As Elena walked into the coffee shop, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled her senses. Her best friend and room mate Lucia, who worked part-time there, greeted her with a beaming smile as she approached the counter. "Look who's here," Lucia exclaimed. "I missed you last night." But her cheerful expression quickly turned into suspicion as she asked, "Where did you spend the night?"
Elena winked and replied, "Somewhere." Lucia knew her friend too well; she was aware that Elena had spent the night with a man. Elena's playgirl attitude was something Lucia was used to. She couldn't help but ask, "Who is he this time?" It had become a tradition for Elena to describe every man she had a fling with, and her friend was always eager to hear the juicy details. For Elena, sharing her experiences was like winning a prize.
"Just some random person," Elena replied, knowing that Lucia was trying to dig deeper. Elena wasn't ready to let her best friend into her dark world of revenge against the Romanos. Lucia knew everything about Elena except for her hatred for the Romanos and her evil plots. It was safer that way.
"Oh, I see," Lucia said, understanding that Elena wasn't going to give up any more information. Elena had always been secretive about her schemes against the Romanos, and Lucia had learned to respect her friend's boundaries.
As Elena started to leave the coffee shop, Lucia asked, "Will you be home tonight?" Elena replied, "Sure, I need to finish a painting." Elena had her own studio, and she was an artist at heart.
With that, Elena strolled out of the coffee shop, the sounds of the bustling city filling her ears as she made her way to the bus stop. The day had just begun, and she couldn't wait to start painting.
*
*
It was exactly two days since Elena and Luca’s sex escapade, although the memory were still fresh in her head. Elena was on her way to her studio when she saw him. The man who stood in front of her studio was tall, strikingly handsome, and his eyes and cheekbones betrayed his Italian heritage. It was Luca, the man she had a crazy night of passion with, her ticket to a successful revenge against the Romanos. What was he doing here? She thought apprehensively. Had she been found out? Did her intel give her up?
As she stood and watched him from behind, she thought of the next step - run! Her mind screamed. But it was useless. Even if she ran, Luca Romano would find her. From her research over the years, there was one indisputable fact she found about this man - he doesn't stop until he gets what he wants.
Turning back and going home to think of the next move was the only rational decision now. As Elena made to turn back, his voice stopped her. "Miss Elena?" His deep, madly voice sent a chill down her spine. She closed her eyes for a while. "Fuck!" she muttered and turned slowly.
They were standing face to face now, both looking at each other in silence. "You are…" She feigned a confused look as she broke the silence. Instead of Luca replying, he raised his hand and removed the strand of hair from her face. He stared at her with deep longing. Elena stood there, shocked. She couldn't fathom what this man was doing.
"Ah, Mr…"
"I can touch you," Luca said with strong emotion. His hands moved to her cheek as he caressed it. Elena was getting uncomfortable, but she didn't know how to react.
Luca quickly put down his hand like nothing ever happened, the transition of mood stunned Elena.
"Can I get an explanation from you, Mr…?" Elena said, not knowing where the courage came from.
Luca fixed his gaze on Elena, studying her bewildered expression. Raul had described her as a simple orphan who painted for a living, but there was something about her that Luca couldn't quite put his finger on. Her deep, intense eyes were filled with a mix of emotions, some of which he couldn't decipher. Despite her confusion, Luca found himself drawn to her, his obsession growing stronger by the second.
"Luca," he said finally, breaking the silence. "Luca Romano." Elena's feigned confusion remained.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Luca?" Elena asked, her brow furrowed.
"Can you spare a few minutes to talk with me?" Luca asked, unsure if she would oblige. But he wasn't one to give up easily. He was here now, and he would stop at nothing to make this woman his wife.
"Why?" Elena asked, raising a skeptical brow.
"I have a proposal for you, Miss Elena," Luca replied. Elena searched his face, trying to read his expression. What kind of proposal was he talking about?
"A proposal?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.
Luca nodded. "Let's talk about it in a cafe," he said, gesturing towards his car. Elena hesitated for a moment, but eventually got into the car and directed him to the nearest cafe.
