“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
After that exhausting day, in which there seemed to be no energy left in a single cell in her body, Millicent just wanted to go home and get some rest. But apparently even that couldn't be easy.“Oh, fuck. Here we go again.” Sage growled the second they stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor and came face to face with Austin, standing there in the parking lot, looking like he truly believed that his one-man barricade would be enough to defeat all of her security team “I have permission to punch him and knock him out, so you can go to the car in peace?”"No. That would make him call the police on you and the last thing I want is for you to spend the night in jail.” Millicent sighed ruefully “Let’s just try to lose him, like we’ve done all day…”“Millie!” Austin screamed the moment he noticed her there and just the sound of his voice made Millicent stop for a moment and think about accepting Sage's proposal “Please, baby, wait! We can’t let the day end without us talking about
“What the…!” Isaac growled, causing his driver's face to appear over the back of the seat.“I’m sorry, sir. A cat appeared out of nowhere in the direction of the car and I had to brake to try not to hit it…”“A cat?” Millicent gasped “And is it okay?”“I… I don’t know…” the man swallowed hard “Nothing seemed to hit the car’s wheel, but…”“That’s fine…” Isaac huffed, irritated “Just make sure you pay more attention to the road next time…”“What? But… We should stop and check if the cat is okay.” Millicent interrupted him “If he was hit, he needs to be taken to a vet…”“We are close to where several roads meet. If it has run away, it will be impossible to find it.” he replied and, in his tone, Millicent heard no disdain or cruelty. Just… Practicality. However, she still shrugged her shoulders in annoyance.“Of course, you don’t have to worry about it. Thanks for the ride. I’m going to look for the kitten and I can go home in my own car, after that.” She said goodbye politely, but just a
A business group of the Bianchi's magnitude had meetings taking place and important decisions being made all the time, every day. However, Millicent was starting to realize that when it came to Isaac, people tended to overreact for some reason.“They seem pretty sure that Austin is going to lose his managerial post today.” Cassidy commented, as if she had read her mind, as the two watched the movement of all the employees in that sector who looked more like ants preparing for the entrance of their queen “I bet they just don't want to lose their seats to watch this from the box.”“I wish it were that easy, but the decision to choose Austin was made in conjunction with all the other investors and executives.” Millicent sighed “Even though Isaac is the main investor, he can't just go against everything and everyone without a plausible reason. Besides, there are already enough rumors spreading about why my father chose him.” “Are you talking about this shit about everyone thinking you guy
Millicent was… Totally shocked.Hours had passed since Isaac had named her as his representative and one of the company's top supervisors, but she still couldn't believe it had actually happened. She certainly had long wanted to take an opportunity to prove her worth, but… Well, the comment that there were people more qualified than her was not a lie. She had never been more than an intern or junior executive at the company. The most she had ever done was elaborate on every project Austin had ever presented as his, including the one he had stolen.Just thinking about it made her grit her teeth. Damn, had she been that stupid? What exactly had stopped her from realizing he always left the hard work to her and just took the credit? However, there was one question that was much more important than all the others: was she really capable of doing a good job? Or was that too much and she would only end up humiliating herself?With her thoughts piercing her mind like shards of glass, Millice
“You… How could you…?” Austin looked around, almost as if he wanted to remind her they weren't alone there and there were several dozen tongues to criticize her if she disdained of the romantic moment he had created.And, on any other occasion, perhaps Millicent might even give in to the pressure of being in public, just as she had when he had proposed. However, Austin probably didn't imagine the disgust she felt whenever she had the displeasure of coming face to face with him. It was what made her sure she wouldn't say yes to him again, even if her life depended on it.“You can save all your romanticism for Jasmine. That's all I have to give you: the possibility of leaving a relationship you were in just out of obligation and being with who you really want.” Millie shrugged, turning away from him “Isn't that en
"Why did you come back?" Millicent questioned, frustrated "You clearly left not only your name and your life, but also your entire past behind. Anyone can see that you got the happy life you wanted, alongside your husband. So... Why now? If you didn't come back for so many years, even knowing the kind of person you had left Isaac alone with... What changed?"“I always wanted to go back for Isaac.” she stated, shrinking "But... Circumstances were never favorable enough... Until he became an adult and it seemed to be too late. But, I never left him helpless. Neither he nor my brother." Imogen chewed on her lower lip "I shouldn't have been surprised that Vincent suspected I was alive. He was always good at seeing more than other people were capable of. That was one of the reasons I left Isaac. I knew his uncle would protect him, especially after he turned 18. I just didn't expect Vince to involve him in his damn revenge plans!" Imogen growled "He should have left Isaac alone! Help him go
“You can start talking.” Millicent snapped, after several minutes had passed, lengthening that terribly uncomfortable silence between them “That's what you came here for, isn't it?”"Yes, I..." Imogen's voice shook, almost breaking "It's just... I think I spent too much time trying to forget the past. Talking about it isn't as simple as opening your mouth and letting the words come out." She massaged her own throat for a moment, as if it were actually a physical pain “How much… How much do you know about what my life was like, when I was still Imogen Carnby?”“I know what your son and your brother told me.” Millie sighed "I know your relationship with your father wasn't good and your marriage with Evan was terrible. But, I still don't think that justifies it..." “Terrible is quite a kind word for my situation at that time.” Imogen interrupted, with a dark smile "It's not like I blame Vincent for not knowing how to tell my side of the story properly. He was preoccupied with his own pro
