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45: YOU ARE NOT OKAY
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2024-12-30 21:51:19
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The Billionaire’s Regret 46: LETS GO HAUNTING
ELARA’S POVValentina.The name hits me like a ton of bricks.Could she really be the same Valentina they were talking about at the mall?I glance at Nate, who suddenly looks a little tense. His shoulders stiffen ever so slightly as Farrah practically gushes over the new arrival.“Hello, Nate,” Valentina says, her voice smooth and saccharine, a smile dripping with seductive charm plastered across her face.It doesn’t take a genius to figure out her intentions. The way she tilts her head just so, her piercing green eyes lingering on him a moment too long—it’s painfully obvious. She’s up to something.“Valentina,” Nate replies, his voice even and steady, but there’s a chill to it. No warmth, no enthusiasm.I try to read his expression, to find some hint of how he feels about her presence. But his face remains frustratingly neutral, as though this is just another mundane encounter.He ushers me and the others to our seats around the table, his behavior cool and collected.As brunch begin
Last Updated : 2024-12-31The Billionaire’s Regret 47
ELARA’S POV“What are you trying to say, Mrs. Bellini?” I asked, chuckling nervously. I hoped she’d clarify what she meant because her words left me uneasy.“Oh, you silly girl,” she said with a warm laugh. “I know everything.”Her words sent another knot twisting in my stomach. Everything? My mind went blank. What exactly did she know?“Martino told me about you and Nate how you had a little separation but are now back together . I know it might feel uncomfortable with Valentina here, but I can assure you, Nate only has eyes for you.”“He does?” I mumbled. That was all I could manage to say. I didn’t understand where this conversation was heading, but I’m not surprised.“You two seem so lovely together,” she continued with a fond smile as we walk further. “I’ve known Nate since he was just a boy. During the time you were apart, he never said much when he stopped by, but I could see it in his eyes, he was a mess.”He didn’t seem like a mess to me in those weekly magazines and blogs he
Last Updated : 2025-01-01The Billionaire’s Regret 48: THE PAINTING.
ELARA’S POVI glanced at the shopping bags again, my brow furrowing. Maybe the staff mixed my things with someone else’s.I’ll check them later.For now, I grabbed my phone from the dresser. This time, it was fully charged.The flood of texts and missed calls made me hesitate. What else should I expect when I hadn’t touched my phone since yesterday?I skimmed through the messages. There were a few from Mom.MOM: What kind of meeting is on a Friday afternoon? You left all your stuff behind!MOM: This has to be a joke, Elara.I rolled my eyes, smiling at her usual tone.There were more from this morning.MOM: When you’re done in Jersey, come back and get your luggage. It’s crowding my house.That one made me laugh.MOM: Even though you were in a hurry, I hope you didn’t forget your pills.Pills… oh, no.I bolted to my bag and let out a sigh of relief. I had them, but I hadn’t taken a single dose since arriving at the villa. I was supposed to take them twice a day, but my phone reminders
Last Updated : 2025-01-02The Billionaire’s Regret 49: WE’RE STUCK HERE
ELARA’S POV“You know, old man, if you want her to check out another portrait for you, you need to pay up,” Arturo says, handing me a glass of wine.I take it but don’t drink, just swirling it around in the glass.“I don’t mind doing it for free,” I say with a smile. “I do this kind of thing all the time, and clients don’t pay me for it.”“But here’s the thing, those are clients, and he’s not,” Arturo replies, raising an eyebrow at me.“He doesn’t have to be a client for me to help out,” I say, laughing a little.“Not everyone’s focused on money, Arturo,” Mr. Bellini adds with a smirk, making both of us chuckle.The banter between them is funny to watch. It’s not something you’d expect between most fathers-in-law and sons-in-law. Mr Bellini told me that Flavia and Arturo are engaged, which makes sense now.As we laugh, my gaze drifts. From where I’m sitting in the foyer, I notice two figures standing a little ways off.It’s Nate and, of course, Valentina.His back is to me, so I can’t
