, still, as soon as she got to her room, Millicent opened her closet, looking for the old, dingy box hidden at the very back.
She had promised she would no longer cry for someone like Austin, but Millie still found herself with the tears stuck in her throat when she opened the box. There were several half-open envelopes and folded notebook paper. Time had not been kind to those letters, but the words that had been written there were still perfectly legible.
If only time had been kind to her feelings as well...
She and Austin were very young when they started exchanging those letters, but in an inexplicable way, those memories still meant a lot to
“Mr. Carnby will see you now, Miss. Bianchi. Please, follow me.”At the sound of the secretary's call, Millicent stood up from the armchair she was sitting in, trying to bury her nervousness deep within her mind. Around her, almost everything was dark in the middle of that huge office on the top floor of that building. It wasn't a very privileged area of the city, but even Millicent had heard about some revitalizations making property values increase. She just never would have imagined that the person responsible for constructing a building of that magnitude was the Carnbys' missing son.Over and over again, she had heard Austin cover his disdain with soft words as he talked about the only Carnby company that had been handed over to Isaac before he left the country when he was eighteen. It was an old, broke steelworker, but it had once bee
“The area has already been thoroughly checked, Mr. Bianchi. Should I give the order, so the car can follow?”“Yes, Henry.” Massimo answered his security chief on the phone and, although they were facing each other in the back of the car, Millicent did not turn to him.She was too busy watching the movement on the other side of the window. The tinted glass didn't allow anyone to see anything inside the car, but it was pretty obvious everyone knew she was there. Even the security staff, usually always professional and silent, seemed unusually tense that day, glancing in her direction whenever they thought she wasn't paying attention.Not that she could blame them. She had turned it all into a big spectacle, after all. Which didn't make any of it any less... Uncomfortable.“You know you don’t need to be here today.” her father sighed that same phrase, probably for the hundredth time just that morning “I am the CEO of the Bianchi Group. Just my presence is enough to solve all of this.”“I
Millicent could literally feel Austin's gaze burning into her skin, but she just sat next to her father, keeping as far away from the Carnbys as possible while the other executives settled into the seats, ready to begin the meeting. Well, with the exception of one Carnby.Isaac was sitting in the chair right in front of hers, on the other side of the huge conference table, still silent and his expression impossible to read, even with all the murderous looks his father was throwing in his direction. And, in a way, Millicent could almost understand how he must have been feeling at that moment, since the attention of all the other men there was on her.“I don’t think I need to tell you why we are gathered here today.” Massimo started to speak and the tension in the room seemed to get even worse, if that was possible “Our partnership with the Carnbys involves
“Are you ready to leave?” At the sound of Sage's question, Millicent looked away from where her father was, still in the meeting room and surrounded by executives, even though the meeting was already over. All those old men, if questioned, would give the excuse that they were still there just to clarify any doubts about the details of the investment in the Isaac company. But the truth is that they all just wanted to watch from the sidelines Evan's desperate attempts to make Massimo go back on his decision. She had imagined that her plan would make the Carnbys angry, but Millicent had never imagined Austin's father would seem so... Desperate.Although the Carnbys were the kind of family for whom there was never too much money, it wasn't like the loss of that investment was going to starve them or anything.“I think Dad is going to be busy for a long time, in fact.” she sighed, following her bodyguard out of the meeting room “But even if he can't come back with us now, I'm not leaving.
