LOGIN“No, you can't do that to me," I said, my hands clenching at my side and the man just smirked as he stared at me.
I worked hard to be here, I worked tirelessly for that prize and then he's just going to look at me and tell me I don't look competent enough. Who does that? “I just did," he said smugly because he knew he had the upper hand. He didn't care that I was throwing a tantrum or being dramatic. He really wanted me gone. The fucking hot handsome bastard. I took deep breaths deciding to do this another way. “Is this how you do business Mr De Vito?" I asked as I crossed my arms and he just raised a brow wondering what I was going on about. I walked towards him ignoring his dangerous gaze as I stood behind his chair, then I leaned down so that my lips were close to his ear. “Are you saying you're going to refuse a potential client just because they don't look like a potential client?" I asked and I noticed the way his jaw clenched. I wasn't stupid, he knew that the argument I was bringing was one I'd win. “I never reject potential clients," he said and I smirked but he couldn't see me, “How do you know potential clients when you don't give them a chance?" My fingers brushed his shoulder before I calmly returned back to my seat as I pulled the chair and sat down, then I turned to him with a smile. "Until I am sure that I am as incompetent as you claim Mr De Vito, I am not leaving here, I am going to prove myself to you," his jaw ticked but he didn't say anything and I couldn't help the victorious smirk that took over my lips. I knew that this was far from over. Men like him hated being wrong. But he was a challenge I was willing to conquer. The maids who had been standing in a corner came back to serving breakfast as we ate in a tense silence. As we ate, my eyes couldn't help but look at him. He was a very interesting man, that was obvious. He looked so focused on eating his food. He could eat me if he wanted, I wouldn't mind. Emily! You're supposed to be mad at him. This man was just trying to end your dream but here you are having nasty thoughts about him. Are you stupid?! My internal voice yelled at me and to prove that I was indeed stupid, I pressed my legs together when my eyes looked at his veiny hands. I couldn't stop the image of him choking my neck with that strong hand while he slammed into me. I pressed my legs even harder. His eyes met mine so I quickly removed my eyes as I turned back on my food. When we finished eating Mr De Vito stood up and walked out of the dining room and I followed as I blew a kiss at Janet thanking her for the food. Outside the house the car was waiting and I was confused as to which car I would be leaving with. Would I be leaving with Mr De Vito or in my own official car? Angelo had basically told me that I was like Mr De Vito's wristwatch since men didn't carry handbags like women, you get what I mean. So I was to follow him everywhere he went like his shadow because as much as I would be working with him as a junior architect, I would also be learning from him. “Listen to me,” Mr De Vito suddenly stopped turning to me with his intimidating eyes trying to scare me but I kept my head high. "You see that little act you did there, isn't going to save you from what I have planned out for you,” he whispered as he leaned down and I just smiled looking up at him. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be the one packing your bags and going back to wherever the fuck you came from,” my smile only broadened and his jaw ticked. "Well, good luck trying sir. We should probably get going to work, I wouldn't want to piss my boss off by showing up late on my first official day, would I?” I said with a smirk as his cold eyes narrowed. Mr De Vito straightened as he put his hands in his pocket, and then he moved aside for me to enter the car. I did a mock curtsy before I entered into the car and I heard him mutter something under his breath but I didn't catch what it was. I wasn't going to let him break me. He doesn't know how many sleepless nights I had before I made the designs that gave me this prize. I wasn't going to fold my hands and let him ruin my plans. Whether he was Mr De Vito or not. The ride to company was quiet and filled with tension. I'd occasionally glance at Mr De Vito who looked lost in his thoughts as he kept rubbing his hand on his chin. Poor man must be so stressed. I could offer him a good solution, I know a very good way to relieve stress but I had a feeling he wasn't going to like my suggestion so I kept it to myself. The car stopped in front of the company as I opened the door and quickly turned around and walked to Mr De Vito's side. He didn't wait for me, he just walked into the company and I hurriedly followed him with the sound of my heels clicking against the polished floor. We got into the elevator and I released a breath after the little run to keep up with Mr De Vito's long strides. We finally reached his office floor and I quietly followed behind. “Morning sir," Angelo greeted as he stood up, he turned to me with a smirk and I smiled. Mr De Vito stopped in front of Angelo's office and I stopped too. “Angelo, I need all the files on the Blue Haven project brought to my office, now," he said. I could see the way Angelo's brows crunch in confusion but he didn't ask any questions. Mr De Vito continued on his way to his office and I quickly followed him. He opened the door and walked in leaving it open for me. He walked to his table and got settled while I walked to the desk that was created for me inside his office. I felt eyes on me and turned to see Mr De Vito looking at me. “You want to prove yourself to me right?" He asked as he picked a pen on his table and started twirling it around his fingers. “Yes, that is what I said sir," I said and just then the door opened as Angelo walked in holding a bulk of documents he could barely carry. Mr. De Vito smirked before turning to me. “Angelo, drop the documents on Miss Ross' table," he said and I felt my heart stop as Angelo walked to my table and dumped the