LAURA'S POV"With all due respect, sir, you are a bastard," I said, meaning every single word I said."This smart mouth of yours would be putting you in a lot of trouble," he cautioned, and I pushed him. He smirked naughtily, and my jaws dropped."Don't do that again," he warned, and I looked away.He walked towards the dinner table and sat down like nothing had happened."Are we eating or not?" he asked, frowning, and I looked away, trying to control my anger.I walked over to the chair on the opposite side and sat down quietly."We will go over to my estate tomorrow morning," he said, breaking the silence, and I didn't say a word, I just went straight to eating.I want to get away from this man as soon as possible."My mom would be arriving at any moment, I don't know when because she wants to surprise me. But when she arrives, I want you to be nice," he continued, and with the way his eyes twinkled as he talked about his mom, I knew he loved her deeply.My mind wondered about the w
LAURA'S POVThe ride to Bryan's estate was quiet, I didn't talk to him after he noticed my eating habit. The worst part was that he didn't even let me change my outfit, he just walked in, and I had to go with him.I was clad in his t-shirt, and seeing us together right now, someone might think we have been dating for months.Immediately after we got into his mansion, we heard the excited voice of a middle-aged woman."Bryan, darling," she called excitedly."Son," she said, as she pulled him into a hug while he froze in her arms.So this is his mom; she looks so beautiful that one might mistake her for his older sister."Mom," Bryan called in surprise."In flesh and blood, son, who is this gorgeous girl?" she asked, also pulling me into a warm hug."Mom, this is Laura, my girlfriend," he said, introducing me to his mom. As he sent his hand around my waist, my heart pounded against my chest."Really son? So you've been hiding this gorgeous lady from me for all this time? Is that why you
LAURA'S POV"Your hands are so soft," he commented with a small smile on his face, and I chuckled.I didn't know Bryan could be such a baby when he's stressed. How would I even know when all we have been doing is fighting every single time? I made a mental note to ask him if I was still going to continue working as his personal assistant now that he's paying me to fake a relationship with him.I continued with the massage, and when I stared at him, he was slowly falling asleep already."Bryan." I shook him lightly, and his eyes fluttered open."You need to freshen up first," I said, and he got up from the edge of the bed lazily.He joined me on the bed after he took a shower, and as soon as he lay on the bed, he slept like a baby. I covered him properly with the duvet and watched him sleep.He looks so innocent while sleeping like this with zero worries. I tried to get off the bed, but he pulled me back into his arms.My heart beat crazily against my chest, and he snuggled closer. I l
LAURA'S POVWhen we got home, I joined the chefs in the kitchen to make dinner, and as we served it, I saw Bryan seated on the couch with his mom, it seemed like they were having a deep conversation. They both suddenly stopped talking when they noticed me."Hey, babe," Bryan called as he walked over to me."You're back already?" I asked, and he kissed the corner of my lips, then my forehead."I missed you," he muttered loud enough for his mom to hear, and my heart pounded against my chest."Chill," he whispered huskily against my lips."Hmmmnn..." I tried to escape him, but he smirked."I made dinner," I uttered, trying to escape from him, and he turned to the dinner table, and his mom chuckled."Food is ready, son, stop teasing your girlfriend," his mom teased, as we all went to the dining table.I know he was doing all this to make it seem like we were intimate in his mom's eyes, but all this was scaring me.The way his touch ignites lust in my eyes for him scares me."This tastes s
LAURA'S POV Did he just say what I thought I just heard? "Get your mind out of the gutters, you're the last man I'd ever sleep with," I stated, and he burst out laughing. There's something about hearing him laugh that's so pleasant to the ears. "Are you daring me, babe?" He asked, and my breath suddenly seized. I was so nervous, and I hated the fact that I could feel him so close to my p*ssy entrance. "I would never sleep with you, so wake up from that dirty dream of yours," I snarled, and he chuckled. "I don't have to dream, baby girl, I know where to touch you, and you will be the one asking for it." "I'm only playing fair, I don't want to play the game of seduction, I don't want to hurt you," he said, I stared at him in shock as he released me and strolled into the bathroom as if nothing just happened. This man is a devil, I swear. When he got out of the bathroom, I stared at him without blinking. His hair was wet, with droplets of water rolling from his hair to his chest,
BRYAN'S POV"So, girlfriend, huh? You finally decided to give someone the girlfriend tag," Stephenie teased after Laura went upstairs to make use of the toilet."I see the reason though, she's so beautiful," Stephanie commented, and I ran my fingers through my hair. "She's a handful," I mumbled, and she raised her eyebrows."Interesting, that's a trait of a wife, I'm a handful too, you know," she winked, and I rolled my eyes."Whoever said I'm going to marry her," I mumbled under my breath, and she shook her head immediately."You can't talk like that, Bryan. Laura seems right; every relationship shouldn't just be about the fun in the bedroom. Try to know her better, you might fall in love eventually," she advised, but I scrunched my nose."I like her, I didn't say I don't," I stated, and she chuckled."Like her or her body, Bryan?" she asked, and I looked away."What's with you trying to advise me? For your peace of mind, Laura hasn't let me touch her, and I'm not pressuring her abo
