Greece
Rafael strode into his secluded beachfront villa after a day packed with meetings. This was his fourteenth time in Greece, and yet its impossibly blue waters and rugged islands never failed to leave him breathless.
This time, he had brought Alisha, his stunning girlfriend, to the sleepy island of Chios. Here, time seemed to slow, the air thick with the scent of olive groves and sun-warmed fig trees.
Alisha lay sprawled on the plush king-sized bed, waiting for him. Her heavy breasts were straining against the soft, crimson lingerie. When she saw his eyes roam on her barely covered sexy body, she leaned in towards him, giving him a clear view of her perfect, inviting duo. She ran her hands down her front and looked at him with those bewitching eyes.
He was bone-tired from meetings and needed a massage, but she had ignited a fire within him that could only be quenched when he sucked on those breasts until they were sore to the touch of his tongue.
He removed his jacket and pulled the tie off, quickly unbuttoning his shirt. Grabbing her by the waist, he snapped the thin strap of her panties while smashing his lips on hers. She pressed her body against his exposed chest, snaking her arms around his broad shoulders.
His skillful hands palmed her soft mounds and took them into his mouth. Her back arched up in response to his every lick, and she moved her hand over his pulsating member, stroking it fervently. Licking and biting her skin, he traveled down and dropped his head between her legs. As his rough tongue ran over her sensitive bundle of nerves, she thrashed on the bed, moaning from uncontrollable pleasure.
His phone, which he put on the side table before lunging at Alisha, buzzed quietly but in a nonstop manner.
"Aahh..." Alisha's fingernails dug into his naked chest as he ignored the call and continued pleasuring her.
"Just a second, must be something important," he said and reached for the relentlessly buzzing mobile.
It was his dad, and he could not have an open conversation with him while Alisha was close by. Antonio Castelo Carvalho and Lucas de Mello were business partners for two decades and had built a diamond empire together. They were titans of the industry, their reach extending far beyond precious stones—a web of automobile companies and casinos lined their pockets.
Despite their intertwined businesses, Rafael and Alisha had only met a year ago, their paths crossing in the cutthroat world of board meetings when Alisha returned with an advanced degree from London Business School. Sparks flew, not just from the clash of ideas, but from an undeniable attraction and ambition.
Rumors were floating around that their engagement was going to be announced alongside the official launch of another sports car model—a joint venture between their families where Alisha served as Vice President. The rumors were true; they wanted to mark their one year anniversary by throwing a gala to celebrate their business partnership and taking their private relationship to the next level.
But that was all until yesterday. A dark secret about Alisha's father, Lucas de Mello, had surfaced—shady dealings with high-flying rival companies, whispers of money laundering, and more when Rafael unintentionally dug through the paperwork for a diamond mining company they owned in Australia.
Rafael knew revealing Lucas's dirty dealings to his father would unleash chaos, potentially destroying his relationship with Alisha. But he couldn't stand by and watch his father's legacy crumble. After Antonio's wife got killed, this business was the only thing he lived for. Rafael was confident he would figure something to get his relationship out of the sticky situation.
"Did you call Ruhi yet?" his father's voice boomed through the phone.
Rafael glanced at Alisha, his heart heavy. He muted the call and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right back," he murmured, stepping back onto the balcony facing the Aegean Sea.
A light breeze rolled in from Turkey as he looked at the views with bitterness. He was done with his work meetings for the rest of his trip. He'd pictured his remaining days in Greece filled with lazy sightseeing with Alisha. Now, his father's demands loomed like a storm cloud.
"Dad," he said into the phone, his voice tight, "I already told you I won't call—"
"Rafael, listen to me!" his father interrupted. "Why don't you get it? You can't be with Alisha anymore. Blood runs thicker than water and this apple must have fallen real close to the tree."
"I don't care where the apple fell. She can't ruin anything even if she wants to. I haven't involved her in any of my main businesses and will put her at arm's length even in the future. But you can't tell me what to do with my personal life."