"That's why I'm going to take action, Millicent… Millicent? Millicent!" Laura’s voice gradually rose on the other end of the call, until it pierced Millicent’s thoughts “Can you hear me?”"I'm sorry, Laura, I..." Millie sighed, supporting her head with her free hand "I'm just a little distracted. Today was... A long day.""You've been saying that all week. Frankly, Isaac Carnby isn't worth that much that you're losing sleep over him." Laura grumbled and Millicent had to bite her tongue to keep from admitting that, besides him, her mother was also haunting her all the time lately. “Did you even hear what I said?”"Yes. Uncle Dante had already mentioned at our last dinner that he received an invitation to Emma's ball. Not that it's a surprise. It's been like this since I can remember: they fight, he moves away from her and then Emma tries to get closer. I think she lives in eternal denial that her son has completely moved away from her." Millie sighed “But… I admit I didn’t hear the part
"Take a sip of water and pull yourself together, Ms. Bianchi. I don't think either of us are going to get out of here anytime soon if you keep sitting there shaking, instead of talking."Millicent tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she looked up to see Isaac's uncle placing a glass of water on the table in front of her, before sitting down on the sofa, his hands folded on top of his cane dismissively. He could have let her in, but his manner wasn't exactly friendly. She had hoped that he might simply shatter her theories the moment she mentioned her sister's name, whether by sending her away or yelling at her for mentioning Imogen Carnby's name out of nowhere.Yet there he was, completely silent and staring at her as if he were waiting for a confession. And honestly, Millicent was indeed feeling like she was being interrogated, even though they were both silent.After all, how exactly was she supposed to say she had seen his dead sister, without sounding crazy?“I… I’m sorry f
Millicent had promised herself that she would no longer approach Isaac. And, theoretically, she was fulfilling her promise. She was back in the building where they had met so many times to make love, spend the day together or just talk. Not even she was in denial enough to say it didn't affect her, especially after the cold and indifferent way Isaac had treated her days ago... But, what really mattered was that she wasn't in danger of finding him there at any moment. She had made sure of that…Even if it meant joining forces with someone else she hadn't yet forgiven.“Everything is clean.” Sage said on her side, typing message after message to her team "His car is already miles away. And, if by any chance he decides to come back, I'll make sure you have enough time to get out of here safely and discreetly."“Thank you.” was all Millicent replied, without much enthusiasm.Being around Sage again reminded her of the friendship the two shared. Or rather, she thought they shared. Knowing
Millicent’s heart beat so fast that, for an instant, she thought it would escape her chest. A terrible shiver seemed to run through her body and into her veins, and for a second she felt almost as if she were about to faint. But, fortunately, no one there seemed to notice her condition.No one but the woman named Dasha Nikolaev, whose eyes kept darting back and forth in Millicent's direction nervously, almost as if she were afraid of something.“Oh, what a lovely piece.” Mrs. Davis praised, taking the small pearl between her fingers “So simple and yet so charming…”“Thank you.” Dasha cleared her throat, turning her face to the side as if to avoid Millicent's gaze at all costs "I got them from my husband a long time ago. It was terrible that I lost the pair, ages ago..." she hesitated, as if she had lost herself in thought for a moment "But, Mr. Sokolov sure did a fantastic job. It's as if I have the original pearl with me again. Vasily will certainly be impressed too. He has been insis
Millicent had been regretting many of her decisions lately, there was no denying it. And, the moment she had removed Sage from her position as head of security, a part of Millie had always known that she would bitterly regret it at some point.But she didn't imagine it would be that much.“You shouldn’t be here, Ms. Bianchi.” James Moore, the new head of security that her father had personally appointed for her, repeated for the hundredth time as they walked through the small garden of the Greco estate “It’s not safe.”“But you’re with me, aren’t you?” Millie said, trying to sound friendly, although he was starting to get on her nerves with all that inflexibility "Your team is all spread out and I'm not delusional enough to think you didn't send our location to your backup. So please relax, Mr. Moore. I just want to visit a friend..."“Whoever your friend is and why she is here, it is still a situation that needs to be reported to your father.” he said, not as a question, but as a stat
“If you’re too nervous to attend this meeting, then I can make up some excuse for you to go home.” Laura muttered under her breath, sitting in the chair next to Millicent.“This is absolutely unnecessary.” Millicent snorted and, for what seemed like the hundredth time in just the last hour, squeezed her knees under the table, trying to calm the nervous movement of her leg "I'm the manager of two of this company's main projects. Why shouldn't I be present during the monthly accounting with our investor?" Her teeth ground together before she could even hide it.“Your father spent the whole dinner yesterday talking everybody ears off about you being confined in a room with Isaac Carnby today.” she sighed, with a mix of annoyance and a bit of what seemed to be... Worry, perhaps? "Frankly, I still think it's a little ridiculous that he would have that kind of concern about a woman his age, but... I have to admit that I've never had children. I don't know what it feels like to worry 24/7 abo
“Vincent…!” Isaac tried to react, but the other son of a bitch had already jumped on him too, holding his arms behind his back hard enough for him to feel the bones in his wrists creak, as if they were about to break."Oh, don't be so worried. I used to discipline my new partners in much worse ways in the past. You can ask his uncle later." Ugo laughed, his almost disappearing under the strong wind around them and Vincent's grunts of pain, while Ugo's bodyguard continued to punch and kick him without mercy, not giving him even the slightest opportunity to try to get up from the ground "He's going to be fine. You probably don't know, but your uncle has been through much worse...."“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Isaac twitched, causing the grip on the man's hands holding him to falter, only for the next instant an