Last Updated : 2025-01-03The Billionaire’s Regret 50: SOMETHING'S GOING ON
ELARA'S POV “What’s this, Elara?” Nate asks, his eyes narrowing as he reads the label on the container.Before he can finish, I snatch it away and shove it behind me.“It’s none of your business,” I snap, hoping he hasn’t seen enough to start asking questions.My heart pounds in my chest. Bringing the pills here was a mistake. If Nate sees them, he’ll ask questions I’m not ready to answer. Questions I’ll never be ready to answer.but going a long time without taking them will do more harm to me. I don’t want to explain that I’m sick. That I need to take these pills for a few years, maybe longer until the wounds in my stomach heal. After the miscarriage, the internal damage left me in pain, and my developed anxiety hasn’t loosened its grip since.But telling him now? What would it change? Years ago, when I begged him to listen, to care about me and the child I carried, he turned his back. That child is gone now, and so is any reason to tell him. There’s no good in opening up old woun
Last Updated : 2025-01-04The Billionaire’s Regret 51: MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
NATE’S POVI can’t believe what I’m hearing right now.Other people’s man? What is that supposed to mean?I don’t recall telling her anything about dating anyone, though to be fair, we haven’t had much time to discuss such things.But I thought she, of all people, would know that I’m not in a relationship.With all the time we’ve spent together in the past, I figured it would be obvious to her.Does she think I have someone else in my life? The urge to clear up this misunderstanding rises, but I suppress it.Instead, I simply lie back in bed beside her.“There can only be one of us on this bed, and it certainly isn’t you, Nate,” she hisses, yanking the covers away and exposing my body to the cool air in the room. “Get off. Go back to wherever it is you slept last night.”I bite back the smile that almost forms on my face. “This is where I slept last night,” I point out, my voice calm and steady.“Liar,” she mutters under her breath, her tone dripping with distrust.“What do I gain by
Last Updated : 2025-01-05The Billionaire’s Regret 52: THE POT STIRER
NATE'S POVAfter breakfast, we all headed out to the gardens for one of the Bellini family’s traditions: harvesting grapes from their vineyard. It’s something they do every year with their workers, and they even plant new vines afterwards. It’s a lovely tradition, really if you’re into that sort of thing.Me? Not so much.I’ve been dragged into this ritual ever since I was a kid visiting the Bellinis with my grandfather. Back then, I tried to get out of it by feigning illness or “accidentally” oversleeping. Of course, none of it worked. And now, as an adult, I’m still here, stuck doing something I’ve never liked.My eyes wander across the fields as everyone gets to work. Each person is decked out in their harvesting gear, carrying baskets as they move between the vines. I can’t help but admire how picturesque it all looks, with the sunlight streaming through the grape leaves.But then, my attention snaps to something or rather, someone i can’t ignore.It’s Elara.And Valentina.Talki
Last Updated : 2025-01-05The Billionaire’s Regret 53: STAY IN YOUR LANE
ELARA’S POV“Elara, since this is your first time, I’m going to pair you up with your husband,” Rosa says with a smile.“Nate comes here often, so I hope he’ll be a good teacher in showing you how we harvest the grapes,” she adds, though her eyes are fixed on Nate instead of me.“She already knows I’m the best when it comes to teaching,” Nate says confidently, pulling me just a little too close.He leads us to the section of the vineyard where we’re supposed to work. Things were going well, even with Valentina’s death glare practically burning into my back.“That’s not how you cut it,” I say, pointing at him. “You’re going to ruin the grapes before they even make it to storage.”“I’ve done this for years, it’s not my first time,” Nate grumbles, dropping a bunch of grapes into the basket with more force than necessary.“Oh, give me that,” I mutter, frowning as I snatch the cutter from his hands.He tries to grab it back, but Mrs. Rosa’s voice interrupts us.“Is everything okay over the
Last Updated : 2025-01-06
Latest chapter
The Billionaire’s Regret 54: GET A ROOM.
