Lucy’s POVI held my breath as he grabbed my hand and slowly put the diamond ring on my finger. When he was done, he looked at me and said, "It fits perfectly." As I sigh, I look at the ring and think about what happened a year ago. Everyone seemed so happy when Peter asked me to marry him. It was like a scene from a fairy tale. It was a big surprise when Peter asked me to marry him on my birthday. My stepmother, father, and both of his parents were there. It was like a magical night for me, but it was not until Peter got really into Jane, my cousin. They kept seeing each other behind my back until they got the chance to be together because my father died, and Peter had an opportunity to call off our upcoming wedding.I sighed and smiled gloomily. It's funny how fate works sometimes because now I'm engaged again, but to the man I hate.“I’m engaged again.”“Uh, I remembered that you threw the ring on your ex-fiance’s face—” I glared at him, “Don’t mention him anymore.” "I underst
Lucy’s POV “Yes, I’m marrying him. What’s the problem?” Aunt Cecille mocked me, “You are just like your mom.” "Yes, she is just like her mom," Jane said with a snout. She put her hand on my collar, trying to fix it with a fake smile on her face, "Because you're poor now, you have to marry someone wealthy so you can get back on top?" “Don’t drag my mother’s name here.” I warned them and I pushed Jane away, glared at her and said, “Take your filthy hands away from me, Jane.” Jane scoffed and glanced at the manager, “I want that f*cking gown, if I have to pay double or thrice, I can give it to you!” I smiled at Jane and said, “You sound so desperate, Jane. No wonder you have my ex-fiance.” Aunt Cecille snapped back, “He chose my daughter because she’s better than you!” "I understand. Well, you know what? I don't need to waste time here fighting with just one bridal dress. Take it if you want it." At that point, I grabbed my black bag from the chair and got ready to leave, bu
Lucy’s POV“You’re lying.” he said. "What's the point? You like to hurt people and I saw what you did today. My slap mark isn't much different from the guy you murdered today, is it?"He walked up to me and towered over me with his height. I stepped back, put my arms around my chest, and tried to block his stare. He dipped his head to meet mine and grinned, saying, "I hate it when someone tries to mess with my pet."“Then try to work hard, Arman.” “Yeah. So speaking of our agreement…” he closed the door behind his back. He locked it with a sigh and he looked at me, “Kneel down and pleasure with your sweet little mouth.” We looked at each other, and I held my breath. I had no idea this day would come when I had to do what he wanted. I hung my head low and bit my bottom lip in disgust. "Lucy, get down on your knees," he demanded one last time. Then he unzipped his trousers and said, "I don't like to repeat myself…" "I never agreed on our contract that I wanted to sleep with you!
Lucy’s POV"Hey, watch your mouth. What makes me want to spy on you?" I asked with my eyes darted. I even took a step back because the way Enrique looked at me made me think he would attack me. He grabbed my arm and asked, "Do you think you can get away, girl? Whatever you heard a minute ago, don't ever tell Arman about it or I'll kill you!" He grabbed my arm so tightly that I could feel his nails going through my skin. "Let go of me, Enrique! You're hurting me!" But before Enrique could let go of me, someone pulled him away from me from behind, and Arman punched him multiple times. Arman snatched Enrique’s shirt’s collar and glared at his brother angrily, “What do you think you’re doing?” Enrique lowered his head and pushed his brother away with a heavy sigh, “Nothing…” “Nothing?!” Arman turned his gaze at me and ordered in an authority voice, “Get inside…” “Arman….” “You heard me?” he asked with warning in his voice. I gave him a nod and went inside. Camila was crying her
Lucy’s POVAs we stepped outdoors, I furrowed my brow at him, and he drew me closer to him. "Just be yourself, I don't want you to act like someone you're not.""Alright," I murmured, clutching his arms. Then, when we got to the spacious living room, everyone looked at me from head to toe. It was very different from another night; I felt like they were burning me alive with their staresAs she approached me, the middle-aged woman squinted her eyes and grinned. "Oh, are you the same woman that Arman brought from another night?" she asked. Then the old man in the middle said, "I guess Arman was really ready to get married." He smiled at me and said, "We don't expect him to be serious when we see him with the same girl again because he always has a new girl."Arman replied, “Lucy, this is my parents….” "Hi, Darling," the old man said as he stepped forward and kissed my cheek. "So, I'm David, and this is my lovely wife Sofia."I smiled at Sofia, and she hugged me and said, "Welcome to
Lucy’s POVEvery step of getting ready, from applying makeup and hairstyling to putting on my wedding gown, took at least five hours. "Chop-chop!" the manager called out. “We need to go really fast! The wedding will start in an hour!" Looking at myself in the mirror, I took a worried breath. I never thought that this day would come along. The make-up artist gave a big smile and said, "Wow! You look like a princess! You look really pretty!" My heart is racing so fast that I wish this day would end and the wedding would happen sooner. I know that this is just an agreement to marry him, but I've been totally worried the whole time, and the clock is ticking. The woman with blonde hair curled my hair and said, "Smile, you should smile on your big wedding day! I imagine how lucky you are... so, so, so lucky!" Their Leader came in and said, "Okay, that's enough. She looks really pretty awesome now." Then she glanced at me, "Miss Hansley, are you alright?" I nodded and sighed, "Yeah, I
