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Chapter Twenty Six

Author: The Penaholic
last update Last Updated: 2024-11-05 22:52:32

Zara

I woke up at five today. Last night’s sleep was fitful; I was too anxious to sleep. I tossed and turned before I managed to get some shut eye at about 2:00am. Two hours of sleep.

I tried to force myself to go back to bed but all efforts proved abortive. So, I came down to the kitchen to get a glass of warm milk. I haven’t had caffeine in awhile and the sight of the coffee machine almost has me drooling.

No, Zara ,think of your baby.

I take a seat on one of the stools around the kitchen island. The last time I was here at Marcello’s parents, I didn’t have a good look at other places except the dinning and living rooms.

The kitchen is made with neutral colors of black, white and grey. The most fascinating part of it all is the sink. It’s not your conventional sink, which comes in basin form. This one is made of black granite and bears the same structure with the entire island, save for the drainage at the corner.

Money sure can do a lot.

Someday, I would love to have a ki
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  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Twenty Seven

    ZaraThe makeup artist and hairdresser arrived at a few minutes to eleven a.m. I was already showered and waiting. My hair and makeup took almost two hours and my bum is sore from sitting in one position for such a long time. My hair has been gathered into an elegant updo ; a coiffure I believe with millions of pins holding it together. The makeup artist worked her magic and my once dull complexion is glowing — smokey eyes and nude lips. I look regal.My dress is made with cord lace. It has a sweetheart neckline that pushes that holds my breasts elegantly. I thought the lack of sleeves would make the dress too slutty but that is not the case. The waist cinches and flows to my feet in a combination of lace and tulle. I look…beautiful.A knock sounds on the door and mom and dad walk in. Mom immediately tears up at the entrance and walks to me with outstretched arms. “ You look so beautiful, honey. I’m so proud of you.”“ Thanks mom”

    Last Updated : 2024-11-06
  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Twenty Eight

    ZaraThe girls managed to drag me out of my self-sabotaging mission. The plan was to sit there and make the day as uneventful as possible; that way, I’ll forget about it in no time. It was time for the couple first dance and I was sat there , deliberating on whether or not to do it. Marcello had shot endless lasers at me from his eyes but I refused to budge. Thankfully, Valerie and Emily started chanting “Zara! Zara! Zara!” and soon, everyone else joined in. With the spotlight now turned from networking to me, I had no choice but to give in. Marcello plastered a wide, albeit fake smile on his face and started dancing towards me. I had to hold in my gag at the sight. What a pretentious jerk.I reciprocated with an equally wide smile of my own and glided towards him, as gracefully as my dress would let me. We danced to Beyonce and Ed Sheeran’s classic. Once he held me in his embrace, one hand placed firmly on the small of my back, I found myself melting into his touch. He led the danc

    Last Updated : 2024-11-10
  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Twenty Nine

    ZaraIt is my first time stepping foot into Marcello’s house, which is about to be my house too for the next four years. Earlier on in the week, I had sent my luggage through Mr. Philip, Marcello’s driver. I felt there was no need to come see the place myself. It is Marcello Andres; he wouldn’t be living in a shack.And I was right…This place is no shack at all. The driveway opens into a lush entrance, lined with trees on both sides. There’s a fountain in the middle; nothing grand but the size does nothing to take away the beauty of the scenery. The main building is a modern architectural structure made with 70 percent glass. From my vantage point, I can see the interior clearly and it is breathtaking.Valerie notices me staring, mouth agape and she nudges me with her elbow. “ What ? Never been to your husband’s house ?”Well, damn. It’s just day one and I’m about to get caught. “Pfft ! Of course I’ve been here before”She gives me a skeptic look “ uh huh”“ For real. I’ve just… nev

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  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Thirty

