Cattleya’s POV"What the hell is she smiling about?" I muttered under my breath, closing the curtains with a heavy sigh of anger.Was she smiling because something terrible had happened to me? Of course, she might be. After all, she was my husband's ex-fiancee, and that something must have made her day even happier.I sat in my wheelchair, biting my lower lip. Overthinking things like this wouldn't help; it would only worsen things.I rolled the wheelchair to the side table, picked up my phone, and called my mom. She answered quickly, her voice soft. "Oh, honey, what's wrong? You called? Do you want us to come there? Or do you want to be at the villa so I can take care of you?"I shook my head and clicked my tongue. "No, Mom. I'm okay. I just miss you... Did Grandma call?"She sighed deeply. "Well, my last vacation didn't go well. Your grandma has Alzheimer's and dementia. She's not well, Catt. I'm sorry..."I bit my lower lip, trying to calm myself. I closed my eyes and said, "Ok
Cattleya’s POV"It doesn't matter if she's my weakness or not! She's my wife, and I'll do anything for her! So, don't you dare cross me again, Grace, or else I won't hesitate to forget you're my cousin," Jaxon warned, his finger pointed menacingly at Grace's face.Grace recoiled, swallowing nervously as she stared at Jaxon in fear.Anthony bowed his head to Jaxon, "Jaxon, you know Grace isn't thinking clearly. I apologize on behalf of my sister," he said, gently pulling Grace out of the room.I gasped as Jaxon's gaze met mine. His expression was carved with worry and a deeper level of concern than before.I lowered my gaze, but he approached me, gently lifting my chin with his finger and asking, "Are you alright?""How can I be okay when everyone hates me?" I replied softly, looking up to meet his gaze directly.He caressed the side of my face and said, "It doesn't matter if they hate us. What matters most is you and me. Let's forget about this for now. I'm going to book something for
Cattleya’s POVI was so frustrated upon hearing all of this. My heart rumbled with anger, but I tried my best to stay calm as I walked away from the villa where my parents were shouting and yelling at each other. It was crazy that I had lived in London my whole life, and when I came to Italy, this new life surprised and embraced me.I took a deep breath as I sat in the backseat of the car, then I put on my seatbelt while trying not to cry.This was a setup.So, before I met Jaxon, he already knew me. He just went along with the flow to mess with me!I didn't even know if I had the right to be mad at him. I was just upset, not mad. I was just upset, and my heart was consumed with the hatred that I truly felt for my father, for what happened to Ariella, and for Jaxon, who had lied to me all this time.When I arrived at Moretti's mansion, Jaxon was already waiting for me. He was having a meeting with all his men on the grand terrace. They suddenly stopped talking when they saw me pas
Cattleya’s POVI walked to the toilet and gasped as I closed the door. I clutched my chest because I was almost being caught there. The fact that I paid him everything with my bank account made us even, but now I’m so close to being broke!I have to get back to my business, or else I’ll be a girl dependent on a man like him.I opened my phone and bit my lower lip, then tried to search for a new business that would blow it in a month. I searched for a place where I could put the new business, and the fact that I was thinking about it made me lose my mind. Damn. I have to do something so as not to be broke!I know that I’m a high-maintenance woman, and I can’t afford to lose so much money to maintain myself.And thirty minutes later, Jaxon knocked on the door of my toilet. “Are you alright?”I cleared my throat and put my phone down. Then I pushed the flush button and went outside to face him, “Yeah, I’m fine.”"So, tell me what just happened? You looked upset. Is your stomach painful
Cattleya’s POVHe opened the car door for me, and I stepped out and walked directly to the entrance. Inside, we saw a group of people who all smiled happily as they recognized Jaxon. I gasped as he intertwined our hands, and I glanced at him, feeling the warmth in his hand.A man in his thirties approached us with a smile and a glass in his hand. "Oh, they're here," he said casually, dressed in a plain light blue long-sleeved shirt and black trousers.I smiled at the man, and he returned it warmly. "And you are my friend's gorgeous wife, right?" he asked.I cleared my throat as Jaxon let go of my hand. The man leaned in to kiss my cheek. "Hi, Cattleya. Nice to meet you," he said."Wow, you know my name," I replied. "And you are?""Kieran. My name is Kieran," he said, winking at me.Suddenly, lightning flashed, and thunder roared, making me a little scared. I immediately grabbed Jaxon's hand, and he smiled proudly. He kissed my forehead and whispered, "I'm here.""Oh, hold on," Kieran
Cattleya’s POVThen suddenly, Kieran arrived. He slipped his arm around his wife's waist, asking, "Oh, hey, what's happening here?"Amber smiled, "Oh, nothing honey. Do you want to play golf with Jaxon? I'm sure you guys missed playing golf a lot. Come on! There's a lot of time to make the day!"I stepped back and glanced at Jaxon, who was staring at me. He sighed in relief, but he knew I was already pissed and annoyed by him.He walked towards us and said to Kieran, "Yeah, let's play golf in your backyard man…"Kieran nodded his head, "Alright, let's do it."As Kieran and Amber walked off to arrange the golf game, Jaxon turned to face me. "Catt, don't be mad at me. I know what you're thinking right now. But I swear, I didn't know Amber, my ex, could be Kieran's wife! I didn't know..."I crossed my arms across my chest. "Did you just take me to Ibiza to stress me more, Jaxon? If you're really enjoying it, then have fun."I tried to walk away, but he caught my hand. "Love, don't make m
