《Bride Of Hades》


 Chapter 1 - Authors Note

    * Aristocratic series


    Novel 1 ¨C Bound to him [Volume 1 is about Tristan , Volume 2 is about Blake]


    Status - completed


    Novel 2 ¨C Bride of Hades[Volume 1 is about Dimitri , Volume 2 is about Aiden]


    Status - completed


    Novel 3-Betwiched his Soul [Volume 1 is about married life of aristocratic heirs , Volume 2 is about love stories of aristocratic heir''s kids]


    Status - on going


    As said this then again each novel can also be read as stand alone .


    * A fair warning .


    This novel contains a dark theme and more explicit scenes so read at your own risk.


    * Follow me on Instagram @ starysky96 . I will be posting a lot of information about all my novels there.


    * If you have any queries let me know in the comments and I will answer them.

 Chapter 2 - 1

    In an orphanage somewhere near the city, a 20 year old young lady has her nose buried behind another book. The kids teased her for being a bookworm all the time, but she did not care. This was her last year at the orphanage, and if she wanted to go out on her own, she knew that she needed to be smart. Smart enough to get a job so she can get her own place.


    Just like most of the kids at the orphanage, nobody knew why their parents left them there.


    It was a very stormy night when the nuns found her wrapped in a soft pink blanket outside their door. The rain had been pouring endlessly all day, so nobody noticed her cries when she was left behind.


    They speculated that she had been there for a while because her lips were starting to turn blue from the cold. And when the doctor checked her, she had a very high fever, and he had declared that she had no chance of surviving the night unless there was a miracle. He asked them to watch over her and pray that she would pull through.


    It seemed like either the heavens listened to all their prayers, or at that young age, she knew she had to fight if she wanted to live. She was very resilient because that same night, her fever broke, and she was on her way to recovery.


    She had been very well behaved since she was young, she never threw any tantrums, using reasoning every time she did not get what she wanted. She was very mature for her age, and she knew how to gauge situations to use to her advantage. She had an aura about her that captivated her audience all the time, whether she wanted to or not.


    While children played around the yard, she helped the sisters water the plants or arrange the books in the library. She didn''t like being idle.


    Being poor made her realize at a young age that if she wanted more, more food, more clothes, and more books, she had to work hard for it.


    The orphanage had very good people who took care of the kids but they never seemed to have enough money to provide clothing and food for everybody so they relied on the kindness of strangers and the community to drop off their unused toys, clothes, and any extra food that they might have.


    Most of the donated items were usually broken, torn, or in disrepair. It was up to them to fix what they got, and if there were any nice enough things in the donations, the bigger, older, and stronger kids usually got them first. The sisters always tried to be fair to everybody, but they didn''t have enough manpower to monitor the kids at all hours of the day, and most of the time, the smaller kids and girls suffered the most.


    She had her food and toys snatched so many times that she learned to be cunning and smart. Education was the only thing the nuns could give her for free, and she knew that it was the ticket that would get her out of poverty and being stuck where she was, so she studied day and night to get good grades so she could get out faster.


    She always longed for a family of her own, someone to love her and care for her, just like the kids she would often see at the park near the orphanage.


    One time there was a girl who was throwing a tantrum because she wanted ice cream but her mom wouldn''t give it to her so she screamed at the top of her lungs.


    The dad came to the rescue and got her one, which made the mom angry. But when the daughter said I love you and together with the dad kissed her mom''s cheek, everything changed. All the mom''s anger disappeared as she kissed and hugged both her husband and her daughter back.


    Scenes like these made her ask questions like, "Where are my parents?", "Did they leave me at the orphanage or did they just lose me?", "Why did they abandon me?", "Do they love me?", "Are they looking for me?", "Are they coming back?"


    When she was younger, she was more optimistic that she would get adopted, they always said that people always took the younger kids, but as she grew older, she learned the painful truth that she would always be an orphan and that she would never get to go home with a new mommy or daddy.


    Nobody knew who she was, and the person who left her never left a note so she would never find out who she was.


    She had grown up well enough being an orphan, 20 years of working in the sun and doing chores at the orphanage did not mar her beauty, her skin was still fair and soft to touch. She was tall and willowy, lack of food kept her thin, and all the lifting and gardening made her body toned. But what captivated people was her innocence that showed in her heart-shaped face, her dark chocolate colored eyes that drew your soul in, and rosy, red lips that looked very inviting to kiss.


    ""Aurora! Aurora! Where are you?" shouted a girl.


    The girl reading the book finally lifted her head and saw her best friend, Linda walking towards her.


    "I''m studying for the exams," Aurora said as she turned the page of the book she was reading.


    "But there are still three months before exams, you can study later," Linda complained.


    "Linda, we cannot wait till the last minute if we want to top the exams. Daily preparation is required," Aurora said patiently.


    Linda and Aurora met and became friends at the orphanage. A big and bulky bully had snatched Aurora''s sandwich from her, and instead of fighting to get it back she just accepted her fate and sulked in a corner.


    Linda had come to her rescue and offered half of her sandwich. At first, Aurora declined, thinking that Linda just probably needed something from her, that''s why she was being nice.


    "What do you want in exchange for your sandwich?" Aurora asked, skeptical.


    Linda looked at her with a puzzled expression, "I don''t want anything, I just wanted to share," she said.


    Nobody had offered to be kind to her before, that was why she kept to herself, but it seemed this girl was really genuinely nice. And so their friendship grew from there.


    They were now in their second year of being medical students.


    Aurora had chosen this course because she had always been interested in helping people, and there was nothing nobler than saving somebody else''s life by becoming a doctor. Linda, on the other hand, did not have a clue on what she wanted to take up in college so she just blindly followed Aurora.


    They were the total opposite of each other, but their friendship seemed to work, probably because they were the same age and they were both lonely, both wanting to belong somewhere. Aurora was beautiful and kind. Being book smart and mature beyond her age added to her appeal. Whereas Linda was not bad looking, but neither was she beautiful, she was what one would call average. She was very ditzy and concerned mostly about her appearance and popularity.


    "Oh, but I don''t want to study right now. I can''t understand the chapter I was reading," Linda pouted, giving Aurora one of her pitiful expressions that always worked to get her way.


    "Don''t worry, I finished all the notes for the chapters we have covered, and I will share them with you," Aurora replied.


    Linda could be smart when she wanted to, but she would rather fill her head with daydreams and waste all her time primping and making herself pretty. At the back of her mind, she knew Aurora would always be there to help her study when she needed to.


    Aurora was always eager to help and never judged Linda, they were friends, it''s what friends do all the time, but she thought if Linda was a little more serious in her studies then she could score better in her exams.


    "Aww¡­ Aurora, you are the best," Linda hugged her happily. Small things like these made Aurora happy. Linda was the only person who bothered to get close to her, and she always treasured that. She was just happy that she had a good friend like Linda.

 Chapter 3 - 2

    Aurora and Linda were having lunch in the college canteen. They were enrolled in one of the prestigious and well-known medical colleges, which was very expensive, but because of their scholarship, they got in. Aurora worked so hard to get here, and Linda had only passed because she used the same notes that Aurora used for her reviews, and when she didn''t understand something, Aurora was there to teach her.


    Every college and every year level has its own heartthrob, but nobody could compare to Niall because he wasn''t only handsome, and rich, but belonged to one of the very prominent political families in the country and he had a very aloof, devil may care attitude that people envied.


    His name was usually mentioned every time illegal things were happening on campus, may it be drugs, alcohol, and partying. He was also well known for being a womanizer. College professors and even the administration turned a blind eye when he was involved, so he passed all his subjects whether he attended them or not because his family donated huge amounts of money every year, for the school funds, and for new buildings.


    Niall was very confident that he would never get caught because his father covered all of his evil deeds. He had a different girl hanging on his arm every day, they changed just as often as he changed his shirt. He slept with them, used them, and discarded them like tissue paper. He had no regard for their feelings.


    But for the past few months, he had his eye on Aurora. It challenged him that he could never impress her, no matter what he did. He never had this difficulty before, and it was getting to him.


    He had never seen her with the opposite sex, so he was certain she has never been touched before. It thrilled him that he would be the first one to taste such divine beauty.


    She was supposed to be just another hot body to warm him during the night, but her indifference was fueling his need. He could have anybody else, but she was like a siren calling out to him. And he was craving more and more of her attention.


    "Hey, Aurora!" Niall had noticed her from afar, so he walked to their table to talk to her.


    Aurora did not bother to greet him, much less look at him, but Linda straightened her clothes and fixed her hair, she wanted to make a good impression. She got excited and nervous at the same time, he was, after all, the most popular and most handsome guy in college.


    "Hi Niall," Linda said sweetly, "Do you want to join us?" she invited, hoping he would say yes. She has a tiny crush on him, and it would make her day if he joined them.


    She blushed every time she saw him around campus, and always prayed he would notice her. It seemed that her prayers were being answered today.


    "I already had my lunch ¡­.," Niall noticed Linda''s face fell when he answered, yet Aurora kept on eating, totally unaffected by the conversation happening in front of her. She had no time for this right now. All she wanted to do today was finish her school work and go back home.


    "...But don''t worry, I will still accompany you, two beautiful girls," Niall trailed on, and Linda''s face lit up again. She pulled back the chair next to her so he could sit, but he pretended not to notice and immediately sat next to Aurora.


    She would not kid that she was a little disappointed that he chose to sit next to Aurora but consoled herself that at least Niall was sitting with them.


    Aurora frowned when Niall tried to sit closer to her. She was bothered that Linda invited him to have lunch at their table. He didn''t have a good reputation and did not want to be associated with him.


    "So¡­ I was thinking, maybe we should hang out sometime? Yeah?" Niall asked in a flirtatious tone.


    "No! Yes!" Aurora and Linda answered simultaneously, which made Niall raise his eyebrow.


    "We can go¡­.," Linda trailed off when she noticed Aurora''s stern look.


    "No, we can''t! Exams are coming up, and we are a little busy," Aurora spoke.


    Linda was usually very timid and listened to Aurora most of the time, but this was not one of those times she wanted to, she frowned and lowered her eyes.


    "Oh no problem then, carry on. Nice to see you ladies," Niall got up.


    "Why are you leaving so quickly?" There was panic in Linda''s voice.


    "Well senorita, my friends are waiting for me," he replied in a deep voice which made Linda blush. He called her a sweet endearment, and she giggled. Aurora just rolled her eyes. Niall chuckled at Linda''s cute red cheeks.


    He knows that it will take time for Aurora to warm up to him, and he was willing to wait for her. Even though she seemed unaffected by his charm he knew that Linda was a different matter. He had been observing her since he walked towards their table and noticed that she primped herself up for him. He made her nervous, which meant she probably liked him, and he would use her to get closer to Aurora.


    Linda will be more than happy to help him, and he was sure about that. With an evil smirk, he wore his sunglasses and sauntered away, an evil plan already forming in his head.


    Aurora continued eating, but Linda whined and said, "Aurora, why did you refuse his invitation? We can study some other time."


    Aurora let out a sigh and spoke, "Linda, you''ve heard all the bad rumors about Niall.


    He is not a good person, and associating with him will only bring us problems. He plays with women and their feelings, so you have to avoid him as much as possible."


    "We should never judge someone just because of what people say about them. He invited us so nicely, which means he probably just wanted to get to know us better. We don''t know him, so why not give him the benefit of the doubt. People are probably just jealous of him," Linda was grasping at straws trying to change Aurora''s opinion about him.


    "That''s enough, just eat your lunch, we have a class in ten minutes," Aurora thought Linda was too kind-hearted and could not see through people''s intents.


    But who knew Linda''s heart was as black as coal, and by the time Aurora realizes how devious really is, it would be too late to do anything.


    Linda clutched her clothes tightly and cursed Aurora in her mind. "Why do I have to sit here and be like her? All she wants to do is study. I should be out there having fun with them. He might even like me, then I can finally go on a date, have a boyfriend, and stop hanging out with this boring girl," she scowled.


    Aurora never mingled with boys, and since they were always together, Linda was deprived of male attention as well. She wanted to experience a lot of things now that they are in college and did not want to spend all her time reading all those books that always made her sleepy.


    She was pissed because Niall, the hottest guy in school, just offered them an opportunity to be popular and be with the "IT" crowd, but Aurora ruined everything.


    "She didn''t even ask me if I wanted to study with her, she just assumed that I was as boring as she was," Linda was still frowning.


    Then she smiled when thinking the next time she walked around campus, she would make sure that Aurora was nowhere near, so she could invite Niall out herself. But what she didn''t know was that she didn''t need to go to any trouble because Niall himself will come looking for her.

 Chapter 4 - 3

    Ambrosio, Anderson, Cooper, and Santoris are the last names of the four Aristocratic families. They are the richest and most influential families in the whole country. To say that they were above the law was an understatement because most of the time, they are the law. They coexist peacefully with the government and its citizens as long as nobody tries to cross them.


    The Santoris belonged to the mafia family, they were known to be the most resourceful, their reach was far and wide, but they were also renowned to be the cruelest in passing out judgment.


    Over the years, several people have tried to take over their clan and territory, but their foundation was so stable that nobody can infiltrate their operation or buy out any of their people. And because they were in alliance with the other aristocratic families, trying to get in and take them down was akin to throwing a small stone against a big formidable wall, they all just bounced back and laid back on the ground.


    Matthew Santoris, the patriarch of the family, made everyone shiver just by hearing his name. They were ruthless when it came to their enemies, killing them without batting an eye. Most of the people they catch open pray that death should come to them soon because being tortured by the Santoris'' made one wish they killed themselves.


    Dimitri Santoris was Matthew''s firstborn. He was just 26 years old, but he already made a name for himself. Staying out of the limelight and handling most of the affairs behind the scenes made him more fearful.


    He was 10 times worse than his father, according to the rumor mills, which scared people more. He had an evil glint in his eye that seemed to bring people to their knees. Some people predict that when Dimitri takes over the empire, he will be ruling with an iron fist, and there will be bloodshed everywhere.


    Dimitri Santoris was in his enemy''s territory. He usually doesn''t come to these business deals, leaving it up to his associates to handle things for him. But this was one of the very important transactions that only he could negotiate. He had dressed in all black today to intimidate and show dominance.


    He will be meeting with Peter, the head of the Paltrow clan.


    "This kid is an arrogant prick, just look at him sitting there like he owns the place. You''re as old as my nephew, yet you think you can dominate me?" Peter leered at Dimitri as he sat on one of the chairs with his domineering aura.


    "The mines in the Western region are now part of our properties, but you''re telling me we should give you 50% of whatever we get out of that mine? Why should I do that when we do all the work? And all you do is stand and watch," Peter snorted.


    Peter did not like that Dimitri was trying to expand their territory, and had it in his mind that he wanted to part of their earnings just because his mines were producing millions in revenue.


    "Well, it''s true that you own this mine today, but are you sure it will still be yours tomorrow?" Dimitri replied cockily.


    "How dare you threaten me in my own house. I''m the head of the Paltrow clan, you should know your manners, boy!" Peter stood up and glared at him.


    Dimitri lazily looked up at him from his seat, "You think you''re so smart? That nobody knows how you became the head of the Paltrow family," Dimitri said with an evil glint in his eyes.


    Peter''s face lost its color as he tried to figure out how much Dimitri knew, maybe he was just bluffing. Nobody knew about his secret, and anybody who did had already passed away.


    "I heard your nephew has been very busy trying to find his father''s killer. Maybe I should help him by telling him about your secret, you know, how you were the last person to see his father alive," Dimitri said with a mocking smile.


    "How¡­ How do you know about that?" Peter stumbled backward as he tried to sit back down.


    Dimitri gave him one of his unsympathetic stares. Peter''s older brother, Matthew was the real leader of the Paltrow clan, but even though Peter had loved his brother very dearly, he decided he couldn''t sit around being second best anymore. He wanted the power his brother wielded, and he was going to take it by hook or by crook.


    It had been two years since he convinced a few of his brother''s most trusted people to help him execute his brother. And to cut all the loose ends, he had staged an accident that killed everyone who helped him.


    His nephew had been resilient in finding his father''s killer, but Peter made sure that he covered his tracks very well, so they wouldn''t suspect him. After all, he was a very loving brother in everybody''s eyes.


    "Why are you doing this to me?" as Peter''s face beaded with sweat.


    "It''s very simple, just agree to the 50%, and no one will hear about what happened," Dimitri ordered.


    Peter knew he had no option. If the truth got out, nobody will show him any mercy. His brother was a good man and was very well respected by his subordinates, they all grieved when he died, and they vowed to catch the killer. And who knows what will happen if they know it was him all along.


    Coming to this meeting, he was very confident that Dimitri was just another inexperienced lad that wanted to impress his father, but he didn''t expect him to know about his secret. He wondered where he got his information from when he killed everybody involved.


    This young man was more cunning and manipulative than he expected. "I will agree to all your demands. You will get your share from the Western mines, but you have to give your word that you will keep my secret," Peter half begged, and half demanded his answer.


    Dimitri nodded his assent. He knew everyone had a weakness, and sooner or later, people made mistakes, knowing how and when to use that knowledge gave the person control of any situation.


    "I will let my secretary prepare the documents. I will have dinner arranged for later so we can meet and finish the transactions," Peter said in resignation.


    "I will be there," Dimitri said as he stood and walked away with a satisfied look on his face.


    Peter has never hated anybody more than he hated Dimitri, a kid half his age should not have any control over him. He was the leader of his clan, nobody stepped over his authority, not even this Aristocratic heir.


    Anger was rolling off him in waves, and he wanted to exact revenge. He killed his own brother, he had no more qualms about what he needed to do to get his power back.

 Chapter 5 - 4

    Aurora and Linda were at the club. Aurora had no interest in coming tonight, but Linda insisted since it was her birthday, and there was no saying no to her.


    The music was so loud it was giving Aurora a headache. She pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering when all this was going to end so she could go back home already.


    "Come on Aurora, let''s go to the dance floor, it''s my birthday, let''s dance," Linda said excitedly. Bouncing on the tip of her toes.


    "I''m okay here, why don''t you go and enjoy yourself, I''ll watch you," Aurora replied. Linda knew there was no use in forcing Aurora to join her on the dance floor, coming to the club was a feat in itself, so she went by herself.


    Aurora had dressed in a simple knee-length peach-colored dress, nothing special, very conservative, which bordered on old-fashioned. But even with her simple attire and nothing on her face but moisturizer men were openly staring at her and admiring her beauty. Their scrutinizing and sometimes hungry gazes were making her feel uncomfortable, so she lowered her head to avoid them.


    After a few minutes, someone touched her shoulder, ready to thwart their advance and rudely send them away, when she looked up and saw Niall. She didn''t know if she should be glad or afraid that he was here.


    "Hey, Aurora! I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you from the other side of the club. I''m glad that it really is you, though," he said joyously.


    "It''s Linda''s birthday, and she wanted to come here," she replied curtly.


    "Oh, I didn''t know it was her birthday, I should have gotten her a gift," he said, acting surprised. But the truth was that he had already given her a very expensive cell phone as a gift a few days ago so they could keep in contact for his plan.


    Linda had noticed Niall from the dance floor, so she decided to join them. She had dressed sexily for her birthday in the hopes of meeting somebody handsome at the club, and what do you know, here was the most handsome one of them all.


    As she stood in front of Niall, she demurely tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear as she smiled encouragingly at him.


    "Linda! I heard today was your birthday. Let me make it special for you. The owner here knows me," Niall smiled.


    "Thank you Niall, but that is not necessary...having you here is enough," Linda said shyly but her expression betrayed her words.


    "Don''t worry, the birthday girl deserves to be spoiled, and I am going to make today very memorable for you," he said as he called the manager to give him instructions.


    In a matter of minutes, the manager managed to get the table decorated with flowers, tea lights, and chocolates. In the middle of the table was the biggest cake Linda had ever seen. This was the first time her birthday was celebrated in such a manner. At the orphanage, birthdays are considered just another regular day. They never had cake or gifts like people in regular homes did.


    She was hesitant to come to the club because of what Niall asked her to do, but after seeing all the special treatment she was getting right now, she knew that she had made the right decision. He was lavishing her with treats already, and they were not even dating yet. So once they get together, he would surely treat her like a princess.


    Aurora did not like Niall taking charge of Linda''s birthday, this was not what they planned, but when she saw how happy her friend was, she decided to let her have her day. She did not feel like eating anything, but she let Linda order her some orange juice to parch her dry throat. With Niall around, she was not comfortable drinking anything alcoholic, she needed all her senses when he was around, who knew what else he had planned for tonight.


    After a few minutes, she felt her head start to ache, and her sight blur, a little. It was probably just from the music and the smoke inside the club, she thought.


    "Linda, I don''t feel so well, I think we need to get home," Aurora said as she touched her forehead.


    "What? We just got here. I think you''re just not used to being in a club. Let''s go to the washroom, once you freshen up I bet you will be okay," Linda said as she guided her away from the table.


    Aurora felt dizzier when she got up and almost fell, but Linda held her up. She could not see where they were going, so she blindly followed where Linda led.


    "I am so dizzy, this room is spinning... What is happening to me?" Aurora whimpered.


    "It''s okay Aurora, we''re almost there, it''s not that far," Linda spoke softly beside her ear, guiding her to the elevator. When they reached the designated floor, she was supposed to deliver Aurora to Room 405, just as Niall had instructed.


    When Linda heard voices in the hallway, she got scared, not wanting to get caught, she placed Aurora''s hands on the wall so she could use that to brace and guide herself to get to the room.


    "Aurora, just keep following this wall, it''ll lead you to the restroom. It''s on your right. The door will be open, and I will wait for you downstairs when you''re done," she said.


    For a second, Linda felt bad for doing this to her only friend, they had a lot of history growing up together. Aurora had treated her like a sister and had done so much for her, but she had to think of her happiness too, and if she had to harden her heart and betray her friend to get Niall then she was going to do it.


    " Linda? Linda?," Aurora reached around her, "Where is the restroom? The room is swaying¡­ I can''t see things clearly¡­ Linda?" Aurora murmured looking for her friend. Linda hightailed it out of there and never looked back.


    "Linda? Linda¡­ Where are you?" she cried as she touched the wall behind her. She just wanted to lay down so she could feel better and make the room stop turning.


    Linda said to follow the wall, and it would lead her to the restroom, so she did just that with what little strength she had and got into the room with the open door on the left. She rambled into the room, tripping and falling into the bed.


    Her last thought before she closed her eyes was, "I finally got home, and now I can sleep."


    Dimitri had come to dinner as Peter requested so he could check and sign all the documents. He was wary as Peter handed him a glass, "This is a special drink from my private collection, please take it so we can celebrate."


    When Dimitri hesitated to take the glass Peter said, "What? You think I poisoned your drink? Don''t be absurd. Here let me take a sip." And when nothing happened to Peter, Dimitri took a sip. It was very good wine, he had tasted this once before, but he could not put his finger on it.


    Peter had signaled the waiter to bring out their food as they enjoyed their drinks. A few minutes after having some of the soup, Dimitri frowned and narrowed his eyes.


    "Are you okay Mr. Santoris," Peter asked.


    "Yeah, I am fine," Dimitri replied as he pulled the neckline of his suit. He wondered if they lowered the AC, or was the soup just too hot?


    Peter smirked as he bowed and drank more of his soup. His plan was working, and in a few minutes, he will show Dimitri Santoris, who was smarter.

 Chapter 6 - 5

    Dimitri''s body started to heat up with each moment that passed. This has never happened to him before, and it seemed like his soup had been drugged.


    "Mr. Santoris, you do not look good. Are you not feeling well? Would you like to rest for a bit? I have an extra room we can have you stay in while you recover," Peter suggested. If Dimitri does not agree with his suggestion, then his plan will be ruined.


    "Where is this room? I need to refresh myself," Dimitri said, pretending to be unaffected.


    "Let me take you. Please follow me," Peter said, but Dimitri just asked for the room number and the key so he could go there himself. As soon as Dimitri left, Peter took his phone out and called somebody.


    The room wasn''t very well lit when he entered the room, just a few lamps strategically placed inside the room to give it a romantic ambiance. He felt very sweaty and hot, so he went to the washroom to cool off, he washed his face with cold water and that seemed to help a bit, but now he had this tingling feeling in his body. He decided maybe a nap would help him get rid of the drugs they gave him. He couldn''t believe he fell for this.


    He took off his jacket and started to loosen his tie when he noticed that someone was lying on the bed that was supposed to be empty. It made him think back if he had gone into the wrong room. But remembered that he had used the key to get in, so he was not mistaken. He frowned and walked towards the bed to get a closer look. He was surprised that the woman lying on the bed, oblivious to his presence, had captivated his interest. "She''s beautiful," he thought as his heart slammed into his chest.


    But he was cautious because women threw themselves at him all the time. His looks alone attracted them in droves, but when they learn who he is, then they go crazy, they offer themselves shamelessly. Not caring if it was a one night stand or a temporary relationship.


    Dimitri never entertained or touched any of these women, but tonight something felt very different. He felt drawn to this sleeping woman whose fair skin and defined features called out to him. Her body was splayed out on the bed, and her hair scattered everywhere, beckoned him to touch the silky mass. She was very slender and tall, very much his type, a small voice whispered in his ear.


    He was baffled, this woman didn''t even seem like she was trying to be attractive, yet the simple dress made her look elegant. He felt like his body craved to be near hers.


    He jerked away from her when she started moaning. He knew he needed to leave the room and her alone, but it seemed like his feet did not want to go anywhere.


    "Hmm hmm," she moaned as she moved her head, ''So thirsty...,'' she said to the room. He held his breath, hoping that she would just go back to bed, so he could do whatever it was he needed to do, leave, but it seemed like fate was tempting him when she sat up and looked him straight in the eye.


    He had never seen eyes like hers before, they bored through him like she was looking at his soul.


    "Thirsty,'' she said as she touched her neck, and he could not look away, her movements lured him to her, ''Water,'' she said and then coughed. It took him out of his trance, so he went to the fridge and got her bottled water. He got one for himself because, for some reason, his throat felt parched as well.


    She drank the whole bottle in one go, and so did he. He was watching her very closely, trying to see what she would do. He was waiting for her to start screaming at him to get out of her room any minute, but she surprised him yet again when she laid back down in bed and started running her hands through her hair, complaining about how it was so hot.


    Then she started touching her neck, her hands traveling down her body. Her movements were arousing him, and he couldn''t stop staring.


    When she sat back up and started unbuttoning her dress he voiced out his concern, ''Hey lady what are you doing?'' but he didn''t stop her.


    ''So hot...hmmm¡­. So hot¡­,'' she kept saying as her dress fell off her back, exposing her shoulders and her peach lace bra. He gulped and thought he should stop her from doing what it was she''s doing, but his body just answered by heating up some more, he had to roll up his sleeves and open a few buttons from his shirt to distract him from staring at her.


    She laid back down again and eased off her skirt, and threw it on the floor. She thought that would ease the feeling she had or at least cool her down, but even with the AC that seemed on full blast, she still felt warm, her skin felt like it was on fire.


    ''Uhhmm¡­ hmmm¡­ hot¡­ so hot¡­,'' she complained as she ran her hand up and down her body. She was writhing in bed like someone was touching her very intimately.


    Dimitri had seen lots of naked women in his lifetime, and none of them called out to him as she did. She was like a siren, her beautiful body lured him, the areas covered in lace begged him to take them off, and her constant moaning just got under his skin.


    He was trying to figure out if it was the drug they gave him in that blasted soup or if it was just her beauty that had him undone. His steel-hard self-control was failing, and he could not stop himself from taking part in whatever this siren was offering.


    When she saw him take a step toward the edge of the bed, she saw that as a sign to get up on her knees and start caressing his arms. ''Hmmm.. you''re hot,'' she said as her hand roamed his body and ran her hands through his hair, pulling him down for a kiss.


    It was like someone was in control of him and all he could do was watch. In the back of his mind, he knew this was a bad idea but he can''t seem to walk away. HIs rude demeanor seemed to have left him, and all he could think about was how badly he wanted to touch every part of her.


    Her lips tasted sweet, and they were softer than they looked. He kissed her softly at first, tasting, but then her lips parted at the slightest nudge of his tongue and they were just drinking off each other''s energy, even the air felt electrified.


    She was unbuttoning his shirt, and when she got frustrated, they wouldn''t budge she pulled his shirt apart, buttons flying everywhere.


    She pulled away in surprise and was mesmerized by the look of his toned and muscled chest and abs. He used boxing as his form of exercise, and it showed in his physique. And like a moth to a flame, she just jumped in headfirst and started caressing his body with both of her hands. His junior stirred.


    "I think you should stop," he said, holding both her hands while they were still splayed on his chest. ''Oh that feels so good,'' he thought as his junior stirred again, this woman is driving him nuts. Everything she did woke up some dormant part of him.


    "But I don''t want to," she said, pouting at him. He couldn''t concentrate, he wanted to kiss her again.


    She felt his hold slacken, and she used that as an opportunity to unbutton his pants. "Stop," he said again, "You don''t know what you''re doing," he had to be the voice of reason here. He did not want a hysterical female accusing him of something he had no control over.


    "But, I want to see all of you," she pouted again. He could not help himself, and he kissed her. One delicious, mind-blowing, passionate kiss he said, and then he would stop them both, and they would walk away from each other as nothing happened.


    Famous last words, because he not only could not stop kissing her, he could not stop roaming his hands over her body either. That one touch he gave himself, made way for more touches and more kisses. He was intoxicated. They fell into bed, arms and limbs wrapped around each other.


    It was like a forest fire, once it started, they could not stop. He kissed her neck, and she ran her hands through his hair so she could pull him closer. She could not get enough of the feel of his lips. Everywhere they kissed she felt reprieved from the heat, it was like only his kisses can cure whatever it was that was affecting her.


    He started touching inside her underwear while he tasted what was behind her bra. She moaned and arched her body, offering him more.


    ''Damn you''re so beautiful,'' he said as he continued tasting her, removing the little bit of clothing she had left. His lips traveled south and started licking and sucking everywhere they went. She moaned in ecstasy when he reached her core.


    ''Ahhh.. you''re so wet and so ready," he said as he touched her wet and warm core. ''Are you sure you want to continue?'' he asked as he took off all his clothes, he wanted to make sure because it was getting harder and harder for him to hold back. She could still say not last minute, but that would give him the bluest balls ever.


    He kissed her again and sucked on one of her nipples as he positioned himself and entered her sweet core. For sure, he thought this wanton was experienced, and he would have no problem entering her.


    "Oh yeah... Yeah¡­ ahhh..," she moaned as he entered her, she was very tight, and he slowed down a bit, he did not want to come prematurely. "Yes¡­ ahhh¡­," she moaned, "Ow..," she momentarily said when he breached her barrier. But he did not hear her, he was too far gone as he kept thrusting into her. Grunting as he kept going.


    Passion had overcome both of them as they matched each other, thrust for thrust. She had her legs wrapped around him as she felt it, this feeling that her body was ready for release, she bit his shoulder as the sensations overcame her. It was like a wave pushing her further and further into the sea.


    She was biting him and dragging her nails down his back as her body and her core were spasming together, the sensation of being squeezed and milked dry threw him over the edge, as he joined her, spilling his seed.


    Closing her eyes for a minute to catch her breath, she did not see that Dimitri had traced her face with his thumb, and tenderness had entered his eyes.

 Chapter 7 - 6

    Five Years Later ( Present Day )


    Aurora was in the living room studying the papers that included the details for tomorrow''s surgery. Two years ago, she finished her studies and was now doing her residency at a small hospital.


    She had a lot to sacrifice just to get here. She never took vacations and filled in every time the holidays came around, just to make up for the lost time. Lots of wasted time just because she let herself trust someone else.


    She remembers it as it had just happened yesterday. She woke up in the hotel room alone and naked. It seemed like the man she slept with had left before she had even woken up, which was fine with her. What would she have done if he stayed anyway, ask him why he did all those things to her when she remembers being an active participant.


    The virtue she had been holding on to for so long was lost just like that, in one night and she didn''t even have a clue who she lost it to. She found her clothes neatly folded on a chair together with a man''s coat. She was thankful she could use it because she wanted to get out of there without anybody noticing her. His coat was big enough to cover her entirely from her neck down to her feet, covering any evidence of what happened the night before.


    As soon as she got back to the orphanage, she took a shower to wash away every trace of that mystery man''s touch and kisses from her skin, she felt disgusted, but after she had scrubbed her skin raw, she felt shame, anger, and frustration overcome her. She had been crying in the shower so no one would hear, but she got scolded for wasting too much water.


    She still could not believe that her best friend Linda would do such a horrible thing to her. When she confronted her, Linda admitted to what she did. She said she had planned everything with Niall.


    They planned to drug her and leave her in his hotel room, so he could have his way with her, and when it was all done, he would make Linda his girlfriend. She did not care if he slept around, as long as they were together. Being with him would make her life better, she said. He was rich and handsome, he represented everything Linda wanted in her life.


    She had slapped Linda hard across her face and had ended their so-called friendship. "Do you think he would have kept you if your plans had been executed? He was just using you. He would have discarded you like he did all the women he had used,'' Aurora remembered saying to Linda.


    She was glad that Niall did not get what he wanted, but in the end, she still lost, because no matter how good looking and gentle that man had been with her, it was not consensual, she wanted her first time to be with the man she could have been in love with. But there is no use thinking about that now. There were more pressing matters that needed her attention.


    She tried to get back to the details for the surgery but the past seemed to keep on dragging her back.


    She remembered the feeling of dread when she found out she was pregnant. She only 20, and her life was right in front of her. Her initial decision was to get rid of the baby, she was at the hospital waiting for her turn when she saw a mom with her baby being wheeled out, one could see the love the mother bestowed upon her child. Being an orphan she always felt the need to belong, just thinking about how her parents did not want her made her heart ache. She vowed from then on to love this child and let him or her know that they were wanted. It did not matter anymore if she was going to be alone raising this child because she knew that as soon as the baby came, she would never be alone again.


    She moved to another city, took a break from her studies, and started working to make sure she will have enough money to sustain them both when the baby comes.


    Happiness she''d never experienced before flooded her heart as soon as she saw her baby boy. He was the cutest little living thing she''s ever seen in her entire life, and she could not believe that he came from her.


    He was the most disciplined baby if there ever was one. He slept through the night and cried only to let her know when he was hungry or wet, and he never cried hysterically either. She always thought that he knew her struggles, so he was very considerate to help her succeed in her life.


    She was lucky to have very nice neighbors that took pity on a single mother raising her child, they watched her baby during the day so she could go to school and work part-time. In return for their kindness, she would cook meals for them and help during the weekends.


    After completing her studies, she joined a small hospital for her residency. She wanted to be a surgeon and was lucky that she got her license on her first try. The exam was strenuous and had taken a toll on her, but now she was here she would make sure that in a few years she will become the main surgeon.


    "Mama mama," called out a very small, cute voice from the bedroom. She could never resist that call, so she put her papers away and walked towards her son''s bedroom. It has already been four years, and he just kept getting cuter and cuter every day.


    He had the same jet black hair, the same fair skin, and he smiled just like she did, but that was where the similarities ended. His eyes were so dark it was almost black, the rest of his face was taking shape as he lost his baby fat, and he looked less like her each day. Everybody who''s met him had commented that he was going to grow up to be a very handsome man. ''Probably just like his father,'' she thought.


    "Mama, hug¡­," said the voice under the blanket, and that did the trick to make her stop remembering. With a kid as cute as him, all her exhaustion disappeared. Just one hug, just one kiss was enough to erase all her worry and her pain.

 Chapter 8 - 7

    "Enzo baby, are you hungry?" Aurora softly patted his head.


    "Mama mama¡­," The boy kept on calling her in a low voice.


    It was amazing how, at the age of four, Lorenzo was more intelligent and disciplined than his peers. He never threw tantrums, but he was always open to negotiation.


    The money she got from her multiple part-time jobs was not sufficient to support both of them, and she always provided for him first, most of the time going without. It usually also meant that there was no extra money for him, to experience the other things kids usually have at his age, ice cream, candies, chocolates, and lots of toys.


    Most of her extra money went to school and anything needed in the house. And it seemed like she was meant to have a hard life when she learned that her roof leaked whenever it rained. Tired and hungry, she would cry herself at night whenever she would come home, grieving her bad fortune. It''s taking forever for her to dig herself out of her grave and it seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel.


    She was losing hope when out of the dark, her son came up to her wiping her tears like she always did with him, "Mama¡­ hung-gy¡­ wet¡­," asking her the same questions she always asked him. This made her bawl out louder. He was such a sensitive and caring soul, and she had to be strong for him.


    He had always been the driving force for her to achieve her dreams and was her strength throughout all her struggles. And it didn''t matter if she was alone and she had a hard life, all that mattered was that she had him.


    He had been a little too clingy lately, panicking whenever he didn''t find her near him when he awoke in the mornings. Most of the time, she would be at the hospital working already by the time he woke up, but weekends are all for him, so she catered to whatever he wanted when she was home.


    Aurora ruffled his hair, "Good morning Enzo! Mama is here. Did you sleep well, my angel?"


    "Mama¡­ my mama...kiss...hug...," he said in a demanding tone.


    She noticed early on that Lorenzo had always been possessive when it came to her, he did not like it when she bestowed her attention on other kids. He would always try to divert her attention back to him.


    She experienced this the first time when they went to the mall and Aurora smiled at the cute babies at the play area, he would come back to her and hold her face between his hands and make her look at him the whole time, to give him hugs or kisses. She laughed when he started doing it but when he wouldn''t stop she got curious.


    She wondered what was happening to her cute little angel? She noticed he did it only when she said hello or smiled at the other kids, it didn''t matter if they were boys or girls. Was her baby jealous when she gave her attention to them?


    "What is it, baby? Look, there are so many cute kids. Go, play with them. C''mon make a new friend for mama," she said.


    He was sulking, "No! Mama mine. No look!" he pouted and crossed his arms. She laughed at his antics. "No! mama home!" he said seriously.


    "Okay baby, let''s go have lunch. We''ll get your favorite food," she said as she kisses his cute cheeks. Getting his favorite food usually puts him in a very good mood. So they left the play area and searched for his treat.


    What she did not notice was that it only escalated from there because she would always shrug it off, "He would throw tantrums because he was an only child," she would always think.


    But one day, while Lorezonzo was playing in the park, Aurora saw a kid running by himself, he was laughing, and then he tripped. So she ran to him and helped clean his wound. And when she placed a band-aid on him, he thanked her by hugging her, and by instinct, she hugged him back. After a few minutes, the boy''s parents came and thanked her.


    When she looked back to where Lorenzo was supposed to be, he had disappeared. Her heart stopped, did she just lose her child? She started panicking, screaming out his name and asking people if they saw him. She saw him a few minutes later, hiding under one of the park benches.


    She was so mad at him for hiding from her, but when she started to scold him, she saw his eyes were filled with tears. "Enzo what happened?" Aurora kneeled and asked in a worried state.


    "Enzo want mama," Enzo could not control the big fat tears that fell down his cheeks.


    "Mama is here, why are you crying baby?" Aurora wiped his tears and asked in a confused tone.


    "Mama want boy¡­ hug¡­.not Enzo¡­ leave Enzo," he said in between his sobs. She was dumbfounded that he would be jealous of her helping another kid. She felt like an awful mom, she went to help someone else''s kid yet, she left hers behind.


    "Oh my baby," she hugged him so tightly he started to squirm, "Mama just went to help the boy, he had a boo-boo, I gave him some hero band-aid, like you when you get a boo boo," Aurora explained.


    "Mama hug him," he complained, "hug Enzo.. not boy."


    Aurora sighed and said, "I''m sorry baby. I will not hug other kids again," She said as she took him in her arms.


    "Mama not love Enzo," he pouted.


    She felt so helpless, "That''s not true. Mama loves Enzo. Always," she said as she kisses his cheeks again.


    "Really?" he asked as he stared into her eyes, "Enzo love mommy. Always."


    "Yes, baby. Always!" as she kissed his forehead.


    "My mama," he said as he hugged her neck as tight as his tiny arms could hug.


    She did not know how this feeling of possessiveness came about, but she felt the same way. There was no way they were going to be separated. She did not know how to remedy this situation, but maybe they should come out more so he could meet other kids, maybe he was alone too much, he needed friends.


    "What do you want for breakfast?" her work always kept her away from him, that she always forgets the time.


    "Ya pancakes!" Enzo requested. He was not a picky eater, eating everything she made, which she was thankful for, because lately, she has been experimenting on diverse dishes she finds on Youtube.


    "You already had pancakes for breakfast yesterday, why don''t we have that sweet potato hash I made for you that one time?" she said wiggling her eyebrows at him to make it seem like it was a fun idea. She was conscious about his diet, introducing vegetables to him, while he was young so he won''t be opposed to having them later.


    "Potato, potato," he said as he jumped on the bed.


    "C''mon little potato, let''s go make breakfast," Aurora held his hand as he jumped off the bed.

 Chapter 9 - 8

    In a big mansion in the outskirts of the city, a naked woman is lying on the bed, her legs sprawled out, and a man is pinning her down, having his way with her.


    Moaning so loud can be heard beyond the bedroom walls. "Ahh... ahh¡­ ahh¡­," she moaned loudly, enjoying the sensation as the man thrust into her again and again, faster and faster, not caring how rough he was handling her.


    The man was very demanding, they had tried all sexual positions that were humanly possible for her to perform, but she was getting tired.


    "Stop¡­ I can''t¡­ please," the woman pleaded. She had come several times which seemed to energize her partner but if he keeps on continuing like this, she may not have the strength to walk out of here.


    She was an A-list actress, and she could not believe the amount they had offered her for just a night to sleep with her client. She asked for his identity but they kept it hidden, he was a very mysterious man and she was intrigued that was why she agreed.


    When she came into the mansion, she was immediately ushered into a very opulent bedroom. Being here had initially scared her, but when he came in, she was overcome with attraction. Her client was very tall, his shoulders very broad, his face very handsome, and he had a very enigmatic personality that exuded a lot of sex appeal. With his black leather jacket and knee-high leather boots, he gave a very bad boy vibe, which made her blush in anticipation of how the night will unfold.


    She was a beauty, and men groveled at her feet when they met her, eager to please and do her bidding. And she had expected nothing less from this man in front of her. She wanted to hear adoration, and praise to come out of his mouth, but he had given her none of that.


    He came in and divested himself of his clothes, and commanded her to do the same without even giving her a second glance.


    "Okay," she thought, he probably wanted to admire her perfect body, and she was fine with that. Her body quivered with anticipation when he told her to bend over the bed and spread her legs apart.


    There was no foreplay as he entered her and started thrusting, he grunted as she moaned. She could not help herself, even though she was a little humiliated that he did not even bother to kiss her or get her ready before he entered her.


    He flipped her over when he got tired of that position and hitched her legs on his shoulders. When she tried to touch him, he swatted her hands away, like she was a common fly. He did not really care about her comfort or her pleasure, he just needed to use her body until he was satisfied.


    A knock on the door made him stop and frown. He remembered instructing his subordinates not to disturb him unless the house was on fire. There was only one other reason that they dare disrupt his activity for the night.


    She sighed as he wore his robe to answer the door. "What is it?" the man asked with an irritated tone, "This better be important," he added. He was very displeased that he was interrupted.


    "It''s a call from the boss," one of his subordinates said as he passed him the phone.


    The man''s expression changed from irritation to indifference. "Hello brother, how may I help you?" the man asked in a polite tone.


    "Gabe, there is a big assignment in a B city, and I want you to take care of it," Dimitri said from the other side.


    "Yes, brother. I will take care of it right away," Gabriel assured him.


    "Remember to take the guards with you," Dimitri reminded Gabriel.


    "Yes brother, I will," Gabriel promised as he ended the call.


    "Get ready for my departure," he said as he walked out the door.


    The woman was waiting for Gabriel under the covers when one of his subordinates told her to get dressed and told her to knock on the door to let them know when she was ready. He came back with an envelope that contained her payment and warned her not to utter a single word to anyone about what happened here if she wanted to continue with her career.


    Gabriel was the younger brother of Dimitri and the second son of Matthew Santoris. He was very rebellious and carefree. Not caring about the consequences of his actions, but Dimitri trusted him and made him his right hand.


    He respected his brother a lot and obeyed all his orders without question. It was because he looked up to his brother and tried to be as good as he was. But one should not be deceived because he was as cruel as Dimitri when he faced his enemies, which was expected from them being in the Mafia family.


    But unlike Dimitri, Gabriel cannot control his urges. He had an insatiable appetite for women. His subordinates always brought him young and beautiful women to play with, but he did not care, all he wanted was they had beautiful bodies that could satisfy his needs. He didn''t need them to be pretty or even educated because he would never take them as his girlfriend or a wife anyway.


    There were a few women who had assumed they were dating when he slept with them more than once. They flaunted their relationship to anyone and everyone who would listen, but Gabriel nipped those in the bud and made sure they got punished.


    From then on he was careful not to sleep with any woman more than once to avoid any of the drama that they bring.


    He was going to B city to take care of the work assigned by his elder brother Dimitri, and he needed to concentrate. He knows that Dimitri is very serious when it comes to their work, he will still face consequences if he messes up though it would be a little less harsh because he was family, he would rather not find out what that punishment would be.

 Chapter 10 - 9

    The operation went on for 5 hours because of the level of difficulty, but after all those hours standing, everything had paid off because it had been successful. Aurora had a 30 minutes lunch break in between the scheduled operation and her rounds. It was not enough to enjoy her break, she always had to scarf down her food, but she made it work.


    Aurora was passionate about her career and did not mind the hard work that goes into it, so even though working in the hospital was hectic, she was happy.


    She was going about her daily rounds, visiting her patients, checking their progress and medications when the nurse informed her that they needed her for an emergency case. A gunshot wound that needed tending right away, said the nurse.


    Gabriel had been wheeled into the hospital in a semi-conscious state. The assignment he came to finish at city B had gone wrong, he had been shot, but thankfully it was far from his heart. Aurora was checking his shoulder, and it looked like he had lost a lot of blood. She ordered more of his blood type and scheduled one of the Operating Rooms for immediate surgery.


    The subordinate who brought Gabriel in approached the doctor as she instructed people what to do, "Doctor, how is he? Will he be alright?"


    "Are you his family? I need to talk to family members only, and I need them here as soon as possible. But so you know, the bullet is lodged deep in his shoulder, and we need to operate as soon as possible so we can fish it out," Aurora replied.


    "Doctor, please save him. I will call for his family member. They will be here soon," the subordinate pledged.


    "I will do my best. Just get me what I need," Aurora assured him as she walked toward the operating room. It was a matter of life or death, so they had to operate on him right away, but after a few hours, she came out to meet the people who brought him in.


    "The patient is out of danger, but he needs to be kept under supervision for a few days," she said.


    "Thank you doctor for saving his life," he said, elated that he did not have to deliver bad news to the boss. He still hadn''t informed Dimitri about Gabriel''s state because he was afraid of the repercussions. But hopefully, the good news would alleviate some of the gravity of the situation. They had failed to protect his brother, and somebody is bound to be punished for their carelessness.


    The subordinate hands were shaking when he dialed Dimitri''s number.


    "What? Is it finished?" Dimitri responded in a cold tone.


    "Boss¡­ Uhm¡­ we have good news and bad news. The bad news is that Gabriel had been shot by the enemy," he said.


    "What! Is he alive? I''m going to kill those mother¡­," Dimitri screamed as he got up from his seat.


    "Boss, Gabriel is alive. He got shot in the shoulder but the doctor took the bullet out,'' he scrambled to tell Dimitri all the information before he went ballistic, "We are at the hospital and he is resting. The doctor said he needs to stay here for a few days."


    Dimitri walked to the windows to calm down a little, "How did this happen? Where were his guards at? Where were you?" He was pissed he was not supposed to get hurt, he remembered his strict instructions to take the guards with him, so how did his brother get shot?


    "We were all with him, but he insisted on going alone. He said he would take care of it, and if the guards are with him, they won''t agree. We tried to convince him that it was not a good idea, but he ordered us and said he would shoot us himself if we did not follow his instructions.


    He was there for a while then we heard gunshots, and we all stormed the building, the enemy had betrayed us and Gabriel was not happy with that, so he started shooting, everybody was already down by the time we got inside, but we did not see that one of them was still alive. The good thing was that Gabriel saw him in time, and because of his fast reflexes he was able to move away, and the bullet hit his shoulder instead of his heart,'' he confessed.


    "Dammit, Gabriel! What the fuck was he doing!" Dmitri cursed. He was used to Gabriel''s impulsive nature and very short temper, but he still thought maybe he would just walk away when things didn''t look good. People who betrayed them were not supposed to be killed, they were supposed to be left alive to suffer the consequences of betraying the Santoris family.


    He will teach them a lesson they will never forget, that they should never double-cross Dimitri Santoris.


    In terms of his brother, he needs to be taught a lesson as well because he was getting too brave these days, going against him and defying his instructions.


    "Give me the address," Dimitri said.


    Gabriel was moved to the VIP ward in the hospital as soon as his operation was finished. He had an IV attached to his arm, and he looked very weak.


    "Water," he said as soon as he opened his eyes.


    "Gabriel, how are you?" the subordinate hurriedly got him a glass of water.


    "I feel like shit, but I''m alive," he said, "How is the situation?"


    "Everyone''s dead, and our men are on clean up right now. We informed the boss about your situation," the subordinate replied.


    "Shit! Brother must be very angry," Gabriel sighed. He did not only disobey his brother''s orders but also put his life in danger.


    "It''s okay. I''ll tell him everything once I get home. I hope he will understand why I did it," Gabriel said.


    "Boss is coming to see you. He will be here within the hour," the subordinate said.


    "What? Are you kidding me? Fuck!" He is now in deep trouble, and nobody will be able to save him from his brother''s wrath.


    Aurora completed her daily rounds, and it was just in time for her to pick up Lorenzo from pre-school. She made good time, she thought as she looked at her watch.


    The neighbor who had been babysitting Enzo moved to a different city, her son had found a better paying job, so she had no choice but to enroll Enzo in pre-school so she could work. Hiring a nanny at this time would be pointless because he would be starting school next year anyway.


    Since the hospital was small, the management was more lenient with the employees, they allowed her to pick up her son and have him wait in her office until she was off for the day. It also helped that Enzo was a very obedient and nice kid, he silently sat in the corner coloring his books or just played with his toys.


    Enzo was waiting for his mother near the gate, and as soon as he spotted her, he came running. "Mama you''re here! Yay!" he squealed as he hugged her legs.


    Aurora patted his head and asked, "Hello baby! Were you good in class today?"


    "Yes, mama, I read my A, B, C''s, and my numbers, and my colors. I have a star!" Lorenzo proudly showed off his hand. The teacher stamped their hands with a red star whenever they performed very well in class, it was a good motivation for the kids to do well, so they could go home with lots of stamps.


    Aurora smiled. Enzo was smart, and he learned things very quickly, so she had no trouble making him study because he liked learning new things.


    After all the things that happened to her, she felt very blessed to have Enzo as her son.

 Chapter 11 - 10

    For the past several years, Dimitri had been the official head of the Santoris family. After showing his natural ability to expand their business into different horizons and leading them into a victory for each venture, not bowing down to his enemies, no matter what problem he countered, has proven in more ways than one that he was capable.


    Matthew, his father, couldn''t be prouder, his sound was more ruthless and aggressive than he was at that age. He knew that the family was in good hands by the time he had retired. From time to time, Dimitri still sought his guidance, which he was happy to help with.


    He was a force to be reckoned with, and just saying his name out loud made people who belonged in the underworld, quake in fear. But for the normal person, the Santoris family was known as one of the richest families in the country, part of an elite group known as the Aristocratic families.


    They are powerful and ruthless when it comes to their business deals, they always get what they want, and they get it at any cost.


    Dimitri had arrived in a black unmarked car, which made people at the hospital stop and stare. It was seldom that they had wealthy people come to their city.


    And the man who just came out of the vehicle wearing a very expensive grey tailored suit looked just that, important and wealthy. He had a very handsome face, but his eyes were very observant, sweeping the area before he even took a step forward, like he was looking for something.


    They all wondered who this person was, and what brought him to B city as two men in suits ushered him in. Gabriel''s men had been on guard in and around the hospital and had been waiting for his arrival. They knew that nobody made Dimitri wait.


    As soon as he entered his brothers'' room Gabriel tried to get up, but he just waved his hand, and that made Gabriel stop moving.


    "Brother, I am really sorry about what happened, I just meant to teach them a lesson, but they started firing back, and I had no choice but to finish all of them. I didn''t have a choice," Gabriel said in a pitiful tone. Dimitri stared at him, and Gabriel began to sweat.


    "Is that all you have to say?" Dimitri asked in a stern tone.


    "I was wrong. I shouldn''t have done it," Gabriel turned tail and decided to apologize, it didn''t seem like Dimitri was in a forgiving mood today. He had to plead for his case, otherwise, he knows that his punishment will be grave.


    "I went in alone thinking it would be easy, just some diplomatic bullshit that needed to be done, but at the last moment, they told me that they decided to sell the land to another party. They looked smug about it too, asking me to leave, so I got angry and took my gun out, I was just going to scare them to give us back the deal, but there were more people in there than I assumed, and they started shooting back. I got a little careless," Gabriel said in a hurried tone.


    "A little careless? Gabe, you call this a little careless?" Dimitri raised his eyebrow and said in a mocking tone.


    "Okay fine, I was negligent of the fact that I could have died in there," Gabriel obediently accepted his mistakes. He knew better than to argue with his brother.


