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13. Bouquets and Garters
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Was this the woman Sebastian was supposedly in love with? It would make sense since he keeps on going back to her. I walk down the stairs, feeling drained and despondent; couldn’t this darn wedding reception be over by now? Scanning the crowd for Mirabelle, I find her chatting to another couple. I walk over to her, and motion for her from the side until I manage to get her attention. She smiles politely at the couple, then excuses herself before walking over to me. “Elena, darling, is something the matter?” She asks me and I nod, “It has been a long day, mother and it is 8 pm already. Can we please toss the bouquet and call the celebration to a close? I am exhausted.” I say and wait for her to reprimand me and tell me I am a Dumont now and have to accept the social standing that comes with it.
But it never came, Mirabelle just beams at me and nods her head, “Of course, love. I understand completely. Let me just find Spencer and Sebastian an
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The CEO's Second Choice 14. The Naked Heiress with Peanut Allergies
A lady appears from my left side and smiles, “Mrs Dumont, welcome to your new home. I am Ilse and am in charge of the help here in the villa. Please follow me.” She says and motions to the stairs. Ilse looked to be in her mid-50s, she was short and stocky and had her salt and pepper hair tied back in a bun. She wore half-moon spectacles and had a warm, motherly air about her.“Thank you, Ilse,” I tell her as we walk up the stairs. She looks back at me with warm eyes and nods, “You are welcome, ma’am.” She says and we continue to walk in silence until we reach what I assume would be my room. Ilse opens the door to yet another beautiful room. There was a queen sized oak Jacobean four-poster bed in the middle, with silk hanging from the canopy.Wow, wasn’t even a word to describe this room.“This will be your room, Mrs Dumont. We hope you will be happy in your new home.” Ilse says and folds her hands in fr
The CEO's Second Choice 15. Sebastian's Truth
SebastianI walk out of Elena’s room with my mind in a haze. The girl who I had teased mercilessly for being slightly curvier than her sister, was hiding an absolutely stunning body. The last thing I expected to find was her naked on the other side of that door. Clearly, she was used to being naked in her own room, and now I had invaded her personal space.Walking towards my room, which was down the hall from hers, I internally reprimanded myself again for my stupidity earlier this evening. What had I expected to gain today from having sex with Sarah? She was easy and willing, but did I really want to keep the affair going?When I saw Elena’s face through the doorway, the hurt displayed there mirrored my own from long ago. Instead of bursting in and acting like the firecracker that she was, she simply closed the door and walked away. Any trace of lust I felt had evaporated when I saw the look of betrayal in her eyes, and I immediatel
The CEO's Second Choice 16. Three Months Later
Sebastian and I have been married for close to 3 months already and yet we live past one another. The last time I saw him was when he had to rush out for an emergency at 4 am. I never asked what the emergency was because I couldn’t be bothered. There is nothing lonelier than an arranged marriage, no matter what anyone says. The attraction that Sebastian and I shared before is all but gone, replaced by a simmering dislike. Will I ever get used to feeling this way? Did I want to feel anything other than a dislike for Sebastian? I must be honest, it would be easier to not live with this heaviness in my chest 24/7. I had been trying to reach out to Charlotte and Esme Langford, my two best friends from high school, but they had been out of England for the last few months or so. They had not been following England’s social news and did not know I was married now. We had a brunch date today, and I was on my way out to meet them. It was in the middle of Autumn and qu
The CEO's Second Choice 17. Revelations
The Langford sisters were looking at me as I walked up to them, deep frowns etched on their faces. I sat down. Then all hell broke loose. “Forgive me, MRS DUMONT?!” “You’re married now, Elena?! Why didn’t you tell us?!” I sigh then glance down, “It wasn’t exactly a decision of my own…” I say sadly, then go on to tell them what has been taking place over the past 6 months, but not before swearing them to secrecy about Eliana’s misdeeds. “Oh my gosh, you’re actually married to the dreamy Sebastian Dumont,” Esme says, swooning and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her. “Dreamy? Really?” I ask her, thinking of my husband as anything but dreamy. I had to admit that he was rather handsome but dreamy? Eh. “Oh, please Elena. Don’t tell me you have not felt yourself drowning in his gorgeous hazel eyes?” Charlotte asks, also clearly under the spell that was Sebastian Dumont. I shake my head, “I don’t like the guy, I never have.” I answer hones
The CEO's Second Choice 18. Sleeping Beauty and Her Sebastian
I take off my heels as soon as I enter the villa and breath a sigh of relief. My heart still felt heavy, but I could not allow it to hold me down any longer. As much as I hated it, I was essentially a married woman now and needed to act as such even if my husband did not.“Ah, Mrs Dumont, you are home. Are you hungry?” Ilse asks me as I enter the kitchen area, but I shake my head. “I just came from brunch with a few friends, Ilse. I’ll be fine for a while. Do we have headache tablets? I am not feeling too well and would like to go have a lay down for a little while.” I say and I could see the worried frown that creased her brows.I absolutely adored Ilse, she was like a mother to me in a strange home. She showed me the love and affection I had never received from my own mother. The warmth that matched the villa.“Oh, dearie. I will get you something that’s non-drowsy. Go to your room and I will have it brought right up to