    MarcelloAs soon as I step into the house, Celine informs me that ‘ Mrs. Andres’ is upstairs, in her room. I have half the mind to make her choke on those words but I hold myself back. Suddenly telling the staff to call my ‘wife ‘ by her name will seem too suspicious.Taking the stairs two at a time, I make for my room, loosening my tie and unbuttoning my shirt. I step into my room and go straight for the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes and undergarments in my wake. The cascade of hot water loosens the knots on my neck and shoulder. Today went better than I expected . The deal I have been trying to close with Crest Holdings, finally found headway today. A slight smile tugs at my lips. It’s safe to say that Mr. Simon was completely sold at the event today. He had approached me with a huge grin and I dare say, new found respect in his eyes. As he shook my hands, he said “ Marriage is an honorable institution. Welcome to the league of family men”Then he proceeded to say, “ Abou

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  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Thirty One

    ZaraIt’s been one whole week and I haven’t set my eyes on the man they call my husband. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for the privacy and not having to see him, puts me in a much better mood. We were supposed to visit Bali after the wedding but I didn’t want to go with Marcello and thankfully he saved me the stress of having to talk him out of it. When his family called to ask if we were already on our way to our honeymoon, I had come up with a lie on the spot, saying I didn’t feel too good to fly and Marcello promised to arrange something better later.Instead, I gave the tickets to Valerie and Emily to go on my behalf. The girls were a bit hesitant, claiming they would be robbing me of a once in a lifetime event and I simply told them that I could have as many honeymoons as I wanted to, much later.The morning after the wedding, I simply could not bring myself to go out and face the people in the house. In fact, I wasn’t ready to face reality. But, sometime around noon, Emily

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  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Thirty three

    ZaraYou know the thing about people who see you wanting to be alone and go ahead to talk to you? They’re evil. That’s why I think it’s very beneficial to learn social cues and expressions while you’re at it. You see a person nose- deep in a book or doing everything to avoid eye contact? Leave them alone.This morning, after I was dressed for work , I went down for breakfast. Lo and behold, I found Marcello already on the table, sipping on coffee and working on his iPad. That or he was commissioning the execution of the person who stepped on his toes last night. You never can tell.Anyway …I sat down at the other end, far away from his overbearing self , while waiting for my breakfast to be served. I could feel his eyes on me, but I decided there and then that every other thing in the room, was more interesting than him. Of course, he didn’t get the cue, he had to go and talk to me.I think he said , “ childishness really becomes you”And you know I’m usually very quiet and put tog

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  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Thirty three

    ZaraMaria didn’t let me spend a penny. The moment I stretched my card towards the cashier, she pushed my hand away and replaced it with hers. All my protests fell on deaf ears, even when I offered to split the bill. When people spend on me without strings, it burdens me. I feel indebted to them. I’ll definitely have to bake some treats for Maria this weekend. Mr. Phillip picked us up after we were done shopping and Maria has been dropped off already. She almost invited me in for dinner but one look at my tired face, had her changing her mind. Thank God for that , because a warm bath and a good night’s rest, sounds about lovely right now.As I walk into the house, I notice that something is way off in the atmosphere. Everyone seems to be looking at me a certain way. Even Celine who has no more than two expressions, is looking at me with …pity? And Julio looks kinda nervous. StrangeThe staff all help to bring in the shopping bags and I make my way up to my room. Only, as soon as I a

    Last Updated : 2024-11-27
  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Thirty Four

    ZaraThe insistent ringing of my phone is what wakes me up . Whoever it is, better have something important to say, because right now, it feels like a tiny person is practicing rugby in my head. I reach for my phone on the nightstand, with groggy eyes. I see a number of missed calls from Valerie and Emily-Rose, even my mum.My brows furrow and something like panic registers in my subconscious. I go to call mum back but another call from Valerie comes through. I swipe immediately and Valerie’s voice filters through the receiver. “ I’ve been trying to reach you for hours now. Take your calls , damnit!” She sounds panicked. “ I was still asleep and I didn’t hear the phone ring. I went to bed late last night”The line stays quiet, just the sound of our breathing being heard. The anxiety in me spikes. “ Valerie”? I call outShe lets out a deep sigh and says “ I saw the news.”Huh?“What news?”“ The one about your dick of a husband”Now, that’s strange. Valerie may think Marcello is insu