Cattleya’s POVI awoke with a throbbing headache, only to find Jaxon standing on the balcony, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. I'd never seen him smoke before. He looked different and tense as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.I wrapped myself in a blanket and approached him, wrapping my arms around him from behind. "Is everything okay?" I whispered."It's late; you should go to sleep," he replied, flicking the cigarette into the trash can."Tell me what's wrong," I insisted, my heart beating so fast. "Why are you smoking?""We need to go home. It's an urgent meeting with my team. I don't want to disclose the news right now, but I know if I confirm it, trust me, we might finally find the mastermind behind Ariella's murder. I know he's been roaming around freely, and keeping you safe is challenging because we don't know who he is," he said, cupping my face. "Please take care of yourself for me. If I'm away, Don’t trust anyone around you.” "When
Cattleya’s POVJaxon pulled Elise from the water, her body shivering and her coughs racking her chest."Catt," he asked, his voice calm but firm. "Why did you push her?"I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "So, you actually believe her? It was an accident, okay? Yes, I pushed her—""That's it!" Elise interrupted, her voice filled with malice. "You just admitted it! You pushed me into the pool and watched me drown! Do you want me to die?"I smirked at her. "If I wanted you to die, do you think I'd waste time pushing you? I'd just get a knife and end your life instead!"Jaxon's jaw clenched, his face a mask of frustration. He hated seeing women fight, especially when he had so much on his plate.Elise opened her mouth to speak but Jaxon cut her off. "Elise, I think you should go home.""Dad's not home. I'm scared," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. "Last night, a group of men attacked us. That's why Dad sent me here. He's looking for them."Jaxon's eyes narrowed. "Really?"A
Cattleya’s POV"I don't understand why you're acting this way, Catt! I've been looking for you for weeks. Why are you divorcing me all of a sudden? Did I do something wrong? Did I upset you? Did you hear something bad about me? Tell me… maybe I can explain it better," he said, his voice pleading for a second chance. I noticed his shoulders shrugging nervously because of my sudden decision until he shook his head and asked, "Cattleya, did something happen? Did that bastard do something terrible to you? Did he touch you?"I gulped softly and shook my head. "No, Jaxon. You heard me, right? I want a divorce. That's it. We're done."He clenched his jaw, his fists balling up in anger. "You don't love me anymore?! After everything we've been through, you're just going to throw it away? And now that you're here with me, you're asking for a breakup?"I looked straight into his eyes and nodded. "Yes."“I don’t believe you…” he said as he stepped back and pursed his lips, then he turned his back
Cattleya’s POV"No. But why are you doing this to me? Why aren't you hurting me? Why?" I asked, my heart filled with doubt, confusion, and a nagging worry that perhaps he had ulterior motives. I felt safer with him, but trust had become a foreign concept."You remind me of my wife, my late wife. She died in a car accident, eight months pregnant with our child," he confessed, his voice trembling. "I don't want that to happen to any woman, not even the wife of my enemy. I only want to see him suffer by not seeing you."I gasped, stunned by his revelation. I had no idea he was carrying such pain. Despite his good intentions, my heart ached for my husband, Jaxon. But the safety of the child growing within me took precedence, a bitter truth I couldn't ignore.He turned away without a word and fled to his room. And I sat in the corner, lost and anxious, unsure of what to do.Then, suddenly, the door from his room opened, and he approached me. "If you want to see him again, just say so. Then
Jaxon’s POV"I saw her... in her grave..." Grace muttered. Then she laughed so hard she cried. The nurse took her after I pushed her away. "Get rid of her..."Anthony showed up. "This is not okay, Jaxon! Don't hurt my sister!""Grace is sick!" I said.Suddenly, Anita stormed in. "You're just Fred's nephew. Just because Fred gave you permission to be our guardian doesn't mean you should send my daughter to a mental hospital!"I sneered softly. "I have so many things to do, especially looking for my wife for so many weeks now! And all of you questioned my authority? Then be it, I'm no longer taking care of this family. All of you can do whatever you want!" Then, I turned my back on them.Anthony tried to call my name. "Jaxon..."Then Anita said, "Just let him go, Anthony... he's mad."I walked outside with a dismayed expression and puffed a cigarette. I remembered how Cattleya hated the smell of cigarettes, so I threw it into the trash can and cursed silently, "Damn it, where are you, C
