LOGINDominic was already dressed and ready in his room because he had to go to the office early today. He was still wondering whether he should go to the Marino family's house for lunch or not, as he was kind of reluctant to go, to be frank. If Bianca were there, he wouldn't hesitate at all.
He came out of his room and was greeted by a female maid named Helena and several other maids. He made a beeline for the dining table. He kept walking without a break as he passed the warehouse.
A cup of black coffee and two slices of toast were already on the table. Belladonna was no longer there as she had gone back to the warehouse after getting the slice of bread she wanted.
Dominic thought Helena had made breakfast because she was his personal maid who always prepared breakfast for him. But when he ate the toast and sipped the black coffee, he spat it out right away as the taste was not the same.
”Helena!” his voice boomed so loudly that Belladonna could hear him.
Oh no, it seemed Dominic did not like the breakfast she had made, thought Belladonna. She should not have made it, but whatever she did was always wrong.
“What is it, sir?” Helena hurried to the dining table before he could roar for the second time.
“Who made this piece of trash?” He snatched his cup of coffee and hurled it across the floor. “Are you trying to kill me with this trash?!” he shouted again.
“I’m sorry, sir. I asked Miss Belladonna to prepare breakfast for you.”
“What did you say?” His rage boiled over even more because Helena had let Belladonna make breakfast for him.
“Have you lost your mind asking her to make breakfast for me? Look at this, do you think I would eat this trash?” This time, he tossed the plate of toast onto the floor.
Helena gasped in shock, as did Belladonna, who cowered in the corner of the room, afraid that Dominic would lash out at her.
“I’m sorry, Sir.” Helena bowed her head. She hadn’t meant to put Belladonna in this terrible situation.
Dominic shot Helena a fierce look. Don't tell me that Belladonna did it herself to get praised by me, he wondered. For whatever reason, he was getting sick of her.
“Do that again, and you'll never set foot in this house again!” He stormed out past Helena and headed for the warehouse where Belladonna was. She should know that she had no power in this house. So she had no right to do anything without his permission.
The door was kicked open, causing Belladonna to shriek in surprise. Dominic stepped inside, looking like a demon. Seeing this, she took a step back, but she was already cornered and had nowhere to go.
He moved closer to her; he was seeing red. Belladonna backed herself up against the wall. She screamed as Dominic yanked her hair mercilessly without hesitation and lifted her body so that her feet no longer touched the floor.
“It hurts... it hurts...” she whimpered, trying to hold his hands back. But he gripped her hair forcefully as if he wanted to rip it out.
“Do you know that you are not allowed to do anything in this house?!” his voice was cold and sinister.
Belladonna nodded obediently, tears streaming down her face. What he was doing was hurting her, but he hadn’t the slightest bit of pity for her.
“If you dare to make me breakfast again, you will meet a tragic end. Don't try to get my sympathy, for I will not feel pity for you!” He still thought that she had prepared breakfast for him on purpose to get his sympathy.
“I won't do it again. I won't do it again.” She was in such pain that she kicked her legs wildly to get a foothold. But rather than letting go, Dominic gripped her hair even tighter.
Her tearful eyes made him even more fed up. He couldn't stand her, especially when she was crying like a baby. He wanted to kick her out of his house, but everyone knew she was his wife. He had to treat her as his wife until Bianca returned and was ready to marry him.
“Do that again, and I'll drown you in the pool!” He simply tossed her to the ground.
She screamed out again as her body slammed against the wall, and she fell onto the floor. Her entire body ached from having her hair gripped for so long. She curled up on the floor and bawled her eyes out, hurt by his cruel and abusive actions. She had expected that she would receive harsh treatment because of the breakfast. However, she did not expect that he would treat her so ruthlessly.
“Don't you dare run away; if you dare to try to run away from me, I will tear you to pieces with my own hands!” With that, he stormed off after lashing out in fury and threatening her.
He was sure that after this, she would not dare to act as she pleased in his house, and she would never dare to run away from him.
“No one is allowed to dare to look after her, and if anyone dares, then be ready because I will have no mercy on that person!” he threatened Helena and the other maids.
They were all frightened by this. Therefore, they all went back to work, and none of them dared to get close to Belladonna, who was lying pitifully on the floor.
The door was left open, allowing them to see exactly what had happened to the poor girl, but none of them dared to go inside to comfort her.
The sound of her pitiful crying could be heard outside. She never wanted to experience this, truly never wanted to. But what could she do? She felt like a little bird trapped in the clutches of a heartless man. Could she quickly forget the misery she was experiencing now? She hoped she could forget it all quickly so she wouldn't have to bear the pain of remembering how badly she had been treated.