    Last Updated : 2024-12-03

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  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty Six

    Marcello’s POV I have never experienced fear like I did today. One minute I was smiling at the brief conversation I shared with Zara, and the next, I received a call that a strange man had abducted her. I ran like a mad man all the way to the control room and when I saw the video, I was paralyzed on the spot. Because there was no time to waste, I started barking out orders to track the vehicle that the abductor left in. After an unsuccessful hour of searching every security camera on the roads leading away from the company, did I receive a text. The text contained an address and a note to come alone. I tire out of there like a mad man to the garage. I barely got into the driver’s seat before Michael stopped me. I had punched him square on the jaw then but he quickly regained his balance and stopped me. “ Cello! Listen to me , man. You’re in no state to drive.”“ They took her, Mike. I don’t even know who did this. It’s all my fault. What if something happens to her?”But, he was q

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty Five

    Zara’s POV “Okay, Beatrice, am I supposed to know who you are?”She maintains the wide grin on her face but I see her left eye twitch a little. She flips her hair and continues. “ It’s Brenda”“ That’s what I said”She looks like she wants to slap me. The feeling is mutual. She gives me a cursory gaze from head to toe. " you're quite the plain Jane. I wonder what he sees in you."" excuse me?"“ you're excused.""Look here, you..."she raises her palm as if to signal me to stop talking.Marcello will be here soon so why don’t you run along and wait for him inside?”“Let me out of here and I promise I won’t make you pay for it.” She cackles loudly, dry and scratchy, like nails on a chalkboard. I have to physically restrain myself from wincing. She traces a line down the side of my face with her nail and lifts my chin with one finger. “I don’t think you quite get it , honey. I call the shots around here , not you. I’ve been very civil with you so far. We don’t want that to change, do

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty Four

    Zara’s POV The thing about regret is that it comes so belatedly. It waits until you’ve gotten so caught up in your actions , then it shows it’s face. I should have listened to him . I should have stayed home when he asked me to but I wouldn’t be Zara Parkinson if I became pliant.After I left Marcello’s office, I decided to go home because I had had enough for one day. My feet ache and there was a dull throbbing in my temple. It wasn’t until I got to the underground parking lot that I noticed something was off . I felt a presence behind me but when I turned , I saw nobody. Still, I couldn’t shake off the eerie feeling.I rushed to Mercedes C300 that Marcello let me use and searched frantically for my car keys in my handbag. But, just before I could insert the key, a heavy body slammed into me from behind. In the process, I slammed my belly against the car. Pain like I have never felt engulfed me, from my stomach to every part of my body. I scanned the vicinity for an escape opening

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty Three

    Marcello’s POV We sit in silence as the minutes go by. I am hyper aware of the passing minutes, of the sound of cars and people below. The scenery outside does nothing to calm my beating heart. I look at the woman opposite me . She is staring at the floor, fingers tracing the material of her dress nervously. I want to push her to tell me but I know she needs time to gather her thoughts. The chime of a clock, buildings away, breaks the silence. She looks up at me and meets my gaze already trained on her. I smile softly at her, in a bid to give her a semblance of reassurance. It’s all I can do to not think about what she called me earlier. Baby …The words left her mouth so easily but my pulse has been thrumming quietly since. I want to ask her who the clown outside is and why she looks so unlike herself. I also am in a dilemma, as to whether I am ready for what her endearing term entails. Yes, I know I call her some names but only because I enjoyed her reactions at first. Now, it h

