Millie's POV I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt. They could not be serious. And that part about a family. We were no family. At least, I was not part of it. Not since they kicked me out of my workplace and home. I took a few calming breaths. That was fun. " If that was a reason why you called me, Father, I think we are done here. But thank you for the entertainment," I said, looking back at Deborah. She was still on the sofa, clenching her fists. I could hear the nasty thoughts forming in her mind, but she only tied her lips in a thin line. " Millie, we are serious," my father spoke calmly. " We have a chance for a huge contract, but only if you will be in charge. The customer does not want to work with anyone except you." I gave them a stern look. Finally, someone spilled the beans. " So let's get it straight. You do not care about me, but you need me to get the deal?" My voice was cold and sharp, but I could not care less. " They have heard about your succes
Alexander's POV This woman will never stop to surprise me. I would be punching the walls if someone would try to pull such a stunt on me. Brown's family had no limits when it came to being heartless. Well, too bad for them. It looks like I have to squeeze them a bit more. " When are you going to sign the contract then?" I asked casually, playing with my cup. Millie shrugged her arms again. I have noticed it was her reaction when she had no control over the situation. " Tomorrow." " Make sure you read it properly," I said, standing up. Millie gave me a side-eye. My warning was not necessary. She knew what her family was capable of. " If you do not have plans for tomorrow evening, I would like to introduce you to my family," I added, washing the dishes, and Millie gasped. " Seriously? Already?" She whispered. " Well, I think it is about time if we are going to get married." I turned around and noticed how pale she got. " Are you okay?" " Yeah, sure. I
Third POV " How is it possible for her to crawl back again?" Sandra looked at her mother. A few hours ago, Deborah returned from a meeting with her husband and Millicent. She was still shaken by how her husband acted during this time. The rage was boiling in Deborah's veins and flashing in her eyes. " I know. He dared to raise his voice at me because of her, but I will make him pay for that." The older woman replied, pacing around the room. Sandra only nodded. Her mother would never accept any form of humiliation. " How much do we need to do to get rid of her for good? I took her man, her place and her work," Sandra slammed her hand on the desk, anger burning in her eyes. " Your father needs her. He does not want her here as much as I do. But there is a contract..." Deborah plopped into a chair, massaging her temple. " Fu*k the contract. Why is this so important? And please do not call this man my father." Sandra said, pacing around her room. " Enough!" Deborah repl
Millie's POV I was exhausted when I arrived at my father's home. I could not call it my family home for a while since the people living inside did not deserve that title. But signing the contract was not the only reason I could not sleep at night, twisting in my bed. Alex asked me to meet his parents. Today. It was as if this day was not stressful enough. I was torn between thinking about what my family prepared for me and wondering how to dress for tonight. Of course, I wished them to like me, for mine and Alex's sake. We have created enough mess already. I was the one to be mostly blamed for that, but sharing the quilt was a much better option. I could not stop thinking what I would say when they asked about the wedding. Did Alex tell them it was a marriage with an expiry date? I highly doubted this. I will worry about this later. The door to the mansion was wide open when I arrived. " What a gesture," I thought to myself. The inside was empty, but I did no
Alexander's POV When we entered the Ben's Burgers, Millie tensed even though she had tried to hide it. I took a deep breath, enjoying the smell already imprinted on my mind. This place smelled like childhood. I could not count the evenings we have spent here with my parents. On those occasions, they were nothing like business people the whole country knew. Here, no one cared about your status as long as you managed to behave at the table. I quickly scanned the room, and a smile curled on my lips. My parents were sitting in our usual spot, already enjoying their drinks. My smile widened when I noticed that both of them understood the assignment. My father wore a simple black shirt and jeans, while my mother chose a blue flower dress. " There they are," I said, taking Millie's hand. She offered me a shy smile while I navigated through the crowded restaurant. " Right on time." My father stood up from his seat as soon as he noticed us. He gave Millie a wink while my moth
