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The Billionaire's Obsession (His Addiction) 20
Ciara Mendes I woke up on the bathroom floor, suffering from an excruciating headache and intense stomach pain. The stench of vomit clung to my hair and clothes, making the situation both disgusting and embarrassing. My mouth tasted like acid, reminiscent of what I imagine old, dirty socks would taste like.I brushed my teeth before crawling into the shower, scrubbing my body until I finally felt clean. As I stepped out, I grabbed the glass partition to steady myself, my head swirling as if I had been spinning in circles for hours instead of just showering. After getting dressed in a simple pink bodysuit and jeans, I debated whether to go back to sleep or get something to eat. My hunger won out, as I was absolutely ravenous. Rubbing my neck and back as I entered the kitchen, I winced at the dull aches reminding me of the previous night’s antics; I guess that's the price I pay for getting drunk and crashing on the bathroom floor like a wild teenage girl."You look lik
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Ciara Mendes I entered my room and picked up my phone, which was lying on the bed. As soon as I unlocked it, my mood shifted dramatically to a grim one.Unknown number: "I miss you, Ciara, and I'm sorry for what I did. — Fisher."Unknown number: "I just stopped by Sweet Tooth and thought I'd pick up one of those bread cakes you like so much, but you're not at your place. Where are you?"The memory of Fisher's past mistakes loomed large in my mind; a slice of bread pudding was hardly enough to mend the heartbreak he caused. I shook my head at the thought, wondering if he truly believed such a simple gesture could erase the hurt.There were several messages from Eve, and I decided it was better to spend my time reading my best friend's text rather than getting angry all over again about my ex. Eve: "How is everything going, love? Have you jumped his bones yet? ;)"Eve: "You're not answering my calls or texts, so I'm assuming you're having a grand time."Eve: "???"
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Ciara Mendes After the bellboy directed us to a small shop located within the hotel, we made our way there in silence. Giovanni hadn't said much since I found him on the balcony; he seemed lost in thought, so I chose to follow him without saying a word.Upon entering the store, we found only three customers inside: a man and what appeared to be his spouse, who were busy browsing souvenirs, and a blonde woman engaged in conversation with the only store clerk present. As soon as the store clerk noticed us enter, she stopped talking to the woman and smiled at us, prompting the woman to turn her gaze in our direction as well."Good morning, how can I help you?" she asked, her tone much kinder than the store clerks in L.A. The blonde woman's gaze locked onto me, making me feel uncomfortable, before her eyes shifted to Giovanni, giving him a knowing look that added an air of intrigue to the scene.I glanced at Giovanni, hoping for a clue about the situation, but he qui
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Ciara Mendes Fiji is, without a doubt, one of the most breathtaking islands I have ever visited. The serene atmosphere brings me a sense of complete peace and tranquility. For the past two days, I've woken up and taken leisurely walks along the beach, inhaling the fresh air and meditating. However, when I had dinner alone at the hotel’s restaurant yesterday, I couldn't help but feel gloomy as I watched the various couples enjoying their meals together. Ultimately, I decided to take my dinner to go.For the past two days, following the incident at the store, Giovanni has been occupied with meetings, leaving me alone for seven to eight hours each day. I must admit that I started to entertain Evei's claim about his meetings being fabricated, and I began to question the credibility of her words. When he finally left at eleven-forty-five for a meeting that was postponed until twelve, I realized I had let my guard down. My phone vibrates beside me, and the word "boss" fla
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Giovanni Haynes I watch as Ciara sleeps next to me on the pillow, her arm wrapped around my torso and one of her legs draped over mine. She looks so beautiful and peaceful just lying there. Sighing, I turn my gaze to the ceiling; the only other two women who could fall asleep beside me after intimacy were Jasmine and Mandy. However, I can't say I felt for them what I'm feeling now for Ciara as she rests in my bed.I can't quite understand what I'm feeling. I've known her for such a short time and don’t know much about her, yet she has an undeniable hold on me that she seems unaware of. Gently, I remove her limbs from mine and place a soft kiss on her forehead before standing up from the bed and adjusting the strings of my sweatpants. As I enter the bathroom, memories of last night flood back, particularly the image of her back pressed against the cold tiles in the shower. I turn on the faucet and glance at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes widening as I noti
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Ciara Mendes Giovanni traced random patterns on my back with his finger while I lay on my stomach next to him in his room. We had returned not long ago from the spa after enjoying breakfast on the beach. Later, we plan to go horseback riding, followed by dinner at the hotel's restaurant. Thankfully, we had continued the interview before our date yesterday and taken the pictures early this morning, leaving the rest of the day free for ourselves without work. He confessed that this trip wasn't work-related at all; it was just a ploy to get me to join him. I was upset at first, but it didn't last long, especially since this was exactly what I needed—a vacation, however brief. All I required was a chance to breathe in fresh air for a while.“What is it, Mother?” Giovanni says into his phone. I smile at the mention of Mrs. Haynes, recalling the day I met her and how warm she had been towards me. It makes me wonder how she would react if she found out that I’m involved with h