    "What did I tell you before you left?" Dimitri snapped.


    "I didn''t think it through, but you see I took all of them out, and everything is fine," Gabriel stated.


    "Everything is not fucking fine, are you a fucking idiot?" Dimitri roared. He was so angry that his veins were popping out on his forehead. Gabriel flinched, waiting for his brother to hit him.


    "You, were shot, and you tell me everything is fine? If you were unlucky, we would be burying you right now," Dimitri thought his brother did not understand the magnitude of the situation. It was his duty to protect his brother when his father gave him the responsibility to take care of the business and their family.


    "It looks like you have the guts to ignore my orders now," Dimitri remarked, and his brother interrupted, saying ''It''s not that, it''s just I thought I could handle it by myself, and I wanted to make you proud."


    "So, that''s what you wanted to do?" Dimitri mocked, "You know what, I think sending you to the African training camp for a year would be enough punishment for you," he dictated.


    "WHAT NO! I won''t go there," Gabriel yelled profusely.


    Being sent to the African training camp was his biggest nightmare. They were sent out in the wilderness or the jungle on their own, depending on why they were sent there. It may take as long as several years to as short as a few months, but anybody who has been there wished they''d never have to come back.


    All of the Santoris'' men were sent to train there. They were usually abandoned in the rainforest, where all they had were the tents and the packs on their back. They had to get provisions like food and shelter from the area they were in, if they were lucky there would be fish available in the rivers or streams, or there would be game wandering about for them to hunt. But just like the weather in the rainforest was unpredictable, so was food, so when they had no animals to eat they were stuck with porridge, gruel, or worse, just soup to warm their bellies.


    They had to endure large mosquitoes that would bite you endlessly, snakes that slither into your bedding at night, and bugs that lay their eggs under your skin which would usually cause an infection, and not to mention the other bigger animals that could eat you.


    During the day, they used the time to train with each other, keeping their physical strengths up. They would employ no holds barred type of kickboxing or wrestling matches, which left the loser and the winner equally injured and depleted by the end of the day.


    Their camps would get attacked by wild animals at all hours of the day, so they were always vigilant and alert. The animals keeping them on their toes alone made for great training.


    Gabriel was just thinking about how horrible the conditions were when he remembered there were no women there he could play with. How was he going to survive a year without getting laid? He had to convince Dimitri not to send him because he cannot leave his very lavish lifestyle to one of poverty.


    "Brother, please, I beg of you, do not send me to Africa, give me one more chance. I promise nothing like this will ever happen again. I swear on my life," he begged.


    "This will be the last time," Dimitri warned, he was not beyond forgiving when it came to his brother.


    "Yes, brother I will never disappoint you again," Gabriel was relieved he was able to sweet-talk his brother. Maybe his brother felt pity when he saw how badly injured he was.


    "Can I get discharged today?" Gabriel asked, hopeful, he was squirming in his bed, not used to the sheets that made his skin itch. He was in the VIP section, but the hospital did not look like it housed a lot of very wealthy people, so they didn''t have the amenities of a larger city, plus he hated being in the hospital. He wanted to sleep in his bed as soon as possible.


    Dimitri narrowed his eyes and said, "You will stay here until you are completely healed, or I will send you somewhere you may never recover,"


    "Yes, I will," Gabriel meekly replied.


    "I will be in the city for a few days, and I will come to check on you, so you better stay here," Dimitri stated and walked out.


    Dimitri was going to settle the score with the enemies that betrayed him, they thought going behind his back would fool him when they promised to sell him the land he wanted. Giving it to someone else was the worst thing they could have done.


    And on top of that, they harmed his brother. It seemed like they had to remind these people who Dimitri Santoris was.


    Hi Readers , if you have read Bound to him novel please leave a review.

 Chapter 12 - 11

    Aurora still had a few hours left before she could go home, and she had no choice but to leave Enzo in her office while she did her rounds.


    It was usually late by the time her shift ended, and she did not want Enzo to be too hungry and cranky, so she prepared some snacks for him, which consisted of crackers, cheese, and fruits.


    "Baby, I have your snacks ready, come and get them," she said as she arranged his snacks on a plate. He was not hard to feed, so it was easy for her to prepare his meals.


    He was only four, yet he had enough discipline to eat like an adult, he didn''t fuss around too much like other kids that got distracted easily.


    "Enzo, mama will start doing her rounds now, eat everything on your plate and try not to make too much mess in my office, okay?" she said as she kissed his forehead.


    "Do you remember how to get to the washroom?" she asked before she walked out the door.


    "Yes mama, left and then right," he said, recalling where they were located so easily, "I remember, I remember!"


    "Yes, you did. Good job, baby. I''ll see you later," She always felt bad leaving him alone like this, but without a babysitter, she had no choice. Until she can find one, they''d have to make do with the situation.


    After Aurora left, Enzo finished everything on his plate just like he promised his mother. But as he was playing with his toys, he suddenly had the urge to go to the washroom.


    So down the hall, he went, turning left one corridor and then right another hallway, where the washrooms were located. On his way back, he saw a group of men wearing black colored clothes standing outside a door. He''s never seen men that looked like them before, all he saw were the men in the hospital who wore the same thing as her mom, the lab coats.


    He was intrigued as he stopped and stared at them with his big watchful eyes. They looked a bit scary, just standing there, not saying anything. And then someone came out of the room, and he was surprised, this tall man looked like his hero, Superman.


    This man stood outside the door and talked to the people at the door, which gave Enzo a look at his face, and then started walking away. Enzo wanted to observe him more, but he had walked away too fast, the two guys trailing behind him.


    Dimitri did not notice Lorenzo standing outside his brother''s hospital room. He had too much stuff on his mind and a lot of things to take care of. But Enzo walked to the room he came out from. He thought if his hero came to the hospital, then there was something in that room, so he went to investigate.


    He peeked inside the room, and as the subordinate saw the door open, he called out, "Who''s there?" He needed to be vigilant because their enemies might come back any time, and with Gabriel still recovering, he would not be able to defend himself. He would not risk another ambush, because next time, Dimitri won''t be as forgiving, it will be their heads on the platter.


    Enzo did not say anything, so the subordinate went to check it out. It was just a kid, he thought as he released the breath he was holding. He laughed and said, "Hey kid, go back to your parents."


    When the man appeared from inside the room, Enzo was surprised, he had the same black clothes the scary people outside were wearing, which made him want to stay.


    "You''re not supposed to be here. Are you lost? Do you need me to help you find your parents?" the subordinate asked.


    Lorenzo said in a confident tone, "Uncle, don''t worry, I remember the way."


    "Hmm¡­ brave little kid," he thought, "He''s not even scared of me." His big bulky frame usually scared kids, so he was surprised this one did not cower or cry when he started sending him away. The kid just kept on staring at him, which made him uncomfortable. Nobody stared him in the eye, not even adults, which piqued his interest.


    Gabriel heard his subordinate talking to someone, so he asked what was happening.


    "Nothing, it''s just someone passing by," it was time to scare this kid out of here, he thought, before Gabriel got annoyed, but when he turned around, the kid was gone.


    Lorenzo had moved towards Gabriel''s bed and was staring at him. Gabriel was surprised that he had a visitor, a tiny kid that looked at him very intently, which was odd, he thought, for such a tiny thing to give him such an intense stare.


    "I''m sorry, Gabriel. I will send him away right now. I did not know he had snuck in," the subordinate apologized. Nobody was supposed to bother Gabriel after his surgery.


    When Enzo heard that the man would take him away, he ran to the other side of the bed, but the subordinate caught him and started to drag him out.


    Gabriel waved his hand and stopped him, "Let him be, he''s just a kid. What is he going to do?" He was getting bored laying on his back and sleeping, he''s been here a day, and he already wanted to get out, plus it was just a harmless kid, maybe he could entertain him.


    There was a small smile on Lorenzo''s face when he heard the uncle on the bed said he could stay.


    Gabriel wondered how old this kid was, he looked very sharp for a tiny thing. This kid was rather adorable, with his huge dark eyes and his cute round face. And the kid was examining him the same way he did.


    "Hey kid, what is your name?" Gabriel asked.


    "Lorenzo, but my mama calls me Enzo," Lorenzo replied politely.


    "Okay, Enzo, tell me, why are you in my room?" Gabriel inquired.


    "Uncle, only my mama calls me Enzo," Lorenzo complained.


    "Okay," Gabriel chuckled when he saw the kid''s crossed expression, "No need to be mad. Lorenzo, why are you roaming the hospital alone?"


    Lorenzo did not like anybody else calling him by the nickname his mother gave him. Only she had the right to call him Enzo because she said he was her precious little baby.


    Hi everyone sorry for the irregular updates , from Feb 1 regular and mass updates will be there.

 Chapter 13 - 12

    "Uncle, who was that cool man that came from your room," Lorenzo asked his most burning question.


    "Who¡­ the one who wanted to send you away?" Gabriel frowned, cool man? If there was somebody cool in here, it would be him, he smiled.


    "No, not him," Enzo shook his head.


    "Who are you referring to?" Gabriel wondered. There was nobody else here when the kid came in.


    "The tall uncle in grey," Enzo explained.


    Suddenly it dawned on him, "Oh, that''s my older brother, his name''s Dimitri," He came with his bodyguards to visit him. It was not unusual for a kid to notice him because everywhere he went, Dimitri got people''s attention, and it was not only the women too. He had a very commanding presence that enticed one to pay attention and look at him.


    Lorenzo nodded. His hero''s name was Dimitri, he will make sure to remember that. He was thinking to himself when Gabriel asked, "Why did you think he was cool? Did you talk to him? Did he do anything for you?"


    "I saw him outside. He looked tall and strong, like Superman. He fights all the bad guys and the monsters," he explained in a serious tone like he knew who Dimitri was and what he was capable of, just by looking at him.


    Gabriel was amused, this kid saw all that just by looking at Dimitri, and he didn''t even get to interact with him. Interesting, he thought, for a kid to call his devil of a brother a superhero.


    This kid guessed half of the truth, his brother did fight bad guys, but unfortunately, he was a bad guy himself.


    "Oh, so he''s your hero huh, do you want to meet him?" Gabriel joked.


    "Really? Can I? " Lorenzo asked enthusiastically. He was excited to meet his hero.


    Lorenzo did not easily open up to people, it took a while for him to warm up to the babysitter and his teacher. All he wanted to do was stick to his mom''s side and have all her attention on him. This was the first time he had been curious about somebody else. Usually, he just passed people by and ignored them.


    Gabriel had no intention to have this kid meet his brother, he knew Dimitri would never have time to waste on unnecessary things, especially this nosy little boy.


    Dimitri never liked kids, he would tolerate them as long as they were far away from him. His cousins had lots of them, and whenever they would try to talk to him at the family gatherings, he''d usually glare at them until they cried.


    Gabriel on the other hand would interact with the kids, saying hi to them and making them giggle, once in a while. Lorenzo looked like he was a good kid, and he did not want him to face his brother''s wrath.


    "Yeah, but he is very busy right now. You can probably meet him later," Gabriel lied. He thought kids usually forget what they want to do most of the time anyway, a small lie won''t make a difference.


    "Remember your promise okay," Lorenzo said in a childish tone.


    "Of course young man, you have my word," Gabriel chuckled, kids are easy to amuse.


    "Uncle¡­," Lorenzo was about to ask something but a voice came from behind.


    "Enzo, oh my gosh, I''ve been looking all over for you," Aurora said as she grabbed and hugged him.


    Aurora had come right back to her office after she finished her rounds, only to find out Lorenzo was missing. She had checked the washroom first because he probably needed to use it, but he wasn''t there either.


    She started checking the rooms, thinking that he probably found someone to talk to, but then started to panic when he was nowhere near her office. Something was telling her to check the VIP ward when she couldn''t find him anywhere else. She did not expect he would go that far, but there he was.


    Lorenzo lowered his head, he knew that he shouldn''t have walked out of his mommy''s office, and now she was probably angry. "I''m sorry mama," he said meekly.


    "Enzo, why are you here? I told you to stay in my office," she said, annoyed. Her heart almost stopped when she couldn''t find him. He was her life, and losing him would definitely kill her.


    "I was talking with my friend," Lorenzo said matter of factly.


    "What? Who are you talking about? You have no friends in the hospital," she was confused as she looked around for another kid. There was nobody else in the room aside from the two grown men.


    "Mama, this is my friend," Lorenzo said as he pointed to Gabriel. But then he remembered to ask the most important thing you should know when you have a friend, "Uncle what is your name?" Lorenzo asked.


    "My name is Gabriel," he said as he watched Lorenzo, the kid looked like he was cooking something up in that little head of his as he stared back at Gabriel.


    "Uncle, your name is too long, can I call you Gabe?" he asked.


    "Sure," Gabriel replied with a half-smile.


    "Mama, meet my new friend, Uncle Gabe," Lorenzo introduced.


    Gabriel chuckled, this kid just bravely declared him as a friend and didn''t even ask if that was okay. If he only knew that Gabriel''s friends were gangsters. He wondered what the kid would think if he revealed that he was not really as nice as he looked.


    Aurora was baffled by her kid. He''s never shown an interest in anybody before, yet he picked up a grown-up as his friend. She knew that this person was probably somebody important the minute they wheeled him into the operating room. They asked her to do everything to save him, and they said the money was not an issue.


    Then after she was done with the operation they had requested that he be transferred to the VIP ward, which meant she was right. The watch he was wearing right now looked like the most expensive watch she saw in the magazine one of her patients was reading earlier.


    His aura exuded class and breeding, one that could be found only in the upper crust of society. They were usually the arrogant sort, but what was he doing talking to her four-year-old kid.


    "I am sorry for the inconvenience, I hope my son did not bother you too much. I will take him from you now, so you could rest," Aurora said apologetically while trying to drag Lorenzo out of the room. But he would not budge.


    "But mama, I don''t want to go, I still need to talk to my friend," Enzo pouted.


    "Enzo, you''ve bothered this gentleman enough. He needs to rest, that''s why he''s in the hospital," she tried to explain, but when he still wouldn''t go she raised her voice, "That''s enough! Let''s go!"


    Gabriel was staring at Aurora, he noticed that she was wearing a lab coat, which meant she was a doctor, which was why Lorenzo was able to roam around the hospital. It was funny that this little kid was not ready to leave and was fighting his mother for it. He was very headstrong.

 Chapter 14 - 13

    Aurora did not want her son to disturb any of the patients in the hospital because if any of them complained to the upper management Aurora would be in big trouble. She needed this job very badly so they could survive. It would be difficult for her to find a job right now when she did not have a baby sitter, plus, this was the only hospital near their house, and it would be an inconvenience if they had to move.


    She really liked living in a smaller town and working in a smaller hospital because she had fewer responsibilities and could always spend her nights with Enzo.


    "Mama, please¡­ I want to stay with Uncle," Lorenzo pleaded softly.


    "Enzo! Don''t¡­," Aurora was about to scold him harshly when Gabriel interrupted.


    "Doctor, don''t worry, it''s fine, he can stay. I have no problem with him being here," he said.


    "But, you need to rest," she hesitated.


    "See Uncle Gabe said yes," Enzo nodded enthusiastically.


    "It''s really okay. He entertains me, I was getting bored sitting here alone all day," Gabriel chuckled.


    Aurora was still apprehensive, but she nodded, "Okay you can stay until I finish here," she said.


    "Oh, by the way, I''m Aurora, the doctor who took care of your shoulder, so I will checking up on you until you are ready to be released," she said as she looked at Gabriel.


    "Nice meeting you. Thanks for fixing my shoulder," Gabriel was semi-conscious when he was wheeled into the hospital, so he did not really remember anything aside from being in the hospital.


    Aurora checked his temperature and blood pressure, when she saw everything was good, she checked his IV and was satisfied that he was doing well, "Everything is fine, just take your medicine on time and do not eat spicy food for the next few days," she instructed.


    Gabriel nodded. He couldn''t help but stare at her, she was too young to have a four-year-old kid, but that was not the reason he was staring. He thought she was beautiful, and her movements were graceful. The kid wasn''t bad looking either, he thought, his father was probably very handsome as well.


    "Enzo, it''s time to say goodbye to your friend," she said after checking on Gabriel. She was thankful that he was kind to her son. Other wealthy men would have probably shooed him away with a shout, scaring him and making him cry.


    "Bye, Uncle Gabe, I will come back tomorrow, wait for me okay?" Lorenzo said cheerfully.


    "Goodbye champ, I''ll be right here, your mommy does not want me to leave yet," Gabriel felt his day had turned out to be better than he anticipated, just because of Enzo.


    They were almost to the door when Enzo looked back at Gabriel and said, "Uncle, don''t miss me too much. I will be back soon," he said as he blew him a kiss.


    "Okay, buddy! I''ll see you tomorrow," Gabriel laughed out loud. This kid was something else, he thought.


    She was surprised, Enzo had never been attached and affectionate with a stranger before. Something was going on here, and she could not put her finger on it.


    After they left, the subordinate said, "Isn''t that kid extraordinary?" He did not have any qualms hanging out with them if he only knew they were gangsters.


    "I was just thinking the same thing," Gabriel said with a smile.


    ---


    Dimitri had just finished cleaning up after Gabriel. The people he met were shaking in their boots, they did not expect Hades himself to come down and see them. He had offered them a good deal yet, they not only betrayed him and sold the land to someone else, but they also managed to hurt his brother. And they knew that he would be ruthless because of that. But thankfully, Dimitri spared their lives, only because Gabriel was still alive.


    He was in the car making a phone call on the way to his hotel when he thought he saw someone familiar.


    "Stop! Stop the car!", he screamed. He got out even before it stopped and ran to where he saw the familiar face. But there were too many people crossing the street, and even as he searched, that person was gone.


    Feeling dejected and disappointed, as always, he gritted his teeth and walked back to the car. It was all an illusion. He had been searching for her for so long that he started to imagine her everywhere.


    He sighed and said, "Let''s go." There was no point in thinking about her, she was lost to him, hopefully not forever.


    The past few days had been tiring for him. He did not sleep well last night, then today, he had to travel a long distance to see his brother and deal with their enemies.


    He needed a bath to take away all the grime and stress from today. And by the time he was done his dinner had already been delivered and was already laid on the table.


    When it came to food, he was very spoiled and particular, only because his dad always employed very talented chefs to prepare their meals, so he had taken that tradition when he grew up. He hired one of the country''s best chefs to prepare his meals every day. The food in front of him was not the best, but it would have to do, this was a small town, and there were not a lot of restaurants around here that hired top-rated chefs.


    He tried to sleep right after he ate, thinking that with all that food and the activities of the day, sleep would come to him easily, but that was not the case. He just kept on tossing and turning in bed. So he decided to take a stroll around the area to work off his pent up energy,


    ---


    Aurora wanted to get a few grocery items before they headed home so they passed by the supermarket. Lorenzo, always trying to be a big man, tried to push the heavy trolley for his mommy, but he was having so much difficulty with it that she took pity on him and took it from his hands.


    "Mama, can we get this?" "How about this?" "And this mommy?" Lorenzo said as he picked out all the items he wanted.


    She just took everything he gave her, but not all of them made it in the trolley. She had to return a few items because he kept selecting a lot of junk food, too many chips, and sweets.


    "Baby, you know that eating too much junk food will make your tummy ache, so choose the one you really like and take the rest back," she said to pacify him.


    They were having such a good day, and having a meltdown right now won''t be good for her.


    "Mama, can I have two, pleeeease," he showed two of his fingers and begged.


    "Okay, choose 2, and that''s it," she compromised after seeing his pitiful face.


    The cashier was so enamored at how cute Enzo was that she gave him some free candy. But Aurora always told Enzo not to accept anything from strangers for safety purposes, so he looked at his mom, hesitating, even though he really wanted to take it.


    He stared at his mommy for a while before he saw her nod at him. Now it was okay to take it. "Thank you for the candy," he said politely, which made the cashier smile and pinch his cheeks.


    "Aiyyo so cute!" she said.

 Chapter 15 - 14

    Dimitri had been walking around the area of his hotel for a while when he decided to take a break at a small alcove that had a bench at the end.


    He pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate the headache that he knew was coming from thinking about her. Even after 5 years, he could still vividly recall her face and the feelings that seeing her for the first time had evoked.


    Women do not easily attract him, most of them looked alike, with their curled up hair, made-up face, and heavily-perfumed aromas. There was nothing he hadn''t seen before. But her innocence and vulnerability had broken down all his reservations about women.


    He wanted to be with her again. That one night was not enough to satiate the hunger he never knew he had buried deep inside him. He wanted to worship her body again and again, in the bright of day and the darkest of nights. He would have her any way he could.


    One cannot call him a romantic, he was as straight as a ruler when it came to his needs and wants. The first thought that came to mind when he saw her was that he was going to sleep with her, and that''s what he did. Sex was just an act to satisfy the carnal desires of men and women.


    But she had debunked all his ideologies regarding this sensual joining of bodies. Because somewhere along the way, it felt like when he had sex with her, they joined their hearts as well.


    He had gone out to get some air, to think and sort out his feelings, thinking that she would still be asleep, but she was gone by the time he came back. Without a name to associate her with, he was at a loss. He had searched high and low, but he had never found her.


    At first, he regarded his feelings as just lust. He did not have enough of her body, so he had craved more. And because she just left without confronting him, bruising his ego in the process, he was left wanting her more.


    She had become an obsession these past years, but each day that passed by, he lost hope of finding her.


    He tried to forget about her and move on. Eyeing Emily as his probable target, he thought she could free him from the invisible bond he had with the mysterious woman he had slept with that fateful night. But alas, even if Emily had the same build, the same hair color, and almost the same look, he could not erase Aurora from his mind.


    She was the cog in the wheel fate had thrown into his carefully laid out life, and his memories of her haunted him day and night. Every time he had a quiet moment, her moans echoed in his head, and when he closed his eyes, her smile kept on taunting him, just like a movie reel caught on repeat.


    Nobody else had seen her except for him. Cameras in the hotel that could have helped had been tampered with. Some days he thought she might just have been a figment of his imagination, given the drug he had ingested that day.


    And today, when he thought he had seen her, she was nowhere to be found. She was like the elusive rare bird that everybody knows about, but nobody has seen.


    He would dream about her at night, where she would smile and look at him lovingly, caressing his face where they ended with a kiss he would always search for when he woke up in the morning but the painful truth slapped him in the face. She was not there.


    He lifted his head to the sky, and it was just as dark as his life, always waiting for the moon to shine its bright light.


    Dimitri did not know that she was closer than he thought, and soon they would meet again.


    Aurora and Lorenzo got on their bus, oblivious of the fact that had the bus been a few minutes late, Dimitri would have seen both mother and child at the bus station that he walked by earlier.


    After the adventures he had for the day, Lorenzo was too tired to stay awake for the ride home. He had fallen asleep on her lap dreaming his kiddie dreams.


    Aurora smiled and patted his head. He was such an energetic kid, so innocent and sweet, and she wished that he would always stay that way.


    She was sorry that she had to wake him up when they reached their stop. He had such an angelic face when he was asleep. But until she got her own transportation, the bus was the best way for them to get around.


    He fell asleep again even before she finished cooking dinner, and she had to wake him up again because if she didn''t he would wake up in the middle of the night very hungry, and it would disrupt both their sleep schedule.


    "Mommy, me sleepy, no eat, not hungry," Enzo said, half asleep.


    "Oh no baby, it''s not good to sleep with an empty stomach, you''ll wake up again later. Come on, just take a little bite, then you can go back to bed," she said softly.


    "Hmmm¡­ hmm¡­.," he mumbled.


    "Where''s mama''s favorite baby, the sweetest baby in the world," she said as she nuzzled his neck, Enzo slowly opened his eyes and giggled. After a few more tickles, he sat up and hugged his mother, and rubbed his face on her neck.


    "Enzo is mama''s favorite baby," he said in a sweet tone.


    "There you are, my favorite baby," she said as she planted a kiss on his head, "Come, let''s eat. We''re having chicken and vegetables, your favorite."


    He was not a picky eater, and his favorite food was usually what his mom had prepared for the day, so she calls them all his favorite.


    When he ate everything on his plate, even his veggies, he would look at his mom, waiting for a compliment.


    "Wow! Enzo ate everything on his plate, even the veggies. Good job!" She praised him, to boost up his confidence. Being a single mom, she knew that he needed constant praise and reassurance.


    To show his appreciation, Enzo kept bobbing his head in agreement, just like a cute puppy.


    "Mama, tomorrow I want to play with Uncle Gabe," he said to remind her. She sighed, knowing that if she tried to stop him, he''d just try to escape from her.


    "Baby, why do you like Uncle so much?" her curiosity was bugging her. He''s never shown interest in other people before, so why now, and why him?


    "Uncle Gabe is good, he''s nice," he explained like it was obvious, and she should know that already.


    She was glad that he was nice to Enzo, people always viewed kids as a nuisance, so it''s hard to gauge how people would react to him most of the time. "Okay, you can see him tomorrow, but promise not to be too loud and don''t bother him too much, he needs his rest," she warned him.


    Gabriel was still a stranger, and he may be nice today, but nobody will know what will happen tomorrow. And he is still a patient at the hospital, his care is her utmost concern.


    "Yes, mama. Enzo will be good," he promised as he made his way to the bathroom to take a bath and brush his teeth.


    She let him play in the tub while she cleaned up in the kitchen. Some days she still can''t believe how big he''s grown, walking around and roaming on his own. She was so shaken this afternoon when she lost him, and she could not get it out of her mind. She just had to be firm with him next time, she thought.


    "Enzo, I''m almost done here, are you finished soaping yourself?" she sat on the toilet after she was done to see if he needed any help. She ended up helping him rinse off and brush his teeth. He still liked to swallow his toothpaste, so she had to get the kid-friendly stuff.


    When he settled down, she brought him one of his books, and before she could even finish the first page, he was already asleep.


    Some days he would help her read, but tonight it seemed he was more tired than usual.

 Chapter 16 - 15

    The day was going on fairly smoothly, just like that perfect day before the storm was about to hit. It had been a very busy morning for Aurora, she had to take care of her usual share of stubborn patients and frantic relatives, but she was able to deal with everything professionally, and by the time it was time to pick up Enzo, her mood had picked up. Seeing her son always gave her the extra step she needed to be able to go through the day, no matter how busy.


    Enzo was eagerly waiting for her at the gate, bouncing on his feet like something crawled up his legs. He was excited to see Uncle Gabe.


    As soon as they got to the hospital he wanted to run to Gabriel''s ward, but Aurora told him that if he did not eat his snacks, then he would not be allowed to play.


    He was excited to see Uncle Gabe because he brought him some coloring books, and miniature building materials they could play with to build mini structures.


    Gabriel was surely surprised when Enzo arrived, he handed him some building blocks he did not know what to do with, so Enzo told him to just stick to coloring. And like an inspector, Enzo looked at his work.


    "Uncle Gabe, you don''t know how to color. You''re not supposed to color outside the lines," said the little smart-mouthed gremlin. Gabriel let out a cough to cover his embarrassment, and the subordinate pretended not to hear anything.


    Gabriel would just smile whenever Enzo rattled on endlessly, asking him questions here and there to show that he was paying attention.


    This routine went on for several days until Gabriel knew how to color within the lines and learned how to build mini structures using the materials he had.


    Gabriel always thought he was a very well-behaved kid, so he never told him to leave or go out even when he was tired, and in return, Enzo made it a point never to disturb him. He would sit quietly on the sofa, coloring his books, while waiting for Gabe to wake up on the days he would be asleep by the time Enzo came for his visit.


    It has been a week since Gabriel got shot, and as Dimitri wrapped up his work in the city and the other areas surrounding it, he thought he would come to the hospital and check whether Gabriel could be discharged, so he could bring him home.


    With the help of Gabriel''s subordinate, they made a beeline for the doctor''s office to get the results, but the nurse said that the doctor was still making her rounds so they could wait in her office if they really wanted to talk to her.


    And he did not have to wait long because a few minutes later, Dimitri heard the sound of footsteps behind him.


    Aurora smiled at the man waiting in her office, she hoped that he was not here to complain or sue her, noticing the very nice tailored suit he was wearing.


    As Dimitri turned around, it was like everything was happening in slow motion. There she was, the woman of his dreams, walking towards him with a smile.


    "I must be dreaming," he thought, "I''m probably in an accident right now and I''m hallucinating," because who would have imagined that of all the places he would find her, the most beautiful woman he had ever met, will be at the hospital, as his brother''s doctor.


    Her smile took his breath away, and for a second there, he forgot how to breathe.


    "Hi! I''m Dr. Aurora, I heard you were waiting to talk to me?" she said as she sat in her chair.


    Dimitri was still stunned, and he just kept staring at her, memorizing every part of her lovely face.


    Aurora felt a little uncomfortable from his gaze, making her shift in her seat. She looked at him briefly, not being able to return his stare. He was by far the most handsome man she had ever seen in her entire life.


    His huge build and sculpted features made him pass for one of those models on a magazine cover. They were always well manicured and wore nicely tailored suits. But he had a very cold aura coming from him. He was probably somebody she should avoid upsetting.


    "Is there something you need from me? Something you wanted to talk about?" she tried to ask again.


    "I''m Dimitri Santoris, Gabriel''s brother," he said, introducing himself.


    Aurora was wondering why he was watching her like a hawk. But then it made sense, no wonder he looked a little familiar. He could see some of Gabriel in his brother, but this one looked like he did not have the patience to sit down and talk to her.


    "Oh Gabriel, he''s been recovering very well. His shoulder is healing very nicely, it''ll take time for him to go without the pain but it won''t leave that big of a scar. You can take him home any time. There are just a few things that need to be done when he gets home, but I''ll make the list before he leaves," Aurora said in a professional tone.


    "Hmm¡­," Dimitri nodded, pretending to take interest in his brother''s health, but in reality, his mind was running. He had a lot of questions for her, but none of them involved his brother, so he did not know where to start. It seemed to him that she did not remember who he was. He had the best night of his life, and she did not even remember him.


    But he was, after all, Dimitri Santoris, and he had the patience of a saint when it came to taking things slowly. His patience was the reason he won all his legal and illegal business all the time. He had waited 5 years for this moment, and he will wait some more if that''s what''s needed to be done.


    She looked more mature and more alluring than he remembered, she was calm while talking about her patient and while dealing with him, when all he did was stare at her the whole time.


    "So, when do you want to take him home?" she asked so she could prepare all the lists, medicine, and documents that he needed to check out.


    "Gabe does not look healed to me, he needs more rest," Dimitri responded tersely.


    "No, he''s okay. I checked him myself, everything is fine. He can go," Aurora tried to assure him.


    "I want him to stay a few more days," he commanded. He wanted to utilize all the means for him to see her again, and he did not care that he was going to use his poor brother to achieve his goal.


    "But you see¡­," she tried to argue her point that it would be useless for Gabe to stay in the hospital when he was well enough to leave. Plus, they could always use the extra beds.


    "Do as I say!" Dimitri interrupted her, leaving her no space for argument.


    Aurora nodded, but inwardly she was cursing at him. She wanted to roll her eyes at him and tell him to leave her hospital. She did not like that these rich people play by their own rules and always order everybody around them to do their bidding.


    "Do you have any other questions?" she asked pointedly, when she noticed that he was still checking her out. She was thankful when he stood up. "Finally he''s leaving," she thought to herself as she tried to check some paperwork on her desk.


    But Dimitri had no intention of leaving as he stood beside her and turned her chair towards him.


    "Ahh¡­," she screamed, surprised by his actions.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing? she snapped.


    "Shh¡­.," he said as he enclosed her using the arms of her chair, "Aurora," he said, reading the name on her chest. She has a very lovely name, and it suits her, he thought.


    She stopped breathing, he was too close, and the way he said her name was too sensual.

 Chapter 17 - 16

    "What do you think you''re doing?" Aurora angrily asked as she tried to push him away. But Dimitri had the advantage, and he was far stronger than her, so she remained trapped in her seat.


    He moved closer, and it seemed like he was about to kiss her, so she twisted her head away from him. He smiled as he inhaled her sweet intoxicating scent. She was real and just as beautiful and fragrant as he remembered.


    He wanted to kiss that beautiful neck that she was offering him right now, but he had to be patient. Now that she was right in front of him, he will savor this moment. There was no use in scaring her now. He wants her to come to him willingly.


    Aurora could not move. "Did he just sniff me? What the heck is he doing now?" She wanted to take a peak, but for some reason, she was frozen.


    Dimitri blew on her ear, and Aurora shivered. This was just too much for her. Why is he affecting her so much? She''s never been with a man before, and she could always thwart other men''s advances, except for that one night she was inebriated, where she barely remembers what happened. But this man in front of her was unnerving her like her body was responding to him.


    Dimitri smirked when he saw her shiver. "It was my pleasure seeing you. Expect to see me again soon," he whispered in her ear. She could almost feel the touch of his lips, as she closed her eyes.


    He chuckled as he released her and sauntered away.


    It took a few seconds before Aurora came back to her senses. "You bastard!" she cursed behind his retreating back. He had rendered her speechless and helpless, and all she did was sit there. Why did he have such an effect on her?


    Next time she planned to avoid him, next time, this will not happen again, she vowed to herself.


    Gabriel was happily waiting in his room for his brother, his subordinate informed him that Dimitri was inquiring about his release.


    "Are they releasing me today?" Gabriel asked enthusiastically when Dimitri walked into the room, "Give me the good news."


    "The doctor said you need a few more days," Dimitri said casually.


    "What? Are they kidding me?" Gabriel was exasperated, "I feel better, and my shoulder does not hurt that much anymore. Tell them I want to go home."


    "The doctor showed me your latest scans. You need to stay for more observation to make sure that your shoulder heals nicely, there was too much muscle tear, and nerve damage," Dimitri lied convincingly.


    Gabriel sighed, he was ready to leave. It was getting to be too boring for him being in the hospital, he wanted to play.


    "I have work to do, so you better stay here," Dimitri instructed, "Don''t try to leave. I''m warning you," he said as he walked away.


    He was on the phone as soon as he got out of his brother''s ward. "Check something for me. Her name is Aurora, she works in the General Hospital in B city. I want all her details as soon as possible," he said to his private investigator. He needed to know more about her and the sooner he got that information, the sooner he could come up with a plan.


    There was a spring in his step. At last, he can stop searching for this mystery woman whose memories he had been holding onto for the last 5 years. When he was starting to lose hope, she appeared in front of him, just like that.


    Aurora did not welcome his advances and was not amused when he tried to flirt with her, which meant she either had another man in her life or that he might be in luck that she was always this standoffish when it came to the other sex.


    Wooing her would be a challenge, and he loved challenges. This was one challenge he will truly enjoy pursuing.


    "Aurora," just thinking about her name made him smile.


    ---


    Enzo was excitedly running in the hospital, he brought his new remote control car to show Uncle Gabe.


    "Uncle Gabe! Uncle Gabe!" he called from the door, "Look at my new car! I just got it yesterday," he chirped exuberantly.


    Gabriel was sulking because he was going to get stuck in the hospital for another week, it was getting to be the vacation from hell. He was missing all his activities, target practice and kickboxing during the day, late night races, and carousing with women during the night.


    He was feeling like he was suffocating in this small hospital that did not have pretty nurses he could flirt with. Most of the nurses here were old or married.


    "Uncle Gabe, are you okay?" Enzo asked in a concerned tone.


    When Gabe looked at Enzo''s serious face, he smiled and responded, "No, I''m not. I want to go home."


    "Oh! Are you missing your mama?" Enzo asked because he knew that if he did not see his mom for a week, like Uncle Gabe, he would terribly miss her. Just like when she had to work those long nights leaving him with the neighborhood aunties. He remembered crying a lot and pining for his mom.


    "Yes, I miss her very much," Gabriel said, acting forlorn.


    Enzo climbed up on his bed and comforted him the only way he knew how. He touched Gabriel''s cheek and said, "Uncle, don''t be sad. Enzo will play with you until your wound gets better."


    Gabriel''s heart melted. "Why are you so cute?" he said as he hugged Enzo and planted a kiss on his tiny little head.


    Enzo giggled when he heard his Uncle compliment him. Gabriel had no choice, so he just made use of the situation and played with Enzo and his remote control car.


    ---


    It was way past midnight, yet sleep would not come to Dimitri. Not now, when Aurora was within his grasp, he kept on smiling to himself like a fool when he remembered their interaction earlier.


    He was thinking about the investigator and what information he could get when he heard his phone ping. So he eagerly read the report.


    Family: No known family members. Raised in an orphanage.


    He felt a twinge in his heart, aching for Aurora not having a good childhood.


    Academics: 1st rank in all her courses. All her grades are exemplary, with no tardy, or unnecessary days off.


    He felt proud, his woman was obviously just as smart as he was, maybe smarter.


    Known Addresses: Orphanage in X city before she moved to an Apartment in B city, 5 years ago.


    Occupation: Doctor. Most promising surgeon in her field.


    Relationship Status: Single.


    That sounded good. She did not have any man in her life. Otherwise, it would be hard to get rid of someone she was attached to. If she was married he would probably try to get rid of her spouse, using every means possible.


    He knew that there was nobody else for him, it was Aurora all this time, and had hoped that she did not have anyone because she had waited for him as well.


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 Chapter 18 - 17

    As Dimitri read on, he got surprised.


    Children: Lorenzo (boy)


    He re-read the text over and over again. She had a child, a young boy. His heart fell. The report said she was single, a lot of questions were running in his mind.


    Did she get married? Where was the father of her kid? Did she get pregnant out of wedlock? Did her husband leave her? Did he cheat on her? Did she love him? Did he die?


    Will there be a place for him in her heart? What if she still longed for this man? What if he could never compete with this person?


    Anger was boiling under the surface. He wanted to throw his phone to the wall and smash everything just to make the information disappear. But after he calmed down, he decided to check something. According to the report, the child''s birthday showed that he was now 4 years old, and as he calculated, he realized she had conceived her child around the same time they had been intimate with each other.


    Could he be the child''s father? He failed to wrap his head around the truth, his anger and frustration became curiosity and anxiety. He needed answers, and he needed them now. But as he looked at his clock, he realized it was too early to go and see Aurora.


    He could not contain his excitement. He had planned to woo her until she can''t be without him, but now the possibility of the child changed his whole plan. The child will be his ticket to get to her. His child.


    As he closed his eyes, vivid images of their encounter 5 years ago flooded his head. He could not wait to see her again, the yearning he had felt those many years he thought he lost her had spiraled into this clawing need inside him. He had to have her.


    At 7:00 am sharp Aurora''s cell phone rang. She had been up for a while, preparing Enzo''s lunch box and breakfast. She was ready to face the day despite having a bad encounter with Dimitri Santoris yesterday.


    "Aurora, it''s Dimitri, meet me at the X restaurant at 9 am," Dimitri shot out without even giving her a chance to say hello.


    "What? Look Mr. Santoris, I have work to do, and I don''t have time to play with you. If you have any pressing questions regarding your brother, then I can see you at the hospital," she snapped. She had no time for this.


    "Who is he to order me around anyway?" she thought grumpily, as she tried to get rid of him, "I am in a hurry and have no time for this."


    "It''s important that I talk to you, and don''t worry I have already informed the hospital of your absence for today," he stated.


    "Mr. Santoris, as I said, I am too busy for your antics this morning. Good Day!" she dropped the call on him. Why is he bothering her outside the hospital anyway? What is it that was so important that he had to call her on her cellphone?


    "How did he get my cell phone number?" she thought, but before she could think more about it, her thoughts were now preoccupied with getting Enzo ready for breakfast and school.


    She was on her way to the hospital when she got a call from the nurse saying she was on administrative leave today and need not come to work. The nurse also said that someone from upper management had requested the leave on her behalf.


    "What the heck is happening?" she was still looking at her phone when a sleek black car with tinted windows stopped beside her on the sidewalk.


    The driver came out and addressed her, "Madam, would you come with me, please. My sir would like to speak with you."


    "And who may I ask, is this person?" she asked curiously. She was not gonna jump into somebody''s car just because they are summoning her. Didn''t they know that that''s how girls get kidnapped? She had the right mind to say no, but she was curious.


    "Mr. Dimitri Santoris," the driver replied as he led the way to the back door of the car.


    She knew there was no use fighting him. He was probably behind her administrative leave, and he was not going to leave her alone until he spoke to her, so she gave up and got inside his car.


    Dimitri was on the phone as she got in. He was wearing a very intent look on his face as he nodded at her and continued with his conversation.


    She agreed to see him so they could get this over with, but now he was busy, and she had to wait. She sighed thinking about what she should say or do when her eyes landed on his finely tailored suit and started examining him.


    He was very nice to look at actually, with his very defined cheekbones, broad shoulders, and arms that showed off his muscles.


    The car had stopped, and she didn''t even notice they had moved. All her ogling almost got her caught, that''s when she looked out and saw that they were in front of the most elegant hotel in the city.


    The magazines had said that this was the most expensive getaway in town. Only the celebrities and the people who traveled in elite circles could afford rooms here. Dining here had a month-long wait for a reservation. They had employed one of the most famous chefs in the country, and he was renowned to serve the best food.


    She wondered how Dimitri could have managed to get a reservation at their restaurant. Their family was probably richer than she had originally thought, she could just speculate. What she did not know was that it would probably shock her once she learns how rich and powerful he really was.


    All the people coming in and out of the lobby looked very finely dressed, which alerted her to the fact that she looked out of place. That maybe she was not supposed to be here. She crossed her arms in front of her and lowered her head so as not to embarrass herself. She did not want to show everyone that she was uncomfortable even though she was.


    Dimitri was watching her like a hawk and saw her fidget, "Let''s go. We''re riding the elevator."


    She quietly followed him, wondering where he was taking her. They had stopped on the top floor, but he did not bring her to the main restaurant, he ushered her into one of the private rooms.


    He pulled a chair out for her, and even though she was capable of doing it herself, she skipped the argument, there was something important brewing here and she wanted to find out.


    "What do you want to order?" Dimitri asked.


    There was no menu, so she did not know what to order, "I.....", she started but was cut short by Dimitri.


    "Don''t bother. I''ll order for both of us," he said, noticing that she was ready to argue. Probably to tell him that she did not want to eat.


    "Mr. Santoris, why did you bring me here?" she asked, "You said you wanted to talk to me. I''m here now, so now what?"


    He smirked. She was headstrong, and she got to the point. He liked that.


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 Chapter 19 - 18

    "Mr. Santoris, I am not sure why you wanted to see me. If you are looking for someone to relieve your boredom, then you''re wasting your time because I am not that type of person," Aurora said without beating around the bush. Her guard up.


    Dimitri was definitely handsome and rich. Women probably threw themselves at his feet all the time, but she was not one of them.


    Aurora knew she was beautiful, and men have tried to hit on her though she never encouraged any of them. She was not delusional, she came from poverty after all, and with her friend''s betrayal, she knew the repercussions. He was alive and kicking, reminding her every day of her misfortune.


    Right now, she wants to live her life with her son, Enzo, stress-free, with no other complications that a man might bring.


    She was very clever, and she did not have any fantasies about falling in love. It was not going to be easy for a man to accept another person''s kid, and because she was single, she knew that all they wanted from her was to play with her, so she avoided any interactions with men as much as possible.


    They only met two days ago, and she was getting pissed off with his audacity to bring her to an expensive hotel just to flaunt his wealth in her face, to charm and convince her to do his bidding. She had more backbone than that.


    Dimitri got upset. "How dare this woman think that I brought her here to play with her. I told her we were going to talk. Why is she being difficult?" he thought broodily to himself.


    But then he smiled. He liked that Aurora was feisty and that she was not the type of woman who gets blinded by wealth, which meant she had the same attitude towards other men. Other women would jump at the chance to be brought here and lavished with gifts. But not his Aurora.


    "Well, I am very interested in you," He chuckled as he looked into her eyes.


    She was seething, "I am not here to be your entertainment. So if you have nothing to say, I''m leaving," she said as she gritted her teeth and stood up from her chair.


    "Wait! That''s not what we are here for," He said as he got up and reached for her hand.


    "Take your hand off me," she said as she looked at him fiercely. She will not be bullied into submission.


    He let her hand go, he did not want to antagonize her even before he delivered his news. He needed to keep her calm before she bolted.


    "What I need to discuss with you is of utmost importance," Dimitri said softly, "I did not bring you here to seduce you." Though he wouldn''t think twice to do it in the future.


    Aurora looked at his face and tried to see if there was any malice behind his statement. His arrogant demeanor was replaced with something she could not put her finger on. Concern perhaps?


    "I''ll listen to what you have to say," she said guardedly.


    "Aurora¡­," her name on his lips felt like a sensual touch, just like when he said her name in the hospital the first day they met. "Do you really not remember me?" he asked almost sadly.


    "No. Should I remember you? I met you for the first time, 2 days ago," she said with a frown on her face. Did she meet him once before and not remember. He had such a handsome face, she would surely remember him.


    "We met, 5 years ago in Club X," he said as he stared at her closely.


    The blood drained from her body, her face paled, and she felt her knees give way, good thing she had the chair behind her. The sound she emitted was between a gasp and a sob, "No!"


    Her mind was whirling so fast, getting drugged, stumbling along the hall, sleeping alone, then with someone, getting naked, she could still feel his touch, the sensation, and the need. She had successfully pushed those at the back of her mind, never to be remembered again. Yet here he was, asking her about it.


    "How¡­ how¡­," she couldn''t breathe. He rubbed her back to help her and gave her a glass of water.


    "How do you know about that?" she continued. Nobody knew she was in there, save for Linda and that scum that drugged her.


    "I¡­I was the one with you that night," he said almost reluctantly.


    "No!" she said as she stood up and moved as far away from him as possible, trying to keep the table in between them.


    "Please...let me explain," he said as he took a step forward, and she stepped further away. She had to sit down again, anger and anguish flitted across her face as her eyes filled with uncontrollable tears.


    "How could you do that to me? I was inebriated. I didn''t know what I was doing," she said as self-pity overcame her. She was so ashamed and disgusted with herself.


    She looked so fragile, and he felt like each tear that fell from her face was stabbing his heart. So he tried to come nearer to console her. "Listen to me," he said.


    "Don''t come near me! Just stay wherever you are and start talking," she said vehemently. Anger was boiling inside of her. She grabbed one of the napkins on the table and started wiping her tear-streaked face.


    "It was not my choice to sleep with you that night. Someone had drugged me and stuck me in the room you were in. When I woke up in the morning I stepped out to clear my mind and figure out how to approach our very sensitive situation, but by the time I came back, you were gone. I tried my best to find you everywhere, all these years, but all I had was a memory of your very beautiful face, I had no name to go by.


    So imagine my shock when I found out you were Gabe''s doctor. I wanted to tell you everything so badly, but I did not want to embarrass you at work. That''s why I brought you here so we can talk about this privately," he explained.


    She sat there contemplating what he said. Remembering that night vaguely, she knew that he did not force her to do anything, she had actively participated and even threw herself at him.


    She couldn''t help but stare at him, to see if he had any reason to lie about this information, what would be his motive? But as she kept staring, she started remembering, his features resembled the man in her memories.


    He stood there like a gentleman waiting for her to say something. He knew it was a lot to absorb this early in the morning and all he could do was wait. At least she had stopped crying, he thought to himself, because all he wanted to do earlier was to gather her in his arms and promise her that things would be better.


    "I don''t know what to say. This is all a shock to me," she said as she collected herself and sat up straighter on her chair. Honestly, she was confused. What did this mean? What did he want from her? She worried and sighed.


    She was still sitting down, and Dimitri saw this as a sign that maybe she will be open for discussion. So he slowly moved towards her and sat beside her.


    "Aurora, I know this is a lot to handle. We can take things slowly," he said thoughtfully.


    And just in time, the waiter knocked on the door to bring in their breakfast.


    "Let''s have breakfast, then we''ll discuss what we need to do," he said.


    Food? The food looked great, and it smelled equally as good, but she had a lump in her throat the size of a golf ball, and she can''t seem to muster enough strength to eat.


    Dimitri was serving food on her plate as she sat there staring at this man that had been searching for her all these years, the father of her child.


    "Have some of this," Dimitri said obliviously.


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 Chapter 20 - 19

    Dimitri could not contain the euphoria he was feeling. His life was now complete. The woman he had been dreaming of for the past 5 years is now in front of him. He wanted to hold her in his arms, yet he knew he had to take it slow.


    He tried to stop himself from staring at her but then noticed that she hadn''t touched the food on her plate. How could she when she was not feeling too happy right now? She was pondering about their situation.


    "Mr. Santori, I do not blame you for what happened that night, nobody is at fault, we were both drugged, and we were not thinking clearly. There is no point in dwelling in the past. I am not here to ask for compensation. I suggest we forget that it happened and let us both move in with our lives," she suggested.


    This was the best solution she came up with. Time has already passed, and she was content with her life with Enzo. She did not need his help, and she was not going to hold Dimitri responsible for what happened. He probably has someone in his life, and she would not want to intrude on his life.


    "What? No!" he said angrily, banging his hand on the table. "Do you know how long I have been searching for you?" he asked as he stared her down.


    "How can she just disregard me like this? Why isn''t she even giving me a chance?" he asked himself. Now that he found her, he was not willing to let her go.


    "No, I don''t, but we both have our own lives to live. We don''t need to be together just because of one mistake we made 5 years ago," she said as she stared back.


    "Never call it a mistake," he said as he came closer, glowering at her. He was getting frustrated, "Why is she so infuriating?" he thought. He needed to get his message across before he got too mad because who knows, he might be mad enough to kiss her to shut her up.


    "Listen to me carefully because I will only say this once. I have been searching for you for the past 5 years. Looking for you drove me nuts, and I will do everything possible not to lose you again. You do not know the anguish I felt every time I turned around, and it was not you.


    I know we do not know each other that well, but we have all the time in the world to learn about each other. We don''t need to rush, we can do it at a pace that you are comfortable with.


    I know the idea sounds bizarre, but you made a very big impact on me, and I would like to know more about you." Dimitri, for the first time in his life, was willing to be patient just so she would agree.


    "Well... What about your wife or girlfriend. Surely they will never agree to this," she was grasping for straws, anything to get her out of the situation. After all, she has Enzo to think about too. She can''t just jump into this without consulting his feelings.


    Dimitri laughed aloud, "That''s what you are worried about? It may be hard to believe, but searching for you kept me from having any other relationships. I kept myself pure just for you," he said while he winked at her.


    Aurora blushed, that was not her question, but that''s good to know if she indeed wanted to get into a relationship with him.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m sticking to my decision," she said. She was not ready to be in a relationship right now., or ever.


    "Do you have a man in your life? Is that why you''re rejecting me? Are you in love with someone else?" he snapped. He knew she was single, so why wasn''t she accepting him?


    "What? No, it''s not like that¡­," she trailed off. She was pondering if she should tell him about Enzo.


    That''s good, he thought, "I have nobody to contend with, not that they''re going to win anyway." He relaxed in his chair.


    "Aurora, do you want our son Lorenzo to grow up without a father?" It was time to use the last trick in his bag.


    "How¡­ how do you know about Enzo?" she turned pale, and her eyes grew large. "No! Not my son. He''s mine" she thought.


    "I know everything about you, and it seems like you had no intention of telling me about our son, am I right?" he inquired, his eyebrows coming together, "Are you hiding him from me?"


    "No, please... I was not.... Please don''t take my son away," she pleaded as she grabbed onto his hand, "You wouldn''t be that cruel, would you?" she asked, tears swimming behind her eyes. Enzo was the only one who gave her happiness and the courage to live on and go through with life, no matter how bad it was. It would kill her if Dimitri took him away because she knew that she would never be able to fight him.


    Dimitri cupped her face as her tears started to fall. "Shh... Aurora, don''t cry," he said as he wiped them all away.


    "I cannot live without him," She said between sobs.


    He scolded himself, he shouldn''t have been too harsh talking about Lorenzo, now she thinks he was there to take their son away.


    "Shh¡­ that''s not what I meant. Here drink this," he said as he gave her another glass of water. But she ignored it. She was too heartbroken right now.


    "I''m not taking Lorenzo from you," she looked up into his eyes, "I want you and my son together with me. I have no plans to separate you, instead, I promise to take care of you both now that we''re all going to be together."


    She was surprised, she could not believe this man would just walk into their life and accept them.


    "I just learned about him last night and I want to be part of his life if you will let me," he continued.


    He had a point. Her son did need his father, and she cannot prevent him from staking his claim. He would probably take Enzo if she objected. He seemed genuinely earnest about his intentions.


    "Okay, I will agree, we can try to be together for Enzo, and if it doesn''t work out between us, we should part on good terms. Our son will not be subjected to any bad experiences. We should never force him to choose, and no fighting in front of him," she wanted to state her terms beforehand so there wouldn''t be any confusion. She wanted to give him a chance, for her son''s sake.


    "No! That will never happen. We are going to stay together, and everything will be fine," he snapped.


    "You''re that confident? What if you get to know me and discover you don''t want me after all?" she asked.


    "Yes, I am very confident. What you''re saying is never going to happen. I know what I want, and I always get it," Dimitri stated, with an evil glint in his eye.


    She did not know what to make of him and his comment. For a second there, he looked very sinister. Was she really prepared to be in a relationship with this man?


    "You''re all grown up but still crying like a little kid," he chuckled.


    "I¡­," embarrassed, she lowered her head.


    "So cute," he muttered and planted a kiss on her head.


    "What was that for?" she thought as she looked at his face questioningly.


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 Chapter 21 - 20

    Things had finally calmed down, and breakfast had been consumed. Dimitri had been in a good mood the whole time, with a smile constantly visible on his face. He looked like a fat cat that ate the canary, very relaxed and satisfied.


