Millie' POV
" This bi*ch has no shame!" My best friend said, forcing a glass of whiskey on rocks into my hand. " She was not alone there, you know," I replied, dropping on her plushy, pink couch. Gabrielle could be a successful lawyer, but she always said being a princess was her absolute dream. Her place was almost all pink with some glittery and sparkly accents. It was not my style, but still, I felt at home here. Especially since my family home was not so welcoming anymore. My father remarried three years after my mother's death. I was ten at the time. His new wife, Deborah, moved in with her nine-year-old daughter, Sandra. I felt happy for my father, and I wished for him to have someone close. Unfortunately, from the very beginning I knew that Deborah did not like me much. She was always cold and distant, but my father was smitten with her. He often told me I should give her more time to know me better, and I followed his advice, but nothing changed. Deborah could not accept me. On the other hand, my father fully accepted Sandra and spoiled her on any occasion. When I grew up, I understood that he was buying himself her love. He cared about me, but he always tried to get Sandra's acceptance. And she knew how to use it to her advantage. " I hope his di*k will get rotten and fall off," Gabrielle said, yanking me back to reality. She could be a princess, but anger got the best out of her. I sipped my whiskey, letting the burning liquid travel slowly down my throat. " You know you can stay here as long as you want," my best friend continued since I was quiet. " Thank you, but I do not want to be a burden to you. Besides, I have my apartment, " I finally replied. " Do you really want to go back there?" Gabrielle offered me a puzzled look. I chuckled, leaning back on her comfy sofa. I had to go back there. This place was mine. My father bought it for me when I started my work in the company. " I have to, even if I do not like the idea," I said, shaking my glass and staring at the twirling liquid. " I would go there, and I would set this place on fire," Gabrielle replied with a concerned expression. "Let's keep it as a plan B," I looked at my best friend with a small smile. My phone rang for the second time today. " Is it Mr Pumping Di*k?" Gabrielle asked in an angry tone. I looked at the screen and noticed it was my father's number. Probably, he already knew about my adventure today. " Hello? " I answered the phone with no emotions. " Mille, where are you? I am so worried about you," My father asked in a concerned tone. " I am at Gabrielle's house," I replied simply, hoping it would make him calmer. " Come home. We need to talk," Father said, and I heard Deborah in the background. At least she was not worried. "Okay," I mumbled and hung up. " It is time for a family meeting," I added, looking at Gabrielle. " Do you want me to go with you?" She looked at me with hope, but I had to deny her offer. If Gabrielle had been there with me, the hell would have broken. She was always very protective of me, and she knew everything about my situation at home. " I will be fine. It looks like my Dad would like to console me a little. I will be back soon, " I offered her a reassuring smile. An hour later. I arrived at my family home, preparing for whatever awaited me. My father was waiting for me in the living room. Deborah was by his side. I almost hiss3d, since she was the last person I wanted to see, after what Sandra and Mark did to me. " Sit down, honey," My Dad spoke as soon as I have kissed his cheeks. I chose one of the furthest chairs and looked at my father with a genuine interest. Before he had a chance to say anything, the door opened, and Sandra marched inside together with Mark. The smug smile on her face. I spared them no glance and focused on my father. " I am all ears," " I know you are disappointed with what happened today, but...," My father started speaking, but I interrupted him. " With all respect, Dad, but I doubt you know how I feel." " Let your father speak," Debora gave me a cold stare. " It is not how we wished you to find out." " You knew?" I gasped, looking at my father, who tried to avoid my sight. They knew, and I was the only one left in the dark. " Millie, that is love. You cannot fight with that," My father tried to reason with me, but I was boiling with anger. Again, Sandra won. " My daughter and Mark will get married since Sandra is pregnant." Debora looked at me with a smirk. A baby? How long it lasted, then? I do not believe she got pregnant today. I glanced at Mark, but he avoided my sight like my father. " They will need a place to live, and we decided to give them the apartment in town." Debora continued, and I could not believe my ears. " This place is mine!" I raised my voice. " It belongs to your father since he is the owner. You were privileged to live there." My stepmother enjoyed this moment. " Dad!" This time, I almost yelled, and Sandra gasped. " Mind your tone. You are in our house." Deborah warned me, but I only looked at my father. " It is my father's house since he is an owner," I mimicked her tone. " You were always disrespectful, and my husband was too soft with you." Stepmother stood up, and walked to one of the cupboards. She pulled out the envelope and approached me slowly. " Sign this, " She said in a dry tone. I looked at the envelope carefully, too scared to open it. What was inside? I pulled out a single piece of paper and quickly scanned it. Resignation? " What is that?" I asked no one in particular. " Your father gave the company to Mark and Sandra since they have to provide for their future child. I do not think you would feel comfortable around them at work." " Are you firing me? " I asked in disbelief. My father did not look at me, but he nodded. " Fine," I said, grabbing the pen from my bag.Millie's POV And