(Vincent’s POV).It had been almost two weeks since I last saw Laura. She was avoiding me.“How long will you hide from me, Laura?” I asked to myself while looking at an invitation card to attend a dinner party hosted by her uncles. It looked like a grand dinner party planned for Laura.“I thought she hated her uncles” that was what my private investigator had told me. It seemed she was taking back all that her uncles had taken from her while she was missing.Well, technically not missing. She was hiding from them while being married to me.I smiled to that.For a long time, I have been trying to figure out on why she had married me. She used me for protection like how I had used her to get Rachel back.If I had known who she was and the kind of trouble she was in, I would have helped her. She was indeed Lucas Knight’s daughter. A respectable man that I had admired.“Mister Verdi, your car is ready” Flora had worked late night to help me up on my other family business. The Jewels of
(Vincent’s POV).I saw her. She was wearing a cream coloured dress showing the perfect curves of her body which I never knew she had. All the while we were married, my eyes saw her as a plain looking skinny girl. Weak and naïve. She had a pretty face. Average among the girls I had dated in the past.But now, that plain looking woman I had divorced had turned into a beautiful woman. Perfect in every angle. And I only have one thing in mind at that moment of time.I wanted her back.As I walked towards her, my eyes never left her sight.She saw me with her eyes were trying to avoid mine. I knew she was nervous. I could sense it even from far.As I reached standing infront of her, I bowed slightly like a gentleman. “Good evening, Miss President Knight. And where is that imbecile friend of mine who was supposed to accompany you?” I stood infront of her with my eyes staring deep into her blue dazzling looking eyes.“Good evening, Mister Verdi. If you are referring to Calvin, he has some f
(Laura’s POV).I had to get out from the hall to take some fresh air. It was suffocating in there with Vincent’s presence. “A bet? Was it true?” I asked myself and felt my chest tightened out of air.I looked around and saw some couples were kissing at the balcony under the moonlight. I wondered who they are. Must be Clara’s friends who I never met before.My head felt a little dizzy and felt my body swaying as I took the steps down to the garden. My Uncle Leroy’s house was big. The lush garden was beautifully kept by his young wife who I thought had a brain of a pea size. She had no clue what kind of a man she married.All she wanted was money and Uncle Leroy only wanted her body.I had hoped my cousin, Sara was in presence that night. But, I knew Uncle Leroy’s wife did not like Sara who was born from Uncle Leroy’s affair with a woman he did not want to marry.“What a jerk!” I scoffed after recalling the bad things he did to Sara’s mother and to his own daughter. My late father was
(Laura’s POV).I saw blood draining out slowly from his face. He was not looking good. For a moment, I thought he was going to faint.“Vincent, are you alright? Do.. do you want to sit down?” I gestured for him to sit down at the stone bench.He shook his head and closed the gap in between us. I froze for a moment looking at his face that was staring at me. Should I run? Should I pushed him back?I don’t know.“Why did you not tell me before? Why now?” He took a deep breath and shook his head, “You were with Marco Russo in his yacht, were you? He knew it was you? Why Laura? Why did you not come to me and told me it was you?”He was saying a lot of words that was making me a little dizzy. I did not understand why he cared so much now than before. Would he believed it was me if I had told him that I was his saviour, when we were married? I doubt it.I had so many questions.“I did try to get to you. But, your bodyguards did not allow me to enter. They only allowed that pretty girl to s
(Author’s POV).This was the moment they had both waited for so long. The desire buried deep in their hearts was finally unleashed. A moment that they felt the need to hang on to each other. The need to be free to express their emotions.“Vincent, don’t do this” Laura whispered within their kisses that was deep and passionate as they crave for each other’s touch.“Then, stop me, Laura” he moved his lips over hers, parting her lips forcefully against her soft bouncy lips. The kiss was different from the gentle ones she had tasted from Calvin.Vincent was kissing her as if it was going to be their last kiss. His warm tongue exploring hers while sucking on her breath making her moan sweetly as he let her to breathe. “Stop me, Laura. I don’t think I can do it myself”She let him devour her and guide her to feel an intense feeling forming in her chest. Her breathing became erratic and her hands trembled on his hard toned chest.Stopping him was not what her mind and body wanted. She wante
(Vincent’s POV).I ran as fast as I can to locate her. I should not have let her get out from my sight. She needed protection and I let her down, again.The garden was larger than I thought it was and one could get lost without knowing how to get out from the tall bushes that looked like a maze. Annoying place to be at night with the light not helping much to guide my direction.I called out to Laura’s name several time. There was no answer.Was I too late? Did she survive the attack?I knew the new Laura Knight was much stronger than her version when I once married her. She could probably defend herself better than I do. Regardless of her strengths and bravery, I would always want to protect her for I know my Julia Raine was still in her.The woman that I realised I had fallen in love with when I met her at the Hospital. It was something I kept to myself as I was in denial of thinking I could only be with Rachel. My mistake and the one I wished I could turn back time and fix my past
(Laura’s POV).“Laura, can you please stop. Listen to me. Just for five minutes” I sighed hearing Calvin begged me all the way from the garden back to the hall. Uncle Leroy surely invested so much to make his house looking like a palace. I almost got lost in it. The garden was huge.I stopped right before the back entrance of the hall and turned to face Calvin, “Five minutes” I crossed my arms on my chest to avoid him from touching my hands.He stood close, too close for comfort. I took few steps back and shook my head, “Get it over with, Calvin. Four minutes left”He chuckled and nod his head, “Sophie is my sister’s best friend. We dated for a while. I didn’t want to go further than that. But, she.. ummpphh.. seduced me to sleep with her. Something that I’m not proud of. Something that I wanted to end soonest possible. But, she wanted more”He raised his fingers and caressed my cheeks slowly. I knew I should pushed him away or kick his balls but I didn’t. I somehow needed that touch
(Laura’s POV).Calvin naturally treated me like his girlfriend. It was as if we were already together. The attention given to me by him was what I had always wanted from a boyfriend. He was gentle and paid full attention on my needs.Everyone was watching us especially Vincent.Calvin’s hand was holding my hand under the table, caressing my fingers gently. “I’m not going to let you down, Laura. I’m not Vincent, that’s for sure” he whispered and gave me a light kiss on my cheeks.My brother Henry cleared his throat and started to get back my attention to him with meaningless conversation. I knew he was worried about me. But, I had assured him earlier that it was just part of my plan.“You made it! Welcome, Rebecca” I heard Leroy’s wife saying to someone that had just entered the large dining hall arranged with rows of long tables.I turned my head to look at who it was and froze. Two women who looked quite identical but different in age walked in. They looked fashionable and rich. I w
(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