Millie's POV I had wished for the earth to swallow me, watching my step-sister giving Alex's father a nasty look. Why, from all the places, do they have to choose this restaurant? As I remember, Sandra always liked to brag about a healthy lifestyle and despised junk food. " What are you two doing here?" I asked through my gritted teeth. " Is there a problem with us being here? Had you become an owner of this place?" Deborah mocked me, checking on her perfectly shaped nails. " Well, it is not the place you would normally visit," I replied, fighting the sharpness in my voice. " Baby's cravings," Sandra rubbed her belly, looking down at Alex's parents. " Oh, it must be depressing that your baby has such a bad taste then," I pointed out, and her smile dropped. " I will excuse myself, " Alex's father said, standing up. His wife gave him a puzzled look, but he only winked at her with a half-smile. " You are excused," Deborah giggled, and I grabbed Alex's hand, squeezing it as he loo
Alexander's POV We travelled back home in complete silence. I could feel that Millie was fuming, as from time to time, her brows furrowed as if has some inside conversation. She apologised for her step-family behaviour during the dinner, and we rebuilt the pleasant atmosphere. I would not be myself if I didn't ask my father how he got those two women escorted out. He winked at me and told me he was now the restaurant's owner. It looks like other companies pestered the original owner to sell the place since they had a better plan for it. When my father bought the place, no one dared to visit him. He was the place's owner, just on the paper, while the old one still cared for everything. Their only agreement was to keep our table empty whenever we wanted to visit. When I asked why he did it, he replied that the sentiment caused it. I had no reason to argue with his logic, so I dropped the subject. Now, I was more concerned about Millie. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts
Millie's POV " Are you serious?" I asked Dave while looking at the blueprint in front of me. " How on earth is this project worth five million?" Dave, my right hand from when I worked for my family, shrugged his arms. " You can check it yourself." I checked, not once or twice, but three times already, and something was not adding up. I was looking at the project of two warehouses, and there was no way anyone would pay five million for this job. Three million would be more than enough, even if I decide to add some gold to it. " It looks more than strange. Why are they willing to pay so much for it," I said more to myself than Dave, but he answered me anyway. " Should we really worry about that?" He gave me a confused glance. " I think we should be jumping in joy." Well, in normal circumstances, I probably would, but it looked too good to be true here. I shook my head slowly. Dave was right; I had to accept the reality, at least for now. " We have to make sure
Aleksander's POVI watched Adam sit in his chair, pressing his palms against his temples. In the meantime, I sent a message to John, letting him know where to find me. Moments later, my friend entered the office, with Gabrielle following him closely. " Should I ask who those people are?" Adam looked at me questioningly, so I introduced my companions to him. He waved his hand dismissively and focused back on me. " So you got married? And your wife is now a suspect in the case?"I confirmed his words with a slight nod, and Adam continued. " And you are telling me that she is innocent?" Another nod. " This woman tried to kill her sister, pushing her down the stairs. I have witnesses who confirmed that. I had blood stain on the floor. "I heard Gabrielle and John gasping in unison. This has to be a shock for them as well. " My wife is innocent. I am sure her family stands behind that. It would not be the first time, " I said, running my hand through my hair. " Millie wouldn't do it. Y
Aleksander's POVI was on cloud nine. I was in love, and the woman I chose loved me back. My body and mind were buzzing with excitement, and I could not find myself a place in the apartment that seemed so small right now. Since there was nothing better to do, I grabbed my back and headed to the gym. I had to release some steam as I felt my body could explode from the happiness. There was only one thing bothering me. I had to tell Millie the truth about who I was. If we were to build our future together, I could not keep her in the dark anymore. I hoped she would understand why I kept my identity secret. When she would come back from a party, I would take her for dinner at La Rosa, the restaurant my mother mentioned a while ago. Then, I would confess everything. My body was trembling from excitement and nervousness at the same time.I spent a few hours at the gym before heading home. There was no message from Millie, which was a good sign. Maybe her family understood their mistakes?