“Are you even listening to yourself?!” Austin shot back, looking genuinely offended “Do you realize what you're saying to your own fiancé? The man who loved and cared for you every moment of the last four years?! There is nothing for you to forgive, because I did nothing wrong. But, you don’t seem to love me enough to even listen to me, even more to believe me…”“You really have the stomach to say something like that, even after I exposed you in the most incontrovertible way possible, don't you?” she stared at that disgusting man, barely able to believe that one day she had actually thought about building a life with him “Those facts were just an attempt to return all the humiliation you caused me. And, if you think that was the worst I'm capable of, then maybe you shouldn't test your luck.” she threatened, “Stay away from me and my
Millicent had heard her father mention he was going to ask that one of the empty offices in the building be given to Isaac, as he now had many reasons to frequent the Bianchi Group headquarters regularly. However, she didn't think he would be so quick to transform that place. Which was a funny thought to have because nothing in that room had changed much from the regular decor. However, there was something about how he had arranged his desk and dimmed the lights, making the entire room feel colder and more intimidating, that was simply the perfect fit with Isaac's personality.Even that smell of cologne and nicotine was already all over the air around.“Miss. Bianchi?” His voice reached her and, through his tone, she realized that it probably wasn't the first time he had called her.“Sorry. I&helli
After an entire day of holding her ground and acting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, Millicent had to admit she was exhausted like she had rarely been in her life before. At least, she could console herself by saying that, despite that exhausting day of having to endure stares and murmurs wherever she went, her goals had all been completed. Austin and his father would have access to a much smaller amount of her family's money and she had changed absolutely every lock in her office, to ensure Austin wouldn't dare try anything clever when she wasn't around.The project he had stolen would be the last thing he would take from her.Massaging the back of her neck, Millicent finished locking her room, ready to just stop by the women's bathroom one last time, before telling Sage she was ready to go home. However, the cry of a voice she knew very well stopped her in her tracks, still hidden on the other side of the bathroom door. “Please, I’ve already been humiliated enough…
“Since I gave Austin this kind of understanding, I thought it would be fair to give you the same treatment.” Millicent said coldly, as she watched Jasmine slowly cup her own cheek, as if she was too in disbelief to believe what had happened.“You…” she caressed the mark Millicent’s fingers had left on her face, her expression turning from hurt to furious “How could you do this to me?!”“I've asked myself the same thing about you many times since I caught you sleeping with my fiancé on the trip we took to New York.” the same moment Millicent said that, Jasmine froze, almost as if she had pointed a gun in her direction “What? Are you wondering which day exactly I surprised you two together? There are certainly many possibilities, right?” she laughed sharply “Don’t worry too much about it. The things I heard at that time were enough. I didn't even have to ask myself for long why my boyfriend and one of my best friends would do something like that to me. It wasn't hard to realize you were
Millicent hadn't forgotten her resolution after meeting Alessia Greco for the first time. Isaac was a free man and it was none of her business whether he had women throwing themselves at his feet, whether he reciprocated their feelings or not. At times like that, she should just think of a quick excuse to give Everly a satisfactory answer that wouldn't jeopardize their plans. Whether or not Isaac had anything to do with Mr. Greco's daughter, Millicent was sure he would never let that jeopardize their agreement.But for some reason, even knowing all of this and even though Isaac was clearly trying to move his arm away from Alessia and put her on her side, seeing them close like that, looking almost like a couple while Mr. Greco smiled almost proud manner to Isaac, made Millicent's stomach twist in a terrible way.“Do they have business together?” Everly asked, again very interested.“Uh… I don't know all the details about his business. I think this is something only he can answer.” Mil
“You're a pretty good dancer, Mr. Carnby. Has anyone ever told you that?” Millicent laughed as Isaac twirled her gently in the rhythm of the music around the hall.“If my memory serves me right, I think you're the first to tell me something like that, Miss Bianchi.” There was a teasing smile on his face as his arm wrapped around her hips even more firmly, cradling her against his chest in a way that wasn't necessary during a dance like that "But I'll take it as a new skill I just found out. You know, it’s not like I’m really used to dancing.” “I have a hard time believing that.” she raised an eyebrow as he twirled her perfectly once more “Or, maybe, I’m not giving you enough credit. I took some dance and etiquette classes at school when I was a teenager, but I was always terrible at it. I think all those teachers were right when they said that, if the guide knows what they are doing, then the dance will turn out as it should.” “Well…” his smile fell a little, but his voice remained
“God…” Millicent's breath caught in her throat upon hearing about what Isaac's hand had done to herself “I… I’m so sorry…”“I used to feel hurt about it when I was younger. But the more I found out about what she went through at Evan's hands, after being forced into marriage just so my grandfather could get a contract… I stopped blaming her. Her mind had been sick for a long time, even before I was born. She had no more hope, trapped between those walls. Her vision was distorted and, therefore, that may have seemed like the best option to end her suffering, even though her last moments must have been terribly painful. She wanted to make sure no one could stop her.”“You must have suffered so much…” her heart broke as she imagined a child grieving for his mother, being force