Lucy’s POVIn front of Edward, my mouth dropped open as Arman drew me forward, placed his palm on my chin, and planted a kiss on my lips. He then looked at Edward with pride and said, "See? My chosen wife likes me." That surprised me, but I didn't want Arman to look bad in front of his friend, so I kissed him on his cheek and whispered, "Love? How about we leave? I think we have many things to do tonight." Arman smirked softly and glanced at Edward, “I’ll see you tomorrow at the ceremony, Edward.” We stepped outdoors, his hands interlaced with mine; the number of cameras and their flashes made me feel like I needed to close my eyes. Then someone stopped us and asked, "Mr. and Mrs. Romano, how about a picture pose?" “Sure.” Arman said.Then I saw all my haters standing in a circle just to stare at me the whole time. I beamed at them, playfully hinting that I had recently tied the knot with Arman Romano after Peter's withdrawal of our first wedding plans. Peter glanced down, turned
Lucy’s POVAfter a quick shower, I went to the house's front hall. As I walked, I heard a doorbell from the gate. Knowing that there were no maids or guards in the Villa, I went outside and opened the gate. The delivery guy handed me a big box and asked me to sign the form.The man left after I signed the delivery form, but I needed to find out what was inside the box. I brought the box inside with me and opened it on the table. I gasped when I saw a wedding lingerie set, and when I read the note, it was from Sofia, Arman's mother.“No way, I’m not going to wear this one.” I close the box with a problematic sigh.As I was ready to return upstairs, I noticed Arman standing there. As I looked at him, I didn't move. My eyes fell on his wet body. He had just gotten out of the shower. His abs and strong upper body made me gasp. I've never seen a guy who always made me feel nervous---only him!He tightly wrapped the towel around his waist and said, “I’ll sleep in the guestroom tonight.” h
Arman’s POV"Loretta is here; she wanted to talk to you." Ray said as he sat on the couch, playing with his gun.Even though it's crystal clear that I don't want her or want to see her, this woman is continuously trying to force herself on me. I let out a soft sigh and walked to the door. When I opened it, I saw her in her pajamas. Her feet were so dirty that it looked like she had run away from home and come here to see me.I asked with narrowed eyes, "What are you doing here?""H—Help me. My father wants to kill me, and you're the only person I can trust." She said it with a voice full of fear. She looked around, and as she did, her tears began to roll back into her cheeks. I need your help; if he finds out I'm here, he'll kill me.She pushed her way in, which shocked me. Even Ray looked at her in shock and confusion at what she was doing in my house. Ray got up and said, "She left her house. I think Mr. Patani has a bad temper. Are you okay, Loretta?" "Please don't tell him I'm he
Lucy’s POV"Yes, Grandma." I said, lowering my head, trying not to shed tears this time. "But I guess Jane needs you the most now. She just lost her child and it must be painful for her to lose two people important in her life."Grandma sighed in remorse, her voice mixed with pain as she said, "I didn't know that we were being too considerate with Jane but not with you, my dear."I smiled. "It's okay; life is like that. I have to go."I glanced at Uncle Robert, who looked so worried about Jane's condition, and Aunt Cecille ran outside to call the nurse and doctor. My heart felt like it was wrenched a thousand times because Jane still has parents who love her truly, but I am here, feeling like a lost daughter.Aunt Cecille glanced at me as I turned my back on them; she said nothing, but the look of unfathomable guilt was written all over her face. As I made my way outside, I noticed the two bodyguards still standing there. To be honest, I wasn't used to having security. But if my life
Lucy’s POV"What's wrong?" It looked like he didn't want to talk about it again. So I blocked his way and asked, "Say something." "I guess someone hired him to kill you. But no one still knows who that guy was. Why don't you forget about it so you don't have to worry about it anymore?" "How can I forget about it if my life has been in danger and people have tried to kill me ever since my father died?" I asked with disdain. He touched my face and whispered, "You need not be afraid anymore. Please know that I am here for you and will protect you as long as you are with me."I felt a pang, a bitter ache in my heart as I stared at him. He says the same things that Arman always told me, and I can't help but think about the good old times with Arman. Looking at him, though, brought back a memory. I remember another smile, one that completely captivated me. It was Arman's smile, the one that never failed to make my heart race and flutter. “Are you alright?” Hugo asked as he scanned my f
