Matteo's light brown hair is slicked back neatly; his burgundy suit jacket fits him snugly so that I can see the outline of each muscle on his torso. His black scarf flows with the wind as his grey eyes turn to me before a smile warms his face, enlivening his features.He is too beautiful to be real, and the fact that our outfits match makes this feel more unreal."Bellissima, but why the coat?"He asks with a light shrug."Why the coat? Is that a joke, my..."I peer at his security before lowering my voice."My breasts are out."He chuckles."I will keep them safe."He says as he tugs me to him. His cologne washes over me as his hug grows tighter around me.‘He will keep me safe’? For him to use such words can only mean one thing."You watched my interview, didn't you."A bitter chuckle escapes me as I force my body away from his."Is this dress some sort of pity?"His hold on me tightens."Pity? No, not pity. Anger. Those bastards shouldn't even breathe for what they did to you, and
I want to tell the gorgeous lady that ‘I can take care of myself,’ but someone calls her name, and she waves me off as if my response never mattered. What an odd feeling. I want to rush to Matteo because I like being around him despite his attitude, but at the same time, everyone around me keeps telling me to ‘be careful’ to the point that I don’t know what to do. But rather than dwell on the uncertainty, I move to the door she pointed. On nearing it, I notice that it is open slightly. I can hear Matteo’s laugh from the other side. My belly warms, but my name flows from his lips just as my hand flies to the handle. "It has to be the Lawson; he didn't crack for years, and once she paints me her hero, he offers an asset worth multiple billions?" "Nicely done, Teo, but I really can't congratulate you for using a woman." "Oh, please, Chris, like you are one to talk." A string of Italian words leaves him before he reverts to English. “...it’s just business." He finishes with a li
Maybe I'm self-conscious, but it felt like everyone was staring at us as we left the party. It could have been our messy clothes, flushed skin or even the smell of sex and sweat on us. It could have been anything, but that doesn't seem to matter to Matteo because even though I'm certain his seed is still trailing down my legs, we are at the gynaecologist. "This should work." The doctor says as he passes me a prescription for plan B. "I'm supposed to get my period in two to three days. I'm not regular, so I'm not sure. Can I wait before taking the pill?" "Uffa! What do you mean wait? No, we’ll get the medicine, and you will take it now." "She can wait, maybe three days maximum, for full efficiency." The doctor explains, but this only serves to irritate Matteo more. "Why? Just take it so that-" "Matteo, this is my body." I don't want to tamper with my odds of fertility. I don't know if there is any correlation between plan B and fertility, but I want to raise every odd I can. A
"What?""You didn't know?"I ask. Technically, I refer to Dawson as an old family friend since I can hardly call him a father or stepfather."No, I thought he was…yours?"He says the 'yours' in a small tone that makes me suspect he thinks he has stolen something from me, so I smile."He just likes me because I laugh at his jokes and keep Eliza in line. He isn’t my father.""I didn’t know that you aren't fully related to your sister.""To the point, Matteo."I insist."Fine. My men found out he had a terminal illness last year and-"Right, I remember Elizabeth refused to inherit his fortune, and his sons are druggies."He needed someone to inherit it."I nod slowly."His sons are dangerous.""For your sister or you, maybe. But not for me. But he refused to give me the time of day for two years, but a few tabloids with you in my arms and suddenly he is the one blowing up my phone.""So, you needed to seal the deal by doing that to me?""I thought you'd mention how I helped you in the ho
Natasha"Are you crazy!"Mia's plate, full of hospital food, washed over Natasha, ruining the outfit she had spent ages picking. Even if she was supposed to take them off in a few minutes to prep for the surgery, this was not how she wanted to do it.Of late, Mia had found every possible way to torment Natasha."I'm sorry I-I forgot to pick up your kids from school. There was so much I was supposed to do before this surgery!"Natasha tried to defend herself, but the entire room stared her down as if she were the enemy.Yes, she had made a mistake in drinking before the surgery, but how was she supposed to know that Vincent’s mother would spiral, leaving the hospital no choice but to put her in tubes as they waited for her safe window to arrive because she refused her children to donate?The rising hospital costs put them on edge. Natasha understood that, so she volunteered to run their errands until their anger was soothed, but it was only getting worse!Not to mention, she was suppos
"Fine, keep your secrets."I say as I reach for a second piece of the chocolate.The ice cream smells so good; I should leave some room for it.“What?”Matteo asks in irritation, bringing my focus back to him; he looks upset as if that wasn’t the answer he wanted from me."Olivia, I don’t insist on keeping it a secret; just tell me why you won't use birth control?""Ah, but I don't want to know why you keep a gun as badly as you want an answer to your question. Worse off, I don't want my answer to be on national TV.""I said I was sorry.""Yet my heart still aches. Now let's eat in peace, okay?"A moan leaves me the second the sweet chocolate melts in my mouth, but as soon as I swallow, pain follows.Goddamn first-day cramps!"Fine, now you know I have a gun; stop fucking around at night."He says, but despite his ‘fine’, he doesn’t look satisfied with the conversation's ending."Hey! I called you multiple times, but you didn't wake up.""What?""Yes, so don’t-""You called me? While