    Nothing escaped Aurora, and when the bill came for their breakfast, she glanced at it, their meal had cost him two month''s worth of groceries. But for Dimitri, it was nothing, nothing his black card couldn''t take care of.


    And since they have established that they were going to try to make their relationship work, Dimitri jumped at the chance to practice his rights. So he held her hand as they walked towards the elevator.


    "What are you doing?" she asked, surprised. She tried to release his hold on her by pulling her hand away.


    "Trying to get used to being a couple. We can start now. So we can strengthen our relationship," he said as he tightened his hold. He had been craving to touch her since he saw her this morning, and aside from wiping down her tears his needs still needed to be assuaged.


    He always had a controlling nature, and if he wanted to hold her hand, then he would. He did not care if she was comfortable with it or not. He waited five long years for this moment, and he would not let it pass by.


    Holding her hand was the first step because he knew he needed to be patient with her. He had been celibate for the last five years, and he wanted to experience that sexual satisfaction he had with Aurora that one magical night they were together.


    Her soft hands brought him back to the dark hotel room, where they explored each other''s bodies, caressing, kissing, licking, and sucking places they''ve only explored in each other''s arms.


    Thinking about that night made him want to keep Aurora for the day and show her what they''ve both missed the past few years, but taking her here and now without her consent will harm his plans on having marital bliss. To make her happy, he had to do things on her terms.


    "Well not all of them," he thought. He would still probably need to give her a nudge from time to time to hurry things up. Like holding her hand today. She definitely wouldn''t do that freely.


    "Isn''t it too soon for this? We barely know each other, and we just met again today?" she said as she frowned.


    "Why is he getting so feely touchy already? I agreed to us knowing each other, not being physical with each other," she thought, frustrated. She wondered if she made the wrong decision.


    "The sooner we learn about each other, the better," he smirked, "Plus you already agreed to be my wife, so it''s just natural that I hold my wife''s hand."


    She was trying to find a reason to disagree when they chanced upon a group of people in the lobby of the hotel. So she decided not to make a fuss and just let him hold her hand. It''s not that big of a deal, she thought.


    But holding her hand did not end when they got into his car. Because he was not driving and they were seated at the back he had time to hang onto her hand, caressing her fingers with his thumb.


    He was comparing their hands. While her hands were small and fair, his hands were larger and darker in color. She had long dainty fingers that looked like they were meant to play the piano, and he had thicker ones that were callused and marked with small scars here and there. But both their fingernails were cut short and painted clear for hygienic purposes.


    No matter the difference, their hands fit perfectly together, big hands cradling her small ones, and holding her felt oh so good.


    "You can let go of my hand now," she said when she noticed that he was looking at their hands intently like there was something spectacular about them.


    "Aurora, stop trying to evade me," he said coldly. This was the only thing he could do right now, and he will not relinquish this small victory of being close to her.


    His eyes were hooded, and he had that "you better listen to me" look in his eye that she gave Enzo whenever he was misbehaving, so she knew that he meant business and she had no strength to go against him.


    He kept on caressing her hand and looking up at her, and it was starting to unnerve her. "What is so fascinating about her hands anyway?" she thought.


    "So tiny," he grinned as he lifted her hand and planted a small kiss on it. He chuckled when he saw her blush. At least one of them is happy, she thought. She just didn''t know what to do with him right now.


    When she saw the front of her house, she tried to jump from the car even before it had stopped, "Bye," she said, but Dimitri had his arm around her waist pulling her back to him, anticipating her move.


    "Are you trying to get away from me?" he asked with her body wedged against his. She didn''t think he knew what she was up to, so now she wasn''t prepared to have his arms wrapped around her in this very compromising position.


    She could not utter a word, so she just shook her head. She was very well aware of how close their bodies were touching, and she was getting hot.


    He traced his thumb on her cheek, they were as soft and silky as he imagined. She was like a drug, the more he touched her, the more he got intoxicated. He wanted so bad to kiss her soft waiting lips right now but instead, he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and sniffed her hair. His urges can wait.


    "Wait for me tonight," he said breathlessly. One more minute in her presence will undo all his self-restraint. He had to let her go.


    She was not unaffected by their close proximity, his touch on her cheek, then behind her ear, and knowing that he just inhaled her scent. She wanted to lean in and give in to the need to kiss him. But at that moment, he let her go.


    She was standing on the sidewalk, staring at his car as it barreled down the street before she came to. It was just too much to handle.


    To say he was controlling was an understatement, he''s been trying to tell her what to do since she met him this morning, from breakfast all the way to holding her hand in the car. She could see right away that they will be butting heads in the future because of this, but for her son, she was willing to bite the bullet.


    ---


    Enzo was oblivious of the activities that morning, but he was happy that his mom was able to take the day off. Because it usually meant they had time to go to the park.


    She felt guilty when she saw how happy her son was, it had been a while since she took him out just so he could play. Due to her hectic work schedule, she even had to bring him to work and let the patients entertain him. That was not how a growing kid should spend his days, so she vowed she would take him out to the park at least twice a week.


    Enzo was pooped. He was so tired that he just went straight to bed after dinner and his bath, he didn''t even ask her to read him a story.


    So Aurora took this rare opportunity of having enough time for herself to review the documents she had taken home the day before. This would give her enough time to research¡­ when she heard a knock on the door.


    She frowned, "Who will come calling at this time? I hope it''s not somebody asking for money."


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 Chapter 22 - 21

    Aurora did not open the door immediately, she decided to use the peephole to see who it was, for security purposes. She was a single woman alone with her child, she cannot be too cautious.


    Dimitri was standing outside her door with his hands in his pocket. "What is he doing here?" she thought as she tried to look at herself in the mirror, making sure her hair was okay, and she had nothing in between her teeth. She felt nervous having him in her house and debated on whether she should let him in.


    She was taking too much time, and he banged on her door, "Aurora, open the door, it''s me."


    He was creating too much noise, and her neighbors were too close, so she had no choice but to let him in.


    He sauntered into her house like it was his own. Her house was on the small side, and with his big frame, he filled it out like it was a playhouse. With his commanding presence and his chiseled good looks, she could not tear her eyes away from him. He smiled, it looks like his charms were working on her after all.


    "Why have you come at this hour? Did you need anything?" she questioned.


    "Didn''t I tell you earlier I was coming?" he responded casually like she was asking him something silly.


    Aurora remembered him telling her to wait for him tonight, but she just shrugged that off. She did not pay attention earlier because of all the things she had to take in. But it seems like there was nowhere to hide. He had her phone number, address, and anything else that was of importance.


    "Why is he so eager to incorporate his life into ours anyway?" so many questions, and she was thinking to herself when she felt a pull on her wrist. He had called her attention twice already, and when she hadn''t responded he had to take action.


    He pulled her closer to him until they were face to face, and toe to toe against each other. She was so irresistible, and he couldn''t help tease her every chance he got.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" she asked, flustered.


    "You tell me, what do you think I''m doing?" he whispered near her ear as he tried to sniff her scent again. His nose close to her ear.


    She held her breath, trying to watch what he was doing without moving, scared that if she makes the wrong move, she will be in his arms, doing things she probably shouldn''t be doing when her son was in the other room, and he could walk in on them any minute.


    "I''m hungry," he said as he touched her lower lip with his thumb, her eyes dilated, and she gasped, "feed me."


    She released the breath she was holding. "Whew!" she thought, "I thought he was going to suggest something else."


    Still holding his gaze, she asked, "Did you not eat before you came here?" she tried to swat his hand away.


    "No. I was eager to get here," Dimitri answered as he moved his hand to her shoulder. He had just come from a dinner meeting, but because he wanted to end it right away, he did not eat anything. Seeing her was more important than his dinner.


    "Aurora?" he asked as he rubbed his forehead, he could feel a headache coming if he didn''t eat soon.


    She wasn''t going to say yes, but he looked very tired, and when he rubbed his forehead, she felt bad for him. After feeding her breakfast this morning, all she could do was return the favor, "Okay fine, I''ll make you dinner, it''ll take a while though."


    "Good. I can wait," he said as he smiled at her. She turned on the tv and told him to sit in the living room while she cooked.


    She was making him egg drop soup, some vegetable fried rice, and some stir-fried cabbage. That was all she could offer him seeing the meager offerings from her fridge. She was glad that he had left her alone, she needed space from him, but then she spoke too soon because after a few minutes he stood in the corner to watch what she was doing.


    It was a small kitchen, and even though he was standing far from her she felt crowded. His piercing gaze was raising the temperature, and she felt overheated.


    He was a very picky eater, having food made by the best chefs ruined your palate for anything else, but because these were made by Aurora''s hands he was going to try to enjoy them. He was surprised though that a simple meal could taste so good.


    She was fidgeting beside the stove when she asked him to sit down and eat. This food probably won''t be good enough for him, she thought. She kept worrying, as she paced slowly in her kitchen.


    "I know this may not be what¡­" she said nervously.


    "What are you talking about? It was delicious, I finished all of it," he said showing her all the empty plates.


    "Your hands are magic," he said as he reached for her hand and planted a kiss on it, "Thank you for dinner."


    Dimitri was such a charmer, and she was blushing yet again. He smiled. Another point in his book, he thought.


    "Where is Lorenzo?" Dimitri asked. He had forgotten all about his son and was wondering where he was. He was so intent on charming Aurora he totally forgot about him.


    "He''s already asleep in his room. Do you want to see him?" she asked.


    "No, just let him sleep. I will come back tomorrow," he replied as he got up. He was on his way to another meeting. He had taken this small reprieve he had in between the meetings to see her. He still couldn''t believe his luck that he finally found her so he was not going to skip a chance to see her.


    She walked with him to the door. "Good night!" she said.


    "Thank you for the wonderful dinner," he said, as he grabbed her hand in his, "I will see you tomorrow."


    "Be careful, don''t open the door without checking," he said as he kissed her knuckles. Aurora nodded.


    He went through the neighborhood earlier and took note of the overall safety of the neighborhood. The streets were not properly lit, and some of the roads were not marked, but he understood why she chose to live there.


    But now that he was here to take care of them, he decided that they should be surrounded by all his riches.


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 Chapter 23 - 22

    The next morning.


    Aurora had just completed her rounds for the morning, and it was almost time for lunch. She had another busy day, and she was glad that she could finally take a break.


    She paused outside the door to her office, thinking if she remembered to give¡­ when she was pulled inside. "Ahh¡­," she screamed and found a hand covering her mouth.


    "Shh¡­," said the figure behind her, "I''m letting you go, don''t scream." It was Dimitri, and he was up to his antics again.


    He had her trapped behind her door, but she wasn''t taking any of this nonsense. "What are you doing?" she seemed to ask him that a lot lately, "You can''t just appear any time you want to," she said as she scolded him. But knowing Dimitri, even for a few days, he will probably just do whatever he wants.


    "I wanted to see you," he said touching her cheek.


    "Aren''t we supposed to meet tonight?" she asked.


    "Were you looking forward to seeing me this evening?" Dimitri grinned, raising his eyebrow.


    "Ugh!" she sighed. He was impossible. "Wasn''t he the one who told me he wanted to see Enzo later tonight? But now he''s acting like I''m desperate to see him."


    "I have work to do, can you please leave me alone?" She tried to push him away, he was crowding her, trapping her between his arms at the door made her too aware of him.


    "I''m so tired," he murmured softly.


    "Didn''t you go to bed after you left me last night?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.


    "No I came home late, I had several meetings last night after I saw you," he stated. It was all drama, he just wanted to see if Aurora would worry about him and then take care of him.


    He was the least bit tired. Being the mob boss, he was used to staying up late and waking up early. He had to, because a lot of people depended on him, not only underground but on the legal businesses as well. And since they had businesses all over the country and all over the world, he needed to be available at all hours of the day.


    As Aurora looked into his face she saw his gaunt appearance, he did look like he didn''t sleep well, the bags under his eyes seemed to look darker under the hospital lights.


    She almost touched his face to wipe away the weariness reflected on it, but she stopped herself at the last second, "Why don''t you go back to your hotel and rest?" she said, her voice turning soft.


    He smiled, her concern for him was very touching, "I can''t go back yet. I''m hungry, and I want to eat food that you cooked. I really liked what you made last night. I was craving for more."


    "I can''t do that now," she said, mildly annoyed, yes, she was flattered he liked the food last night, but to come back at lunch and demand her to cook him some more was preposterous. "You''re coming home for dinner later, right? I''ll see you then," she said, retracting her catty tone.


    "Hmm.. or we can just go home right now so you can cook for me. I''ll talk to your boss," he suggested.


    "No!" she screamed. He had already asked them to give her a day off yesterday, and they didn''t hesitate to agree to him, nothing is stopping him from doing that today as well.


    "I don''t want you to meddle with my work. Every time you ask for a favor on my behalf it will ruin my reputation. I don''t want them to think I got this job because of you. Please, tell me you won''t try to step in again?" she reasoned.


    Dimitri did not respond and coolly went to sit on the sofa. He skipped work just to see her and have lunch with her. He was not going to let anything stop him from making that happen.


    He was dialing the director''s phone and Aurora knew there was no use convincing him to do anything else, but she had something up her sleeve, "Stop! I packed lunch, you can have it!" she said hurriedly.


    A smile formed on his lips, he felt satisfied with the outcome. But he did not want her to be hungry, so they went to the cafeteria so she could have lunch with him.


    He was getting used to the way she cooked, and the meal in her lunch box was as good as the food yesterday. He could get used to this.


    She was looking longingly at her food. She was looking forward to having her lunch today, yet here she was eating cafeteria food.


    "Why are you making that face? Is the food not good?" he asked as he took a bite from her fork.


    She ignored him, pretending nothing happened. "Oh no, this food doesn''t taste as good as my lunch," he said. She was seething deep inside, "If you know that food here was awful, then why did you take mine? Ugh!" she said in her mind.


    "Aww.. don''t look at me like that. Don''t worry I won''t take your food next time," he said as he touched her chin. Not looking the least bit guilty.


    Aurora just rolled her eyes, she knew he didn''t mean what he said, "How shameless," she thought. No time for that now. She needed to get back to work. Sitting and having lunch with Dimitri had been entertaining. He finished all her food, showing her that once again he enjoyed whatever she had cooked.


    But as she stood up, he took her hand. "Stop it, I''m going to be late," she hissed. He started kissing her knuckles, one by one.


    At the same time Gabriel had just come back from his walk, he went to the garden to get some air. He was passing by the cafeteria when he noticed a woman trying to pull her hands from a man sitting on one of the tables.


    He didn''t really think anything of it, maybe they were lovers and were flirting with each other. But then something made him give them a second look. It was Aurora, his doctor, and he would recognize that man''s back anywhere, it was his big brother Dimitri.


    Aurora kept on pulling her hand away, and when she finally got free, she tried to run away from Dimitri, who had followed her with his big steps.


    Gabriel pinched himself to check if he was dreaming. "Ouch!" The pain told him he was awake.


    His brother, who had always been ice cold with women, was clearly flirting with his doctor, he even had a smile on his face. Something Gabriel has not seen in a long while. He was pursuing the doctor who seemed intent on running away from him.


    This was the first time he saw his brother interested in a woman, and it was very unfortunate that she was married. It was only a matter of time before Dimitri got rid of her husband because if his brother really wanted Aurora, he would have her no matter what. His brother never shares, her husband will have to go.


    When he saw her pulling away from him, he deduced that Dimitri was trying to force her to be with him. There were a lot of women, and he could have anyone he wanted, why is he wasting his time on a married woman anyway?


    Aurora was beautiful, but there were other beautiful women around him. He was getting agitated thinking about his brother trying to coerce her to agree to his demands.


    Gabriel vowed to help sway his brother not to pursue Aurora because he had gotten close to Enzo, and was fond of the cute, adorable child that had wormed his way into his heart. He knew that the child will never be the same if anything happens to his father.


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 Chapter 24 - 23

    Gabriel went back to his room to think deeply about his brother''s situation. He was lying on the bed when Dimitri came in with a smile on his face. He would never get used to his brother having this very jovial demeanor, and it bothered him because he knew the reason why.


    "Hmm¡­ brother, you seem to be in a good mood today. Did something happen?" Gabriel asked.


    "Gabe, don''t worry about the business, we are here for your recovery. So, you should take this time to rest," Dimitri said, misunderstanding Gabriel''s concern.


    "Well¡­ that''s not what I meant. How are you doing?" He said, fishing for more information.


    Dimitri gave him a shrug, "meh," he seemed to say.


    Gabriel was gritting his teeth, his brother was being difficult. How is he going to approach this without looking too nosy? "So¡­ do you have anybody in your life right now?" he asked. Dimitri ignored him.


    "You know¡­ like a girlfriend or a lover?" he continued. And that caught Dimitri''s attention. Gabriel faltered. His brother was giving him one of his penetrating stares.


    "I know a few interested women. They wanted to be introduced, would you like to meet them?" He volunteered. If he can steer his brother''s attention away from Aurora, then everything will be good.


    "Not interested," Dimitri replied as he went back to checking his phone.


    "But these women are very hot, they have very nice long legs, juicy lips, and they have big¡­" Gabriel said, trying to entice his brother''s interest.


    "Enough Gabriel!" Dimitri said in a stern voice, "I did not come here for this." Nobody else can stir him except for Aurora.


    "But brother¡­," Gabriel tried to argue, he had to be resilient. Lorenzo''s father''s life was on the line here.


    "I think you''ve been in the hospital for too long. You''re getting desperate thinking about women. Why are you trying to tempt me anyway? Shouldn''t you be resting?" Dimitri asked.


    "Brother, I''m fine. I''ve been resting too much these days. You have to get me out of here, fast. I can''t stay here much longer," Gabriel thought that maybe if he whined enough, then they could leave faster, and the more distance they have from Aurora will save her family from whatever evil plans his brother has.


    "I''m leaving. You''re to stay here until you heal," Dimitri was here to see his beloved, Aurora, and not to waste too much time to visit with Gabriel, he was just a means to an end.


    Gabriel was frustrated, his attempts have failed. He knew better than to interfere with his brother''s plans. He knew that Dimitri was stubborn, once he has made up his mind, it would be impossible to change it.


    But he really cared about Lorenzo, and he will not accept defeat so soon.


    Aurora was anxious. She cooked more food than was necessary because Dimitri would be joining them. She had sent Enzo to the bedroom to play with his toys, so she could clean the house and prepare for his first visit from his father.


    Aurora knew it was Dimitri the minute the doorbell rang. So she opened it, welcoming him inside, he was a sight to behold.


    Dimitri entered with a smile, touching and caressing her arm. He wanted to kiss and hug her right then but held himself in check. They were not alone, and it was not yet time to show his affection.


    Enzo was in the hallway looking at their exchange when Aurora asked Dimitri if he wanted a drink. He had come out to investigate who rang the bell since they rarely had visitors.


    Dimitri and Enzo stared at each other.


    "This boy was his son?" he thought as he scrutinized the child. He could not deny the fact that Lorenzo was his. His facial features, save the lips, looked like his when he was that age. From the dark grey eyes that were almost black, to that cute little nose, the shape of his face, and that expression he was wearing right now, one of concentration. There was no need to get a DNA test.


    He looked so cute standing there with his mickey mouse shirt and shorts. He looked so young and so innocent. He felt the overwhelming need to protect and nurture him.


    Aurora had come back with a cold glass of water when she saw them staring each other down, so she tried to introduce Dimitri, "Enzo, come, I want you to meet¡­," but she got interrupted.


    "Mama, I know him. He''s Cool Uncle," he said shyly. Enzo was excited when he recognized Dimitri. He was the same uncle he saw at the hospital, the one that looked like his hero.


    "Cool Uncle?" she asked as she threw Dimitri a questioning look.


    "Mama, Cool Uncle for me?" Enzo asked her innocently, "I like him" he said very softly.


    Aurora stooped down and asked him, "Enzo, have you met this uncle before?"


    Enzo nodded, "Uncle Gabe brother."


    Dimitri smiled, he wanted to take his son in his arms and never let him go, but he did not want to overwhelm him. He wondered how it was that his son knew him, but he didn''t remember seeing him before.


    "Come here, champ," Dimitri said as he kneeled, so they could be on the same level. Enzo suddenly felt shy and hid behind his mom.


    "It''s okay," she said encouragingly, nodding at him, "Don''t be shy. You can say hi."


    Dimitri patiently waited for his son to get comfortable with him. He knew it was just a matter of time.


    When Enzo peeked out from behind his mom, he knew he was getting there, so he smiled and opened out his arms, beckoning him. And that was all the encouragement Enzo needed.


    "So... you''ve seen me before? Why didn''t you talk to me?" Dimitri asked.


    "Uhm¡­ Uhm¡­ Walk fast. Zoom zoom," Enzo said, demonstrating with his fingers.


    Dimitri could not hold out much longer, he hugged Enzo and lifted him in his arms. "Wee¡­," Enzo squealed and wrapped his arms tightly around Dimitri''s neck. He was excited his hero wanted to carry him.


    "So tell me, how do you know Gabe?" Dimitri asked.


    Aurora stepped in, "I bring him to the hospital after his classes. My babysitter left, and I haven''t found a new one yet. Gabriel was kind enough to play with him," she said.


    Dimitri got a little jealous that Gabriel met his son before he did, and that they played a lot since he was in the hospital. Well, he could always remedy that situation.


    "So tell me, why do you call me Cool Uncle?" he asked.


    Enzo smiled and looked at his face, "You Superman, Uncle."


    "Really?" Dimitri grinned and pinched Enzo''s cheeks. His son is so cute.


    "Hi.. hi... hi¡­," Enzo giggled and hugged Dimitri some more.


    He wanted to know more about his son. So he asked Aurora, "What grade is Lorenzo enrolled in?"


    "Uncle, call me Enzo," he said, which surprised Aurora because she was the only person he had allowed to call him his nickname.


    "He¡­ Enzo, you''re asking Uncle to call you by your nickname?" she asked, "He never lets anyone call him that, except for me," she explained.


    "Yes, mama, superman, my hero," Enzo said as he hugged Dimitri again.


    His heart was full and his happiness overflowing. His son was warming up to him, and Enzo didn''t even know he was his father.


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 Chapter 25 - 24

    They were bonding. He couldn''t believe that his son was so smart. He could count up to 50, identify all the colors Dimitri pointed out, knew his shapes, and surprisingly memorized his address. They discussed what Enzo liked to eat, which was mostly everything, and it made Dimitri laugh when he kept on identifying different kinds of food and wouldn''t stop.


    He started taking out his toys, the living room looking like a playroom, but Dimitri did not mind, he was making up for the lost time. Enzo was showing off his remote-controlled car when Aurora called them both to dinner.


    As they sat at the table, Dimitri''s mouth watered when he saw all the dishes Aurora had prepared. He was in for a treat because she even made dessert.


    "Have this," Enzo smiles as he gives Dimitri a bowl of something that looks sweet.


    "It''s okay, Enzo, Uncle has his own bowl. I made one for him too," she said.


    "No mama, Enzo give uncle more," he said seriously which made Aurora laugh out loud.


    "When Enzo behaves in school or eats all his vegetables, he gets my share of the dessert. Since you''re special to him, he wants you to have his share," she smiled at Dimitri, "I guess he really likes you enough to skip his favorite treat."


    "Really? You''re giving this to me?" Dimitri felt touched by the gesture. Who knew a little kid could move him this much.


    "Uhm hmm¡­," Enzo nodded, "Uncle good," giving him a cheeky smile. It was so simple for kids to show their appreciation and it''s usually by giving their favorite food or toy to the person they like.


    Dimitri patted his head and served Enzo some of the vegetables his mom had prepared, telling him that growing children should eat more.


    He looked up and found Aurora staring at him. This was how he imagined having a family to be like. Coming home to his wife and son, sharing a meal with them, and one day they''d be sleeping together under one roof.


    Enzo filled in the silence with his stories about his day at school, and those are never boring. He was an observant kid, and he spoke of his schoolmates and what they did for the day.


    For the first time in his life, Dimitri felt content and peaceful, vowing to protect his family no matter what happened.


    After dinner, Enzo took Dimitri to his room to show him his other toys. He was building different kinds of structures, and he was showing Dimitri how he made them.


    Dimitri and Aurora had decided that they would tell Enzo their news after dinner, so Enzo could get used to Dimitri before they spring up the surprise. They were both nervous about what would happen, but they prayed that everything would go well.


    She came into his room after she washed all the dishes. Standing by the doorway, afraid to upset the balance and the happiness that she could see between father and son right now.


    "Mama look, I had uncle help make the tallest building," he said, bouncing beside his creation.


    "That looks very tall, baby. Good job! Come and sit beside mama. I want to tell you something," she said, patting the ground beside her.


    "Not a baby," he said, frowning.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. Okay, big boy, mama wants to tell you something important," she said as she smoothed the hair on his head.


    Enzo nodded his head to show that he was listening.


    "What do you think about Uncle?" she asked.


    "Cool uncle," Enzo smiled and nodded his head, "My hero!"


    There was a lump in her throat. She did not want to do this right now when he just met his hero, but they can''t go on and keep on pretending. He was a smart kid, he would catch on sooner or later.


    "Well, what would you say if I tell you Uncle is your dada?" Dimitri held his breath, he''s never been this nervous before, not even when he faced the biggest and deadliest criminals in the world.


    Enzo looked at him and started on a wailing spree, "Nooo¡­.. Noo¡­.. noo¡­.," he was on the ground crying, inconsolable. She''s never seen him cry this much before, was he having a tantrum?


    "Baby, what happened? Didn''t you say uncle was cool?" she said as she pulled him for a hug, "What is it, baby? Tell mama. Why are you mad?"


    He was still crying, tears streaming down his face, but he was quiet now. "All your friends have a dada, don''t you want one?" she asked. And that started him wailing again. It made her heartbreak, her little man sounded like he was in agony.


    Dimitri was surprised, he did not anticipate this reaction from Enzo. He was expecting hugs and kisses and laughter. Why is his son not happy? So he sat on the ground beside them and tried to rub his back, "Enzo, it''s okay. I''m¡­"


    "Wahhhhh¡­ bad uncle, baaaaad¡­," Enzo screamed as he swatted away Dimitri''s hand, and hid his face in his mother''s shoulders. Aurora could not do anything but console her child. She looked at Dimitri helplessly.


    "Use your words baby, tell mama why you don''t want cool uncle anymore?" she said as she tried to wipe away his tears. "Remember, if you don''t tell mama, then I will never know."


    "Dada¡­ not... want... Enzo," he replied between sobs. She frowned, she never said anything to him. "What are you talking about, baby?"


    "Dada leave mama and Enzo. Don''t love us. No dada," he said, and her heart broke.


    Enzo had never expressed any interest in knowing about his father so she never told him anything, not that she had any answers for him anyway, but as a child, she did not think that he would grasp that concept that he did not have a father because his father did not love them.


    Dimitri''s heart shattered, he had no answer for his son, he could not believe that at 4 years old he was thinking about these things. Wasn''t he supposed to be all about toys and playtime at this age?


    "Me no dada. Only mama and Enzo," he kept saying.


    She did not know that he was keeping so much pain in his heart. Tears were streaming down her face, how could she have neglected the fact that he was aching for his father? How could she have thought that everything was fine just because he wasn''t asking any questions?


    No wonder all his drawings were only of them together. She never broached the subject because she had no answers for him.


    How could she know that Dimitri was looking for her all those years? That they could have been a complete family if they found each other sooner.


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 Chapter 26 - 25

    Dimitri had never felt so helpless in his life, Aurora and Enzo''s tears tore his heart. He knew how to control every kind of situation except for this. How does one console a child that seems to hate you?


    There was so one to blame here, and Aurora knew that. They were a victim of circumstance. He went out to think, and she left before he came back, thinking they had a one-night stand. But no matter what happened, fate led them to each other yet again. And this time, Dimitri was not going to let them go.


    It was a surprise when he declared that he had been searching for her for the past five years, and now that he learned they had a child, he was ready to take responsibility and be the child''s father. She had no feelings for him, but for the sake of Enzo, who needed a complete family, she would do anything.


    Aurora''s heart went out to Dimitri, he did not want Enzo to hate him because up until a few days ago, he did not even know Enzo had existed. He looked very patient when he was interacting with Enzo, and she hopes that he would have the same patience when it comes to waiting for Enzo to accept him.


    "Enzo listen¡­," Dimitri extended his hand to touch Enzo.


    "Bad guy... go away¡­," Enzo hid his head in Aurora''s shoulder as she rubbed his back. "Sorry," she mouthed to Dimitri when she saw the hurt expression on his face.


    There were a hundred ways he saw this scenario playing out in his head, but he did not anticipate it would be this bad. It pained him to see his son had grown to hate him.


    "Don''t worry, he will be okay after I talk to him," she said as she wiped the last of her tears away. She will need to make him understand that Dimitri was not a bad guy.


    "Baby, listen to mama," she was trying to pry him away from her so she could look into his eyes.


    He was being stubborn, hiding his face so she won''t be able to scold him. She always used that voice when he did something wrong. "No..no.. Enzo good boy," he said.


    "Of course, you are a good boy, and good boys listen to their mamas, right?" she asked softly.


    He was still pouting, but at least he decided to look at her. She wiped away the remaining tears and cleaned his face. This was going to be hard. How is she going to explain all of these in words he will understand.


    "Baby, daddy did not know Enzo was his baby until Uncle Gabe came to the hospital and he found mommy. Daddy does not hate you. He loves you very much, and he wants to be with you," she tried to explain.


    Enzo was wary, he looked at Dimitri trying to see if his mom was telling the truth.


    "Did you lose Enzo?" he asked.


    "Yes, he lost you, but don''t worry because now he found you," she stated.


    "Dada is a big guy¡­ why lose Enzo?" he inquired, a little skeptical about how his father could lose him.


    Aurora sighed and said, "Remember that day at the park when mama lost you?"


    "Oh¡­," his eyes grew big, he remembered he hid inside the slide, and his mom could not find him.


    "Dada wants mama and me?" he asked, hopeful this time.


    "Yes, very much," this time, it was Dimitri who answered eagerly. He let out the breath he was holding when they were having the conversation. Convincing a 4-year-old child would have been very hard for him, he wouldn''t know where to begin. Enzo would probably just end up crying again.


    "Enzo... will you come and let me hug you?" Dimitri asked before he made any sudden moves.


    Enzo hid in his mother''s shoulder, but this time he was not angry or crying, it was because he was shy. He sneaked a peek at Dimitri, and he had a tiny smile on his face.


    It was amazing how forgiving children could be, and this lifted Dimitri''s spirit a little, seeing that there may be hope that his son had already forgiven him, and the next time they see each other, he might not be as mad. He was eager to show Enzo how much he wanted to be his father.


    "Give him a little time, he will come around," she replied, knowing that Enzo was a very nice kid who did not hold any grudges, you just needed to be patient. Forcing them to do what you want just brings about tantrums and stubbornness.


    "Mama... sleepy¡­," Enzo rubbed his eyes. It was already past his bedtime, and all the crying had worn him out. This had not been a regular day for anybody.


    "Okay, let''s put you to bed," she planted a kiss on his forehead and laid him down. Dimitri just looked at how precious his little family was and walked into the living room to wait for Aurora.


    He didn''t need any convincing because a few minutes after Enzo''s head touched the pillow, he was asleep, so she tucked him under his blanket and left a small night light on.


    Dimitri was sitting on the sofa with his face in his hands, he looked so troubled, he didn''t even notice Aurora sitting next to him until she called out his name.


    His face was red and his eyes bloodshot, he had been crying. "Aurora I''m really sorry I was not in your life for the last 5 years. I have no idea what hardships you''ve faced, but I promise from now on, none of that will ever happen again. I will protect you and Enzo with my life. I want to make up for all the lost time if you''d let me. We are going to do all the things Enzo missed out on, and we are going to create more memories. Forgive me please," He was very emotional, he did not look like the intimidating man she had met a few days ago. She felt for him, so she put a hand on his shoulder to console him as she did Enzo.


    "Dimitri, it''s not your fault. There is nothing to forgive. Every kid wants a father, and before I tucked him in, he seemed to smile at you. Give him time, he will come to you willingly.


    Now that you are here, everything will be fine. You have a whole lifetime to make up for your time apart," she said.


    "Yes, we have a lifetime to make up," Dimitri said as he hugged her, not referring to Enzo anymore.


    Aurora was stunned for a second, but she let him hold her. She knew that he probably needed comforting as well. "Aurora¡­," Dimitri murmured, rubbing his head on her shoulder. He looked like a child seeking comfort, so she slowly ran her fingers in his hair, comforting him.


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 Chapter 27 - 26

    It was already midnight yet Dimitri did not look like he had any plans of leaving. She had to wake up early tomorrow to send Enzo to school and then go to work but yawning did not give Dimitri the hint to leave, she had to be blunt, "It''s getting late Dimitri, I think it''s about time you left."


    "I''m not leaving. I''m staying here tonight," Dimitri said.


    "There is nowhere for you to sleep, we don''t have any extra rooms," she was giving him no option to stay. She accepted him into her life but she was not comfortable sleeping with him, she was not going to invite him to share her bed.


    "Don''t worry, I can sleep on the couch," he said, not the least bit worried about it.


    "The couch will be too small for you. It will be uncomfortable. It would be better for you to stay at your hotel," she replied.


    "Aurora, I will be okay. I have to leave very early in the morning and I just feel tired, I don''t think it would be safe for me to drive. Please, I won''t be here by the time you wake up tomorrow," he explained.


    She had to give up, he wasn''t lying when he said he was tired because he looked every bit of it.


    He had little concern that his legs were too long for the couch and his back started to hurt because he was only sleeping for a few hours anyway, and what''s most important that he was with his family, under one roof.


    She had turned off all the lights and had left the light on top of the stove as their night light before she headed to her room and prepared for bed.


    He was asleep by the time she came out again to bring him a pillow and a blanket. He was too large for her couch and he was sleeping in a very awkward position when she came to drape the blanket over him. It was getting cold and she did not want him to get sick. He wouldn''t be able to come and see Enzo if he did.


    The stove light provided enough light so she could observe him. He was very handsome even in his sleep and it was not hard to get attracted to him. He exuded enough masculinity that made her knees go weak. He seemed very attentive to Enzo''s needs and that''s what''s important. He would probably make a good father. But then she started thinking of him as her husband, will she be able to get past her fear of being rejected and abandoned? Only time will tell.


    Dimitri was awake as soon as his alarm rang. When he opened his eyes he remembered he was in Aurora''s house but did not remember how he came to acquire a blanket. And then it came to him, Aurora must have covered him with it while he was asleep, this information made him smile and added an extra step in his morning. It seemed like she cared for him even though she was not aware of it yet.


    Waking up kids was not always an easy task, sometimes they would throw all kinds of tantrums or antics in the morning. Enzo was no different from all the other kids, he was pretending not to hear his mother so he could continue on sleeping.


    He had his head buried into one of the pillows with his back away from the door.


    "Good morning baby! It''s time to get up," Aurora said sweetly. "Hm¡­" he answered. When she came to rub his back he opened his eyes and closed it back again.


    "Enzo it''s time to get ready for school, c''mon get up and get ready," she said enthusiastically. Trying to lift him off the bed.


    "Mama...no," he said pouting.


    "C''mon baby, let''s go so we can have breakfast," she said. He always looked cute in the mornings, he had his hair messed up, going this way and that.


    She left him to make breakfast when Enzo remembered his conversation with Dimitri. The cool uncle was his dad, and he was here before he went to bed. Mama also said that his dad loved him. He went flying into the living room, the kitchen, then her bedroom, then the bathroom to look for him, and he was disappointed when he didn''t find him in their house.


    "Where''s dada?" he asked.


    "Baby, he had to go to the office. He will come back again for dinner," she said.


    But Enzo was sitting on the couch with a frown. "Bad uncle¡­ go home¡­ leave...," he murmured.


    "Dad will come back to see you. Remember he loves you and he wants to spend time with you," trying to console him as she tried to get him ready for school.


    The day went by without incident and as they got home Enzo looked out for his father. When he didn''t come during dinner he got disappointed, but still kept watching the door every time he heard a car pass by or someone outside their house speaking.


    By 8 pm Enzo had given up, but that''s when Dimitri arrived. When Enzo saw him at the door he immediately ran towards his room to hide.


    "Sorry, I was late for dinner. I went to the store to buy Enzo some gifts," he replied by showing his bag laden hands.


    "You didn''t need to buy him anything," as she let him into the house.


    "I felt bad that yesterday I forgot, I was in too much of a hurry to get here, I came empty-handed. I couldn''t do that again," He said as he laid the bags down and removed his coat.


    "Enzo was expecting you earlier. I think he got disappointed when he thought you weren''t coming," she said.


    "I saw him run to his room. Let me talk to him," Dimitri said.


    Enzo was pretending not to see his dad when he came to the door.


    "Hi, Enzo..." Dimitri said softly.


    Enzo''s body stiffened as he turned his back to Dimitri. He wanted to show his father that he was upset, and ignoring him was his way of doing it.


    Dimitri knew what his son was doing so he sat on the floor to appease his son, "Wow, this is a very shiny car."


    "Yup, mama get for Enzo," he said.


    "Well, I think your Mama is so amazing, isn''t she? She takes care of you and buys you lots of toys," Dimitri grinned.


    "Mama is best. I love mama," Enzo said cheerfully. He always spoke this way whenever he spoke of his favorite person.


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    Please read author''s note-

 Chapter 28 - 27

    "Mama is the best, and so is Enzo," Dimitri said when he saw the change in Enzo''s demeanor.


    When Enzo didn''t say anything, Dimitri lifted him and placed him on his lap, but Enzo did not want to cooperate, he tried to squirm away and free himself.


    "Go away! No like you," Enzo pushed Dimitri away and tried to squirm down his lap. But no matter how slippery he was, Dimitri had more strength to keep him in place. He was not letting his son go, no matter how much he wanted to sulk and get away from him.


    They were going to talk about their issue before he left for the night. His goal was to make sure their relationship was perfect once again.


    "Enzo, stop it. I want to talk to you. Tell me what''s bothering you," Dimitri said as he straightened Enzo on his lap.


    "Dada didn''t choose to leave you and mama. I did not know where you were. I looked in all the places, like when you look for your toys. But you were lost. And now I found you again, but I promise we will always be together. Dada won''t get lost again," he explained.


    "Dada love mama and Enzo?" Enzo asked again just because he wanted to hear it again straight from his father''s lips.


    "Yes, baby. Dad loves you and mama very much," he said sincerely.


    "Dada no go? Leave mama and baby?" Enzo asked, his voice quivering. Afraid that he would lose his dad again.


    "Listen to me," Dimitri cupped his face, "Dada will never leave you again, from now on we will always be together," saying it in his reassuring voice.


    "Promise?" Enzo showed his pinky finger.


    "I promise," he said as he hooked their pinkies together. If this was the only way his son would accept it, then he would definitely do it.


    And just like that Enzo''s frown was replaced by a smile. Dimitri could not help himself as he planted kisses all over his son''s face.


    Enzo giggled and kissed him back, "Dada," he said shyly.


    Dimitri was stunned. His son just called him dad for the first time, and it touched his heart. He wanted to keep this memory forever.


    "Will you call me dada again?" he asked, and Enzo complied. He couldn''t contain his happiness as he kissed his son''s forehead again.


    Enzo was still bothered from this morning, and he decided to air it out. He was staring at his father and asked, "Enzo wake up, no dada?"


    Dimitri did not think Enzo would miss him this morning when he went to work. He was thinking that they just broke the news to him, and it wouldn''t make too much of an effect since he went to sleep without acknowledging Dimitri as his father.


    "I''m sorry. Dada went to work so he could get your surprise," he explained.


    "Surprise?" Enzo''s eyes widened. Kids always liked surprises no matter how big, or small they are, as long as there is a surprise.


    "Yup! Come, let me show you," Dimitri got excited to show Enzo his surprise too. So he led the way to the door but realized that Enzo had not followed him, he just stood there, and it looked like he was waiting for something.


    "Enzo, come, don''t you want to see your surprise?" Dimitri gestured for Enzo to follow him.


    "Surprise!" Enzo said as he raised his arms like he was reaching for something up high.


    Dimitri understood what he meant when he stood in front of his son. "Ahhh.. you want dada to carry you?" he asked.


    "Carry! Carry!" Enzo smiled, jumping up and down, excited for his dad to carry him.


    Dimitri grinned at him as he took him in his arms. He liked that his son was getting vocal about what he wants from Dimitri.


    Enzo giggled when his father lifted him high up in his arms. He was always jealous when he saw kids at school getting picked up by their fathers. It always made him wish that he had a father.


    His mama could never carry him long enough because he was getting too big and heavy for her, and she couldn''t lift him high either. It felt very nice to be in his dada''s arms, so he tightened the hug around his neck.


    Aurora felt relieved to see that Dimitri and Enzo had reconciled when she saw them snuggled in each other''s arms. It would have been hard to convince Enzo to do something when he did not want to do it.


    "Aww look at you two. It''s nice that you are friends again. Come and let''s have dinner," she said.


    Dimitri sat down with Enzo in his lap because his son would not let him go.


    "Baby, come and sit in your chair so dad can eat," she gestured a beckoning motion to Enzo.


    "Nuh-uh!" Enzo said as he tightened his arms around Dimitri''s neck.


    "It''s okay, let him be. He can sit in my lap," Dimitri patted Enzo''s head lovingly.


    "Won''t it be inconvenient for you to eat with him in your lap?" she said, frowning at the duo.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll manage. He''s not that heavy. I can navigate around him," he replied.


    After this morning Enzo did not want to get separated from his father again and he was going to do everything in his power to make him stay.


    Aurora lined up their plates beside each other. It was kind of comical the way they were eating, but she understood why her son was sticking this close to Dimitri.


    Enzo had finished everything on his plate to show off to his dad, which earned him a compliment. "Good job for eating all your food," Dimitri praised.


    He was very happy to get praises from his father and hopefully this was not going to be the first and last time.


    Dimitri helped give him a bath and read him a story before he left for the night. "Enzo, I will not stay here tonight, but I will be back tomorrow, okay. Dada needs to go to work again," he said as he planted a kiss on his small tiny cute cheeks.


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 Chapter 29 - 28

    Enzo panicked when he heard his father was leaving again. He got up from his bed and held onto Dimitri''s arm. "No, no, no¡­ dada stay," he pleaded.


    Dimitri sat on Enzo''s bed and tried to tuck him in again, "Baby I promise I''ll be back tomorrow," he said, but Enzo was not budging, "Dada promise¡­ love mommy and baby," he said in his pouty, whiny, pitiful voice.


    Aurora heard them from the living room and decided to step in. "Enzo! Your father needs to be somewhere else, he needs to go to work. He promised to be back tomorrow. Stop nagging him," she sounded a little bit harsher than usual.


    She did not like that Enzo was laying on the guilt too thickly. He had never whined this much before but he was trying all the tricks in the kids'' book to get what he wanted. And it won''t be good for her later being the person who would be left behind to do damage control.


    "It''s okay," Dimitri nodded to Aurora.


    "Okay, dada will stay with Enzo tonight," Dimitri said to pacify him. Though it would not be ideal for him to sleep on the couch again, he would do anything to be in his son''s good graces.


    "Yay! Yay!" Enzo squealed as he jumped up and down his bed, "Sleep with dada."


    Dimitri tried to tuck him in again, thinking that maybe this time he''d be willing to go to sleep, but Enzo had other ideas as he pulled his father''s hand and led him to Aurora''s room.


    "Dada, mama, baby... Sleep," he said as he climbed on Aurora''s bed.


    Aurora sighed, her son was very headstrong when he wanted to get something done. Disagreeing with him right now will only warrant more tears.


    It seemed like things are working out for both father and son, they are getting what they both want. Dimitri had been eager to move things forward but was hesitant to do it because Aurora needed more time, but thanks to his son, he''d be sleeping with both of them tonight, how could he let that opportunity pass?


    He looked at Aurora to make sure she was okay with the sleeping arrangements, but it seemed like she was trying to avoid his gaze.


    "Okay, let me go get some stuff from my car, so we can get ready for bed okay?" He always had clothes in the trunk of his car in case of emergency, and he added some sleepwear too because he felt very uncomfortable last time he slept in his work clothes.


    Enzo watched his father from the door very closely, he was still scared that his father was not staying, and when Dimitri came back with his overnight bag, he started running around the house happily. His father was granting all his wishes.


    Aurora''s bed was big enough to fit all three of them comfortably if Enzo didn''t move too much around at night, but Dimitri was in for a treat because he would finally know what it was like to sleep with a toddler.


    Aurora was still in the kitchen washing the pots and pans when she heard Enzo calling out to her. He was lying in the middle of her bed with Dimitri on one side and the other side free, Enzo was gesturing for her to come and sleep with them.


    ''That''s good,'' she thought, ''We have Enzo between us, so he probably won''t do anything.'' She was a little nervous about Enzo''s idea, but she got more nervous when she saw Dimitri smile when he didn''t think she was watching, and now she can feel his intense stare upon her.


    "Mama¡­ sleep," He said, patting the bed again. They looked so cozy together, father and son. How could she tell them that she was sleeping on the couch?


    "Me happy¡­," Enzo said as he took each of their hands and placed them on his tummy.


    The second Aurora''s hand touched Dimitri''s she felt a jolt, she tried to take her hand away, but Dimitri was faster, he grabbed her hand very tightly, not letting her go.


    She looked at him above Enzo''s head and saw he had a smile on his face and a glint on his eye that told her he was up to no good.


    "Sleep tight, my baby," Dimitri said as he kissed his son''s head, as Enzo leaned over and hugged him. "Dada," he said.


    "Mama," he said, asking his mom for a kiss as well.


    Enzo was still talking about how excited he was about having both of them there when Aurora told him to close his eyes and go to sleep.


    Dimitri was elated with this arrangement. He couldn''t have asked for a better arrangement. He took this opportunity to caress Aurora, drawing circles in her hand. Her skin was very soft, and he just had to feel her.


    After a few minutes, she took her hand and excused herself to the kitchen to finish what she was doing. When she came back the room was shrouded in darkness. She usually left a night light on whenever Enzo slept over, but she was concerned Dimitri might not be able to rest if she did, so she left it alone.


    She could not sleep, knowing that Dimitri was in the same room and just a reach away. She kept on tossing and turning, trying to move as far away from the father and son duo that seemed to be hogging most of the bed.


    She was moving towards the edge of the bed when she felt an arm on her waist pulling her away from it. She was so surprised that she let out a small yelp, "Shhh.. you''re going to wake Enzo up," Dimitri whispered, his mouth touching her ear, "Stop squirming, or you''ll fall off the bed," he pulled her towards him again.


    He was too close, she thought, as she tried to control her breath. She could feel his hands caressing her middle, inching towards her breasts. She held onto his hands to push them away, but he just held firm, "Behave, Enzo is right beside you."


    "So you mean we can do this when he''s not here?" he grinned into her ear. Nipping it a bit.


    "Ugh! Let me go!" she said as she tried to squirm away.


    "Stop moving, or I won''t be responsible for my actions," he drawled, she bit her lip and froze. This was just too much for her, every sense in her body seemed to have awakened and was responding to his touch. It seemed to be screaming, "Touch me!" but she quelled that feeling.


    "Sleep, I was kidding, you''re safe with me," He decided not to push her too much. He didn''t want to get kicked out of the bedroom, or better yet for her to go sleep on the couch. He saw in her face that she wanted to do that, but their son hampered her plans.


    The next evening.


    Enzo was playing with all the new toys Dimitri had brought him the other day. They were all different kinds, most of them were educational, some were for drawing, and the others make a sound. These were toys he''d never seen before, probably because they had no money to buy some of them.


    But as soon as the doorbell rang he left all of them behind, knowing that the gift behind the door was bigger. He was jumping on the balls of his feet waiting for his mother to open the door. Aurora had instructed him never to open it by himself, even though he knew who was on the other side.


    "Dada!" he exclaimed excitedly as he raised his hands up for a lift.


    Dimitri chuckled and gave in to his demand.


    "So, tell me what did you do in school today?" he asked. And Enzo replied in his animated voice, re-counting every little he did that day, including what snacks he ate and what his friends were doing.


    Dimitri knew this would take a while, so he got comfortable on the couch with Enzo on his lap. "It seems like you really like school. What do you think about going to a new school?" he asked.


    "New school? Why?" Enzo blinked, not understanding what his father meant.


    "New school because dada''s house is in another city. I will take you and mama there. There is a big school where you can go and make new friends," Dimitri explained.


    "Dada, Mama, and Enzo go?" he said excitedly, knowing that he was going somewhere with his parents. As long as they were with him, then nothing else matters.


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 Chapter 30 - 29

    Aurora was half listening to Enzo''s and Dimitri''s conversation when heard Dimitri say they were moving.


    "Dimitri, what are you saying? How can you just think of moving us to another city without asking me?" She was getting annoyed with him, he better explain himself fast. It hasn''t been that long since she got her job, and it won''t be that easy to find another one. And just when she was finally getting adjusted to their routine Dimitri just wanted to relocate them. There were a lot of things to consider when moving.


    "This is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. I''ve been thinking about this since I saw you. My headquarters and my house are in another city, I can''t stay here, we will need to go back eventually. I''m bringing you and my son with me because I''ve waited for this moment for so many years and I will not be separated from you again.


    You said you wanted to give our relationship a try, and Enzo doesn''t seem to want me to go sleep somewhere else, so I thought we should just live together. So our little family will never get separated," he explained.


    Dimitri had completed his business in their city a while ago, he just extended his stay for Aurora and Enzo. His PA has been hounding him day and night to come back so he could take care of business, and some of them can''t be postponed any longer.


    He did not want to leave his family in another city where he could not take care of them. Plus, there was much to be said for the area they were living in. His family should be living a lavish lifestyle, not in poverty.


    "But my job is in this city, and I''m not sure how I''d manage to move this soon. I need to pack and¡­ There''s just so much to do...," she trailed off, thinking about all the things she needed to do was stressing her out.


    "Aurora I have already arranged everything for you. You needn''t worry about anything. All you need to do is tell me what you need, it''s my responsibility to fulfill it. You don''t even need to lift a finger," he was making everything easy for her so she could not back out and think of any reason to say no.


    She had a troubled expression on her face, so he held her hands in his, saying in a soft tone. "Please say yes. I can''t wait to take you both home and show the world that I have a very beautiful wife and a cute, smart son. Please don''t deny me this," he begged.


    There was sincerity in his voice, and his pleading expression had touched her heart. He had been there every day since he learned about Enzo, ready to take responsibility for them both. It''s not like she had anybody in the city anyway. She had no one to call as friends or family, except Enzo. The prospect of having Dimitri as her family appealed to her very much, someone to take care of her and her son, no matter what.


    Enzo had become dependent on having Dimitri in his life, even insisting they all sleep together last night. He had become more cheerful and more energetic in the few days that Dimitri had been in their house. She never thought this could ever happen, all hope had been lost for their family to be whole again, but fate was kind to her at last.


    "Okay¡­ I agree. We will come and live with you," she replied.


    He could see the wheels turning in her head and the apprehension that flitted across her face, and he thought it would take a long time to convince her, but he was glad that she agreed. He was now able to smile and tell her what else he had done to make things easier for her.


    "I promise, you will never want for anything else while you are with me. You will never encounter any hardships ever again," he squeezed her hand.


    She was nervous, but she managed to give him a smile as she nodded her head.


    "Mama say yes? Go with dada?" he asked when he saw his mother and father smile at each other.


    "Yes baby, we''re going to live with dada," she said as she bent down to give him a kiss, " You need to help mama put all the toys that you want to bring in a bag okay," she said to keep her son busy while she sorted out her stuff.


    "Let me go and tell the hospital, then I need to give them my resignation letter tomorrow," she thought out loud.


    "I already let management know you are leaving and gave them your resignation letter after you left work," he stated


    Aurora was stunned. He just asked her to move in with him, yet he took care of her paperwork at the hospital already?


    This only meant that either he was very sure of himself that she would agree. Or that whatever happened he was not ready to take no for an answer.


    "What? What if I didn''t agree?" she questioned.


    "I would have done everything to make you agree. Plus, I thought it wouldn''t have taken much time to change your decision anyway, so I took the initiative," he smirked. He had a very bossy nature and always wanted things to go his way. And this time around, there is no difference, he was the head of this family, and what he says goes.


    Not that it wasn''t in their best interest anyway, growing up in this neighborhood would not be ideal for Enzo. He needed a safer place, somewhere that would nurture his abilities.


    She sighed, knowing that from the first moment they saw each other again he had already practiced his dominance over her, and it was not surprising that he was doing it again. She just hopes this was not a bad decision because she found the dominating presence that made her apprehensive, very attractive right now.


    It was very difficult for him not to show too much force when it came to her, but he had always given orders and was not used to getting them. He just had to remember not to scare her away.


    "Okay, give me two days. I have few things I need to do," she said. Over the years, she had accumulated some stuff, and it will not be easy to pack those into boxes.


    "Aurora, when I said I would take care of everything, I meant it. I talked to the owner of the house, and have scheduled people to pack all your stuff and ship them to our house so you can go over them later. I also talked to Enzo''s principal and have considered several schools he could attend near my area. Everything is set," he explained.


    "Well, at least let me pack some clothes," she said, worried, "I need to pack a few for Enzo just in case he gets too dirty." Kids will soil themselves easily, and she had to be prepared.


