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The Billionaire's Obsession (His Addiction) 25
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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Ciara Mendes "I just want to let this go," I said. The model paused, her hands stilling as she applied her false lashes, turning to look at me.I lay on my bed, chatting with my best friend on a video call while she applied her makeup for an upcoming event."What are you talking about?" she asked, her brow furrowing. We had been reminiscing about our halcyon days when I decided to drop the bomb on her. A wave of apprehension washed over me as I hesitated, uncertain of how she would react."Fisher and Bridget," I finally said, feeling the weight of my words. I hesitated; Bridget hadn't been the best big sister—she had stolen my fiancé, for God's sake. But as I reflected on it, I realized I couldn't envision a happy life with Fisher either; he was just too different, too controlling, and there had been no real love between us, on either side. I was sure of it now. "Are you serious? You’re basically saying you want to forgive your stupid ex and your bitch-ass sis
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Giovanni Haynes At 3:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, we received the tragic news from the hospital: Stefano Amendola had passed away. My father embraced my mother as she wept for the loss of her younger brother. I leaned against the living room wall, listening to the sounds of mourning that filled the space around us.Rayan and Luca were still sleeping, but Haylie, who had been nestled in her parents' bed, was awakened by the loud cry of my mother when the news arrived. Now, she lay in Bentley's arms, sobbing.My mother and I were supposed to visit him in the morning. She planned to bring him more clothes, and he had asked me to bring an entire box of Pop Rocks, joking that he wouldn't be able to enjoy his favorite candy once he was gone—something I found far from funny.I reflected on all the time I had wasted loathing him, all because of one wicked woman—the same woman who hadn’t even visited him once during his hospital stay. Then the image of Luca came to mind;
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Ciara Mendes Standing in front of the mirror, I gaze at my reflection, questioning whether I had chosen the right outfit. I decided on a light pink long-sleeve lace-front crop blouse paired with black skinny jeans and a set of peep-toe knee-high boots. Even though my hair was already straight, I flat-ironed it to perfection. To finish my look, I put in silver hoop earrings and added a touch of gloss to my lips.I stood there, contemplating whether to change my outfit or not. I had no idea where we were going; all he had said was to dress comfortably. For me, comfortable meant a pair of sweatpants and a tube top—an outfit I would have thrown on if it weren't a date. Just then, the doorbell rang, signaling that he had arrived, leaving me no time to change. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was five minutes past five. After work, I had rushed home to shower and get ready, feeling jittery as if it were our very first date.Giovanni stood on the other side of the door, clad in a fitt
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Giovanni Haynes It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since Ciara and I became official, yet it feels like our relationship is hanging by a thread—all because of one woman. The very same woman she claims is like a damn sister.A sister.I never cheated on her, but I couldn't help but compare my situation to that of her sister and ex. When I was with Eve, I felt nothing, just as I had with the other women. In fact, that woman is far more heartless and detached than I could ever be, which leads me to believe she felt nothing for me either.Eve had an even worse reputation than I did, so she probably won't even recognize me. Still, I can't let this go. I hurl a full whiskey bottle across the room in frustration. It's remarkable how much this woman has impacted my life in such a short time. Ciara is truly special, and the bond we formed makes it even harder to imagine losing her."Sir," Ms. Lambert calls, peeking her head through my office door. "What!" I snap, making her
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Ciara Mendes It's hard to believe that Giovanni and I have been official for a month now. As I sit here, I find myself practically hovering over him while he sleeps. I can only imagine how creepy I must appear, but I honestly couldn't care less. He seems so at peace, looking so innocent with strands of his messy hair falling gently across his forehead.Just months ago, I thought Giovanni was the most annoying and cocky man I had ever met; I wouldn’t have given him even a minute of my time. Now, as I lean in to peck his lips softly, I can't help but try not to wake him from his peaceful slumber.My heart flutters as I feel his hand gently grasp the back of my head, pulling me closer before he presses his lips against mine. “You're weird—but in a cute way,” he whispers with his morning voice.A smile spreads across my face; I’ve seen women blush when describing a voice as sexy, but I always thought they were exaggerating—until I experienced the captivating voice of the man b
Latest chapter
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