Millicent didn't know exactly what woke her up in the middle of the night, but it certainly shook her from a deep sleep. Her… Activities with Isaac had been quite wild and her eyes felt as heavy as stones when she opened them in the middle of the dark room. For a second, she almost gave in to the urge to close them again and go back to sleep. But when the bedsprings creaked beneath her, Millie finally realized what had woken her. Someone was tossing and turning in the bed next to her. No, not just anyone…Isaac.Her sleepy seemed to disappear the instant Millicent turned her face completely towards him, realizing he wasn't just restless or trying to find a better sleeping position. Even though the only light entering the room came from the moonlight on the other side of the windows, there was such deep anguish in his expression that it was impossible not to notice. His eyes were closed tightly, however, and he gave no indication of being awake as he continued to toss and turn in bed a
When Isaac entered the room with her in his arms, Millicent felt like she had provoked a wild beast.Maybe it was the way his lips were sliding demandingly down her neck or the firm grip of his hands on her hips, as if her ass belonged to him. Isaac had never really been the calm, romantic type in bed, although she definitely considered him kind, as much as he would hate to hear her refer to him that way. But, that day, he seemed more eager than ever. Hungry and excited. As if those words about possess her weren't just to make her horny.What in Austin's speech left him in this state? It wasn't as if this was the first time Isaac had realized that she had once had feelings for Austin or that getting revenge on him was still one of her main goals. Had he been offended because he thought she was just pretending to want him? Did he really not realize that the feelings she once had for Austin no longer made a difference? It didn't matter if Austin had ever reached her heart, once. That ki
Millicent liked to think that, after all the time she and Isaac had spent together lately, she had at least learned to recognize when something was bothering him.And, definitely, at that moment he was bothered by something.Not that Millicent could blame him, of course. She didn't even know all the details of what Isaac had been through with the Carnbys, but Austin's comment about Isaac's mother was still reverberating in her mind. And, if she was restless like that, she couldn't even imagine how Isaac must be feeling. Especially because Austin had mentioned something about burning and, when Millicent remembered Isaac’s feet…God, she wanted so badly to comfort him in some way, but she didn't even know what he would find comforting or if he even wanted her to open her mouth. It wasn't like they were truly friends or if he really wanted to be taking her to his apartment at a time like this. Everything between them was about sex, not feelings.And, for some reason, that saddened her de
“Are you going to make me repeat myself?” Millicent growled, twisting her arm violently to try to free herself from his disgusting hand “Let go of me!”“Stop making a fuss!” He pulled her even closer, his teeth gritted angrily “If that's the only way you're going to stand still and listen to me, then so be it! I will no longer allow you to go around acting like a slut and thinking this is a good thing…!” Austin’s smug voice was replaced by a grunt of pain as Millicent dug the heel of her shoe into his ankle, finally making him release her “Fuck! Why do you always have to act like a bitch lately…!”“Sometimes, I wish I could just rip out your tongue!” Millicent spat, putting as much distance between them as possible “So I would never have the displeasure of hearing your voice again…”“I’m here to try to help you, you idiot, even if you don’t deserve it!” he gritted his teeth, leaning over his ankle as if she had ripped a piece out of him “I've already let this act of yours with Isaac g
“Can you stop this, please?” Cassie grumbled and, just then, Millicent looked away from the glass wall nearby, where she could see Isaac perfectly.“Stop with what?” she asked, pretending her face wasn't blushing.“Stop looking at him like you want to go over there and kiss him in the middle of all the executives.” Cassidy snorted, pouring another cup of black coffee for herself “I know you're kind of blown away by this sex thing, but I don't think the office is the right place to show it that much.”“I’m not showing anything.” Millicent's cheeks burned as she remembered what they had done in her office the day before, something she hadn't told even Cassidy and probably never would “I… I can control my thoughts when we're around other people. I mean, it's not like I'm a pervert who thinks about it all the time..." she tried to justify herself, but the skeptical look from her best friend just made her shrug her shoulders "Is it that obvious?""Sincerely? I know you, so I know the differ
“Millicent?” Austin called again, at the same time the doorknob moved somewhat violently “Stop ignoring me! Mr. Rosenberg's assistant told me she saw you returning to your office.” “What do you want, Austin?” Millicent growled, more enraged about her moment with Isaac had been interrupted than with the fact she had almost been caught “Work hours are almost over…”As she spoke, she tried to straighten herself up and rearrange her clothes, but Isaac wouldn't let her. Instead, he leaned further into her, holding her firmly in place as his fingers slowly moved again, teasing her until Millicent had almost forgotten her ex-fiancé, and his brother, were still standing outside, close enough to hear her moan if she made a mistake.“But the day is not over yet.” Austin snorted smugly, having no idea that Millicent was chewing her lip hard to try and control herself while Isaac's thumb stroked her clit "And, as a supervisor, you still have an obligation to respond to me!"“I already asked what