"Estelle, how can I make a lot of money— fast?" Belladonna’s question hung in the air, leaving Estelle staring at her in sheer bewilderment. It was the first time she had ever talked about money."Why? If you’re short on money, I can help you," Estelle replied, then quickly added, "Just tell me how much you need. I'll lend you some money if you need it." As her best friend, Estelle was ready to move mountains for her, especially where her finances were concerned."No need, Estelle," replied Belladonna, turning down the offer. A ghost of a bitter smile played on her lips. "I do need the money, but I can’t take it from you." She knew Estelle was kind, always the first to reach out when she was drowning."Don’t sweat it. If you really need it, I’ll lend it to you. So just tell me how much you need?”"Thirty-five million dollars," Belladonna said, her voice devoid of hesitation."What?!" Estelle’s scream echoed in the room, hearing the huge amount needed by Belladonna. "Are you insane? Wh
Dominic merely watched as Belladonna walked away. For some reason, a flicker of caring for her had ignited within him— a caring that shouldn't exist. He wasn't supposed to care about her, a woman he never wanted. Perhaps he was simply bored, getting carried away by the mood.Back in the warehouse, Belladonna wasted no time getting ready to leave, though she still desperately wanted to sleep. She reached for her phone on the table and snatched it up. A reminder chimed, alongside several unread messages from Estelle. But it was the string of notifications from her mother— missed calls and a blunt asking her to call back— that caught her eye.She was tempted to ignore it, but eventually she had no choice but to call her back and dial the number, wondering what she wanted. "What is it?" Belladonna asked the moment the line connected. "I can’t always pick up your calls.""Finally, I thought you were upset and forgot about us, so you wouldn’t answer my calls," Veronica’s voice came through,
Helena was very surprised to see Dominic coming out of the warehouse. Fearing being scolded, she didn't dare question him, but she could easily guess that he had spent the night with Belladonna. A faint, secret smile played on her lips; she felt that this was a good sign for their relationship and hoped things would get even better.Shortly after, Belladonna also followed him out. She knew she had to bathe him, and she did not want to be scolded or face his punishment. Please, let him not punish me today— I’m so exhausted, she silently prayed.Dominic moved quickly to switch off the heater that was still on in his room, so that Belladonna wouldn’t doubt him and find out that he was lying to her. As he waited for her, a dark impatience simmered within him. He couldn’t help feeling eager to bathe with Belladonna.Belladonna was still drowsy as she scrubbed Dominic’s back. Her sleep had been cut short, and yet she had been forced to do this ritual so early. She grumbled under her breath
“Pour me a drink, then get lost!” Dominic ordered, yet his expression was grim. His mood turned darker, and it was all because of Belladonna.He came to realize he shouldn’t have come to her workplace. He felt like a complete idiot for acting like that. Regret washed over him as he knew his actions had surely made her big-headed, making her think she actually mattered. As if waking from a sleep that had clouded his brain, Dominic then told Belladonna to get out.She didn’t push back. She was about to turn and leave, but before she could make it out, a flock of call girls that Dominic had summoned swarmed in. She snapped her head around as her eyes flicked across him as they crowded him, settling at his side to begin serving him.“What a freak,” she muttered under her breath, pulling the door shut.Watching her walk away, Dominic couldn’t help but curse at himself. He’d come there to get under her skin, yet he was the one looking like an idiot. She hadn’t even cared at the sight of tho
Hearing her words only caused his expression to darken; he loathed the idea of her wanting to break free from him. In his mind, he was the one who should be the one to dump her, not the other way around. He would not allow himself to be dumped by a woman, and it should be him— not Belladonna— who ended their relationship.“Well then, I'll let you try, though you know it’s impossible.” A smirk played on his lips. “Show me your efforts to break free from me, bella mia!” Dominic would watch just how long she could keep it up. It was clear to him that her efforts would be nothing but a complete waste.Belladonna said nothing. She knew he was mocking her. She was even mocking herself, because in truth, what she wanted was utterly impossible. But she had no choice left but to try.Turning her face away, she had no desire to argue anymore. Silence stretched between them; neither of them made a sound until they finally pulled up at the restaurant. Belladonna swiftly grabbed her sling bag. She
It stung. The ache flared up all over again, raw and pulsing. The bruises from last night hadn’t faded yet, and now they were worse than before as Belladonna and Dominic had spent in that bathroom for what felt like hours. Only after she had served him was she finally allowed to leave the bathroom, though she was still not yet freed to leave the house. She felt like a call girl that Dominic had paid for. The only difference? She wasn't getting a dime.Helena had been waiting for her downstairs, holding the pills she had to take. "Good morning, Miss.""Morning." Belladonna snatched the pill, already knowing it was for her. “Are these birth control pills?” she asked before swallowing them."It is, Miss Belladonna. You should know better than anyone.""Good. At least I won't have to carry the child of a monster like Dominic!""Are you alright, Miss?" Helena asked. It was a foolish question. By the look on her face, Belladonna was anything but fine. The dark circles under her eyes were
Cigar smoke billowed as Dominic smirked, smugly satisfied at Belladonna's despair. Apparently, she cared more about others than her own life. Rather than killing Belladonna, he preferred to torture her for his own twisted amusement.“I beg you, don't drag Estelle into this!” Belladonna pleaded. She
Seeing Belladonna's state, Estelle fetched medicine to treat the bruises on her body and face. She wondered what had happened to her.Sitting in the living room, Belladonna was lost in thought, dwelling on the cruel fate that had befallen her after she replaced her sister to marry Dominic. Just wha
Belladonna rushed off to work after Dominic left. She needed a place where she could find peace, as the house was not a peaceful place for her. She would spend as much time as she could outside so that she wouldn't have to see him and endure his cruel mistreatment.She worked as a waitress in a res
“Tell me now, what do you want because I don't have much time!”“Actually, we want to discuss something with you because we are working on a project,” said Phillip.“Oh, so you asked me to come... so I can help your business?” Dominic had guessed as much. There was a motive behind this lunch invita