    "Okay, just for the trip tomorrow. Don''t spend too much time on it. I will have new clothes for you and Enzo at the house," he smiled, everything was going to plan. By tomorrow he will have his family with him.


    The next morning Enzo was very excited when he woke up, knowing that he was going on a trip. This will be his first time in a car since they always took the bus. His eyes were big as he entered his father''s car. Dimitri had ordered his men to get Enzo a car seat, so they could have him strapped and safe in the car.


    "Mama, look! Big car!" he screamed, "Vroom... Vroom¡­ Let''s go!"


    Dimitri laughed at his son''s enthusiasm, "Enzo do you like this car?" he asked.


    "Ya dada. Big car," he replied.


    "Dada has a lot of cars, and you can ride in all of them. Different colors and different shapes," Dimitri patted his head.


    "Ohhh¡­ Triangle? Square?" Enzo happily identified the shapes he knew. He was droning on and on about anything and everything the whole trip. Dimitri had listened to him very patiently.


    After a few hours, Aurora felt someone caressing her face, she had unconsciously fallen asleep listening to Enzo and his stories.


    When she opened her eyes, Dimitri was stroking her face and looking at her very lovingly, "I asked the driver to stop for a while, you can stretch your legs here. I also booked us a room so everybody can rest, and have lunch. We''ll be here for a few hours, and then we can continue again on our journey."


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 Chapter 31 - 30

    They had stopped at a five-star hotel, and Dimitri had booked a suite for them. When they opened the doors, Enzo was so overwhelmed that he just stood at the door, taking everything in. This was the biggest room he has ever seen, but soon he overcame his shyness and started exploring.


    He started opening the curtains, looking out the window and he kept pointing things out to his dad. "Dada look... cars... buildings¡­ birds¡­," he said excitedly. When he was done looking outside, he started opening drawers and cabinets, trying to see what was in them.


    "Enzo, be careful, try not to hurt yourself okay," he heard his mom call out.


    "Don''t worry too much, kids need to explore when they''re in a new place. He''ll be okay," Dimitri said, trying to ease Aurora''s worries.


    This was the first time they''ve been on a trip, and she did not want him to get into an accident. The room looked very opulent, and they had vases and flowers and figures everywhere that could easily fall on him and hurt him. She was just being cautious.


    She was about to reply when they heard a crashing sound in one of the other rooms, so they both ran to see what happened. Enzo was standing beside a broken vase that seemed to have belonged up on the shelf.


    "Oh no, what did you do? Didn''t I tell you to be careful?" she was scolding him while she tried to pat him down for any wounds or bumps.


    "Enzo!" she raised her voice again when he just looked down at the floor, not saying anything. He was embarrassed to be scolded in front of his dad, and his eyes started to water.


    "Let me handle this," he said as he lifted Enzo in his arms, and as soon as he felt his dad hug him, he started bawling.


    "Shh... it''s okay baby¡­ don''t cry," Dimitri said as he sat them both on the couch, "Tell dada what happened?" he said in his softest tone.


    "Get airplane," he was pointing to a wooden airplane figure that was almost to the top of the shelf. It looks like he probably tried to climb the shelf, and knocked the vase down on his way up.


    "That''s it? You just wanted the airplane? You should have told dada.


    Okay, stop crying. Dada and Mama are not angry. Just tell us next time." he said as he wiped his son''s tears.


    Aurora frowned, she did not like it when Dimitri had interrupted her from talking to Enzo. "But..," she tried to argue.


    "It''s okay. It''s a very small matter, you don''t need to be too harsh on him," Dimitri said while patting Enzo''s back.


    "I was worried that he could have hurt himself. What if the vase fell on him, what if the shelf fell on him?" She was listing all the worst-case scenarios she could think of in her head. Not liking that Dimitri sounded like he accused her of scolding Enzo too harshly.


    Dimitri sighed and told Enzo to sit still as he walked over to Aurora. He understood that she was being protective of Enzo, but she should not panic about small things.


    "I understand where you''re coming from, but I think he was crying because he got scared when you screamed at him. We just need to explain things to him very patiently, and he will understand it better that way," trying to soothe her too.


    When he saw her frown, he knew she was not convinced. "He is a growing kid, and we cannot prevent him from getting into trouble in the future. He will do a lot of naughty and dangerous things and we cannot always be there to prevent them from happening, but we can guide him now so he will know what can harm him and hopefully he would heed our warning," he explained, "It''s not going to be easy, but with both of us here then it''ll be okay.


    How could she not agree when he made a lot of sense and what he said was true. It''s just that he was still her baby, and she did not want anything to happen to him.


    He wanted to kiss her and make her worries go away like he did Enzo, but he held back and just tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.


    "Enzo, come here. Mama and dada want to talk to you," he said as he beckoned his son over. "You know what you did was very dangerous, right?" he waited for Enzo to nod before he went on, "The whole thing could have fallen on you, then you would get a wound like Uncle Gabe, then mama would cry. We don''t want her to cry, do we?"


    Enzo shook his head, "Sorry mama, sorry dada," he said in his tiny apologetic voice.


    Aurora reached out for him, and he gladly went into her arms, "Oh baby, I just don''t want you to get hurt," she said softly. He nodded and rubbed his face on her shoulder, trying to seek comfort after everything he had done.


    Dimitri''s heart melted. It was such a very touching scene. "I''m just happy that you are now both with me," he thought as he planted a kiss on both their heads.


    "Uhm¡­ the vase we broke looks very expensive, will management say anything?" she asked anxiously.


    Dimitri let out a chuckle, "It''s just a vase, my dear, nobody will say anything. They know who I am," he said confidently. Well, he still has a lot to prove, she will know the extent of his power and wealth when she gets to their home.


    Aurora had gone to the washroom to freshen up, and she was astounded with what she saw. The bathroom was twice as big as her bedroom. It had a big huge tub that could easily fit at least 6 people, a his-and-hers sink that was longer than her kitchen counter, a shower that had state-of-the-art controls, and fancy-looking showerheads.


    She tried to look inside and the shower turned on, "Ahh¡­," she screamed, it was on a sensor that turned on as soon as someone stepped inside. She tried to turn it off, but she pressed the buttons that activated the jet shower heads that were supposed to give you a massage. She was getting drenched.


    Dimitri ran into the bathroom when he heard her scream, "What happened? Are you trying to take a shower?" he asked, confused as to why she still had her clothes on.


    "No, I just wanted to look inside, and this stupid thing turned on," she said, still trying to find the right button to turn it off.


    "Come out of the shower, I''ll turn it off," he said as he pushed the off button.


    "Thanks! Well, that was a disaster...," she was trying to wring the water off her hair, keeping it away from her clothes which were dripping as well.


    "What happened?" she asked when she saw Dimitri just standing there staring at her very intensely. He had a look on his face she''s never seen before. She was trying to find a towel when she noticed him.


    She followed his eyes when they moved down her body. "Huh!" she gasped, her white top had become transparent, and it showed the lace undergarment she was wearing.


    She tried to cover herself and shoo him out at the same time, "I¡­ I think you need to leave," she stammered.


    But instead of leaving, he stalked towards her, backing her against the wall, and trapping her between his arms.


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 Chapter 32 - 31

    Dimitri had braced both of his hands on the wall to keep her from escaping. He had a very predatory look in his eye which had Aurora averting hers. It felt like his aggressive side was coming out, and she doesn''t know if she''s ready for that.


    She felt his hand trace her jaw, and her heart started beating faster as she closed her eyes. She was fighting this feeling to lean into him and let him take control.


    "Look at me," he said as he traced a line down her neck to her collar bone, she trembled, "Aurora, look at me," he commanded.


    She told herself not to look, but the tone in his voice did not give her an option.


    "Are you afraid of me?" Dimitri asked. There was desire detectable in his eyes, and that was what she was afraid of. She wanted to avoid having to analyze her feelings as long as she possibly can because she knows that telling herself that she was doing all of this for her son would be enough.


    She knows that sooner or later, she would have to give in and to give in would mean that she had fallen for him and his charms, and she does not know if she was ready to relinquish her newfound freedom. Will he control everything that will happen in her life, just like he had commandeered her job and their move this fast?


    "Your silence tells me you agree," he grinned, continuing his exploration. He trailed his fingers at the neck of her shirt, stopping to caress between her breasts.


    She swatted his hand away from her in annoyance. "Stop it!" He shouldn''t be taking any liberties with her, she thought.


    And this reaction only widened his grin. "Hmm¡­," he thought, "she was finally showing some spunk and some reaction." The only time he saw her react was earlier with Enzo, he wanted her to show him some of that heat he saw earlier. He saw her like a wild cat, very scared and hard to tame, and she had very long claws, but she was loyal to those who bothered to get close to her. He was going to enjoy taming her.


    He took both her arms in his hands and started caressing them, Aurora gasped, feeling the electricity coursing from his hands into her arms. She was immobilized as she saw his face getting nearer, and when his lips touched hers, she wanted to sigh, someone did, and she hoped it was not her.


    It had been five years since he had a taste of her lips, and it felt so familiar like he''d just kissed her yesterday. This was what he wanted to do ever since he realized it was her, the woman of his dreams.


    She was trying to fight him, trying to squirm from his grasp, but he wouldn''t let her go. He was going to savor kissing her until he was done, so he held both of her hands high above her head, so he could render her immobile and at the same time expose her wet delectable body to him.


    His mouth softly kissed her waiting lips, but his tongue was prying her mouth open to give him access. He was getting forceful, sucking on her lips while one of his hands started caressing her hips.


    Aurora was getting hypnotized, she doesn''t remember being kissed like this before, not even with the little things she remembered from that fateful night, it wasn''t like this, and she wanted more. She was responding, leaning into the kiss, and kissing him back. She felt her tongue dueling and playing with his, licking and sucking his lips, she didn''t think kissing someone could be this intense.


    She still had her eyes closed when he stopped and leaned his forehead to hers. She felt like she ran a marathon as she tried to catch her breath. "Not bad for a first kiss," she thought. She was surprised that he did not repulse her. Ever since she lost her virginity, she thought men were disgusting creatures who took advantage of women, so she stirred clear of them. But not with Dimitri, if she was honest with herself, she would admit that she liked kissing him and would want to explore that part of their relationship more.


    Her theory was that maybe because he was the man she had been pining for all those years, and he was the father of her son, and then knowing the story behind what happened had helped clear the air between them and her apprehension against men in general. It helped that he had looked for her and was pining for her as well.


    She came out of her reverie when she felt his hand start moving against her hip, pulling her towards him.


    "No," Aurora moaned, asking him to stop, but to Dimitri, it sounded like an invitation, so he continued his exploration. Touching her above her wet clothes. He could feel the heat coming from her body, and it encouraged him to squeeze her breasts and find the indentation for her nipple.


    "Ughhh¡­," she moaned unconsciously, the lace underwear intensified the way he was caressing her, her body kept saying yes while her mind kept saying no, it was like her body and mind were disjointed.


    He kissed her again, he just couldn''t get enough of her, how she tasted, and with the way, she responded to his kisses and his touch. He changed the hand that was holding her up as he kneaded her other breast.


    It was music to his ears every time she moaned, and she was moaning and breathing heavily now. He wanted to take her here and now, take off all her wet clothes so he could touch her more intimately. But he knew this was not the time nor the place. He was satisfied as he kissed her more slowly this time. Not wanting to end it, but he had to. Their son was in the other room, and he could come in anytime.


    He took a step back and let her hands go, Aurora''s legs gave way from the sudden movement, she wasn''t prepared because her whole body was leaning on him while they''d been kissing, and her legs had gone weak, but he caught her in time before she fell.


    "Your legs have turned into jelly just because I kissed you, I can just imagine what would happen when I finally take you," he whispered haughtily into her ear as he held her.


    This made her blood boil, "You have too much confidence," she said as she shoved herself off him. She tried to push him off harder, but he just chuckled, "Don''t fight me, you won''t win," he said giving her a warning,  "Change into one of the bathrobes, so you don''t catch a cold. I will tell them to get you something to change into."


    She nodded her head in resignation. There was no use fighting him when her body won''t even obey her. He placed a small kiss on her forehead and walked to the other room.


    Then she felt guilty because in those few minutes she forgot about Enzo and she thought only about herself and how she wanted to feel his hands on her.


    She couldn''t face him, so she went on and dried her hair to occupy her time.  She can''t keep on staying in the bathroom when she has nothing to do. Might as well look presentable and not look like a drowned rat when she went and made her point.


    She was surprised at the amount of food that was laid out on the table when she finally found the courage to come out. It was enough to feed a small group.


    Lunch looked like the United Nations had been invited to their room with the assortment of dishes they had, then every imaginable dessert or sweets had occupied every nook and cranny of their table.


    Father and son had food on their plates, and she was touched that Dimitri was thoughtful enough to think of food, knowing that the journey would belong.


    "Mama, look!" Enzo screamed as soon as he saw her, "Yummy, yummy! Sweets and cakes... Come! come!"


    Dimitri smiled at her like nothing happened, even the teasing look on his face was gone. She felt awkward but decided if he could come out here and pretend nothing happened, then so could she.


    He handed her a plate with food on it already, "I think you might like the food I got you, they''re all tasty," he said.


    She was moved that he served her and Enzo food and was now tending to their messy son. The journey was longer than she thought and did not think to tell him to stop for food. He kept on surprising her, and her heart kept melting with all the small thoughtful gestures.


    While she was tasting the food, someone knocked at the door, "They must be delivering your clothes," he stood to open the door.


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 Chapter 33 - 32

    Dimitri came back holding a garment bag and a paper bag. There were clothes in one and shoes in the other.


    "Why did you get me all these? The shoes are too much. I didn''t need new ones," she looked at her shoes, they were almost new. She''s used them just a few times.


    "Well¡­ you''re meeting my parents, I wanted you to look good," he stated.


    "What? Did my outfit not suit you?" She was offended that he didn''t think she chose the right clothes for his family. She had chosen her best silk blouse and nicest skirt just for the occasion. She did look like she was going to work rather than impressing someone, but it was the best she had in her closet.


    "It was, but you got drenched in the shower, and even your shoes got wet. Did you want to go with soggy shoes?" he asked.


    "Of course not. Thank you for these," she said as she went to get changed.


    It was exquisite, she thought as she took out the dress from the garment bag. It was a dark green concoction of lace and chiffon.  The top half was designed with lace and was beaded with these tiny sequins all over, enough to make it sparkly but not too shiny to make it look awkward. The bottom half that stopped at the top of her knees, was made of the softest chiffon she had ever owned in her life.


    Behind the dress, there was cream-colored lacy underwear. Just looking at it heated her face and had her remembering Dimitri touching her over her clothes. She looked at them and thought twice about wearing them, even though her undergarments still felt a little damp. Maybe she could just dry them with the hairdryer so she won''t have to wear what he bought her.


    She touched it, just to get a feel, and they felt very silky to the touch, just like the dress, which made her change her mind. He bought it for her so why not use it?


    Surprisingly the undergarments fit perfectly, especially the strapless bra, and she wondered how he knew her size. "He probably saw one of my undergarments hanging in the bathroom," she said to herself, but then that would have been horrible if he did see her undergarments.


    The dress fit like a glove, it highlighted all her curves and showed off her assets. She felt like Cinderella as she tried on the black pumps that were in the bag, they fit just right.


    Her mood changed when she stood in front of the mirror. She felt transformed, the dress complimented her fair skin, making her look more refreshed than she felt, and the shoes were the right height, the heels were not too tall and not too short.


    She was making a twirl to see the dress all around and how it would flow when she noticed Dimitri standing by the bedroom door. She held her breath as she saw him walk towards her, she tried to ignore his piercing gaze by looking back at herself in the mirror.


    By the time he got to her side, she was a bundle of nerves. She blushed when she heard him speak. "I see they fit you perfectly," he said too close to her ear.


    "Yes, thank you, you did a good job choosing the dress," she said, running her hand over it.


    Dimitri smirked, "I meant the undergarments," as he stared at her in the mirror.


    Her face got red very fast, he didn''t need to point out that she was wearing the items that were intimately hugging her body.


    "You didn''t need to get me those as well," she said, avoiding his eyes.


    "Your clothes got wet, I assumed you were soaked through. Was my assumption wrong?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.


    "No, but how did you know my size?" she asked, boldly facing him.


    "I got your size when I felt you up," he chuckled, he knew it was going to make her uncomfortable, and he highlighted his point by touching her hip.


    She gasped and tried to twist her body away from his touch, but he wrapped an arm around her before she could get away. "Stop struggling unless you want me to kiss you again," he warned as she pushed against his chest.


    Her eyes honed in on his lips, and she could just imagine the way they would feel against hers, but she knew that he would not stop at just one kiss, and at the moment she wasn''t ready to handle another make-out session with him, because this time she might not want to stop him.


    She closed her eyes as she felt his lips near her ear, "You look very beautiful," he said. She felt the sensual innuendo in that praise all the way to her toes, and it made her tighten her grip on the lapels of his coat that she unconsciously held on to.


    "Come out as soon as you''re done. It''s almost time to leave," He removed the hand that was holding onto her, and noticed that she had her hands on his coat, and that made him smile, "Did you want me to kiss you again, is that why you''re not letting go?" he teased.


    She removed her hands, but the tense expression had remained on her face.


    "What happened? Did I say something?" he asked in a serious tone.


    "Dimitri¡­," she trailed off, not knowing how to broach the subject. She was getting very nervous.


    Dimitri cupped her face and asked softly, "Aurora, you know you can tell me anything. What is it?"


    "Well¡­," she took a deep breath, "What will your parents say about me? About us?"


    Dimitri nodded. "Enzo and I just suddenly appeared in your life. Won''t they be suspicious? They probably have someone else that they intend to be your wife. You''re not only presenting them with a wife, but also a son. The thing is, I know your family is rich, and I''m an orphan, I have nothing to offer," she lowered her head in shame.


    She was no fool to believe that his family will just readily accept her and her son waltzing into their house after they''ve been missing for the past five years. Richer households had status and reputation to uphold, and an orphan like her joining their family will be a disgrace.


    "Look at me¡­," he said as he lifted her chin, "I''ve been searching for you for so long, and I''m lucky to have found you again. Enzo was the most wonderful gift I didn''t expect. I know what you are thinking, that my family is rich and they might not want you, but that''s not the case. I told them about you already, and all they want is for me to be happy."


    He kissed her softly, "Never think that you are less just because you are an orphan, or because you''re not rich. You have a lot to offer. To me and Enzo you are everything, so I don''t ever want to hear those words from you ever again."


    Aurora nodded, "But what happens if your parents don''t accept me?"


    He confidently answered, "That will never happen. And if any issue arise then I will be here to solve it. You don''t need to worry about anything."


    She half smiled, she was still apprehensive about her in-laws, but Dimitri had given her his word and that was reassurance enough.


    It was now time for Aurora to see the real him, Dimitri thought. Time will tell if seeing all his power and wealth will be good for them or not.


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 Chapter 34 - 33

    After several hours they finally reach Dimitri''s hometown. The gates to their compound looked ominous. It had high walls and the number of guards that were on duty that saluted them when the car passed by scared her a little.


    There was a long winding driveway from the gate, and that continued for at least half a kilometer before they even reached the house. The path was hugged by well-cared-for lawns and trees on both sides. Lights were strewn along the path to guide their car on its way.


    The Santoris'' were one of the oldest aristocratic families. This house had been passed down from generation to generation, with the oldest children inheriting the house.


    The exterior looked like a very extravagant mansion, so one could just imagine how the interior would look. There was a line of servants waiting at the door as they alighted from the vehicle.  They were there to introduce themselves to the new madam, and assist them with any luggage that they brought with them, which was not a lot except for the few bags that contained Enzo''s toys.


    Dimitri got down with a very stern expression on his face, much more than usual. He was guarded against people saying anything against his family. He knew people were talking about them, but he did not care what anyone had to say.


    He had no time for introductions right now, so he just ignored them.


    Everyone was curious about the mother and child that Dimitri was bringing home. Was she the future madam? He had never brought anyone home before, and they wanted to know who caught his interest.


    He could feel the tension coming from Aurora the minute the car had stopped, and he wanted to assure her that everything was going to be alright. He picked up Enzo so she wouldn''t have to ruin her dress, she had looked very beautiful in the dress he chose, and he was glad that she chose to wear the undergarments too.


    He felt her fidgeting with her hands, so he took one of them in his to assuage her fears, and gave her a small smile to ease her worries. "Okay?" he mouthed to her, and she nodded, feeling the reassurance from his touch.


    Everything in the house screamed opulence, from the European style design to the big chandelier grazing the foyer, and all the painting and furniture littering every single room on the ground floor. She stood in awe of the high ceilings and the beauty of her surroundings. She imagined Dimitri to be rich but not this rich, he was more powerful than she expected.


    It seemed that she was not the only one mesmerized because Enzo finally took himself out of his father''s neck and vocalized what she was feeling, "Wow! Mama, Look! So big¡­," he said as he pointed to the ceilings.


    "Yes baby, it is," she said, patting his head.


    "Let father and mother know that we have arrived," Dimitri ordered one of the maids, but before she could leave, they saw his parents descending down the stairs. They had been waiting for a while for Dimitri and his family to arrive.


    The man was in his 50''s, and he had the same handsome features that were reflected on Dimitri, this was how Dimitri would look like when he matured. He had an air about him, something that was very serious, something that commanded respect and attention.


    Beside him, the woman looked like she came out of a painting from the royal family. She looked younger than her age, she looked like Dimitri''s sister instead of his mom, and she was wearing the most beautiful dress she has ever seen.


    "Dimitri! Welcome home!" Daisy, his mother said as she came down the stairs.


    Aurora squeezed Dimitri''s hand out of nervousness while Enzo tightened his hold on Dimitri''s neck. He relished that the most important people in his life were seeking comfort from him.


    "Mother, Father, I want you to meet the two most important people in my life. This is Aurora and my son Lorenzo," he beamed as he presented his family.


    Matthew just nodded while Daisy smiled.


    "These are my parents Matthew and Daisy Santoris," Dimitri said, prompting her to greet them.


    "Hello Aunty, Uncle, it''s nice to meet you," Aurora gave them a shy smile.


    "Hmm..," Matthew mumbled, "Welcome home Aurora," Daisy said politely.


    Aurora was still on edge just because the room felt a little tense.


    "Enzo, this is grandpa, and grandma, say hello," Dimitri instructed his son.


    Enzo looked at them, then looked at his mom, asking for assurance and affirmation on what he should do. When he saw his mom nod at him, he started with his enthusiastic greeting, "Hi grandma and grandpa, are you my new grandma and grandpa?" showing them his cute smile.


    Their faces beamed, "Come to grandma and let me see you," Daisy said eagerly, wanting to get a closer look at the new addition to their family.


    Dimitri put Enzo down on the floor, but he didn''t budge, instead, he held onto his father''s leg.


    "It''s okay baby, go, they just want to say hello," Dimitri guided him with his soft voice. Enzo looked over to his mom, and she gestured for him to go, so he took his small baby steps and walked slowly to his grandparents.


    Matthew patted his grandson''s head with a smile on his face. This was the first time he showed any emotion after Dimitri and his family had entered the mansion.


    "We need to talk," Matthew looked over at Dimitri, "Come to my study," he said, back to his usual demeanor.


    Dimitri nodded as he squeezed Aurora''s hand, and followed his father to his study. While his mom made her way to the living room, so she could sit on the sofa and bond with Enzo and Aurora.


    "Come, Lorenzo, sit with me," Daisy patted the seat beside her, "You look just like your father when he was your age," she said as she cupped his cute little face.


    Just one look at Lorenzo had transported her back to when Dimitri was a little boy. The more she looked at him, the more she knew that he was really a Santoris, there was no doubt about that.


    "Grandma¡­ pretty," Enzo patted her cheeks. He remembered telling his mom she was pretty always made her happy.


    "Ayiii¡­ you are so adorable," Daisy pinched his cheeks, tickled that her grandson knew how to sweet talk at his young age.


    Enzo let out a giggle when he heard his grandma''s compliment.


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 Chapter 35 - 34

    Aurora had been standing behind the sofa, watching the interactions between his son and his newfound grandmother.


    Daisy noticed Aurora hovering, "Come and take a seat, Aurora, don''t just stand there," she said, trying to get her relaxed now that the men had left.


    "Mama, sit¡­ here, here," he patted the seat beside him as his grandma did. He leaned his head into Aurora as soon as she sat down.


    "Such a sweet baby,'' said Daisy, ''How was the trip? Was it long?'' she asked Aurora, trying to make small conversation, she noticed Aurora had looked very nervous and hoped that she would feel at ease now that they were home.


    "It was a bit longer than I thought it would be," volunteered Aurora. Daisy nodded.


    She was curious about the woman that caught her son''s attention. She had been trying to get him married for a while, but he didn''t seem to care about dating, there were women she tried to introduce to him, she even scheduled blind dates for him, but he stood them all up. When she tried to send women to his office, they all called her back crying, saying that her son was rude and that he was the most repulsive man they have ever met in their lives.


    He was 31, and she was worried that he would stay that way forever, all she wanted was for him to experience having his own family and be happy. She did not really care who he chose as long as he was happy.


    He would always tell her that he had no plans of getting married, and that made her sad.


    She was jealous when her friends'' sons started getting married off one by one, and they chose very pretty daughters-in-law too, but now she was happy she finally had one as well and had an added bonus. She heard that Aurora was very smart, and so was her grandson.


    "I heard you were going back to work after you get settled, so what is it that you do?" Daisy asked her daughter-in-law. She had been staring at Aurora when they came down the stairs and noticed right away that she looked very beautiful, she also liked that she had that air about her that showed maturity beyond her age.


    "I''m a doctor, and in the future, when I''m done with my residency, I would like to specialize in surgery," Aurora replied. She was still a little nervous in front of her mother-in-law, but she was not as ominous as her father-in-law, so she began to relax a little. She knew that Daisy was just being friendly.


    "That sounds very exciting. Do you like working at the hospital?" Daisy asked. She heard Aurora was smart but did not expect her to be a doctor, so she had beauty and brains, this was looking better and better.


    "What about your parents, you live in B city right, do they live there with you too?" Daisy pried.


    Aurora looked at her and for a moment, hesitated, "I''m an orphan. I have no idea who my parents are," she said, a little guarded. She did not know how her mother-in-law was going to react to this bit of information.


    Daisy looked at her in sympathy for the briefest of seconds, then smiled and said, "Well that is unfortunate¡­ but don''t worry, from now on we will be your family," as she patted Aurora''s hand sincerely, trying to convey that everything will be alright. Beside them, Enzo had been silently listening to their conversation, he felt when his mom stiffened up and felt concerned, so he patted her cheeks as well, "Mama, dada and Enzo, family," he said telling her that she had them too. She almost teared up at the amount of compassion her son had in him to understand all of that.


    Aurora felt relieved that her mother-in-law had been accepting, there was no hint of disgust or disdain in her reaction when she revealed her secret. She was glad that that went well.


    She did not notice that she would miss being with Dimitri but did anyway. She kept on looking at the stairs he disappeared to every few minutes to see if he had come down. Probably because she was nervous about what he was talking to his father about in his study. What would happen if his father rejects her and Enzo? What was she going to tell her son? This made her nervous again.


    "Don''t worry too much, dear," Daisy said to get her attention, ''Dimitri has been gone for a few weeks, and they have a lot to discuss regarding the business, it will take a while for them to finish. In the meanwhile, let me ask them to bring us some tea, would you like some tea cakes or pastries? I forgot to ask if you were hungry," she said shaking her head, "I got so excited about your arrival, I forgot about being a good hostess."


    "Don''t worry too much. It''s okay. Tea would be fine, and maybe some water as well," Aurora said, "but I would pass on the pastries, we ate a couple of hours ago, and I still feel full, and Enzo cannot have too many sweets."


    "Enzo ate lots of yummy sweets," he patted his stomach, "tummy full," he giggled.


    Daisy laughed, "So you like sweets, huh. Tell me, what are your favorites?"


    Enzo enumerated all the things he would eat as his favorite, donuts, cookies, cakes, and then he started veering off talking about the other food he liked, noodles, fried chicken¡­


    And that''s how Dimitri found them as he descended the stairs. He was glad that his mom was able to bring out Enzo''s talkative nature, and it seems that Aurora did not seem as nervous as before. But when she noticed him, she stood up and looked at him with anticipation.


    "Mother, I''m tired from the journey, let me show Aurora and Enzo where we''re staying so we can rest for a bit before dinner," there was some strain in his voice which worried Aurora. She wondered what happened to his conversation with his dad. Daisy nodded.


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 Chapter 36 - 35

    "Come Enzo let''s take a nap," Aurora held her hand out to Enzo, but Daisy said, "You can leave Lorenzo with me so you could both rest easier. I''ll give him his nap."


    Aurora looked at Enzo for confirmation, she was not sure if he was okay to be left behind just yet, he was new to his surroundings, and he might be uneasy like she was.


    "Me like grandma," he said as he held onto Daisy, ''Stay.'' He had been with just his mother the last 4 years, and now that there were other people in his family, he wanted to spend time with them too.


    She was looking forward to having time by themselves, but now without Enzo, she had no excuse to avoid Dimitri. After this morning''s display, she was kind of apprehensive, maybe she should stay with her mother-in-law, but she wanted to know what happened with his father, so she followed Dimitri silently to the third floor. This floor, according to him, was all theirs to use, he had his own study and several bedrooms on this floor. Nobody had been allowed up here, so the maids came during the times he was away to clean this floor.


    They will have Enzo''s bedroom right next to theirs so she can get to him if he cries at night.


    His room was very masculine, there was a lot of grey on the walls and black on the furniture, it looked very cold, and uninviting.


    Dimitri had been silent ever since they entered the bedroom, and she knew something was bothering him. He was sitting on the bed, removing his cufflinks and rolling up his shirt, when Aurora sat beside him and asked what was wrong.


    He just grunted.


    She held his arm, "Did your father say anything? Was he mad? You know Enzo, and I can leave if he doesn''t want us here."


    Dimitri took both of her arms in his hands a little too roughly, "How many times do I need to tell you that you can never leave me. Don''t you even think about it?"


    She was stunned, and she tried to move away, but he pulled her closer. He loosened his hold on her a little, rubbing her arms. "Father had agreed to us being together, that''s not what bothers me. We had a discussion and a minor disagreement, that''s why my mood is off."


    He let her go, "My father has always had that stern look ever since I was a child, so don''t let that bother you, he only shows affection towards my mother.


    Mom has been raised to be prim and proper by her parents, which is why she usually looks standoffish, but she has a very good heart. The only thing you need to remember is never to get on her bad side. She can get quite scary. She was trained in business and had worked in the industry for a while, so she can easily see through people," he explained.


    Aurora listened to what Dimitri had to say and thought about it. They were going to be who they were, she can''t change that. They were both polite, but in the time Dimitri spent with his father, she had warmed up to his mom and vice versa. Maybe in time, his father will come to like her too.


    Enzo was their bridge, and it looked like he had already melted his grandmother''s heart, so that was a good sign. She decided not to worry about it too much since Dimitri promised he would take care of them, and she was going to take his word for it.


    As soon as the couple left, Daisy asked Enzo if he wanted to go around the house and look for his grandpa, so off they headed to Matthew''s study.


    He was reading a very important document, but as soon as he saw his wife come in through the door, he removed his glasses and set the document aside.


    Enzo was still a little scared of his grandpa. He looked very imposing with his height, and since he didn''t bother to smile, he looked more frightening, so he hid behind his grandma''s skirts.


    "Lorenzo, come out of there, don''t you want to meet your grandpa?" she said, trying to drag him from behind her.


    He peeked out from behind her and grazed into his grandpa''s eyes. "Come here," Matthew''s face softened, he did not want to scare the little one.


    Enzo followed his request and stood in front of his grandpa.


    "Doesn''t he look like our Dimitri?" Daisy said in a cheerful tone. She was getting teary-eyed again, she was thinking about how Aurora had struggled on her own all these years. Being a single mom was probably not that easy, especially if she had to go to work and care for a baby at the same time..


    Matthew nodded, "Yes he does¡­ very much," he said, "So, you''re Lorenzo huh, do you know who I am?"


    Enzo nodded and answered in his sweet voice, "Grandpa¡­ my grandpa." And that won Matthew over.


    "So what do you think about having grandparents? Do you like it? Do you like us?" he asked Enzo, curious about what he would say. There was no denying that he was Dimitri''s son because he was that cute and inquisitive at this age.


    "Baby love dada¡­. Baby love grandma," pointing to his grandma.


    "How about me?" Matthew asks.


    "Baby love grandpa," he touches his grandpa''s cheeks. Matthew chuckled, he really knew how to make his heart melt.


    "Ayii.. you are so cute, cute, cute¡­" Daisy planted kisses all over his face while Enzo giggled and squirmed. He liked his grandma, he reminded him a lot of how gentle and loving his mama was.


    Aurora and Dimitri had relaxed a bit in their room by watching some tv and lounging on the couch. She couldn''t do much because she did not want to ruin her dress, she treasured it because Dimitri had chosen it for her, and she had nothing else to wear.


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 Chapter 37 - 36

    They all met downstairs at the dining table. As soon as Enzo saw his mother, he ran to her and asked to be carried.


    "I hope he didn''t trouble you too much," Aurora said to Daisy.


    "Mama, mama¡­," Enzo said, butting into their conversation, "Grandpa''s office big¡­ lots, lots, lots of books," he said.


    "Oh no, he was very well behaved. Weren''t you?" Daisy tickled Enzo''s sides as he giggled. "He told us a lot about his favorite things. Right now, he''s telling you about grandpa''s library. He''s so energetic. He didn''t want to take a nap but fell asleep right away anyway," replied Daisy.


    Dimitri was having the best time of his life, he had his family under one roof. When he looked over at his father, he saw that he had a smile on his face as well. It seems like his son was a hit. Having him around had softened their hearts as well.


    The dining table had been laden with dishes that could feed at least a dozen people, and it looked like they were having a feast. Daisy said it was because Dimitri had returned with them, and they were celebrating their arrival. There was so much food that she could probably get a spoonful of each dish and still never get to taste everything.


    They had sitting arrangements assigned at the table. Matthew occupied the head of the table, with Daisy on his right and Dimitri seated on his left. Dimitri pulled out the chair next to him for Aurora, and before she could call her son, his grandma had already told him to sit beside her.


    She was worried that he was going to make a mess while he ate, but she needn''t worry because there was a maid to serve him food, then there was one to feed him, and there was one to clean up after his mess. There were so many maids in the house that you just had to voice out what you wanted, and it appeared right before you. There was a maid to do everything you wished for.


    After dinner, everybody went back to their rooms to rest for the night. It had been a long day, and Aurora was looking forward to having a nice bath and closing her eyes but was apprehensive about spending the night with Dimitri.


    They had placed Lorenzo to sleep in the room next to theirs, theirs? She didn''t even know if she was supposed to share a room with him, or if she wanted to. Does she? Maybe she should just sleep in the room beside Enzo. She was still contemplating when she heard Dimitri trying to get her attention.


    "I didn''t know what colors you preferred for Enzo''s bedroom, so I told them not to remodel that room or any of the other rooms. An interior decorator will drop by tomorrow, so you can tell them what you need, and what color you want the rooms painted." Dimitri had to explain this because the room Enzo was sleeping in right now was very sparsely decorated, enough to sleep in but not to look like someone lived in it. It had a bed in the middle and two small tables at each side of the bed that held small lamps they used as a night light. "Don''t be hesitant to re-decorate the whole floor. This is your house now."


    Aurora nodded. It was heartwarming that he had considered her opinion before he had imposed his choices on her, even telling her to re-decorate the whole floor. That will be a big task she was not sure she was up for, but she will try. Little gestures like these were melting her heart slowly.


    After Enzo fell asleep, she was contemplating whether she should go into the room next door, so she wouldn''t have to sleep beside Dimitri alone when he called her to his bedroom. "I have your sleepwear here in our room so you can change.  You can also take a bath if you want to. Relax your muscles after the trip, just go through that door.


    I''m sorry, but I don''t have any other clothes, but tomorrow a designer will be here to get your measurements and coordinate what you want for your clothing, my mother will help you tomorrow with everything you will need. Just let her know what you want. She loves doing this, so don''t hesitate to ask for her help.


    Aurora had snuck into the bathroom and decided to take a quick shower. Dimitri had one of those big bathrooms she saw at the hotel, with the big jacuzzi tubs, and to her surprise, he had the same shower too, no wonder he knew where to turn that thing off, she thought.


    It wasn''t that hard to use, and unlike the hotel shower, it didn''t turn on when she entered, so she was able to figure out the controls without water raining down on her. This thing was luxurious, she didn''t want to leave.


    By the time she got out, she expected Dimitri to be in bed, but he was still in the clothes he wore earlier. She was surprised that he hadn''t even changed for bed.


    She was trying to stall because the moment she saw the bed earlier she had gotten nervous. She was sharing the bed with Dimitri for the first time without Enzo as their buffer, an excuse she could use to deny him what he wanted.


    Now that they were alone, she had no idea what Dimitri had in mind. They will have the bed to themselves, and just thinking about it made her body tingle, her body was betraying her already. She doesn''t think she''ll have the strength and energy to say no to him when he starts kissing her and roaming his hand all over her body.


    She hurriedly jumped into bed wearing the pajamas he gave her, and covered herself with the quilt, pretending to be very exhausted.


    Dimitri walked towards her side, and like a child, she pulled the quilt closer to her face. "I have work to do, I''ll be in my study if you need me. Good night Aurora," he said as he walked out the door, not waiting for her to respond.


    She let out a breath of relief, glad that she didn''t need to fight him yet, but she knew he was coming back, so she had to brace herself.


    She was exhausted, and she tried to keep awake so she could watch out for him when he came to bed, but soon enough, sleep had taken over.


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 Chapter 38 - 37

    In total silence, Dimitri twirled the paperweight from his table in his hands. He was a bit bored and tired after the trip and eating so much, and he just wanted to lay down beside Aurora and hold her in his arms, but he had no choice.


    He knew she felt uncomfortable sharing his bed, so he pretended to do something in his office to give her space. He wanted her to get comfortable because he cannot last without her for a long time. Being separated the last 5 years was enough distance between them.


    He had everything planned out, and in a few days, it will reveal itself, and maybe then, they can start their relationship.


    It was midnight, by the time he returned to their room, and as he expected, she had fallen deep into slumber. She was facing away from the bed, which allowed him to take a good look at her. Earlier, he noticed that she blushed every time he stared at her, and even though it gave him joy, he didn''t want her to be uneasy.


    This was how he found her, those many years ago, lying in his bed, sleeping peacefully like an angel. She was just as beautiful as the day he first saw her. And this time around, she was never leaving again, and he would do everything possible to make that happen.


    He softly traced her cheek and whispered, "This wait is killing me, but I''ll demand my compensation later." He planted a kiss on her forehead and changed into his pajamas. He slept beside her, moving carefully so as not to wake her.


    Aurora opened her eyes and remembered she was watching out for Dimitri, but realized the sun was already high up in the sky and the space beside her was already empty.


    She cursed herself when she saw what time it was. She had overslept and worried what the people in the house would think of her. She wanted to make a good impression, yet she didn''t even bother waking up early.


    She wondered where Enzo was, he was usually her alarm clock, so she hurried and found her clothes from the day before, her white silky top and tailored skirt had been washed together with her undergarments ready for her to wear.


    After taking another quick shower, she went to find her son but kept getting lost, the doors kept leading her into different rooms and areas of the house, after a couple of tries she went back to the living room to wait for someone to tell her Enzo was.


    They told her that the madam and Enzo were in the gardens, enjoying the morning sun as one of them guided her there. She found Daisy on a lounge chair flipping through a magazine while Enzo was running around with a butterfly net trying to catch one of the flitting creatures.


    "Mama look! Catch butterfly!" he called out while running towards her. Aurora smiled and held her arms out to him. "Good morning baby! Did you catch anything?"


    "No¡­," he said sadly.


    "So what are you doing here? Go and catch them," she encouraged as she let him go running around the garden.


    "Good Morning Aurora! Come and have a seat," Daisy invited her over to the lounger beside her.


    "Good Morning! I''m sorry for waking up so late. I didn''t hear Enzo wake up, so I just continued to sleep, he usually wakes me up in the morning on the off chance that I oversleep, but tomorrow I''ll be up early for breakfast," she said, embarrassed that they might think she was lazy.


    "Honey, don''t worry about it. Dimitri said you were tired from the trip yesterday and instructed everyone to let you sleep," she said unbothered.


    "Where is Dimitri, is he still in the house?" she asked.


    "He left with Matthew for work earlier, the men in our family always leave very early in the morning and return late at night, so don''t get bothered if you don''t see him around that much," Daisy explained.


    "Matthew has officially handed over his position to Dimitri, but he still visits from time to time to see some people at the office. He lets Dimitri do all the traveling these days because of his age, but he still comes for consultations or meetings," she added.


    "Oh okay, then let me take care of Enzo, he must be hungry," Aurora replied.


    "He was already given his bath and his breakfast," she said.


    "I''m sorry if I had to trouble you with that," she apologized yet again.


    Daisy chuckled, "Oh, it wasn''t any trouble at all, one of the nannies did it. We have a few people dedicated to taking care of Enzo, so don''t worry about him too much."


    Aurora scolded herself, how could she forget, there was one of the nannies chasing Enzo right now. They had an army of maids ready to do your bidding. So when Daisy mentioned breakfast, a table was immediately laid out for Aurora.


    "Madam, breakfast is ready in the sunroom," the maid announced.


    "There you go, have breakfast and see me after. I have a few things to discuss with you," Daisy stood up to go into the house, "Enzo, you want to come with grandma?"


    "No¡­ Enzo stay¡­ Mama stay... Grandma go," Enzo said, telling his grandma to leave him with his mom.


    Daisy let out a laugh, "Okay, come play with grandma later."


    The room was aptly named sunroom because there was so much sunshine that came into the room, it made you feel like you were eating outdoors while you were inside. It looked out towards the beautifully manicured gardens and helped her relax.


    There were different kinds of bread on the sideboard, wheat, white, sourdough, together with some breakfast muffins and fresh jam. Then beside that were freshly scrambled eggs and some bacon. They said if she wanted oats or cereal they could get that for her as well.


    "No thank you," she said, "This is more than enough."


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 Chapter 39 - 38

    While she was eating her breakfast, she gave Enzo some fruit to eat. "Do you like dada''s house?"


    "Yes, big house, flowers, butterfly, grass, run," Enzo said cheerfully.


    "How about grandma and grandpa?" She wanted to know if his grandpa had warmed up to him.


    He nodded profusely, "Baby like grandma...  like grandpa¡­"


    "Grandma... kissy, kissy," he said, air-kissing with his lips.


    Aurora grinned, "Really, she liked kissing you, huh?"


    "Uh-huh¡­ mama¡­ grandma¡­," making kissing sounds with his lips. Aurora laughed out loud. Her son was telling her that mama and grandma kissed him a lot. He was getting to be very expressive with his conversations. She could already see that her son was slowly starting to change.


    She was worried that being introduced to new people would confuse him and make him withdraw from talking like he did when he met her boss or his new teacher. It took a while to coax him out then, but it seemed natural for him to just start sharing when he was with his grandparents. Moving here seemed more and more like a good idea.


    She also wanted to know how his grandparents were treating him. She would not be able to bear it if they rejected him because it might leave a permanent scar in his heart. Enzo was the most important person in her life, and anyone who mistreats him will have to go through her.


    But she had nothing to worry about because they had been there only for half a day, but it seemed like the feeling of adoration on both sides was mutual.


    After breakfast, mother and son found Daisy in the living room, surrounded by a group of people. They all bowed to her as she entered the room, and it felt a little bit overwhelming to have them all do that at the same time.


    "These people here today are the grooming team of our family." Each group bowed as they were introduced. "They consisted of clothing designers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, fitness instructors, dieticians, and dermatologists. The Santoris clan is a member of one of the Aristocratic families and there is a certain level of standard we have to keep up with. Now that you belong to our family, you are expected to be presentable all the time, or we will lose face.


    They are all here to help you achieve that and more, if something displeases you, then all you have to say is no. But remember, a Santoris lady should always match up to her husband''s image," Daisy explained.


    Aurora was stunned that she had to follow all these rules just right after she had been introduced to Dimitri''s family. It was like she was entering a beauty pageant to be primped and prepped by these many professionals.


    She never bought herself a lot of clothes, always the bare minimum, and only when they have extra money to spare, all her money went to Enzo''s needs, clothing, and food.


    "Yes, I understand.  I will try to follow them to the best of my abilities," Aurora replied, not wanting to disappoint her in-laws.


    The designers took her measurements and showed her the catalog for the new designs. She selected a few clothes she liked while the rest was selected, by the designers themselves, something that would compliment her slender figure. It won''t be that hard, they said, she was going to be easy to dress.


    The fitness instructor showed her where the gym was located, and had instructed her to be there at a certain time, so he could train both her and her mother-in-law.


    The dietician gave her a test on what food she frequently ate and set out a meal plan for her to follow. The in-house chef will prepare the food according to the dietician''s plan, and they are allowed reprieve only when there is an occasion where feasts are prepared.


    The dermatologist had complimented Aurora when she saw her skin, she had very soft, smooth, well cared for skin, which Aurora said she tended with lotions and moisturizers. But she said she had a regimen that will ensure the increase in collagen that will make her look younger. She had to follow it strictly in the morning and at night.


    The hairstylist and cosmetologist had brought the whole salon with them. They had a masseuse to give her a full body massage, an attendant to give her a facial, a nail technician that did her manicure and pedicure. This was all before they styled her hair and did her makeup. Aurora had requested to keep her hair almost the same length, so they suggested a trim and some layers give it more body.


    The designers had brought a few clothes for her to try on, and they ended up choosing a light blue dress for her that they paired up with white pumps that had kitten heels. For her makeup, they gave her a fresh natural look with a dewy finish, and some lip gloss to bring out the natural color of her lips.


    By the time they finished with Aurora, she was exhausted. She had no idea so much work goes into looking perfect. She had to give more credit to the celebrities if they did the same amount of work to look fabulous.


    No wonder her mother-in-law looked so gorgeous, she not only followed a lot of skin regimens, but she kept herself fit and healthy as well.


    "You look very beautiful, dear," Daisy said with a smile as the team presented Aurora to her. She was pleasantly surprised at the result. She knew her daughter-in-law was beautiful, and they didn''t even have to do a lot of enhancements to make her shine, she looked absolutely mesmerizing. She now understood why her son was interested.


    That morning her son had asked her to take care of Aurora, she would have done everything without him telling her to do so, but it was endearing to see that he was worried about her.


    "Thank you," Aurora blushed, "Everyone did a good job." She couldn''t believe she had been transformed when she looked in the mirror, she looked like a celebrity, and she could not stop staring at herself to admire their work.


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 Chapter 40 - 39

    Daisy had announced that she was satisfied with the results and she was giving the whole team a bonus for doing a very good job delivering what she wanted. The grooming team let out thunderous applause for their appreciation.


    And because of this, Enzo got excited, "Mama, pretty, pretty."


    Aurora laughed at her son, "Awww.. thank you, baby. So you like my dress?"


    "Yes, mama¡­ blue¡­ pretty¡­.best mama," he said as she reached down to hug him. He peppered her with kisses, just like the ones she always gave him.


    Aurora kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair.


    "Are you going to work again soon?" Daisy asked when the team left.


    "I don''t know about that. I have to ask Dimitri about it," she replied with a worried frown. She was worried about Enzo, the hospital might not give her a good schedule and stick her with the night shift since she was new. "I''m a little worried."


    "About what? Enzo being left alone when you start working? Don''t be, we have professional nannies assigned to Enzo, and he met one of them this morning already, and he seems fine with someone following him around, so he''s going to be okay. Plus, I will be here at home with his grandpa to look after him as well," Daisy stated.


    Aurora nodded, it did make sense for Dimitri to hire a nanny to watch Enzo since he knew she would want to go back to work again. No use worrying too much when her mother-in-law had already reassured her that everything would be fine, but she was a mom, so she would always worry.


    "I think that will be enough for the day. We should both go and rest. I''m tired, and I do this all the time," she said, laughing.


    She woke up so late that she was still full from breakfast, so she decided to skip lunch. She wanted to spend more time with Enzo before she got busy with work. When he started getting sleepy, she tucked him in for his afternoon nap. They rarely have times like this together, and she wanted to savor it while it lasted.


    She didn''t know what to do by herself and didn''t want to lay down because that would ruin the team''s hard work before Dimitri saw her transformation. For some reason, she felt excited to see his reaction to her new look.


    There was a book lying on the coffee table, and she decided to rifle through it, and after a few pages, she was hooked, that she did not notice when Dimitri had come into their room.


    He was astonished by the sight before him. She looked very relaxed sitting on the couch with her legs stretched in front of her. Aurora was like a vision, that if he blinked, she might disappear. He wanted to hold onto this image in his mind forever.


    The blue dress she wore hugged her figure very nicely, it felt soft and delicate. He wanted to kiss her senseless and just lay her down on the sofa and unwrap her like the gift she is.


    Aurora felt his presence after a while. She scrambled to stand, fix her dress and wear her shoes at the same time when she saw him staring at her. She didn''t mean to get so comfortable, but the mystery novel she was reading drew her in.


    "Oh, I¡­ You''re home," she stammered, like a kid getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar.


    Dimitri continued to stare at her as he stood silently drinking her in, Aurora suddenly felt shy.


    "There wasn''t much work to do, so I came home early," he replied as he loosened his tie. His office was always busy, and he never came home early, even when he had nothing to do. But today, he wanted to see her, wanted to know how she was adjusting without him, and if he was honest, to see what changes the grooming team applied.


    Seeing her all dressed and made up made it worth coming home. She looked more breathtaking now that he could see her face. The team did a good job, they didn''t apply heavy makeup which he liked because she looked naturally beautiful already, hiding her under so much makeup would have been a disaster.


    She felt like he was undressing her with his eyes, and she felt hypnotized, then he broke the spell by stalking towards her with a purpose in mind, she wanted to run away, but she couldn''t move.


    He wasted no time as he cupped her face with both hands and placed his lips on hers. His mouth on her lips was insistent, using his tongue to gain entrance to her sweet, moist opening. He knew he had used more force than usual, but he did not care, he had to kiss her and take possession of her body.


    Her body already felt tingly as he stared at her, but as he moved his hands to caress certain parts of her body only he had touched before, she felt like the phoenix as she blew up into flames. She felt hot and needy, wanting more of his touch.


    The dress she was wearing didn''t even feel like it was hiding or covering anything, she felt like it added more friction to his touch that made her skin extra sensitive.


    Aurora was responding to his kisses, and she was giving them as forcefully as he was, they were like two very thirsty travelers that were hungrily drinking as much water as they can.


    With fingers tangled deep into his hair and their bodies plastered to each other, "Uhhhmmm¡­," Aurora moaned into his lips.


    The sound coming from her lips had vibrated into his being, and it just encouraged him to kiss her more deeply. He pushed her back onto the sofa, where they tumbled in together, but he never let her go. She found her legs had wrapped themselves around him on their own volition, welcoming him to press himself closer to her warmth.


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 Chapter 41 - 40

    He was intoxicated, and he had to have his fill, as he trailed kisses down her neck, along her collarbone, and into the V of her dress. He wanted to release them from their prison so he could fit them in his mouth, but he couldn''t wait as he tried to suck her breasts on top of her dress and lacy bra.


    ''Ohhh¡­,'' she moaned again, the sensation she felt made her legs go weak and her core damp. It was like she could feel his lips right on her nipple. ''Ahhh..'' she couldn''t stop herself from making another sound. It was beginning to feel like torture. She wanted him to take all her clothes off.


    But just like that, he stopped what he was doing.


    She could not look him in the eye, she felt ashamed that she acted like a wanton, not being able to control herself from moaning out loud. She had almost begged him to take her, but she was glad that he had stopped.


    They were both out of breath, her with her eyes closed, him trying to memorize her beautiful face, well-ravaged and aroused. He wanted her to look like this every time they were together.


    He gave her a peck on her lips and whispered into her ear huskily, "You look very beautiful. I would rather eat you up for dinner, but my parents are waiting downstairs. Come down when you''re ready. I''ll be waiting."


    She opened her eyes, and she could see the hunger still in them, and she could still feel his arousal digging into her thigh, but he had stopped and stood up as if nothing happened. Fixing his shirt and picking up his jacket, he walked out the door, leaving her to clean up and fix herself.


    She ran to the bathroom to see the damage, and she looked disheveled. Her lips were swollen, her hair needed brushing, and her beautiful dress was wrinkled, hopefully not beyond repair.


    She blushed when she looked at the other parts of her body his lips had touched, and thankfully he didn''t leave any marks, because she doesn''t remember if any of the dresses they had delivered could cover her neck and that would be really hard to explain to her in-laws.


    She reapplied the gloss on her lips, brushed her hair, blotted out some of the sweat on her forehead, and tried to straighten out the creases on her dress, and like magic with a little dab of water, the dress was back to normal. She went downstairs hoping that she looked presentable and that they won''t see any evidence of what happened earlier.


    She was still shaken as she came down the stairs, trying discretely to find her seat when she heard someone screaming, "Brother what did you do?"


    It surprised her that Gabriel had joined them for dinner. He was discharged from the hospital a few days after Dimitri had confessed his identity to Aurora, there was no more use for him to extend his stay at the hospital, so Dimitri had released him.


    He had been away for a few days trying to locate Aurora and Enzo, but they just disappeared without any forwarding address, the hospital said that Aurora had quit and had moved to another city. That was the reason why he was not home when Dimitri brought home his mother and son.


