(Laura’s POV).The next day, I took a flight to visit my maternal grandparents. Henry had informed me that my grandmother was unwell. It was a perfect timing for me to place a distance between myself and Calvin.After that passionate kiss we had, I had pushed him away and in a reflex, I slapped his cheeks hard. It was unintentional. The slap was not supposed to be that hard.He had the audacity of saying I was giving him hints that I wanted him to kiss me. That had angered me more and I chased him out from my office room.Since then, Calvin had not stopped trying to apologise to me of his behaviour. There were numerous calls from him and gifts sent to my office and home.I just could not face him. His presence made me uncomfortable and nervous.Walking at the street in a small town in Tuscany, I smiled while happy memories of my mother and I came back to my mind. I loved coming back to her hometown and loved seeing my jovial relatives who had always treated me good.Henry informed me
(Author’s POV).The Valerio Villa in Tuscany was not as big as what Rachel had thought it to be. The drive up to the place was filled with beautiful scenery that was pleasing to the eye. Relaxing and serene.It was breath-taking to most tourists as the place offered historical art and culture with the surrounding areas filled with vines production and consumption. A beautiful place that a person would love to retire to.But, that person was not Rachel Brown.She was a city girl who loved the modern day living and night life party with her friends. A life full of fun and excitement was what she craved for. Definitely not a girl who appreciated what a historical place like Tuscany would offer.What choice did she have? The place was close to Vincent’s heart. A place that reminded of his childhood. A home to his mother Maria Valerio.Rachel had to fake her interest to the place and smiled to cover her disgust of the minimalist life that the Valerio family offered her. The Villa was rust
(Vincent’s POV).The day had arrived where I would soon be married.. again.But this time, it was with the love of my life, Rachel Brown.The wedding was held at my family’s home. My real family from my mother’s side.My biological father and his new wife, my stepmother, refused to come to the wedding. They were still upset from my divorce with my ex-wife, Julia Raine. Or was it Laura Knight.I did not understand back then why they liked the fake Julia Raine so much. Was it me who could not see her true self? Did my parents knew who my ex-wife was? What was it that made them like the fake Julia Raine so much?Why could they not like my Rachel like how they liked Julia?“Mister Verdi, it is your turn to say your vows” the priest repeated his words which I failed to hear the first time. My mind came back to that present time, standing infront of the priest with my future wife by my side.The wedding place was held at the large garden at my biological mother’s Valerio Villa. It was deco
(Laura’s POV).I smiled as I watched my plan went well in just a short time of planning. It was easy when there were many who did not like the presence of Rachel Brown. She was not a pleasant person to be with. It was only a stupid man like Vincent Verdi who was so blind not to see her true colours.I always wondered why a successful and intelligent business man like Vincent Verdi could be so stupid in choosing a woman to fall in love with. Was I not good enough for him back then?Wearing a beautiful blue dress gifted by my date for the wedding, I knew eyes were on me as the rumoured new conquest of Marco Russo. I did not mind such rumours. That was part of the plan.Marco was my close friend. My childhood friend and perhaps my only friend who never judged me. He lived in the large Villa de Russo which he inherited from his late parents. A Villa situated right next to Nonna Norma, my grandmother’s home.Being married to his childhood sweetheart was his dream since he first laid eyes
(Vincent’s POV).The sun was shining bright on early morning. The birds were singing songs that was meant to cheer our hearts. Perhaps, it was not working for me. Those bird songs were painful to my ears.What cheered my heart at that moment was the liquor and painkiller medicines to soothe the pain I was feeling on every part of my body. I felt alone. I felt like a failure. What was wrong with me?Lying face down on the comfortable pink coloured unicorn shaped float, I let the water in the pool drifted my body aimlessly. My eyes were half open but my mind was not seeing what was infront of me. It was playing an image of my memories with Rachel.The woman that I vowed to spend the rest of my life with when I first met her. I would not be alive if she had not jump from her boat to save my drunken younger self that was drowning in the waters, a decade ago. I snickered on that thought.I could not remember clearly what had happened after I was carried to the boat after drowning. But, th
(Laura’s POV).It was close to ten o’clock at night. I was standing at the bar wearing a sexy black dress that was fitted on the good parts of my body. I little revealing on the chest part. I smiled looking at my reflection in the mirror.Definitely, a better version of me now as compared to when I was in hiding and being married to the man that had broken my heart. I took a deep breath and chanted to myself, “The past should remain in the past”. As what my friend Marco had said, it is time to move on to the new Chapter of our lives.Said the person who could not get over his ex-wife. I smiled to that thought with a glass of the special mix prepared by the handsome bar tender. He was obviously flirting with me.I was having fun with some of my Italian relatives who drove to Tuscany to see me. This was my last night in the little town of mine that had so many memories. Both good and bad.“Another drink for you, pretty woman. It’s on the house” the bar tender spoke to me in a weird acc
