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The Billionaire's Obsession (His Addiction) 9
Ciara Mendes I scrutinized the man with the low-cut brunette hair sitting across from me, his five o'clock shadow accentuating his jawline. His white shirt was wrinkled, and his blue eyes appeared bloodshot. It was clear that he wasn't taking this well, but who could blame him? He had been married and in love for six years."She refuses to sign the divorce papers unless she gets full custody of Zen. It's ridiculous; after everything she's done, she actually thinks she deserves full custody of my child! This entire process will now take at least twelve months or more. If she had only agreed to my terms, I could have been finished with her in just three months.""Calm down, Alaric." I pushed his latte toward him, and he took a sip before running his palms over his face.After my lunch with Dad earlier, I reflected on our conversation. He made several valid points, and I realized I needed to consider some of his suggestions. This prompted me to call Alaric as soon as I returne
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Ciara Mendes "A strip club, Eve? Are you serious right now?" The woman shrugged her shoulders in response.I should have anticipated something like this the moment the persistent model insisted—more like compelled me—to wear this utterly ridiculous choice of clothing. Clearly, this was what she had up her shimmery silver sleeves.Sure, it might not have been a bad idea if there were male strippers shaking their goods while I threw my hard-earned money at them, but instead, there were only women dancing around in tiny scraps of fabric—and a few who had chosen to wear nothing at all."You didn't want to meet a guy, so I figured, why not meet a girl instead? There are plenty here who would love to help you get over your troubles," she said, pouring Navia a glass of brandy. We were in a secluded VIP room surrounded by soundproof glass, allowing us to see everything happening below while remaining unnoticed. It felt like a private box, with small sections on each sid
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Ciara Mendes Today, Evei is heading to Paris, unfortunately, work commitments summoned her to walk the runway at the Ritz Paris Hotel as a Victoria's Angel. Meanwhile, Navia departed on Saturday night to continue her final year at Brown University, where she is pursuing a degree in Marine Biology.Eve and I had met all of Micah's girlfriends, and out of everyone he dated, Navia was our favorite. Eve suggested that the next time Navia visits, we should plan a girls' trip to the Bahamas."Are you sure you'll be alright?" Evei asks, squeezing ketchup onto Zendra's fries.The blue-eyed four-year-old arrived early Saturday morning, and so far, she's been nothing but an angel. Thanks to Eve, her waist-length hair was neatly styled into two playful ponytails. We were having lunch at Sweet Tooth Diner, where almost everything served had a touch of sweetness—from their naturally made sauces and tender chicken to the delectable pastries and even the vibrant vegetable salads. T
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Ciara Mendes "I need you to cover something compelling that people will want to read about. The last great story you did was on Richard Haynes."I have been sitting in my boss's office for about five minutes, listening to her critique my work. This is the first time I've faced criticism like this; during my last year of high school, I wrote an article on Thomas McHenry, a chemistry teacher who was sexually harassing girls at the school.I had suspected he was shady after that one time in class when he touched my butt and then profusely apologized when I turned around to stare at him in shock. He claimed he was reaching for something and accidentally made an inappropriate touch. At the time, I was naïve, and since it was just that one incident, I let it slide.After that incident, I started keeping a close watch on him, realizing the only way to expose his behavior was through the school newspaper. I shared my story with the editor-in-chief, but it was criticized for
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Ciara Mendes "Ciara, although I've never met this guy, I genuinely think you should go out with him." I picked up my phone from the tiled floor beside the bathtub, where Zendra sat playing with the large doll that Giovanni Haynes had given her.He had shown up on Wednesday with a jar of Sugar Daddies, just like the one I kept on my desk, as a gesture of apology for eating the last one. Zen and I were on our way back from lunch when we encountered him on the first floor. As soon as he saw us, he stood there with his mouth slightly agape, but the surprised expression vanished when Zen, pointing at him, asked, "Aunty, who is the pweety man staring at us?" He smiled warmly at her in response. On Thursday, he showed up again, and I considered calling security, but he asked if he could gift Zendra a doll nearly as tall as she was, leaving me unable to say no. All she had to do was look at me with those large blue eyes, and I felt as though she had delivered an eloquent speech to
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Ciara Mendes The door of my small office swung open, and in walked Mrs. Florence, elegantly dressed as always. She wore a stunning blue silk suit, and her curled hair cascaded gracefully down her shoulders. “Ciara, I found your next story,” she announced. Before I could respond, she dropped a magazine on my desk and took a seat opposite me. On the cover was the man who had been stalking me for the past few days. “Lit covered a story on the number one most important man in LA, as their title says, but they only covered the boring stuff,” Mrs. Florence said, leaning in with a glint of excitement in her eyes. The picture of Giovanni Haynes on the cover did him little justice; the photographer had clearly missed the mark. I would never admit it, especially not to that self-centered man-whore, but in person, he was undeniably more handsome, with an intriguing charm that the photograph utterly failed to capture. He was leaning against one of the sexiest cars I had ever seen,
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Giovanni Haynes Dining in such a small diner was not typically my scene, but I couldn't complain since Ciara had chosen it. I waited for her on the patio, surrounded by palm trees and watching the vehicles pass by. I must say, it was a very calm and comfortable environment.“Cousin, I’m telling you, that woman is crazy! You should take a break for a while,” Mateo says on the other line. "I'm beginning to think you're right. I've overlooked her mischievous and vindictive behavior for far too long.""I can't believe she had the audacity to threaten sweet Heather," Mateo said, his voice laced with disbelief. I chuckled at his statement, sensing the gravity beneath his humor; Miss Lambert was truly unlike any woman he’d ever dated. Yet, that never stopped him from flirting shamelessly with her every time he walked into the office."So when can we discuss my percent in Anton Industry?" Mateo asked, shifting the conversation."Not anytime soon," I assured him, my focus dri
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Ciara Mendes I glare at the caller ID that has appeared on my phone screen for the fifth time. I know that if I don't answer soon, my mother will show up at my door, and that's the last thing I want—right up there with the end of the world."Hello." "Don't 'hello' me, Ciara! I've been trying to reach you repeatedly," she scolds."What do you want, Mother?" I ask lazily, scrolling through Amazon in search of a new dining table. After a dramatic sigh, she replies, "Bridget and I are having dinner at 7 PM tomorrow at her favorite restaurant, Golden Palace, and we expect you to join us.""Oh, as much as I'd love to join you both, I'm afraid I can’t make it," I say, sarcasm dripping from my tone. "I'm leaving LA for work tomorrow.""It's always work with you; you're just like your father," she retorts. "Never had time to do anything with the family.""What family, Mother? We haven't been a family since Dad and I caught you cheating on him—just like your daughter di
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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
