Lucy’s POVI've been grieving a great loss for the past two weeks since my father abruptly left me without saying goodbye. I could not stop crying because I missed him so much, and it hurts so bad.My dad was a great doctor and the owner of a famous hospital in the country. His doctors did their best to save him— and It still breaks my heart that they couldn't save him. As I danced the night away at a famous, glamorous club, I guzzled down my last shot of tequila. But guess what? My friends left me here in this club by myself. F*Ck them! Despite everything I've done to them, not one of them has ever made an effort to be a friend to me. I was about to ask for more tequila when someone said, "Hey, that's enough."And I don’t even know him. I shot him a piercing stare, but my eyesight was hazy from the clubgoers' dancing in my head. I closed my eyes, but the feeling of spinning lingered in the back of my head. The man led me out of the club while he was holding my body tightly, asking
Lucy’s POVTHREE DAYS LATER, "Romano Motors’ Company." I whispered to myself as I looked up at the tall building. I bit my lower lip as I walked inside. Then I walked directly to the front desk. The woman raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yes, what can I do for you, Miss?" I cleared my throat and smiled at her, “Hi, I’m looking for Mr. Arman Romano.” "Do you have an appointment?" she asked as she scrutinized me.I let out a sad sigh and said, "No, but—" "You should probably ask for an appointment first if you don't have one," she advised. Still, I wasn't going to give up and said, "Yes, I don't have an appointment but I need to see him. It's really really important. I know he knows my father. Please, can you call him and tell him Lawrence Hansley's daughter is here?” She took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly as she said, "I can't do that. At this very moment, Mr. Romano is engrossed in an important meeting. You can wait in the lobby if you'd like; he will finish his work at exactl
Lucy’s POV “What?” "We should consider our future agreement, Miss Hansley. But I have to leave now. I have to meet with one of my investors, and I don't want to lose millions of dollars every hour by staring at you all the time," he said. "So you promise to give the house to me in one condition?" "I'll talk to you again in another day. Please make an appointment. You're the same as everyone else, so don't feel special." He gave me a cocky wink. After that, we both took the elevator to the next floor. As we got out of the lift together, I couldn't help but wonder what our agreement would be in the future. That house my dad left me is too valuable for me to lose. I will have nowhere to live and no job! Also, I can't rent in New York City because the last time I checked, the rent was too high. Although I did earn a degree in interior design but I have been unemployed for three years already. I wouldn't be this hopeless if all I did was think about the future. I’m all alone and
Lucy’s POV “What?” I raised an eyebrow and my eyes widened in shock as I felt his palm on my wrist. He slowly let go of me and said, “Stay and eat with me, don’t worry, you’re not paying anything.” I smiled at him and nod my head, “I don’t want your sympathy, Mr. Romano.” “I’m not doing this because I pity you.” he said between his teeth and looked up to see my reaction. I laughed and said, "I'll stay as long as you tell your secretary about me. I don't deserve to wait in line just to talk to you." He smirked at me playfully, “Deal.” I leaned back in my chair and did my best not to look at him as I placed my lunch order. Now that our meals are already on our table, my tummy is rumbling with hunger. I skipped breakfast this morning, and now I feel like I could devour an entire horse. He was shocked to see that I gobbled my plate of food while he struggled to finish his own. He didn't move and just stared at me until I was done eating. I drank the whole red wine glass and t
Lucy’s POV I laughed at him and asked, "Are you crazy? Do you want me to marry you? What? What are you all talking about? I'm going crazy because of you." "Do you really think I'm just kidding?" I laughed so hard that I had tears in my eyes and shook my head. "No, you're not. If there is a lawyer asking me to sign, I will believe you. But it won't happen, I'm not going to marry you over my dead body." It looked like he was really upset, and then he got a call. He answered it with a darkened expression. "Yes?" Then he looked at me, finished the call, and made a serious face. "I need to leave now. But don't be so happy right now. You're going to be mine soon, you’ll be one of my properties. So don't laugh at me like that." I pressed my lips together and gazed toward him. Because every word he spoke seemed so sure-sounding that I was at a loss for words. Then he left me speechless. ************************** The Next Day, I got up at the crack of dawn in preparation to face t
Lucy’s POVHe was utterly dissatisfied when the door swung open unexpectedly. His secretary tried to get his attention, but all he did was stare blankly at me. "Your meeting with Mr. Harrison is ready, sir—" “Fine.” He then told his secretary to shut the door. I let out a sigh of relief because I thought I was going to be able to get away from him, but he grabbed the back of my arm and turned me around to face him. Then he leaned in for the roughest, worst kiss I've ever had. His insistent kisses caused me to moan, and when he cupped my breast, I gasped for air. Then he kissed me passionately and then muttered, "You're such a bad kisser, Lucy. Just kiss me back..." “N–No!”"Okay, fine... You want more than just a kiss, right?" He pushed me against the wall, kissed and sucked my neck sexually, which made my eyes and mouth hang open. "Ughh…" I pushed him away with sharp eyes. Then I slapped his face, “I hate you.” "Don't forget that you inherited an overwhelming debt. Therefore,
Lucy’s POV"No! I'm not going with you. I'm here because this is where I work!” “Really?” Arman scoffed. “I refuse to follow your orders unless we get into a legally binding agreement that binds us to one another. I’ll wait for your lawyer to give me the f*cking copy of our agreement." I said with a firm voice.He stepped forward with a dark expression, “You are really testing my patience, Lucy.” I didn’t budge when he leaned in to meet my eyes. “And now you give me the idea of owning you legally….” We heard a loud click on the door, and a man with blonde hair stood there, staring at me from head to toe. "Are you the new girl?"Annie was behind him and answered, "Boss Leo, she's the one I was talking about. She's my friend..." The blonde man frowned at me as he asked, "So what are you doing here with our VIP customer?"I bit my lower lip in shame, “Uh—” Arman interrupted me and turned around to face the owner, "I want to buy this club." Annie and the man called Leo were taken a
Lucy’s POV Arman Romano has become the center of attention. The whole group jumped back in fear when they saw Arman with a gun. Everybody screamed in shock when Arman pulled the trigger and shot the floor twice. It scared me, too, when his burning eyes met mine. Thomas slowly released my arm. His hand was shaking with fear as he stepped back and left with his friends in panic. Jane stood there with stunned eyes and said, "Lucy—" Arman cut her off, “You have one second to get out of my club.” Jane’s lips trembled, she lowered her head as she was escorted by the guards outside. In the moment when Arman approached me, his unblinking gaze remained fixed on me, leaving me bewildered. After that, he grasped my arm, his icy fingers brushing against mine. He declared, "I'm done with this game with you, Lucy." Annie really wanted to help me, but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she couldn't do anything for me. She is scared and not sure what to do at the same time. She on
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