there I was. I sit on the bench with a cup of coffee beside my feet. In just a matter of minutes, I became homeless and lost my job. The only thing that was not bothering me was Mark. Sandra could keep him for herself. His betrayal stung a little, but I had serious problems to think about. First, I will have to find a new job. My phone rang again. It was Gabrielle. She had been calling me for the last twenty minutes, but I was not ready to talk to her right now. I sipped my coffee, thinking about my current situation. What was the most hurtful was my father's betrayal. I always knew he wanted to be Sandra's favorite stepdad, but I would never imagine he would turn his back on me. But there he was, sitting quietly while Debora and her good-for-nothing mother were humiliating me in every possible way. He allowed them to take everything from me like I was nothing to him. If my mother would be still with us, nothing like this would happen. But she was long gone
Alexander's POV I looked at my father, trying my best to hide my annoyance. How many times can we return to the subject I was not too fond of? Why they can't let me live the way I want? " Seriously, Dad? This again?" I asked, shaking my head. " Yes, son, this again." He replied coldly. Maxwell Foster was a tough man who built his empire and ruled it with an iron fist. He never gave up, no matter what. Now, as his son, I became the CEO of Forster Inc. I have worked at this company for many years, starting at the bottom and climbing. I could be the only son of my father, but he made sure I would learn to respect everyone's work here before handing me the highest responsibility. I proved myself, and now he could retire with peace of mind. Our company was one of the largest in the country and needed to be supervised without a break, but I loved it. Someone would say I was a workaholic, but my office was my favorite place, right after my apartment, which was a man's cave.
Millie's POV I arrived at Gabrielle's place fifteen minutes later. She was busy preparing the dinner and setting plates on the table. I quickly noticed that there were three plates. " Is someone else coming?" I asked, even if I knew the answer already. After all, I was greeted with the smell of curry at the entrance—Gabrielle's boyfriend's favorite dish. My best friend blushed, and I knew I was correct. Michael was coming. Awesome, that was precisely what I needed today. Me and Michael never got along. Gabrielle met her boyfriend at one of those fancy lawyers' events and got smitten almost instantly. They were a couple for more than four years, and he still did not propose to her, even if she was the best thing that happened to him. I doubted he could see that. Of course, as any good lawyer, he could play any role perfectly. In front of Gabrielle, he was a loving and caring boyfriend, but I had more than one chance to see him glancing at other women for much longer th
Alexader's POV I could not stop thinking about the woman I accidently met not long ago. After the first impression when I thought she was the drama queen, I changed my mind. Apparently, she was going through some hard times, and I only saw a woman who cried over the spilled coffee. " I usually do not act like this." She told me back then, and those words replayed in my mind. I knew nothing about her, but when I heard the words homeless, jobless, and cheated, I could not stop myself from offering her my number. Now, I was questioning myself why on earth I did that, but at the moment, it seemed to be the only right thing to do. What the hell was wrong with me? I blamed my parents for my actions. Why? Because they taught me to show compassion to those less fortunate. My parents set them as examples by being active members of several charity organizations. When I was younger, I could not understand how privileged I was by growing up in a wealthy family. All I could see was
Millie's POV I stormed out of the bank, leaving speechless Lindsay behind me. There was only one person I wished to see right now: my wicked stepmother, Deborah. I reached my family's house in no time and barged in without waiting for an invitation. It took me only a second to locate this vicious woman. I was lucky, and my father was also there. " How could you do it to me?" I asked as soon as they noticed me. " What are you talking about?" Deborah asked innocently. " Do not play dumber than you actually are," I hissed, ready to rip off her hair. "Millie, watch your mouth. You are speaking to your mother." My dear father spoke for the first time. " Fresh news, she is not my mother," I snapped back at him. " What brings you here?" My father asked, his tone got colder. " Is it not my house anymore? Do I need a reason to visit?" I asked sarcastically. " Not when you come here in a state like this, throwing some accusations. What is it this time?" My father looke
Alexander's POV I was in the middle of a heated conversation with John regarding my next-day schedule when my phone rang. Since the amount of people that required my attention already made me annoyed, I answered the call with my coldest tone. " Hello?" I asked, skipping any pleasantries. " Hello, it is Millie..." I heard the voice on the other side. " Wrong number," I replied shortly, ready to hang up. I had no memory of the woman whose name was Millie. It was probably another journalist who bribed someone in the company to get my private number. I almost pressed the end-up call button when I heard the words that stopped me from doing that. " I am Twelve." She said, waiting for my response. " Give me a second," I told her in a much calmer tone, at the same time motioning to John that it was an important call. He left the office, shooting me surprised glances, but I ignored him. " Hello, Twelve. How are you?" I almost cursed myself for such a pathetic question.
