Hello, everyone. First of all, I'm really, really sorry that we didn't have a chapter yesterday. I'm going to work hard to make sure that doesn't happen in December. In this first month of the story, we'll have a chapter every day from Sunday to Thursday and we'll have TWO CHAPTERS on FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS. I'll try to increase this number over time ^^ So, let's get to work!
During the entire year Millicent had been working at the Bianchi Group's head office after finishing college, she felt as uncomfortable as a bird trapped in a tiny cage. However, that day was being particularly difficult to bear, but not for the reasons she was used to.The other employees didn't even seem to have noticed her presence that day, unlike what always happened. They were all too busy talking to each other about how great Austin's project was and how lucky they were to have been chosen to be part of his team. There didn't seem to be a single person who wasn't completely sure his venture would be a complete success. After all, everything he had proposed before, even as a mere intern, had fantastic results before.Everything he had proposed and she had carried out for him without even realizing it. Like an idiot.“Millie!” That shrill voice made her want to quicken her steps, but still Millicent fought herself and turned to watch Jasmine advance
“Calm down, Millicent. You decided to take it this far. You have no right to be a coward now.” Millicent growled softly at her own reflection in the mirror, as she tried to keep her breathing steady.The bathroom where she was, in one of the attached rooms at the back of the Bianchi Mansion, wasn't that close to the gardens, but even so Millicent could still hear every sound coming from the engagement party outside. Determination was still guiding her when she had woken up that morning and got dressed for the event, but… Now that all those guests were there, a crowd made up not only of her family, but also of practically all of the Bianchi Group's executives, who would certainly spread the new gossip as soon as Millicent made the first move…She couldn't feel so confident anymore. In fact, thinking about all the looks she would have to endure and all the whispers she would have to hear was making her feel suffocated, even though nothing had happened yet.Maybe Isaac was right not to tr
“Millicent?”Millie didn't know how long it had been since she stood there among the trees, silently watching the engagement party taking place up ahead. However, not even the gentle touch of her mother's hand on her shoulder was able to completely take her out of that almost trance-like state.“I… Am I really making the right decision?” That line certainly made her sound like an insecure child, but, at that moment, Millicent couldn't even bring herself to care about that.“You seemed right about that earlier. I would like to ask what is making you doubt yourself, but I think I already know the answer.” Alice sighed “I promised myself I would never allow the pressures of High Society to hurt you, but I have clearly failed in my duty as a mother.”
Austin was clearly not comfortable. Millicent had seen that crooked smile and those nervous eyes enough times to know that. But, there, among the guests and with some curious looks already turning to him, Austin didn't even make a move to question her, as Millicent had already expected.“Oh, baby… You’re so sweet.” Austin caressed her face, but Millicent stepped away before he could hug her “I'm the one who should have prepared something special to celebrate the fact the greatest woman in the world is about to become my Mrs. Carnby.” he sighed, as if he were nothing more than a lovesick fool.“Gosh. Now I see why you've been so busy the last few days, darling.” Jasmine laughed and, where before Millicent would have seen nothing but sweetness, now she was able to see the mockery “Did you manage to get this amazing party going and still find time to surprise your fiancé? You're so amazing, sweetie... See, Austin? That's why I always said that you shouldn't spend so much time locked in t
“What’s going on…?” Jasmine seemed to feel that several eyes turned to her, as she approached Austin in the next instant, practically struggling to look at the photos in his hands “What is this…?! Oh… Oh, my God…”“I would love to be able to celebrate love today. But, as you can see, this is impossible.” Millicent turned her eyes to her ex-fiance's still stunned and horrified expression “The wedding is off… As is any relationship between me and Austin Carnby. Thank you all for your attention. That's all I had to say today.”Dropping the microphone into the hands of some waiter, she turned, walking fast towards where the flower beds were highest in the garden. However, seeing her walk away seemed to snap Austin out of his shock, as he tried to reach out to grab her arm, his voice sounding with a mixture of desperation and outrage.“Wait, Millie! This… You… This is not what you think…!” he almost reached her, but a new scream made him freeze once more.“You son of a bitch!” Her father's