Once they arrived, they settled at a table and made their order. The cafe was simple yet classy, and the ambiance was calm and peaceful. It was the perfect place for a business deal.
"So," Elena started. "Mr. Luca, what is your proposal about?"
"You're an impatient one, Miss Elena," Luca chuckled.
"I prefer to use my time wisely," Elena countered.
Luca found her to be interesting and witty. She was going to be a challenge to tame, and he wished Raul had given him this additional information.
"You're insinuating that you're wasting your time with me," Luca said, leaning back in his chair.
"I'm not saying that," Elena replied, her lips curling into a cheeky smile. "But you are a stranger."
"Yet you still indulged me and followed me here," Luca drawled. Was she playing hard to get now?
"I can't help but think that you were expecting me, Miss Elena," Luca continued, studying her reaction.
Elena stared at him, unsure of how to respond. He always seemed to have the right words to counter hers.
"Oh, I suppose you could do this much for a man you spent a crazy night of passion with," Luca said, breaking the silence. Elena felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and frustration.
"Get on with your proposal, Mr. Luca," Elena said firmly, determined to steer the conversation back on track.
"Be my wife," Luca said, the words echoing in Elena's head. Did she hear him correctly?
"What?" she asked, almost in a mutter.
"For a year, and we're done," Luca clarified, ignoring the shock on Elena's face.
Elena raised an eyebrow at Luca, unsure of how to react. This wasn't part of the plan and she never expected any of this. "Are you playing with me, Mr. Luca?" she asked."No," Luca replied curtly. "I need you, Miss Elena."Elena eyed him warily. "How?" she asked.Luca sighed, realizing there was no use in hiding the truth. "I need to get married in order to access my rights as the heir to my father's wealth and the company I've worked so hard for," he explained.Elena chuckled. "There are other women, Mr. Luca. Now, if you will excuse me, I have other things to do..."But Luca wasn't finished. "Name it. Anything you want, Miss Elena. I'll do it for you to accept this marriage."Elena stared at him for a moment before sitting back down. What was he scheming behind this proposal? If he had ulterior motives, it was bad news. But if it was truly about his inheritance, then it could be a catch for her. If she became his wife, one year would be enough time to execute her plan. She would be
As Elena saw Andrea Romano descending the stairs, her body went stiff. She had thought she was ready to face this man, but this encounter proved otherwise. She tried to say something, but before she could, Andrea clapped his hands and approached her, his eyes beaming like Luca's."Luca never seems to fail me. You're beautiful," he said, and Elena thanked him quickly."But this isn't right," Andrea said almost immediately. "You don't know where Luca is?" he added, sounding suspicious. Elena realized she had been caught and began to make up a story, but a familiar voice interrupted them."Father," they both turned to see Luca, who looked handsome as usual in his white tuxedo."Ah, the man of the hour," Andrea chuckled. "I was just having a chat with...""She's tired, Father," Luca interrupted impatiently. He knew what his father was trying to do."You can talk tomorrow," he said and turned to Elena. "Let's go to our room, babe," he said, giving her a feigned loving smile. Elena recogniz
Elena reluctantly got up from the bed, still feeling a bit dazed from the night of passion with Luca. She had yet to put away her clothes in the wardrobe, and the thought of sharing a bed with him again made her grudgingly sigh. After dinner, they were definitely going to have a talk about getting separate rooms. She didn't care what Luca's father thought anymore. It was clear that he was taking advantage of the situation for more than just the inheritance.As she changed into comfortable clothes, Elena made her way to the dining area. The mansion was so large that it was difficult to locate, but she managed to find her way. As she walked into the dining room, she couldn't help but admire the immaculate table setting before her. The white tablecloth was perfectly laid out, with silver cutlery neatly arranged beside the exquisite china plates. The centerpiece of the table was a stunning floral arrangement that added a touch of elegance to the already impressive display.Her eyes then f
