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2025-01-01 23:59:52
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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
Dernière mise à jour : 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
Dernière mise à jour : 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
Dernière mise à jour : 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
Dernière mise à jour : 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
Dernière mise à jour : 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
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-06The 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
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-07The Billionaire’s Regret 55: SUDDEN GOOD BYES
ELARA’S POV. For the rest of our time before lunch, I didn’t see Nate, but I got a text from him that he was going to take care of something important. a little part of me thinks he just wanted me to deal with the grapes we were harvesting alone but I know he was better than that. When I was done with most of our lane and filling half of our basket, Mrs. Rosa said we should call it a day and head for lunch leaving the rest for the farmers to take care of. During lunch, Nate still wasn’t there to share the awkward tension and teasing I’d been getting from Flavia and Catherine. Even though Flavia wasn’t there to witness the kiss, but Catherine made sure she elaborated on everything at the table, exaggerating a few parts of it. Thankfully Nico wasn’t at the table to hear the excruciating story. I’d have to explain it to him later, but at least that would be on my own terms.After lunch, Valentina and Farrah left immediately, while I lingered around, with Catherine, and Flavia in th
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-07
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The Billionaire’s Regret 153: IM NEVER LATE.
ELARA’S POVThe ride to the showroom wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be.Even with Kyle awful silent, grumpy energy from the driver’s seat, I focused on my phone, trying my best to stay calm. Every now and then, I threw a glance in his direction to see if his mood had improved, but nope same stone cold scowl plastered on his annoyingly handsome face.“You can take a picture, you know,” he muttered out of nowhere.I raised a brow, keeping my expression innocent. “A picture of what?”“Stealing glances is kind of outdated,” he said smoothly, eyes still locked on the road. “Just take a picture. That way, you can stare at that instead of burning a hole in my head.”I gasped. “Excuse me? With what eyes did you even see me staring? You haven’t looked away from the road.”A smirk played on his lips. “Your stares are not exactly discreet.”I crossed my arms, refusing to let him get under my skin. “For the record, I was not staring at you. There’s nothing particularly interesting to lo
The Billionaire’s Regret 152: LATE AGAIN.
ELARA’S POVTaking another bite of my noodles, I rose to my feet, bowl in hand.“I’m gonna go take this call,” I told Elliot, who only gave me a nod before going back to whatever was on his phone.I headed for my room, kicking the door shut lightly with my foot as I slid my thumb across the screen to answer.The line connected, but for a few seconds, there was nothing. Just the sound of distant shuffling and movement on the other end.“Hello?” I said, adjusting the phone against my ear.Still no reply.“Kyle,” I tried again, dragging his name out. “If this is some weird prank call attempt, it’s really lame.”Finally, his voice came through low and a little rough. “Yeah. I’m here.”I blinked, dropping the bowl on my desk. “That’s how you start a phone call? You sound like someone just dragged you out of bed.”“I was working,” he muttered, clearly irritated. “Didn’t realize I had to sound like a radio host for you to take me seriously.”I couldn’t help but grin. “So… did you call to beg
The Billionaire’s Regret 151: FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY
ELARA’S POV “I will,” I say with a small smile, hoping it’s enough to end the conversation. Elliot looks like he wants to press further, but before he can, Milla waltzes into the living room. “Hello, princess,” I coo, watching as she walks right past Elliot and heads straight for me. Without hesitation, I scoop her into my arms. For the past few days, she’s been hesitant with me. Unlike other cats, Milla hates being picked up when she’s doing her own thing. It has to be her choice, or she’ll either run away or threaten to claw me. So when she does come to me on her own? I never miss the opportunity to hold her. Elliot crosses his arms, watching us with mild curiosity. “And where did you get this?” “She was given to me.” I stroke Milla’s fur, and she lets out a satisfied purr. His brows knit together. “Let me guess… it’s that Ferrari-stuff friend again?” I bite down a smile. “Nope.” His eyes narrow slightly. “It’s not him?” “It’s not.” Elliot looks at me suspici
The Billionaire’s Regret 150: YOU NEED TO BE A BITCH SOMETIMES
ELARA’S POV “But Elliot…” “No buts, El. You are not going after her.” His grip tightens around my wrist, firm but not harsh. “Elliot, I need to explain to her,” I argue, my voice shaking, “I didn’t mean what I said the way she might’ve taken it. I was angry, and I just…” The words start tumbling over each other, lost in my frustration. “Elara…” His voice is calm, almost soothing, but it only makes the lump in my throat grow heavier. My eyelids burn as I blink rapidly, trying to clear my blurry vision. “You don’t understand, Elliot… I’ve never made anyone cry with my words before” I never let myself get that angry— to the point where my words just… take over. I’ve always been cautious with words, because I know being harsh with words tends to be. “I know… this might be a little too much for you” Elliot releases my wrist and to my complete shock, pulls me into his arms. I freeze. Elliot never does this. He’s protective, sure, but not that physical. It takes a lot for him to
The Billionaire’s Regret 149: IT’S NOT THAT DEEP!