With a quick nod to my words, Mr. Lee picks himself up and rushes to the first model. My work backstage is done, so I make my way to the stage to perform my introductory speech to kick-start the event. I never expected the venue to be full, but then again, my boyfriend is the latest 'trillionaire’, so some of the spots have been filled with people who don’t really have an interest in fashion, just Matteo.Even though he said he couldn’t make it tonight. He has been ‘busy’ of late.After a quick speech introducing the line, I step aside and let the models do their work. The line is stunning, simple, elegant, camel toe resistant and bright, pairing well with the theme of resilience.The models look fierce and happy, the music upbeat, and most especially, the audience looks interested."We meet again."A feminine voice says, drawing my focus from the show to the stunning and familiar woman."Blair Danes, right? We met at the ball a few weeks ago.""Indeed we did. I must say I was lookin
Vincent doesn't cry often; he doesn't even discuss his feelings, so I can’t deny that seeing him like this tugs at my heart. I should be immune to his nonsense, but I guess I’m not."I can forgive you for cheating; truth is, it doesn't hurt anymore. Hell, I think you and Natasha deserve each other. But I can't forgive you for what you put me through at the hospital. I had to crawl in a sea of unknown bacteria strains just to get away from you.""It’s not my fault! It was her idea. It was all Natasha’s idea. She said you’d understand!"A groan leaves my lips at his attempt at an explanation."Oh my God! Don’t you get it? That's even worse! You were the one I trusted my life with; you were the one I loved; you were ‘it’. You, not her! And yet you pass on blame to something I heard you agree to? Are-”"I'm sorry."He interrupts.“I'm so sorry, Livy.”"Yeah, sure you are.”“You- you don’ believe m-me?”“If you were sorry, you’d stop stalking me. You’d understand that I would love nothing
I feel the need to mention that, no Etienne and Anthony were harmed during the time skip in the last chapter; they were just posted away from the main family to Italy. Jokes on Christopher, they liked it because they were paid to laze around without the tension of him grumbling all over the place.I'd also like to ask your vote on a setting, would you love to read a transmigration, body switch or rebirth story?Rebirth would be when the female lead dies and goes back in time for whatever reason and purpose.A body switch would be the female lead going into another person's body. Maybe they were rich and ungrateful, and now they have entered the body of another woman who works under an obsessive billionaire, and there are consequences when they refuse to work and instead resign.Finally, transmigration would be if the female lead enters a novel they have read, whether they loved it or not. You know I love villains, so of course it’s the villain’s body that they enter. So, an example wou
Hi guys!We are finally at the end of the story!! Thank you so so much for reading, thank you for voting and thank you for loving the work and leaving a review; if you haven’t, please do.This last chapter is especially dedicated to anyone dealing with anxiety or depressive symptoms; it is a season, and it will pass. If your best is opening a window, open it. If your best is just basic self-care, taking a shower, moisturising, and putting the pyjamas right back on, do that. One step at a time. You are more loved and valued than you believe, and medication doesn't make you 'weak' or a 'failure'. Don’t be afraid to reach out, but more than that, don’t be afraid when people reach out, say 'yes' to that trip to the beach or bowling gig, or hell, to a walk just around the corner. We are all one.For my next work, it will still be a billionaire romance, and the male lead will still be a walking red flag. Aren’t they just the best? Plusss..how could I forget to mention smut will be present? I
"But-""It's fine; I'll be back soon.”I say reassuringly to Henry.I wave off his innocent concern despite half my face being covered by his hand.If he were to slap me the same way I slapped him, I'd probably end up in the ICU. Despite knowing that, I leave Henry with Etienne in the living room and follow him like a prisoner escorted to their sentencing.**"You went to the hospital. What for?"This is not the beginning of the conversation I expect, nevertheless, Christopher’s gaze as he closes the door behind me doesn’t leave my face."The headaches, but I have the medicine, so it's fine; more than that, I haven't seen Anthony in days. Did you change my guard?""Anthony?"Christopher asks with a frown, his mouth twisting as if he has eaten something rotten."Who are you calling 'Anthony'?""My- my bodyguard, with brown hair, you assigned him to me."I explain as if he doesn’t already have that information.What is this? What is he playing at?"Did I? And he told you his name? He an
