Underestimated her whole life, Lucy had a lot to prove. When her grandmother passed away, she was given a gift that will be her opportunity to give everyone the middle finger. And what she promises, she will do anything to fulfill. But that very gift turned into a curse when it became an object of desire by many, especially to Vincentio, a man who had something to prove as well. And what he desires he most certainly gets. When the fine line between passion and obsession gets blurry, will both of them get what they want in the end? Or will they both crash and burn by their own doing?
View More“I wish I’m rich.”
Andrew, my best friend, moaned tiredly across from me. We just finished up cleaning every inch of the flower boutique.
“Don’t we all?”
He narrowed his eyes on me. “You’re Lucy Silvera. So, no, you don’t.”
“No, I don’t,” I agreed, perusing through some old documents. “I’m just humoring you so you’d shut up.”
“I still can’t believe you rejected her offer. We’re talking about a thousand dollars here!”
I rolled my eyes.
'Here we go again.'
Ever since my grandma has left me the boutique in her will, businessmen have come and surveyed the property for their new ventures. Each time I stomped one of them, another one pops up like pesky cockroaches. I was told over and over that the boutique’s location is ideal for a new business. The nerve of some of them telling me to get with the times as if the flower business was obsolete.
Although, I had to admit it has been a struggle. I’ve only had thirteen customers come in for the past three weeks and only three bought some plants. But there’s a reason my grandma had chosen me. She had trust in me that I wouldn’t just sell out to the highest bidder. She believed I could make this thrive and I will. I wasn’t there for her in her final moments so I at least have to do this for her.
“Do your parents know you’ve just flushed down a money’s worth of 4-bedroom with 2 bathrooms 2-story house?”
“That’s strangely specific.”
“Do they?” he prodded on.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. They have ways of finding out.”
I’ve been avoiding my family and for good reason. They all want the money. So, imagine their shock and anger when they found out that the title of the land and the shop were passed on to me.
“Good luck with that, babe,” Andrew said, standing up. “I’m going to get some fresh air.”
I shook my head at him. His definition of fresh air is one tinted with nicotine and he's a yoga instructor at that.
Not a minute has passed when he came back inside.
I raised my eyebrows at him. “That was quick.”
He looked like he'd seen a ghost. “Oh my God.”
“What happened?”
“Oh. My. God,” he said again, staring at me with huge eyes. I started to feel annoyed.
“Oh my God, what is it?”
Andrew took a drag of his cigarette and then coughed as the smoke went down into the wrong pipe. “Longoria. The billionaire. Outside. Man with suitcases. Coming in,” he wheezed.
He pounded on his chest. I tried to process his broken-up words while snatching his cigarette and throwing it into a nearby bin. I hated the smell of it and another worse thing about it is that the horrid smell sticks.
A firm knock resounded. We both froze, even his coughing stopped for a second.
I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous. “Who is it?”
“Vincentio Longoria.”
“It’s the son. The heir himself!” Andrew exclaimed dramatically in a hushed voice, eyes still watering from coughing.
“Why is he here?” I whispered back.
I didn’t know why we’re whispering like little girls talking about their crushes. I had heard of his name though. Who doesn’t? The Longorias practically owned everything by now. Lucius Longoria was known as the ruthless businessman who built an empire of beverages, hotel chains, and pharmaceuticals; among other things. Many had quivered merely in his presence.
His son on the other hand, according to the magazines, was much kinder and amiable. Although, for the last two years he had been missing from the spotlight. No one knew why.
And now, he's here, knocking on my door.
“Miss Silvera? Can we come in?” A lighter voice, different from the first one, asked from the other side.
'At least it’s not the father.'
I tried reassuring myself. I can handle this guy like those other pesky insects. I’ll just have to imagine him as a cockroach so it’ll be easier to get rid of him.
I opened the door and braced myself.
“Welcome to ‘The Secret Garden’,” I greeted with a wide smile on my face.