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty Two

    Marcello’s POVAt this point, not listening to me is a full time job for Zara. She always feels the need to counter everything I say and blows little things out of proportion at any given time. She makes me want to pull out all my hair in frustration or preferably spank the attitude out of her. With this lunatic moving free, all I want to do is keep her safe but she just had to take my good intentions and spit on it. I don’t know what to do to make her listen to me but one thing’s for sure, it’s gonna be fucking difficult. Yesterday, after she stormed out like a brat, I had to put a secret security detail on her ass. He reported her every movement to me and even though it’s not the way I wanted it, she actually stayed out of the office yesterday, for which I was thankful.The landline rings and my secretary informs me that my 12 o’clock appointment is here. If I had my way, I wouldn’t meet him. He was one of those startup business owners who felt like big conglomerates you owed them

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty One

    Zara’s POVMarcello intercepts me at the foot of the stairs as soon as I step off. My heart almost jumps out of my chest at his sudden appearance and I trip over my feet but he catches me just in time for any major damage to occur. “ Hey! Pregnant woman here. Don’t just jump out of places”He scans my face “ You okay ,Sugar? I didn’t mean to scare you”I scoff at his ridiculousness. “ Am I okay?” Hitting his chest with balled fists, I step out of his embrace. Stupid hard chest. Stupid handsome face. Scaring me so early in the morning.Regarding him, I notice his scrunched brows and the tension in his shoulders. He wears his usual brooding look but something tells me all is not well. I hope not. Still, I can’t help but worry.“ You good? You ran out earlier like your ass was on fire. What’s the reason you almost caused me to have a premature birth?”He regards me with bored eyes . “ Very funny, Sugar.”He says nothing further but by the look in his eyes , he is debating whether to t

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Sixty

    MARCELLO’S POV I thought I would catch up on a bit of work before I have to go to the office but the thought of Zara keeps filtering through my mind. Acquiring a company seems like roses and extra profit on the surface, but so much work has to go in to make sure everything works without any hitch. So far, I have done some major balancing on the accounts through the merger. I know that the company employs only competent hands but I cannot afford to have mistake. Those are expensive and that’s why I have been working myself to weariness. She is fast asleep and has been for hours now but I can’t seem to catch a wink of sleep. She acts like she hates my guts most of the time but her actions tonight were on the contrary. Going as far as cooking meal when she can hardly stand on her own was what got to me the most. And that little peck on my lips earlier? Goddammit! I’m acting like a hormonal teenager. I have tasted every inch of the woman’s body but it’s that little kiss that has me ac

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Fifty nine

    Zara’s POV I open my eyes to a silent room. The lights in here are dim and the atmosphere of the room feels cozy. I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion. Marcello wasn’t exactly gentle with me; not that I’m complaining. I heard him leave some minutes back, and that’s after he made sure to wipe me off with a wet rag. That was embarrassing as hell but it felt…nice.Sitting up, I scan the room in search of my clothes and find them folded neatly on one corner of the bed. I pick up my sore body and get dressed. I choose not to dwell on what transpired earlier in this place. The last few times were filled with me questioning my decision but this time, I’m just going to let it be. I can’t claim any innocence on this matter; after all , I reciprocated just as much as I was given. And I’m definitely not going to overthink the onslaught of emotions I felt today either. If I ignore it, maybe, just maybe , it’ll go away. I walk the hallway quietly as if there are other people on this floor

  • APHRODISIA    Chapter Fifty eight

    Zara’s POV Thankfully, the whole tabloid thing dies off in days. The company has been doing well , judging by how much Marcello has been cooped up in the office. And when he comes home, he barely sleeps, throwing himself into more work. I’m not gonna lie, I’m a bit worried for his health. He’s riding the wave of the recent increase in revenue that he’s neglecting himself. What the man does may not be my business but he has done his best to make sure that I do not want for anything during my pregnancy journey. So, I’m going to try to re turn the favour. I ask Mr. Phillip to stop by the local mart, so I can pick up a few things I may need. Last time, he cooked me a Mexican rice dish that I very well remember the taste of but can’t for the life of me, seem to remember it’s name. I just remember that it was rich in protein and veggies. So, I stock my cart with a healthy serving of beef and every other vegetable that looks good. On my way to the counter to check out the items I picked,

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