All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S BEAUTIFUL MARIONETTE : Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

Lucia's pov The smell of burnt coffee beans and crisp onions stuck to me like Regret as I scrubbed a sticky table top with the same desperation I used to polish my ballet slippers, only now there was zero music,no cheering or applause - just flickering lights about to die and the irritating voice of my wretched manager spitting out orders as usual.“Table seven's been patient for long enough Lucia, move your ass!”I didn't respond.I stopped responding quite a long time ago.words used to flow out of me like a symphony - smooth, unfiltered and captivating. Now they remained stuck somewhere behind clenched teeth and my forced smile.I managed to balance two plates as I glided towards a table, my posture straight despite my sore joints.A toddler screamed as she flung food across a table.My fingers twitched on instinct like I was about to perform a pirouette but I stopped myself.That part of me was lost.I chuckled bitterly as I mocked myself:Lucia Moretti, you've fallen so far from a

Lucas's povHospitals were always cold - sterile, serious and lacking emotion. I preferred them that way. They reminded me of boardrooms: full of calculated breaths, quiet strength and controlled chaos.I sat in a private waiting lounge, grey suit crisp against the beige room, the cuff of my Rolex catching the harsh fluorescent light. The floor beneath my shoes shone.Everything was clean. Neat. Perfect.Just how I liked it.“Mr. Marano?” A nurse poked her head through.“Your mother's vitals are stable. She's resting comfortably and the doctor will attend to you briefly.”I gave a brief nod, barely lifting my gaze.“Thank you.”When she left, I stood and walked over to the large window looking down at the hospital's courtyard. It was drizzling - soft, persistent and unyielding. The same kind of drizzle that poured the night I signed my first billion dollar acquisition.There was poetry to this type of weather.And yet…something else drew my attention to the hallway. A flicker of moveme

Lucas's pov I should have left. I had a chauffeur waiting,a schedule full of billion - dollar choices - but I couldn't leave. Not when I caught a glimpse of her through the window, holding her sister like she was holding the last bits of herself together. Lucia Moretti wasn't just shattered - she was hurting from within, and something about that quiet hurt made it quite hard for me to leave.After their hug, she stood at her sister's bedside,her fingers dabbing a damp cloth over the child's forehead. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun,strands framing her face. I chuckled to myself. She always fails to notice me.I coughed,loud enough to catch her attention.She looked startled, like a deer in headlights.“Ahh…Mr.Marano again..”“I was just about to take my leave,” I said, nodding towards the exit.“I just wanted to properly say my goodbyes.”Her face fell, just a little.“You have my thanks…for your help. I still don't understand your reasons, but…thank you.”“You don't need to