    He wondered if she had left in haste to run away from the clutches of his extremely dangerous brother, or if he had captured her. He had prayed that nothing happened to Enzo''s family.


    He came home to have dinner with his family because he heard that his brother had come home, he wanted to talk to him about Aurora. But then there she was, looking all pretty, joining them for dinner, and Enzo sat with his parents looking like he was at home.


    "Calm down, Gabe. What did I do?" Dimitri asked.


    "What did you do?" he screamed in anguish, "this is not right. Did you force her to come with you?" he looked at Dimitri accusingly. "Did you kill her husband? How can you build your happiness on someone''s sorrow?"


    Aurora stood watching Gabriel, dumbfounded. What is happening? She didn''t think she understood.


    Gabriel went on with his tirade, not waiting for his brother to speak, "Mother, Father¡­ what is this? Not you too? Why are you supporting my brother with his crazy idea? Aurora was my attending doctor, do you know that Dimitri fancied her and abducted her? He destroyed her marriage, and that is equal to destroying 1000 temples. I will not let this injustice happen," he stated passionately.


    "Gabriel, wait!" Aurora tried to stop Gabriel from his assumptions so she could clearly explain everything.


    "No Aurora, don''t say anything. I understand that you are too weak to fight against my brother. I will help you return to your husband," he interjected.


    "Gabriel! Stop this nonsense! I did not raise you to meddle in other people''s business. Aurora is your brother''s wife, and Lorenzo is their son," Daisy''s voice boomed over his.


    "What? No, she''s not, she has a husband..," he said, unsure, looking at Aurora for confirmation, while Aurora shook her head.


    "She never got married. Where in heavens did you get these crazy ideas of yours anyway?" his mother asked.


    "Well¡­ she has a son, so I thought she was already married. Then I saw them together at the cafeteria, and I assumed¡­," Gabriel trailed off.


    "Wait! Big brother has a kid? How did this happen?" he asked out loud, looking at everyone in the room.


    "You mean Enzo is your son? How can my devil brother have such an angelic son?" he continued.


    "Gabe!" Dimitri raised his eyebrow and warned him when he heard the last sentence.


    "Brother, you cannot deny it. I mean, look at him and look at you," Gabriel justified. The elders laughed except for Dimitri and Aurora. She could not understand why Gabriel would classify his brother as the devil when he was nothing but gentle and very pleasant with her and Enzo.


    "That''s enough. We will talk about this later," Matthew said, "The child is present. There are things too sensitive for his ears to hear."


    Gabriel nodded, he would talk to his brother later to know what really happened.


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 Chapter 42 - 41

    "Hey, champ! Come over here," Gabriel called to Enzo, and he didn''t even hesitate to go run to his favorite Uncle.


    Gabriel carried him in his arms with the knowledge that this adorable child he had adored so much was now his kin. "Am I not the luckiest person here. I always thought it would be nice to have such a cute, smart kid in our house, and it looks like God heard me. He sent you to be my nephew, and now we are related. Oh, I''m so happy," he hugged Enzo again, "You know your father is annoying sometimes, if he makes you mad, just tell me, and I will protect you," Gabriel teased him.


    Enzo frowned, "Uncle no¡­ dada good guy¡­ you bad guy," this made everybody laugh. Enzo loved his father very much and couldn''t let anyone badmouth him.


    "My son will always speak up for me," Dimitri said proudly.


    "Is it not enough that you bully me, now you''re son is doing it too?" Gabriel said in a pitiful voice.


    Dimitri smirked and said, "Enzo come here."


    Enzo freed himself from Gabriel''s arms and ran straight into his father''s lap, while Gabriel made a sad face, trying to appeal to Enzo''s kind nature, but Enzo snubbed him because he was with his father, and that was all he needed.


    It was nice to have the whole family complete under one roof.


    After dinner, the interior designer came to have Aurora select the layout and the color palette for Enzo''s room. After they were done, she decided she would like to add some color to their room as well.


    She added patterned curtains, colored pillows on the couch and loungers, and different shades for the bedspread and the quilt.


    She kept on trying to ask Dimitri''s opinion, but he kept replying, "Just choose what you like." So after a while, she decided to stop asking him, and she just chose the colors on her own.


    She was selecting the color for the bedspread with the designer, telling her that she would like to get the lighter colors, when Dimitri interrupted her, "Take the red one," he said. She frowned at him, "Is the blue too bland?" she asked.


    "Red is good," he said, and she went with his choice, she let him have his red bedspread, after all, she chose the other colors for their room already.


    When they were done, the designer informed her that all her orders will be done within the next two to three days. Aurora nodded, that was a fast turnaround, but then again, they are working for the Santoris family, so they are used to doing everything fast, or there will be consequences.


    That night, when Aurora and Dimitri were alone in their bedroom, Aurora opened up that she wanted to know which hospital she was working in. Since she did not know the area well, she wanted Dimitri to show her the hospital nearest their house, so she won''t have to travel so far and spend too much time away from Enzo.


    "There is no need for you to apply to any of the hospitals around here. We have our own hospital. Just tell me when you want to start, and they''ll open up a position for you," he said.


    "What? You have your own hospital?" she asked disbelievingly.


    "Yes, the Santoris family has invested in different types of businesses, we have a hospital, some shopping malls, jewelry stores, schools, and lots of other industries. I''ve already informed my PA, and everything is set. As I said, you just tell me when and we''ll get you started," Dimitri said.


    He knew how passionate she was about her job and decided he won''t hinder her from achieving her goals. She worked hard to get here and he will not let all her efforts go to waste.


    "I have one request," she said, looking at him with her serious negotiating look, "I don''t want them to know about my identity, about us," he looked at her with a suspicious frown, "Well I just don''t want to get any special treatment or any special privileges. I don''t want to be in the limelight."


    "Aurora, you are now a part of the Santoris family, you will always be in the limelight. You cannot avoid that," Dimitri said, "There will be a lot of business parties and gatherings, and you will have to come as my wife, so there is no avoiding being seen."


    "I know, but can we try to be more discreet in the workplace? I need to learn a lot of things, and I also need to show them that I am capable, that I didn''t get there because of our name," she pleaded.


    Dimitri was silent for a moment, then said, "Okay, I will ask the hospital director to keep your identity, but you have to give me your word that if you face any problems in the future, you will let me know."


    "Yes! I promise you that I will let you know if any problems arise. Can I resume work tomorrow then?" she asked excitedly.


    "No, not tomorrow, we are going to register our marriage tomorrow," he said.


    "Marriage?!?" she was stunned.


    "Yes, we''re going to get married. I want to give you the proper title, and you deserve the respect that entails. I want to bind you legally to me, so our names will always be together, and I want to let the whole world know that you are mine.


    Plus, we already have a kid, it won''t be good to delay these things. I want Enzo to have my name as well," he stated.


    She always thought she was just going to try out the relationship because of Enzo, it never crossed her mind that he would want to get married.


    "If you are sure that that''s what you want to do, then yes, I would like to get married tomorrow," she replied. Everything was going so smoothly that it made her suspicious and doubtful as to why everything was just working out the way it should be.


    A smile formed on Dimitri''s face.


    "What about Enzo''s school?" she asked.


    "That''s taken care of. He will be joining them next Monday. We will both accompany him on his first day. I also thought we should decide what extracurricular activities to enroll him in, so he can have things to do after school. We''ll let him choose from the ones we pick out, or if he doesn''t want to, then we can do it next year," he stated.


    Aurora nodded, Enzo was still young, but if he found something he wanted to do, then she would support him.


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 Chapter 43 - 42

    The next day Dimitri was in high spirits, he had woken early in anticipation of this wonderful occasion. He was dressed in a very stylish and well-tailored black suit, while Aurora wore a figure-enhancing red dress. Dimitri''s family gathered together to wish them well in celebration of this auspicious occasion.


    They arrived at the registrar''s office, and since he came from a prominent family, they were ushered straight into the office of the head registrar, where they had everything ready. All Aurora and Dimitri had to do was to sign all the documents.


    Dimitri signed with a smile on his face, which had captivated Aurora. She always gets caught unaware of how handsome he really was.


    "It''s your turn," he said as he held her hand and kissed her knuckles. She blushed, and for a moment, she forgot they were not alone. Remembering him kissing her in other places.


    He was going to be her husband as soon as she signed this piece of paper that will tie them together forever. She took a deep breath and signed her maiden name for the last time.


    Now there was no more reason to deny him their union. This won''t be a casual relationship only forged because of her son. They were now bound together by the law and by their promise to always be together.


    Dimitri looked very happy as he held Aurora''s hand after they left the registrar''s office. Their car had been parked right in front of the building, and as they got nearer, she heard Dimitri ask his PA to open the trunk.


    It was covered with hundreds of the deepest red roses, and the aroma wafting from the flowers was intoxicating, she had never seen anything this beautiful in her life, and she was delighted that Dimitri had bought them all for her.


    "These are so lovely," she said as she felt one of the petals between her fingers, Dimitri grinned as he took one out and gave it to her, at the same time he took a box out from his breast pocket. Inside the box, he revealed the Whitest 20 carat Flawless Emerald cut diamond that was the only one to be found in the world.


    She was in awe of the ring as he slid it onto her finger. It seemed like he not only knew her dress and undergarment size, he knew her ring size as well.


    "Wow! This is so beautiful, everything is so beautiful, the roses, my dress, and now this ring," she said shyly.


    "Do you like it?" he beamed, he had chosen everything himself and was proud that she liked it.


    "Yes, I do, thank you¡­when did you have time to buy this?" Aurora smiled broadly.


    "I bought it a long time ago¡­.," He replied. He got it after he met Aurora. He was so sure they would be spending the rest of their life together. He had contacted one of the best jewelry designers in the world and gave her the specifications he wanted for the ring, and she delivered.


    Aurora sat in the car contemplating her situation, "I''m married," she thought, as she took another look at her ring and smiled, "I''m no longer alone, and this man is my husband," as she looked over at Dimitri. She now had somebody to rely on other than herself, which eases her burden a bit, but it scared her as well since she''s never relied on anyone but herself before.


    "So you know that today is just to register our marriage, but we will still have a wedding ceremony later," Dimitri said.


    "We don''t really need to have a wedding ceremony, this here is enough for me. I don''t expect anything else," she was happy with what she had right now, the official title and a beautiful wedding ring to verify it. She really didn''t think it was necessary for a showy wedding ceremony. Plus, she didn''t have anyone to represent her family anyway so it will be intimidating to have a celebration with a lot of people that she wouldn''t know.


    "Whatever you have here today is just the tip of the iceberg. I am just tied up with work right now, but once everything is cleared, we will have the wedding ceremony.  I want to give you the world because you deserve so much," he said lovingly, as he reached for her hand and kissed her fingers.


    Aurora became emotional, she had tears pooling in her eyes, she had no idea why Dimitri was so enamored with her, and she felt so lucky that he had welcomed the news of having a son with open arms instead of doubt and disdain.


    Another surprise greeted her when they reached the house. There were flower petals strewn all over the front, leading into the house, and everywhere she looked, there were gorgeous flower arrangements that smelled heavenly.


    Her mother-in-law eagerly gave her a hug,  "Congratulations and welcome to the family," and reached out for her hand to see her ring,  "I love the ring, my son has very elegant taste."


    Matthew''s face softened while he looked at the couple, he was happy that his son had finally found someone.


    "Mama, mama¡­show Enzo," he said, copying his grandma, "Wooooow!" he said excitedly.


    "Dada, mama...stay with baby...always...together," his grandma had explained why his parents had left together that morning without him. He had cried for a bit when he thought they left him behind and were never coming back.


    "I told him why you left without him, and when he asked what being married meant, I said it meant you will always be together forever," Daisy explained with a laugh. "Oh this little baby is so smart," she said as she pinched his cheeks.


    Aurora kneeled down and gave him a hug, "Yes baby, we will always stay together."


    "Mama, dada, baby, grandma, grandpa, Uncle Gabe¡­ together," he giggled as he identified all his family members.


    Dimitri lifted Enzo in his arms. "Your mama is right, we will stay together forever." Enzo giggled and planted kisses on his father''s face.


    "Congratulations, brother," Gabriel said, giving Dimitri a quick hug. He was happy that his brother found someone to settle down with.


    He found out about Dimitri and Aurora''s history, and he was shocked about what happened, even suspect that it was a setup, but then he thought, why would Aurora disappear for 5 years if it was a setup? It was also not bad having Enzo as his nephew, and Aurora seemed nice enough, so he will accept it for what it is.


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 Chapter 44 - 43

    Daisy found Matthew in their bedroom, sitting all alone, in deep thought, "Why are you here alone? Is anything wrong?" she asked.


    "Hmm¡­", Matthew mumbled.


    "Say something, are you not happy that your son got married?" Daisy complained.


    "Of course I am happy, my dear, but I''m worried about the future," said Matthew.


    Daisy took Matthew''s hand in hers. She knew what had been discussed in his study the day Dimitri brought home his wife and his son. Matthew warned him that there are things that can never be hidden, they will always find a way to get revealed, and when they do, the consequences may be irreversible.


    "We will hope that our fears never happen. Dimitri and Aurora look like they get along. She may not love him right now, but I can see the chemistry. We know how stubborn Dimitri is, and he always gets what he wants, no matter what anybody says, so there''s no stopping him. They already have a son together, so that will make things easier", Daisy explained.


    Matthew nodded. Once you love a person, everything changes. It was the same case for him. He was arrogant and stubborn once, but once he met the love of his life, all logic went out the window, and he surrendered to his fate.


    "What will I do without you?" he asked softly.


    "You''d probably be miserable," she joked.


    "That''s true, I would be," he easily agreed. It took a while for him to realize it, but meeting her was the best thing that ever happened to him, "You are my life."


    "Oh hubby¡­," she touched his cheek. He loved it whenever she called him that. She was the only one who was able to shake him to the core and bring out the tenderness in him.


    Matthew kissed her passionately. After all these years, their passion had never ebbed. He could never have enough of her, his desire for her was still insatiable.


    Today had been a very joyous event, and due to the relaxed atmosphere, dinner had more enjoyable, so they had it extended. Enzo was allowed to stay up way past his bedtime to celebrate with the adults.


    Since they were both at home, Dimitri and Aurora took Enzo to his bedroom to take his bath and read him a story. The day had ended way better than she expected, the tense air around them the first night she was brought to their home was almost gone. Even Matthew did not seem as intimidating as before. She was thankful that Daisy had been very accommodating and welcoming since she got there, which eased most of the tension.


    So when it was time for the newlyweds to head to their room Aurora felt exhausted.


    Dimitri had felt that she was tired after the long day they had, so he told her to take a bath before he did, and she was thankful because she just wanted to relax and go to bed. She was now Mrs. Santoris, she thought as she sat in the very warm, luxurious bath staring at her ring.


    When she was done, she wore one of the silky robes she found in the bathroom, she felt so pampered right now, and she still can''t believe that this will be her life.


    She had finished her nighttime routine and was drying her hair when she saw Dimitri in the mirror. He was standing behind her in a towel and nothing else, his hair still slightly damp. Her throat went dry as she stared at his well-toned body. This was something she only saw in the magazines the actors and models had worked had to achieve. He had very well-defined muscles on his shoulders, his arms, and his abs.


    When she raised her eyes to meet his, she felt a shiver run down her spine. The intention in his eyes was clear that she blushed from her head to her toes. She felt the room suddenly warm up.


    "I''m sorry I took so long in the bath," she tried to hide her embarrassment.


    "I showered in the other bedroom to save time," he said with his husky voice. Was his voice always that sexy sounding, or was she just sensitive to him tonight?


    She stood up so she could escape to the bedroom and give him his privacy when he stalked towards her.


    "I''m... I''ll be in the other room so you can get dressed," she stammered, trying to get away, but she bumped into his chest in her haste.


    He had his arms around her to steady her, "I won''t need any clothes right now, and neither do you."


    Her eyes grew wide as she gasped. She knew what he meant but did not expect him to want to consummate their relationship tonight, but then again, why wouldn''t he? He had been patient the past few nights, sleeping beside her yet not expecting anything. He was always awake by the time she got up, so she didn''t know if they even cuddled that night.


    She assumed that he was giving her space, so they could develop their feelings for each other. Get to know each other better before they proceeded with their sexual relationship.


    But her assumptions were wrong. She knew because every time her gaze landed on his, he had this look in his eye that she had associated with need and hunger, not for food but for her. The only other time she saw him with that look was when the grooming team came to fix her up. He had come home early that day and gave her the same look before he devoured her lips and rubbed parts of her that woke up her desires.


    If only she knew what he was really thinking every time he stared at her, she might not be able to look him in the eye again.


    "Aurora¡­," he said, slowing down his breath to help keep him calm, so he could explain, "I brought you to my home, had you meet my parents, and registered our marriage just to give you all the assurance that you would need to show you how sincere I am about my feelings for you.


    I haven''t forced myself on you even though there were times when I almost lost control. I know you don''t have feelings for me yet, but will you allow me to be your husband tonight and show you how much more I feel for you?"


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 Chapter 45 - 44

    Aurora hesitated. She had never been this close to him since that fateful night. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, and smell the body wash he just used mixed in with natural scent, and she felt this heady sensation that she wanted to lean into him and take what he was offering.


    But this was not her, she wanted to remain firm on her decision to maintain a business-like type of relationship, just to be Enzo''s mom and dad and work together, raising him amicably and responsibly. But she could not deny him what he wanted any longer. He had been very open and honest about what he wanted from her and had been very patient, like a saint even.


    He saw the confusion on her face, so he gave her one of his kisses that always made her weak in the knees. Nipping her lips softly at first, then sucking on her lower lip until she relented and gave in, kissing him back with as equal fervor as he was giving her. She just wanted to go on like this for a while. She had to admit that she liked kissing him, he was masterful at this, and she wanted to keep on tasting him.


    How could she say no now, not when he made her feel very much wanted and very desirable. She showed her surrender by wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies closer together and her mouth at a better angle.


    "Hmmm...,'' she moaned into his mouth, "You cannot hide from me anymore," he said as he carried her to bed. He kissed her thoroughly and slower than before, savoring the moment that she would be his once again. He had waited so patiently, and he cannot wait to unwrap his gift.


    He was untying her robe when he felt her stiffen her hold on his hands. He looked at her questioningly, he hadn''t done anything yet, so there was no cause for her to panic. "It''s too bright in here, can you turn off the lights," she pleaded.


    He chuckled as he obeyed her wish, leaving the bathroom light on, so they would still have some illumination inside the bedroom. He knew she was shy, but he wanted to see her in all her naked glory, there was no denying him that.


    He hurriedly undressed her when he came back to bed. Her fair skin beckoned to him, inviting him to touch and taste her, He wanted to leave love bites everywhere just to mark her and make her remember where his lips have been and where they will be again.


    She got shy when he just sat on the bed and stared at her naked body, so she used her hands to cover her most intimate parts. "Didn''t I tell you, no more hiding," he smirked as he took both her hands and pinned them on the top of her head, and laid down on top of her.


    He wanted to taste every part of her body, and now she was where he wanted her to be. Laid out before him, ready to be enjoyed. He started by taking her breast in his mouth, "Hmmm¡­," he moaned while she gasped out of surprise.


    His mouth felt warm as he sucked and licked her breast one by one. "Ugghhh... Ugghh¡­ Ugghh...," she moaned again and again as the sensation of flicking her nipples with his tongue had liquid pooling in her core. The louder she moaned, the more passionate he was in giving her pleasure.


    He needed to pleasure her some more, he thought. As one of his hands roamed beneath her waist to test if she was ready, to test if she was wet, and she did not disappoint, and it got him excited. He got more exhilarated as she squirmed against his hand, arching into it when he stroked her folds.


    She gasped again when she felt his mouth leave her breast and travel downwards. He had both hands kneading her backside as he raised her honeypot to his face. She couldn''t do anything but surrender herself to his ministrations, he licked, sucked, and ran his tongue between her folds and inserted it inside her. "Ughh... Ughh... Ughh¡­," she moaned in time to the rhythm of his tongue.


    Not knowing whether she wanted him to stop or go on, she wound her fingers through his hair. But this only encouraged him more, he licked and sucked until he felt her body begin to spasm and buck under his mouth. He inserted his finger to stimulate her more, finding that one spot that would make her cry out his name.


    "Dimitri¡­," she said, like she read his mind, "Ugh¡­ugh...," the sensations were wracking her body, "Dimitri..," she said again, wanting him to stop, no, keep going, no, "Ugh! Ugh! Ugggghh..." she cried as the waves crashed through her body.


    She was spent, and she didn''t think she could move again. Never has she experienced anything like that before. He stood up and swiped the towel from his waist to wipe the sweat from his brow and from his body, and she took this opportunity to stare at him like he did when he stared at her.


    He stood there for a while when he felt her stare, he challenged her to look at him, at his body, and what she saw surprised her. The more she stared at him, the more his thing twitched. She could not believe that it had fit inside her the first time, did not remember it to be so massive.


    "It''s so big," she said out loud, her mouth hanging wide open.


    He just grinned, "Don''t worry, it will fit perfectly." He said as he finished wiping himself, ready for the next round.


    "But¡­," she tried to argue and maybe back out. She didn''t think she was ready to take all of him after all.


    He laid down beside her and caressed her face, "Shh¡­ Don''t worry¡­. It will fit perfectly, just like last time," he said softly.


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 Chapter 46 - 45

    He kissed her softly, distracting her from her fear and her apprehension, concentrating on her already swollen lips, his hands massaging her breasts.


    She was distracted for sure, squirming and arching her body towards his hands, the way his hands molded her body was addicting, every time he flicked his fingers on her nipple, electricity shot down from her spine to her core.


    Her globes called out to him, tempting him to have another taste. As his mouth traveled down her neck, and her shoulders, he nipped and left love bites all over. "Aggghhh¡­," she moaned as his mouth finally closed over one of her nipples, her fingers entangled in his hair, pressing his head closer to her breast.


    He liked the sounds she was making, and her hands were pulling at him on their own accord, he didn''t even need to guide her or show her.


    "Uh!" she gasped as his hand found her warm, wet center. He was stroking her folds, getting her excited and ready. She can''t wait to feel him inside her, she was not sure how it was going to feel, but after he licked her earlier, and now with his fingers stroking the inside of her core, she felt ready, she wanted to find out.


    He positioned himself and plunged into her, but since it has been five years since her last sexual encounter, her opening grew tight, "Ugh..," she cried out in pain before she bit her lip. "Dimitri¡­," she gasped.


    "I know baby, it''s tight for me too," he pulled out before he slid into her again, and again, her opening slowly expanding to his size. She had her nails digging into his back, and her teeth biting into his shoulder as she felt getting used to him.


    "Ughh¡­ ugh¡­ ugggghhh¡­.." she started moaning and moving her hips towards him when the sensations of having him inside her felt pleasurable, she was copying his motions and took him deeper inside her. Again and again, he slid in and out, in and out.


    "Ugggghhh¡­," she cried out in release. "Aurora¡­," he called out her name as he emptied his seed into her a few seconds after she came.


    They were locked together in ecstasy, spent and satiated. They couldn''t move, and it was because she had wrapped her legs around him in the midst of making love.


    "Am I too heavy for you?" he asked as he laid on top of her.


    "No, you are fine where you are," she said softly, suddenly feeling shy about their position.


    He was still inside her, and she felt him twitch, she gasped as her eyes grew wide. He wanted to go at it again but knew that she would be sore, so he would give her time to get used to him. He didn''t want to move but he didn''t want to scare her either, so he rolled off her and took her in his arms.


    With his arms wrapped around her, her head nestled on his shoulders, he held her chin in his hand and declared, "I love you so much Aurora, and I am very happy that I found you again," he kissed her softly.


    She could not believe her ears, he just declared his love for her, and she did not know how to respond, so she just kissed him as passionately. She doesn''t have an answer for him right now, but she could feel her heart-melting.


    Her eyes were unsure as she looked into his eyes, "You don''t need to say anything, I just wanted you to know how I felt about you, sweetheart. I love you," he said before he kissed her again.


    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t help but fall for him. She did not know if she could call it love, but she was ready to open her heart to him.


    She lifted her hand to his face after their kiss and caressed him. "Are you real?" her dark brown eyes questioning as they looked into his beautiful dark grey ones.


    "Yes, my love, I am, I will still be here when you wake up tomorrow and every day after that," he said as he kissed her palm.


    "Will you always be this good to me?" she asked.


    Dimitri planted a kiss on her lips and said, "Always, only for you."


    He will still be a very cold and cruel person, never doing anything that wouldn''t benefit him. Everything he deals with was measured in terms of profit, but Aurora was an exception to all his rules. He was willing to do anything for her. All he was asking for was that hopefully, in time, she would learn to love him just the same way he does her.


    Now that he has found her he will never ever let her go again. He would probably lose his sanity if he lost her now.


    Aurora snuggled against his chest, finding the right position where her head fit his shoulder snugly, and the rest of her body felt comfortable. She couldn''t believe what they''d done tonight, she still felt shy thinking about how her body had responded to his touch, and his lips that touched every part of her body had felt exhilarating. And her body was craving him again as she felt his skin rub against hers.


    She tried to quell it down, pushed the feelings at the back of her mind until they stopped torturing her to touch him and feel him grow against her hands. They were sitting on his chest, but they were itching to touch him and rub him. She inhaled very deeply and tried to quiet her mind, his scent relaxed her, so she closed her eyes, and she kissed his neck, "Good night Dimitri."


    "Good night, my love," he said as he kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket over her naked back. He was still warm, but he knew that it would be colder in the middle of the night and did not want her to catch a cold.


    It took a while for him to fall asleep. He stared at her for a while and thought about their future together. He was finally with the love of his life, he smiled, as he closed his eyes.


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 Chapter 47 - 46

    This was the best sleep Dimitri has had for a while, he can''t even remember when he had slept this soundly and at peace while doing it. He hoped it won''t be the last time too. Lying in bed with Aurora in his arms felt like everything in the world was going to be alright.


    Aurora was dreaming about butterflies, and how they were flitting around her, brushing her with their wings. She swatted away at them softly, giggling because she was getting ticklish.


    But in reality, Dimitri was kissing Aurora''s nape softly, giving her soft kisses all over her neck, and her back, while his hands were fondling her. In the middle of the night, she had turned away from him, he used it as an opportunity so he could spoon with her. Hugging her from behind with his legs wedged between hers.


    He wanted to wake her up after he woke up with a very rigid member. Remembering all the activities from last night and once again wanting to feel the elation he felt when they came together.


    She was still half asleep when she tried to push away at his hands, "Hmmm¡­," she said sleepily, trying to tell him to stop what he was doing, but the more she pushed him away, the more insistent his kneading and fondling became.


    He was licking her back when she stiffened up and felt the desire shoot up her spine. "Huh!" she gasped, "What are you doing?" she said, trying to cover herself up with the blanket when all she could grasp was his arms. They were so tangled with each other she couldn''t move.


    He was adding another love bite to her back when she hissed at him, "Stop it!" He just chuckled and added another one. Whatever he was doing was melting her resolve, she could feel her body waking up and the liquid pooling in her core again. It was too early for her to be fending off his advances and a little more touching and kissing was making her pliant to his will.


    He cannot get enough of her, he could not stop, it was like he needed to touch her just to assure himself that she was really there, that they really got married and that they really made love last night. He was scared that as soon as he let her go, she would disappear. She belonged to him, and he would destroy anybody that would take her away from him.


    After several more love bites added to her back, he flipped her over so he could see her in the morning light, her tousled hair and the sleepy, annoyed look she gave him just fueled his need. This was how he wanted to wake up every morning, with her wrapped up in his arms, after a night of lovemaking.


    He looked down at her body and smiled, more love bites, he was proud of his handiwork, and she whimpered when she saw what he was looking at. She thought he was just staring at her breasts, but the smile on his face said differently. "You¡­ you did this to me," she said accusingly, trying to cover her body.


    She felt his member rubbing on her thigh as he took off her hands carefully and pinned them on her side, he wanted to see her whole body in the bright light, so he could admire her some more. She felt self-conscious but could not do anything about it, so she just closed her eyes and hoped that he would get his fill and move on.


    He was nibbling on her neck when she begged him, "Please don''t leave love bites on my neck, I don''t think I have anything to cover that up," he chuckled. "I want everyone to see that you are mine, and we made love last night," as he nuzzled the back of her ear, "but since you begged, I will leave it clear. Remember you owe me this favor," he said before he kissed her lips.


    She did not expect him to be so amorous this early in the morning, but after he kissed her more deeply and passionately, she gave in.


    She matched his fervor, kiss for kiss. And just like that, the need to touch, taste her and have her had overcome him again. His hands slowly caressed her back tracing circles with his fingertips, making her moan, then her thighs which had her arching her body to his automatically. He was touching her core again when she gasped, "No, Dimitri... You have to stop," she mumbled between kisses and tried to push him off.


    He held her hands away from her body so she could stop pushing him. "Sweetheart, what do you want me to do? I want you again? He said sensually, as he kissed her neck.


    His endearment had her melting, it felt nice to hear him call her so dearly. "But it''s too bright," she said shyly. But he did not care as he took her hand and placed it on his manhood.


    "Aghhh¡­," she cried out and tried to free her hand, but he held on tight. "You can feel how hard I am and how much I want you. Are you going to deny me what I need?" he asked pleadingly.


    He had given her so much already, how can she say no, plus with all the kissing and caressing earlier, she was as aroused as he was. She cupped his face with one hand and gave him a light kiss to show him that she consented to what he wanted. He chuckled and deepened the kiss.


    This time they made love with much more intensity and hurried movements than last night, just because they knew what they wanted and they wanted it now.


    Their moans got louder as they thrust into each other, giving and receiving pleasure at the same time.


    She was tired, her bones felt like jelly from all the orgasms she''d been having, but Dimitri seemed like he still had energy as he surprised her and carried her to the bathroom. He placed her inside the tub full of warm water. He had gone to the bathroom earlier, and she thought he just went there to use it. She did not know that he was filling the tub for her. He never seemed to run out of romantic things to surprise her with, she thought.

 Chapter 48 - 47

    The tub was big enough for them to have their own sides, but Dimitri chose to snuggle with her situated in front of him. She thought it was going to be too much to spend naked time in a bathtub,  but after the night they''ve had, she wouldn''t have it any other way.


    She was leaning against him, enjoying the very warm water that relaxed her and her muscles. This is very enjoyable, she thought.


    He had added essential oils and bathing salts into the water to loosen her stiff joints, relax her muscle and hydrate her skin. "Thank you for this, it feels so good," she said as she relaxed, and almost fell asleep while he was massaging her and washing her with a sponge. She woke up when she felt his mouth kissing her neck and his hands caressing her body.


    The water had made her skin very sensitive, that she felt every caress was heightened, and she didn''t stop him when he touched her again. They did it slower in the tub like they were in a dream and were doing it in slow motion. She was enjoying all the things she had been missing for the past five years. Making love in places you would never think of, and all the time. She smiled.


    When they were done getting clean and rinsing off, he wrapped her in the biggest, fluffiest towel he had and carried her to their walk-in closet.


    He was using the towel to dry her off when she stopped him, "Let me do it," she said shy once again. No matter how many times they''ve already done it, she still felt self-conscious about her body. Nobody has seen her body aside from herself, and now Dimitri with his adoration, made her blush all the time.


    "No, I want to do it, so you can pretend I''m touching your body again," he said naughtily.


    "Dimitri!" she said in a scolding tone. He just laughed and continued drying her off. She felt like she was being treated like a child, but didn''t say anything.


    When he reached his most favorite part of her, he looked at her and asked, "Does it still hurt here?" giving her the slightest of touches.


    "Umm¡­no," she choked on his question and averted her eyes.


    He frowned, not believing that she was telling the truth. "Are you sure? I can get you some pain reliever," he said.


    "No, just don''t talk about it anymore, I''m fine, please," she said awkwardly. He narrowed his eyes again and thought, she was probably telling him the truth right? Otherwise, she''ll just get some pain reliever later.


    "Stay here," he said as he finished drying himself and went to get her clothes. He had picked out her clothes for her and told her to just stand there as he helped put them on. She was red as a beet by the time he was done, who knew getting dressed can be sensual?


    The way his hand caressed her skin as he helped her with her undergarments was jarring, she wanted to melt in a puddle at his feet. Good thing he did not pay too much attention to her face because they probably would never get out of this room if they get started again.


    In the dining room, Enzo had been anxious to see his parents, he had gotten used to the nanny bringing him down for breakfast, but he usually saw his father sitting at the table by the time he came down. Dimitri was always ready to carry him in his arms so they could exchange stories, and his mom would come down later to give him a kiss and help him with breakfast. But today, none of them came down, and he has been at the table for a while already.


    "Grandma, where dada? Where mama?" he questioned her in his cute voice, his palms spread upward, gesturing where.


    Daisy was wondering where they were as well when she sees a couple of maids bringing up a trolley of breakfast items up the stairs. She smiled, knowing that they were probably busy since last night, and probably won''t come down anytime soon. "Oh it''s so nice to be newlyweds," she thought, "I remember that feeling," as she looks over her husband and blushes.


    She was happy that they were spending time with each other. Who knows, they might get lucky and have another child. Enzo was already a big blessing for them, but another child will definitely bring more joy to their household.


    The Santoris family was very affluent that they could afford to raise ten more kids if they wanted to. She wished they would have a girl this time, just because she was not lucky to have her own. Having two boys was very exhausting.


    Now that she had Aurora she felt like she had her own daughter which was why she treated Aurora very well. It was also a plus that Aurora was a very respectful and courteous person, which meant they wouldn''t have many arguments in the future.


    "Dada and mama will come down later, but while we''re waiting do you want to show them that Enzo was able to finish his breakfast by himself?" she said while feeding him another morsel from his plate, "I bet they will be very proud of you."


    Enzo nodded enthusiastically. "What do you think they''re going to say?" she asked.


    "Enzo good boy, eat food, drink juice," he said proudly, as he ate more from his plate.


    "Good job, eat more fruits," grandma patted his head.


    Gabriel was snickering in his seat, "Hmm¡­ I didn''t think bro was so desperate," he said to no one in particular. He always thought his brother was too detached from his emotions that having a wife would not affect him. But he was wrong. It seems his brother was just like any other man.


    Matthew shot him a cold stare and said, "Gabriel, behave yourself in front of the child."


    Gabriel lowered his head, but there was still a teasing smile on his face.

 Chapter 49 - 48

    Upstairs the maid bringing their breakfast had knocked on the door. Dimitri took the trolley and told them that they did not want to be disturbed.


    "What is this? Are we not going down for breakfast?" she asked.


    "No, it''s late, and they''ve probably cleared the table downstairs, plus I wanted us to have breakfast together, just us," he said, smiling as he unloaded the cart.


    She was touched by his gesture, but he''s been pampering her since last night, wasn''t it just too much, she thought.


    "Wait, you said it''s late, aren''t you going to work?" she was concerned that he was keeping him from what he was supposed to be doing.


    "No, I took the day off, I''m spending the whole day with you and Enzo," he said. She will be joining the hospital much sooner than he wanted, and she would probably be busy every day, there won''t be as many opportunities for them to spend together, so he wanted to take advantage of her free time.


    "Come, let''s eat before it gets cold," he pulled her to the sofa to inspect the food laid out before her. She was surprised that these were her favorite breakfast items, he had been paying attention to what she had been eating the past few days.


    She also remembered that he had asked her about some of the dishes she favored, and now they were in front of her. He beamed when he saw her shocked face.


    "Did I do a good job with the food?" he asked, "Here have some of these, I like that too," he said as he brought his spoon to her mouth to feed her.


    She opened her mouth a little confused by what was happening. Her eyes grew wide when she realized that he was feeding her the same way she always fed Enzo. And that was his way of taking care of her.  Dressing her and feeding her, she could only shake her head. This man surprised her every single day.


    Having enough time to spend with each other was nice, but Aurora had never had a day off since Enzo was conceived, so she did not know how to appreciate it, she was antsy to get back to work. Work, that''s all she knew how to do, from sending herself through college until today, so she was happy to get back to it. Not that she did not appreciate the time she spent with Enzo and Dimitri the past few days, it''s just that she still felt awkward around her in-laws.


    Dimitri had decided to drop her off, and no matter how much she insisted she didn''t want him to do it, he still did it anyway.


    The driver would drop her off before bringing Dimitri to work. "Should I come inside?" he asked. Maybe I should meet the director, so they know who they are dealing with.


    Aurora chuckled and replied, "I''m not a kid going to school. The director does not need to meet you."


    "Hmph! Remember if you encounter any problem, don''t hesitate to call me," he said. He was concerned for her, this hospital was one of the best hospitals in the country, a lot of doctors who specialize in their fields reside here, so they have a much bigger workload and work at a much faster pace. She had worked at a smaller hospital and might not be used to the pace they follow at this hospital.


    "Yes, I''ll remember, okay I need to go. I don''t want to be late on my first day," she said, smiling at him, she thought he was so sweet for fussing. She had been getting superstar treatment from him, and she appreciated that he was giving her all the attention, it made moving easier, and had moved their relationship from acquaintances to a married couple in no time.


    "Wait! Aren''t you forgetting something?" he grabbed her hand before she could open the door.


    "What?" she frowned, rummaging through her bag, "No, I have all the documents with me."


    Dimitri pointed to his lips. Aurora blushed, and she complied, cupping his face and kissing him very sweetly. They had a very romantic morning, and she was still riding on that feeling.


    He kissed her more thoroughly while caressing her breast. He had managed to undo the top buttons of her blouse in the span of time it took for her to kiss him.


    "Hmmm¡­ Hmm¡­ stop! I need to get to work," she said as she pushed him away.


    He removed his hand but held her close. Ever since they''d made love, he seemed to lack the ability to control himself. Even a small kiss evoked his desire and made him want to take her, no matter where they were. He had never had this problem before but just looking at her got him hard.


    If they were not in the car in the view of other people, then he would surely have made love with her, but he had to stop himself. When he stopped, she took the opportunity to straighten her clothes and fix her makeup and her hair.


    He thought she was so beautiful, and wished that she did not have to go to work today, as he planted a kiss on her forehead and said, "Be careful, my love," before she walked into the building.


    At the Information desk, the assistant personally escorted her to the director''s office when she gave her name.


    The director was very welcoming and treated her like she was the president. With the warm treatment and smiles that greeted her, she felt at ease. All her initial worries and the tension she had felt were erased.


    The director personally toured her around the hospital, introducing her to all the doctors and the staff. She kept apologizing, "It would probably take me a while to memorize all your names, so excuse me for the meantime if I forget."


    "Do not hesitate to come to me if you encounter any problems. I will always be here to help you," he kept reminding her. He knew her real identity and was instructed to keep it a secret. Dimitri''s PA had called him on his direct line and had instructed him to take care of her and hide her identity at all costs.


    And the director would be keeping that secret to his grave because he did not want to cross the person who owned the hospital and let him keep his job. If he screws up, he knows that his head would be on a platter.


    Dimitri had given his word to Aurora that he would stay out of her business, but he had no intention of doing that. He had called the director himself to get his word and make him promise to ensure her safety.


    He had his purpose for keeping her identity a secret. Even though everything was going well in his personal life, that was not the case when it came to the family business.

 Chapter 50 - 49

    The Russo family had returned after a long hiatus. They used to be one of the oldest and strongest Mafia families alongside the Santoris. They used to be friendly with each other, they wouldn''t call each other friends, but they were amicable. Until the Russo family decided that they wanted to wage war against the Santoris family.


    There was a ton of bloodsheds, and the Santoris won over the Russo family, then they disappeared to lick their wounds.


    But there were always rumors of them coming back, so Matthew had instructed his sons to always be on alert and never let their guards down. Who knows what they were up to.


    Then, two years ago, the rumors started getting louder, somebody was buying the majority of the Santoris business from under them. They were speculating that it was the Russo family, come back from the grave. Trying to get all their ducks in a row so they could get back at the Santoris family.


    They had been hiding out overseas where their activities could not be tracked. They were silently building up to strengthen their foundation until they could come back to their home country and exact their revenge.


    They wanted the Russo family to shine again and take control, so they did the next best thing to defeating the Santoris family, they contacted all their enemies and allied with them.


    Dimitri was getting frustrated, he had lost all the deals he was invested in recently. "Call for the round table conference. It''s time for people to show me their loyalty," Dimitri stated.


    He had support from a lot of businessmen and people from the underworld. They owe their lives and livelihoods to Dimitri, he had invested in their businesses when they were on the brink of failure and had helped them grow and thrive.


    And now it''s time to call in their favors.


    Aurora was very enthusiastic and energetic to work at the hospital. All the equipment functioned and was of high performance, unlike the small hospital she came from, they were old and outdated. It had always been her dream to work in such a large hospital, she had planned to do it when Enzo entered High School so he wouldn''t need as much guidance in school, and she wouldn''t feel like she neglected him just to get to her dreams. But now, her dreams were being fulfilled thanks to Dimitri.


    Her schedule was great, she had enough time when she got home to play with Enzo and give him his dinner and his bath.


    Dinner had come and gone, but Dimitri was nowhere in sight. He had phoned in earlier to let her know he was going to be late, so she should just go rest, and he will have the maids serve him his dinner. But Aurora insisted that she would wait for him.


    She had given Enzo his bath and told him his bedtime stories, even though they had a nanny that would do all of those things for her, Aurora still chose to do it herself because she still wanted to be part of Enzo''s upbringing. Being rich did not mean she could forget about her responsibilities. Not cooking all the meals had cleared up her schedule and had given her the chance to concentrate on all the things she really wanted to do, like spend time with her family.


    It was midnight by the time Dimitri came home, he had a lot of phone calls to make and a lot of arrangements just to make the upcoming meeting possible. He was looking forward to cuddling with his wife when he noticed that the Dining Room lights were still on. Somebody was sleeping on the dining table.


    He felt his heart squeeze when he saw Aurora sleeping with her head resting on her arms. She had fallen asleep waiting for him, and he felt awful. She was still beautiful even when she was sleeping, with her long tresses falling down her back and partially covering her face.


    He tucked her hair behind her ear and ran his thumb across her cheek. "Dimitri," she mumbled as she half-opened her eyes to see if it was him.


    "Yes, I''m here," he answered.


    She stood up and was enveloped in his hug, her head cradled against his chest. "What time is it? I''ve been waiting for you," she said sleepily.


    "I''m sorry, there was just so much to do at work, why are you still awake?" he asked as he played with her hair.


    Most of the time, when Dimitri was working, he would stay overnight at the office until he finished his job, but because of Aurora, no matter how late it got, he went home because he looked forward to coming home to her.


    "I wanted to have dinner with you. So I had the maids store my food with yours," she said as she got food from the warming oven and placed it on the table.


    "What?" he held both of her shoulders, pulling her towards him angrily.


    "Well, I wanted to eat with you, so I waited for you to come home," she had no idea that Dimitri had been slacking off from work the past few weeks since they met, and he had a lot of catching up to do.


    "Aurora, are you a child? How can you be so careless, it''s already midnight, and you still haven''t eaten, do you want to get sick?" he was very upset with her for neglecting her health.


    "I was waiting for you. How would I know you would come home this late you didn''t even bother to send me a message. It''s your fault, you forgot your wife while you were working. Hmph!" she said, looking away.


    He sighed, how was he going to stay mad at her when she had waited because she wanted to eat with him. This was just the thing he was waiting to happen in their relationship. For her to soften her heart and open up to him.


    His temper eased up, "Okay I''m sorry it was my mistake. I will never do it again. I will try to come home earlier or let you know next time so you won''t have to stay up late for me," said as he consoled her.


    "Hmph! I''m very hungry," She was so cute wearing that pout on her face, and he wanted to gobble her up. "Come, let us eat," he pulled her toward the table and served her food on her plate.


    "Wait! I forgot to ask, did you have your dinner?" she asked.


    "No," he lied. He already had his dinner, the dietician had been instructed to prepare some of his meals in advance so his PA could just serve them up whenever he needed to stay at the office.


    They talked about her work, and she gushed about how nice the employees were, and they laughed about how all the equipment in her old hospital needed to be serviced or rebooted every time they needed to use them.

 Chapter 51 - 50

    Dimitri was itching to make love to his wife again, but since he came home late, and they didn''t finish dinner until after midnight he had decided to let her get her sleep, so she won''t be too tired for work the next day. They had a lot to do, it would be Enzo''s first day at his new pre-school, so they were excited.


    Enzo was going to a pre-school when he was with Aurora, but for some reason, she was a jumble of nerves this morning. It was like she was sending him to school for the first time again.


    She was running around preparing his bag and lunch box even though Dimitri kept on telling her to let the nanny do it. She wanted to make sure that he would not forget anything and come home in the middle of the day because he had a meltdown, not that he ever did, which she was thankful for, but this was a new school. Who knows what new challenges he would encounter here.


    All the family had gathered downstairs to send him off and wish him well. They would all miss him, the last few days, he had entertained them endlessly throughout the day, and once again, the house will be quiet when he goes to school.


    Enzo looked very cute in the school-sanctioned uniform of blue shorts and a white button-down shirt. He insisted on bringing his superman bag, where his mom tucked in a few of his toys and all the things he needed for the day.


    "Enzo, I have packed everything for you. Listen to your teachers and don''t forget to be nice to everybody. Make friends and do not cause any trouble for anyone," Aurora said as she knelt in front of him so she could look him in the eye. He had always been a nice and obedient kid, so Aurora never had any problems with him, except for wandering around the hospital when he met Gabe, he usually listened to his mom.


    "Champ, if anyone troubles you, you know what to do, right? Show me what I taught you," Gabriel added from beside Aurora.


    "Yeah! Punch, punch!" Enzo beat his fist air, copying his Uncle Gabe. They bonded really well, and Gabriel taught him a few things that might have been too much for a four-year-old to learn, but he told him anyway.


    Three pairs of eyes except Aurora gave Gabriel a cold glance.


    "Gabe, watch what you teach my son?" Dimitri warned. Gabriel lowered his head but winked at Enzo.


    "You know that fighting is bad, right?" His mom looked him square in the eye, and he nodded, "If you encounter any trouble, you should tell your teacher right away," Aurora explained.


    "Okay mama," Enzo replied meekly.


    "Our little Enzo is a good boy, just enjoy your school, okay," His grandma said, kissing his cheeks.


    "Behave, okay," Gabriel patted his head.


    When they reached the school. Aurora started to give him the same set of instructions, and Dimitri decided to step in. "Aurora, calm down, we are one of the shareholders of this school. The teachers will take special care of him," Dimitri held her hand and tried to console her.


    She relaxed a bit when she heard that they had the school under their care as well. Enzo was a ball of energy as soon as he saw his school and couldn''t wait to get down from the car, but his mom and dad had a firm grip on him.


    Gone was the shy kid she used to coax into the classrooms to meet his teacher. By having a whole family, he had blossomed and became an energetic little kid eager to meet people.


    After she kissed his cheek and hugged him. Enzo planted a kiss on both his parent''s cheeks.  "Bye mama, bye dada," he said as he walked to the gate towards the teacher waiting for him.


    Today was the day Dimitri was meeting with the mafia families to find out who would support him, so he dropped Aurora off, and rushed to his office to prepare for the meeting.


    He did not get the desired results he was expecting, he thought he had more people on his side than the Russo family, but the people present that day proved him wrong, he had threatened most of them, and yet they didn''t budge. He had to take drastic actions.


    While he was contemplating about his plans, his phone rang, it was Aiden inviting him out for a drink with the boys.


    "Dimitri, where have you been? You''ve been missing the past few weeks without telling us where you were. What are you up to, man? Aiden asked. He had actually been gone for the past few months, and Aiden had missed seeing him whenever they went out for drinks.


    "I was out on a business trip," Dimitri said,  not willing to tell him all the details on the phone.


    "Well, we''re all meeting at the usual place. Tell me you''ll come," Aiden stated.


    "I can''t, I have a lot of work to do," Dimitri denied his request. He wanted to spend more time with his wife and son.


    "You can''t say no. I know you''re back in the city. You need to support me here. Tristan and Blake are getting too high-handed with the PDA, just because they are married men. They think making out with their wives every time they say something cute is acceptable," he complained, "My eyes are going blind. This place is turning out into a love nest. It''s disgusting. But we can take them down, you and me as the last two bachelors, against those two."


    Tristan and Blake have been too busy loving their spouses and on the few occasions that they do go out, all they do is fawn at each other and make people around them uncomfortable. Gone are the days they spent clubbing and drinking all the time.


    Too bad though, Aiden has no idea that Dimitri was also married. He would definitely get shocked when he finds out that he''s the only bachelor left.


    "Sure, I''ll be there," Dimitri finally agreed. It was time he introduced Aurora and Enzo to his friends, just in case he would need their help in the future, they needed to know. Plus, there were no secrets he could keep from them anyway, even if he wanted to.


    Tristan had introduced Ava to his peers as soon as he confirmed his relationship, so he should do the same thing to show respect to his wife.

 Chapter 52 - 51

    "Get ready we''re going to meet my friends in an hour, we''re bringing Enzo too," Dimitri told Aurora while they were in the car. He picked her up from work today because he wanted to spend more time with her, but it was time for her to meet his friends.


    "Your friends?" She asked nervously, Dimitri seemed very reserved, and if that was any indication of how his friends were, then she felt a little intimidated, after all, she was meeting the Aristocratic heirs, the big shots that controlled most of the country.


    Dimitri took her hands and placed a kiss on her palm when he saw her fidget, "Yes, my friends. Don''t worry about it? You''re my wife and you''ll be attending a lot of gatherings in the future, so might as well start now," he said, trying to assuage her fears.


    Since her closet had been updated with the newest clothing trends, she had no problem getting ready. She chose a sleeveless burgundy dress that seemed a little too formal, but if she was meeting new people she wanted to impress them. She chose black heels to wear with her outfit and to complete her look she donned diamond studs and a Rolex watch. And to complete her ensemble, she carried a Dior handbag.


    She dressed Enzo in a cream-colored shirt and black pants, then she found a bow-tie that she thought would make him look very adorable, like a very young model, so she made him wear that as well.


    And as always, Dimitri looked very dapper in his suit, even with Enzo in his arms, she could never get tired of looking at him, he was the best husband and father anyone could ever wish for. And as she took the hand he held out for her, she couldn''t help but think she was very lucky to have him in their lives.


    On the top floor of the hotel, they were all waiting for Dimitri. He had been gone for two months, and they were wondering what he had been up to.


    Tristan was absently playing with Ava''s hand. It seemed like the couple never really came out of their honeymoon phase. They spent most of their free time together and rarely left the house, and the only time they were apart was when they were working.


    Ava had completed her jewelry design course and just delved into work immediately. She was inspired by what she learned and wanted to apply her ideas to them. Tristan, on the other hand, was not a workaholic like before, he had started to delegate more to his PA and made sure he came home in time for dinner every night, no matter how busy his schedule was.


    After they got married, the shadows of Tristan''s past had slowly disappeared, and he had Ava to thank for that. She had wormed her way into his heart from the very beginning, and now all he felt was love and gratitude that she had given him a chance to prove himself to her.


    "Tristan, you forgot something," Ava pouted. He frowned, when it came to her needs, he made sure he never forgot anything. She had come to depend more and more on him these days, and he liked the feeling of being her man. The only man she can depend on.


    "What is it little one? What did I forget?" Tristan asked patiently.


    "Remember the curtains in the living room, you forgot to change them," she said. After she gained perspective on what her style really was, she had been more vocal and picky. She started redecorating all the rooms at their house without any regard for the expenses, they could afford it after all. She had finally come into the role of being the Madam of the household, and Tristan never said no. He just let her do what she wants.


    "But you liked the new curtains," he said, "I remembered you said that."


    "I said it was okay, but I never said I liked it," she justified her mistake, which only made Tristan laugh out loud. She had a habit of twisting his words whenever he caught her mistakes. It was very entertaining because no matter what he said, she found a way to get out of it.


    "Okay, we''ll just let them change it to the one you really like," he said in a pampering tone.


    On the other side of the sofa, Blake had his arms loosely around Sara''s shoulders. If it wasn''t for her sister, they wouldn''t have been here. All he wanted these days was to devour her and keep her in bed. She worked too much, just like he did, and though they always made time for each other, he felt there was never enough time with her. He thought that maybe he should just sequester them on an island somewhere and just make love to her every day.


    He had that dreamy, faraway look in his eyes as he stared at her, and he was so happy that she chose him to love. She was so beautiful, smart, sweet, very sexy, very delectable¡­ his thoughts were going south. If only these people were not here today, he thought.


    Then he saw her roll her eyes, and he smiled. He didn''t catch the whole conversation, but it seems Ava was having another of her cutesy conversations with Tristan, and Sara was not amused.


    "Ugh, these too are too sickeningly sweet," Sara thought. No wonder her parents were worried that Ava was getting spoiled rotten by Tristan, the evidence was right here. He was spoiling her. Not that she wasn''t spoiled, to begin with, being the youngest daughter, she got away with a lot of things.


    "Ava you need to act your age," Sara said.


    "But sis, I told them I wanted the drapes with the orange design, and they sent me the one with the maroon. So now the living room looks drab and dark. I don''t like it," Ava complained.


    "Thank god you are Tristan''s headache now," Sara sighed.


    "No, I''m not," Ava pouted again, "I''m Tristan''s little one, right?'''' Ava looked at Tristan''s with her big hopeful eyes. And this is why he loves to spoil her. Moments like these when she looks at him adoringly.