ELARA’S POV Even with the stares I’m probably getting, I know better than to stop. Instead, I push myself to run even faster. I can hear Nate’s footsteps closing in behind me, each one growing louder and more determined. One thing I remember clearly from the years we were married is that Nate hates dirt. He absolutely despises getting dirty.and, the amount of sand I poured on him earlier? It wasn’t just regular sand. It was sand mixed with fertilizer. The thought makes me grin a little. But my victory is short-lived. I don’t notice the water pipe in my path until it’s too late. My foot catches it, and I lose my balance. I’m about to hit the hard, soil when I feel a strong hand grab me. It’s Nate. His eyes lock onto mine, and for a moment, everything around us feels like it has stopped. The world fades into nothing but the two of us. His dark, intense eyes hold mine in place, and I can’t seem to look away. I can feel the warmth of his breath against my face. His lips are so cl
The Billionaire’s Regret 53: STAY IN YOUR LANE
ELARA’S POV“Elara, since this is your first time, I’m going to pair you up with your husband,” Rosa says with a smile.“Nate comes here often, so I hope he’ll be a good teacher in showing you how we harvest the grapes,” she adds, though her eyes are fixed on Nate instead of me.“She already knows I’m the best when it comes to teaching,” Nate says confidently, pulling me just a little too close.He leads us to the section of the vineyard where we’re supposed to work. Things were going well, even with Valentina’s death glare practically burning into my back.“That’s not how you cut it,” I say, pointing at him. “You’re going to ruin the grapes before they even make it to storage.”“I’ve done this for years, it’s not my first time,” Nate grumbles, dropping a bunch of grapes into the basket with more force than necessary.“Oh, give me that,” I mutter, frowning as I snatch the cutter from his hands.He tries to grab it back, but Mrs. Rosa’s voice interrupts us.“Is everything okay over the
The Billionaire’s Regret 52: THE POT STIRER
NATE'S POVAfter breakfast, we all headed out to the gardens for one of the Bellini family’s traditions: harvesting grapes from their vineyard. It’s something they do every year with their workers, and they even plant new vines afterwards. It’s a lovely tradition, really if you’re into that sort of thing.Me? Not so much.I’ve been dragged into this ritual ever since I was a kid visiting the Bellinis with my grandfather. Back then, I tried to get out of it by feigning illness or “accidentally” oversleeping. Of course, none of it worked. And now, as an adult, I’m still here, stuck doing something I’ve never liked.My eyes wander across the fields as everyone gets to work. Each person is decked out in their harvesting gear, carrying baskets as they move between the vines. I can’t help but admire how picturesque it all looks, with the sunlight streaming through the grape leaves.But then, my attention snaps to something or rather, someone i can’t ignore.It’s Elara.And Valentina.Talki
The Billionaire’s Regret 51: MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
NATE’S POVI can’t believe what I’m hearing right now.Other people’s man? What is that supposed to mean?I don’t recall telling her anything about dating anyone, though to be fair, we haven’t had much time to discuss such things.But I thought she, of all people, would know that I’m not in a relationship.With all the time we’ve spent together in the past, I figured it would be obvious to her.Does she think I have someone else in my life? The urge to clear up this misunderstanding rises, but I suppress it.Instead, I simply lie back in bed beside her.“There can only be one of us on this bed, and it certainly isn’t you, Nate,” she hisses, yanking the covers away and exposing my body to the cool air in the room. “Get off. Go back to wherever it is you slept last night.”I bite back the smile that almost forms on my face. “This is where I slept last night,” I point out, my voice calm and steady.“Liar,” she mutters under her breath, her tone dripping with distrust.“What do I gain by
The Billionaire’s Regret 50: SOMETHING'S GOING ON