documents. “I want everything done before the end of today, no mistakes,"The sound of little feet echoed through the wide hallway, followed by laughter that bounced off the tall walls. Nico’s voice rang out, full of excitement. “Dad! Mom! Our new house is so big!” I turned my head and saw him running, his tiny arms stretched out like he was flying. His eyes sparkled as he darted from one side of the living room to the other, stopping only to peek into the rooms as if each door hid a treasure. “Wow! It’s endless!” he shouted, spinning in a circle before running again. Lorenzo’s deep laugh filled the air, warm and rich. He leaned against the doorway, his eyes following Nico’s every move with pride and amusement. Then he turned to me, and that look he always gave me—the one that made my knees weak no matter how many times I saw it—softened into something only meant for me. He reached out, pulling me against him in one swift motion. Before I could catch my breath, his mouth was on mine. The kiss was deep, hungry, yet tender, as if he was reminding himself
The gala was in full swing. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above the ballroom, casting golden light across polished marble floors. Music floated through the air, soft and elegant, while laughter and voices filled every corner of the vast hall. People from all over the world had come tonight—architects, businessmen, politicians. All dressed in their finest, all sipping champagne, all smiling as though nothing dark could exist in this world. But my eyes weren’t on them. They were scanning the room, searching for only one face. Emily. I told myself I would keep calm, wait for the right moment, wait for Carter’s signal. But the second she stepped through the tall glass doors, the second I saw her walking into the light in that dress—my heart skipped a beat so strong it almost hurt. God. She looked so beautiful. Her brown hair spilled over her shoulders, her dress hugged her body perfectly, and her eyes… they shone like they always did, soft yet strong. She blended into the crowd, try
The moment I pushed open the front door, I barely had time to take a breath before a small body came rushing toward me. “Mama!” Nico’s little arms wrapped tightly around my legs, squeezing with all his strength. His soft hair brushed against my hands as I bent down to scoop him into my arms. His warmth, his laughter, the way his little heart beat against mine—it was all I needed after the storm of emotions I had just been through. I kissed the top of his head, inhaling the sweet scent of his shampoo. “Oh, baby… I missed you.” “You said you’d come back soon,” he said, his voice muffled against my neck. “And you did.” Tears pricked my eyes again, but this time they weren’t only from pain—they were from relief. From hope. I set him gently on the ground, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “Mommy kept her promise.” From the living room, I heard Jane’s voice. “Finally! I thought you were never coming home. You’ve been gone for hours.” I stepped into the room, trying to gather
The elevator doors closed behind me with a soft sound, and I let out a shaky breath. My hands wouldn’t stop fidgeting with the strap of my bag. I had done this hundreds of times before—meeting new clients, walking into big offices, putting on a confident smile. It was part of my job. But today, my heart felt heavier than usual. Mr. Ricardo had called me earlier in the week. He told me he had referred me to one of his close friends, someone who needed my services. He didn’t tell me much about him, only that he was powerful, private, and a man I could trust. Trust. The word twisted something in me. Because trust was not something I gave easily anymore. Still, I agreed. Work was work, and I needed to keep pushing forward—for Nico, for our future. So here I was, climbing floor after floor in a glass elevator, trying to shake the uneasy feeling sitting low in my stomach. I thought of Nico as the numbers lit up above the doors. He hadn’t wanted me to leave. He’d clung to me tightl
The study was quiet. Too quiet. I paced back and forth, the hem of my silk robe brushing against my ankles, my bare feet sliding across the rug. My chest was tight, my breath shallow. Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones. The house was big, but I knew he was here. I could feel his presence upstairs. Lorenzo. He had come home earlier, but something about him was…different. He hugged me, yes. He smiled at me, yes. But it wasn’t the same. His touch was stiff, his eyes sharp in a way I hadn’t seen in years. It wasn’t the dazed, foggy look I had grown used to. It scared me. I clutched my phone tighter in my hand, pressed it to my ear, and whispered, “Something’s wrong, Alberto. I don’t know what, but something’s wrong.” His deep, smooth voice came through the line. “Calm down, Amanda. You’re imagining things again.” “No, I’m not,” I hissed, turning to face the door as if Lorenzo might be standing there listening. “He looked at me tonight like he knew. Like he saw through
The moment I stepped into the house, I caught the faint scent of her perfume. Sweet, cloying, suffocating. Amanda. Before I could even take a full breath, she came flying down the marble staircase like a predator who’d just spotted her prey. Her silk robe flared around her legs, her blonde hair cascading down in perfectly arranged waves. “Enzo!” she squealed, voice dripping with honey, though I heard the venom beneath it. And then she was on me—arms wrapping tightly around my neck, her lips pressing to my jaw before I could dodge. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to shove her away, to peel her arms off me and hurl her to the floor where she belonged. But I couldn’t. Not yet. Not until I finished this game. So I forced my muscles to soften, forced my arms to rise and encircle her in what must have looked like a lover’s embrace. Inside, I was seething. I could feel my skin crawling where her body pressed against mine. To think that I had lived with her…slept beside her…trus