    "Yes, you are my little one forever," he planted a kiss on her forehead.

 Chapter 53 - 52

    Sara had retired from the modeling industry after she got married. She had taken over her father''s business as she had always planned since Ava had no interest in taking over and there were no male heirs to step in. When she took over, she took a little of her free-spirited attitude with her and applied it to her work, and so far it had worked out well for her.


    At home, she easily took over the household, from managing the household finances to cooking meals occasionally, choosing their office attire for the next day, and whenever Blake fell ill, she stayed by his side the whole time, opting to work from home so she could watch him closely. Blake was surprised that she was showing more of her vulnerable and feminine side to him every day, he felt pampered. This made him fall more deeply in love with her.


    Blake had changed a lot when he got married as well. He was not as impulsive and short-tempered as before when it came to dealing with his business and employees. He had always been gentle when it came to Sara, so he just added more thoughtfulness and sweetness to the mix. Just like Tristan, he was putty in Sara''s hands, giving her everything she asked for.


    The only thing that he couldn''t seem to tamp down was his desire for her. He was a man who had this never-ending thirst for her all the time. During their honeymoon, they rarely left their hotel room, and he blamed Sara for that, getting her naked every time she tried to dress up for dinner or a day out. He said he just couldn''t stop himself, she was too pretty or too sexy, and he was not ready to share her with everyone else.


    He thought this was a phase that they would pass as soon as they came back to their daily lives but the absence just made him crave her more. Jealousy was a new thing for Blake to deal with, this feeling had never been in his vocabulary, but with Sara, it shot out through the roof. He did not like men staring at her when she went to business gatherings, so he forbade her to wear revealing clothes that showed too much skin or hugged her body too tight. But she would just shrug off his conditions, she was still her own person, and she was going to do what she wanted, and she would always win with the argument that she was a business executive now and she needed to dress the part.


    "Baby, are you getting bored?" Blake whispered into her ear as he traced a finger up and down her arm. There was hunger in his eyes. He was ready to leave and get her alone and to himself. When he wanted to go home, he used this line to let her know.


    It had been a while since they came out to meet their friends, and she was still enjoying herself, "No, I''m still enjoying myself," she answered, winking at him and smiling to him know that she knew what he wanted.


    "Baby¡­," he trailed on as he nuzzled her neck.


    "Will you guys stop it!" Aiden said in an irritated tone. He was getting sick watching both couples being sweet with each other. "Ugh! Maybe this was a bad idea," he thought while rolling his eyes.


    He was flanked by both couples, and there was nowhere else to look. On one side of the couch, Tristan was talking sweetly with Ava while Blake was flirting with Sara on the other.


    "It''s only natural that a single person like you would never understand. ''Coz nobody loves you," Blake grinned.


    "Well, wait ''til Dimitri gets here. I won''t be alone, and you better straighten up, otherwise he''d probably leave as soon as he gets here. Heh!" Aiden said.


    "Dada play here?" Enzo asked as soon as they got out of the car. It was a big place, and he thought maybe they came to visit a new place for him to play in.


    "No baby, Dada brought you here so you and mommy can meet my friends. Don''t be shy to say hi to them okay?" Dimitri suggested.


    "How many?" Enzo asked, "Kids?"


    "Three uncles and two aunties, no kids, but it''s going to be okay," Dimitri said as he squeezed Aurora''s hand for reassurance, the last statement was for her, so she wouldn''t feel too nervous about meeting his friends. Enzo had completely changed since they all lived with Dimitri, he was now more enthusiastic when he was meeting new people, gone was the shy little kid that hid behind her skirts all the time.


    "Uncles... Uncle Gabe?" he asked. While they were in the elevator. Gabe was his favorite Uncle, and could not imagine being without him.


    Dimitri shook his head, "No, Uncle Gabe is busy tonight, he''s not there. These are other nice uncles, you''ll see."


    Dimitri entered the room without knocking. And as soon as he did, all eyes were on them.


    Aiden coughed his drink up, "Bruh... Ahk! What?"


    Dimitri cooly herded his family towards his friends. He raised his eyebrows at Aiden to say something stupid. "This is my wife Aurora and my son Lorenzo," he said as he wrapped an arm around Aurora''s shoulders.


    "Are you fucking kidding me?" Blake asked suspiciously.


    "Don''t curse in front of my son," Dimitri warned Blake.


    "Huh! He probably hired them to act for him. Good job guys," Aiden mocked.


    "Shut up with your nonsense," Dimitri snapped at Aiden.


    "Well, you didn''t need to do this just so you could compete with me," Tristan added, and Dimitri glared at him.


    "These are my so-called friends. Tristan and his wife Ava, Blake and his wife Sara, and that loudmouth right there is Aiden," he pointed out to Aurora. She had no idea why his friends thought it was absurd for him to have a wife. She heard that the Aristocratic heirs didn''t really get into any relationships or scandals with women. They never settled down until their beloved came into their lives, but Dimitri seemed like the nicest one of them all, so she was baffled.

 Chapter 54 - 53

    Aurora nodded as each of them was introduced.


    "Dada, angry?" Enzo wrapped his arms around Dimitri''s neck. He has never heard his father talk like this except to Uncle Gabe but Uncle Gabe always made him laugh. Maybe dada''s friends are not so nice after all.


    "It''s okay baby, Dada is not mad. They haven''t seen dada for a while, and they are very enthusiastic," Dimitri said as he rubbed Enzo''s back and kissed his head.


    The Aristocratic heirs were frozen for a moment, the coldhearted Dimitri Santoris had a softer side? They never knew he could be this gentle, but then again, Tristan and Blake had changed when they got married. So it was possible.


    "Well, Iceman''s heart had thawed out, and now he has a wife and a son," Aiden said, "this must be the real deal."


    "Hmm..," the other three nodded.


    "You guys stop it, you''re making Aurora uncomfortable," Sara interjected, "Go and apologize to her."


    "Sorry sister-in-law," the three heirs said together. Aurora gave them a small smile. They were a little intimidating with their questions, she hoped the women would be better. They sat on the couch comfortably as the men continued.


    "Dimitri, I never expected you would betray me. What happened to the bachelor''s oath? We were supposed to be together forever," Aiden complained.


    "Get lost! I never promised you anything," Dimitri replied coolly.


    "This is cheating. You beat us by having a son already. How is it that you have one when a few weeks ago you didn''t even have a girlfriend?" Blake asked.


    Tristan and Blake always boasted that since they were the first 2 to get married, they had a great advantage among their group.


    "Baby, how about us. Let''s go, so we can make our own baby," Blake whispered in Sara''s ear mischievously.


    "Hah! That''s not why you want to go. You just love practicing having a kid. I don''t think you are ready for one," Sara glared at him.


    "That''s true, so let''s go practice," Blake smirked.


    "Well, I don''t think we need to have a kid so soon," Tristan said.


    "Yeah because you''re already raising one," Aiden teased. Tristan glared at him, and Ava pouted.


    "Ignore him," Tristan said to Ava in a soft tone, "He''s stupid, he doesn''t know anything."


    Aiden felt his eyes burning, he wanted to cry at his demise. All his friends were now married, and now they were competing to top Dimitri for having a son already. And he hasn''t even found the woman for him. Not that he wasn''t looking. It was just that every woman he met had never even stirred his feelings.


    "Hey champ, come here," Blake called. The kid looked very adorable and he wanted to get a closer look at him. Maybe make Sara agree to have one too.


    "Go¡­," Dimitri prompted Enzo, pushing him towards his uncles.


    "Hello!" Enzo greeted them shyly.


    "What''s your name?" Aiden pulled Enzo towards him.


    "My name is Lorenzo. Dada and Mama''s favorite baby," Enzo said.


    "My god Dimitri how can your genes produce such a cute son?" Aiden asked cheerfully. Dimitri glared at him, but Aiden paid him no attention.


    "I am Uncle Aiden, the most handsome Uncle you will have," he says as he winks at Enzo. And the kid just looks at him judgingly, like he does not want to take what Aiden was saying, just like Dimitri when he was calling "bullshit" on whatever he says.


    Aiden laughed out loud, "You kid just looks like you, he even has your mannerisms. Now I believe you are telling me the truth."


    "Lorenzo, come to Uncle Blake. Don''t talk to Uncle Aiden, he''s silly," he gestured for the kid to come to him. "Look babe, we can have a little one like him soon if we practice enough," he whispered to his wife, and she just pushed him away.


    "Aww, look at him, he''s wearing a bow tie, so cute," gushed Sara, "Come to Auntie, your Uncles are all naughty." Ava came to sit beside Sara so she could fawn over Lorenzo as well.


    "You''re so cute and chubby," Ava pulled on his cheeks, and he didn''t mind, he just kept on smiling. He had never seen auntie''s these beautiful before, and he liked the attention they were giving him. He really liked that they were nice to him.


    He didn''t feel that lonely anymore. Even if his mother worked a lot, he had people to play with all the time. He now has his grandparents, a funny uncle, and all these new aunts and uncles.


    "Come, little one, give Auntie a kiss," Sara pointed to her cheek, Enzo looked at his mommy shyly and she smiled and nodded at him to go and do it.


    Enzo grinned and kissed Sara''s cheek, "Aww, so sweet."


    "Hey, hey, hey... Why no kissy for me?" Ava pretended to be angry.


    "Pretty Auntie, kiss kiss," he had his lips ready to kiss her too.


    "Dimitri, it looks like your son is a lady''s man. Is this how you really are? Have you been hiding this fact from us all along?" Aiden commented.


    Dimitri shook his head and kept on running his hand up and down Aurora''s arm. Just like the other married couple, he would rather spend more time with his wife. He was thinking how he would rather have Aurora naked, under him right now, than listening to Aiden sprout a bunch of nonsense.


    Sara and Ava entertained Lorenzo while he relished the feel of her skin under his hand. If they were not here right now, he''d peel off her dress, run his hands down her back and kiss her¡­ His thoughts got interrupted by the waiters coming with their dinner.


    Enzo wanted to eat with Dimitri, but Aurora said it would be better if he sat with her, saying she wanted to spend more time with him, and Enzo agreed. He did not want his mother to be sad if he spent more time with his father, which he already did because they always had breakfast together in the mornings.


    After eating, Enzo fell asleep on the couch, Dimitri had one of the waiters bring him a blanket to cover the child. Sara invited the women to go out onto the balcony to enjoy the cool night air as they looked over the city. It was a good time for them to get to know each other before it was time to go home.

 Chapter 55 - 54

    As soon as the women were out of earshot, the men''s conversation became serious. They knew the situation was not as simple as it looked. They''ve known him all their lives, and having a wife and a kid was not a story that came out from fairy tales.


    The Aristocratic heirs were very calculating when it came to love, they were not your regular Cassanova''s that threw the word love around casually. They were not skirt chasers, and they did not indulge in momentary pleasures because they knew none of those lasted forever. When they loved, they loved for keeps.


    Blake started, "So tell me what really happened?"


    "Is it as bad as I think it is?" Aiden asked.


    "Have you been hiding this from us the whole time?" Tristan added.


    "Well, it might look bad depending on who gets the information. As for your question Tristan I will answer that at the end.


    Five years ago, I had a business deal out of town, and during dinner the person I met with had drugged me, it had a little effect on me but not enough to render me helpless. I met Aurora in the room the person booked for me, I still don''t know what their motive was because Aurora had been drugged by someone else, and it was a total coincidence that she landed in my room," he took a sip of his drink.


    The rest nodded for him to continue.


    "We slept with each other, as you can see the evidence, but she vanished the next morning before I learned who she was. I searched for her like a maniac but it had been fruitless. I tried, but I could never get her out of my mind even after all those years. This is the reason why I hid this from you because I didn''t even know who she was and if she was even real.


    Then last month, Gabe got into an accident, he was hospitalized, and Aurora was his doctor. I was very happy that I finally found her and couldn''t wait to start our life together. But she was very reluctant to be with me, at first I thought she just didn''t want me. But then I found out we had a son and I was shocked. I had mixed feelings about it. I felt cheated because I didn''t get to spend all that time with him when he was a baby, but at the same time, I was also glad because I knew he could be my ally in keeping Aurora by my side. I needed every resource I could use to make sure that she would be mine," Dimitri explained.


    "Is that it?" Tristan raised his eyebrow. He felt like Dimitri was hiding something else.


    Dimitri hesitated, but he knew it was only time before his brothers figured out what he was hiding. They have all grown up together, and except for Aurora, they knew each other''s secrets. He clenched his fists and told them what he had been hiding.


    "What do you think will happen in the future?" Blake asked.


    "Who knows, but I will make sure that nothing will happen to my family, and my wish will be granted," Dimitri smirked.


    "But Aurora looks very innocent. Does she know you are the Mafia boss?" Aiden asked.


    For the people outside their circle and people who didn''t know them personally, all they knew was that the Santoris family was just another Aristocratic family. They did not know that they controlled all the underground operations of the mafia. They are one of the strongest, richest families that have been ruling the country for generations, they were the backbone for the other Aristocratic families.


    Aurora does not know that there was a dark side to her husband. That his way of making someone pay was not to make them go into bankruptcy or take all their businesses and throw them to the streets. He does throw them to the streets, but they never come out of their punishments alive.


    Dimitri loves torturing people who have crossed him. Making them suffer for days on end until they beg to be killed because that was always better than crossing Dimitri and getting caught.


    He knows that it would take Aurora to fall for him, and it was not the time to show his cards yet, so he only showed her his caring side all the time, which is why she was perplexed whenever people called her husband the devil.


    The desire for her to fall completely in love with him and accept him for who he was was always at the back of his mind. So even if he was not a person that prayed to the heavens, this time he did. He could not bear to lose her, so he prayed every day that if ever the day came and she finds out who he is, that she would still choose him.


    "No, not yet. So what if she knows?" Dimitri said arrogantly.


    "Will you force her to stay by your side?" Blake asked.


    "Yes, because I won''t ever give her a choice to say no," Dimitri replied.


    "That just sounds wrong," Aiden said.


    Dimitri let out an evil laugh.


    "Who cares what''s right or wrong anymore? As long as I have her, nothing else matters. She is with me now, and I have to protect her.


    Don''t act like you were saints when you were wooing your women. They didn''t come to you on their own accord either.  Didn''t you have to use force to get them too? You''ve trapped them in your love-cage, and they are blinded, they will never see the truth even if it bit them," Dimitri mocked.


    "What? I didn''t use force to be with her. I gave her a choice, to be with me or to be with me," Blake laughed.


    "My little one is very innocent, and I''m the only one who can take care of her. She''ll never survive in the real world," Tristan defended.


    "You bastards! Trying to cover your controlling nature. Stop sugarcoating your evil deeds," Aiden complained.


    "A bachelor like you who''s never been in love before will never understand," said Dimitri.


    "But one of these days, you''ll see," Blake added.


    "You''ll get hit with the love bug and won''t think our ways were archaic," Tristan finished.


    "Oh, piss off! I''ll prove you wrong. I won''t be a bumbling, possessive idiot like the three of you," he countered.


    The three married men chuckled. He will eat his words one of these days.


    Blake turned his focus back on Dimitri, "How did your parents take it? Did they agree?"


    "My father was a little skeptical, but mother was more than happy to meet her grandson. Aurora was very respectful towards my parents, so it was easy for them to see that I made the right choice. The past few weeks have been better, they''ve all gotten comfortable around each other, so it''s all good," Dimitri boasted.

 Chapter 56 - 55

    Sara had invited the ladies to hang out on the balcony because she knew that they wouldn''t be able to talk with the men around. Their protective natures come out when they don''t like where the conversations are heading, and sometimes women need to talk amongst themselves just to release their feelings.


    She also wanted Aurora to be comfortable and not feel like she was getting grilled by the men. Aurora felt apprehensive. It was very obvious that the women were familiar and comfortable with each other. And sometimes women from certain circles do not easily welcome other women they didn''t grow up with or who don''t travel in the same circles.


    Aurora did not detect any snobbish behavior and she liked how Sara defended her earlier, but she was still wary of them. It might still be a trap, she thought at the back of her mind.


    "So Aurora, I don''t mean to pry, but how did you meet your husband?" Sara initiated the conversation.


    "Well," Aurora hesitated and tightened her hold on her glass.


    "It''s okay if you don''t want to tell us. I don''t want you to feel uncomfortable," Sara interjected when she saw Aurora hesitate.


    Aurora nodded.


    "Well, let me share my story first, then you can decide if you want to share your story later," Sara volunteered.


    Aurora listened as Sara told them about her days of being an actress and how Blake stepped in to save her from utter ruin. Sara told her how she rejected Blake in the beginning and later saw the sincerity in his actions. That he was not acting for her sake but because he was a man in love.  The trials they faced had only strengthened their bond.


    She felt at ease with Sara and decided she would share her story because it would be better if they heard it from her rather than a rumor that would most likely be false.


    "I was drugged by my so-called friend and landed in Dimitri''s hotel room. The next day I thought Dimitri had left, not knowing that he was coming back, I ran away without knowing who he was. Weeks later, I found out I got pregnant because of that encounter, so I decided to leave the city and raise Enzo on my own while I studied to be a doctor. I was treating Dimitri''s brother at the hospital I worked at, and that''s where we met again.


    When I learned he was the man I slept with five years ago, I got scared that he was going to take Enzo away from me, so I rejected him. But then he surprised me by telling me he wanted to be in a relationship with me, and he would not take no for an answer. I told him I would give it a go, not knowing he wanted us to get married and be a real family. And now we''re here," Aurora explained.


    "Well, we all go through some sort of difficulty in our life, except for our princess, who had it easy from the start," Sara teased as she looked over at Ava.


    "Sis, you don''t know how scary Tristan was before we started dating. He wanted me to agree to everything he wanted, and whenever I disobeyed his wishes, he''d glare at me with his domineering gaze," Ava defended.


    "Ohhh¡­ I''m so scared Tristan," Sara mimicked Ava''s voice horribly.


    "I don''t sound like that, take it back," Ava said as she pinched Sara''s arm.


    "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Okay, I take it back," Sara flinched and laughed out loud.


    "Okay fine. Our love story is a little more conventional, none of the drama that my sisters had, but still, you don''t know how controlling Tristan was in the beginning," Ava conceded.


    The women in front of her had a very good relationship, Aurora observed. Ava looked a little childlike and had that air of innocence still around her. Sara was a little more elegant and classier, and she had a more quiet demeanor about her.


    "You two seem close, have you known each other for a long time?" Aurora asked.


    "We are sisters, that''s why we tolerate each other," Sara replied, putting her hands around Ava''s shoulders.


    "She is my older sister," Ava replied.


    "Oh, sisters! That''s so nice. Did you meet your partners through your husbands?" Aurora asked.


    "Yes, I met Blake when he came to Ava''s wedding. He is Tristan''s best friend," Sara continued.


    "I''ve heard rumors about the Aristocratic heirs, that they were reserved and cold towards women, but it seems like Blake is very sweet and gentle with you. Are they all like that?" Aurora asked.


    "They show their true selves only to their partners. Blake is not as gentle as he looks. He has a totally different persona when he deals with other people, and it''s not only him. All the heirs are controlling and domineering so they can get what they want," Sara said.


    Sara was not as hoodwinked as Ava. She shared how Blake manipulated the situation all the time, thinking he has Sara fooled, but she knows everything. How her new clothes that were too revealing would magically disappear from her wardrobe, or how all the cars were in service when Sara needed to attend a meeting instead of going out with him.


    How he would drag her to bed with her reports unfinished and in the morning they would already be completed. She knew that Blake did all those things for her because he loved her and in turn, she turned a blind eye and let him get away with all of them.


    "But Dimitri is not like that. He is quite considerate with me, listening to my requests and giving them consideration," Aurora said.


    "Oh dear, you still haven''t seen the real him. It will take time before he does. But don''t worry he loves you, otherwise, he wouldn''t have married you," Sara said.


    Aurora smiled, she knew Dimitri was good to her and that''s all that mattered.

 Chapter 57 - 56

    "Well, your son is very adorable. How old is he?" Sara asked.


    "That he is, he''s getting better at meeting new people. He is four years old, but sometimes you''d think he was older by the way he talks and manipulates the situation," Aurora said.


    "Enzo seems quite intelligent for his age," Ava said.


    "How about you ladies? Do you have kids?" Aurora asked.


    "Nope, I recently took over my dad''s business, and I want to concentrate on that right now before we think about kids," Sara spoke.


    "Tristan said he doesn''t want kids right now, plus I don''t even know if I can take care of a kid. I still want to enjoy our time together," Ava said.


    "I''m really a klutz at home. I don''t even know how to boil water for tea without burning the kettle," Ava laughed at her mistakes, "I burn the toast every time I try to make Tristan breakfast, and then one time I tried to help arrange his study, you should have seen his face. I messed everything up. I think he wanted to kill me, but he never said anything."


    They were having a lovely time, and they decided that they should meet often, since Aurora didn''t have family and friends in the city.


    It was late by the time the men decided to call it a night. Dimitri had carried Enzo in his arms like a very responsible and doting father.


    In the car, Dimitri had his arms around Aurora, he felt content and satisfied with the way things went and could also see that Aurora felt at ease by the time they left.


    "Did you have a good time?" He asked.


    "Yeah, they are very nice and friendly," she smiled, glad that she had new friends.


    "Ava and Sara can always help if you need someone to talk to or if you need help with something," Dimitri volunteered, "Don''t hesitate to reach out to them."


    They sat comfortably in the car until they got home.


    Enzo hasn''t even stirred since they came from the hotel, so Dimitri just deposited him on his bed, tucking him in and kissing him good night.


    Aurora headed straight to their room to get ready for bed, they had told the maids earlier not to prepare dinner since they were meeting their friends.


    By the time Aurora finished with all the beauty routines, Dimitri had finished with his and was waiting for her in bed. She did not notice that he didn''t even bother to wear his pajama top as she slid into bed beside him.


    He took her captive as soon as she hit her head on the pillow, kissing her ardently.


    "Uhmmm¡­ Uhmmm¡­," she was trying to break free, " stop¡­ Dimitri¡­," she said panting. He hitched up her nightdress, caressing her legs as he turned his attention to her neck.


    He was still kissing her neck when she pushed him off of her. He knew that he could easily overpower her, but he let her have the liberty to argue with him and eased off her body a bit.


    Thinking she won, she scolded him, "Dimitri it''s late, we should just stop. We both have work tomorrow."


    Dimitri started kissing her jaw, "Sweetheart, it''s been two days since I had you. You were always tired, so I let you go."


    "But today had been a long day too, I''m very tired," she lied because she thought that being his wife was enough, she was not used to all the physical intimacy that was included in the relationship.


    "Liar!" he chuckled, "You cannot escape me today," he was kissing her neck again, "You had a light schedule today," he traveled down her collar bone, "It''s why I asked to meet with my friends."


    When he lowered the straps of her nightdress, she could not say no, his traveling tongue had slowly aroused her, and she could not wait to feel him inside her. She had become greedy for him as well.


    When he felt her relax, he knew he had won. He removed their clothes and continued with his mouth''s journey to the sweet nectar he had been craving for the past two days. He felt like he hadn''t tasted her for a while. Her moans tickled his senses, and her soft smooth skin beckoned for him to suck on them, waiting for his mark.


    He wanted to take it slow, but as soon as he had one of his breasts in his mouth, all his plans when haywire. He needed her right now, there was time for taking it slowly later, he had to have her this instant.


    His fingers sought her warmth and found her already wet and wanting. He entered her hurriedly this time, and she was still tight, like the past few days didn''t happen, but she was not in pain, she was more ready this time. Waiting for the pressure and the pleasure of having him inside her.


    She did not think she was going to crave his body covering hers, his hands running all over his body, and his tongue licking her everywhere, but she did. So as he thrust deep into her, she ran her hands all over his body, doing her own exploration, but that didn''t last long because every thrust brought her closer to her release. They came together faster this time because all that waiting and all that tension of him touching her earlier this evening had added to their heightened sensations.


    He had collapsed over her, and she just welcomed his weight, wrapping her legs around his body, keeping him captive. He didn''t even dare move in fear that he would disturb the moment they were having, so he stayed there for a while, locked in her embrace.


    When she felt his member waking up again, she ran to the bathroom to escape his advances, but he wouldn''t have it. He took her to the shower to clean them both up and make love to her more slowly this time. He needed to satisfy her needs as well, even though they came together in bed, he liked feeling her body spasm under his tongue or his touch when he satisfied her. He wanted her to feel like this was not just one-sided.


    She was already naked, so he rinsed them both off and went down on her as they stood under the warm drizzle of the rain shower. She had to brace herself on the wall because his mouth felt like magic when he used his tongue on her.


    She came again as he licked and sucked on her, her voice echoing around the bathroom, making it seem like she was screaming loudly. "Uuughhh...ughh¡­ Baby...oh that feels so good.. Uggh.. ughh¡­," and he joined her as her body shook and bucked, spilling his seed inside her again and again.

 Chapter 58 - 57

    One would think that after the multiple times they''ve done it, Dimitri''s thirst would be quenched by now. But no, it was like the fire inside him was now being fed each and every time they made love, and his need for her just kept on growing. He made love to her so desperately one would think they wouldn''t see each other the next day.


    She was now more sleepy than ever, her body sated and warmed up by the shower. But as they laid on the bed, she could feel Dimitri rubbing himself against her backside, his hands squeezing her breasts and pinching her nipples. He was kissing her back this time, giving her goosebumps and getting her wet again.


    She didn''t even have time to process what was happening, when she felt him inside her, entering her from behind. The sensation she felt was different this time and it seemed he never ran out of positions to make her feel like she was always ready for another round. "Ughhh Dimitri¡­ Ohh¡­ ooohhhh¡­ yes¡­ yes¡­," the friction from their position made her come yet again.


    "Ohh... you''re so wet, and so ready for me all the time¡­ I love this¡­ God, I love you!" he screamed out in ecstasy.


    They were both spent and very tired. He wiped them both down with a damp towel before joining her in bed again. He kissed her forehead this time and wrapped her in his arms, "Sleep sweetheart, I will always be here, next to you."


    The next morning, Dimitri went to see the Russo family. The business world had been buzzing since their arrival, and everybody was excited about their return.


    Nicholas, the eldest Russo son, was still a kid when his family went into hiding. It was said it was because of a feud between families, but nobody except the Russo family was exactly sure what happened. The only people who knew were already dead and have kept their secrets to their grave.


    Nicholas was just as elusive as Dimitri. He did everything behind the scenes, coordinating with his PA for everything that needed to be done.


    People only see him when he was going to kill them, so people would pray to never ever have the misfortune of ever seeing him in their lifetime. He was rumored to be a psychopath in certain circles.


    For this special occasion though, Nicholas sent an invitation to Dimitri personally. Dimitri''s subordinates had warned him not to go because they could smell that this was going to be a trap. But Dimitri decided to go because he was not just anybody, he was a Santoris, and he had been trained since he was a young boy to protect their empire. He will not take this sitting down, it was time to face the enemy head-on because he cannot lose face in front of his family.


    As soon as they reached the designated address, they were asked to alight from their vehicle at the gates. They had to walk all the way to the opening of a compound. They followed a guard down a narrow, dark, empty hallway that led to the basement.


    His bodyguards were ordered to stay behind as they took all of Dimitri''s weapons. They all screamed their refusal to do so, except for Dimitri. He just nodded to them and followed Nicholas'' men down the stairs.


    They set up the basement with a table, two chairs, and a hanging light in the middle. It looked like he was being interrogated by the police instead of having a meeting with one of the most dangerous people in the underworld. He wanted to intimidate Dimitri, but it did not work. This was just another page from Dimitri''s book, and he was already familiar with this tactic.


    "I didn''t think you would come, Dimitri," Nicholas said sarcastically, as he came out of nowhere and stepped into the light.


    Dimitri came today because of one thing. He wanted to see what Nicholas looked like. He wanted to see his enemy''s face so he wouldn''t get caught unawares.


    They scrutinized and analyzed each other as they sat at the table staring at one another.


    Nicholas was not bad-looking, if one did not know his true identity then you could even say that he was handsome. Anybody could fall for his rugged good looks, he had all the makings of a model. He was tall, had a slim, toned build, he was probably the same age as Dimitri, and he had a sculpted face that carried very sharp features and fair skin. Except for the scar on his forehead, that did not negate his handsomeness, instead, it added to it. He was a perfect specimen for ladies who were looking for a husband.


    His clothes like Dimitri''s were all tailored and customized from Italy, the same Swiss handmade watch that the Aristocratic heirs brandished on their arms, but he was more ostentatious, he had diamonds all around, that was meant to attract anyone''s attention. And his hair looked like he was trying to copy Dimitri''s hair but failed.


    If you look at the men side by side, they could even look like they could be friends, but the difference was that Nicholas'' eyes had a hint of oddness about them. Like he was constantly angry, and a smirk was pasted on his face permanently. The thirst for blood was evident in everything he did.


    "I want to thank you for accepting my invitation," Nicholas pretended to act cool in front of Dimitri.


    "Let''s get down to business," Dimitri said, dismissing the niceties.


    "Hey! What''s this? You''re no fun. I still want to talk," Nicholas smirked.


    "Why are you trying to sweep my deals from under my feet? Are you trying to monopolize the industry?" Dimitri asked.


    "What are you talking about? Isn''t that what you''ve been doing? Why is it wrong, when I''m just doing the same thing?" Nicholas said, matter-of-factly.


    "I don''t take from innocent people, and I give back to the community. You don''t," Dimitri replied.

 Chapter 59 - 58

    "Well, I''m not a saint like you. So I won''t be following in your footsteps," Nicholas said.


    "Nicholas! Stop with this nonsense, you cannot cross the line, otherwise, the outcome will not be good," Dimitri stated.


    Nichlos let out a laugh, "What will you do to me? You can''t touch me. I''ve worked all these years to strengthen my roots, so nobody can shake me. You can try."


    "Huh! You barked at the wrong tree. The Santoris has deeper roots than you do. We have more resources than you can imagine, so don''t tempt me." Dimitri warned.


    "Dimitri, I''ve heard about you a lot, and even though our families are business rivals, I would like to put that behind us, I want to collaborate with you," Nicholas said.


    "Too bad I don''t collaborate with people I dislike," Dimitri replied.


    "Ouch! Saying that to my face hurts a lot, but don''t worry, I think sooner or later, you''ll eventually come around. I promise," Nicholas mocked.


    "I know you fooled those people to collaborate with you, but you will never touch the Santoris subsidiaries," Dimitri stressed.


    "We''ll see about that," Nicholas smirked, "You haven''t seen everything I can do, this is just the tip of the iceberg."


    Dimitri stood up and spoke, "Well, it seems like there is no point continuing with this conversation. You have challenged me, prepare to lose."


    Nicholas stared at Dimitri''s retreating back and clenched his fists. He cannot attack him now. Dimitri was not an easy opponent to beat, he knew that if he tried to kill him now, he would not win, he was trained in man-to-man combat all his life, and nobody would be able to beat him, even when he was unarmed.


    He had tried taking businesses from under Dimitri''s feet, but the Santoris family seemed stronger than he thought. It was true that their roots went way deeper than his, but he will never accept defeat. He had not come this far to give up so easily.


    -=-


    In a club somewhere in the city, Gabriel was having a good time. He had invited a few of his friends to hang out, it had been a while, ever since his accident he had been staying at home most days and spending more time with his new nephew.


    But it was time to get out again and have fun. Before his accident, they rarely saw him at home. He would go do his work and head straight to the clubs with his friends. Sometimes he felt empty sitting here, pretending to enjoy himself, but this was the only way he could forget those haunting memories.


    He touched the scar on his palm, it was still visible, and there was no way he was going to remove it, it would serve as a reminder. It was the price he paid because of his vulnerability. But he will never make the same mistake twice. Other than his family, nothing else mattered. He just wanted to be someone Dimtri can count on.


    A pretty woman with a very skimpy outfit came to him and sat on his lap, he was inebriated, but not enough to render his junior useless. He can still enjoy this morsel that had a very tight-fitting top sitting on top of him. "Hmm...," he moaned as he started kissing her, his hands snaking up under her shirt, he needed to touch those globes that were enticing him. The woman didn''t even flinch or protest so he just had his way with her right there on the sofa. Touching and squeezing her breasts while she rubbed herself on him.


    "Uhh...let''s go somewhere else," he whispered to her, and she nodded. He was very aroused and did not want to make a spectacle of himself by coming here in front of his friends. He stood up with her legs wrapped around him, not even breaking contact with her mouth as he took them upstairs to one of the private rooms. "This woman is a vixen," he thought, "I''m going to have so much fun with her."


    After a whole night of fornication, where they both got equally as good as they gave, they fell asleep in each other''s arms. This was the first time Gabriel had lost control, he never had anyone stay the night before, and he felt disgusted. He pushed the woman away from him and tried to get a hold of himself.


    His head was throbbing, it felt like a jackhammer was permanently settled in there to drill his brain. He was cradling his head at the foot of the bed when the woman woke up and hugged his back, rubbing her breasts against him to entice him back to bed.


    "Don''t go. We can have more of this," she said sexily with hope in her voice.


    Gabriel unhooked her hands and got up, finding his clothes and putting them on. The girl unashamedly stood up naked in front of him to remind him what he had last night, "How about one more round before you go?" she asked suggestively.


    He pushed her to the bed very roughly, where she tumbled into the sheets, "Piss off," he said harshly.


    "Can you be a little more gentle? I''m a woman," She said angrily. How dare he shove her after last night.


    "Well, I don''t do that after I fuck someone," he stated.


    "Can''t it be more than that? You don''t know what you''re missing," She shamelessly said even after being humiliated. The reason why she slept with him was that she knew who he was, and she wanted to be a Santoris bride.


    He bent down over her, and she thought that he had changed his mind, there was hope after all. Tracing his finger on her face, she got so excited, she blushed, finally, she was getting her wish.


    But all of a sudden, he grabbed her face with his hand. "Don''t get your hopes up. This will be the first and last time you will see me. So don''t even bother coming after me,"  He said as he increased the hold on her face.


    "Oww! Oww!" she screamed as she tried to pry his fingers off, and slapping the arm that was holding her face.


    Gabriel pushed her back and looked at her with disgust before he walked out the door.

 Chapter 60 - 59

    Today one of the night shift doctors had an emergency. He needed someone to cover for him, so Aurora volunteered to do it, she wanted to see what the night shift was like, since management did not give her a lot of hours as per Dimitri''s instructions.


    She did not want the other doctors to feel like she was not carrying her weight and was getting special treatment, so this was her chance to prove that. So even though the director insisted she go home early, she held her ground and told him she would stay. They compromised, she could stay for the first four hours, and they would get another doctor to volunteer with her, and that doctor can take the whole shift.


    She had nothing to worry about because Enzo would be well taken care of by the nanny. All she needed to do was inform her mother-in-law and Dimitri of the changes so they wouldn''t come looking for her.


    Unbeknownst to her, one of the doctors has had his eye on her ever since the first day. He did not hear anything about her having a boyfriend, so he thought she was fair game. He tried so many times to catch her attention but aside from work-related stuff,  she never really talked to anybody about anything else.


    This was his chance, he volunteered to take the full night shift for the doctor who had an emergency when they informed him she was going to be there for the first half of the night. He had four hours to make his move.


    They made the rounds together for the missing doctor instead of splitting the workload in half, which annoyed Aurora because they could have covered more cases, but she could not say anything since he was a senior doctor and he had more authority than she did.


    She knew that he was trying to make a pass at her, and she was trying to avoid him at all costs, but tonight she had no choice but to follow his direction. Every time she tried to write something down or look at someone''s chart, he would try to look over her shoulder and press his body against hers, so she made a point to move away when she felt him coming near her.


    He also tried to flirt with her regularly, complimenting her on her attire every day, so she always pretended not to hear him when she passed by. She was a little apprehensive when she learned they were going to be on the night shift together, but she really wanted to be there and get the experience she needed.


    "Miss Aurora, it seems like you look a little more tired today than usual. Your pretty face is not as fresh-looking. What do you think about going to my office and having coffee?" the doctor asked.


    "No thank you, sir, I''m fine, I already had coffee earlier," She politely declined.


    "Come on, you need a break, you can relax in my office and tell me about yourself," he said, trying to place his hand on her shoulder to steer her to his office. He planned to grab her and bring her to his office whether she wanted to or not.


    Aurora had been alert her whole shift and stepped back as soon as he lifted his arm. "I still have things to do, I will take my leave," she said as she hurriedly walked away from him, not waiting for him to give her a reply.


    The doctor smirked, "Hmph, who does she think she is? She''s very conceited, she just got here, and she hasn''t even bothered to make friends with anyone. I was just trying to be nice," he thought. He unclenched his fists and walked away.


    It was already 9, and her shift should have already ended, but she was still checking on one patient. Dimitri had been waiting for a while in the waiting area near her office. He looked worried as he checked his watch one more time. He tried calling her earlier to let her know that he was picking her up, but it seems like her phone was nowhere near her, or it might have lost power.


    He was thinking about searching for her around the hospital when he saw her walking towards her office, "Sweetheart!" Someone called out, and when she turned to see who it was, she smiled, it was Dimitri, he had probably come to pick her up.


    "What are you doing here?" she said, smiling at him.


    "I tried calling you, but you never picked up," he said as he came closer.


    She checked both pockets of her gown, "Oh, I think I left my phone in the office."


    "I was on my way to pick you up earlier when you sent me the message that you were extending your shift," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry, I took the night shift, but the director said I can only do four hours," she said as she touched his face. Dimitri turned his face toward her hand and kissed her palm.


    "Let''s go home," he murmured.


    "I can''t just go home. I still have work to do," she refused.


    "Aurora, you''ve worked the whole day already. The rest of your time belongs to your family. Enzo did not have his dinner, he was kicking and screaming because you were not there," He lied. Daisy and the nanny had already helped Enzo adjust to his schedule and made sure that he took his meals regularly, so she really had nothing to worry about.


    Dimitri tried to stretch the truth to make her feel bad because, in reality, it was he who could not have dinner without her.


    "I don''t know, I need to be here for my four-hour shift, I can''t just leave," she said worriedly. She felt guilty about Enzo, but she had a responsibility to the hospital as well because she gave her word to them.


    "It''s been four hours, and your shift ended," he looked at his watch, "20 minutes ago."


    "Oh yeah? Time slipped by so fast, okay let me get my things, then we can go," she hurried to get her stuff so they could leave.


    Dimitri smiled when she left, his trick worked. Hopefully, she won''t take any more night shifts in the future.


    -=-


    One floor above, the doctor observed Aurora as she left with Dimitri. He sneered, "Just as I thought, you''re just another woman easily impressed by money," he thought when he saw what type of car she got into.

 Chapter 61 - 60

    It was the weekend and the weather was just perfect, so Dimitri decided to take his family out to the amusement park. Enzo had wanted to go, and Dimitri was not going to say no to him.


    "Same mama, same dada, same Enzo," he was having a meltdown when his mother could not comply with what he wanted.


    "But baby, we don''t have any matching clothes to wear," Aurora explained to him.


    "No, no, noooo¡­," he ignored his mother and turned his back towards her, "Baby want... same."


    She sighed, helplessly. Enzo was becoming more whiny and troublesome the past few weeks. He was never like this before, he always listened to what she wanted, but with a house full of people ready to cater to his needs, he was getting spoiled. It had now come to a point that he was not listening to her.


    Dimitri entered the room and almost laughed out loud when he saw how cute his son was when he was angry, "Why is he angry?" he asked.


    "I think he wants us to wear matching outfits like the pictures he saw in the advertisement for the amusement park, but we don''t have matching outfits like they do. I don''t know what to do," she complained.


    "That''s what you wanted? Is that right, champ?" Dimitri said as he picked Enzo up in his arms.


    "Dada pleeeeease¡­," Enzo pouted and showed him his puppy dog eyes. Just the way Gabe taught him how to do it. He knew his father would fall for it, unlike his very strict mother.


    "Okay, let me see here, you are wearing a white shirt and blue shorts to the park," Dimitri disappears to their bedroom and comes back with clothes in his hand.


    "Mama will wear her white top and blue skirt, and Dada will wear a white shirt and blue jeans. See they''re all the same with Enzo''s clothes," Dimitri says as he laid all their clothes beside each other, "What do you think?" he looks at his son questioningly, "You like it?" he asks again.


    "Yay! Dada, Mama, Enzo...same," he said, giggling like nothing happened earlier. His meltdown, a thing of the past as he wore his new mickey mouse bag.


    When they went to the amusement park, people''s eyes were on them. They looked very handsome as a couple, him with his rugged good looks and her with her youthful glow. And with adorable Enzo in the middle holding onto both their hands, they looked like the perfect family.


    "Dada, look! Look!" Enzo said, pointing to his favorite characters, "Up, up, zoom!" he said when one of the rides zipped past them. "Dada... doll... bang bang... robot¡­" he was too excited, he kept pointing here and there, and he kept on blabbering about everything he saw.


    They were selling those headbands that had mouse ears on them, and since Enzo was having such a good time, they didn''t even dare disagree with him when he suggested they should all wear one. So they walked around the park wearing the silly things on their head just for the sake of their son.


    Dimitri had never been this silly even in his childhood, but for his son, he would do anything, even if it made him look silly.


    Aurora had been taking pictures and videos of Enzo since he was a baby, and since this was a memorable event in their lives, she wasn''t going to miss out on documenting it.


    "Let''s take pictures," she said as she angled her phone to include all three of them in the frame. Enzo knew the drill, and how this worked, so he just kept on making all his regular poses, serious and funny ones as well. She was distracted when Dimitri kissed her as she took the picture, capturing the tender moment forever.


    She blushed and scolded Dimitri, "People can see us, don''t be shameless."


    Dimitri grinned, "You are my wife, and I can kiss you anytime I want to," he kissed her again to prove his point.


    "Kiss! Kiss!" Enzo giggled. He saw his parents kiss each other and he felt left out. He wanted them to kiss him too, "Mama, dada, kiss baby," he said as he pouted his lips.


    Dimitri took Enzo in his arms, and they sandwiched him with a kiss. It was Aurora''s favorite picture, so she made it the wallpaper for her phone.


    "Sweetheart, don''t use that one," Dimitri says when he saw what she did.


    "That one was perfect. Which one do you want me to change it to?" she asked.


    "This one''s my favorite," he said as he showed her the one where they were kissing each other.


    Aurora rolled her eyes and said, "I can''t use that. What if someone recognizes you at work?" She was a very private person and wanted their intimate moments together to herself, nobody else needed to see them.


    "Let me do it then," he said as he sent the photo to his phone and kept the image as his wallpaper. All she could do was shake her head and smile. He was getting to be very cheesy, and it made her heart tumble in her chest.


    "Dada up, up," Enzo said as he pointed to the big Ferris wheel in front of them.


    "I don''t think we should ride in that. What if Enzo gets scared?" she said nervously.


    "No! not scared!" Enzo screamed.


    Dimitri smiled and raised his eyebrow, "Are you sure it''s Enzo that is scared and not you?"


    "Well," she hesitated, she had agreed to go to the park because Enzo was still small enough that they won''t really be allowed on any of the big, dangerous rides, and the Ferris wheel was one of them.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be next to you the whole time," he chuckled as he took her hand. He knew the Ferris wheel was one of the safest and tamest rides on the park because it had glass enclosures that protected the riders from the wind and other elements. And it was one of the slowest moving rides in the whole park.


    When she saw how secure they were, she relaxed a little bit, but not enough to take away her fear. But Enzo just sat there opposite them and bravely rode like he''d ridden before. He was enjoying the ride and pointing out everything he could see from up high.


    He was so excited that he jostled the seat about, rocking them a bit, which had Aurora closing her eyes and clutching at Dimitri''s hand tightly. He sat there smiling and enjoyed hugging his wife. They were right, this thing was the perfect ride, it really got couples closer and made them cling to each other more.


    When they reached the top, Dimitri spoke softly into her ear, "Aurora, open your eyes, look at the view, isn''t it pretty?" But she just continued to close her eyes.


    "Mama, look, pretty lights," Enzo said, trying to coax his mom. So she obliged. The park really looked pretty from the top, they could even see the lights from houses and the different areas surrounding the park.


    "Wow!" Aurora ran her fingers bravely on the glass. She''s never seen anything this wonderful before.


    "Make a wish!" Dimitri said. She looked at him quizzically.


    "If you make a wish at the top of Ferris wheel, it would surely come true. Especially if it''s your first time," he said.


    She laughed, "Do you really believe in such childish things?"


    "When it comes to you, I am willing to believe in anything," he said with his piercing gaze. She was lost in his eyes, every day they spent together had her falling for him.


    "Let''s make a wish then," she said softly. She was willing to believe anything too when it came to him.


    They held both hands together and wished for the thing they wanted most in their hearts. For them to always be together.

 Chapter 62 - 61

    Things have been going great at the hospital for Aurora, she was being entrusted with more and more surgeries the past few days. She was still assisting the head doctor, but she was learning a lot from the specialists. She was glad that finally, her hard work was paying off.


    The doctor still had his eyes on Aurora, and as the days went on, his opinion of her became worse and worse. When he saw the designer clothes and shoes she was wearing, he just leaped to the assumption that some rich old man was funding all her lavish spending habits. A regular doctor will never be able to afford those things on their salary.


    The past few days, the doctor had been giving her snide remarks about her outfit, and she just tried to sweep it under the rug, pretending she never heard any of it. She thought that if she did not give him enough attention then, he would quit and leave her alone. Perhaps he would get the message that she was not interested.


    Aurora had kept all this to herself because she did not want to draw attention to herself, being a new employee. She just got here, and a scandal will not bring her any favors from her seniors. But when Dimitri gets wind of what has been happening to Aurora, this doctor will wish he had never set his eyes on Hades'' Bride.


    Aurora was looking at one of the notices in the office she was sharing with a couple of other doctors when someone tapped on her shoulder.


    She turned around, and it was the leary doctor that had been following her around. "Aurora, our shift is almost over, why don''t you come out with me for dinner," he invited with his leary smile showing all his teeth like a smiling shark ready to eat its prey.


    "No, I''m sorry, but I''m on my way home," she politely declined.


    "Oh come on, dinner with me will be much more fun than having dinner by yourself," he said.


    She frowned, this guy was getting too persistent, it was none of his business who she was having dinner with. She did not want to divulge any of her personal information, so she tried to brush him off again, "No, thank you," she said as she tried to walk away from him. But he took that opportunity to hold onto her hand and pull her towards him.


    "Why do you keep rejecting me. I''m giving you a once-in-a-lifetime chance here to be my woman, and you keep on pushing me away?" he asks with his mouth near her ears.


    Aurora pushed him back angrily, "What do you think you''re doing? Get away from me." She tried to reach the door behind him, but he had her blocked.


    "Come on Aurora, stop pretending to be innocent. We all know you are a kept woman. What does this old rich man supporting you have that I don''t?" He mocks, "I probably look more handsome than him and could give you everything you could wish for."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Aurora asked angrily, "You''re not making any sense." She had no idea where he got such rotten ideas from. When they''ve never exchanged any information about themselves aside from work-related stuff.


    He smirked, "You have nothing except for your beauty, and you will never make it in this profession without my help." He tries to touch her face but then she swats his hand away, "And the sooner you realize that I''m your ticket to success, the sooner I will have you in my bed.


    Don''t worry, we will keep the secret between us, nobody will have to know," he winked at her and licked his lips as he imagined her naked body writhing under him.


    "You are disgusting! Get out of my way if you do not want to face the consequences," she threatened, but she was shaking with anger deep inside. She does not deserve this kind of treatment from a professional doctor.


    Aurora doesn''t need anybody''s help to climb the ladder of success. Her husband could easily do that for her. If she wanted to take the Directors'' job she could have easily done that, but she wanted to start at the lowest level where every doctor needed to start.


    "You know you want me," he said as he grabs her butt and rubs his groin against her pelvis. He was not taking no for an answer, and he tries to push her back onto one of the tables. It was the perfect place next to the examination bed to have his way with her and ruin her reputation. Then she wouldn''t have any other choice but to be with him.


    She tried to push him off her, but he was stronger. He had her splayed on the table with her legs spread apart, "No, no, no...," she said as she tried to push him away. She was not getting raped like this, she thought.


    His hands were now trying to squeeze her breasts when he had her pinned down on the table. She made it difficult for him by shielding herself and crossing her arms in front of her, but he was relentless, he pulled at her hands and her shirt at the same time and popped enough buttons to expose her lacy bra.


    He leered at her, thinking that this was a good surprise, "Who knew this tramp wore sexy lingerie under her work clothes. She really is a temptress," he thought. He couldn''t wait to have a taste of her.


    He stared at her breasts and started to drool. His hands slowly approached her chest like he was trying to delicately touch a piece of art. That momentary reprieve was all she needed so she could look around the table for something to use as a weapon.


    "Agghhhhh¡­. You bitch!" he screamed as she stuck a pair of scissors she found in one of the penholders, to his neck. He doubled over on the floor, holding his neck to stop the bleeding, and she took that opportunity to get off the table and run away, but at the last minute, just when she thought she was home free, he caught one of her legs.

 Chapter 63 - 62

    She tripped, hitting one of the other tables. It had knocked the wind out of her and bruised her arms in the process. But she did not allow him to pull her down, she held her ground. She used her heel to kick him in the face so he would let her go.


    "F@*&!" he screamed as she got him in the arm, releasing her from his hold. She ran out the door without looking back.


    Dimitri would not able to pick her up that afternoon due to a late meeting and had told her earlier that he would just send a driver to pick her up. Without taking her cellphone and her purse with her she ran for dear life, clutching her coat together, praying that the driver was waiting for her outside, as Dimitri had instructed.


    "Good Evening Madam!" the driver said, "Mr. Santoris will join you for dinner later tonight."


    "Go, please just go¡­ we have to leave," she said to the driver frantically. She looked behind her as he careened out of the hospital, making sure nobody was following them as they headed home.


    The driver was concerned and had wanted to ask her if she was okay when he saw her bloodied coat, messy hair, and wide-eyed look, but he did not want to upset her even more. His job was to keep the boss'' wife safe and bring her home, so that''s what he was going to do.


    She ran to her room as soon as she got to the house, she did not want anybody to see her and have to explain what happened. She didn''t notice her mother-in-law walking from the kitchen to greet her or the maids that were cleaning around the house. She had one goal and that was to get to their bedroom and hopefully escape and get ready before Dimitri arrived.


    Fear and hate had her shaking when she remembered how she impaled that doctor with the scissors on his neck. Even though she hated what he did to her, she still hoped that nothing vital was damaged. She feared that she might have killed him and would have to be taken to prison.


    When she was done feeling scared, she started feeling ashamed. "How could I have let something like this happen to me? Did I do anything to encourage him? How could I have let him touch me?" she told herself as she stood under the shower, trying to erase the memory of his filthy hands touching her backside, his groin grinding against her pelvis, and his hands on her breasts. Places only Dimitri had access to had been defiled by that filthy animal. She felt so dirty, so she kept on scrubbing and scrubbing her skin until she felt raw.


    Dimitri was concerned when he came home, the driver had reported Aurora''s behavior and appearance earlier as she got in the car, then his mother had stopped him by the stairs to tell him to check on his wife.


    "There''s something wrong with Aurora. She came running into the house and didn''t even bother to say hello to anyone, not even your son. I tried to check on her, but she had not been out of the shower since she came back from work. She wouldn''t even talk to anybody," his mother said.


    "Aurora! Aurora!" Dimitri banged the door. She was not responding.


    "I''m coming in," he announced while he was fiddling with the spare key so he could let himself in.


    She was sitting under the cold shower, with her arms wrapped around her knees, shivering.


    "What is happening? Why did you lock yourself in?" he asked as he rushed towards her.


    She didn''t bother to look up. It was like she didn''t even know he was there. He turned off the shower, surprised that she was taking a cold one. They said she had been in there for an hour now, which means that the water had already run cold, and yet she didn''t even bother to get out.


    He took a big fluffy towel and wrapped it around her before he carried her out of the shower.


    "What''s got into you? The water had already run cold, why were you still sitting there? Are you trying to get sick?" he scolded as he dried her up and wrapped her in a bathrobe.


    "Honey?" His hands were on either side of her cheek, waiting for her to respond, and all she could give him was a blank stare, her eyes were lifeless. Gone was the feisty Aurora that always greeted him when he got this close. This had him worried.


    He made her sit on the vanity as he blow-dried her hair. "Sweetheart, why are you acting like this? We both know something is wrong. Most days you won''t even let me shower with you, but now you''re letting me dry your hair."


    She just sat there quietly, with her head bowed down, and as he lifted her chin, he saw that she had been crying. Her eyes were filled with tears, and as her tears streamed down her face it seemed like she wasn''t going to stop any time soon.


    He sat her in his lap and started kissing her tear-streaked face. "Sweetheart, what happened? Tell me, who made you cry?" asking in a soft tone.


    She started weeping as she buried her head in his shoulder. She felt so weak, defiled, and so dirty altogether that she could not stop the wails coming out from her mouth.


    "Shh... Sweetheart, please tell me. Did someone die? Was it a patient? Do you feel bad for someone?" he asked as he rubbed her back, "What is it? I bet you did everything you could to save them."


    But she cried even louder and tightened her arms around his neck. So he just embraced her, rubbing her back, and decided to give her time to cool down. Sooner or later, she would have no more tears, and he would get the truth out of her.

 Chapter 64 - 63

    When the tears had stopped flowing, Aurora tried to speak, but she still couldn''t get proper sentences out of her mouth, "The doctor¡­ he¡­ push¡­ mean to¡­ what will...," breathing became harder and harder as the feelings came back to her, and tears started flowing again.