(Author’s POV).The weather at Bloom City was getting colder by day. Winter was approaching them.Calvin sat behind his table in a new office that Luxe Group had leased out to commence expanding their business to Bloom City. Of course, he had chosen a building closer to Knight Corporation. Closer to Laura Knight.After just finished smoking his cigarette, his secretary walked in to his room with a report on her hand. The other hand was with a cup of coffee that had the delicious aroma filling up the room.She was his newly hired secretary that he had hired among dozens of women who had applied to work for him. Most were without the required qualification or background. Some came just to have a chance to meet the famous and handsome Calvin Dubois who was rumoured to be single.The news about Laura Knight dating an Italian man with the name Marco Russo was spreading fast in just about a week after Vincent’s ruined wedding. Pictures of them seen together in Tuscany, were already being s
(Author’s POV).Calvin did not expect Laura agreed to meet him for lunch, after many times asking her out for a date. It was just a business meet but he was going to impress her that day.“Perhaps she was in love with my charming personality” he said while checking himself out at the full length mirror placed in his office. He wanted to look handsome for her.Changing to a more casual attire, he then put on his leather jacket and started to smile at the reflection of his handsome self at the mirror.Vincent had informed him that Laura like fast superbike and into hard rock music. Calvin was happy to know that. “At least we have something in common. Laura Knight, I’m going to steal your heart to love me”Calvin exited his room and informed his secretary to move all his appointments in the afternoon to the following day. In his mind, he wanted to spend as much time he could with the beautiful President of Knight Corporation.Entering the basement of his office building, Calvin smiled a
(Laura’s POV).Several years had gone by. I was happily married with Vincent keeping his wedding vow to love me and stay loyal to me as long as his heart was still beating.His wedding vow for me was what the press stated as something they never expected coming from a well known feared man would ever say to a woman. He poured his heart out to me in his vow. I recalled myself in tears, and of course with abundance of joy.The wedding was held at Tuscany with a garden theme filled with fresh flowers and nature. He kept to his words making it my dream wedding. I had to thank both my mother in laws who had helped me to prepare it. I loved them both and I was happy to have both of them to fill the void in my heart that was empty since my own mother passed away.Life was perfect and having three children with him made it more exciting.Three boys, who would have thought I could go through that at such a young age! This was not what I had planned in my life after the death of my parents.I
(Vincent’s POV).I was looking around. Mostly to find a way to exit the crowded little ice cream parlour filled with mostly people from Laura’s side. The look of her angry eyes at me after knowing I had read her diary was piercing my soul. Her beautiful blue eyes were on fire.I raised both of my hands in a surrender mode and said, “I can explain. You need to calm down. Not good for our babies that you are carrying. Your stress level needs to be managed”What the hell was I rambling about? It was not going to help me save myself from her wrath that was coming to me.“You did read my diary! How could you do such thing” She said before her face was turning red. She was blushing and for a moment I thought I was wrong. She was not angry, she was embarrassed.Then, I recalled on what I read in her diary. I was pretty embarrassing. She wroter things about me and how she adored me all those years. There was even a picture of my younger self kept in her pink shimmering diary.“I hate you!” L
(Laura’s POV).A month has passed. Time had moved so swiftly and my pregnant belly was starting to show.Vincent was true to his words, being by my side taking care of me and my constant need of attention. I blamed it on my pregnancy hormones. I was never like this, wanting him by my side most of the time.It had been a challenging process with me having nausea and sensitivity of things around me. I had even lost some weight as my body was rejecting some food, even those that I used to like to eat.“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” Vincent said and lifted my chin to give me a brief kiss on my lips. We were walking towards the place where we first met. A little ice cream shop in Tuscany where I had first saved him from being hit by a motorcycle.The place where I fell in a nearby ditch, stuck for almost an hour until my brother, Henry came to the rescue. I smiled to that thought as he moved to caress my cheeks, smiling at me. “What’s so funny?”I laughed softly and pointed to the exa