“I can't believe that kid have the nerve to do something like that! After we welcomed him into the family and even into your father’s company…! I should known nothing good would come from his parents. I knew they were bad news from the first time I saw them in person! You know I have a good eye for these things…”“Yes, Thea. I know." Millicent still managed to laugh a little, even though her entire body felt completely drained of strength, as she brushed her hair at the dressing table.It seemed like that pandemonium would last forever, but eventually the engagement party was over and the guests had left with enough fodder for a year's worth of gossip. It was almost surreal that, after all that, after doing something she never thought she would have the courage to do, Millicent was back in her room. All the mess had made it seem like she would never know what peace was again, but there she was. Surrounded by peace and quiet, with every possible number by which Austin could reach her pr
“I think we should let your father and your sister talk alone.” Alice murmured after a moment, stroking Matteo’s hair “Come on. We all need a good night’s sleep after a day like that.”"But…!" Alessandro started to complain, but it only took a single look from his mother for him to shut up “Fine. But don't think I'm going to let this go so easily. If that son of a bitch appears in front of me again, I will not hesitate to try to break his nose again!”“Come on now…” Alice placed her hand on her son’s shoulder, giving one last gentle smile in Millicent’s direction, before leading Matteo and Alessandro out of the room with her.“That money doesn’t mean much, Millie…” Massimo sighed, dismayed “I don&rsqu
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
"What...? What did you just say?" Millicent gasped, but instead of answering her or at least appearing aware of the shocking words that had just come out of her mouth, Laura simply sighed and turned her back to her, beginning to walk away.“I knew I should have waited longer to talk about this with you…”"Mrs. Poulin! Wait!" Millie stuttered, starting to follow her around the room, needing to control herself to keep her voice low "Mrs. Poulin...! Laura! You can't just say something like that and leave...!""Stop making a fuss. I'm not leaving." Laura suddenly grabbed her wrist and only then did Millicent realize that they were now on a small balcony at one end of the party room, hidden from all the other guests. “I just don't want to talk about it in an environment where anyone could overhear and tell Emma.”“So… You… You really are…” Millicent had to hold her own head for a moment, feeling dizzy “But… How is it possible that Emma has a daughter and no one ever knew about it…?”“Becau
"And I think this will be enough for us to close the contract with the actors. What do you think, Ms. Bianchi...? Ms. Bianchi?"“Uh… Yes.” The sound of her name being called by one of Laura's friends forced Millicent to snap out of her thoughts and at least pretend she was paying attention to what they were saying "That's great. Please keep me posted."“Uh…Of course.” The woman exchanged a quick glance with Laura, as if she was doubting whether Millicent was the one they should be discussing these matters with "The casting coordinator is here somewhere. If you give me a moment, I can find him and bring him here. They have a lot more details on the matter than I do. If you'll excuse me."“Thank you.” Millicent smiled, trying to sound as focused and interested as possible, but obviously not enough to fool anyone. Not even that woman whose name Millie hadn't memorized, much less Laura.“If you can’t pay attention to what’s being said, then why did you come here today?” Laura questioned h
“So… Are we just going to leave him like that?” Isaac was still lying on the couch in the middle of his living room when that question, coming from Dominic, reached his ears. Not that it would have encouraged him to move, anyway. There didn't seem to be any strength within him to do that.“He brought this on himself.” Vincent snorted, dismissive "I warned him a long time ago what it mean involving the Bianchi girl in our plans. And, most importantly, I warned him about developing feelings for her. If he's now paying the price for not listening to me, then that's entirely his problem. Leave him there pretending to be a corpse, if that's what he wants."“You’re always a great help, old man.” Dominic snorted "I've told you this several times, but I'll say it again: just because you want to risk your life all the time in the mafia's sights doesn't mean we both have to do this too. Isaac has the right to want to have a wife, get married, have a family and all that. In case you don't rememb
There was an elephant in the room at Millicent’s house.And she was fully aware it was herself.“Give her some space, Massimo.” her mother murmured outside her room, but, as no one among the Bianchis was exactly silent, Millie could hear every word "She'll tell us what happened when she's ready. She's no longer a child who needs our help dealing with her own feelings.""And what do you expect me to do? For me to stand here, pretending like I didn't notice that she was hurt again?!" her father growled "Did you see how she acted after she came back from the office? She couldn't even look us in the eye without looking like she wanted to cry. And now this news that Sage Carpenter asked to step down as her bodyguard?! Something happened! And I'm sure it has something to do with Evan's oldest son! I knew I shouldn't have let him so close to her after we found out what his brother did! Now my daughter is heartbroken again and it's all the Carnby's fault…!”“Don’t make a hasty decision, love.”