Millie's POV I looked around Alexander's place and from one glance, I could say it was a man cave. But to be honest, it was surprisingly neat. I wondered if he cleaned it before the meeting or if it was just his habit. Most men I know are messy, and their homes look like dumpsters. This was a pleasant exchange. " I will show you your bedroom," Alexander said, pointing to one of the doors. I followed his directions and found myself in the cozy little bedroom with a built-in wardrobe, double bed, and a bedside drawer. It was a perfect guest room. " Thank you," I said so quietly it almost came out as a whisper. " Not mention it." Alexander waved his hand dismissively. " I will get us something to eat. It is not healthy to only survive on coffee. Make yourself comfortable. With those words, he left the room, and I sat on my new bed. It was time to let Gabrielle know I was going to be moving out, so I pulled out a mobile and searched for my friend's number. " Hey Ga
Alexander's POV After Millie left, I sat on my couch with a drink in my hand. It was a crazy day, yet somehow satisfying. Of course, somewhere at the back of my mind was a thought I could make the biggest mistake of my life, allowing a stranger to stay at my place. But on the other hand, Millie looked trustworthy. She just had a tough time right now. Someone would say, how can a businessman trust others without doubts? I will take care of that, as I always do. Now, I had to sort out another urgent matter. " Hi, baby. I was waiting for your call." Carmen's voice pierced my ears. Honestly, I was wondering how I could endure her for this long. She was annoying, and even her perfect body could not compensate for this. " Carmen, we need to stop seeing each other for now, " I went straight to the business. " What? Why?" She asked, and I could swear my ears bleed a little. " Because I said so," my response was emotionless. " We had a clear deal, no attachment. Now, I w
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
Third-party POV I was so stunned I could barely breathe. There was no one else than Alexander Foster sitting casually before me, and my best friend was oblivious to whom she had married. " But how?" I managed to whisper, glancing at the door where Millie disappeared. " I spilt her coffee," the man replied, sipping his wine. " Spilling someone's coffee does not end at the wedding altar," I hissed, forgetting who I talked to. " Does she even know the truth?" Alex flashed me a pearly smile. " Not yet." That was not much of an explanation, but what else did I expect? Alexander Foster. How many times have I heard Michael mentioning his name? The ruthless billionaire who was ready to crush anyone who crossed their paths with him. Michael loved to talk about their businesses. I could not help but think he envied him as well. But who wouldn't? This man was basically sleeping on cash. His wealth was growing with every breath he took. No wonder he was the man every woman d
Alexander's POV " Can you start making pasta?" Millie asked me without stopping stirring the sauce. She was wearing my apron and looked very professional while cooking. " Are you sure that would be enough? I could always make some salad." I offered gently to spare myself a side-eye. Millie mentioned a fancy dinner, and now she settled with spaghetti. Well, I had a different idea of a fancy meal, but who am I to judge? " Are you suggesting that my food is not enough?" Millie raised her brow, and I suddenly felt cornered in our apartment's tiny kitchen. Why did I open my mouth? I could just happily make pasta and remain silent. Millie noticed my expression and burst into laughter, but I did not want to lower my guard. " We could survive on chips with ketchup and a can of soda. Trust me, Gabi will appreciate my cooking. " I have nodded to that statement. Why was I even bothered? Millie's spaghetti was delicious, after all. When the pasta was slowly getting ready, I