    Dimitri tensed up, she was so rattled, and he wanted to know what happened to her, but she was still shaking, her skin so clammy, he wanted to punch somebody even if he did not know why. Nobody should be making Aurora cry like this.


    "Shh.. shh¡­," he cupped her face, wiping the tears away, "Let me get you some water so you can breathe. Hold on," he said as he stood up and took a glass from the table. After she drank the whole glass without pause, he hugged her and started rubbing her back again.


    He had to get her to calm down to get to the root of this problem, and whoever made her cry would surely pay, but he had to keep a cool head on him as well, so he doesn''t just explode and agitate her more.


    For the first time in her life, Aurora experienced what it was like to rely on someone and to be comforted in her time of need. She did not want to break the soothing silence that enveloped her right now, all she wanted to do was sleep, but she knew that if she did not tell Dimitri what happened, she might not have the courage to do it tomorrow.


    "Dimitri¡­," Aurora murmured softly from his shoulder.


    He pulled her away so he could look at her, "Yes my love, I am here, what is it?" he asked softly as he caressed her face.


    Aurora couldn''t look into his eyes, she felt scared of what he might think of her and what she had done, so she bowed her head and held onto his hand.


    "At the hospital, there was a senior doctor who was being extra friendly," she gulped as she felt Dimitri''s hand tighten on hers, "I had a feeling he didn''t have any good intentions so I tried to avoid him as much as possible," she tried to take a peek and look at Dimitri''s face since he was not saying anything.


    "Go on," he nodded at her, but there was something in his eyes she has never seen before. She felt relieved that he was not blaming her for attracting the doctor''s attention.


    "I never entertained him or even smiled at him, but today he¡­," she gasped, "It was¡­," tears started running down her face, but she knew she had to finish this, "I fought back and stabbed him in the neck," she held her own neck, "there was blood¡­ blood¡­everywhere."


    Dimitri had a murderous glint in his eye, and as she looked at him, she got scared.


    "Did he touch you anywhere?" his voice was colder than ice as he opened her robe to see if there were marks on her neck, and on her back. But when he got to her arms, the bruises she got from hitting the table were already taking on a purple hue.


    "Did he do this to you?" he asked gruffly, as he inspected her arms.


    "No¡­ I hit the table when I was trying to get away," she could feel the fury emanating from him, and she hid the fact that the doctor had touched her breasts and even tore her clothes earlier,  in fear of Dimitri getting angrier than he was. She had never seen this side of him, and she did not want to add fuel to the fire.


    "Dimitri, I¡­ I stabbed him. What if he dies? I''m scared¡­" she turned pale.


    Killing someone was a scary matter for a regular person. Aurora had always tried to be kind to people and animals since she was a child. And being a doctor, she always tries to save patients whenever she could. Just thinking of the possibility that she might have killed someone sent chills up and down her body. Just when she finally became happy, this happens, what if they take her away? She can''t give up her happiness now.


    "Well, then he deserves to die," Dimitri said with his brow furrowed together. The patience he was bottling up right now was reaching its boiling point, but he was holding it in for Aurora''s sake because showing her his anger right now might push her over the edge as well.


    "Dimitri¡­," she pulled at his shirt worriedly. She knows that he was mad, but it was a very serious matter to her. Whatever happens to the doctor, she would be blamed for it. His face softened a bit, his frown a little less pronounced, but deep inside, he was still seething with anger. It was a good thing Aurora was not a pushover, and the doctor hadn''t easily overcome her.  Otherwise, his head would be on a platter right now.


    "Don''t worry sweetheart," he kissed her forehead as he ran his fingers through her hair. "I am here, you have nothing to worry about. We will tell them you did it in self-defense, and if he dies, I''ll take care of that matter," he said consolingly.


    "But¡­," she said with uncertainty. She was not convinced she could just get out scot-free.


    "Come, let''s get to bed, you need to sleep. You don''t look very well," he pulled her from the vanity to the bed. "We will take care of things tomorrow," he said.


    He laid down with her, hugging her to him, telling her how much he loved her. How everything will be just fine, and for her not to worry about anything else. He soothed her until she fell asleep.


    But Dimitri was far from relaxed. How could he sleep when all he thought about was murdering the bastard that tried to lay a hand on the most precious thing in his life. He was plotting his revenge as he laid there stroking Aurora''s hair and promising to make the doctor suffer.


    After a while, he tried to get up, but Aurora had a firm hold on him, not wanting to let go. Her sleep was troubled. She was probably having nightmares reliving what happened, but he needed to do something before he exploded, so he unlatched her hands slowly as not to wake her, leaving her for just a bit, and headed to his study.

 Chapter 65 - 64

    Gone was the sweet, soothing Dimitri. In his study, he was the boss, and he means business. "Yes, check the CCTV at Hospital X. Each and every one of them from the time my wife was on duty until she left the hospital.


    Someone dared to mess with my wife, and I want that person in the torture cell before I get there tomorrow.


    I want you to send me the video as well," he barked at the person on the other end of the line.


    Finding the doctor was a piece of cake, as soon as they got the video, he was easy to spot. He was in every frame Aurora was in. Unbeknownst to her, he had followed her around the whole day, staring at her and ogling her the whole time, hiding in the shadow or the pillars so she could not see him, but the cameras did.


    His men had the doctor in under an hour after Dimitri called them. These were the same men that found Ava in the mountains, they could find anybody with the technology and the know-how that was provided by Dimitri, nobody can ever hide from them.


    The next day Aurora felt dizzy when she tried to get up, so she just got back in bed. So when Dimitri called to ask the maid to check on her, he was informed that she had a very high fever and probably wouldn''t be able to come to work.


    Dimitri let her know that he already talked to the hospital to take a leave on her behalf, so she didn''t need to worry about missing work. And told her to focus on getting better instead. The maids gave her the medicine for her fever, and in a few minutes, she was out cold. Not knowing that somewhere in the city, someone was getting punished.


    -=-


    The night before, Dimitri''s men had broken into the doctor''s house soundlessly even before he even noticed they were inside. He got scared, at first he thought he was having a nightmare, but when he opened his eyes, and the big bulky men with guns were dragging him forcefully from bed, then he knew that this was not a dream.


    After his altercation with Aurora, he cleaned and bandaged the wound himself, to remove any suspicion that he had done something wrong. Then he went home and went to bed early. "I need to be well-rested, so I can deal with that bitch tomorrow. She will see that I am not a person to be trifled with. Nobody escapes me," he thought, laughing to himself maniacally.


    But his success was short-lived. They dragged him blindfolded into a car and drove him to only god knows where. He kept on screaming, "Where are you taking me? I didn''t do anything wrong. I''m innocent," he tried to appeal to their better nature.


    But when that did not work, he resorted to bribing them, "I have money. I can pay you double or triple the amount they are paying you. Just release me, then I''ll give you all my money."


    Then he got desperate, so he started threatening them. "I am an upstanding pillar of this community. People know who I am. I am one of the best surgeons in this country, probably in the world, and taking me will be a big blow to the hospital. You will regret doing this. People are going to look for me, and you are going to pay."


    His voice was hoarse by the time the car had stopped, and he knew by then it was a losing battle. He didn''t hear anything from them the whole ride, it was like there wasn''t even anyone there.


    They threw him in a very cold, dark, damp cell, and as he sat there, it dawned on him that he might not come out of this alive, and now he was really terrified. In his hoarse voice, he cried out for help, but nobody will ever hear him. They were deep underground, and the only people who could hear him were already dead.


    The doctor had been tied to a chair by the time Dimitri had arrived. And as the doctor looked at his captor, he felt a chill run over him.


    Dimitri nodded at the guards, and that was all they needed for them to start torturing the doctor. They beat him up and kicked him every which way they could to inflict pain.


    And as he lay on the ground moaning and groaning, Dimitri stepped on his right hand, the same hand he saw touch Aurora in the videos. "These are the filthy hands that touched my woman. They''re never to be used again."


    "Ahhhh¡­. Nooo¡­  This is the hand I use for surgery. You are severely mistaken," he screamed. "Let me go!"


    But Dimitri kept on increasing the pressure. "Don''t tell me you already forgot what you did," Dimitri growled.


    The doctor had taken advantage of a lot of women, and he could not for the life of him remember who would have the capacity to send out someone this powerful after him. All the women he had exploited usually had low self-esteem and were easy targets, none of them had the power to fight him, that''s why he chose them in the first place.


    "You bastard! How many women did you harass yesterday, that you already forgot?" Dimitri kicked his stomach.


    "Oowww...," the doctor howled in pain as he coughed up blood.


    "Aurora? You''re connected to Aurora?" He murmured.


    "Yes, you idiot!" Dimitri kicked him again, "She''s my wife. When she ignored you the first time, you should have left her alone."


    "Fuck!" he thought, now he was scared. Who knew she had somebody as strong as this person was backing her up. "Who the fuck are these people anyway?" he thought frustratedly, "I do not deserve this treatment. She never told me anything. If only I had known the truth, then I would have stayed away from her."


    "Please forgive me, I didn''t know she was your wife. Let me go this one time, and I will do anything for you. I will leave this city, this country even, just to get far away from her. I will never show my face again. Please¡­I promise," the doctor begged.


    Dimitri chuckled, "Did you listen to her when she begged you to stop? Do you think this apology matters now? There''s no use crying over spilled milk."


    "Please¡­ please¡­," the doctor begged for mercy, but Dimitri did not relent. He turned and nodded to the guards.


    And as Dimitri walked out of the cell, loud cries echoed from the doctor.

 Chapter 66 - 65

    When Dimitri came back, Aurora was still in bed. The curtains in their bedroom were still closed, blocking out most of the sunlight, just showing slivers of light where they were not fully drawn together. He was still mad about what happened. That he was not there to protect Aurora from this evil man that wanted to do her harm. The bruises on her arms reminded him how much she had struggled when the doctor had cornered her.


    He walked soundlessly towards the bed to check on how she was, and his face softened as he sat beside her and caressed her hair.


    Aurora stirred, "Dimitri?" she whispered even before she opened her eyes, and this made Dimitri smile. It was nice that his name was the first thing out of her lips as soon as she awoke.


    "I''m here. Just keep on sleeping. I just wanted to check on you," he said, caressing her face, "I''ll be in my study if you need me," he said softly.


    "No, no. I''ve been sleeping the whole day. I want to get up," she said, though a little bit weakly. Dimitri helped her sit up and placed two pillows behind her back to support her.


    She wet her lips nervously, "Did anybody from the hospital say anything? The doctor. Is he alive? Did he complain?" she asked.


    Aurora was not deaf to the news circulating around the hospital, in the few weeks since she started, the women had already rallied and told her who was the cutest doctor, who was dating who, who people were sleeping around with, and who to avoid. The doctor that was harassing her was one of them, and they gave her a big warning to steer clear of him as much as possible.


    The news was that he had tried his moves on every single nurse, doctor, orderly,  and sometimes even the patients in the hospital. He tried to weasel his way into their lives until they couldn''t say no, and as soon as he got what he wanted, he dropped them like a hot potato, avoiding them like the plague.


    Aurora did not bother with it too much at first. Thinking maybe they were just angry exes that wanted to get back at him. He was a little bit attractive, though not her type. So she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. But the minute he started following her around, she knew they were right.


    He was not the easiest to work with, but because he was brilliant at what he did, the hospital just let him do what he wanted. Complaints piled on top of each other, but the hospital just turned a blind eye. So now Aurora was scared that he would play the victim when it came to re-telling their story.


    Dimitri scoffed, "He dared to complain, you ask?" His dark grey eyes darkened so much that they looked like they were black.


    "I told the director what happened. We checked the CCTV together and witnessed everything that happened. Even the parts you did not tell me about," he looked at her pointedly, a little pissed that she hid the fact that he laid his hands on different parts of her body. Something he definitely did not want to remember, "They suspended him before he even got to work," she nodded. Relieved that he was punished.


    He continued, "He might even leave the city because, from what I heard, you are not the only person he had tried to take advantage of. A lot of women are probably willing to come forward if we let them know that we are going to help them file a complaint."


    She looked at him with light in her eyes. "Yes, let''s do that if he ever decides to come back," She would definitely help anyone who comes forward. She will be an advocate for justice.


    He nodded, "His days of working in this country will be over too, if he knew what''s good for him. So you don''t need to worry about it anymore. He will never get another chance to come near you ever again," he said with reassurance.


    She breathed a sigh of relief. Not having him in the same city was enough for her, but the same country was better. She would never encounter him in any symposiums or collaborations ever again or even chance upon him in a small town where he can harass other women. She was grateful that Dimitri had been there, and he handled this very difficult and embarrassing situation for her.


    "Dimitri, thank you for everything," she held one of his hands near her heart, wanting to hug him, but suddenly shy to ask for anything else.


    He cupped her face with one of his hands, "Sweetheart, you don''t need to thank me for anything. I am your husband, and it is my duty to take care of you," then he smiled sheepishly, "But if you really want to thank me I know just the thing."


    "What? What is it? I will do it, just for you. Tell me," she asked curiously, eager to return the favor.


    Dimitri whispered in her ear, and as her face flooded with warmth, she pushed him away.


    "Such a gangster," she said as she laughed out loud. It was the most loveliest sound he had heard from her the whole day, and he was glad that he was the one who got her out of her stupor. He laughed with her and hugged her tightly. Nobody can erase this bliss he was feeling right now, yet for an instant, his eyes turned dark when he remembered that doctor.


    He had lied to Aurora, but he would never admit that she would never ever see that doctor again because he was dead. He had instructed his guards to show him no mercy and prolong his torture until his last breath.


    At the hospital, after the director learned about what happened, he had phoned the doctor to suspend him and to tell him never to show his face ever again if he valued his life. Going against Dimitri Santoris and his wife spelled death. And when he never got a hold of the doctor, he speculated about what happened and decided to shut his mouth about it, his life was more important.


    He sent an email to all his staff that the doctor had been banned from working in the hospital. He also added that the doctor had decided to leave the country and never contact him. All the women rejoiced upon the news, and there was an excited buzz around the hospital.


    Dimitri wanted to keep Aurora in the dark, and he would make everything possible to make sure that she never finds out.

 Chapter 67 - 66

    Violet is just an ordinary employee in a Multinational Corporation(MNC). Just another pencil pusher who entered the workforce as soon as she graduated because she needed the money, they needed the money.


    Her father died in a car accident when she was 10. And for them to survive, her mother had taken on the role of managing all their finances.


    They were a simple middle-class family. Seeing her mother struggle every day to put money on the table made her preserve and work harder in school, focusing on her studies and keeping out of trouble.


    She never was at the top of her class but she scored well enough to graduate and have grades that would be acceptable in any type of job, which is what landed her in the MNC.


    After two years of hard work and perseverance, she had finally been promoted. Her salary was good enough for her to volunteer to work overtime all the time and start to enjoy having weekends to herself again.


    The dark days were behind her now, and even her mother was not worried about money for food, or the bills anymore, they were now living a very comfortable life. She even urged Violet to find a good man so she could get married.


    It made her laugh when her mother started dropping hints. She started with the cute delivery guys that came to their door, from the single neighbors and their sons, then she even went to great lengths by mentioning the sons of people she knew.


    She had been very timid in high school and college and never really tried to date anyone. So just to please her mother, she let her do her thing. She arranged blind dates for her daughter, which Violet went to her mom would stop nagging her. And one after another she rejected them. She told her mother that something was missing and was not ready to settle down.


    Most of her dates were usually nice men, and some of them were even very good-looking, but she knew that good-looking people were usually bad news. They were too cocky for their own good because they knew they could get anyone.


    And the ones that weren''t bad news were too rude or too snobby. They treated getting married as a business merger. Questions like what are you bringing to the table and what are your best traits were asked to insult her intelligence, but the thing that drove her over the edge was the question about her background, they drilled her about the past like she was applying to work for the CIA. And to top it off, all of them said that having no father had deducted a lot of her points on their impossible grading system.


    She always came out of these dates more upset than the last. She was a romantic at heart and was waiting for the right guy to sweep her off her feet, make her heart beat fast and treat her like a lover rather than a commodity.


    Her expectations had not been high going into the blind dates but she had at least hoped that one of them would catch her fancy so it would not be as hard to give up her freedom and her identity because she loved the man.


    But suddenly, the darkness came back and found her again. Her mother, who had been perfectly fine, fell ill. She was at home when she got dizzy and passed out. Luckily it was a weekend, and Violet was home that day, so she was able to take her to the hospital, where they were able to take care of her.


    When the doctor came to talk to her, Violet felt optimistic, but then the shoe began to drop. After a few days, they said she needed to be brought to a bigger hospital because she was not responding to their treatments, and their equipment was not good enough.


    A bigger hospital meant bigger expenses, and Violet got frustrated because even if they were living comfortably, hospital expenses were not factored into their savings. All she could do was hope that whatever treatment they needed at the big hospital would not be too much, because now that they were happier she could not afford for her mom to die. She was not ready to lose her mom.


    The nearest hospital they could bring her mother to was the hospital in city X, the same hospital where Aurora worked at. This was one of the best hospitals in the city.


    As soon as her mother was admitted, they ran a lot of tests on her, X-ray, EKG, a very extensive blood panel, and the test that nobody wants to get, the MRI. Not only because it was expensive, but also because it found things in your body that were not usually good.


    And as expected, bad news had followed them. The MRI found a tumor in her mother''s brain, it was malignant, which meant there was a chance she could die.


    This was the news Violet had hoped she would not get. She had prayed the night before, but her prayers were not answered.


    She stood staring at the doctor dumbfounded, she could not even ask the doctor if her mother would make it. But it seemed like he knew what she was thinking, he told her that it was imperative to do the operation as soon as possible because the tumor was still small and her chances of surviving were higher.


    But then the biggest issue she had was the expenses. The only asset they had was their house. Any insurance money or savings they had after her father had died had gone to her schooling, so all of that money was gone. And the meager savings they had from work were not even enough to make a dent in the amount they needed.


    She was walking listlessly in one of the corridors when someone bumped into her, knocking her cellphone out of her hand.


    "Hey! You there! Stop!" and the man just kept on walking.


    "That was rude! Aren''t you going to apologize to me?" she called out to him, and he just raised his hand to wave back at her.

 Chapter 68 - 67

    After the family learned about what happened, Dimitri had instructed Gabriel to come to the hospital often to check on Aurora, in case she had other stalkers, or people just creating trouble for her.


    They had gotten rid of the doctor, and nobody said anything. But as news traveled around the hospital about Aurora''s real identity, people had mixed feelings. Some people gave her special treatment, they let her cut in line at lunch or let her get on the elevator first, and some even greeted her like royalty. Then there was the other group that was rude to her and talked behind her back.


    People kept on apologizing to her a lot even when she bumped into them, or it was her mistake, which baffled her a lot. Why are they treating her extra special when her husband was just another rich businessman? True he owned the hospital, but that was not a reason to single her out.


    Now, she was more confused about who was really friendly and who was not.  Were they just doing it to please her and gain favor with her husband? This was the reason why she did not want everybody to know who she was connected to, but it was inevitable.


    "Hello, sister-in-law!'' Gabe said as he entered her office.


    "Hey Gabe, are you sick? Did you come to get checked?" she asked.


    "Nah! Nobody''s at home, so I thought I''d check on you," he said as he sat in one of the chairs.


    ''It''s boring at home without Enzo. Sometimes he talks too much, but when he''s gone, I miss him,'' he says, trying to check out stuff on the other people''s tables.


    "Well, I''m just typing up some reports, if you really want to hang out with me then feel free and make yourself comfortable. There''s a bed in here too if you get sleepy,'' Gabriel was not hard to like, he was very charismatic and friendly, and he flirted with all the women, all the time.


    Gabriel sat there playing with his phone when one of the nurses came in to ask Aurora a question. She took one look at Gabriel, and suddenly Aurora had a steady stream of nurses who kept coming in to look for Aurora so they could get a glimpse of Gabe.


    The nurses blushed when Gabriel winked or smiled at them. Giggling in the hallways and gossiping with each other about how cute he was.


    Gabe just ignored them even though he could hear them clearly talking about him. He was there to guard Aurora, and that is what he was going to do.


    -=-


    In school, Enzo was blending in well with his environment. He was a quick learner, and his EQ was way more advanced than his peers. He had been more friendly than when he started, he was not shy around the adults anymore, and kids would usually flock to where he was when it was time for playtime.


    He was more outspoken with his needs as well. Amusing all the teachers and staff because here was this small kid ordering them about like a little boss.


    There were a lot of extracurricular activities offered in the school after classes, and his parents had encouraged him to try each one until he found something that he wanted to stick with. One day he tried painting, which he was good at but got bored of it right away. He had tried singing and dancing, but both skills seemed to have escaped him. He also tried basketball, baseball, and soccer, but he was not really interested in running after the ball.


    Karate became his favorite activity. When he came home he would show his dad and uncle what he was learned at school. They were amused that at a young age, he wanted to learn self-defense.


    To entice him into learning more about it, his grandpa had told him the origin of Karate and its uses. But when he learned that all the men in the family knew self-defense he loved it even more.


    From then on, he would copy what his Dad and Uncle Gabe ate for breakfast and dinner, surprising everybody because he gladly ate his fruits and vegetables.


    He had stopped playing with his stuffed toys and started playing with the engineering sets and robots that his Dad and Uncle had bought him.


    Now that he was used to living in the Santoris household, he was picking up the men''s mannerisms, as well. Before he used to be soft-spoken and mild-mannered when he lived with his mother, now he was more assertive and outspoken. He had also started walking more confidently with his back straight, imitating the way his dad walked when he wasn''t looking.


    It was like subconsciously, he was absorbing the aura of the Alpha males in the house the more he spent time with them. He saw how his father talked to his subordinates, and that was how Enzo would talk to his playmates


    His speech patterns were less babyish as well. He was forming sentences better, still missing a word or two, but he now says them more confidently.


    -=-


    After the incident, Dimitri made it a point to pick Aurora up every single day. Even if he still had a lot to do, he would pick her up and drop her off at home, then just go back to work if he needed to, and if he really couldn''t then, he had Gabriel pick her up with the driver.


    Enzo came out of school with a broad smile on his face when he saw his parents waiting for him. He felt very happy because most days he would only see the driver at the gate to pick him up. His mom said that she was very busy at the hospital, that was why she couldn''t come and get him.


    He ran to where Aurora and Dimitri stood, squealing, "Mama! Dada!"


    Aurora walked towards him, stopping him from running. ''Don''t run, baby, be careful!''


    "Mama!" he said while he hugged her legs. "Carry Enzo," he said as he stretched out his arms to her. How could she resist, he was so cute, so she carried her in his arms. "I missed you so much, baby!" she said as she kissed his little cheek. After what happened, she feared that she would never get to see him again.


    He surprised her by giving her more than one kiss, peppering her face with kisses as he held her neck very tightly. "Love you, mama!"


    "No kisses for dada?" Dimitri asked.


    "Come dada, carry Enzo!" he gestured with his outstretched little arms, and Dimitri gave in. And he peppered his father with kisses as well.


    Enzo was so happy, this had always been his wish. To have a dad that would pick him up from school together with his mom.

 Chapter 69 - 68

    They were sitting in the car with Enzo between them when Aurora noticed a gash on Enzo''s elbow when he raised his arm.


    "Baby, what happened to your elbow?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.


    "Uhm¡­ uhm¡­ ," Enzo stammered, not knowing what to say.


    "Does it hurt? Are there any other wounds, anywhere else?" she checked his other elbow, his hands, and his knees. But luckily, there was nothing else, so Aurora relaxed a bit.


    ''So what happened?" she asks again.


    "Uhm¡­ fall... down¡­," Enzo murmured as he hid his head.


    "Aww, baby. I told you to be careful. Don''t play around too much. Okay," she said as she kissed his head.


    Dimitri looked at Enzo with a questioning gaze, and Enzo just hid his face in his mother''s lap. He felt something was up when Enzo would not look at him. He would ask Enzo himself later when Aurora was not present so as not to alarm her.


    Thinking that he was hiding from her because he was ashamed of being scolded in front of his father, she said, "Aww baby, don''t be scared. I was just worried. We''ll put medicine later so it won''t hurt as much, okay?"


    He nodded and pretended to sleep, so he wouldn''t see his father''s eyes. He was scared because he knew Dimitri knew something was wrong.


    Aurora rubbed his head and let him take a nap.


    After dinner, Enzo ran up to his room to play by himself, after the day he had he did not want his mother to know what happened. So Dimitri took this opportunity to talk to him about what happened in school.


    Dimitri sat on one of the chairs in his bedroom and called Enzo to him.


    "Dada?" Enzo stood in front of his father with a questioning gaze. His father had a stern expression on his face that he only used on Gabriel, so he decided to walk towards him slowly.


    "Enzo, is everything okay in school?" Dimitri asked.


    He was a very observant person, being an Aristocratic heir and the head of the strongest Mafia households in the country, he needed to be. This trait was very important, so he could catch his enemies when they tried to lie to him.


    It was normal for a child to undergo changes whenever they are planted in a new environment, so he decided to let the minor changes in Enzo''s attitude go. He was getting to be a little bit stubborn and very opinionated. These traits could mold him into a strong individual, but in the wrong situation, it could turn him into one of the spoiled rich kids, and Dimitri could not allow that to happen. He was the future Santoris heir, and he needed to be more disciplined.


    He needed to mold Enzo at this very young age so he won''t get led astray. Teach him how to control his emotions and learn how to be just.


    "Yes, dada," he nodded his head quickly. Too quick for someone who''s hiding something.


    ''Tell me the truth. How did you get hurt today?" Dimitri asked his son.


    "Enzo fell," he said too quietly, which told his father he was lying.


    "Lorenzo Santoris, don''t you dare lie to me," Dimitri said in a commanding voice, "I always find out the truth. So either you tell me now or I find out later."


    Enzo started tearing up, he looked up into his father''s eyes with fear. These were not the eyes he usually gazed at in the morning, playful and loving.


    "Dada... hmmm¡­," Enzo hesitated.


    "Enzo!" His father looked at him with a frown. He was trying his patience. He knows that his son was just 4 years old, but lying was not a good trait for a Santoris. He wanted his son to be honest with him at all times so he could help him if he needs it.


    "Enzo want swing. Boy say No!


    Enzo say down. You down now!" He demonstrated how he ordered the kid to get down, but the boy just kept on swinging and saying no. He thought it was okay to order this kid around just because he wanted to use the swing.


    This was not the way he was before when he used to live alone with mom. She always drilled it into him to wait for his turn and play fair. But being the only kid in the Santoris household, where they catered to everything he wanted, made him arrogant.


    He continued, "Boy kick Enzo. Kick! Kick! Enzo fall,'' showing him how he hit his elbow on the ground, ''Ow! Enzo angry. Push boy.''


    Then he demonstrated how the other kid fell and cried. ''Enzo swing, Enzo happy. Boy cry, run.''


    His son was indeed getting smarter, and more vocal every day. He didn''t think he would get this much out of him, but he was glad that Enzo was coming out of his shell.


    "Listen to me baby,'' he says as he sits Enzo on his lap. "We have a lot of things we want, but we cannot always get them. I know your mama probably told you that already," Enzo nods. "Mama said wait," he volunteered.


    "See, she was right, you have to wait your turn. If you fight with everyone and try to take what''s theirs no one will want to be friends with you," Dimitri said, "Do you want all your friends to leave you?"


    Enzo pouted, "Dada is not telling you to keep quiet when someone hurts you. You should never throw the first punch.


    But you should only show your strength when it''s necessary. A Santoris knows when to fight and when to lay low. Understood?" He said as he stared at Enzo straight in the eye.


    His father Matthew had been stricter with him and his brother when they were younger, but he did not want to employ the same tactics with his son and scare him. He had his brother which made everything easier.

 Chapter 70 - 69

    Enzo did not really understand everything but knew that he should never pick a fight with anyone, that he should fight only when there was no other choice.


    Dimitri did not believe that he should grow up to be a saint, that would never be possible given their family history, but he believed that they should only give out what they receive.


    "Sorry dada," he said apologetically, "Enzo good boy."


    "Yes, you are a good boy," Dimitri patted his head, "Try to stay out of trouble okay?" He hugged his son. He should not be worrying about these things at his age, but he was a Santoris, if he doesn''t get molded early, then it might be difficult to curb him later.


    "Hmm.. hm¡­," Enzo went back to being the sweet little preschooler that he was.


    "Okay, enough of this. Does Enzo want to go on vacation?" He asked.


    "Vacation?" Enzo tilted his head questioningly.


    "Yes, have you seen the beach? We''ll ride the airplane and see the ocean." He explained.


    "Ero plane? B-b-beech?" Enzo repeated.


    He found his toy airplane and showed it to his father. He always wondered how it would feel like to ride one. Dimitri chuckled and replied, "Yes, airplane, Dada has one, and we can ride it to go to the beach. I''m giving it to you as a gift."


    "Really? Enzo''s plane?" Enzo''s eyes widened. He had no idea how big a private jet really was and how much it cost. To him, it was just like buying another of his toys. He is in for a surprise when he sees what his father is talking about.


    Aurora had come searching for Dimitri when she didn''t see him in their bedroom. He would always join her in the shower, but when he didn''t, she thought he had something pressing to do. So she came to Enzo''s room to tuck him in.


    "So this is where you are," she said as she touched Dimitri''s back as a term of endearment.


    "Why haven''t you gone to bed yet Enzo, there''s school tomorrow," she asked.


    "Mama, Dada, plane¡­ zoom zoom," he said as he showed her his plane.


    "What is he saying?" she said, her eyes darting towards Dimitri.


    "We are going on a vacation. I told him we''ll be flying in our private jet. That''s why he''s so happy", Dimitri explained.


    "When are we doing this? Not tomorrow, I hope, we both have work, and Enzo just started school," she said hesitantly.


    Dimitri stood up and deposited Enzo on the floor. He wrapped Aurora in his arms, "Don''t worry, I took care of everything already. All our bags are packed, we just need to go.


    Think of this as our honeymoon, the one we never took after the wedding. This would be a good vacation for our family. A change of scenery. Please don''t say no," he tried to convince her. When he was being sweet and thoughtful like this, she had no chance to refuse him.


    "Okay, okay, you win," she laughed, "We''re going on a vacation."


    "Yay, mama!" Enzo jumped up and down with his airplane, excited about the vacation.


    -=-


    The next day the trio left for a tropical island, surrounded by white sand beaches and the mountains so lush and green because of the rainforest. They were staying in a villa on one of the private islands just for their personal use, with Dimitri''s men scattered everywhere guarding them stealthily.


    Enzo had been excited the minute they landed. He had never been to the beach before, and he wanted to know what it would be like to touch the sand.


    "Dada, let''s go!" Enzo dragged his father''s hand towards the water. They had just changed into their swimsuits, and he was jumping on his heels in excitement.


    "Eat something before you start playing," she offered him a sandwich so he wouldn''t be hungry later. He was so excited on the plane ride that he didn''t really bother to eat anything. He kept on looking out the windows commenting about the clouds and any landmass he could see down below.


    When they reached the water, Aurora stayed near the shore, since she did not know how to swim.


    Like Enzo, she has never been to the beach before and did not know what to expect. But as soon as Enzo got in the water he got braver, treading towards the deeper end.


    The waves were smaller now, but one wave could knock him out and easily drown him, this is what Aurora was scared of. "Enzo, don''t go too far out, it''s going to get deeper. It''s not safe," she screamed from the shore.


    But he wouldn''t listen, it was like playing in the bathtub but better, so to appease Aurora, Dimitri watched over Enzo to make sure he would not drown.


    "Enzo likes water. Mama no fun," Enzo said, pouting in his mother''s direction.


    "Well, hold Dada''s hand so mama won''t be scared," Dimitri asked of his son. Only when she saw them holding hands did Aurora relax. When the water got deeper where Enzo could not touch the bottom anymore, Dimitri held him in his arms to show him how deep it could get.


    At first, Enzo was scared, but as he learned to tread water, just like Dimitri had shown him, he became bolder. Even calling to his mother to come and swim with them.


    "Mama! Mama! Come swim!" he screamed in his father''s arms. Aurora opted to stay in the shallow area, dipping her toes and running from the waves when they got higher. She waved at them and told them to keep on swimming.


    Nobody has shown her how to enjoy being in the water, so she felt a little awkward and scared at the same time. Maybe in the future, she could ask Dimitri to show her so she wouldn''t be so scared.


    Enzo was a little disappointed when he saw her walking back to where they had their beach towels. He wanted both his parents with him, and yet his mother was out there sitting and reading a book.


    "Dada, why mama no swim?" he asked with his sad little face.


    Dimitri answered, "I don''t think mama knows how to swim. But if she does not like the water, let''s bring the water to her," he smiled sheepishly.


    Aurora was trying to concentrate on reading the book in her lap when she got drenched with seawater. "Aggh.." she screamed. They had soaked Dimitri''s shirt in water and wrung it out on her. She angrily looked up to see both father and son laughing at her.


    Enzo tried to do the same thing with his shirt, but he was less successful. "Mama please...no angry," Enzo pleaded with his puppy dog eyes before his mother could scold him.


    "Mama, please¡­," Dimitri imitated Enzo''s childish voice. Aurora could not stay angry, the duo was so cute, so she giggled with them instead.


    "Okay, fine, let''s go," she said, "But let''s stay on the shallow side, okay?"


    They played in the water, splashing each other until they got tired and the sun started going down.

 Chapter 71 - 70

    In the villa, Aurora had sent Enzo to watch cartoons after she gave him a bath and made sure there was no more sand anywhere on his body. She was cleaning up the mess they made and was draining the tub when she felt an arm wrap around her waist.


    Dimitri pulled her closer to him while nuzzling her neck, his arousal poking her in the back.


    "Dimitri, I need to take a shower, I''m salty and full of sand," she tried to squirm away from him. And he chose to ignore her, trailing kisses across her shoulders to the other side of her neck.


    "Mmhhmmm¡­," she moaned unintentionally as she tilted her head to the other side, giving him better access. When he felt her giving in, he turned her around to face him and kissed her lips thoroughly. She was still wearing her bikini on and the cover-up that wasn''t really covering up anything. The minute she stepped out of the bathroom with that hot number on, he wanted to forget everything and just make love to her, but then they had Enzo with him, so he restrained himself.


    Her cover-up was low cut, and the way he was holding her right now, he could see the top of her breasts peeking out, waiting to be touched.


    "I want to take you here and now, fast and hard, moaning loudly and screaming my name," Dimitri stated.


    "Dimitri!" she blushed, the way he had described what he wanted to do pulled up steamy images in her head. Reminding her how hot and sexy their sexual encounters had always been. He never uttered sweet words when it came to making love, but whenever he showed her his passionate side, her whole world gets shaken up.


    "Yes, just like that, but a little sexier," he said when she called his name to scold him. He tormented her by licking and sucking on her neck.


    "Uhmmmmm¡­.," his lips ignited the flame within her, "But Enzo is waiting in the other room, we should get ready," she said breathily.


    "He''s watching cartoons, and I doubt he''d miss us at all if we do this now," he argued. Taking her hand and placing it on his member, he said, "Don''t you want to find out how this would feel buried inside you?"


    "She gasped when he twitched. It was like he grew when she touched him. He felt very rigid in her hand, and she could only imagine how it would feel deep inside her.


    His lips met hers, and he was surprised that her lips were already parted. It usually took a little coaxing before she surrendered and opened her lips to him, but today, she didn''t hesitate to show him how much she was aroused by his boldness. It looked like she was not going to hold back either.


    He took off his shirt then tore off the cover-up she was wearing. She gasped, thinking about how expensive the thing was, and she was only able to wear it once. She told him to stop tearing her clothes apart, stating that they were expensive and should be used more than once when he argued that he could get her more clothes later, and he did not care about their cost.


    She can never argue with him, especially when he had one goal in mind. He peeled off her bikini top and sucked at her breast like he was running out of time. Taking her nipple between his teeth, he bit at her softly, "Huh!" she gasped. Oh, the sounds she made drove him crazy


    He took her bottom off and sat her on the vanity, separating her legs so he could take a look at her luscious naked body offered before him. He had a teasing look on his face before he kneeled down, and his lips touched her most sensitive area.


    "Uuuuuggghhh¡­ Dimitri¡­ uuuuuggghhhh¡­ oh yeah¡­ aghhh¡­.'' she moaned as his tongue licked his way around her lips, sucking on her pearl.


    She was almost ready, almost there when he removed his pants and entered her hurriedly, making her come faster than she had anticipated. ''Uggghhh...'' they both said in unison. Her tight opening had squeezed his turgid flesh, and with all the stimulations earlier, he was not able to hold himself as he joined in her climax.


    She had her legs wrapped around his torso, and her arms around his neck when she came out of her haze. They have never done it this fast before, but she kind of enjoyed it. It meant he really wanted her that bad, and she felt flushed, knowing that he really desired her that much.


    He lovingly stroked her back, and even though he did not want to move from this wonderful position they were in, Enzo might decide to surprise them, and it would be hard to explain what they were doing to a four-year-old.


    "I think we should get ready before our son gets any ideas," he said as he kisses her neck again. He could not get enough of her.


    "Hmmm¡­ but I feel tired now," she rubs herself on his chest while she holds him closer. His eyes grew big again, and he knew that he was ready for her again.


    "Okay," he said softly, "Do you want me to give you a bath?"


    "Uh-huh," she nodded into his shoulder. She could feel him growing against her again, and if she was honest with herself, she wanted him again as well.


    He wanted to make love to her again when they got in the shower, but since she looked tired and they had Enzo to consider, he decided he could wait until tonight when Enzo was asleep.


    But as she stood under the shower getting wet and soapy, he couldn''t help kissing her everywhere his hand touched.


    It took them a little more time to get finished showering because even when they tried to apply self-restraint, they couldn''t stop touching and kissing each other. She gave him lip service that made him forget his self-imposed rule to hold off until later.


    When they came out of the bedroom, they found Enzo silently watching TV, and his eyes were drooping a little because of all the excitement and fun he had earlier.


    "Mama, Enzo hungry," he said a little sleepily.


    After they had dinner, they decided to laze around on the daybed at their very spacious balcony while they looked at the stars.


    Dimitri could not imagine a much nicer scene than what he had in front of him. He was sitting on one side, while Aurora had her head resting on his left shoulder and Enzo''s arms wrapped around his neck.


    "Dada, thank you!" Enzo kissed his cheek.


    "What for?" Dimitri asked.


    "Airplane... beach... swim¡­ play¡­," he explained in the only few words he knew. But it explained everything clearly. Enzo loved their vacation and the time that they played together.


    Dimitri smiled, "Okay, then we will make sure to come as often as we can."


    "Yay¡­ love you, Dada," Enzo kissed him again and hugged him tightly.

 Chapter 72 - 71

    It did not take Enzo a long time before he fell asleep, all the fun in the sun had worn him out and knocked him out. And it finally gave Aurora and Dimitri time alone together.


    "Are you happy?" Dimitri asked.


    "Yes, this trip is very relaxing," she said as she looked around, "Thank you for bringing us here."


    She had never traveled for fun before, every single day had been work and study since the day she opened her eyes. A trip like this was only in her dreams, maybe something they could have done in the future, but not right now.


    But it seems like every day with Dimitri was like living a dream. Her lifestyle was a far cry from where she used to be, no more scrounging for pennies and no more living paycheck to paycheck. These days everything was handed to her even before she could open her mouth.


    "That''s not what I mean," he says as he cups her face, "Are you happy with me?" He asks with a serious expression on his face. Aurora was curious, why would ask her such a question? She looked at him quizzically, unable to answer.


    "I...I am¡­ is there a reason why you''re asking me this?" she asked as she looked at him, her eyes evading his gaze.


    "You were very hesitant to marry me in the beginning, and I know you were not ready to open up to me, but because of my persistence, you decided to give me a chance. I just wanted to know what you thought of us," it seemed like he was a little bit shy when he said that, she thought.


    "Do you think you made the right decision choosing to risk everything with me?" he added. She had not seen this side of Dimitri before, and she did not know how to handle this situation. He was every woman''s dream, he was very powerful and confident, yet here he was doubting himself.


    How could she not have made the right decision? He had always been so patient and considerate of her feelings, and she could not have asked for more. She wondered why he was having doubts about them. He could have easily found himself a better wife, not a regular, nameless girl that had no family, but he chose her, and she felt very lucky that he did.


    Having him as her husband had been the best thing that happened to her, it was like every hardship she had encountered in her life had been erased. Gone was the feeling of being unloved, which was all thanks to her parents, and gone was the feeling of being betrayed, thanks to her supposed best friend. Dimitri had peeled away all her insecurities and self-doubt and had replaced all of it with happiness.


    "Dimitri," she cups his face, "I believe this was the best decision I made in my entire life. I''ve never been this happy before. You always treat me like I''m very special, and I appreciate that.


    I don''t know what made you think I was not happy? Sometimes I feel so happy I get scared, scared that I would lose everything when I open my eyes, that maybe this was all just a dream," she said sadly.


    "Don''t ever think that way," he draws her close, and she lays her head on his chest, "I am here to make all your dreams come true," he rubs her back and hugs her tightly. And his promises were never empty. Some men use this excuse to get the woman into their beds, but not Dimitri. He just snapped his fingers, and he got what he wanted.


    "I know. You have been making all my dreams come true," all the things she could have desired were laden right in front of her whether she asked for it or not. It was like living in a princess dream where they paraded all the clothes, shoes, and accessories in the world. All she had to do was think about it, and it appeared right in front of her.


    "You don''t know how wonderful my life has been after seeing you again. I treasure every moment we have together, but I have this feeling that whatever I do, it will never be enough," he said as he stood on the balcony. He was not sure how to express his feelings, but when he was with Aurora they always seemed to spill out of him. He was confessing his innermost feelings, and though he was a little scared of what might happen, he wanted to be honest with her so they could avoid any misunderstandings.


    Aurora knew he was baring his feelings to her, and she felt his vulnerability in the words he had said, so she follows him on the balcony and takes his hand in hers, "That''s exactly how I feel. I mean the wonderful part, every day has been magical. Before I met you, each day was like going to battle."


    "Sorry I was not there to take care of you before and after Enzo was born," he touched her cheek, "I could only imagine how awful it was going through that alone." That was Dimitri''s biggest regret, which is why he was trying his hardest to make it up to her.


    She shook her head, "No, don''t think about it. It''s all in the past. We have our whole future to look forward to, so we should concentrate on that," she assured. Now that she was clear on what had happened, she knew that he was not to blame. "We got Enzo out of that unfortunate incident, and it all worked out," she added.


    For a second Aurora thought she saw his face harden because of what she said, but then it was gone in an instant, which made her doubt she saw anything. What she did not see was that his other hand was clenched tightly on his side to control his emotions. Something bugged him, but he was not ready to tell Aurora about it.

 Chapter 73 - 72

    The tropical weather, together with the ambiance of the villa had calmed and relaxed them both down. It was like the last of the barriers between them had vanished, and it was the perfect time to express their love.


    They were gazing out at the stars when Dimitri turned to her, staring at her lovingly, when she looked back at him he said, "Aurora sweetheart, I love you," he confessed.


    She felt the love in the air but did not expect him to confess his feelings, so she was stunned when he did. He was never big on words, and it really surprised her, so she was not able to answer right away. "I¡­," she stammered when she saw the intensity in his eyes.


    Dimitri turned away from her. She hesitated, and that told him what he needed to know. She was not ready. His confession just came out naturally, and he did not want her to feel she had to say the same thing just because he did. He wanted her confession to come out naturally as well.


    When she saw him turn away, she saw the dejected look in his eye, "Dimitri, look at me," she said as she tried to pull his body to face her. She could not bear him looking so sad, but he just looked the other way.


    So she went on her tiptoes and grabbed his face with her hands, turning his face towards hers. "Why are you so impatient? I was not finished with what I was saying," she said impatiently.


    He looked at her with hope in his eyes. "I love you too Dimitri. I love you so much," she said softly.


    He gasped. Each word went straight to his heart. It was the sweetest salve in the whole world, and it was melting all the aches and pains he felt earlier when he thought she was rejecting him.


    "Is it true? You really love me?" he had the biggest smile on his face, something that she''s never seen before, and it made him look more handsome than before, "I''m the luckiest man on earth! Wohoooo!" he screamed from the balcony.


    He gave her the most mind-numbing kiss he''s given her yet, her legs were starting to turn into jelly, and for a second, she forgot where they were when their lips separated.


    "Will you promise to be with me forever?" he asks.


    "Yes, yes, yes," she felt giddy like he was proposing to her for the first time, and they had just been engaged.


    "Even if something happens, you will still stick to my side?" he asked in a doubtful tone. In his mind, he was asking her the most important question in his life. Will she be there when she learns who he really was.


    "Yes, I promise to stick with you, no matter what happens," she promised, not knowing what lies ahead. She thought his hesitation was just because he was not sure about her real feelings.


    He tightly hugged her and whispered, "Yes, you are mine forever, and you can never leave me." She hugged him back, with all the love in her heart, not knowing that some promises will not be easy to keep.


    Because we all know life is not what we expect it to be, and who knows what life will throw their way.


    -=-


    Violet was very worried about her mother. Moving her to a better hospital will definitely make her condition better but money was tight, or should she say non-existent. She had approached all her relatives, on her mother and father''s side, but none of them would take pity on her.


    When that didn''t work, she turned to her parent''s friends and old business associates, but they turned a blind eye on her as well. The more successful they were, the more biting their words became, and if they didn''t turn her away, they propositioned her to render services that would bring everyone to shame.


    She felt so disgusted after visiting most of them that she wanted to give up. But her mom needed her now more than ever, so she turned to some people she knew in school that she was friendly with, but they all pretended not to know her.


    The only good thing that was happening in her life these days was seeing her mother. But today when she came to the hospital, she heard loud voices coming from her mother''s room. Her mother was trying to check out, but the nurses would not let her, they said she needed the treatment and should wait for her daughter before she did anything drastic.


    Her mom was adamant about checking out because she knew they could never afford the treatments, not on whatever little money they saved, or even her daughter''s meager salary. But Violet assured her that the cost was not that expensive and that she had enough money saved to cover all the expenses.


    After reassuring her mother, and feeding her the lunch she brought, Violet wandered out of her mother''s room, walking aimlessly, and when she got tired she found herself sitting in one of the chairs in the lobby of the hospital. She kept going through the list of people she could ask for help and kept replaying the conversations she had with them.


    Maybe it was time to bite the bullet and just agree to their absurd demands, maybe she could choose the least ridiculous one, that won''t tie her to anyone for the longest period. It was going to be the most humiliating thing she would be doing in her life but if her mom would live longer, then it was the price she was going to have to pay.


    Gabriel had been in the hospital almost every day of that week. As soon as his brother and their family came back from their vacation, he was instructed to be Aurora''s personal security. He never thought his brother had a gentle and caring side to him, and because of that, he was being too overprotective. So since Aurora was now a part of their family, all he could do was obey.

 Chapter 74 - 73

    Gabriel saunters into the hospital like he owns the place. He had been here often enough that he should be given his own office already. The women adore him and get excited whenever he comes around. They get flattered every time he looks their way, but he only looks around because it has always been his instinct to be aware of his surroundings.


    He does a sweep of the lobby when his eyes landed on a lone figure sitting on one of the chairs. He doesn''t know why but he was drawn to her, and as curiosity got the better of him he started walking towards her.


    From afar, she looked like every other person in the hospital, devastated and dejected. As he got closer, he could see that she had gentle and delicate features, and her black shoulder-length hair, although a bit messy, had nicely framed her face.


    She was not someone he would notice amongst a crowd or give a second notice to at a bar, but today something about her caught his attention, and he wanted to investigate what it was.


    "Hey, miss! Is everything okay?" Gabriel asked as he stood beside her. Now he could see the tears streaming down her face, and she didn''t even bother to wipe them down. She looked so pitiful.


    Violet just sat there deep in her thoughts and misery, not noticing that someone was asking her a question.


    "Did someone die?" he asked. People at the hospital died all the time, and it was not unlikely that her relative or loved one had suffered the same demise, that was why she was crying.


    At his question, Violet looked at him through her vision blurred with tears, she did not understand the question, she thought he was telling her to leave, so she stood up, wiped her face, and walked away.


    "Miss!" he exclaimed, "Miss¡­ hello¡­," he repeated as he frowned. Nobody had ever ignored him before and thought he was bothered he did not follow her. He had other things to do, and following this woman was not one of them.


    A few days later, Gabriel had just parked his car and was on his way to the entrance of the hospital when something caught his attention on the other side of the street. Several cars had passed by honking at something that was almost to the middle of the street, so he stopped and looked at what it was.


    A woman was walking on the busy intersection while the lights were still green. He saw the truck careening from afar, so he ran as fast as he could to try to get to the woman. His heart leaped into his chest as he pulled her to safety.


    He thought they were goners as they tumbled on the ground. Gabe couldn''t breathe, and he thought, they had been crushed by the truck, but they had gotten out of harm''s way, and instead, the woman was lying on top of him.


    He chuckled, "Will you look at that, it''s you again. I knew you were going to end up laying with me sooner or later."


    When Violet came to, she was on top of someone leering at her, so she scrambled away from him and got up hurriedly. It was the same guy from the hospital that tried to talk to her the other day.


    The truck driver was cursing at everyone who came to watch but when he saw Gabe and Violet get up, he drove away, leaving everybody behind.


    "What were you doing?" Gabe said to her angrily, "Are you out of your mind, crossing the road without looking? Do you have a death wish?" he badgered, "Did you even think about the truck driver and the other people on the street?"


    The bills for the operation had filled her mind, and she was not aware that she had crossed the street when she did, "I...I¡­," the words couldn''t come out of her mouth as the tears fell on both sides of her face.


    Gabriel had towered over her, and the more he badgered her on the side of the street, the more scared she got, the more tears flowed.


    "Shit!" Gabriel cursed as he saw her tears flowing.


    "Sorry¡­ I¡­ I did not see¡­," she said in between sobs. Suddenly, he felt apologetic. Why was she apologizing when she was the one who almost got hurt. His eyes softened, and as he held her arm, she hissed.


    "What?" he took his arm back and noticed there was blood on his hands, but when he looked at his suit, which was definitely ruined, he saw that he had no wounds, so that meant that the woman was injured, that was why she hissed.


    "I''m sorry for screaming," he said frustratedly, as he checked her for other injuries, "Look at you, you have this big gash on your arm, and you''re bleeding, why didn''t you say anything?"


    "I didn''t realize," she said as she raised her arm.


    "What is up with this girl?" he thought, "first she throws herself in traffic, and now she doesn''t even know she was wounded. She''s probably in shock. But what happened to her?"


    "Come with me," he barked, and she could not even think to disobey him with the tone that he used. So she followed him all the way to the hospital.


    She had a very deep gash on her arm from her elbow to her hand, where she hit the pavement before Gabe pulled her on top of him. And as the doctor cleaned her wound, she cried out in pain, clutching Gabriel''s arm.


    He never let random women hold or touch him, but in her state, he let Violet hold on to him until the doctor bandaged her arm, coaxing her whenever she whimpered in pain.


    "Shh¡­ it''s going to be okay, just a little bit more," he said to her in a soft voice, something that came out of him naturally.


    After the bandage, the doctor told her that her wound was nothing serious. His only instructions were to avoid getting it wet and to drink the pain medication after several hours.


    When Gabriel offered to send her home, she did not argue. A lot of things had been going through her mind, and after the incident earlier, she was not sure she could get herself home safely.


    "Thank you for saving me and¡­ bringing me to the hospital," Violet said as they stopped in front of her house.


    Gabriel watched her retreating back until she was out of his sight. His hold on the steering wheel tightening as a memory from long ago invaded his thoughts.


    His tires squealed as he drove his car away from her.

 Chapter 75 - 74

    Dimitri had gotten an invitation to attend one of the important parties in the business world. A CEO from another company was retiring, and everybody who was important and wanted to be important was going to be in attendance. So Dimitri had to be there as well, it was his chance to connect with his old business associates and make sure the younger ones who will be the future directors and CEOs know who he was as well.


    He hated attending these things before. Coming alone made all single women and their families think that he was fair game. They would try to throw themselves at him whenever they had the chance in hopes of being Mrs. Santoris.


    Now that he had a wife, he wanted to show her off and shut off all the other women''s advances.


    Aurora knew there would be a lot of gatherings like this, so she couldn''t keep on declining, even if she wanted to, she just had to get used to it, and maybe in time, it would be easier for her. Dimitri had used all the sweetness he possessed in his body to beg her to come with him, so how could she say no.


    Before they entered the hall, Aurora clutched at his arm like he was offering her to be slaughtered. "Don''t worry, everything''s going to be fine," he says as he rubs her hands with his thumb. But when she still had a frown on her face, he kissed her forehead, "Relax, no one will say anything with me by your side."


    She gave him a weak smile, the worry she felt had been tamped down, but there was something still lingering in the air, and she could not put her foot on it.


    As soon as they entered, all eyes were on them. It was not the first time they saw an Aristocratic heir with a woman, but Dimitri had always shied away from any controversy or women, so it would be the first time they would see him with a woman in his arms.


    Men who headed the mafia were never known to be sweet and loving husbands, they were womanizers who used and threw women around like they were a piece of clothing. But Dimitri, on the other hand, had been very cold to women, even cruel, so they never imagined him to get together with anyone.


    Women at the party wore different colored evening gowns that sparkled, showing off their svelte figures, and most of them cost more than an arm and a leg.


