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Chapter 26: Media Frenzy
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The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 27: Euphoria
Time ticked by so slowly, the tension in the air thick like the honey color of his eyes. He rubbed himself on my crotch."Stop squirming," I commanded as I rolled back on the seat and titled my neck to look up at his beautiful features. The moonlight shone on the balcony making him look like an angel."I can't help it, Wade," Vaughn breathed softly, shifting his weight when I grabbed his waist to stop his movement. I wanted to take this slow, but he was being a rogue about it. "What do you want to do?" I asked him. I saw him panic and his body tremble. He nestled his face in the starched corner of his shirt, but I slid my hand up his back and tugged the back of his neck making him face me. "What are you thinking about?" I murmured. "About how much I craved this," he responded.Pulling his head to mine, I kissed him. The kiss was a mixture of the sweet notes of fruit that were distilled into the whiskey and the crispness of its freshness against ice. Demanding more, I opened
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 28: Waves
VAUGHN'S POV I had dragged Wade out of bed on Sunday morning to go sailing. I smiled cheekily knowing well that I had made the right decision to get Wade out of Valletta. I wanted us to make up and talk, before getting back to the chaos we left behind.I had rented out a yacht and now we were deep in the Mediterranean enjoying the breeze and the view. Wade was sulking because I had dragged him out of bed while he wanted to rest. We only had today to keep each other company since tomorrow we have to return to Valletta. "You do know that I am the president of the holdings. I can always delegate," Wade complained. "I planned this for us. Why do you always have to be difficult?" I scolded him. "We have a lifetime, Vaughn," he stated."You better keep your word," I laughed.His body demeanor changed, and he leaned back on the railing and closed his eyes. I could tell that he wanted to relax and enjoy the scenery. I steered the yacht closer to the destination, shut the engine, and
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 29: Everette Hotels
After having breakfast at home, Gideon and I drove to the Everette hotels. Upon arrival, we found the media was already outside waiting for me. Gideon drove past the main entrance, and we used the back entrance with the underground parking. We got into the VIP elevator and Elaine was already waiting for us. "It's about time you showed your-" Elaine's statement drifted off when she saw Gideon. "How was your weekend, sis?" I asked her. "Good morning, Elaine," Gideon stated. She turned around and walked toward the office without a word. Gideon murmured, "Patience." We walked into my office and Elaine moved to sit by the couch. "Why weren't you picking up calls?"I walked to sit at the desk and Gideon moved further away from Elaine to stand by the desk. "I already told you that I was with Wade," I calmly said. I knew that Elaine was agitated and having Gideon around did not help much. "Ma was worried still. The media has been going crazy and Vera Bexley has been doing interv
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 30: Family
The next day flew by and by evening Elaine was pacing up and down the west wing while I tried to reach Gideon. He picked up on the fourth ring. "Where the hell are you?" "We had a last-minute meeting with Pa's office. Please proceed without me. I will join you later," Gideon said and disconnected the call. Elaine huffed and muttered, "Why the hell did he not communicate this earlier?""He has been trying to secure a meeting with the Secretary of State about Ma's issue," I informed Elaine."Okay, let us go. I'm so nervous," Elaine whispered, making me laugh. "Why do you sound like a bride going to meet the groom's parents?" I jested. "Tsk, I bet you were as nervous as I was when you visited the Malkiel villa the first time," Elaine laughed. We were laughing as we walked out of the west wing and found Ma by the foyer all dressed up and waiting."You said we are going for dinner, right?" Her eyes sparkled. We sped off on the Valletta roads and arrived at the Malkiel villa.
