Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 18: soon is a love word .The world seemed to think otherwise when a picture of Ariana petting the cat, bare-faced and drenched to the bone, came across the media the next day. Including the look of terrible annoyance painted all over the billionaire’s face.He probably thinks you’re a nightmare and wouldn’t want to be caught dead being seen with you in public.Still, Ariana decides that from now on, she’ll make an effort to prove how civil she could be regardless of her upbringings. Even if driving Williams ballistic at least once wherever they go is her latest hobby.Civilized—not propriety personified.Lance has been doing his damndest to get Ariana back on track with every task needed to complete. Yet the last few days have spiraled downwards, one way or another. She still has shifts to take care of at Vene’s—courtesy of Williams’s reluctant agreement since there’s less predators and slobs roaming around the diner now.Antonio was disgust
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 19: hard to adapt to the rich life .Williams Montenegro being a sleepy goofball is a dangerous concept, Ariana thinks as she hangs up and giddily sets her phone down. It’s rare moments like these that steal her breath away and will eventually ruin her if she isn’t careful enough.Still, their little conversation inspires her late morning run. Ariana slips on a hoodie and trades her shorts for a pair of joggers. She yanks her Nikes on past the doorway and leaves the house without breakfast.The vibration of her phone chimes along with a grumble from her stomach.Jared Peters (bestie) Ari!! it’s teacher work day today and Alexander’s off from daycare...you’re free, right? can u pls look after him...pls :Sofc! ill be home in twentyJared Peters—brother from another mother. Their close-knit friendship is as far as an age gap of six years can get. Ariana had met him and his sweet five-year-old one day during lunch hours. Because of the simil
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 20: greed and arrogance.“Good afternoon, madame.” Jasmine, the boutique’s manager, drawls in an accented falsetto. Her poor attempt at French only worsens her overall image as she meets them in the waiting room, dressed dramatically in a fiery red and black ensemble.All it took was one minute for Ariana to dislike Jasmine. Her personality is a compressed force of impishly girlish—and obviously fake—features, a sweet voice dripping in venom, and dark lips curling haughtily at every word.Her disgust was more than evident when they were first introduced. In fact, she sent Ariana daggers the second she immediately noticed her flipping through a designer’s lookbook while Lance was discussing something with the suite’s assistants. Throwing her one more dirty glare, she turned to Lance and babbled how honored she felt working for the future Montenegro.Lance simply blinked at her, perplexed by the undivided attention, before returning to Jasmine a
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 21: A Montenegro never .Knowing very well what she’d be getting into, she casts a glance at a concerned Keith accompanying Lance. “However, I want Keith to continue working for me since he’s a talented artist who doesn’t treat me like garbage. As long as you’re nowhere near our appointments. If not, I’m taking my business elsewhere and will get him hired somewhere else so that you won’t get anything out of it.”It’s a large hand at stake, but Ariana is willing to make it if it means she won’t have to work with Jasmine anymore. Hell, she’ll pay the price herself with the one million Williams’s giving her. It doesn’t matter as long as this bitch of a woman is no longer on her team. The criticism is something she can stomach. Mishandling a child like Alexander, on the other hand, is intolerable in her book.She just hopes the whole ordeal won't cost her more than a million dollars.Jasmine angrily brushes her hair out of the way, nostrils flari
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 22: business transactions not love .Ariana reaches upwards to peck the younger man’s cheek, breaking away when Alexander yells his disapproval and snorting at the child’s horrified expression.Williams hrugs off his blazer, frees his tie, and rolls his sleeves up to his elbows. “Okay, back to work. What should I do?”As Alexander watches Pororo on the TV, they both loiter around the kitchen, making simple designs on the cookies and letting them dry on the cooling rack. Williams slips into the living room to check up on the child before walking back in.“Did you ever happen to find a red shirt?” He leans over the counter and snatches a washcloth to dry the bowls with.“Yeah, Sandy got me this whole outfit based on red.”“Pity.” Williams wickedly grins. “Here I was hoping I’d strip you down and dress you in red myself.”Ariana flicks his wrist, sending droplets flying into his face. “Keep the fantasies to yourself. There’s a kid in the next roo
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 23: this can’t be love .When they finally make it back to Ariana’s apartment for the third time that day, Williams escorts Ariana to the bathroom, quickly pecking her cheek and informing that he’ll wait for her in the living room. Apparently his driver had already supplied him with a new set of clothes for the dinner, and all that’s left is for Ariana to shower and get ready herself.Weirded out by the fact that Williams is paying her more attention than necessary, Ariana succumbs to the warm shower after such a tiring day. The hot water does a much better job at loosening her tense muscles than the masseuse did.As her skin soaks, she tries to figure their odd relationship out and why Williams is devoting so much of his time when he could be anywhere else but tagging along with his so-called burdensome fiancée. As much as Ariana’s tempted to confront him about it, she figures she’d rather stay oblivious.At least it’s way better than them
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 24: beautiful beautiful angels .“How do I look? Good? Okay? Tolerable?” Ariana asks for the nth time this evening as she whirls around to face her prep team consisting of Lance, Sandy, Hana, and Keith. They hover around her like bees, adding the final touches for tonight’s appearance.Hana clicks her tongue and gives her a final squirt of setting spray. “Good is an understatement, girl. Your beauty will leave everyone snatched, trust me. Right, guys?”“Definitely,” Sandy cooes. The two men nod in agreement.In her defense, no amount of reassurance can calm her down in time for the big day. All Ariana did was blink and suddenly she’s being steered around and around through errands and then carted into her house for a grand makeover.Despite it being just the engagement party and not the wedding itself, it’s still nerve-wracking as it’s the first officially public event she’d be attending with Williams prior to their big announcement. They’v
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 25: the engagement party .“Okay, okay, truce. Drink up.”Ariana smiles up at him apologetically.Realization flickers across Williams’s face and he nods. “Ah. Hey, you—excuse me, my good man.” The server curiously turns around, returning to them upon Williams’s gesture. “My fiancée would like something non-alcoholic. Can you make sure the bar’s supplied with whatever she wants?”“Yes, of course. What would you like, ma’am?”It’s weird to see how much of a trembling impact the billionaire leaves on the poor guy, so she gently says, “A lemonade, please. Thank you,” and sends him off.“I should’ve remembered that you aren’t a drinker.” Williams shakes his head. “Honestly, you make me feel like a sinner with all your virtues."“It’s a choice, not a virtue.” Ariana laughs. “Besides, you don’t need me to prove how much of a sinner you are.”“I beg to differ.” And there he goes again, lowering his voice to a husky, saccharine tone. His captivating e