Brother...mother.I thought of the words over and over, wondering if the meaning had changed.Why couldn’t Matteo get a break from his family? It’s no doubt that they wanted money, but they abandoned him first. They have no right to his time or fortune.So why follow him?Desperation?With a sigh, I rest my back on the sofa as I watch the maids move food to the outside dining table.How do I soothe him?There was music and some shimmering light to lighten the ambience, but everything ‘family oriented’ feels lonely without Elizabeth. Was it the same for her when I was gone? "Your head seems far away. Are you okay?"Matteo asks as he slides his hand into mine.“What if your brother asks you for money?”It could be my imagination, but I feel as if Matteo’s lips twitched upward slightly at my question.“I thought you said we talk about this in the evening?”“I can’t help myself.”I answer and he presses a kiss to my lips."Olivia, why do you want me in the guest bedroom?"The question co
"I- hmm."Matteo begins speaking before he swallows his words.It's evident that he has never had to choose between family because his family has never been big enough.My hand squeezes his thigh from underneath the table, and he startles at the contact."He will support his family."I answer on his behalf."We are his family."Mum says, pressing me."Exactly, and Christopher is his family too. When the time comes, if the time comes, Matteo will make his decision, and there will not be consequences for following his heart.”I clarify, and Mum frowns.Matteo has a mother and half-brother, both want his money. Aside from me and the kids, his only other family is Christopher, while I have my family, friends and the occasional cousins once they are in the country.Unlike him, I have multiple people to run to, while he only has Christopher.A complicated expression forms on Matteo’s face before he speaks. "You mean that?”He asks."I do."“Even if I choose to help Christopher?”“Yes, even
“Your next marriage?”I ask, stunned by his blatant confidence.“You think Elizabeth will say yes?”“Yes.”He says softly, then reaches for something in his pocket: cigarettes and a lighter.After glancing at my belly, he shoves the pack back into his clothes, but the black lighter remains in his hand.“There aren’t enough guns in the world to threaten her to say yes-”“Do you honestly believe a gun is the scariest thing on earth?”Christopher says as he flicks the lighter on and off.“What is that supposed to mean?”“It means this and that are separate matters.”“Go to hell.”I whisper with ease before turning away from him.“Then at least tell me this; I dreamt that you and Blair sang ‘Wind Beneath My Wing’, and Blair’s mother also mentioned that she shared the same dream and that you said- ”“Stop talking!”I say, but the words sound like a cry tearing from my lips.If he had that dream then it means Blair forgives him. It means Blair wants him to be happy; it means Blair doesn’t w
Without a word, Matteo scoffs and walks with the kids in the direction of the car; I guess whether he is upset or not, we still have to head to his townhouse.After calming Luca, the kids went back to sleep relatively fast.The drive into town was quiet, and when we finally arrived at his beautiful, luxurious townhouse that even had a fountain in the pool and genuinely impressive facilities, he spoke,“Do you still regret loving me?”His voice was so small that I feared it would be carried by the wind.“Sometimes.”I respond as a plump maid with a bright smile opens the main door for us as if she knew we were coming.I follow Matteo up the grand staircase, ignoring the lift because I need to get my steps in despite the awkwardness.After we arrive in the kids' room and he places them each on their bed, I finally speak because the silence has grown too loud.“I- I never expected you to love me, so I thought it would be a memory that I cringe at later and when I finally meet someone els
Hello!So, the main story, Trillionaire after Divorce, is complete!I know most perhaps wanted to see Matteo caught on his schemes, but remember, Olivia’s biggest issue is falling in love too easily. When she is in love, she trusts the person she loves so much that she begins to doubt herself. That is why she begins fearing that one day, Matteo will go back to how he was when he didn’t love her, and she will be stuck defending him. (That is still her biggest fear).But because Matteo is good at calming her and because he shows openly how desperately he loves her, Olivia trusts him. Olivia says repeatedly that she is a fool for love, meaning she tends to ignore or explain away red flags unless they are obvious (That’s why she tells Matteo ‘don’t change’ in Chapter Forty: Ninja Librarian). (The only one who keeps her centred is Elizabeth, and she has been preoccupied for most of Act 2, allowing Matteo’s cunning side to thrive.)Matteo has always been a schemer. Don’t forget he was initia
"I'm not asking you; I'm telling you that that's too much chocolate."I say calmly, staring into my employee’s brown eyes.Of course, Reimund, my head baker and the co-owner of this pâtisserie, rolls his eyes at my words."Hah! I'll die before I take pastry advice from an amateur like you.""How am I an amateur when I studied under your tutelage?”I respond, but the door's bell echoes in the empty space, forcing both of us to halt our discussion and smile. We haven’t opened the shop yet, but it's only five minutes to seven, and since Mitchelle has taken a sick day, it's just Reimund and me. We might as well start serving now.As if Reimund did the math, too, both of us speak at the same time."Welcome to Ombré-”"Welcome to Ombré Gold pâtisserie."Noticing that he is the only one who finished the greeting, Reimund looks up at me, but I can't drop my gaze from the man standing at the door dressed in all black.Christopher.He looks like the Grim Reaper; the only thing warming him up is
"Please, Reimund."I plead, leaning over the counter as I soften my eyes."No.""But you like Henry!""A. I love Henry and B. I told you that I need to prepare for my date today. You were supposed to help me, you know.”"I'll fill in for you.""Unless you can grow a Penis, I don't think that is possible."Reimund says with his eyebrows furrowed.His French accent gets more noticeable the more agitated he gets. It even makes his sarcasm sting."I meant I'll fill in for you next week and do the closing shift today, not that I will fill in for your date.""No, you make mediocre coffee, and your pastries don’t have enough chocolate. ""Wha- hey!""Look, Riley.”He sighs.“I love you; I love Henry. I want to part my legs for the big man who came here the other day, so if you do not tell me his number, I will spread my legs to my beneficial friend.”“You mean your friend with benefits.”He glares at me at the correction and continues what he was saying.“I endured painful wax on Saturday, an
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