BRYAN'S POVAfter our argument, I stormed out of the room, needing some fresh air before I completely lost my mind. Laura didn't even care about what I said or how I felt about her decision to leave me hanging.As I smoked my cigarette, a phone call from one of my men snapped me out of my thoughts about Laura. "Boss, we have a problem," he uttered, and I listened with rapt attention.The business was dirty, and it felt like everything was getting more complicated each minute.When I returned to the room, Laura was already asleep. It wasn’t long before I noticed her having a nightmare again."Please... please don’t do this... no, no, no," she whimpered, her voice muffled as she cried in her sleep."Babe... Laura, Laura! Wake up!" I shook her gently, and she jolted awake, screaming."It’s nothing, it was just a dream. Breathe in and out..." I whispered, trying to soothe her. She looked away, her body tense."I’m sorry... I’m so sorry," she repeated over and over, tears streaming down he
LAURA'S POVI knew Bryan was up to something because he didn’t talk to me throughout our ride to his estate.He’s a nice person, but the problem is, I’m always on edge when I’m around him for reasons best known to me.Bryan is a walking temptation, but he hasn’t gotten over his late fiancée, and if I give in to his sweetness, he’ll use me and eventually dump me.He’s been stubborn about moving on from his ex. It’s obvious because he has her pictures everywhere and wears their promise ring wherever he goes. So why should I compete with that?I want the man I open up to, to love me for who I am not just for my body. I know it sounds selfish, but I want him to cherish me.I have a crush on him. I know I want him just as much as he wants me, but I also know I have no place in his heart, and I’m not going to force my way in.When we arrived at his mansion, the workers came out to help."Good morning, sir. Good morning, ma'am," they chorused."Good morning," I replied, while he just walked
LAURA'S POV We returned to the city after that weekend, and the whole family was happy about the news, especially his mom and friends. The plans for our wedding went on with full force. Bryan and I wanted something simple, by the sea with family and friends, that was it. A few days before my wedding, I noticed I was seriously sick. I couldn't eat anything because the moment it got in my stomach, I threw it all up. I couldn't even leave the bed. Bryan was out of the country with Oscar for business otherwise, he would be worried sick. "Babe, get off the bed, we are supposed to go cake tasting today," Kora complained. "I can't... I feel so weak... my boobs ache a bit, they feel so full..." I murmured weakly. "What?" Julie inquired, and I rubbed my forehead. "Have you eaten something? Besides, you're burning up pretty badly." "I throw up the minute it gets in my stomach," I replied, and she gasped. "When was the last time you saw your periods?" she probed, and I stared at her. "I
BRYAN'S POV It's been two weeks since the incident with Mikoy and the rest. Laura hasn't been herself, she's been quiet, and the nightmares have moved to a whole new level. It hurt me because it felt like the devil still controlled her happiness from the land of the dead. She has been seeing a therapist, and we are hoping for positive results. I just want my woman to be okay, and maybe a change of environment for a while would help, I thought calmly. "What are you thinking about?" she inquired while walking into our room. It's crazy how I went into a state of confusion when I found out Ruby was not mine. I did a DNA test and I'm waiting for the results. "About you, about us... I think we need space from everything, love," I stated, and she looked at me in confusion as I held her hand. "Let's go out of the country for a while," I suggested, and she stared at my face. "But what about our daughter...?" she trailed off, and my heart warmed at her ability to always create spa
AUTHOR'S POINT OF VIEW "Sylvia didn't commit suicide. The annoying thing is the fact that she was murdered right under our nose," Oscar declared angrily as he fixed his tie. "Who killed her then?" Chase inquired as he took a drag from his smoke. "Her former boss," he replied, rubbing his forehead. "Madam Valencia?" Bryan cursed under his breath as he looked away. How she managed to get her men into the estate was definitely something to worry about. "She didn't send her men, she paid one of our men to do it, then sent a letter of apology after her job was done," Oscar responded as he threw the envelope. "And the fucker that betrayed us?" Bryan inquired. "Nowhere to be found for now. I think he went into hiding." "I always knew she wasn't stupid enough to take her own life. Too bad her past came back at her," Trenton commented, shaking his head. "Enough of Sylvia. Tonight is Cindy's party. Everyone must stick to the plan. I want this over. I've had enough of their madness," B
