"Meet my older son, Dino." I can hardly believe my eyes. My mother’s new fiancé is a billionaire Mr. Alessandro. But it’s his son, Dino, who makes my stomach twist. Dino Alessandro, my worst high school nightmare. The boy who made every day a living hell, who left me with a scar that serves as a constant reminder of everything I endured. Now, he’s going to be my stepbrother. But Dino is different now. Gone is the reckless teenager, replaced by a charming, arrogant man who acts as if our past never happened. He seems intent on winning me over, pushing boundaries and testing limits, as if he can erase the hurt with a single smile. But I haven’t forgotten the scar he left on me. I swore to hate him forever. So why can’t I ignore the way my heart races whenever he’s near? When love and hate collide, will my past wounds finally heal, or will he scar me all over again?
View MoreDino’s POV The night had been a whirlwind, and now I was home, still seething over what had transpired earlier. I walked through the grand hall of our estate, frustration weighing heavily on my chest. I wasn’t sure what exactly had gone wrong until I remembered the conversation with my father at the gala. He had been adamant about the job offer, about pushing Eloise into our lives. But now, it was clear that something I hadn’t understood had shifted between us. I wasn’t blind, I could see how she was distancing herself, and it didn’t sit well with me. I was angry. And I wasn’t sure if it was directed at Eloise for pulling away, or at my father for what I now realized he might have said to her. I stormed into his study without knocking. The room was dark, lit only by the dim glow of a desk lamp. My father sat behind his large oak desk, a glass of whiskey in hand, his expression unreadable. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know that?” I spat, barely controlling the anger in m
We drove in silence, the weight of everything still hanging in the air. When we finally arrived home, Jess and I headed upstairs. "Hey, you need rest. It's been a long day," she said softly. I nodded, too tired to argue. I headed straight for the shower, letting the hot water soothe my mind for a brief moment before I wrapped myself in a towel and got into bed. Jess soon joined me after her shower, slipping into the bed beside me. I turned off the lights, trying to unwind, but my mind kept drifting back to everything that had happened. My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. It was a call from Mom. "I'll take it," Jess said, grabbing the phone from the nightstand. She answered it quickly, her voice muffled as she spoke to Mom. I couldn’t hear their conversation, but from the tone, I could tell she was reassuring Mom that I was already asleep. I closed my eyes, letting the quiet of the room lull me into a sense of calm, grateful for Jess’s presence by my side as I drifted of
As the slow tune began to fade, my mom returned to our table, glowing from her dance with Mr. Alessandro. He followed closely, his demeanor as composed as ever, yet his gaze lingered on me as he approached. “Eloise,” he said warmly, his deep voice carrying a charm that commanded attention. “You look beautiful as always.” I blinked, momentarily taken aback by his directness. “Thank you, Mr. Alessandro,” I replied, keeping my tone polite yet uncertain. His lips quirked into a small, knowing smile, and he extended a hand. “May I have this second dance?” My mom, already seated, gave me a gentle nudge and a nod of encouragement. Jessica’s eyes widened, her excitement barely concealed as she mouthed, Say yes! Feeling the weight of their stares, I placed my hand in his. “Of course.” He led me to the dance floor with the confidence of someone who had done this countless times. As the soft melody filled the room again, he guided me gracefully into a smooth waltz. “You remind me
My breath caught in my throat at his words. I wasn’t sure how to respond, if I even wanted to respond. His intense gaze made it impossible to look away, and for a moment, the noise of the gala faded into the background. “Dino…” I began, trying to find the right words. “This doesn’t make any sense.” “Doesn’t it?” he asked softly, his tone laced with something I couldn’t quite place. “We’ve always had a connection, Eloise. You can deny it all you want, but I see it every time you look at me.” I shook my head, taking a small step back. “You can’t just throw money around to prove a point. That’s not how this works.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It wasn’t about the money. It’s about you. I thought… maybe tonight, you’d finally see that.” I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, the band started playing a soft waltz, signaling the start of the dances. Dino held out his hand, his expression gentle but resolute. “Dance with me, Eloise,” he said, his voice lo