Without bothering to look at me, two broad-shouldered men strode inside.
I could see why many people are interested in him despite his father being the magnate. Vincentio had that striking elegance in the way he looked that drew you in. He walked with an air of importance as if he already knew he didn't belong there. He gave the place a once-over, his steely eyes cold and unimpressed.
“Charming,” he drawled.
'This is the kind and amiable Longoria?' If he was, then I was not looking forward to meeting his dad.
I crossed my arms, all pretense of pleasantries now gone. “How can I help you?”
“I think it’s obvious why I’m here.”
“Flower arrangements?” I asked innocently. His blue eyes flashed.
“I don’t appreciate getting mocked at, Miss Silvera.”
“And I don’t appreciate arrogant suits barging into my shop. So, if you’re not here to browse for flowers, you can leave. I’m busy.”
As the words left my mouth, he looked around the empty boutique. He raised his eyebrows pointedly.
“Oh? Let me take a wild guess; I’m the first customer of the day.”
I averted my eyes from his mocking face to the daisies on the corner. Damn him. It’s so hard to picture him like an insect when he had that perfectly structured jaw.
“I think you can spare me a bit of your time. It’s going to be quick.”
He sat on the stool, his back straight with confidence as he had me cornered.
“I’ve been eyeing this property for a while and it has come to my knowledge that I’m not the first to have shown interest in buying so I decided to come here myself and negotiate with you.”
My nose scrunched up in disdain. “If you’re smart, you’d also know that I rejected all their offers. What makes you think you’re going to change my mind?”
An arrogant smirk appeared on his face. He simply nodded to his associate.
The man placed the suitcase on the counter. As soon as he opened it, Andrew gasped beside me. I almost forgot he was there. Vincentio stared at us smugly.
“I’m offering you three-hundred thousand dollars. All in cash.”
“Vince.” Lysa looked surprised at seeing his fiance. Lorenzo’s eyes widened. Clearly, they didn’t expect he’d be there. She immediately left Lorenzo’s side and rushed to him, giving him a firm kiss on the lips. Vincentio’s mouth thinned.“You told me you’d be busy.”“I am busy.” His eyes flickered coldly to his brother. “But I see my brother is keeping you company. He’s always been a family man.”I stared back and forth at the drama unfolding before me. The tension in the air was palpable. I knew I shouldn’t be there but I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. Lysa’s parents were oblivious to this as they smiled when Vincentio put a hand on Lysa’s waist. What they didn’t notice was the warning grip he had on it as his veins popped.“Why don’t you join us, Vince? It’s your wedding too, you know. I’m sure your assistan
—and toppled to the bed with him. He pulled me to his chest. He definitely works out. I shook my head, trying to get out of his embrace and his intoxicating smell. “Vince-” “Shhh, just for tonight.” He rested his chin on my head as he got comfortable while my heart pounded against my ribcage. “We’re okay. We’re going to be okay,” he murmured. Oh my freaking God. I attempted to move his arm again but he let out a weak groan and tightened his hold around my waist even more. His rock-hard pecs weren’t doing anything to calm the images in my mind. It was a struggle shutting them out especially being this close to his face. When
“Man, this sure brought back some memories.” Fabian chuckled as he sauntered to the pitiful figure. “Vince.” He nudged him with his foot. “Dude, are you still alive?”I couldn’t stand to watch Vincentio’s body on the floor while Fabian just nudged him around so I moved towards them. I threw my bag on the couch and removed my blazer, rolling up my sleeves as I prepare to lift my boss.“Let’s get him into bed.”Fabian hauled him to his feet and almost toppled over from the effort. They were almost the same height but Vincentio clearly had a bigger build compared to his friend’s slim figure. I put his other arm around my shoulders and helped him move to his room. I was just glad his room wasn’t upstairs as his unconscious body was too heavy f