ELARA'S POV “What’s this, Elara?” Nate asks, his eyes narrowing as he reads the label on the container.Before he can finish, I snatch it away and shove it behind me.“It’s none of your business,” I snap, hoping he hasn’t seen enough to start asking questions.My heart pounds in my chest. Bringing the pills here was a mistake. If Nate sees them, he’ll ask questions I’m not ready to answer. Questions I’ll never be ready to answer.but going a long time without taking them will do more harm to me. I don’t want to explain that I’m sick. That I need to take these pills for a few years, maybe longer until the wounds in my stomach heal. After the miscarriage, the internal damage left me in pain, and my developed anxiety hasn’t loosened its grip since.But telling him now? What would it change? Years ago, when I begged him to listen, to care about me and the child I carried, he turned his back. That child is gone now, and so is any reason to tell him. There’s no good in opening up old woun
The Billionaire’s Regret 49: WE’RE STUCK HERE
ELARA’S POV“You know, old man, if you want her to check out another portrait for you, you need to pay up,” Arturo says, handing me a glass of wine.I take it but don’t drink, just swirling it around in the glass.“I don’t mind doing it for free,” I say with a smile. “I do this kind of thing all the time, and clients don’t pay me for it.”“But here’s the thing, those are clients, and he’s not,” Arturo replies, raising an eyebrow at me.“He doesn’t have to be a client for me to help out,” I say, laughing a little.“Not everyone’s focused on money, Arturo,” Mr. Bellini adds with a smirk, making both of us chuckle.The banter between them is funny to watch. It’s not something you’d expect between most fathers-in-law and sons-in-law. Mr Bellini told me that Flavia and Arturo are engaged, which makes sense now.As we laugh, my gaze drifts. From where I’m sitting in the foyer, I notice two figures standing a little ways off.It’s Nate and, of course, Valentina.His back is to me, so I can’t
The Billionaire’s Regret 48: THE PAINTING.
ELARA’S POVI glanced at the shopping bags again, my brow furrowing. Maybe the staff mixed my things with someone else’s.I’ll check them later.For now, I grabbed my phone from the dresser. This time, it was fully charged.The flood of texts and missed calls made me hesitate. What else should I expect when I hadn’t touched my phone since yesterday?I skimmed through the messages. There were a few from Mom.MOM: What kind of meeting is on a Friday afternoon? You left all your stuff behind!MOM: This has to be a joke, Elara.I rolled my eyes, smiling at her usual tone.There were more from this morning.MOM: When you’re done in Jersey, come back and get your luggage. It’s crowding my house.That one made me laugh.MOM: Even though you were in a hurry, I hope you didn’t forget your pills.Pills… oh, no.I bolted to my bag and let out a sigh of relief. I had them, but I hadn’t taken a single dose since arriving at the villa. I was supposed to take them twice a day, but my phone reminders
The Billionaire’s Regret 47
ELARA’S POV“What are you trying to say, Mrs. Bellini?” I asked, chuckling nervously. I hoped she’d clarify what she meant because her words left me uneasy.“Oh, you silly girl,” she said with a warm laugh. “I know everything.”Her words sent another knot twisting in my stomach. Everything? My mind went blank. What exactly did she know?“Martino told me about you and Nate how you had a little separation but are now back together . I know it might feel uncomfortable with Valentina here, but I can assure you, Nate only has eyes for you.”“He does?” I mumbled. That was all I could manage to say. I didn’t understand where this conversation was heading, but I’m not surprised.“You two seem so lovely together,” she continued with a fond smile as we walk further. “I’ve known Nate since he was just a boy. During the time you were apart, he never said much when he stopped by, but I could see it in his eyes, he was a mess.”He didn’t seem like a mess to me in those weekly magazines and blogs he
The Billionaire’s Regret 46: LETS GO HAUNTING
ELARA’S POVValentina.The name hits me like a ton of bricks.Could she really be the same Valentina they were talking about at the mall?I glance at Nate, who suddenly looks a little tense. His shoulders stiffen ever so slightly as Farrah practically gushes over the new arrival.“Hello, Nate,” Valentina says, her voice smooth and saccharine, a smile dripping with seductive charm plastered across her face.It doesn’t take a genius to figure out her intentions. The way she tilts her head just so, her piercing green eyes lingering on him a moment too long—it’s painfully obvious. She’s up to something.“Valentina,” Nate replies, his voice even and steady, but there’s a chill to it. No warmth, no enthusiasm.I try to read his expression, to find some hint of how he feels about her presence. But his face remains frustratingly neutral, as though this is just another mundane encounter.He ushers me and the others to our seats around the table, his behavior cool and collected.As brunch begin