LAURA'S POVBryan smiled softly as he looked in my direction. I returned the same hearty smile to him.The meeting moved from dinner to the discussion of our plans and how things would be done."Cindy is already a fool right now when it comes to me, so letting me into her party is gonna be the easiest thing to do," Trenton spoke up, telling us his plan."So Laura is gonna be the bait?" Bryan inquired immediately after I came into the picture."It's a brilliant idea," I uttered before he would say no."Brilliant idea? My love, you can't face that bastard. Remember how it turned out the last time?" He questioned, concern written all over his face."How long will I keep running, love? It's high time I face my past and put an end to Mikoy once and for all, so I'm in," I declared firmly, and he sighed softly without saying anything else.He was angry, but I'd deal with his drama later. We can't add that to the list of our numerous problems.Trenton chipped in, "This time around, we have to
BRYAN'S POVThey used to have a romantic relationship in the past? If it really isn't something to be worried about, why didn't she tell me? I wondered as I ran my fingers through my hair with a frown on my face."Don't tell me you're still thinking about that stuff," Trenton nudged me on the arm as we walked toward our rooms."I can't help myself," I replied, and he chuckled."Talk to her, then. Don't let doubt creep in. This is the time when you both need each other the most, man," he urged, and I nodded as he walked in the opposite direction.I walked to my room, and there she was, in her nightwear with Ruby in her arms."Hey, love," she greeted with a bright smile on her face.I couldn't return the smile, though, even if I tried, my mind kept going back and forth."My crown," she called, and I sighed softly."Why didn't you tell me you used to have a past with Cris?" I inquired, and she turned to me in confusion."Are we still talking about him, love? I told you, there's no need t
LAURA'S POV"He asked about Cris," I told my best friend, and Kora stared at me."And what did you tell him?" she questioned while folding some clean towels."Nothing, I didn't tell him. What would I have told him?" I frowned, even the thought kept a rotten feeling in my stomach."At least, Cris used to work for you, so he would let it slide. You don't know how men can be," she chuckled."Cris used to like me so much, there was a time we even kissed, like, made out," I said, scratching my neck nervously."Wait, did you guys sleep together?" she exclaimed, her jaw literally dropping."No, no, bestie, what would make you even think that?" I replied, and she raised both hands in surrender."Don't blame me, baby girl, that guy is smoking hot..." She trailed off."Plus, you guys used to make out in the past," she teased, and my cheeks heated up in embarrassment."Kora..." I whined, and she burst out laughing."Chill, it was in the past. Bryan also had a relationship with Sylvia, they even
AUTHOR'S POV"Is he okay?" Diane inquired, as she rubbed her arms softly."Mom, you need to calm down, please. At least eat something, Bryan wouldn't like to see you in this condition," Stephanie complained, as she hugged her mother closely."I can't eat with all those pipes connected to his body. I'm so scared, I can't lose any of my children," she voiced her fear."Bryan is a fighter, he'll be fine. Just be strong," Stephanie assured her mommy, and she nodded slowly.She had to be strong for her children. Bryan wasn't going to die on her, and that's one thing she strongly believed, even as fear gnawed at her."Hello, ma'am, the lady is awake," one of the nurses reported."Laura is awake, Mother," Stephanie exclaimed happily and left with the nurse to Laura's ward.Laura's eyes fluttered open for the second time, she closed them immediately due to how the bright lights burned her eyes.She opened them again and winced at how sore her body felt, her throat dry and her head hurt."Brya
LAURA'S POVBryan has been the sweetest since I woke up. I was strangely craving noodles, so I asked him to make me some.He stared at me in amusement because noodles weren't something I craved on a normal day. But he left to make me some, after which I invited him to join me.We ended up eating together, and his phone rang in the middle of the meal. I stared at him curiously as he picked up.He looked shocked about whatever he heard at the other end because he started talking in monosyllables.Something told me deep down that something was off."Huh..." He trailed off and stopped himself from continuing."I need to go," he announced immediately after he hung up the call."Go where? It's evening, and I want you here with me," I replied, and he bit his lower lip."It's very important, baby, but I promise I will be fine," he expressed, and I sighed."At least tell me where you're going, I don't feel too good," I complained."Maybe you're worrying too much," he mentioned and kissed my fo
BRYAN'S POV"How is she doing now? Is she okay?" Her best friend Kora inquired as she rushed into my room where Laura lay unconscious on the bed.We moved her to my place after the doctors were done with the most important treatment."She's still unconscious, but the doctor assured us she's out of danger," I responded, and she heaved a sigh of relief."Glad to hear that. I was worried when they told me what happened," she remarked, and I smiled."I caused it though, I made things worse," I mumbled, and she chuckled."Oh c'mon, it's not easy to be with Mikoy in one space and not want to end his life, not after everything he put our girl through," she said, and I pressed my lips tightly together."Be careful, Bryan. I know Laura would want this fight to end with everyone alive," she commented, and patted my back."I will come to check up on her again. Yvonne is awake," she informed me, and I murmured an okay."Everything is complicated, Cindy is part of Mikoy's team, meaning they planne