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 31: Scandal
WADE'S POVOur relationship had taken such a good turn and now Vaughn had moved in. Pa was so excited that Uncle Malkiel and Auden kept laughing at his ridiculous panic. It surprised Vaughn when he learned that Damien was living with us, and Uncle Malkiel was finalizing his adoption papers. Every dinner during the week was so hearty that we all rushed home to Pa at the end of the day. It was such a blissful moment that I prayed for it to always be like this. Elaine and Gideon joined us for dinner twice and, to our surprise, we noticed that Damien looked relaxed around Gideon.Gideon's father had garnered help from the party members who were in support of Mayor Everette. Somehow, the pressure to remove her from the party had quieted down. We knew it was only for a while until Sam Bexley came up with more plans. "Something is going on between those two," I whispered to Vaughn. "Gideon likes women, Wade," Vaughn responded. "I doubt it. My eyes tell me that Gideon is in love with
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 32: Malta Daily
I was deep in sleep when I heard Vaughn's voice waking me up. Opening my eyes, the bright light from the windows blazed, and I plucked the pillow from my head and covered my eyes. "What time is it?" I asked him in a muffled voice. "It's eight in the morning," he responded. "Auden has been calling since six. It sounded urgent." He handed me the phone, and I sat up on the bed, putting the pillow aside. I called Auden immediately, and he answered on the second ring. "You b*stard, I have been looking for you since dawn. Did you oversleep and forget that we had a meeting?" "Yes," I responded calmly. The calmness in my tone made Auden shut up. "Okay. As suggested to Damien and Pa, I bought the largest shares in the Malta Daily LTD for both print and digital.""What?" I gasped. "I was only angry at that time. How much did that cost me?" Auden laughed. "Not much. Don't worry, your money is safe Mr. Billionaire." "Pfft shut up. What time is the meeting? I need to meet the team from
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 33: Malkiel Power
VAUGHN'S POVI was so engrossed in work when Gideon and Elaine busted into my office. "What is it?""Wade Malkiel is something else. Have you watched the news?" Gideon laughed."I have been busy working as you can see. What is happening?" I asked Elaine. She took the remote and switched on the TV, searching for the Malta Daily channel. Auden's face came into view. "The Malkiel Holding will keep supporting the Valletta community by introducing the art school under the Museum of Arts and Gallery. We invite everyone interested to come for the registration. Thank you all." And then the press briefing ended. I raised my eyebrows in question and Gideon smiled. "It is what he said before. That they have withdrawn from the Bexley Foundation. And that they will be investing in the Everette hotels and opening a new hotel in Gozo. Your boyfriend is going all out."Elaine beamed. "My brother-in-law is outstanding. But Vaughn you don't seem excited by the news."I leaned back on the se
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 34: Drugged
I tried to open my eyes, but they seemed too heavy. I could not move my body. The light above seemed to hit my eyes and then I blacked out again. When I came to again, I was lying on a bed. I opened my eyes and looked at my surroundings trying to get my bearing when I realized that I was still at the hotel, in one of the rooms. I tried to sit up, but my body was burning. I was in my underwear and all my clothes were placed by the seat. I could not remember what happened but there was a clear smell of perfume in the room. Vera Bexley's perfume! I hated that smell and I deduced that she had drugged me. I staggered to the couch and struggled to get dressed. I slowly walked to the bathroom and put my head under the sink. I needed to sober up. What did the damn woman do to me?After five minutes the haze had cleared, and I felt a little bit better. I walked to the door of the room and realized that she had chosen the room that Elaine and I used when we needed to rest. That f*cking b*
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The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 50: Finale
WADE'S POV A week later, Uncle Malkiel rushed to my office and said, "Sam Bexley has been arrested." I stood up and smiled. "Finally." He took the remote from my desk and switched on the TV. The headlines read 'BEXLEY ARRESTED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING'. There was a picture of Sam in handcuffs at a warehouse near the port. "They finally got him. I bet the pressure we put on the police helped." "The police commissioner is also under pressure. He will be resigning soon, taking into account how many bribes he took from Sam Bexley," Uncle Malkiel informed me. "We need to clean out every one of his cartels. That way we can have development in Valletta. I am glad this happened a day before the elections. It means we are headed for a landslide win.""The media has already predicted the win," Uncle Malkiel laughed. Later that night at the dinner table, Pa stood up and said, "I am so glad to have this family together. If it weren't for Vaughn and Wade, I would not have you all here. I
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 49: Stabbed
VAUGHN'S POVGetting home and taking a shower, I was deadbeat tired. The whole campaign and work combined were taking a toll on me. I never had time to spend together with Wade and I knew he was just being patient. I took my phone and sent him a text. 'Hurry home, Daddy.' Just to tease him and let him know that I had missed him. An hour later, there was no response to the text. I pouted and went downstairs to have a glass of wine with Pa. When I got to the kitchen, I found a worried Pa whispering something with Uncle Malkiel and Auden. I stood at the entrance and asked, "What did I miss?"They all jumped aside and when they turned to look in my direction, I immediately knew that something was wrong. "What is wrong?" I asked in a hushed voice. I felt fear gnaw in my body and my heart started beating so fast. They all looked away and then I raised my voice at them, "Someone tell me what is wrong." I knew that something bad must have happened. Elaine and Gideon came rushing
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 48: Campaign Announcement
