MasukThe pain in my chest wouldn’t go away. It had been a week since I broke it off with Nero, and I wish I could say I felt any better. I didn’t. If anything, I felt worse. I had taken time off work because, since that night, I couldn’t get out of bed even to eat. I felt numb and hurt at the same time. I had to be at work in two days, and I couldn’t comprehend how I was going to get anything done when I felt like shit.I truly thought Nero and I would last longer, but we didn’t get to finish the six months together. How could I have known someone for such a short time and felt so deeply for them?He had taken everything there was to give—my heart, my soul, and my sanity and left me with nothing. Moving forward was starting to feel impossible by the second.“You can’t sulk forever,” Lily said as she opened the curtains in my room, blinding me.I screamed for her to close them, and she did. She had stayed with me for a week, no matter how much I had asked her to leave. I didn’t want to be
I didn’t even get to the kitchen before he grabbed me and dragged me back to my bedroom. He locked my bedroom door and adjusted his suit. He put his hands in his pockets and smiled like he was elated.He was hard through his pants. He was turned on that I tried to run away from him, and he had to chase me.“Let’s talk,” Nero stated.I shook my head and turned away from him. I didn’t want to speak to him. I was too mad. He and I had barely spoken for a while, and he suddenly reappeared in my life, acting like everything was fine.“I don’t want to speak to you.”“I don’t want to speak to you either, birichina. Not here. We’re going back home, and then I will punish you for refusing me.”I turned around, stunned that he dared to say something like that. I barely had any time to call him out on it before he grabbed me and put me over his shoulders. He carried me out like a sack of potatoes while I screamed and punched his back.All my efforts were wasted since he was made of steel.He thr
A week. That was how long it had been since I last saw Nero. He still didn’t respond to my calls, and he didn’t speak to me. I cried myself to sleep two times that week, neglecting to count my birthday.I was sick of thinking of him and being alone at the house. Luca was back in school, and I didn’t have anyone to keep me company but Lily, so I stayed over at her house.I pretended to be happy in front of her because I didn’t want her to keep worrying about me and carrying the burden of my problems all the time. She was like a sister to me. She couldn’t keep saving me from my mistakes.The only thing that kept me occupied was trying to find out all the information I could get on Lorenzo and his late wife. I was digging into his life, and it made me feel weird and ungrateful.But it was necessary. I didn’t like what I was finding. Lorenzo and his wife had a nasty divorce, and then she disappeared.Lorenzo was the main suspect in her disappearance since he had told her on countless occa
My party was in all the gossip blogs when I woke up. That was a reason I loathed high society. Gossip was the norm to the point that you couldn’t sneeze without anyone putting it on Instagram, blogging it, or tweeting it.They were calling it the party of the year. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel as proud as everyone did of the party. All I wanted was for Nero to be there, and he wasn’t. That alone had me so distraught that I didn’t even enjoy half of it.But in Nero’s classic fashion, he got me priceless gifts. There was a burgundy couture Oscar de la Renta gown from the fall collection of the year two thousand that I wanted for ages, a few more rare jewelry pieces, and Jimmy Choo heels—my favorite.It had to be illegal to know a girl so well that you got her the dress and shoes of her dreams and then ditch her to go to Chicago on her birthday.He gave me more gifts because he felt guilty for the fact that he wasn’t going to be near New York when I wanted him to be.I refused to speak t
Lily looked away.“I don’t know, Serena. I have tried calling him, but he’s not answering. Call him. I’m sure he’ll take your call.” She said.“He’ll probably be here later, Lily. He can’t plan all of this and refuse to show up. I can’t believe he bought the hotel. Could it have been for my birthday, or did the purchase happen to fall around the same time?” I asked.Lily gave me a deadpan look.“He obviously bought it for your birthday. Oh God, I want a billionaire to love me. This is amazing. He planned it himself and made sure to coordinate with me to make sure everything was to your liking.”I blushed.There was a whole section of gifts I had received from people. I started interacting with people when I noticed Luca with Zio and Matteo. I didn’t think Zio Lorenzo would show up at a party with young people, but he was there.I met him halfway and hugged him. Despite my growing concerns regarding all the information he was keeping from me, he was my family. I wouldn’t just stop lovi
It was my birthday. When I woke up, there was a note on my bedside table from Nero. He told me happy birthday and left me flowers and a box. It looked small enough to hold jewelry, and I immediately opened it.There were limited-edition pieces there. I didn’t even want to know the price of some. All I knew was that I was going to rock that jewelry when I went out with Lily and some of our mutual friends to celebrate my party.I was about to go down for breakfast when my phone rang. Lily wanted to FaceTime. I picked up immediately, and she sang for me. Despite the lack of talent we both had for singing, it made me happy to hear her tell me that.“Thank you. I don’t know what to say,” I said as I almost cried.We had been friends for years. I didn’t know if I would have survived half the shit I went through mentally if it wasn’t for her. She had always been there for me, and I for her.“I’ll see you later for something some of the girls and I are planning for you. Get ready to have fun.