(Author’s POV).At the same time, seated in a rented car, Marie was looking out of the window not wanting to start any conversation with the man who was seated next to her. He was driving with his focus on the road.At times she knew, he was taking few glances at her, hoping that she would start the conversation.After a few minutes, the silence was getting weird.“Are you happy with him?” Henry wished he could take that questions back. His words slipped his tongue as they waited in the car being stuck in traffic.“It is none of your concern. Please focus on your driving” Marie said while pretending to look outside the window. There was nothing else to see except for the cars on the road stuck with them in the traffic.“Do you love him? Why.. him?” Henry exhaled his breath and gripped the sterring wheel hard while controlling his anger, “I don’t get it, Marie. At one point, you did not believe in marriage. Now, you are engaged with a man I know you are definitely not in love with”Hi
(Laura’s POV).I came out from the cold waters while pulling Vincent’s unconscious body with me. He was heavy and I struggled to pull him further.I needed to check on his breathing so I placed my ear next to Vincent’s mouth and nose. I smiled after feeling some air from his mouth warming my cheeks. “Vincent? Wake up” I said while caressing his cheeks.He did not respond to me calling him several times. I then placed my finger to check on his pulse. It was getting weaker. That made me panic for a moment.I felt his body getting cold and that frightened me further, “Vincent, please. Wake up”There was no response.I then whispered to his ears while placing my hand on his cheeks, “I know you can hear me. Please don’t leave me alone in this cold place. Please don’t leave us alone. I want our baby to grow up with a father. The father that I love very much”I then cried and rested my head on his shoulders as I let out my sadness and tiredness on his body. I was tired. I did not sleep well
(Author’s POV).Out from the busy current of Rivera river, Cherry managed to hold on to a large tree trunk and held on it with her trembling hands. She was panting out of air and was choking out water stuck in her throat.After a few minutes, she took one deep breath before climbing on the tree to get out from the cold waters. She knew if Vincent had arrived, it would mean he would have by then blocked her way out from Rivera. There would be no way out using the normal route.It was time for her to execute her contingency plan.But first, Cherry needed to locate an acquaintance who she knew could get her new identification card and passport to escape from the country. She knew Vincent was not going to make it easy for her. She knew she needed him to think that she was dead.Smiling to that thought, she was ready to fight him.As Cherry reached the shore, she walked slowly towards what looked like houses built near the river. They were local folks living in Rivera. A signage was seen
(Vincent’s POV).I was running fast leaving the rest behind. The woods were thick with many trees blocking my way.I heard her. And I knew that voice was her pleading for help. She was in trouble.Jumping over branches of trees and pushing aside any obstacle that was blocking my way, I felt no pain. All I had in mind was to save my Laura. I hope I was not going to be too late for that.I wanted to call her name and assured her everything was going to be fine. I was closeby and I knew all this drama would end soon. But, calling her name would alert the attacker. I needed to be careful.I knew who it was. The crazy woman who was obsessed with me, Cherry, was to be blamed for all that had happened to Laura. I was going to end it. Tonight, it would be over.Cherry would be placed behind bars.Standing behind a tree, I then saw her. My Laura.She was looking weak and shaken.Laura was standing too close to the edge of the cliff while Cherry was pointing a gun at her. They were arguing and
(Laura’s POV).I took steps slowly back as I saw Cherry coming closer to me. There was blood on her clothes which I thought most likely may not be hers. She looked fine, or was she pretending to look fine?I did not know her well. A deceiving woman who seemed to fight for what she believed in. And I knew all that she believed in was her being the daughter of Lucas Knight and my half-sister.“Do you realised we kind of look alike?” she said with a smile showing her perfectly shaped teeth. It was kind of scary with her eyes looking at me as if I was an object of her admiration.“We have the same eyes. Different colour though. And your hair, look” she touched her hair with one hand, “It is the same colour as mine. Do you think people would believe we are actually related?”Was she kidding me? I knew Cherry made herself look like me. She was obsessed to be me.I opened my mouth to say something but she cut me off with her words, “Laura. You want to know the truth?” Cherry smiled and sang
(Vincent’s POV).I got up from a short nap that I took without even realising it. Pieces of papers were scattered on the chair I was seated on. A large map of Rivera was spread on the table where I had marked on the potential places that Laura could be at.Something was not right. I felt a pain inside my chest. Was it Laura? Was she in trouble?I got up from my chair and walked to the drinking cabinet in my room to get a drink. A strong one I hoped to find.I hoped I could find Laura soon. Calvin and Cherry had already arrived in Rivera and I knew it would not be long until they move Laura again. I needed to be fast.My men were following Cherry and two hours ago I was informed that they had lost track of Cherry who went into the dark woods of Rivera. One thing for sure, both Cherry and Calvin were still in town. I would make sure they will never leave Rivera until I found my Laura.I rubbed my temple and walked to the bathroom to do my business. Taking a glance at the mirror in the