We arrived late at the Everette Hotel five minutes before the announcement. Uncle Malkiel and Auden smirked at us as Gideon's hearty laughter broke the ice. "How can you two be late for the announcement," Pa scolded. "We are sorry Pa," Vaughn supplied. "I warned you about drinking," I complained. Elaine shook her head. "Excuses, excuses. The media is here, so let us start." Within minutes, we all walked into the room full of journalists and cameramen. Mayor Everette was the first to take the podium as she greeted everyone. The room was also full of the campaign team and newly recruited party members. "I am proud to stand here today in front of the people of Valletta who put me in this office. It's with great enthusiasm that I declare my candidacy for the Senatorial seat." There were great cheers from the crowd. "I have served my tenure as the mayor and hope to continue serving you and developing Valletta. I know most of you will wonder why I am running on an independent
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 47: Engaged
Driving like a madman through the streets of Malta, I kissed Vaughn's hand knowing well he had seduced me silly. I was rushing home to have my way with him. Vaughn laughed throughout the ride as his eyes sparkled with excitement. "You had better feign tiredness when we get to the villa. No chit-chat with anyone. We head straight to bed," I grunted."Wade, we need to eat. I'm hungry," Vaughn grinned. "Food later. I need to state my desires first," I admitted. "You are a b*stard, Wade," Vaughn laughed."Yet you love me," I stated. "You are right. I do love you," Vaughn acknowledged."How am I supposed to act normal when you say such statements," I mumbled as we entered the villa. Pa must have heard the car roaring in as he came rushing out as soon we got out of the car. Vaughn laughed and then warned, "Behave, Wade." He then embraced Pa as he loudly announced, "I missed you, Pa." Pa laughed and then pulled him into the house as I remained standing at the entrance willing m
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 46: Mediation
The judge in charge of the case and the lawyers for Sam Bexley called for a private mediation session at the courthouse. We arrived at the stipulated time accompanied by Mayor Beth and Uncle Malkiel. Vaughn seemed distant and I held his hand to encourage him to put up a fight. The judge welcomed all of us as we sat opposite each other. Vera Bexley looked tired as her baby bump was now showing. My eyes blazed as she smirked at me, and Vaughn pressed his hand into mine to calm me down. "I would like to welcome you all for this mediation session. Both parties are here because Sam Bexley requested for it to be a closed private session. I will let them have the first go and then the Everettes will follow suit."We all nodded and then Sam Bexley's lawyers started the narration of how Vera made the mistake of kidnapping Vaughn and now that she was pregnant with his child, they hope we can mediate amicably. We all remained composed and silent until he finished his narration.Uncle Malk
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 45: Drunk
WADE'S POVDisconnecting the call from Vaughn, I rushed to Uncle Malkiel's office. He took one look at me and said, "Don't tell me there is more trouble.""I suspect Sam Bexley has instigated the Everette hotel board members. They called for an urgent meeting to confirm if Vaughn plans to sell the hotel to me. I think that it's just a ruse since he wants to buy back the shares." "He is a true snake. Slithering all over the place," Uncle Malkiel."Do you think it's wise to transfer all my shares to Vaughn?" I asked."Not until we get the paternity test," Uncle Malkiel warned. "I want to squash him like a bug," I seethed."You will, don't be hasty," Uncle Malkiel advised."Fine, fine. I know you are being cautious. Thank you, Uncle." "Mhm. The new order from Venice has come in. We shall be busy. And your Pa is being secretive. I have not seen any of these three new paintings.""Ha-ha, that old man. But I'm sure he will wow us," I responded. Leaving Uncle Malkiel's office
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 44: Board Members
"Vaughn, I am leaving for work. I will come home early, okay?" I nodded as I felt Wade's kiss on my forehead and pulled the duvet over my body. I was still sleepy and hummed as I heard the door of the room close.Hours later, I woke up, showered, and went down for breakfast. As usual, Eli was always extra when it came to taking care of the family with food. I found the maids had set my breakfast aside. I switched on my phone and messages came in, one after the other. I went to Vera Bexley's number, blocked it, and deleted all the messages. I was not ready to deal with a nuisance like her.I had breakfast while catching up on emails and messages. Elaine and Auden already sent the morning meeting notes. I smiled at how the family was efficient. Uncle Malkiel notified me that the medical team from Milan had arrived. I was up to date on everything that was going on.After breakfast, I settled into the garden and started planning for the Hotel merger. I researched the expansion to Go
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 43: Paternity Test
VAUGHN'S POVI grinned as Wade went into the bathroom to shower. I walked into the closet and placed his clothes by the seat and then picked up his dirty ones and put them in the laundry basket. His temper had simmered, and it comforted me that he would not let anything come between us. It was the assurance that I needed after I lay on the bed calmly, deep in thought. I was glad when he walked into the bedroom. "What are you smiling about?" Wade walked into the room shirtless rubbing a towel on his hair to dry it. I blushed. "I remember placing a clean shirt on the seat."He winked at me. "Share your thoughts." He sat down on the bed."Part of my worry and concerns are you. I don't want anything to come between us," I confessed to Wade.He nodded and placed the towel on the bed beside him. "And the other part?" "Ma and Secretary Gavino's campaign. I know that Sam is using this tactic to delay us. And it seems he knows how much I value family. Which is why he played with my
The Art Collector and His Billionaire Lover Chapter 42: Pregnant
*Three months later*We were all busy with preparations. Elaine and Auden had already come up with the campaign strategy while Damien, Secretary Gavino, and Uncle Malkiel created the five-year plan for the party. Pa hosted ministers and the Malta Elite Society dignitaries at the museum or at the Everette hotels as the party chairman.As we planned to work on the merger with the Milan Crown Jewel Plaza Hotel, Elaine embarked on a branding plan. Gideon joined Vaughn in the hotel as the vice president. We were all busy during the week, but never failed to have time for the family on Sunday with lunch and dinner. It was on Thursday afternoon when the police called Vaughn Everett to inform him that Vera Bexley was at the police station. She voluntarily surrendered herself when she arrived in the country. Uncle Malkiel and I joined Vaughn as we headed to the police precinct. We arrived and the commissioner's smirk was enough to make Uncle Malkiel murmur, "I have a bad feeling about thi