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Giovanni Haynes I walk into my mansion at 9:30 PM, hoping my mother is already asleep. Only God knows what she might say about those people who made her travel for hours just to see me—she absolutely detests traveling."Gio, honey. Finally, you're home," she calls out. I pinch the bridge of my nose and toss my key onto the coffee table in the living room."Hello, Mother," I say, hugging the woman who is dressed as if she were preparing to meet the Queen of England, despite the late hour. "What did I do to deserve the honor of your presence?""Please, Giovanni, I don't have time for your sarcasm," she replies sadly, her voice steady but urgent. "We need to talk, and it has to happen tonight; I need to get back home as soon as possible." I walk her over to the sofa and sit beside her. "What's the problem, Mother?" I ask, sensing her hesitation. "It's Stefano," she finally says, her voice trembling as the weight of the situation sinks in.My blood boils at the me
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Giovanni Haynes I stood outside the hospital room for what felt like an eternity. Ciara was right; I had to try to put this behind me. What would my future look like if I continued to live in the past? For most people, it might seem too soon, but I couldn't imagine a day without Ciara, without hearing her voice or feeling her presence. If I continued to hold grudges and refused to forgive, it might drive her away. I needed to regain her trust completely, and I believed the first step in doing so was to show her that Jasmine meant nothing to me; she no longer had any hold over me.“Cousin, you have to go in there sometime,” Mateo said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Bentley stood quietly on my left, his hands in his pockets as he stared ahead."He's right, brother; it's better to just get it over with," Bentley added."Don't be a pussy. The man is dying, and after knocking that bitch up once, he only tolerated her because of their son; it's not like he can st
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The Billionaire's Obsession (His Addiction) Epilogue
A.N: I want to thank all my beautiful readers for making it this far. Thank you so much for all your support, please believe me when I say you literally mean the world to me❤️ I hope you enjoyed all chapters.Ciara Mendes "I hate this one. It makes my butt seem nonexistent," Eve frowned as she glared at her reflection in the mirror on the platform she was standing on. Bridget, unfazed and casually sipping the wine the boutique's manager had offered, replied, "That's your sixth dress—you're the most insatiable woman I have ever met." She smirked, enjoying the spectacle while Eve continued to experiment with styles, eager to find the perfect fit that would make her feel fabulous.Eve muttered something inscrutable before turning toward us with a look of exasperation. "Who designed this anyway? I thought it was supposed to be a wedding dress, not something my grandma would wear to bed." "I see what you mean," I chimed in, nodding thoughtfully. "That bow does nothing
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Ciara Mendes Six months have passed, and I still find myself reminiscing about those words. As I absorb the scene before me, I reflect on my sister's remarks. Initially, Bridget opposed my decision, insisting that I would be throwing my life away; however, Dad was supportive, and surprisingly, so was Mom. Despite the time that has gone by, I still grapple with whether I made the right choice and if Bridget’s concerns were valid. Can I truly embrace the role of the good stepmom while the biological mother pursues a better life for herself and her the children in her life?Giovanni's brown eyes gleam with happiness as he cautiously approaches me outside the hospital room where Rhea is settled after giving birth to a baby girl, cradling the little bundle in his arms. Witnessing his elation transforms my despondency into something brighter—contentment. I remember how apprehensive he was about becoming a father, initially paralyzed by the fear of falling short; but over t
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Ciara Mendes "You can't be serious," Eve says."What did you expect me to do? Can you genuinely expect me to feel bitter towards someone who is sincerely sorry for her actions? I wanted to hate her; believe me, I did. But after learning nearly everything about her, I realized that hating her would just be petty. Besides, all of that happened before I started dating Giovanni.""She's pregnant with your boyfriend's baby," Eve argues, trying to make me see reason."The same boyfriend you slept with to get back at his own cousin. Don't make me regret meeting you, Eve."After everything she did, she has no right to judge my choices. I only decided to meet with her because she has always been there for me, and I can't let what happened years ago destroy our friendship. I forgave my mom and sister; I can forgive her too. "I guess I deserve that. I had no right," she said, looking down at the burger that surprised me a bit when she ordered it. "It's your life, and I should jus