Lucy’s POVI'm out here in the street, shivering from the cold and the agony in my heart from my feelings for Arman, and it's raining again. It's been hard for me to forget about him, but now I'm crying again because of him. I took a deep breath and hailed a cab. When I got inside, I saw a suspicious-looking knife and a rope. I retreated and said, "I think I forgot something. Sorry." I then closed the car door and ran away in fear.But the taxi followed in the street, I frowned and muttered in panic, “What’s wrong with him?” Even though it was pouring rain, I kept running until I tripped and looked like I couldn't go on. The cab driver stopped in front of me. As I tried to crawl, he got out of his car and smiled at me. He had a deep scar on his face. "So, you're Lucy Hansley? You've been on my radar, Lucy...""Who are you?! What do you want from me?" I yelled in fear and then grabbed a rock to throw at him. As I stood up, I groaned in pain and tried to run as fast as I could, even
Lucy’s POVI pushed him away, desperately trying to escape from his grasp. "Arman, I can't! I am dating Hugo now... I can't bear the thought of betraying him!""No, you belong to me. You felt sorry for him, that's why you gave him a chance! I know you still love me—"I slapped his face, my tears slowly rolling down on my cheeks. My heart throbbed in pain as I said, "And after this, what?! You're going to leave me again! How can you kiss me, want to make love to me, and in the end, you're still going to leave me like nothing happened between us?!""Lucy…" Silence engulfed the room as he watched my tears trace paths down my cheeks. Just as I turned to leave, a deafening crack of thunder split the sky, and a blinding bolt of lightning illuminated the downpour that drenched the place in an instant. I stumbled back, only to find myself enveloped in his warm embrace. His arms wrapped around me, and as I looked up, his gaze held me captive, and I whispered, "A-Arman..." "I'm sorry..." he
Arman’s POV"Delayed?!" I growled angrily, my voice a rumble that sent shivers down the spines of my men lined up before me. They all lowered their heads as I barked into the phone, "What do you mean by delayed? It's been three damn days that shipment's been floating in that damn ocean!"Ray answered, "Port security's been doing thorough inspections, and we can't afford to lose another shipment. So, we asked the captain to hold standby.""Ray..." I sighed, my anger simmering. "You better handle this. No more delays by tomorrow, or else we lose the Pattani deal."Looking up, I met my men's eyes and issued a command: "Request an extension from Pattani. I want one of you to dig deeper into Hugo Ricci. I want a comprehensive report on him.""Yes, boss." Then they started marching out.I stepped outside while my chest pounded angrily just thinking about the shipments. Then, my thoughts drifted back to Lucy and Hugo again. I sighed as I saw Loretta, Pattani's daughter. She waved and smiled
Lucy’s POV"Lucy," he said gently, drawing me back to the conversation. But I didn't know what to say to him; my mind was a tangled mess. How could I respond to his question? Part of me feared rejecting him, but another larger part was that I couldn't ignore the growing unease in my gut. Ever since his relentless pursuit began, his true colors had started to show. He didn't just give up so easily; he tried to make me happy again, which made me reluctant to ignore his feelings. Before Alicia could spot us, I dragged Hugo into my office and locked the door. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm my nerves. He waited patiently, his gaze fixed on me. Then I turned to face him and bit my lower lip. "Hugo..." He smiled."How can you forget him if you don't want to try dating me?" he asked, suggesting a relationship.I took another soft breath and let out a nervous chuckle. "What? What are you talking about? I have already moved on and am trying to make myself happy again. See? I'm happy
Lucy’s POVHugo arrived, his gaze lingering on me as if he longed to offer comfort but held himself back. He watched silently as my sobs wracked my body.Wiping away tears and sniffling, I forced out the words, "I think..." I paused softly and expressed, "I think it's best if you distance yourself from me." "Why?" He reached out a hand hesitantly, then stopped before making contact. "I know I must seem like a stranger, but seeing your pain... It hurts me too. I can't bear to see you cry because of him. I know you don't understand me doing this to you, but trust me, I don't know either." "I know you're trying your best, but seeing you reminds me of him too much."His eyes clouded with sadness as he took a step back. "Well, Lucy," he said softly, "If that's what you want, I can't argue. But remember, whenever you're ready to face the world again, I'm just right here for you, okay?" I nodded, offering a weak smile of apology as I slowly closed the door. Left alone, I sank to the floor
Lucy’s POV"Why would I kill myself just for him?" I asked him with a laugh and added, "That's not who I am." He didn't say anything; he just looked at me as if he had something on his mind that he couldn't say. I met his gaze head-on, "Hugo, I'm fine. Do yourself a favor and go home." His hand went into his pocket as he stood up, his face a mask of concern. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself here?" he asked."Hugo, why do you care so much about me? Watching people die is probably nothing new to you," I said, my voice tinged with bitterness. A flicker of pain written on his face and he replied with clenched jaw, "You don't know anything about me. Yes, Arman and I are the same people who grew up in that world. But I am not ruthless like him." I watched him walk to the door. Before he opened it, he glanced back at me and said, "I know you think I'm a bad person, but I'm still human. And when I care for someone, Lucy, I don't fake it. Remember that."And he left me with a hea