Jaxon’s POVI've been missing her for days. I miss her so much. Everything about her makes me think of where she is now. And where did Nikolai take her? If I ever see that bastard's face, I swear to God, I'm going to end his life with a lot of suffering."Jaxon, you haven't even touched your food. Are you alright?" Elise asked as she took my spoon and took a spoonful of food. Then she said, "If you're thinking about how to find her, how can you think better if you're not eating any food?"I stood up, fixed my necktie, and said, "Elise, why are you still here? Didn't I just tell you I don't want you here? I have a wife, and you can't serve me as if you're my wife."She scoffed, "Really? I'm only worried about you, Jaxon. Why are you overreacting? And of course, I've been part of your family ever since I was a kid, and I became your fiancée before that woman arrived in your life.""Elise, I know your point. But she's missing now and nowhere to be found. Can you be so considerate about t
Vlad Fernandez’s POV "Who is this woman?" I asked as soon as I arrived at my penthouse. She had been delivered an hour ago. That foolish Don Marco thought he could bribe me with a woman to distract me from his mountain of debt.My secretary said, "Her name is Cattleya Sullivan, the billionaire heiress. That's all I know for now. I'll dig up more information for you, sir."I tossed my coat to the floor and said, "Get out."He left immediately, closing the door softly behind him.She has brunette hair and porcelain skin, then she slowly moves her weak limbs. She opened her eyes, looked around, and gasped in shock when her gaze landed on me. "Who are you?" she asked.I smirked and repeated her question, "Who are you?"She rolled her eyes at me. Hmm, a bit of an attitude, I thought. Perhaps she was a spoiled brat from a wealthy family. She then got up from the bed and sighed nervously. "Please, help me...""You ask a stranger for help?" I asked softly, staring at her.As she stood up, sh
Cattleya’s POV“What the fuck is the problem?” Nikolai asked his minion in frustration.The man replied, “Sir, your father just landed. He’s here…”Nikolai’s eyes widened, and he glanced at me, “Take Aubrey with you, hide yourself from my father.”I was confused at first, and then I obeyed him. I walked outside to take Aubrey, but I was paralyzed in my feet when the old man was already carrying Aubrey in his arms. He was smiling at her, and my heart trembled in nervousness as I whispered, “Oh, it can’t be.”And Nikolai stepped outside. His face mirrored my own shock. He gasped as he watched his father talk to his secret daughter. Then, with a visible effort, he composed himself and approached his father with a forced calm. “Father, you’re here. What a surprise! Why didn’t you tell me you were going to visit… us?”Then the old man slowly put Aubrey on the ground and his gaze landed on me. Then he said, "Oh, she's here too? Long time no see, sweet precious, Cattleya."I didn't smile back
Cattleya’s POVI stayed in my room all night, overwhelmed by the shocking revelations. I was worried for Aubrey, knowing she had a father who was a danger to her. Nikolai was ruthless and capable of killing without remorse. Being alone with him, the nanny, and the guards filled me with fear. I knew that one wrong move could cost someone their life, as Nikolai wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.He was truly insane!I heard a knock on my door, gasping in fear as I stared at the shadow beneath the door.Then I heard his voice, "Catt, why don't you come downstairs and eat with me? You haven't eaten anything since we got here. It's time for you to eat some food, right?"I breathed softly, "I don't want to eat.""Do you want me to break this door and drag you out of your room? Don't test my patience, Catt," he threatened.I took a deep breath and sighed, getting up from my bed and walking to the door. I glared at him with pure hatred, "I'd rather eat nothing than stare at you while I'm e
Cattleya’s POV"Are you happy now?" I glared at Nikolai, and he just smiled at me with a proud grin."Of course, I'm really happy. Our family is complete now. I want Aubrey to have a mother, which is you, Cattleya," he said.I was a little confused and asked, "What do you mean by that? Noah is the real father of Aubrey, not you..."He laughed at me, his expression turning serious. "Oh, sorry if I fooled you again. I'm not the real father of Aubrey. That's why I didn't do anything wrong to your parents' lives, because they got my daughter. I tried so hard to hide Aubrey from everyone, from my father, because I knew her life would be in danger.""What?!" I exclaimed, shocked. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What are you talking about?!"Aubrey stirred in my arms, and I handed her to the nanny. I glared at Nikolai, his lips curved into a playful smile. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the back of the house. Before he could say anything, I slapped him hard across the face. "I
Cattleya’s POVI've shut my heart and withdrawn from life for over a week now. It's been like spending eternity in the dark, but I feel I need more time to recover from everything that's happened.I took a deep breath, staring out the window at the maids and guards going about their days. I remained trapped in my own sadness and life's drama, and I couldn't shake the feeling of wreckage.A knock sounded at my door, my mother's voice cutting through the silence. "Honey, Jaxon's here. Do you want to come down?"I glanced at the door, my breath catching in my throat. "No," I whispered. A few minutes later, the door creaked open. "Mom, I don't want to see him yet," I muttered.Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed through the room. "Baby, it's me."I froze, my eyes wide with surprise, as I turned to face him. "H-Hi," I stammered.Jaxon stepped into my dimly lit room, his gaze sweeping across the chaotic space. The drawn curtains and the air of melancholy were suffocating us, but he remained