~Ethan ~
“Good morning, Sir.” My secretary greeted me as I walked towards my office door. “Good morning, Stella,” I responded with a wide smile as I headed into my office. As expected, it was all arranged and cleaned. I placed my briefcase on my table and slammed into my chair. I let out a loud sigh as I stared at the ceiling. I replayed what went down with Mia in my head again. It wasn’t the first time since last night, it was in my head throughout the night. I couldn’t forget how perfect and smooth her body was even though I wanted to so badly. Seeing her naked drove me insane, but I couldn’t show her that. I needed her to know that I didn’t get her out of the clubhouse just to use her. I just felt the urge to make sure she was safe. Last night, I was so hard in my shorts after I saw her and I even tried to distract myself by playing games on my iPad, but that didn’t work. I had to… you know, take care of that myself. ‘I’ll forget about her body soon. I know this.’ I assured myself, reaching for my Pc in my briefcase. Just then, my office door opened and John walked in, grinning widely. “John,” I called, rolling my eyes. I knew why he was grinning so hard like that. “Tell me all about it, bro! Was she good?!” He asked in excitement, sitting in front of my desk. “C’mon, John. I told you that wasn’t my intention.” I responded, shaking my head. “Oh please, Ethan. I saw the way you looked at her when she was on that stage! Who would have thought you'd buy her for that amount?? You didn’t do that because you were just being nice, did you?” “That was why I did it! You know me, don’t you?” “I know you’re nice and all, but C’mon, she’s fucking hot, bro! Did you see her shape? Man, she’s perfect!” “I saw her shape and yes, she’s perfect. Just stop sexualizing her. You’re so annoying.” I mumbled, waiting for my PC to finish loading. “So, nothing went down at all? Like at all? Not even a kiss?!” “Nothing, okay? Stop talking about her.” “Fine! Fine! I’ll stop. How are you though? You look like something is on your mind.” He replied, and I heaved a sigh. “She needs new clothes.” I picked up my phone and raised my head to look at him. “I don’t know the brand she’d like the best. I’m thinking about ordering some clothes from Louis Vuitton for her.” I waited for him to say something, but instead let out a wide grin like a madman. “John, C’mon!” “What?? I mean, you just met this girl yesterday. You’ve spent $100,000 already, and now you want to order clothes from Louis Vuitton for her?! One would think she’s your wife!” He chuckled. “I don’t know where else to order from and that’s why I’m asking you! That is my favorite clothing brand, okay? I buy most of my things from there.” “Well, I think that is a good idea anyway. But I think women prefer Zara. I don’t think she would mind…” “I’ll go for Zara then.” I butted in, hastily looking for their website. “And don’t forget underwear.” He responded. “What?” I exclaimed in surprise. “What?! You can’t buy her clothes and not bras and stuff.” “But I don’t know her size,” I muttered worriedly. “To be fair, I think she’d use a pretty big size…” “John!” I cautioned him, shaking my head in frustration. “I think you should get back to work.” “Sorry. Sorry. I was just saying, okay?” He responded, making the zip sign over his mouth. I scrolled through their website and began to select different outfits, from dresses to shirts, pants, and according to John, underwear. The picture of her naked body flashed through my head again and with the size of their models, I could guess what her size could be. I got different bras and panties with their sizes ranging from medium to large. I just knew that some would fit in. “What do you think Sienna would do when she finds that hot chick in your home?” He broke the silence and I raised my head to look at him. I raised my brows and slowly shook my head. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.” I answered, looking at my phone again as I proceeded with the orders. “C’mon man, you know your girl. She would…” The sound of the door opening cut John shut and when we looked up, we saw Sienna at the door. “Talk of the devil,” John murmured, looking away from her. “Hey, baby!” She squealed happily, running toward my desk. I let out a smile and kept my phone aside. “Heyyy.” I opened my arms wide as I stood up so I could embrace her. “Hmm.” She hugged me tightly, and I chuckled softly. “When did you get back?” I asked, and she grinned, looking at my face. Before she responded, she planted a kiss on my lip and cheek, staining my face with her red lipstick. “I got in late last night. I would have told you but I wanted to surprise you.” She responded, caressing my face. “Oh… I’m glad you’re back.” I responded, and she nodded. “I know.” She let go of me and shot John a cold stare before walking to the sofa. I heaved