The CEO's Second Choice 19. The Masquerade Memory
SebastianMy body feels stiff.I opened my eyes to sunlight and felt a weight pressed up against me. I glance down only to see the sleeping face of Elena wrapped up in my arms. We had fallen asleep on the L-shaped couch last night; I was up against the armrest and she was lying on her side in between my legs with my arms wrapped around her. How did we get in this position?My heart starts to race when I realize that for the first time in years I had slept well; no nightmares had plagued my sleep. Was it because I had Elena in my arms?I peer down at her again and my heart skips a beat; she truly was an exquisite beauty. How could I have been so foolish as to cheat on her with Sarah so many times? She was the woman I had dreamt about long after we met at the masquerade ball, the one who had not been scared to call stiff customs ‘stupid’.My rebellious heiress.And I had almost thrown it away for an office fling, a
The CEO's Second Choice 20. A Moment With The Brontë Sisters
I rushed out of Sebastian’s room after putting the mask back where I found it. The man I had shared a connection with at the masked ball was Sebastian, who was also coincidentally the man I despised above all else.Did I still despise him, though?I sit down on my bed in a daze. Could Sebastian have felt the same way about me at the time? It would explain why he came to see me the following weekend, but he asked for Eliana Wiltshire, not me. Was he mistaken as to who I was?My mind was working overtime at what I had discovered and suddenly 5 years seemed even further away than before. Maybe this whole thing was an enormous coincidence.Sebastian and I were always in the midst of banter whenever we met in the past. He displayed an open dislike towards me and vice versa. He couldn’t possibly be that sweet gentleman from so long ago.I saunter towards my bathroom to have a soak and to forget that I found that damned mask.Two hours la
The CEO's Second Choice 21. The Rebellious Heiress Strikes Again
I get up from the couch and grab my things before heading back to my room. Sebastian had no emotion on his face when I made that remark. This was for the best, I knew it was. The two of us cannot grow closer, not when my freedom was only 5 years away. My studies and my new life lay across the ocean, not in this villa where I felt trapped.Passing Sebastian’s room, I see that he left it ajar and I could hear his shower going. My mind goes back to his well built body that I spied this morning and I groan inwardly. This attraction would never be extinguished unless I did something about it. He needed to despise me again, go back to calling me fat and screwing his employees.Wait, what? Did I really want him to go back to that woman?I sat down on my bed and an idea came to mind, so I grabbed the laptop on my bedside table. This villa felt like an endless snow in prison, so I will escape to some place sunny. I looked up different places to visit where it would
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The CEO's Second Choice The Forgotten Valentine - Chapter 4
Sebastian The following day I had a bouquet of Elena’s favourite flowers delivered to her office along with her favourite delicacies. I apologised for not being able to join her that evening for a Valentine’s Day dinner. In return, she sent me a timepiece with the same apology. I had felt incredibly uneasy since Elijah’s visit yesterday. His words hit home and made me wonder just who exactly I am working myself to the bone for. Granted, I am doing this for my family, but who says they will all still love me when my workload starts to lessen? So, I asked my PA to begin compiling the resumes of suitable candidates to stand beside me as my COO. I just have to face tonight, and then I will be free to spend my time with my family again. I hope after this Elena will still feel the same about me, surely our love wouldn’t crack under this little pressure, right? Shaking my head, I dive into what leftover work I had yes
The CEO's Second Choice The Forgotten Valentine - Chapter 3
Sebastian I’ve been stranded at Heathrow for the last three hours and it is pouring with rain. My flight to Tokyo has been delayed due to some unforeseen weather conditions and because of that, I have missed out on an important merger. Bollocks. Luckily I asked my assistant to let the four CEOs know about the delay and she is yet to get back to me on what their answers are. So for now I am stewing in my anger while sipping bourbon in my private jet. I’m not angered at the fact that my flight is delayed, no, I am angered because this was supposed to be my last international meeting for the next three weeks or so. I wanted to spend that time with my family, I wanted to make time for them because truth be told, I barely see them anymore. Yes, I am married, but I might as well not be with how busy I am. This doesn’t mean that I love Elena any less, not at all. She’s the love of my life and completes me; however, I
The CEO's Second Choice The Forgotten Valentine - Chapter 2
Elena “I’m stealing you away for lunch. And before you even try to protest, Jess cleared your schedule last week to accommodate me.” The voice of Isaac came as he burst through my office door. I look at my watch; 3 pm already. “Wait, you had Jess clear my schedule?” I ask, blinking in surprise when he nods. “It seems to be the only way to get some bloody free time out of you!” He says, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I have to schedule myself into my own sister’s life.” I sigh as he says this, especially when a sad look crosses his eyes. Getting up from my office chair, I walk around my desk and take his hands in mine. “All you had to do was call me, you tart. I always have time for you,” I say, offering him an apologetic smile. He shakes his head again, bopping his red curls. “I’ve been trying for the last month, love,” he says, slipping his arm in mine. “But now that I have you for the afternoon, you’re no