I stared at her in disbelief. “Jessica!” The auctioneer’s voice boomed. “We have five thousand! Do I hear five thousand five hundred?” People began murmuring, their eyes darting toward us. I felt my cheeks burn as I tried to process what had just happened. “You’re going to pay for this,” I hissed, grabbing my paddle and hesitantly raising it. “Five thousand five hundred.” Jessica smirked, clearly enjoying herself. “Good job. Now, keep going. You don’t want to let someone else win after that dramatic entrance.” “Do I hear six thousand?” the auctioneer asked, looking hopeful. I sank lower into my chair, muttering under my breath. “I can’t believe you dragged me into this.” “Six thousand!” someone from the back called out, and my stomach twisted in relief. “See? Someone saved you,” Jessica whispered, winking at me. “Going once, going twice—” But then, a voice from my left rang out. "Seven thousand," a woman called, her tone smooth yet firm. I turned to see who had e
As we made our way toward the silent auction area, the buzz of conversation surrounded us. The space was filled with people browsing the tables, each laden with elegant items, vacation packages to exotic locations, rare works of art, and even exclusive wine collections. The atmosphere was both lively and sophisticated, setting the perfect stage for the evening’s high-profile fundraising. Jessica nudged me, her eyes scanning the tables. "You should totally bid on something," she said, her tone light but teasing. "Get in the spirit of things." I chuckled, shaking my head. "Not tonight. I’m just here to survive." She rolled her eyes. "You’re no fun." Mom, who had been chatting with a few familiar faces, came over with a glass of wine in hand. "Eloise, Jessica, the auction is about to start. Why don’t we f
Jess nudged me gently. “Come on. Let’s grab a drink and pretend we’re too cool to care.” We made our way toward the bar, but before we could order, Dino was suddenly standing in front of me, blocking my path. “Eloise,” he said smoothly, his voice carrying just enough charm to make me wary. “You look... stunning.” I straightened my posture, forcing a neutral expression. “Dino.” Jess, ever the best wingwoman, stepped in. “Hi, Dino. Love the suit. Very Wall Street.” "Thank you... you are?" Jess extended her hand with a polite smile. “Jessica. Eloise’s best friend.” Dino shook her hand, his expression polite but curious. “Nice to meet you.” “Likewise,” Jess replied, her tone
At around 5 PM, the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. I was about to head downstairs when I heard Mom already at the door. “Jess!” Mom’s voice carried up the stairs, warm and welcoming. By the time I got downstairs, they were already chatting. Jessica stood in the entryway, balancing a dress case in one hand and a shoe box in the other, her grin infectious as always. “Anne, you look as lovely as ever,” Jess said casually, leaning in for a quick hug. Mom beamed, clearly delighted. “And you, as vibrant as always. It’s so good to see you! How long has it been since you’ve dropped by?” “Not too long, just a few day,” Jessica admitted, shifting her things to one arm. “How have you been? And how’s life?” Mom smiled, a bit wistful. “Doing well, though sometimes busier than ever. Always somethi
Weekend was close by, and I still felt nervous about the upcoming gala. I couldn’t shake the unease that came with being around the Alessandro family, Dino in particular. Mom had gone out for the afternoon, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I texted her, desperate for a distraction. Me: Mom, can Jess also come to the gala? It didn’t take long for her to reply. Mom: Sure, but why don’t you ask Alessandro first? I sighed, staring at the screen. Of course, she’d suggest that. It wasn’t like I wanted to speak to Dino or his father more than I absolutely had to, but now it seemed unavoidable. After pacing around my room for a solid five minutes, I picked up my phone. The number saved as Mr. Alessandro stared back at me. I would’ve saved it as Mr. Gabriel or even just Gabriel
Eloise POV "Eloise, how do I look?" Mom asked, twirling slightly, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Mom, this is the third time you’re asking me that," I replied, trying not to roll my eyes. "You look perfect." "Come on, can’t you see the difference?" She leaned in, pointing at her lips with a grin. "I’m wearing red lipstick instead." I laughed, shaking my head. "Oh, I see now. Looking hot." She beamed, fluffing her hair one last time as if this mysterious man she’d been going on about would notice every detail. Ever since she met him, I’d barely been able to have a single conversation with her that didn’t somehow circle back to him Alessandro, the "incredible," "successful," and, of course, "oh-so-charming" billionaire. Mom was head over heels. She’d light up every time she talked about him, and at first, it was sweet to see her so happy. But as the months rolled by, something didn’t sit right with me. Six months of whirlwind romance, secretive weekends away, and nonstop...
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