The chapter was too long, /(ㄒoㄒ)/ I had to cut it. Chapter 3 will be up in a few minutes.
The tinted windows give the car a cold feel, which does nothing for the atmosphere.“You look just like Henry.”Cindy says with a faint blush on her cheeks. Did her crush change?“That’s because he has one of those faces.”I add with a smile as I rub her hair.“Here.”I hand Cindy my phone after setting it to ‘kids mode’ to get her attention off Christopher, and she readily puts on a game. I don’t know the name of the game, but it has to do with raising cute pigs.“But…if he looks like me, then do I have one of those faces?”Henry asks with his brows furrowed.“Of course not. His is just…generic, you know. Doesn’t he look like Phil or Gary?”I mention the name of our gardener and mailman to instigate him, but Henry only looks more confused.“I think your mother doesn't know the difference between genetic and generic.”Christopher says as he passes me some documents in a folder.“What is this?”“Flowers.”He answers.A sneer curls up my lip at his response.My fingers open the folder h
“You're telling me you don't want a family?"Luca asked Christopher as he panted.It was a cold night, and after the fight with three druggies and their bouncer, they were sprawled on their backs, watching the moon in an abandoned building.Somehow, the moon looked bigger than usual."I do. I want a son, I don't know dick about girls but a boy, we'd be partners in crime.""Bull shit, you want to bring your child into this life?"Luca asked with a sour laugh."I want them to be smart, strong and hell; I know it’s a shit life, but it's still a life. I'd keep them safe, of course, but wouldn't it be fantastic if we could protect the things we love together?”"Hah, look, Lynn just texted me."Luca said sitting up abruptly as he held his phone.Luca was a jackass in many ways; he didn’t even pretend to listen to his well-thought-out reply.“Fine, go! Make a baby.”“If I make a son, will you raise him for me?”“Fuck’s sake, Luca.”Christopher grumbled with a smile.What would he have said di
[Aren't you angry?]Olivia asks through the phone; now that I have been caught, I no longer have to use a burner, and our calls aren’t limited to certain times of the day.I ponder her question as I stare at the suitcases piled on my bed for both Henry and me.The sound of screaming grows loud from her side, forcing Olivia to yell.[Hey! Outside! All of you- you too, Matteo!]After a while, everything falls silent.[Sorry, please, your answer Liz?]Will I be as happy as her if I do this marriage thing?"What if I get angry and lose Henry? My biggest priority is my son; you understand that, right?"I ask.[But he is uprooting you from your life!]To me, Olivia sounds spoiled; her husband loves her, so he will tolerate her tantrums. Christopher, on the other hand, hates me.So what if our one-night stand was good, non-consensual and mind-blowing, we are not each other’s types, and now we are stuck together."Aren’t you glad I’ll be seeing you soon?"I ask to end the topic she keeps brin
Trigger Warning: Implications of an attempted Suicide.Wow, what a blunt bastard—is what I want to say to him, but Henry is watching us too intently.“Let's talk about this later.”I say as the flight takes off, it only takes Henry a few minutes to fall asleep. It is only when I confirm this, that I continue.“I want to create a safe home for Henry; I want him to believe that his parents are in love.”“How? There is no fidelity in our vows, Elizabeth. You can fuck whoever you want as long as none of your affairs affect us, and I can do the same. Eventually, he’ll understand our relationship. Do you think the world is kind enough to pretend just to keep him at ease-”“Look at him!”I whisper-yell as I point at Henry, and again, he lifts his eyes from his computer.“If the world is unkind, then can't you be his kindness?”Christopher’s gaze softens, and a flicker of emotion crosses his hard features as he glances at Henry’s sleeping frame before his stoney expression returns.“What does
"Thank you for coming to see me at the airport, I’m sorry my future husband has a stick up his ass, but I’m okay. I’m really okay.”I say with a smile and hug her one last time.“‘Okay-okay’, or ‘barely holding on, so I might as well double down, okay’?”“Ok-”Ah shit, it’s so hard to lie to her; it’s like my body won’t permit it.“I thought so. I’ll visit you soon, with the whole family. Oh, why don’t we do Sunday family dinners?”“You don’t have to-”“No, our husbands are brothers, so there is no way either one of them will act prissy about it! We can do a potluck, well bring some food over and-”“I have barely settled in the country, let alone seen our new house, and I have a wedding to get to- no to attend as the bride in three days. Let me breathe first before we start setting up routines.”Olivia nods in understanding.“Mum?”Henry says in a small voice as he lifts his head off his shoulder.“Oh, he is awake.”Olivia says as she approaches Henry, but Henry hides his face on Chri
"I'll give both of you time to talk."I say as I brush past Alessio, who resembles a golden retriever. ‘Brush past’ because he doesn't make room for me to pass.I guess he is a bad puppy. Still, sex is off the table for as long as possible. I don’t want Henry to be uncertain about his position here or to know the other side of me.Thank God for sex toys.“I don’t…know where my room is.”I say before fully leaving.“You will be assisted by the staff.”Christopher says as he waves me off.“Great.”I say finally and leave the third floor of the house.There is an elevator, but…I don’t really like them. So, I take my time down the steps that feel as if they go on forever. I was panting on the way up, but I didn’t want Christopher to know how unfit I am. I guess lies about walking everywhere don’t count in making you fitter. Still, I should get some cardio in.Lily, the maid, tries to stop Henry from running up to me but fails when he slips between her hands."Sorry."I apologise on his be
Christopher D’AmicoAlessio chuckled. He seemed to find the situation amusing.“Why did you call me here?”Elizabeth asked after a sigh as if to reset the scenario."We need to find something, and the boss thinks you can help."Alessio chimes in, freeing him from having to maintain the conversation for too long."If you can't come with us, then I can show you pictures.""Pictures?"She repeats this as she takes the phone that Alessio hands to her.She looks at the building in the picture and swipes left to get various angles until she stops at one where a man is kneeling and covered in blood; it is there that she drops the phone."What the hell is that?"Alessio manages to catch the falling phone as if he had anticipated it."I like it. It's one of my favourite pictures. The expression of someone seconds before they die. It's art."Alessio defends.Christopher didn't like Alessio.His obsessions were not normal, and he could drop everything the moment he became obsessed with something
"How did you know to look up?"He asks again as if I didn’t explain my reasoning earlier.No, I'm not imagining it. He is blocking my path.What the hell? What the hell is this! Did...Christopher let him follow me.He must have seen him leave the dinner table; it was just the three of us.Fuck, think Eliza! Think!"Let's head back to the main room."I say, trying to maintain my ground in the conversation."How did you know? You only looked at the picture for less than a minute."Mr Rossi asks again."It was obvious, so let's go back.""It wasn't obvious to me, and I had the picture for a week. How did you know?"He is starting to sound like a broken record.The only weapon I have in my body is a taser, but with a person who thinks a person's last breath is art, I only have one chance.I can taste bile in my mouth, and my heart is beating so loudly that I'm worried he might hear my fear."Mr Rossi.”I call, and this time, his hands land on my shoulder."Alessio. Call me Alessio."I clen
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.