Millie's POV It was painful to see Gabi like that. She looked like a complete mess. I did the only thing I could do at the moment like that. I sat next to her and hugged her tightly. " Are you sure about that? It is quite a serious suspicion," I said, stroking Gabi's hair while she was sobbing. I was never a huge fan of Michael. This man was, in my opinion, controlling and incredibly possessive. We never clicked, not that I tried too much. He seemed the complete opposite of what I would imagine Gabrielle would like dating. But as long as my friend was happy, I had no other choice but to suck it up. I moved my hand and lifted Gabi's face. " Talk to me. I can not help you if you won't tell me what is going on," I told her softly. Gabrielle took a calming breath, and I handed her a tissue. This woman was always a perfect picture of independence. I could not stand seeing her so broken because of a man. " I don't know, but he is different. Cold, distant." Gabrielle
Millie's POV The following two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Since Brian's team started work, the whole construction site has changed. After the first week, they managed to build a complete base of the warehouse. They were professional and organised; I could say they were better than the workers from my father's company. Brian was friendly and easygoing. Working with him was a pleasure. He often joked around, but at the same time, he treated his job very seriously. I could finally relax, knowing my project was in good hands. With Brian's help, I could finish this task way before the deadline. After the first troubles, everything was going smoothly. And all of that was possible because of Alex. This man was like my guardian angel, sent by the heavens at the worst time of my life. I only doubted that any angel would be so good in bed. Every day, he asked me about my progress, and I had to remind myself not to overload him with stories, as he probably was asking out
Third POV Sandra sat on the sofa and crossed her legs. Mark sat next to her, placing his hand on her tummy. " How is the baby? How was a check-up?" Sandra lowered her gaze to hide a smirk forming on her lips. She left their apartment early under the pretext of having an appointment with a midwife. Instead of going to the hospital, she spent time with her friend, who gave her old ultrasound photos of her daughter. Maxine knew Sandra's plan and agreed to participate, as she had never liked Millicent. If there was anything that could harm Sandra's step-sister, Maxine was full on board. Now, Sandra handed the photos to Mark, watching his face lit up. " Our baby is magnificent. And so is you. The pregnancy has no impact on you. Your body is still perfect. " Sandra chuckled. " I am not one of those pregnant women who eats everything than can, pretending it is for a baby. " She said with an innocent tone. It was obvious that her body remained the same since she was not pre
Alexander's POV. It took me over an hour to discuss the final arrangements with Michael. He tried to talk me out of my idea, suggesting that my employees would try to use the new privileges. Again, I had to remind him that he worked as MY lawyer and my decision was final. We have parted both in sour moods. Nevertheless, I could not care less about his opinion. I was exhausted, but I had a few more meetings that required my presence. Luckily, the rest of the day was relatively uneventful, and I waited for the end of the day with anticipation. I was curious about Millie's day. Did the supplier keep his word and deliver the new material? If not, I was going to keep my end of the bargain. When I arrived home, Millie was already setting up the table. She did not talk much unless asked, and when we sat down to eat, I could see she was more pushing the food around her plate than actually eating. " Not the best day?" I asked, placing my plate in the dishwasher. " It was bittersweet, I
Millie's POV I woke up to the gentle sound of my phone vibrating. I looked at the screen, wishing I could ignore it, when I saw Dave's name pop out. I had enough disasters for now, and I did not need another. Whatever he had to say, it couldn't be good if he called me at this ungodly hour. " What is it?" I finally picked up since he was calling over and over again. " Sorry, boss, but I really need you here," Dave said, and I felt like deja vu. What the hell was happening right now? Did the construction site be caught on fire? Well, I would not be surprised. " Boss, the new material arrived," Dave added, and I abruptly sat straight on the bed. I cursed myself as Alex groaned in his sleep. " I will be there soon," I said and moved out of bed. After a quick shower, I was ready, but then it hit me that I should at least make some breakfast for my husband. I made an omelette and poured him juice. One last glance at the table, and I was out. I could not sit calmly in the ta