Millie's POV I felt like I was in a dream, watching Sandra falling down the stairs, almost as if it was replayed in slow motion. My eyes were wide open in shock while my brain tried to process what happened a moment ago. Sandra was right; I should have stayed away from them. Coming here was a bad idea, but even in my worst nightmare, I could not expect such a turn of events. " Sandra!!!" Deborah's deafening scream brought me back to reality. She was running through the hall with her eyes fixed on her daughter. I still could not make a move, frozen in place. Everything seemed surreal." Baby, wake up. Say something." Deborah fell to her knees next to unconscious Sandra. Mark and my father joined her seconds later. None of them looked in my direction, but I was sure that would change soon. " Sandra, my baby, please wake up," Deborah's voice reached my ears. It was filled with concern. My step-sister moved on the floor and let out a painful groan. I guessed she tried to say somethi
Third-party POVMy father and Mark closed themselves in the office an hour ago. I could feel something was wrong, but none of them was willing to share more details—not that I cared. It was my birthday, and I had to focus on the plan I had worked on for the last few days. Their problems were irrelevant to me right now. " Honey, you look stunning, " my mother said, entering the living room. " You too, Mom," I replied, glancing at her. My mother was always an attractive woman. Even her age did not ruin her figure, and her skin was still smooth like silk, with no trace of wrinkles. Of course, it was easy to take care of herself now when she had all my stepfather's money to use. " I can't believe you are already four months pregnant. Good genes run in our family."I smiled gently at those words and adjusted my tight silver dress, ensuring my little surprise remained well hidden and intact. If everything goes according to plan, this tiny thing will play a crucial role this evening. " W
Millie's POV " Is this really for me?" I asked Alex in disbelief. It was a lazy Saturday morning, and we were still in bed when he placed a small box on the sheet. " Yea...," he replied absent-mindedly, too busy playing with my hair. " It is stunning," I squealed, opening the box and revealing the beautiful brooch. It had a deep red stone in the centre surrounded by a dozen smaller stones. Between them, delicate golden leaves were visible. " I can not accept it," I said, closing the box with a heavy heart. " Why?" Alex looked at me, shocked. " Because you should not spend money on such things." It was obvious that this piece of jewellery cost a fortune. Even with the money from the project, I would never allow myself to buy something so extravagant. " You should not bother yourself." Alex glanced at me, and I noticed a flash of embarrassment. " Those stones are not real. Maybe one day I will buy you the real one, but those are fake." " You know I don't need that," I said, openi
Alexander's POV " You can't be serious," John gave me a doubtful look. " No one is that dumb." " Are you sure about that?" I asked, raising my brow. Then I turned the screen of my laptop and showed him the video Brian sent me not long ago. John sat on the chair when he noticed Green's smiley face. " I take it back," my friend mumbled, and I could not help but giggle upon seeing his face. " Any idea why would he do this?" " I have been thinking about that for a while now," I shrugged my arms and leaned back in my seat. " I guess they want Millie to give up. They tried that from the beginning. That looks like a last, desperate attempt." " Are they aware that the project is almost over? Only the earthquake could destroy it now," John looked at me, trying to process what he had just seen. " I would like to find out what they know and how they will play that. Can you arrange the meeting with Green and Millie's father?" I looked at John and gave him a mischievous grin. My friend under
Millie's POV ***Warning***Sex scene.*** I stretched myself on the bed. Alex kept his word and left me exhausted. My body was sore, but it was all worth the pleasure I felt last night. I should be at work right now, but I could not find the strength to do it. Brian would have to take care of everything alone today. I closed my eyes, replaying the last events in my head. The night was more than passionate. It was wild. Alex carried me princess-style to our bedroom and placed me gently on the bed. His eyes were dark, almost scary, but that only made me want him more. I rubbed his neck while his fingers swiftly moved under my shirt. My skin burned from the contact, and I pulled him closer. Alex's fingers traced my bra, making my nippl*s hard instantly. He circled his thumb around them, teasing them through the thin fabric. A moan escaped my lips. It was filled with pleasure and annoyance at the same time. Alex chuckled, realising how impatient I was, and pulled off my sh
Third POV I could not believe my own eyes. I was standing hidden behind the tree, watching the construction site. My fists were balling; my nails left a painful mark on my skin. How was it even possible? The work was going at full speed and looked like it would be done any day now. Since I could not endure it anymore, I jumped into my car and drove off. The whole plan was falling into pieces. My entire plan that was supposed to be a masterpiece. I took all precautions to ensure Millicent would fail on this task. She was going to face an ultimate disaster. I made sure she would have no materials to start work. I have convinced her father to decline her request for workers. Millicent should be crawling back to ask, begging for help. Which we would gracefully offer her in exchange for her profit share. She would end up penniless and humiliated. And yet, there she was, handling it all perfectly. I could not imagine how she managed to get the material or the building crew. I
Alexander's POV Gabrielle left, and I was still standing outside with a goofy smile. Millie had feelings for me, at least, her friend was thinking that. She could not be wrong, could she? The warm feeling spread inside my chest, but my happiness was short-lived. My phone buzzed, and I saw a notification. It was a text message from Brian. What the hell could he want at this time of day? ' Call me.' Those two words flashed on the screen, and my stomach twisted. I dialled his number. Hopefully, he did not engage himself in another fight in some random bar. " What is it?" I almost barked when he answered his phone. It was really not a good time. Millie was waiting upstairs. We had a serious talk to make. " Sorry, Alex, I did not mean to bother you in the evening." Brian's tone was apologetic, and I felt like a pri*k. He was my friend and could need my help, and I was taking frustration out on him. " It is okay, Brian. Is everything fine?" " Yeah... Well, not exactly. One