"It's not about what she's capable of. I need Samarth Bakul more than ever right now. He has leverage now, and his price is your hand in marriage to Ruhi. That bastard is a small fish, but he knows how to play this game."
Rafael scoffed. "I'm sure we can find a way to do without him or his daughter."
"We need him if you want us to be on the top for at least the next decade. Diamonds were first discovered in India, and it is the number one manufacturing hub. He is--"
"I know all about that Dad. I am not looking for a beginner's guide to diamonds. I was in the middle of something."
"Do whatever you want until tomorrow, but you are meeting Ruhi right after that. We have to move fast. Ruhi's father does not directly control the production and supply but has a stranglehold on the diamond market. If he sides with our rivals and backs that asshole de Mello, I assure you we are doomed." The threat hung heavy in the air.
Rafael sighed when he realized he couldn't keep Alisha in the dark anymore.
"Call Ruhi. Don't disappoint me. She must be waiting and wondering already."
'She can wait all her life,' he muttered under his breath.
"I will have to talk to Alisha. She's not going to disappear overnight and has a right to know what's happening."
"I don't want Alisha or her dad to know our plans. You will not tell her whose daughter Ruhi is until the wedding date is fixed."
Rafael hung up when he heard the word wedding. He was about to go back into the suite when his phone beeped, indicating a text message.
‘Hi Rafael, this is Ruhi. Call me when you get a moment. I have a plan.’
“The hell??” He got annoyed the minute he saw her name.
A few days earlier in a small college town in Florida The fiery red Mini Cooper roared to a stop, a vibrant contrast to the beige monotony of Lisa's suburban street. Ruhi hopped out to show off her car to her friend and grab breakfast from their favorite restaurant. Her day was busy and full of plans. She had to head out to Atlanta soon after breakfast to meet her long-distance boyfriend, Dhruv, for the winter break. "Ta-da!" She exclaimed, gesturing to the car. Isn't she a beauty? 300 horsepower, fully loaded, all-wheel drive." Lisa emerged from her house, a statuesque redhead with emerald eyes that widened at the sight of the car. "Wow, Ruhi, that's amazing! Totally suits your fiery personality." Ruhi grinned. "Right? I only went in for a test drive, but then they had this one in this incredible metallic red. I couldn't resist." Her gaze lingered on the car. "Two days later, and I'm still head over heels. Ready to roll?" "Yep, gimme a second. I'll give some dry treats to Romeo
Dhruvkept Ruhibusy on the call when she stopped forbreaks and to fill up gas in the car. Usually, when flying to meet him, she couldn't get out of the airport fast enough to run tohim. But as she drove to the parking lot of his condo,she gave in to the temptation of looking Rafael up before walking to themain door. It was chilly in Atlanta at 55F. She went back into the car and spelled Rafael'slong name in the search bar. Her heart jumped out of her chest when she saw his picture. The same hazelbrown eyes, shrewd and sparkling with the sort of gaze that can make people forget to breathe and a lot more. Memories of her trip to his dad's summer home thirteen years ago flooded her. She was twelve, and he was sixteen. Rafael's dad owned a place in Coonoor, a beautiful Indian town high up in the mountains called the Nilgiris or the Blue Mountains. Ruhi's family visited Coonoor when her dad wanted to complete a
December 31st AM | Sausalito, California "Ahh! This tiny town is like magic..." Ruhi jumpedin excitement as they got off the ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito. "Look at how the homes are clinging to the steep hillside! The skyline, the waterfront, wow!" She turned around in a full circle in awe. "I'm in love with California!!" She hugged Dhruv. "Correction: Northern California," Dhruv said, "I hate LA and anything SoCal." Ruhi had no idea what he meant. She visited a few places in the US but lived only in one place all four years. She did her MBA and stayed in the same town for work. "Thank you for getting a job here. Now I'm convinced I should also applyfor something and move." "Ask your soon-to-be fake husband to hire you in one of his companies. Your current boss will throw you out for missing work for so many days anyway." Ruhi suddenly got nervous when Dhruv brought u