ELARA’S POV “WHAT?” Jenna’s expression shifts, the sadness that clung to her face shattering in an instant. “You’re joking, right?” she lets out an awkward chuckle, her grip on my hands loosening. I take a slow breath, straightening my back. “As much as I wish I were, I’m not, Jen. I’m not going to the event with you.” My voice is steady, controlled. I refuse to let it shake. She blinks her jaw drops, Like she can’t believe what she just heard. “You’re serious?” she breathes out, shaking her head. “Elara, I need you there. I need someone I trust to help me get through it.” Her voice trembles slightly, but I don’t let it shake me. I already made my choice, I’m never going to unknowingly put my self in a situation where, Nathaniel hales is. I’m done with him, and I’m not going back on my words. Not this time not ever. I can’t break anymore of the promises I made to myself. “Jenna, I get that this is hard for you, I do, but—” “But what?!” she snaps, yanking her hands awa
The Billionaire’s Regret 148: IS THAT A YES?
ELARA’S POV I tried calling Jenna back, but of course, she doesn’t pick up. She spammed me with calls, yet now that I’m returning them, she’s ignoring me. Just great. I know it’s nothing urgent because I made sure to take care of anything that needed my attention before leaving the office. If it were important, she would have at least sent a text. The drive home is slow and quiet, the hum of the car engine the only sound accompanying me. By the time I pull up to the house, the sun has dipped below the horizon, leaving behind streaks of soft orange in the sky. As my car approaches the gate, I notice someone sitting outside, her back turned to me. I don’t need to get a closer look to know who it is. Jenna. But the real question is, why is she here? “Jenna?” I call out as I step out of my car. The last time she was here was months ago. Even though I’ve invited her over countless times, she always has an excuse, too busy, too tired, something came up. So Eventually, I stopped a
The Billionaire’s Regret 147: I’LL SEND YOU MAIL
ELARA’S POV “And that’s a wrap,” Robert says with a satisfied smile as he closes the document. I exhale softly, returning his smile, though mine is much tighter. “I hope I don’t regret this.” Deep down, my pulse ticks faster than normal, and tiny knots form in the pit of my stomach. My gaze drifts to the man sitting across from me. Kyle, our eyes meet and I quickly look away. “You won’t,” Robert reassures me, pouring me a glass of champagne. His assurance brings a small, genuine smile from me. Yesterday, I finished reviewing the contract. Instead of a long term partnership, we settled on a temporary job agreement. If things go well within the next three months and I like how things go, we’ll proceed with signing the main contract. But if I don’t like it… then we’ll have to wait two more weeks before I’m able to pull out if the deal. Robert also had me add a clause: if I decide at any point during the trial period that I want to move forward with the partnership, I should i
The Billionaire’s Regret 146: ONE LAST CHANCE.
NATE’S POV My foot slams on the brakes. What the fuck is she talking about? “What the fuck are you trying to say?” I bark into the phone, my grip so tight that my knuckles turn white. “Please, don’t get mad,” her voice comes out shaky. “What do you mean I shouldn’t get mad? All week, you had one fucking job, and you couldn’t even do that.” “But, I got the last, job done” she says her voice almost inaudible.“So do you expect me to be happy? To clap for you and tell you you’re doing a good job?” I snap. Silence. “Where is she right now?” “Well… uhm—I…” “I don’t have all fucking day, so can you fucking speak up?” My patience thins with every stutter that falls from her mouth. “We’re in the office… but you know you can’t come, right? It’s—” I hang up. When I look up, Marcus is staring at me with that same amused smirk, eyes filled with curiosity. I let out a sharp breath. “Get out.” His smirk only deepens as he leans back in his seat. “Did you hear me?” My voice hardens.
The Billionaire’s Regret 145: SHES NOT COMING
NATE’S POV I stop in my tracks, my grip tightening around the coffee cup in my hand as my eyes find her. She’s standing near the entrance of a boutique, her lips curved into a smile, her head tilted slightly as she listens to the man beside her. I don’t recognize the guy. And yet, he’s standing too close. My jaw clenches as I take in the way she looks at him. not the way she used to look at me, but it’s enough to make my chest tighten with something tight and unwelcomed Her eyes still haven’t found mine and I’m trying my best to think straight but I can’t. Then the thought of the ring, the ignored messages. Did she mind someone new? Is that why she has been ignoring me? I force myself to look away, “Damn man why are you standing out-“ Marcus began. But pauses he probably He follows my gaze He whistles low. “Well, damn I thought you’re back together with el,” he mutters. “Didn’t know Elara was seeing someone.” “She’s not,” I say immediately, my voice colder than I in
