He pulled me a seat. I took my seat, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at Vincenzo's gallant gesture. Instead, I politely thanked him. He returned a charming smile, clearly teasing me. As the waiter approached to take our orders, Vincenzo leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on mine. "What would you like, bellezza?" he inquired smoothly. I hesitated, torn between maintaining my ego or letting it slide just this once. Eventually, I chose the latter. "I'll have whatever you're having," I replied, attempting to keep my tone neutral. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk dancing on his lips. "As you wish," he murmured, diverting his attention back to the waiter. Despite my initial frustration, I found myself yielding to his choice without protest. "We'll be picking your dress," he announced abruptly in the midst of our meal. I lifted my gaze to meet his, holding his eyes for a moment before the realization sank in. "You're actually serious about marrying me?" I asked, my tone surprising
I still don’t know what’s going on in his mind. He’s unpredictable and almost out of reach. I cannot figure out what his next move is, he’s such a mystery to me that no matter how I dig in order to unravel the answer behind it.I watched as he cleaned up the table after we finished eating. His movement didn’t even make a single sound. He may be a jerk, but there's no denying his undeniable charm and rugged good looks. With each movement, his muscles flexed in all the right places, accentuating his masculine physique. And then there were his eyes, piercing and captivating, making me crane my neck just to meet his gaze. Despite his less-than-stellar personality, I couldn't help but be drawn to him. He possessed all the qualities that make a man irresistible—tall, handsome, and oozing with confidence. Not to mention his wealth and intellect, making him a desirable catch by anyone's standards. But for all his outward perfection, there was one crucial flaw—his emotional intelligence left
I settled onto the bed, wrapped snugly in the soft folds of a crisp white shower robe, while he stood behind me, meticulously blow-drying my hair. The gentle hum of the dryer filled the room, creating a soothing backdrop to our conversation. "I don't get why you're going all out for this," I murmured, the words slipping out almost involuntarily. "You're my bride," he replied, his tone steady and unwavering. "Yeah, but you don't have to go to all this trouble," I insisted, my voice carrying a bitter edge tinged with sadness. I couldn't help but wonder what lay beneath his gestures, what deeper motivation drove him to such lengths. "There's gotta be another reason. What's really going on?" As the words hung in the air, I felt a familiar wave of bitterness wash over me. It was overwhelming, this level of care and attention. It stirred up feelings of inadequacy and discomfort, emotions I wasn't quite prepared to confront. Guilt gnawed at me, a relentless reminder that perhaps I didn't
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, my voice laced with a mix of anger and jealousy that caught me off guard.Their gaze snapped to me, and I could feel the tension crackling in the air as our eyes met. The woman's expression shifted, her eyes narrowing inquisitively as she regarded me, as if trying to place where I fit into the picture.I felt a surge of frustration and insecurity bubbling up inside me. Was she questioning my presence here? Insulting me with her silent scrutiny?Clamping my fists tightly, I fought to suppress the rising tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. Standing my ground, I awaited her response with a mixture of defiance and trepidation, determined not to let her undermine me."Who are you?" she asked, her voice dripping with sweetness, a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within me.Her question only fueled the flames of my anger, intensifying the boiling fury coursing through my veins. My rationality was drowned out by the overwhelming surge of
The aftermath of the confrontation in Vincenzo's penthouse weighed heavily on my mind as we returned to the mansion. Despite everything appearing normal on the surface, I couldn't shake the memories of that morning. It was like they were etched into my brain, refusing to fade away.Every detail of the encounter seemed crystal clear, as if it had just happened moments ago. Seeing Ella, feeling the tension in the air, the surge of anger and betrayal—it all felt so vivid, like it was happening again right in front of me.What hurt the most was realizing that Vincenzo hadn't considered how bringing me to that penthouse might affect me. The fact that it held significance for him and Ella only made it worse. It felt like he didn't care about my feelings, like he didn't respect me.I felt insulted, wounded in a way that cut deep. It was a blow to my pride as a woman, a reminder of where I stood in his world.As we settled back into life at the mansion, the resentment lingered. No matter how
“You may hurt my feelings again and again, but you can’t just go below the belt and insult me every time you want to,” I continued, my voice laced with a mix of defiance and vulnerability. “I would never do such a thing,” he said through gritted teeth, his clod blue eyes staring back at me. I gave him a dry chuckle, shaking my head in disbelief. “Screw you, Mr. Romanov,” I spat. Does he really think he can keep fooling me? One minute we’re okay, and before I knew it, he was back to his old self. He doesn’t care, and he’s not capable of loving someone, not even to himself. “You think you can just play with people's emotions and get away with it?” His nostrils flared, a flicker of anger flashing across his features. “Don’t push me, Annizah,” he warned, his voice low and dangerous. “Oh, what are you going to do?” I shot back, my stubbornness fueling my defiance. “Yell at me some more? Make excuses for your behavior?” His grip on my arm tightened, his frustration palpable. “You have n
“Thanks…” I whispered after a while. He nodded in response, setting the tray aside before heading to the bathroom to fetch some wipes.I pressed my lips into a tight line, still in disbelief that he was here. It felt surreal and somewhat awkward. After our earlier confrontation, I had anticipated needing a few days before seeing him again, not today. So, I had braced myself for another argument when he appeared, but instead, he brought food and we hadn't discussed anything.I couldn't help but wonder what was on his mind. His actions seemed to speak of remorse or maybe a desire to mend things between us, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty. What if this was just another one of his manipulative tactics? What if he was only trying to appease me temporarily before reverting to his old ways?“Do you want to have some walk in the garden?” he asked as soon as he came back with a w
I accepted the flowers, not because I was fully convinced, but because it felt like such a waste to refuse them. As I glanced at him through my lashes, I found him seated across from me, engrossed in something on his laptop. It was already 9 PM, and we had already enjoyed our dinner here in the garden. Despite my attempts to focus on my newfound crochet hobby, he remained by my side, his work laptop open beside him with a cup of coffee at his side, and a refreshing lemon juice placed before me.As I watched him work, I saw how he could be nice one minute and distant the next. He was confusing sometimes. Even though I was upset with him, I couldn't ignore how serious he was about his work. He didn't seem bothered by our argument. It made me appreciate him a bit, even though we were having issues.The garden was calm and peaceful. Even though the sun was setting and it was getting darker, it still felt pleasant being outside. The air wasn't too chilly, and it was comfortable sitting the