Chapter 10

Ava went to her office early because he doesn't want to see Marionne at their house. Not that she's jealous or whatever. She just can stand him being around. His acts of sweetness and care for her sister makes her want to gouge out her eyes. So instead of staying in the house, she'll just leave early.

"Hi, Ma'am Ava. Good morning, do you need the sales report now?" Her staff asked me.

"Seriously? You're really asking me that question?" Ava asked in an annoyed tone. "And who are you?

"I'm a new hire, Ma'am. I'm sorry." She said apologetically.

"Who hired you?" I asked again, still annoyed.

"Uhm, me, Ms. Ava." Her branch manager immediately approached her.

"Next time, don't hire stupid people." She said while clenching her jaw.

Ava is not the kind of boss who would be mean to her employees. She always shows nothing but kindness. But for some reason, she's really not in the mood today. Sitting at her office, thinking about her sister and Marionne, she feels like she's to explode.

"Hi, Peter." So she decided to call her long-time suitor. "Are you free today?"

And as usual, Peter is always free when it comes to Ava. He's a decent man with a decent income. But Ava never learned to like him. No matter how much effort the guy shows her, her heart remained closed. Marionne was the only boyfriend Ava ever had. After him, she never had the interest in having another man in her life. Why? She doesn't know.

"Hey, thank you for asking me out," Peter said happily when he arrived to pick her up. "Let's go?"

Peter took Ava to a fine dining restaurant with a romantic ambiance. Ava can clearly see that he wanted to impress her.

"Peter, I'll be straight to the point. You like me, right?" Ava started. When Peter nodded like a child she almost laughed. "Then, yes. We're officially in a relationship."

"Really? Are—are you sure?" Peter could not believe what he just heard.

"Yes, you heard me. We're officially in a relationship.

Because of so much happiness, Peter stood and took Ava for a dance. He was laughing, repeatedly saying thank you to her. And Ava is smiling but deep inside, she's questioning herself if she made the right choice. All she knows is that she's doing what she has to. She can't allow Marionne to play with her emotions.

After their lunch date, Ava requested that Peter accompany her as go back home. She wanted to show Marionne that she now has a boyfriend and that she will never be affected by his fake sweetness towards her sister.

"Hi Ava, you're early." Sophia greeted her as she entered the door. "Who's that?"

"Oh, Peter, this is my little sister, Sophia. Soph, this is my boyfriend, Peter." Ava saw Marionne coming so she took Peter's arm and hug it.

"Nice to finally meet you in person, Sophia. I'm a fan." Peter extended his hand and happily greeted her.

"Aww, thank you. Nice to meet you too." Sophia responded.

"And I'm Marionne Castello. Sophia's fiancee." Marionne wrapped his arms around Sophia and kids her head.

"Wow! Marionne Castello. Sorry, I'm just so happy to meet you. You're practically a legend in the business world." He said full of amazement.

"Yeah, that he is." Sophia proudly answered for Marionne.

"Wait here, I'll just get something from my room." She excused herself from Peter.

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Marionne saw Ava came in with a man he doesn't recognize. And when he heard he introduce him as her boyfriend, he almost laughed. Ava is trying to play as the "not affected" character.

"Hi Ava, you're early." Sophia greeted her as she entered the door. "Who's that?" Yeah, Ava. Who's that? Marionne thought to himself.

"Oh, Peter, this is my little sister, Sophia. Soph, this is my boyfriend, Peter." Boyfriend? Ha! Marionne inwardly laughed.

"Nice to finally meet you in person, Sophia. I'm a fan." Poor guy, getting dragged into Ava's pathetic attempt to act that she's not affected.

"Aww, thank you. Nice to meet you too." Sophia responded.

"And I'm Marionne Castello. Sophia's fiancee." As Marionne wraps his arm around Sophia's shoulder, he could Ava looking away.

"Wow! Marionne Castello. Sorry, I'm just so happy to meet you. You're practically a legend in the business world." Marionne smirked

"Yeah, that he is." Sophia proudly answered for Marionne.

"Wait here, I'll just get something from my room." She excused herself from Peter.

Marionne whispered to Sophia to show him her room, leaving Peter alone in the living room. Ava's room was slightly ajar and he could see her standing in the middle of her room with her hands on her waist. She's sighing heavenly too.

"Hey," Marionne thought of something. He pulled Sophis close to him, right in front of Ava's room.

"What are you doing?" Sophia asked while laughing.

"Nothing," Marionne said huskily before placing light kisses on Sophia's bare neck and shoulders. Sophia giggled.

"Hey, stop," Sophia whispered while laughing but she's not even pushing Marionne away.

"Make me." Marionne dared playfully. "Come on, make me stop," Marionne stated in a sexy voice.

But instead of making him stop, Sophia caught his face and kiss his lips passionately. Marionne smiled secretly when she saw Ava watching behind her door. As if tempting her, Marionne picked Sophia and placed her on an antique table with their family picture.

Sophia was carried away by the electrifying sensation sent to her body by Marionne's kisses. She even forgot that they are in the middle of the second floor of the mansion. She seemed to forget that anyone could see them in an indecent position. But Marionne is an experienced lover. He knows how to play with a woman's fantasy, especially their body. He can make you forget about what's right wrong just by his kisses.

Marionne kissed Sophia's neck passionately making her moan and tilt her head to the side, giving him better access. She is already lost with the pleasure but Marionne stopped.

"Wait," Marionne faked a sigh of frustration. "I can't—I can't disrespect you like this." He held Sophia's face. "I won't disrespect you. So as much as it is killing me right now, I'm gonna leave. See you tomorrow. Okay?" Marionne kisses her forehead and left.

Ava watched as her sister smiled like a high school teenager and daydreamed.

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Ava couldn't take it anymore. She can see how Marionne plays with her sister's emotions. She's manipulating her, and she can't allow that. Ava realized that she has to do something quick or else, her sister will fall for Marionne Castello.

Ava called Marionne on his cellphone and asked him to meet her at a restaurant near his main office.

"Ava, what a surprise." Marionne greeted him when he arrived. "What can I do for you?"

"Stop this please, let my sister go," Ava said, direct to the point.

"Why?" Marionne asked, sounding amused.

"You don't love her," Ava said frankly.

"You don't know that," Marionne replied, keeping the pretense.

"Oh, come on. We both know that doesn't love my sister." She insisted.

"Well, not yet. But a woman like your sister? I don't know, there's something special about her." Marionne still keeping his cards down.

"What do you want, huh?" Ava asked in surrender.

"Nothing, especially from you. Besides, I already paid for your father's debt." Marionne stated, sipping his wine. "And I know you can't pay me back. So I think, I'd better what's on the table right? Unless you can offer something better."

"I don't have anything to offer you," Ava said in defeat.

"Well, you can offer yourself," Marionne said that made Ava's eyes wide in shock. "One night, then your debt is paid. Take it or leave it."

"I knew this was a mistake. I'm not going to sleep with you." Ava said with finality as she prepares to leave.

"That offer was courtesy, but I still sister. Have a good night." Marionne left her, mount slightly opened from trying to speak but failed. Ava clenched her fist. She needs to think of a way to remove Marionne from her sister's life.

"That offer was a courtesy, but I still prefer your sister. Have a good night." Marionne left her, mouth slightly opened from trying to speak but failed. Ava clenched her fist. She needs to think of a way to remove Marionne from her sister's life.