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Ciara Mendes "What do you want to talk about?" Yesterday, after Rhea requested a conversation, she received a phone call and quickly excused herself with a hasty apology. Now, here we are, just one hour away from receiving the results, sitting in my kitchen and munching on French fries. She appeared less anxious after I mentioned that my sister had personal matters to handle and that my mother had gone home to participate in an art festival where she would be showcasing her work. However, Rhea's anxiety resurfaced when I asked the question.She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before her eyes met mine. "I want to apologize for getting involved in your relationship. I know you might not believe me, but I never intended for any of this to happen. I was stupid and naive—" "We're only human, Rhea," I replied. "I know I should probably hate you, but I don't. Besides, babies are blessings."She snorted, glancing down at her empty plate. "Yeah, a baby that I can't e
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Ciara Mendes I never imagined I would remain so composed the day I met the woman who is supposedly carrying the child of the man I envision my future with. Rhea Rivera didn’t seem like a bad person; her demeanor was nothing like that of the women I knew Giovanni typically pursued. To be honest, that genuinely unnerved me. Her blue hair, transitioning to a natural auburn color, sat atop her head in a messy bun. Her hazel eyes were fixed on the frayed edges of her ripped jeans, which she had paired with an oversized blue shirt that looked like it could fit two more people.Rhea appeared pleasant despite her silence; she didn't flaunt herself and seemed shy, which made me question whether Giovanni had truly met her at a club or if he had been mistaken. The young woman sitting across from me didn’t seem like someone who would even visit a club, let alone dance half-naked on a pole in front of eager men.At first, I suspected her demeanor was an act, a pretense, bu
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Giovanni Haynes "You have reached the voicemail of..." "Still no luck?" Matt asked, strolling in just as I tossed my phone onto the leather couch across from me. "Come on, man, you did say she asked for space.""Yeah, well, tell that to Haylie." The child has been incessantly asking when she'll get to meet Ciara, and it's getting on my last nerve. He chuckles. "That's on you. I'm taking them out for ice cream, though; you should come along. Who knows, it might help take your mind off things."That's the last thing I want to do. These kids are like small hexenbiest, and the thought of potentially fathering one of my own is inconceivable. "No, I'm good," I replied."Please, Uncle," the kids chant, their eyes shining with excitement. I gave a smile to Luca, who had started to call me "Uncle" just like his cousins. "Alright," I said, getting up to grab my keys from the kitchen. But before I could head out the door, the doorbell rang. "Get that for me, will yo
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Ciara Mendes The two women seated before me made me feel uncomfortable in my own skin. Their piercing gray eyes scrutinized me from head to toe.My mother stood from her seat as soon as her shock wore off. "Ciara, I didn't expect you to actually show up."It had been so long since I last saw her. Her dark hair, which once matched the lengths of my own and Bridget's, now rested neatly above her shoulders in a stylish bob. She carried herself with an air of high prestige, and the glow of a good life practically radiated from her."I'm so glad you came," Bridget said, rising to her feet with a smile that I didn’t return.I watched as my older sister awkwardly brushed away imaginary wrinkles from her white pantsuit before sitting back down. My mother quickly followed suit and then gestured for me to take a seat."You wanted to see me," I said as soon as I felt the chair beneath me. "Wait just a minute, Ciara. Let's order first," Bridget replied, her tone a mix of eagernes
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Ciara Mendes My fingers hovered over the keyboard for what felt like days. I had asked Melissa for permission to finish my article at home and simply email it to her when it was complete. She granted me permission but refused to let me submit it a day late, despite my claims of being in bed with a high fever and headache. I swear, that woman was becoming more and more like Mrs. Florence with each passing day.New tears clouded my eyes. The two people I care about hurt me deeply, and even though it's been two days, the tears won't stop, as if the wound in my heart is still very fresh. What hurts more is the thought of another woman carrying the firstborn of the man I was starting to fall for. What if I wanted to be the one to carry his first child? Although I know he isn't the biggest fan of children, he treated them well, and maybe I could have convinced him if time were on our side. Why am I even thinking about this? It's only been a month. I can't understand wh
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Eve Malhamie "You should call your boyfriend and let him know I've made a reservation for us at The Globe." I took a sip of the appletini I had mixed earlier, admiring my freshly pedicured toes with delight.Ciara walked into the living room wearing a grey T-shirt dress and bare feet. She placed the plates of breakfast on the center table before casually tossing her feet over my lap, the cool touch of her gold anklet leaving a chilly sensation on my thigh."It's seven in the morning, Eve. What's up with the drink?" I shrugged. "Let me live a little, babe. It has apple cider in it, and I always drink some kind of liquor with breakfast." Before I could say another word, she grabbed the glass, nearly spilling its contents on my Baby Phat crop top, and replaced it with a cup of tea.I rolled my eyes at her. "You're such a killjoy. Anyway, have you heard from Micah?" "I spoke to him last night before you arrived, why?" "Oh, no reason." The truth was, I hadn't heard