Christopher D’Amico "Spare me."It took three hours to track Alessio and four hours to corner him like this.Yet this was the nonsense he was spewing?"No."Christopher answered.The gun in his hand had no more bullets, so he hit the back of Alessio's head, causing him to fall to the ground. Of course, Alessio didn't come easily, so the blood he tasted from his lips was his.Hopefully, it wouldn’t leave a mark, but even if it did, the wound was inside his mouth, so Elizabeth would not see it.Still, it didn't matter.Everything would end today, and he could head back to Italy to find another man to take his position.Positions in the mafia could only be replaced through death; there was no such thing as a fair trial, only retirement, that was hard-earned.Alessio held his head at the point of impact as if he thought his skull had shattered. There was blood coming from his head, but Christopher heard nothing crack, at least not yet.Still, there was little he could do to guarantee the
Blood. He smells like blood. No, not just smells; he has blood on his clothes.Closing my eyes and opening them, I focus on the bouncing bunny on the screen while Henry bobs his head to the tune.Before long, his little head sways left and right before falling to my stomach as he was resting between my legs, and a soft snore follows.Aww... how precious.His little hands curl against the fabric of my clothes.I should take him to bed; I think Christopher has eaten by now or should be eating, so there should be an interruption.My hands move to scoop him up, but a voice stops me."Is there a reason you are both on the floor when there are perfectly suitable seats next to you?""Henry and I used to sit like this in the old house.”I explain without turning back to him."Are you thinking of the good old times?”His words seem pointed, so I lift Henry in my arms and turn to him with a frown."What is that supposed to mean?”I ask, noticing the curls in his poorly dried hair.Wait, wasn’t
My gaze lingers on the orange glow of the streetlights while my mind centres on the sounds of the cars whooshing past us.My sex is fine now. Other than mild tickling sensations that will go away after three or four rinses in the shower. I am fine.Well, I guess the dull ache choking my throat is something else entirely."You've been quiet for a while now."Christopher comments as he makes a turn to the estate.Of course, I have been quiet. Yesterday, I went to bed and woke up believing that he liked me, that I could have him wrapped around my finger if I tried, and that gave me the confidence to say no to him at the club, and now, I realise that I had gotten ahead of myself.I almost ruined the marriage.There is no divorce, but if perchance he changes his mind, I'll have nothing. I'll lose the one thing I came into the marriage with—Henry.He doesn't like or love me; he is curious about me. Is that even the best way to describe it?Maybe it's more he thinks he likes me.Fuck... if I
"No. Never. Not when I am with you. No-"“Not anymore, right? That’s what you want to say next, isn’t it?”I ask as the grip I had on Alessio’s leash lessens.Christopher’s lips seal as if he had no answer to my question.“I…I really can’t believe you even know what love is- ah, that’s why you said you don’t have feelings… ah, I got ahead of myself.”My voice grows smaller as I mumble the new findings."Elizabeth, please...please."“Please, what? That's so vague, considering you need me to call you the way another woman does to get you to orgasm.”I ask as I turn to face him.I think I should leave now; this…this is enough to break any ‘soft’ girl’s heart."Please... believe me. Not with you. I never think of anyone but you."He repeats as if sensing my mood."I'm half out of my mind because of the lube they applied on me, and you can't cum until I call you the nickname the 'love of your life’ called you.""You are the love of my life."Does... he even know what that means?“Then why d
"God damn it, Elizabeth!"Christopher yells as he rattles the cuffs binding him.“I said, let's talk about this later. I didn’t say ‘no’.”"You shut me down twice. I don't trust you not to lock me up somewhere and shut me down a thirty time when there are no consequences.""I won't-""Yeah...see now, I don't trust easily. That's kind of the problem with us... what did you call me? 'broken? Soft?”"Elizabeth.""Let's move on to the third round."I yell, and as if on cue, the announcer produces a tune to signal the entrance to the third round."He can choose. He can choose what he wants! He can choose, but he needs to have the full picture."Christopher finally gives in."I want it in writing.""Done. I'll get it to you by Monday morning. I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I'm sorry that I shut you down and made you feel that this was the only way to communicate. Please...please stop this.""Why? Aren't you having fun? You even left me at the store to get dragged here.""That bastard Taz-""Yes, th
"Bu-but I've lost."Participant One defended as if he took Christopher’s words seriously."You touched what is mine."The answer came back coldly.The blindfold covering my eyes feels like a burden. I want to see the expression on Christopher’s face. No, I want to see the expression on everyone’s face.I can still feel the echoes of Participant One’s fingers on my nipples. This is going to be harder than I thought."Hey, this thing has consent written all over it; she consented. So why are you threatening me?"The man asks, his desperate voice bordering on whiney."I didn't consent to you touching my wife.""Yes, you did, Taz-""Ah yes, mentioning another dead man."Christopher says in a light tone; one could almost think he is joking. Almost."Bu-""Next Participant."The announcer announced, perhaps bored with the back and forth."I'm out.""Wait, but..."The familiar voice of Participant One hesitates, perhaps hating that a participant backed down instead of doubling down like him.