Semua Bab Contracted: The Billionaire’s Husband From The Commercial: Bab 41 - Bab 50

CHAPTER FORTY ONE: ON THE VERGE OF MADNESS. Lorenzo stood by the birdcage, sprinkling seeds through the bars, watching the small creatures flutter and peck. A worker appeared in the doorway. "Signor Volterra. Isabella Volterra is here." Lorenzo sighed, not turning around. "The damn useless announcement." His grandmother's heels clicked against the marble before he could say another word. She entered like she owned the room…because in her mind, she owned everything. "I have been sending commands for you to come see me," she said. "You wouldn't lie you didn't receive any." "I told Anya to filter out unimportant messages." Lorenzo finally turned, his expression flat. "Most likely, yours were among them." Isabella's eyes swept the room, cold and calculating. "I am glad you got rid of the American boy." She paused. "Or did he get rid of himself?" "He decided we need a break. Some forces seem restless about our union." Isabella sat and snapped her fingers. A maid immediately kn

CHAPTER FORTY THREE: HISTORY He was nine years old, and his name was Andrea. The house was cold that night, the kind of cold that seeped into bones and stayed there. He crawled into his mother's bed, seeking warmth, seeking her. His small body pressed against hers, and he held his breath, hoping. Please let her be normal today. Please let her be Mama. Not the other one. The other one put pillows over his face until he couldn't breathe. The other one wrapped her hands around his neck and squeezed while whispering I love you, I love you, I'm sorry, you should never have been born. The other one tried to take him with her to places he didn't want to go. But tonight, her breathing was soft. Her arms wrapped around him, gentle. Normal Mama. Today was normal Mama. "Andrea," she murmured, her voice drowsy. "Would you comb my hair for me?" He smiled against her chest. "Yes, Mama." She moved to the mirror, and he followed, climbing onto the stool behind her. Her hair was long

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE: THE TRUTH BEGINS Louis was alone in the room staring at nothing when the door opened and shut quickly behind someone. He turned and Anya stood there with her back against the wood, her eyes scanning him like she was looking for damage. "Where have you been?" Her voice was low and urgent. She pointed at his cast. "He did that to you, didn't he?" Louis didn't have energy for denial. "What about Chloe?" Anya exhaled and pulled out her phone, scrolling through messages she had already memorized. "I keep in touch with her. Visiting week is soon. Hopefully you get to go." She paused. "She's fine. I've been lying to her, Louis. I had no idea where you were." Louis looked away. Anya stepped closer, her voice dropping. "I don't know how much I can do for you. But Lorenzo is obsessed with you. Even if it's a little…take advantage of that. Keep yourself afloat until the contract is over." She left before he could respond. His thoughts circled like vult

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN: FOOTAGE Louis walked into the hospital room with the most serious face he could muster. You can't go soft on him, he kept telling himself. Not this time. He had been called because Lorenzo collapsed. Exhaustion, they said. Louis thought otherwise. That dickhead could be faking it. Lorenzo lay in the bed, pale but smiling the moment Louis walked through the door. His eyes lit up like Louis was the sun breaking through clouds. Louis didn't look at him much. He busied himself with setting down the container he brought, his voice flat and distant. "Anya called me. I'm just doing my duty as a husband." He emphasized the word duty like it was a burden. "I cooked something. You should eat or don't. I don't care." Lorenzo's smile didn't waver. "I miss you, Mio gattino. I was waiting for you" Louis ignored him. "Don't you miss me too?" Lorenzo's voice dropped. "What happened to 'I love you, Lorenzo'? Don't you love your husband anymore?" Louis final

CHAPTER FORTY NINE: THE TRUTH BETWEEN THEM It was chaotic as Lorenzo carried drunk Louis inside, stumbling through the doorway, Louis's legs tangled around nothing, his words slurring into the night air. He kept rambling about the lights and the people and something Lorenzo stopped listening to because Louis's cheeks were flushed and his eyes kept closing and opening like he was trying to remember how to stay awake. Lorenzo found it cute. Infuriatingly cute. He had always found Louis cute, whether he was doing what he wanted or spiting him. In the bedroom, Lorenzo lowered him onto the bed and started working on the buttons of his shirt. But Louis's hands came up, pulling Lorenzo down, and suddenly Louis was straddling him, kissing him with messy, desperate lips. Lorenzo didn't melt into it. He held still, sensing something off. Louis was needy tonight…too needy, too eager, like he was trying to prove something. "You are needy tonight, Mio gattino " Lorenzo said, smirking as Lo