“You’re not even going to try to answer me?” Millicent asked, when the silence in the room began to last too long. "Or are you buying time to think of a way to turn this situation around and convince me that everything is fine? After all, I'm very easy to fool, apparently." Her hands balled into fists, but she couldn't even recognize if what she was feeling at that moment was anger.“Millie…” he murmured and hearing him say her nickname like that, as if he really cared about her, as if somehow he was also suffering, only revolted her more."I asked..." she growled, her voice firm, even though she felt as if something was unraveling inside her chest "If that was your plan from the beginning. You made me think this was all my idea when, in fact, you had planned every detail so that I would have no one else to turn to other than you..." her hands started to shake slightly, but she refused to show it "I thought we were helping each other when I suggested that partnership, but... In the en
Austin's words left Millicent so shocked she just froze for a second. However, it was still enough time for him to take advantage of her hesitation to play the video, causing the man in the suit on the small screen to start moving.“Very well.” the recording of Austin’s voice said, out of camera range “Start talking.”“Uh… I'm not entirely sure about that, Mr. Carnby…” the man loosened his tie, clearly uncomfortable."I already told you. I'll pay double what he offered you that day. Triple if necessary. You accepted his money quite easily back then for breaking your security procedures, didn't you? Why hesitate now?"“It wasn’t that simple, either…!” the man seemed to try to argue, but, as he looked over the recording, probably where Austin was, he ended up shrinking, almost as if he was trying to conform "Alright... Five months ago, when the rooms and offices of our hotel were reserved by the Bianchi Group, I was responsible for putting together the best possible security arrangement.
"We know we look terrible, Millie. You don't have to stare at us like we're two abandoned dogs." Cassidy grumbled, rubbing the deep dark circles under her eyes, while Frankie just continued to sip her coffee as if she were drinking water."It's not that." Millicent lamented "It's just... You don't have to go through this. Let me talk to my father. I know I can get you out of Jasmine and Miles' hands...""You spent months thinking you'd lost your project, but you never thought about talking to your father. And now you want to do this just because we lost a few hours of sleep? That's so... You." Cassidy laughed, without much humor "Look, as much as I would love to change positions and have the freedom to tell that bitch to fuck off, Mr. Davis has already talked to me privately. The only thing that annoys me is it took him giving me pity to actually get me close to the promotion I always wanted. I've worked at this company since college, but Jasmine was more relevant than all the effort
Hello everyone!First of all, I would like to apologize for all these weeks of inactivity. I didn't mean to be away for so long. Thank you very much for all the support and kind words from all of you. My father is okay, but he still needs to do some tests to confirm or deny the doctors' suspicions of prostate cancer.These next few weeks will be quite turbulent for me, but honestly, I want to get through them doing what I love: writing. That's why Millie's story is back and, hopefully, this month we will finish it in the best way possible
“Isaac?” Millicent blinked and, unlikely as it was, he was there when she turned, looking as shocked as she felt to see him standing there in the middle of Evangeline Greco's small garden.“What are you doing here?” he asked again, his voice not only surprised but also alarmed and irritated.However, Millicent didn't need much to realize that, even though he was looking in her direction, strangely that question wasn't directed at her.The person next to Isaac looked young, although he was easily the size of three men. Isaac was already extremely tall, but somehow this stranger seemed built like a wall, even though he was Millicent's age at most. He had brown hair and even darker eyes, making it look like his pupils were just two empty spots on his face. It was quite intimidating, Millie had to admit, but at least it wasn't her that stranger was focused on.“Evangeline.” the man next to Isaac said, his voice hard and demanding “Why is there a Bianchi in the house?”“Because this is my