a sigh and looked at John, wanting him to say something. “C’mon.” I mouthed, and he rolled his eyes. “Hi, Sienna. How was your flight?” He finally spoke up, letting out an obviously forced smile. Sienna ignored him and sat on the sofa, reaching for her phone. “Sienna, C’mon. He’s talking to you.” I responded tiredly. “You know how I feel about him, Ethan. Don’t ask me to do what I don't want to.” She responded, refusing to look away from her phone. “Right,” John muttered, standing up. “I should excuse you two.” He uttered, heading out of the office. “When will you two stop fighting?” I asked, sitting behind my desk again. “I’m not fighting with him. He’s not even worth my attention. All this will end when he starts minding his business. I know he’s your best friend, but he shouldn’t poke his nose into our business. I don’t like it when he’s around.” She uttered in disgust. “That’s enough, Sienna. John hasn’t done anything wrong. He was just looking out for me.” I replied coldly. “You’ll do anything to support him. I know that. But…” She stood up from the sofa and walked closer to me again. “I missed you so much.” She muttered as she carefully sat on my lap. “You did? Because you didn’t call more than once since you left for a month. Also, you hardly answered my calls or texts.” “I know, baby, and I’m very sorry. That gig was a gig from hell, baby. I hardly had time for myself. You know what it’s like to be a model, right?” “I mean, I do. My girlfriend is one.” “Exactly.” She answered with a giggle, kissing my lips again. “I missed you too. Please promise me you won’t be leaving the state for another month.” I uttered, looking into her eyes. “I promise, baby. I told them I needed enough time to be with my boyfriend because I miss him so much.” She replied and we both giggled. After planting another kiss on my forehead, she stood up from my lap and walked back to the sofa, while I began to work. “So, my parents are still very much on my neck, Ethan. Especially my mother.” She uttered, breaking the silence. “What? About what?” I asked, looking up from the computer. “You know what I’m saying, baby. About us. She’s worried that maybe you’re not interested in marrying me anymore.” She replied sadly. “What?? Why would she think that?” I asked in surprise. “Because it’s taking too long. She told me it’s getting too risky for the family business, Ethan. As if that isn’t enough, she thinks you’re thinking twice because of me. I told her you just needed a little more time, but she insisted that she’d call you if she didn’t see any progress soon. I promised her that I’d talk to you and that she’d see some progress soon.” She explained. I nodded slowly and swallowed hard. “I had no idea it had to be this sudden. The last thing my mother told me is that us being recognized by people is more than enough.” I responded. “I think we’re past that stage now, baby. And why does it matter? We love each other, don’t we? Getting married shouldn’t be a big deal. Or is the thought of getting married to me that’s disgusting?” She replied sadly, lowering her head. “C’mon, Sienna.” I stood up from my chair and approached her. I sat on the sofa and pulled her closer to me. “You know that isn’t true.” “Then why is it taking forever for us to get married? You haven’t even put a ring on my finger.” “I promise to think about it, okay?” I assured her, and she let out a smile. “You will?” “Yes, I will,” I responded with a faint smile and she embraced me again. “I’m so happy! I’ll be going home with you tonight. Is that okay?” She asked, and the smile on my face slowly faded off. “Sure… sure. Of course, it’s okay.” I answered, gulping hard. ‘How do I tell her I brought a lady home after this kind of conversation? Shit.’~Mia~Soon, the car rolled to a stop in front of a house that looked anything but modern—secluded, worn, and quietly tucked away from the bustle of the city. I stepped out and glanced around, realizing he hadn’t exaggerated—this place was truly peaceful.Behind the house, towering mountains stood like silent guardians. I could hear the gentle rush of a nearby river and the melodic chirping of birds in the trees.It was… perfect. Exactly the kind of calm I didn’t know I needed.“Come on,” Aleandro said with a bright smile as he stepped out and reached for my bags.“Thanks,” I murmured, returning his smile softly and following him, my eyes flicking around, soaking it all in.The house, though clearly aged, was spotless. The furniture and decor were outdated, no doubt, but they carried a charm that made them feel oddly comforting.“Honey?!” Aleandro called as he pushed open the front door and set the bags inside. Before he could even straighten up, a woman burst out from one of the rooms