"Ruhi! Hold on, what's the matter with you?" Dhruv caught Ruhi by the elbow just as she got into the elevator to go down the building."Nothing, we had plans to leave after dinner.""Yeah, but that was because we didn't expect him to ask us to stay back. Getting into that place for NYE needs reservations made months ahead. And the table we sat at, with the bay views and complimentary champagne, they charge over a hundred dollars to reserve that.""So what, Dhruv? I'm not interested in the bay views or champagne. I want to get out of here." She stepped out of the elevator and exited through the main door."Why are you yelling at me? And why are you so bothered by what that asshole said?""I think we should break up.""What? Ruhi, you didn't sip a drop of alcohol and are still talking nonsense.""I'm being serious. I can't do this anymore.""Is it because I stared at Alisha? I'm really sorry, Ruhi. It was only for a second, and i
Rafael stepped out of his car and so did five armedbodyguards from the two black cars that were following him."Ruhi, enough with your tantrums! I haven't complained even one bit about this morning." He followed her as she click-clacked her heels extra hard against the concrete floor when she heard the word 'tantrum'. She spun around when he caught up to her."I wish you complained. Instead of saying one or two classic jerk lines and be done with it, you are acting passive aggressive ever since the phone call. Is it my fault if you can't use those big eyes of yours with extra-long eyelashes to find me at the mall entrance? I was starving and was about to eat lunch when you called, but you talk like only your time is precious. I got time off from work after one year of slogging and guess how I'm spending it?""Don't blame me for your problems since you were born, Ruhi. We could have reached the lawyer's office by now if you didn't enjoy listening to yoursel
"Miss Ruhi Bakul, I believe this is a forced marriage on top of being a secret contract one?" Eddy Emhoff smirked at Ruhi."Yes??" She raised her eyebrow at him. Rafael's lawyer friend appeared pretty sarcastic and mean to her."Why would it matter if the wedding happens in San Francisco or Siberia? It's fake.""It's still a wedding, and my first one. I even know the color of the saree I want to wear. In my mind, I have planned it many, many years ago. Also, there is this sacred banyan tree in my hometown thatevery newly married couple visits for blessings. I have to take my husband there too, fake or real. I made a promise.""You made a promise to the tree?" Eddy mocked her and looked at Rafael with a 'She's a nutcase' expression."Yes, I did. Don't make fun of the tree."Rafael couldn't believe his ears. He took the paperweight from the loosely stacked contract papers,aimed it at her head, and did a mock throwwhen she was
Rafael tapped Eddy's office door with a key card when Emma got up from her desk and rushed to him."Oh, Mr. Carvalho. You didn't have to do it." She fidgeted with her fingers nervously and looked at the signed and stapledbunch of papers."I want you to make two copies of these and have them sentover to me." He handed her the contract."One copy for me too." Ruhi chimed in."Ignore her. She won't be getting a copy.""Why n--" She swallowed the lump in her throat when Rafael glared at her the way his dad typically does—the kind of look that turns legsto jelly.He gave Emma the key card back and grabbed Ruhi by thearm. He pulled her roughly out toward the elevator. Ruhi was shocked at his sudden change of demeanor."Rafael?!" She protested against his steely grip."Stop saying my name. And stop talking." He pushed the elevator button to reach the lobby."So you were just playing nice until---"
After sucking the air out of Ruhi's lungs, Rafael let her go. Her face was on fire from the rush of blood and the realization of what just happened.Even though she was twenty-five and considered herself an independent woman, she panicked about her parents' reaction when she saw the reporters continue clicking pictures. Her entire family, extended relatives included,were going tobrand her a shameless woman with no values or self-control.And Dhruv will probably say the same and break up with her."What did we do?" She whispered to Rafael in a panic. "What did YOU do?""I was left with no choice but to shut your mouth." His voice was husky but irritated."I have a boyfriend! What am I---""They don't need to know that. You have no filters or tact."He ignored the crowd and picked her up in his arms. With the intimate contact and his pleasant perfume, it took all of her willpower to not nuzzle his neck and take i