The CEO's Second Choice The Forgotten Valentine Part 1
It's been eight years since Elena and Sebastian's love story unfolded. Both of them now lead hectic lives as CEOs of their respective conglomerates, neither stopping for a breather at all. However, this busy lifestyle has caused both of them to lose sight of one another and the intimacy is now non-existent.Valentine's Day should be spent with a loved one, as they’ve always done over the years. But what happens when the day slips their minds and they choose to spend it with another person?*** A lighthearted and free special Valentine's Day episode *** xxxxxxxxxxxx Elena If anyone told me eight years ago that I would be the owner of three literary houses, I would have told them to sod off. And if they told me that I will end up as a wife to Sebastian Dumont, I would have had them locked up. Now I couldn’t be happier being both. Sitting in my quant office, I feel nothing but content while a smile slips onto my face. Is this really what th
The CEO's Second Choice 65. For As Long As We Both Shall Live
Elena I walk out of Wiltshire Towers with a smile on my face - I had just sold my family’s dynasty for a cool six billion, which is currently being donated to various organisations. I know what you’re thinking; I sold my family’s legacy for gain, but in all honesty; I didn’t feel attached to the Wiltshire name. I was never proud to be a Wiltshire heir, not with the way my family always used to treat me. Yesterday I received the news that Eliana had committed suicide in prison. She left no note behind to indicate why she did it, but I knew. The guilt over what she did to her own sister became unbearable. Eliana was never the tough one. She never needed to be tough for anything and I had a feeling her heart eventually got the better of her. My sister was never evil - she just grew bitter and jaded. After I left the prison that day, I had Sebastian put steps into motion for us to legally adopt Morgan, Eliana and Robert’s daughter. We were met with some d
The CEO's Second Choice 64. Intensive Therapy
Elena“I believe in you, Elena. Not too long now.” Marcus, my physiotherapist, urges me on while I do my leg exercises. It has been close to four months since the accident and I can walk on crutches, but the biting cold of winter in London has made it difficult. The pain when I wake up in the morning is dull but bearable and nothing anti-inflammatories could not fix, although I tend to not take them as much due to my weak disposition. What else can I do but grin and bear it?I know that this is necessary for me to walk again, but damn it.You would think the physio would hurt more, but it’s the sessions with my therapist that do. I have been weaned off my anxiety medication and he’s placed me on a light antidepressant. The reason for this was because I realised that I was slowly getting addicted to the anxiety medication. I popped one whenever a wave of anxiety hit and it was happening too often to count. My therapist pra
The CEO's Second Choice 63. Rest In Peace, Elena Wiltshire
Sebastian Elena Dumont has died, perished in the hospital after not waking from her coma. Well, that’s what we paid the press to report. We needed to weed Robert and Eliana out and think this would be the best way to do it. After Isaac’s confession, we decided to work together and concluded that the only way to get them out of France was to pretend Elena had died. A funeral was scheduled the day after tomorrow and the ‘will’ would be read this afternoon. Francis, the driver has confessed his role in the attempted murder of Elena and my son and said that Robert paid him close to 2 million to do it. We handed him over to the police and Isaac let them know about NCA’s involvement. Isaac has found the reason for Robert and Eliana’s actions and concluded that it was all for greed - Eliana grew jealous of my and Elena’s love and hated that she gave up the chance to be the Dumont Matriarch. Robert, who was stupidly in love with her, started killing off the
The CEO's Second Choice 62. Isaac Mortimer Wiltshire
Elena“I’ll ask it again, who the hell are you?!” Sebastian repeats, and I am left stunned on the bed, unable to move or pull him off my best friend. Isaac was dainty and didn’t know how to fight. Why was Sebastian doing this?! Then Isaac takes Sebastian’s hand from around his throat and twists it before shoving him away gently.Uh, excuse me, WHAT?!“I would appreciate it if you did not touch me,” Isaac says in an accent that didn’t quite match him… a Cockney accent. “Isaac… What’s going on?” I ask, flabbergasted at the scene in front of me. Sebastian looks over at me. “Elijah just called me with some interesting news. He’s had Isaac investigated since he showed up at the hospital after your accident. We noticed that my death threats and attempts on my life started after you met Isaac and did some digging. The identity he gave does not e
The CEO's Second Choice 61. Home
ElenaThe familiar winding road to our villa brings a smile to my face. We were going home, all three of us. I looked over at Sebastian in the driver’s seat and little Aaron next to me in the car seat, and my heart felt full. I was well on my way to healing, had my husband by my side, and my baby was safe and healthy. Despite knowing my sister might have been behind my attack, I was still happy.I almost didn’t get into the SUV when we left the hospital because I started having a panic attack. Scenes from the accident came flooding back to me, but Sebastian and Isaac managed to calm me down long enough to get into the vehicle before the paparazzi arrived. My two loves, I still can’t believe how blessed I am to have them both in my life.“We’re home,” Sebastian says with a smile and we make eye contact in the rearview mirror. Home. I never realised it before, but I never had a home. Wiltshire Estate was just th