~Ethan~I got to John’s place and let myself in—he’d told me to—then made my way to the living room. There he was, cozied up on the couch with Darla. They looked snug, but the vibe felt...off. A little tense.“Heyyy, dude,” John greeted, flashing a big grin as I approached.“Hey,” I replied, trying to match his energy. “Hi, Darla,” I added, turning to her. She beamed.“Ethan! Hi. You look nice,” she said warmly.I let out a short scoff, rolling my eyes. “This is what I wear every day—nothing special.” Then I softened a bit. “But thanks,” I added, and she gave a small nod.I took a seat on the couch opposite them, and Darla stood up. “I’ll get you some water,” she offered. I gave her a brief nod as she walked off.Once she was out of earshot, John looked me over, his brows pulling together. “You don’t exactly look like someone who’s happy about finding his girlfriend. What’s going on?” he asked.I clenched my jaw, fingers laced tightly. “She came back home... then left again,” I s
~Mia~I dragged my bags out of the house, and with every few steps I took, I couldn’t help glancing back at Ethan. He stood at the door, waving endlessly, sadness clouding his eyes.My Uber was already on its way to L’Aquila—a city about two hours from Rome. Just far enough to feel like a new beginning, yet close enough to home… because no matter where I went, my heart wasn’t ready to let go of Ethan.I offered him a faint smile as the driver packed my bags into the car and held the door open for me. I blew Ethan a kiss, my throat tightening as fresh tears welled up.“I love you, Mia!” he shouted.I let out a shaky laugh as the tears finally spilled over. “I love you too!” I called back, climbing into the car.I rolled the window up and leaned my head against the glass, letting the sobs take over.I didn’t want him to see me break down. Even though I knew I needed this distance, it still hurt like hell. The truth was, I’d never imagined my life without Ethan. But maybe… that was exact
~Ethan~I let out a heavy sigh and shook my head. “So you’re saying Sienna’s the one behind all this?” I asked, my voice laced with disbelief. She exhaled slowly, nodding faintly.“He never came out and said it, but my gut tells me it’s her. The sudden shift, all the things she’s done—it all adds up now. She’s been laying the groundwork this whole time so no one would suspect her.”“I had a feeling it was too good to be true,” I muttered. “But we’ll need more than intuition if we’re going to bring her down. Your word won’t be enough—we need concrete evidence that she and Bernard worked together to orchestrate your kidnapping.” I gave her hand a firm squeeze.She fell silent, her gaze distant. “I’m sorry you’re caught up in all of this because of me, Mia. I hate that I wasn’t there to protect you. I hate what almost happened to you…”“This isn’t on you,” she cut in gently, turning toward me. Her hand cradled my face, fingertips trailing lightly across my skin. My eyes drifted shut, lea
~Mia~I was thrown into a car, most likely the van I was brought in and I knew I was being returned to where they had abducted me, but this didn’t bother me. What bothered me was what he had said to me before blindfolfing me. It made me so curious about what was actually going on. So while we rode in silence, I broke the silence. “About what you said. Who is it i cannot trust?” I asked, and waited for a response. “I thought I told you to stay quiet.” His familiar voice came through from the front. “I am sorry, but I am curious. If someone around me is trying to hurt me, then why do I have to go back?” I asked, adjusting the way I sat. “What are you saying?” He asked and I could hear the confusion laced behind that question. “I am pregnant, and I wouldn’t do anything that would hurt my baby.” I lied again. “You said I should be careful with that Ethan guy. Are you saying someone close to me caused this? Ethan would never do this to me.” I added and took a pause again. “But you b
~Mia~“Ugh…” I groaned, wincing as a sharp pain stabbed through my head the moment I cracked my eyes open. I squeezed them shut again, trying to ride out the pounding ache that throbbed behind my temples.When I dared to open them again, I glanced around the room. It was unfamiliar—bare, eerie, and silent. A cold chill ran through me.“Hello? Help!” I shouted, struggling to sit up—only then realizing my wrists were bound to the bedframe.Panic surged in my chest. My heart raced as fragmented memories flooded back—being in the parking lot, the sudden attack, someone grabbing me from behind… someone I didn’t recognize.“Somebody help! Please!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Just then, I heard the click of a turning doorknob. My eyes widened, my breath caught in my throat as the door creaked open to reveal—“You…” I narrowed my eyes, staring hard at his face. He was familiar. The only familiar thing in this nightmare. “I know you! What the hell is going on?” I yanked at the ropes, de