“Vincentio’s missing?” “Shh!” Fabian glanced around the lobby and pulled me along down the stairs leading to the parking lot. “What do you mean he’s missing?” “Gone. Lost. Presence unknown. Cannot be reached.” A chime echoed around the hollow lot as he pushed the button on his car key, unlocking it. He opened the passenger door of his sleek sports car before I could and I meekly got inside, still processing his words. Was he kidnapped? Fabian seemed awfully calm to consider the possibility. Maybe this has happened before? I have a hunch that this is related to Lysa and Lorenzo's affair. A small twinge of guilt suddenly went through me. When Fabian pulled out of the parking s
Vincentio had been avoiding me after our conversation in the cafe which was very inconvenient for me as my work revolved around him. I’ve been demoted to my desk all day, receiving people for him like a doormat. When I told him the news, I didn’t expect to get a silent treatment. I expected he’d get angry but that it wouldn't affect him that much as he seemed to detest Lysa during the charity gala. I had a feeling then that their engagement was just out of a business deal. It’s common in wealthy families, right? But he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did if that were the case. And yet, he was aware of it before I even told him. Is it also normal for marriages like that? To have their significant other cheat on them? Can it even be considered cheating when there’s no love in the first place? Vincentio didn’t seem like a man who would let himself get cheated o
It felt nice having someone to confide in other than my sister and Andrew. I clicked with Oz faster than I mostly do with people. He could be flirty at times but I chalked it up to be part of who he was. Plus, he's hot so it helped boost my self-esteem. I never knew having an attractive heterosexual male friend could be this beneficial. Days passed by fast and before I knew it, it's already Monday and I was at the office. I came bearing coffee and a bagel for Vincentio only to find out he wasn't there. I debated texting where the hell he was but I just ended up eating the bagel and washing it down with his no-sugar black coffee as I waited patiently for him. It tasted like sh*t. The door suddenly opened. "Is it true?" A furious voice bellowed and I quickly threw the cup of coffee in the bin. The man's brown eyes landed on me when he realized Vincentio wasn't in the room. I gulped. His angry expres
“Where were you?” I jolted back hard as a hand grasped my arm. “Whoa, calm down. It’s just me.” Vincentio’s green eyes suddenly appeared before me and I started to calm down but then I remembered what I just witnessed, and my heartbeat spiked up again. His eyes narrowed. “You look terrible. What happened?” After seeing Lysa got devoured by a man who was not Vincentio in the middle of the forest, I ran back to the hall and knocked back a few glasses of champagne, trying to erase the image from my eyes. I had been walking mindlessly around the place since then and that’s when Vincentio grabbed me. “Oh I was just- just looking around, you know,” I chuckled nervously, avoiding his eyes. “Like to stroll around? Yeah, I’m familiar with the concept,” he said dryly, “I’ve been searching all over. I guess it’s an oversight on my part. I should have saved your number. Give me your phone.
“AHHH!” I screamed. I took another long deep breath before I let rip another one into my pillow. Sleep did not come to me easily. I’ve gone to bed at eleven on the dot. It was now three in the morning and I was wide awake. All because of Vincentio Longoria. 'That damn billionaire.' I’ve been short-sighted. I was so focused on getting this over with that I forgot who I was dealing with here. There was just something about his presence that intimidates me still. Now that I think about it, it has a lot to do with the place. It’s his territory now that I was playing in. I needed to be more careful. Smarter. The sooner I do this right the swiftly I could take him d
“Are you wearing perfume?” Vincentio asked as I put this month's schedule on his table for him to sign. When I just stared at him weirdly, he clarified, “You smelled different from yesterday.” “Thanks, I guess.” “I didn’t say it smelled nice.” He handed me back the schedule after he signed and went back to reviewing the company’s metrics. I bit back my tongue from retorting. “Your secretary has compiled these from your old office to be disposed of.” I put another file in front of him. It took all of my willpower to resist slamming it on his face. “Should I throw it away?” Vincentio opened the thick folder gingerly, and sifted through it, his eyes seeming to search for
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