Luca and Elena's lips met in a fiery kiss, igniting a passion that had been simmering for days. Luca's hands found their way beneath Elena's top, caressing her breasts, until Elena drew back."I can't stay in the same room as you," she said, trying to catch her breath.Luca chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Scared you won't be able to get your hands off me?" he teased.Elena narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll sleep on the couch," she stated, trying to distance herself from the temptation."You can't," Luca said seriously."What?" Elena asked, confused."We can make a compromise that suits both of us," Luca proposed, and Elena eyed him suspiciously."And what is that?" she asked, unsure of where this was going."We can both stay on the bed, let's just divide it with a pillow. You on one side, and I'll stay far away from you," Luca suggested, his eyes twinkling with mischief.Elena hesitated, wondering whether she should trust him. "What if you try to...," she trailed off, not sure how t
Rio turned to look at Elena with a raised brow. “Ah…Luca. He has been my only friend since childhood. And I…” He started his last statement with a cocky smile. “…have been his confidant, his only one.” He completed, as if trying to claim ownership of something. Elena nodded knowingly. “You both make a great duo.” She forced a smile while Rio narrowed his eyes at her and turned to look at Luca, who was shining on stage while giving his speech. “Yeah, I know, right. But he still married you,” he said. “We aren’t married yet,” Elena corrected. “You will be. Soon. To my distaste,” Rio added unknowingly. Then he realized what he had said and quickly forced a smile. “I mean, it feels like my best friend will be taken away from me.” He said. “Something like that,” he added while Elena chuckled nervously. She couldn’t figure out what game Rio was playing. As her phone rang, she checked her caller ID, it was her spy at Romano group. They had an agreement not to call each other except on ce
Elena let out a sigh and wriggled out of Luca's grip. "I'm tired. I had a long day," she said as she walked up to the bed and laid down in her usual position. Luca stood there for a moment, brushing his hands through his hair in frustration before heading into the bathroom to wash up.As soon as Elena was sure he was out of the room, she turned onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Is it worth it?" she muttered, her mind wandering back to the memory of her and Luca's first meeting. His intense gaze and the way he touched her cheeks flooded her thoughts, causing her heart to race."It must have been lonely for him," she muttered again, turning her gaze in the direction of the bathroom before quickly looking away. Elena wanted to do something for someone, for Luca, even though he was the son of her enemy."He doesn't love you, Elena. He's just obsessed with your body," she berated herself, biting her lip as she tried to give herself a reason not to give up on her revenge. "Even i
Rio watched as Luca smiled sheepishly, oblivious to his friend's presence. The smile on Luca's face was one Rio had never seen before. It was the smile of a high school kid in love. Rio swallowed, preparing to ask the question he dreaded."Are you in love with her?" Rio asked, finally gathering the courage to confront his friend.Luca's dazed expression turned into a scowl as he turned to face Rio."Do you love Elena? Or is she just a pawn in your games?" Rio asked slowly, carefully choosing his words."Love?" Luca chuckled, raising an eyebrow in amusement."So?" Rio pestered, anxious for an answer."Maybe," Luca said, a mischievous glint in his eye.Rio sighed, frustrated by his friend's lack of commitment."Maybe not," Luca added quickly.Rio watched him intently, waiting for an explanation."Well, the thing is that I've never been in love before, and I don't know what it means to be in love," Luca said innocently.Rio shook his head in disbelief. "Who would believe this grown, fine
Elena ran as fast as she could, her heart pounding with fear as she heard the sound of footsteps pounding the pavement behind her. She didn't know who the man chasing her was or why he was after her, but she knew she had to keep running if she wanted to stay alive.The streets were dark and empty, the only sounds the echoing of her own footsteps and the ragged breaths she was taking as she tried to keep up her pace. She was wearing high heels, and they made it difficult for her to run fast, but she was determined not to let the man catch her.She turned a corner, and her heart leaped with hope as she saw the lights of a convenience store up ahead. Maybe she could run inside and call for help. But as she got closer, she saw that the store was closed and dark. Her hope turned to despair as she realized she was still alone and being chased.Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm, and she stumbled, almost falling to the ground. The man had caught up to her, and he was much stronger than s