    Aurora, on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air amidst the crowd, she had the perfect combination of elegance and style. She did not have that innocent look that made her an easy target, nor the look that she had something to hide, just like most of the women around her who were groomed to be ruthless and sly.


    She felt tense as she looked around, "Sweetheart, relax they''re just curious about you. As soon as someone else enters that door, then everyone''s attention will be diverted," He squeezed her hand for reassurance.


    They didn''t even have to make their rounds, people were naturally drawn to Dimitri. He introduced her to people she''d only seen on tv or in magazines, which made her feel a little uneasy. To cope with the pressure, she thought of them as her patients, who were easier to talk to once you spent a little time with them.


    When people tried to drag the conversion, they walked around, and this together with the tension she felt earlier got Aurora wanting a break. He was talking to a very important business colleague when she whispered in his ear, "I''m going to the restroom, I''ll be back." They were talking so much about business that her eyes were glazing over and she was getting sleepy just listening to them drone on and on about this deal and that.


    "Let me come with you," he replied. Excusing himself from the people around him.


    "No, it''s okay. I can manage. I won''t be long," she promised.


    Dimitri was hesitant to leave her alone, but she looked like she wasn''t as tense as when they came in, so he agreed. He could see the restroom from where he was standing, and nobody could harm her with these many people around them.


    After she came from the restroom, she noticed the dessert table and decided to get herself some snacks and bring them out to the patio, where they had set out some tables and chairs for people to enjoy their drinks and snacks.


    She was inspecting one of the flower arrangements when she heard a voice behind her. "Mind if I keep you company?" said a man dressed in a black suit. He was giving off a different vibe that made her shudder.


    This man stared at her like he was trying to gaze into her soul. To Aurora, he looked very intimidating, and his tall frame seemed to make him look very dangerous. He was definitely someone she should avoid.


    "No, I don''t think so. My husband is probably looking for me. I better leave." she tried to decline politely.


    He pretended not to hear what she said and sat beside her. And when she stood up, he said in a commanding tone, "Sit down Aurora! I want to talk to you."


    There was something in his tone that made her follow his command, "How do you know me?" she asked.


    "We all know you are Dimitri''s woman. I was curious to know what he sees in you," he smirked. That smirk held meaning and Aurora felt very uneasy about it. It felt like he wanted her to know that she had a secret he knew about, and he was going to use it against her.


    His entire vibe screamed "bad guy," and the way he was looking at her right now was like a predator waiting in the bushes, observing his prey from afar.


    "Well, I can answer that for you now. There is nothing special here to see. I''m just an ordinary person," she stated.


    "Oh no, no, no¡­ you are definitely something special, otherwise Dimitri would not have married you. I don''t think you know that your husband does not pay close attention to women, but then suddenly, here you are," he chuckled, "Where was he hiding you?"


    "You seem to know a lot about me, yet you still haven''t told me your name," she countered.

 Chapter 76 - 75

    Nicholas Russo had been shocked when he heard the gossip about Dimitri bringing a wife to the party. He was not there when they made their grand entrance, so he had to tail them for a while to snoop and see what she really looked like.


    He thought he would never get the chance to get her alone to himself, but he knew his chance had come up when she went to the restroom. He was going to corner her when she got out, but he was sidetracked by somebody he knew, missing the opportunity. Then, it seemed that fate was in his corner because he got another chance when she decided to have a snack on the patio.


    She was pretty but what interested him when he was observing her earlier was that she didn''t shy away from pointed questions that the catty women threw her way and now she was proving herself to him once again. Her personality was as strong as Dimitri''s.


    It intrigued him to know more about her because she did not cower in fear of him even though he saw the slight shudder she made when he ordered her to sit down, instead, she took him head-on, equally as curious to know who he was.


    "Are names really that important?" He said trying to get a rise out of her, but he knew his chance was up when he saw her rise. It seems like Dimitri had come looking for her after all.


    "What are you doing out here?" Dimitri barked as he pulled her waist toward him.


    "I had some snacks and needed some fresh air," she stated.


    "Why are you here?" He said as he addressed Nicholas.


    "You know him? He wouldn''t tell me his name," she said.


    Nicholas grinned, "Of course he knows me, we''re friends."


    Dimitri glared at him, "We''re not, and you should stay away from my wife." He had been frantic when he checked the women''s restroom, and Aurora wasn''t there. He had been searching for her, afraid that someone had done her harm.


    He knew that Nicholas was not to be trusted and was thinking of the worst possible outcome when Aurora disappeared. He had dispatched his men to look for her before he found her outside with none other than his nemesis.


    Nicholas saw that Dimitri was very shaken by his presence. There was something in his eyes that he had never seen before, was that fear? He laughed, Dimitri never feared anything in his life, and yet here was this woman who had the capability to turn his world upside down, and she didn''t even know it.


    "Dimitri," Aurora whispered, he was holding her too close to his chest that she wasn''t able to move. He immediately loosened his hold and held back his scowl, so as not to scare her.


    Nicholas did not miss this exchange, and he just stood there, stunned. It was like Aurora had turned the faucet off, and Dimitri''s anger dissipated, just like that.


    Dimitri dragged Aurora away from Nicholas. He needed to surround them with people before Nicholas could think of doing her harm. And she just went with him quietly, she did not want to embarrass her husband in front of all these people by asking all her unanswered questions.


    Nicholas smiled, he had found the one thing they could use to bring the Santoris family down. One could clearly see that Aurora is Dimitri''s weakness, his Achilles heel to be exact. His mistake was to bring her to his world and expose her to everyone.


    Dimitri was unaware that he had been holding onto her waist very tightly, practically carrying her out of there, and that without holding onto him as tight she would have tripped several times.


    When she knew they were in the clear, she called out to him. "Dimitri," she whimpered softly.


    "What?" he snapped at her.


    "You can let go of me now," she said, and he did as soon as he saw how pale she was.


    "Dimitri, who was that man?" she asked.


    "Sweetheart, his name''s Nicholas Russo, and I want you to stay away from him," he said as he hugged her, scanning the crowd, making sure Nicholas was nowhere in sight. He should never know how scared he was if something happened to Aurora. He would go crazy if he loses her, he knows that Nicholas has never played so far, and he will use Aurora to bring him down.


    His warning held a lot of meaning, but he did not want to explain any further, but she still agreed. She will try to get to the bottom of it later. Dimitri had always been honest with her, and she knows that he would explain himself sooner or later.


    "I understand. I didn''t feel good about him either," she said, hugging him back. He calmed down as he breathed in her scent


    -=-


    Gabriel visited one of his favorite jaunts. There were certain bars and nightclubs that he frequented, and this was one of them.


    Skimpily clad girls were gyrating their bodies on the poles, at the dance floor, and around their guests.


    He had been eyeing one of the girls so he could get laid tonight, when he got distracted by someone else that crossed by his periphery, blinking twice, he was sure that he knew who she was.


    It was Violet, that girl from the hospital, and she was talking to one of the customers.


    She looked very innocent when he saw her weeping for whoever it was that was worth her tears. Her likes would never come here, but then again there she was, a few feet away from him laughing at one of them.


    He chuckled, she was probably just acting to be pure and innocent, and he was a fool to think that she was anything but.


    Women show their true colors once money is waved in their face, and Violet was just one of them, just like her. He shook his head to erase memories of her.


    Gabriel sauntered towards her, and Violet smiled, recognizing her savior. Gabriel was wearing a scowl on his face, "It seems like you''re enjoying yourself."


    "I''m okay, I guess," she said, not understanding his remark.


    "That man can''t satisfy you," Gabriel taunted, "I can."


    She frowned, "What are you saying?"


    "Oh come on, don''t play innocent. Is he your fuck buddy? Are you satisfied with just one partner, or do you need more than one?" He was trying to be as vulgar as possible so he could hurt her.

 Chapter 77 - 76

    Gabriel was baffled why he was so bothered that she was not as innocent as he thought she was. There was so much anger directed at her, and he didn''t even know her personally.


    "How dare you talk to me like that," Violet said, angrily.


    She was only polite with him because he saved her life, but why was he degrading her without knowing the truth?


    "I guess the truth hurts, huh!" Gabriel smirked.


    "There is no use talking to you," she dismissed and turned to leave. She was not a confrontational person and avoided them as much as she could, so walking away was the best choice for her.


    Gabriel blocked her, "Why are you leaving? Have nothing to say?"


    "Leave me alone! Why are you bothering me?" she pushed him back.


    But Gabriel pinned her arms to her side, "What? Going to find your customer?"


    "You are a sick bastard!" she tried to twist away from him, but he was very strong, so she stomped one of his feet.


    "Oww! So feisty!" he said with a smile on his face, not bothered by the stomp on his foot.


    The manager stalks toward them, "Violet, what are you doing? That is not your job. You''re here to serve the drinks," she barked.


    Violet took that opportunity to get free and run away, "I am sorry ma''am. I''ll get to it," she picked up the tray in front of her and headed to the kitchen.


    "I''m sorry Mr. Santoris, I did not see that it was you," said the manager, " Do you fancy her? I can get her back out here."


    "Who was she?" he asked.


    "She''s a new employee who started today. That woman was too desperate for a job, but I don''t think she''s going to last. She''s too timid," she added.


    "Shit!" he cursed. Now he felt really guilty. She was a waitress and not one of the other girls. Why did he talk to her that way anyway?


    If he had looked closely, he would have seen that she was indeed wearing a club uniform, the same one the other waitresses were wearing. And now that he had been observing her for a while, he could also see that she was uncomfortable wearing such a skimpy and revealing outfit. Violet kept on pulling her skirt down to make it longer, and she kept fidgeting with her top to show less of her bosom.


    The smile on her face was firmly plastered on, but one can see that it was forced, it made him wonder why she was here if she felt so uncomfortable.


    Gabriel was going to get to the bottom of this, but since she was still serving her customers, then he would wait. He wanted to apologize to her for jumping to the wrong conclusion.


    He decided to leave her alone for a few minutes and diverted his attention somewhere else when he heard a commotion happening at the place he saw her last. Some guy was pulling at her arm, and people could clearly see that she was trying to get away from him.


    Gabriel jumped up from his seat headed to where she was when the same guy laughed out loud and pulled Violet onto his lap. She tried to free herself, but the guy was using brute force to keep her where she was.


    "Let her go!" Gabriel commanded.


    The guy smirked, "Fuck off! Who are you to tell me what to do?" He was not going away without his prize tonight. Everybody in the club can be bought, and this new girl is the one he wanted for tonight.


    "I told you to let her go," Gabriel repeated. Violet was squirming and trying to get away, but her attempts were futile. The guy had been propositioning her since he arrived, asking her to sleep with him, and even waving around money to entice her to agree. He got mad when she told him to know his place and that not all the women in the club are for sale.


    "Why should I? I saw her first, and she''s mine. We can share if you want. I''ll give her to you after," the guy said as he nuzzled Violet''s neck.


    Gabriel completely lost it when he was Violet''s scared eyes, and that man had his lips on her neck. He pulled the guy by his collar and punched him in the face.


    He was bleeding by the time Gabriel was done with him, but nobody said anything because they knew who Gabriel was, he was VIP, and the other guy was a nobody.


    Gabriel did not care as he dragged Violet out of there. He knew she was rattled, but he was very mad right now.


    "I¡­.", Violet stammered.


    "Shut up!" Gabriel snapped as he dragged her through the hallways. His hold on her hand, tightening and the look of murder on his face very evident that everybody who saw them made a clear path for them.


    Violet was confused, was he angry with her? For a minute there she thought he was there to help her, and now he seemed like he was mad.


    "Don''t you have any brains? Don''t you know that you have to scream for help when someone gets too touchy?" Gabriel said, angrily.


    "It''s my first day on the job, and I didn''t want to cause any trouble," she said, defending herself.


    "Are you kidding me? It was that idiot causing trouble. Did they not tell you the rules to this place?" he snapped, thinking that this woman was too soft, and it was too easy to bully her.


    After all that had happened, Violet felt vulnerable, tears started streaming down her face. Why was her savior screaming at her again anyway?


    But Gabriel was on a tirade, "Why are you working here anyway? Do you like flaunting your body? Is that why? You like men leering at you?"


    "No...no¡­ That''s not it...," she said wearily.


    "Then tell me, why the fuck are you here?" he said as he braced his hand on the wall behind her, but all she could do was cry.

 Chapter 78 - 77

    "Shit! Why are you always crying like this?" Gabriel yelled.


    "Cause you are a scary person¡­ and you are not nice," Violet sobbed.


    He was caught unawares, why all of a sudden did he find her cute, just as cute as Enzo when he was complaining about Gabriel being mean. And he knew just how to deal with her.


    "Okay, okay, calm down and tell me why are you in this godforsaken place?" he said softly, knowing that this was the only way to coax the answer out of her. Just like Enzo, scaring her would make her clam up more.


    After she wiped all her tears, she said, "I need money, and this job pays more than any job I can find in the city."


    Oh, so he was right after all. She was just like all the other women who were working here, all they cared about was money.


    "Well, if that''s the case, then why don''t you just sleep with me. I''ll pay you..," Violet tried to slap him before he could finish his sentence, but he was always aware, and he was ready. He held her hand and pinned it behind her back.


    The light was back in Violet''s eyes, and now it was anger that fueled them, "How dare you insult me constantly without knowing the facts? Why do you think so low of me?"


    "Then tell me. You need money for new clothes, shoes, bags, makeup? Am I right?" he said, taunting her.


    She lowered her eyes, "No... I wish it was for all those things, but it''s for my mother''s operation. I need a big amount of money, and I need it fast," she explained.


    "I... I tried everywhere else to get a job that would pay a lot, but in this city, only the clubs pay a high salary for being a waitress or a performer," she was pretty and young, so she knew that she could get the waitressing job right away.


    "You think I wanted to be here?" she smirked. She wanted to run away as soon as she saw what kind of club it was, but her mother''s face flashed before her, so she decided to bite the bullet until she got the amount she needed, then she was going to quit. But after the incident today, who knows if she still has a job.


    He came to apologize for what he did earlier but did not think that she was here because of a deeper reason. "Okay, look, I''m sorry I jumped to conclusions," he apologized as he let her hand go and ran his fingers through his hair. How did he manage to do a bad job of knowing this person?


    "It''s okay. You didn''t know," she said, "Just top being annoying and maybe ask me first before you get angry at me."


    She told him how frustrated she was that she couldn''t do anything for her mother and that this was the only way she could earn that much money, that fast.


    When she had exhausted all her frustrations, she suddenly felt tired, like all her energy had been used up, so she told Gabriel that she needed to go.


    "Thank you again for helping me out. If It wasn''t for you who knows where I would be right now," she said.


    "Well, I''m sorry again, and the least I could do is drop you off if you would let me," he said apologetically.


    "Uhm¡­ sure, I guess, since I don''t think the buses are still running right now," she agreed.


    While he was watching her get into her house, Gabriel called somebody to get the full details on Violet. He had a good feeling about her, so that night he went home in a very good mood.


    These two people who met by chance and what started with misunderstanding will soon bloom into something beautiful.


    -=-


    Dimitri was working late again today and as Aurora rode in the car looking forward to getting home and seeing her little angel Enzo, a car crashed into theirs.


    For a moment, she was momentarily shocked, not knowing what happened. The other car had pushed theirs onto the curb immobilizing it.


    The driver got out of the car to check what happened but never came back. She could hear angry voices outside, so she got her cell and started dialing Dimitri''s number when her door opened, and two men came in to drag her out. One of them covered her mouth with a cloth laden with chloroform. She tried to struggle, but she still inhaled most of it and passed out.


    When she came to and opened her eyes, she found herself in a barely furnished room. She was blinded by the white walls when she first opened her eyes and thought maybe she was back at the hospital.


    Looking around, all she saw was the bed she was lying in and a chair right beside it. She tried to get up but still felt very weak. Her goal right now is to let Dimitri know where she is if she could only find her purse, but it was nowhere to be found.


    She was not tied up to the bed, so she decided to get up and try to see if she could get out. Hoping that maybe they left the door unlocked because the only window in the room was too small for her to fit in.


    While she was sitting on the bed, she contemplated who those men were and why they took her. What did they want from her? What will they do to her? She also wondered if they were ever going to come to see her and tell her what they needed.


    She was scared, but she couldn''t do anything about her situation. Were they related to that doctor that was harassing her? Did she upset any of her patients? Maybe someone''s family was taking revenge?


    What time was it anyway? She did not know how long she''d been in there, and if Dimitri had already found out about her abduction. Was he searching for her like crazy? He always told her that she might be in danger, but she never heeded his warnings, dismissing him as just another of those jealous and protective husbands.

 Chapter 79 - 78

    Aurora felt sad, was she ever going to see Dimitri again? Will she see her baby Enzo grow up to be a good man? As thought kept flitting through her brain, she started getting more and more agitated. She knew she had to get out of there, but how.


    So she stood up again and tried jiggling the door to see if it was loose, then she tried screaming until she lost her voice. If she was scared, now she was petrified. Nobody was coming, and they would let her rot in here, she will not see her family ever again.


    After crying for a while, she fell into a deep slumber and was awakened by people talking beside her.


    "Boss should I wake her up?" the first voice asked.


    "There''s no need. We''re not in a hurry. We''ll wait," the one called the boss answered.


    "But boss¡­," insisted the first voice.


    "Shhh¡­. She''s coming to," the boss said when he saw Aurora stir and tried opening her eyes.


    Her vision was blurred for a second before it focused on a very familiar face in front of her. She gasped.


    "Here, drink some water," the first voice said as he placed a glass near her lips. She was so thirsty that she just gulped the water down, not even wondering if they might have drugged her again.


    "Aurora, it''s a pleasure seeing you again," the boss said.


    "Nicholas! What are you doing here? What am I doing here?" she asked, trying to make sense of what was happening.


    "Didn''t I say we would see each other again? And I keep my promises," he chuckled.


    "As to what I am doing here? I had them bring you here. I really wanted to speak to you at the party, but your husband rudely took you away," he smirked.


    "You kidnapped me just so you could talk to me? Are you insane?" she rebuked. She knew that he was a rival of her husband when it came to business, but why kidnap her?


    "I''m not insane, but I still do want to talk to you," he said cockily.


    "I will answer all your questions, please, just return me to my family," she pleaded.


    "Ohh¡­ that''s good. You''re being cooperative. But I did not get you here just to let you go so soon. We need to wait. I still need to do something," he smirked that evil smirk again.


    "Dimitri will kill you if you don''t let me go," she tried to threaten him since being rational did not help her one bit.


    "Look at you all confident. I misjudged you. I thought you were a soft, fragile woman, I never expected you to threaten me," he was amused, he was waiting for her to beg, plead, cry and use her womanly charms on him, but she did neither of those. No wonder Dimitri was attracted to her.


    She was shaking in her boots right now, but she was not going to show him, she needed to put up this front to intimidate him. The kids at the orphanage used this technique on her before, they would scare her more when she appeared to be scared, so she knew how to fight back.


    At the back of her mind, she was praying to all the gods that Dimitri would find her before her resolve crumbles.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t do anything to you, I just wanted to know you better," Nicholas interrupted her thoughts. He had kidnapped Aurora to show Dimitri that he had the upper hand and now he had control.


    Kidnapping Aurora had not been that easy. She had too many men tailing her all the time. They had to plan the abduction for a long time, avoiding getting seen or caught by Dimitri''s men. But in the end, they triumphed. Nicholas was laughing out loud when his men called him to say that they had her.


    "Give me your questions, so I can answer them already," she said impatiently.


    "I was wondering who do you think your husband loves more. You or his power?" he stared at her for a few seconds before he continued, "I have this deal I really wanted to get, but Dimitri keeps on getting in the way. He just can''t let me have it. Do you think he would change his mind now that I have you?" his questions laden with a lot of meaning.


    Dimitri had been a thorn in the Russo family''s side ever since they tried to come back, they could not defeat him no matter what tactic they used. But now that this opportunity presented itself, Nicholas knows that he might just be able to win.


    "Look at you trying to use a woman to win, you are nothing but a coward and a cheat. No wonder you can never win with my husband, he would never even think of using someone like me to gain his advantage," she said proudly.


    Nicholas laughed like a madman, "Look who''s talking. The blood on Dimitri''s hands can never be washed in this lifetime. The number of sins he had committed is countless.


    You think your husband is a saint? He is a devil in disguise. I''m surprised you haven''t seen his true self. His name brings terror in the underworld."


    "What are you talking about?" she yelled at him, defending her husband, "Dimitri is an honest man."


    "Come on, don''t tell me you don''t know¡­," he frowned when he saw she was serious about her defense.


    Nicholas laughed out loud again, "Hahaha! Dimitri had you fooled." She frowned.


    "Don''t tell me you don''t really know his identity?" he asked.


    "What in hell are you talking about? He is a businessman, an Aristocratic heir who owns multiple businesses," she said in an irritated voice.


    "I''m talking about his other identity," he volunteered.


    "Stop playing with your words. What other identity are you talking about?" she snapped.


    "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Aurora, Aurora, Aurora¡­ I hate to break this to you, but your husband is the leader of the most notorious underground Mafia in this country," he looked at her pityingly.


    Aurora was stunned. Her perfect gentleman of a husband could not be the monster this man was talking about. "He could never be the leader of those criminals who never hesitated to kill or use violence in everything they dealt with. Or could he?" she wondered.


    She shook her head, "No, that was not possible. He was the kindest, nicest and sweetest person she had ever met in her life. He took care of her and Enzo all the time," she was trying to convince herself.


    What she did not know was that Dimitri''s softer side only came out when he was with her, and his sweetness was exclusively for her and her alone.


    She looked back at her interactions with Dimitri, and she could not see any fault in him. He was strict with Enzo, but that was because he was the future heir, but she could not bear to think that he was a violent person. He loved her very deeply, and she knew he was ready to do anything for her.

 Chapter 80 - 79

    "No! You''re lying to me! That can''t be possible, Dimitri, could never kill anybody," Aurora justified. Dimitri could not be the gangster that Nicholas paints him to be. How could they be total polar opposites? She saved lives while he needlessly took other people''s will to live.


    Nicholas chuckled, "Oh my dear, you are so innocent. I can''t wait to see the look on your face when you find out what else he is hiding from you," he sneered. He was definitely enjoying her anguish.


    It was undeniable that Nicholas was not a good man, his family was messed up which made him the man he is today. At least Dimitri being the leader of the underworld had a family that loved and respected each other.


    She did not like what Nicholas was telling her, but what else is Dimitri hiding from her? Why did he have to hide all this information from her if it was really true? Doubts suddenly started worming their way into her fragile heart. "If he could lie about a major detail like in his life, what else was he lying about? Does he really love me?" she wondered, "No, I shouldn''t think like this," she said to herself.


    "Well, I''m getting more than I bargained for, and I can''t wait for all this to unfold. Let''s wait for your husband, shall we? He can explain everything," He winked at her and left Aurora to her thoughts.


    "Wait! Don''t go!" she pleaded, she wanted him to explain further and not leave her locked up in that room again. Nicholas stopped with his back to her, but after a second, decided to keep on walking.


    "Nooo! Talk to me," She caught up to him and tried to pull on his arm, but his bodyguard on instinct hit her head with the butt of his gun. Aurora saw stars, she fell as blood trickled down her face.


    "Stop!" Nicholas yelled, "You idiot! I told you not to hurt her. Go and get the doctor. I want her alive and awake when Dimitri gets here."


    Dimitri was in a meeting when he learned that Aurora had been kidnapped. He had been trying to avoid this from happening, but Nicholas was more resourceful and more ruthless than he anticipated. His blood ran cold, and it felt like the rug had been pulled from under his feet. He was falling into the pit of despair.


    He left the meeting without any explanation, his goal right now was to find his wife and make sure she was unharmed. Fear gripped his heart at the thought of not seeing her again. He kept blaming himself for exposing her to danger, this was all his fault, just because of that damn business deal he could not let go of.


    "Fuck that power-hungry Nicholas! I will kill him if something happens to my Aurora," he thought angrily. He was livid and was ready to kill anybody that would cross his path.


    Nicholas was ignoring all his calls. Of course, he would. He had an advantage, and he was milking it for all it was worth. He wanted Dimitri to feel helpless, and only then can he be under his control.


    "Dammit!" Dimitri cursed. He dispersed all people to find Aurora''s whereabouts, somebody had to know something, a city this big, nothing is kept secret for very long. He instructed them to find a property that Nicholas owned where he had been seen recently and had more armed guards than usual. Dimitri knew that that''s where Nicholas would have his wife.


    "Sweetheart, I will be there soon, wait for me," Dimitri whispered in his heart as he pictured her beautiful, carefree, smiling face in his mind to keep himself from going insane. He vowed that if Aurora had even a tiny scratch on her, Nicholas was going to pay for it ten times over.


    In no time, Dimitri''s men found out where Nicholas was holding Aurora, and he did not waste time getting there. By that time, she had gained consciousness, and her wound had been treated.


    Aurora was waiting in the same room she had been locked in and was staring at the pristine white walls while the maid prepared her food.


    "I''m not in the mood to eat, you can take it away," she said with a resistant voice.


    "I can''t do that, Sir Nicholas said you should eat something, otherwise he will come here and feed you himself," the maid replied.


    Aurora scoffed. She could not figure out what game Nicholas was playing right now. He was trying to feed her, yet at the same time, he was threatening her as well. So she tried to eat as much as she could push down her throat.


    Her mind full of Dimitri''s deceit, she could not digest the truth about her husband and his real identity. She kept asking herself why... Why would Dimitri lie to her? There must be an acceptable explanation for this. Right?


    When Dimitri reached the building, Nicholas had been waiting for him with a smug smile on his face. "Was it hard to find me Dimitri?" he looked at his watch, "It''s impressive that you found her in much less time than I expected."


    "Where is she, you asshole?" Dimitri said as he clenched his teeth together, stopping himself from reaching over and pulverizing Nicholas'' face to a pulp.


    "Take a seat, relax, we''re not in a hurry," Nicholas waved Dimitri over to a chair. He didn''t even notice his surroundings, all his focus was on Nicholas.


    Dimitri banged his hand on the table, "Stop toying with me! Give me back my wife!"


    Nicholas smirked, "It''s nice to see you all riled up. The very cool and collected Dimitri Santoris is showing some emotion at last."


    Dimitri was riled up alright. He pulled a gun on Nicholas and aimed it at his head.


    But Nicholas was unfazed, "Should I be scared now?" he said sarcastically.


    Dimitri exploded, "Don''t test my patience! I will not hesitate to pull this trigger on you."


    Bodyguards from both camps started drawing their guns and pointing at each other.


    "Give me what I want, then you can have her," Nicholas demanded. He wanted Dimitri to shake in his boots, to show him that he could control him.


    "Show me my wife, and then we''ll talk," Dimitri demanded. Nicholas raised his arm, and someone behind him moved. In the near distance, they could hear a door being slammed.

 Chapter 81 - 80

    Behind Nicholas, Dimitri saw Aurora shuffling down the stairs, so he put his gun away. "Aurora are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Dimitri screamed.


    "Tsk, tsk. Down boy," Nicholas waved his finger, stopping Dimitri from going to Aurora. The man escorting her, showing him the gun pointed at her head.


    Aurora''s eyes filled with tears as soon as she saw Dimitri, but she could not go to him right away, they had threatened her that they would kill him if she did.


    "Awww... Isn''t that so sweet? Such a sweet reunion. I''m lucky to be a witness to this," Nicholas mocked after he signaled Dimitri he could go and meet Aurora at the bottom of the stairs.


    Dimitri hugged her so tight that she could not breathe. He was relieved that he could touch her again. He breathed in her scent, and for a moment, everything felt right again. But they both knew this was far from over.


    Aurora''s tears drenched his shirt with her uncontrollable crying, "Shh... I''m here, everything will be fine," Dimitri murmured into her ears, "We''re going to get out of this horrible place soon."


    Then he focused on the bandage on her head, "Who did this to you?" he asked angrily.


    "It.. it was an accident," she explained, "Let''s...Let''s just get out of here. Please¡­," she begged.


    But Dimitri still saw red, and he was not going to leave out of there without inflicting any kind of a pain to Nicholas. They were walking past him when Dimitri went back and punched Nicholas'' smug face.


    Nicholas knew that if Dimitri wanted to kill him right now, he would have been dead already, regardless of him being surrounded by his armed guards. Dimitri could probably have wiped out everybody in the building, but because his wife was there, Nicholas had leverage.


    "What was that for?" Nicholas mocked, "You got your wife back, as promised."


    "That''s for laying a hand on her. She wouldn''t have this bandage on her head for nothing, you asshole," Dimitri fumed.


    "Your wife said it was an accident, wasn''t it Aurora?" Nicholas stared at her and dared her to say otherwise. Aurora nodded, she did not want to aggravate Dimitri much further. "My guard got butterfingers, but she''s all patched up now, so there''s nothing to worry about," he dismissed.


    "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" Dimitri asked lovingly to his wife.


    "I''m okay, please, let''s go home," Aurora pleaded.


    Dimitri turned towards the door, "You will get what you want, but don''t think I''m done with you," he warned.


    Nicholas was still astounded by how gentle Dimitri had been with his wife, a tiger can change stripes, after all, he thought. That deal would not have fallen through without Aurora.


    In the car, Dimitri was holding Aurora in his arms, he was relishing that they were finally together while she was numb from the pain of betrayal, the bump on her head, and the exhaustion from what happened.


    He thought she was shaken up by today''s event, so he decided to let her have time for herself. It was a lot to take in, and he knew if he opened his mouth now, nothing was going to be resolved.


    As soon as they got home, she went straight to their bedroom, locking herself alone. She was not ready to face him right now, maybe not ever.


    Dimitri stood outside their door when he heard the lock click, there was nothing he could say to make everything better, so he thought time usually heals all wounds, so that is what he would give her.


    But as always, he was impatient when things are not going his way, he thought an hour or two would be enough for her to contemplate on their situation and maybe relax so they could talk about the whole thing with cooler heads.


    When she didn''t come to see him, he started banging on the door, and when she did not come, he got the key and opened the door himself. That''s where he found her sobbing at the foot of the bed.


    "Sweetheart¡­," he said as he tried to pick her up and lay her on the bed.


    "Stop¡­ stop¡­ go away," she said as she tried to scramble away from him.


    Dimitri felt crushed, he thought she was blaming him for the kidnapping and getting hurt. "I''m sorry. It was my mistake. I didn''t think he could get past the guards. There won''t be a next time for this, nobody will touch you ever again," he answered.


    But she just glared at him. Did he think that explanation was enough for everything that happened?


    "You''re a liar!" she accused.


    "I am not¡­ I promise my life, they will never get to you ever again," he stressed.


    "You did this. You! It''s all because of you!" she cited.


    "I didn''t do this. What are you talking about?" he asked. He already knew this was all because of him, but why was she angry with him accusing him of lying. He got her out of there didn''t he?


    "What are you saying? If you don''t tell me, I will never know," he said as he turned her face toward him. The hurt in her eyes was very evident, and he wanted to erase them from being there.


    "You lied to me," she sobbed, as she shook her chin from his grasp, "You''re the leader of the most notorious mafia group in this country, and you think you can hide that from me?"


    He was stunned, no wonder she locked him out of their bedroom. That asshole Nicholas did more damage than he expected. It took a second for him to recover and figure out a way to break everything to her gently, so they won''t end up fighting with each other.


    "It''s not like that¡­ I wanted to shield you away from that part of my life. I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you to get involved and get hurt," he explained.

 Chapter 82 - 81

    "Yet here I am¡­ you failed," she said.


    "I promise, it will never happen again," he replied.


    "Dimitri, didn''t we promise to be truthful with each other? How long were you going to hide this from me? I''m your wife, didn''t you think I deserved to know the truth?" she asked with hurt in her voice.


    "Yes, you deserved to know about it, but I was afraid that I was going to lose you. When we met, you distrusted me, and you were fighting me every chance you got," he stood up and paced by the bed, "I loved you so much all those years, and I can''t afford to lose you. I knew that if I told you I was a part of the underworld, you would have run away from me."


    He was fidgeting with his hands while he paced back and forth, how was he going to explain to her that he was still the man she fell in love with these past few months. That nothing would change.


    "So you''re fine with killing people, using them to your advantage, so you could get what you want? Just like Nicholas?" she accused.


    "How many people have died in your hands, Dimitri? No, don''t answer me. I married a murderer," she cried in anguish.


    "Shh¡­. shh¡­ sweetheart, it''s not like that," He tried to wipe her tears, but she swatted his hand away.


    "I''m nothing like Nicholas," he stressed, "I don''t use women and children to get what I want. I never kill unless it''s necessary, and I never hurt people just for the fun of it.


    People are scared of me because they do not know me, and that''s where I get the upper hand, intimidation is the key to my power. People usually fear what they do not know, so I use that to my advantage. I try to maintain the order.


    I did not choose to be a member of this organization. I was born into it, and It has been like this for generations. I inherited this position from my father and my father from his, and so on, and so forth.


    Do you think my family would still be alive if people hated us that much, they would want revenge every chance they get, trying to murder us whenever they have the chance? But you see, until Nicholas showed up, we were functioning fine, everything was quiet and orderly.


    This does not change anything. I am still your husband, and I love you very much," he explained.


    "So all that Aristocratic nonsense was just a front, your real legacy is being a mafia leader, " she gasped when she realized, "My son will become the next Mafia leader when he grows up."


    "Our son will inherit my position, yes," he said.


    "NO! I will never agree to this," she screamed.


    "Okay, let''s talk about it later," he dismissed her demand. It did not matter if Aurora agreed or not, Enzo does not have a choice. He will be the next heir. She had no knowledge that her sweet little boy was being slowly molded for this position already.


    "I need time to myself," she replied, lying on the bed, facing away from him to signal that she was done talking to him.


    "No! You''re doing this with me, and you will tell me everything that goes through your mind. Good and bad," he was not giving her time for herself because he did not want her to get ideas that would eventually result in her leaving him.


    She sat back up and snapped at him, "Dimitri leave me alone!"


    "No, don''t you get it? Aurora, I''m not going to leave, I''m never leaving you," he screamed back.


    If he was not going to get out, then she was going to leave him in the room. Find herself another spare guest room she could sleep in. She scrambled out of the bed, but Dimitri held her hand before she could even get out.


    They kept going with this tug of war until Dimitri had enough, in his cold domineering voice, the one that he used for his subordinates, he commanded her, "Stop it!"


    And she did because this was a tone he had never heard him use before. There was a steely look to his eye and a dark aura about him.


    "You are never leaving me, ever. And don''t even think about it," he threatened.


    He was not making sense, all she wanted to do was have time for herself and think things over. Why isn''t he giving her the freedom to do that?


    "Uh-huh," she nodded to appease him and not aggravate him further.


    "I need you to say it," he said, but when she looked indignant and held her silence, he just went overboard, "SAY IT!" he screamed.


    He had gone crazy, just the thought of losing her made him lose all sense of reason. In his dark and blood-stained life, she came and brought him a ray of light and hope. How can he let her slip away from his hands when she was the only thing that made him hold on to his life. He will do everything in his power to keep her there.


    This trait could be found among the Aristocratic heirs. They were deadly possessive when it came to their women, and they never give them any chance to say no when it comes to their relationship. But behind all the domineering attitude, these men were loyal, and loving with their wives. They pampered and took care of them like they were the most precious thing on the face of the earth.


    She cowered in fear, Dimitri''s behavior suddenly changed like night and day. Gone was the gentle husband she knew, and in his place was a very angry, domineering person she had never met before. This was his true self when he was not with her.


    Where is the man she married? Is he going to treat her like this from now on? Is she going to be imprisoned in the house? Never to be allowed to leave and go to the hospital again?

 Chapter 83 - 82

    Aurora thought back on the tender, loving man that was her husband. Was that all really just for her, or was it all just for show? Or was it real?


    She felt so¡­ numb. He just screamed at her in anger, commanding her never to leave him. Was this her reality now? Was she being trapped in this relationship?


    It didn''t even register when Dimitri had come closer, she just felt his thumb caressing her cheek, "Sweetheart, I''m sorry I didn''t mean to scream at you. It''s just that you mean so much to me and I can''t bear you leaving me. Tell me¡­," he pleaded, "Please tell me you''ll never leave me."


    He was kissing her cheek, trailing down her neck, "Tell me.. Please sweetheart¡­ tell me¡­ you''ll stay," he said after each kiss. He was overcome with so much desire that he just kept on trying to cover her in kisses.


    Aurora sat there as he undressed her, afraid to make a move and get him angry. What is happening now? Should she just lie here and let him have his way with her? Will he force her to do what he wanted? This was not the life she imagined she would be living when she agreed to be his wife. She felt pity for herself, so this is what it has amounted to. Their relationship was reduced to carnal desire.


    Dimitri was getting ferocious with his kisses and caresses, if she did not understand what he was saying then he was going to make her feel it, maybe then she would understand. He had his hands in her hair and was kissing her cheeks again when he tasted her salty tears.


    "No, no, no¡­ Shhhh¡­ Sweetheart, don''t cry," he said while he wiped her tears.


    "You''re¡­ you''re hurting me..," she stammered. He sighed, he knew he was being rough with her. Because when it came to Aurora, he could never control himself.


    "I just...I wanted to make you feel how much I love you. I know there is no¡­," he trailed off. Turning away from her and laid on his back. Sorry for what he did, it was a cruel joke that god gave him such a pure soul when he''s been tainted all his life.


    A pained expression was etched on his face as he thought about everything he had done. He learned how to defend himself at a young age, when the children were still playing about, he was learning how to evade bad guys and how to fire a gun. How would she react when she learns what he went through, what their son might go through.


    Aurora still loved Dimitri despite all the things that had transpired between them. His conflicted and troubled expression bothered her more than she would admit, and as her heart softened, she reached out for him.


    She touched his face, wondering what was going through his mind, "Dimitri, do you really love me?" she asked.


    "Yes, I do. I love you very much," he immediately answered, looking deep into her eyes. Aurora was talking to him, and he would not waste this opportunity to set everything right.


    The sincerity in his eyes wormed its way through her heart, "Should I get scared that... You might hurt me?"


    "No, that would never happen. I will never hurt you on purpose," he answered. "But this I want you to know, you can ask me anything, but I cannot let you go," he added. She nodded.


    She settled into the pillows with a less pained and troubled expression, which gave him hope. She was finally coming around, but he knew she needed time.


    "Will you tell me what you really do?" she asked as she looked up at the ceiling.


    "Yes, yes¡­ of course, I will," he said excitedly, "Oh sweetheart," he said as he gathered her in his arms and hugged her.


    "Dimitri¡­ I think we should get dressed if we''re having this conversation," she said self-consciously.


    "I don''t care," he said as he hugged her closer, "I will tell you everything," and he did. Of course, he omitted all the bloody and gory details since she was not ready to hear about it. Unlike Daisy, his mother, Aurora was not from a mafia family, so he had to break down his explanations in simpler terms.


    Aurora learned that there was a natural order for the families, and there was a purpose to everything Dimitri does, it was never out of spite or malice. True, it was for the good of his family, but he never leaves the other party high and dry when he makes his business deals.


    When he finished telling her all about him and his family, they laid naked in each other''s arms and cuddled, feeling more closer than before. Dimitri bared his heart and soul to her, their skin touching each other, bare as the day they were born. And without any sexual interference, it just felt like their souls connected on a much deeper level.


    Aurora lifted her hand and touched his cheek, "Thank you for telling me all that. I hope you won''t hide anything from me in the future," she placed her trust completely in him this time, and wished upon the stars that this was the last they would fight about this.


    After he unloaded all his secrets, Dimitri felt better, it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. This was the connection Dimitri had been looking for all his life, and as he looked at his wife sleeping peacefully, he wished upon the stars that nothing would take her away from him.


    He will make sure that nothing can take her away from him. And that meant that he had to take care of that one thing that almost broke them apart today, Nicholas. He would never get another chance to drive a wedge between him and Aurora.


    Dimitri had to get rid of Nicholas, and he had to do it as soon as possible before he did more damage.

 Chapter 84 - 83

    Outside Violet''s house, a very expensive black-tinted car had been parked on the curb for the past hour. She was walking towards the curb when she saw someone climb out of the car, it was Gabriel, all 6 feet of pure masculine confidence.


    "Get in," he commanded as he opened the door to let her in.


    "Why should I?" she asked.


    "I don''t have all day. Get in!" he frowned, and the command came out a little more forceful this time.


    Violet did not understand him. His mood swings were swinging faster than a metronome, and they were very unpredictable. He was asking her to come with him, yet he won''t let her ask any questions. She rolled her eyes as she got in to save them both from further arguments.


    "Can you tell me where we''re going?" she asked, but of course, she did not get any response from the block of ice beside her.


    After driving for a while, they stopped in front of one of the famous Cafes in the city. This cafe was the ideal hangout for everybody. Half of the Cafe housed the biggest and trendiest bookstore in the city. Customers can sample their delicious desserts and drinks while reading their favorite book.


    "Well, I already had breakfast, so why are we here?" she asked when they walked into the cafe. A small smile appeared on Gabriel''s face for a split second before he went back to his stoic self.


    A man greeted them at the door, "Hello Gabe, so is this the person you were talking about?"


    "Yes, she''s the one joining your staff today," said Gabriel. Violet looked at them both cluelessly.


    "You''d be working at this cafe from now on. Is that okay?" Gabriel asked her. When he learned that she desperately needed money for her mother''s operation, he thought of a plan to help her. The clubs that paid a lot of money were out of the question because of the threat, and the danger it posed for her. She was not cut out for that kind of work. The Santoris family owned a lot of businesses, so they were bound to have a lot of business associates, including the cafe, whose owner was a close friend of the family.


    Violet smiled when she realized what he had done for her, "Yes! Yes, definitely I can start working today," she said in glee. The news bought a different twinkle in her eye, and for the first time, Gabriel was mesmerized. Who knew what a big difference it would make when she smiled.


    It was a part-time job, so she could come in after office hours, during the week, and be there all day during the weekend. Hopefully, with the tips and salary combined, she could get enough money to help pay her mother''s bills.


    Gabriel promised to drop her off at work after they negotiated what time she would have to report, and after they finished with all the paperwork.


    "Thanks for helping me get the job," she said gratefully on their way to her office.


    "Uhm-hmm," he nodded.


    "I''m not sure how I can repay you for this kindness though. I didn''t know what I was going to do without the extra money," she looked at him with her big innocent eyes.


    Gabriel swallowed as he turned away from her innocent face. These past few days he''s been seeing her face more and more often, it''s like she never leaves his mind.


    "You want to repay me?" he asked.


    "Yes, I would like to repay you," she had no idea that she had put her head in the lion''s mouth just by saying those words.


    "Okay. Let me think about it. I will tell you what I want later," he said.


    "Okay, I will wait for it," she smiled. Not noticing that Gabriel was holding onto the steering wheel tighter than he should. A very sinister thought appeared in the corner of his mind and stopped whatever it was he was imagining before it went too far.


    -=-


    It had been a week since Violet had taken the part-time job and the cafe, and it seemed like she was fitting in well. Because of her sunny personality and attention to detail, a lot of customers were pleased whenever she was around. So the owner thought he made the right decision to hire her when Gabriel suggested.


    Violet was not aware that Gabriel had been stalking her for the past week. He would wait for her to get out of her day job, follow her to the bus, until she gets on and heads to the cafe, then waits until she heads home to make sure she reaches her house safely. He didn''t call it stalking, he called it caring.


    It was like no matter what he did, he ended up where she was. Today he found himself outside the cafe, observing her from the other side of the street. He could not help himself from trying to find out how she was doing, there was some force pulling him towards her all the time, asking him to protect her.


    Violet was pretty, she wasn''t stunning like a movie star, but she was pretty in her own right. She was very polite, so a lot of male customers think of her silence as consent. Her naivety prevented her from gauging other peoples'' intentions, so they just kept on hitting on her.


    One of her regulars had come in today with flowers, he was tired of giving Violet hints, so he thought he would take the direct route and ask her out.


    Gabriel came into the cafe when he saw the man with the flowers talk to Violet. He needed to get close to hear their conversation. He had a bad feeling about this guy, but he wanted to be sure.


    Violet was taking his order when he asked, "Violet, do you have a boyfriend?" the man asked.


    "I don''t. What do you want to order?" she answered.


    "That''s good. Will you¡­," he was trying to ask her out, but he got interrupted.


    "Violet!" Gabriel called her attention a little too brusquely.

 Chapter 85 - 84

    "Hey, Gabriel! It''s nice to see you here. Are you here to get coffee?" she smiled as she walked towards him. Trying to see if she can find a seat for him.


    They left the guy with the flowers behind. "Yeah, I was in the area, and I dropped by to see how you were doing," he lied because he already called the owner earlier in the week asking about her.


    "I love it here. My co-workers are so good to me. Do you want some coffee?" Violet asked.


    "If you insist, then I will have some," he said.


    Violet turned back to the guy she was taking the order from when she saw Gabriel. She just remembered he was saying something to her before they got interrupted.


    "I forgot your order. Did you make up your mind?" asking the man with the flowers. He opened his mouth, but Gabriel glared at him.


    "I...I''ll tell you later," the man stammered.


    "Later, my ass," Gabriel scoffed in his mind. He was not going to give that man the opportunity to ask her out, that''s for sure.


    "How about you? Did you make up your mind," she turned to Gabriel.


    "I want your strongest coffee with one sugar and no cream," he said as he followed her to the counter.


    She made his coffee herself and handed him the cup, "Here, try this and tell me if something is missing."


    Gabriel took a sip and replied, "Hmm¡­ that''s good coffee. Don''t forget my preference, okay."


    "Of course I will. So I can have it ready for you next time," she wanted to treat him well, he got her this job after all.


    The thought of Violet making him coffee every day seemed to excite him. It was something nice he could look forward to.


    Gabriel waited for her until she was ready to leave. And so did the man with the flowers. He was still hopeful even though Violet seemed to look more animated when she interacted with Gabriel than with other customers. He thought, "Perhaps they are lovers? No, Violet just told me she was single, so they''re not in a relationship," he was sure about that. Violet did not seem the type of person that would not lie about something as important as a boyfriend. So once again, he gathered up his courage and decided to stake his claim.


    Violet was clearing up one of the tables when he intercepted her. He gave her the flowers he brought earlier, "Uhm Violet. These are for you. The thing I wanted to ask earlier. Uhm..would you be my girlfriend?" he asked.


    Gabriel was sitting at one of the tables, waiting for Violet, when he heard what the man said. Nothing changed in his expression, but if you looked closely, he was tightly clenching his jaw, and his eyes took on a dangerous glint to them.


    "Oh!," Violet was surprised. She was about to reply when Gabriel interrupted, "She''s not available," he said as he placed his hand on the small of her back.


    The man was a little surprised when Gabriel appeared, but the intent in his eyes meant to keep him away, so pursuing Violet further would not bode well for him. He knew a man claiming his territory when he saw one.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t know," the man said as he scrambled away with the flowers still in his hand.


    Violet was flabbergasted. It happened too fast, she couldn''t even get a word in.


    "Why did you tell him that?" she asked, a little annoyed.


    "What? I didn''t know you wanted a boyfriend that bad," Gabriel mocked.


    "Ugh!" He was so frustrating. One minute he was nice to her, then it took just a second for him to go back to his sarcastic self. "That''s not what I mean. I was going to tell him I was not interested," she said.


    "Well, there you go, I just made it easier for you," he replied like he just did her a huge favor.


    "I could have let him off more gently. You didn''t need to be so rude," she retorted.


    "Rude? Was I rude? I just did you a favor. I can call him back if you feel that bad for him," he said with a raised eyebrow, challenging her to make the right choice.


    "You don''t need to do that, and you know what I meant. There is no use talking to you," she said, frustrated as she walked to another table to get away from him.


    She could feel his eyes following her the whole time she tried to clean up and help with closing the cafe, but she just ignored him, she had no time to deal with him right now.


    When it was time to go, she tried to evade him by coming out of the back entrance, but Gabriel was already there, waiting for her.


    "Good night Gabriel, I''m heading home. I will see you next time," she said dismissively.


    "I waited for you so I can drop you off," he casually volunteered, like nothing happened earlier.


    "No, you don''t need to do that, I still need to go to the supermarket, and it''ll take time," she declined.


    "There''s a nearby supermarket. I can take you there and then take you home," he said like it was normal for them to spend time together like this.


    Her face fell as she realized she had nowhere to turn, there was no saying no to Gabriel.


    At the supermarket, women ogled and stared at Gabriel like he was a superstar, but he paid them no mind. He was used to this attention, and the more he ignored them, the faster they went away.


    Violet pushed the trolley around while Gabriel kept placing items in her cart, muttering the whole time, "Oooh, I like this¡­ and this¡­ this is my favorite, we''ll buy that too¡­," she could not stop him. This was way over her budget, and she was going to have to put her foot down later when they got to the register.


    But knowing Gabriel, she should not have been surprised when he paid for all the groceries. It was a lot of food, and she was mortified that nobody was going to eat all of it, which should not have been a mystery because Gabriel always operated with a plan.

 Chapter 86 - 85

    They stopped at her house, and he said, "I want to have dinner."


    "Just leave the groceries at the door, so you can get home faster," she said, still clueless about what he meant.


    "There is no one at my house," he tried giving her a hint, hoping that she would understand what he wanted.


    "Just order takeout then. We better do this fast, so I don''t have to bother you any further," she said.


    If he was the eye-rolling type, he would have probably rolled his eyes at her inability to get the hints he was throwing at her. He was trying to subtly tell her to cook dinner for him and invite him to dinner, but she was just not getting it.


    "Why don''t you go on inside and cook me dinner. I will bring you the bags from the store," he said explicitly to get the message across.


    "But¡­," Violet was hesitant. She had never invited any man to her house, much less cooked for anyone other than her mother. Being alone with a man at this hour was bound to result in gossip.


    "So you''re saying no to your benefactor? You''re not going to feed me even though I waited for you and even bought you groceries?" he complained.


    "Oh, okay, that''s great. This could be the favor I promised you," she said.


    "What? No, of course not, this is just for the groceries," he replied.


    She scrunched her eyebrows, how is she going to repay him if he would not accept dinner as a payment? What she didn''t know is that when she agreed, he set her up for something he was planning. Just like Dimitri, Gabriel was a capitalist, giving her a job constituted a bigger favor than she thought.


    She was hesitant to let him in, but as he said he bought all that food so she could feed him, so that is what she was going to do.


    Her house was charming, it was small and not overly decorated. It only had one bedroom, and they had the barest of furniture, mostly threadbare and well used, but very well taken care of.


    "Uhm¡­ you can watch TV while I make dinner," she said as she handed him the remote.


    "Take your time. I''m okay, I have messages to check," he said as he sat down on the couch. Gabriel''s big tall frame made the house seem tinier than it was, and it highlighted his masculinity, making her more aware that he was in her house.


    Violet was an average cook, she did not know how to cook a lot of dishes, but she was not lacking, she perfected the ones that she knew how to prepare. And the food always reminded you of home, something your mom used to cook, and it always made people feel good.


    Gabriel felt overjoyed when he saw the dishes she made for dinner, but then he noticed that she wasn''t really eating, "Hey, why are you not eating? Everything tastes good. I hope you didn''t add anything to the food to make me sick," he teased.


    Her eyes grew large, she would never even think of doing that to anybody. "I''m kidding," he added.


    "Don''t be shy keep on eating, this is your house," he chided.


    Violet cursed him in her mind. She couldn''t wait to get this experience over with. He had been roaming freely about her house and had been commenting on anything and everything that he saw. He was so comfortable in her house that he made her nervous, it was like she was visiting his house instead of the other way around.


    He kept stealing glances at her the whole time they were eating that she felt a little strange. It was like he wanted to tell her something.


    After dinner, he just left, saying he had something to do, and she was relieved. She ate little during dinner because she was dreading what he might say to make his stay longer. She had a long day, and she just wanted to turn in for the night and relax.


    The next day she decided to pass by the hospital during her lunch break. She had a ton of leftovers, so she thought of bringing those to her mom, so she could enjoy them too.


    When she got there, one of the nurses approached her and told her that a health care donation agency had decided to sponsor her mother''s surgery. They would cover everything, all the expenses, the hospital stay, and even the medicine.


    Their prayers had been answered, and as she told her mother the good news, they both cried in joy. They couldn''t believe the luck that was suddenly bestowed upon them.


    They had scheduled the surgery at the soonest possible date, they instructed her mom to stay at the hospital while they waited to prevent any accidents.


    Violet was happily walking towards the bus when she saw Gabriel in the lobby of the hospital.


    "Hey, Gabriel! Why are you here? Are you visiting someone?" she asked.


    "You could say that. How is your mother?" he pretended he didn''t know anything, when in fact, he sponsored her mother''s operation and her bills. He knew that she would never accept the money if he gave it to her directly. But he was so moved by her caring, so he decided to help her.


    "An organization sponsored my mom''s operation, and hopefully, everything will be successful. I can''t thank them enough for making everything possible. I don''t need to worry about my mother anymore," she said with a brighter aura and a smile on her face.


    "That sounds good. I''m glad for you," he said, smiling a secret smile.


    "Hey, I can''t stay long, I''m on my lunch break, and I''m heading out," she said as she ended their conversation. She was walking out the door when she noticed Gabriel behind her.


    With raised eyebrows, she looked back at him. "Do you want to have lunch together?" he asked.


    It was a very joyous day for Violet that she did not mind having lunch with Gabriel. She was just happy that her mom had hopes of getting better, and sharing the news with someone did not seem so bad, even if it was Gabriel.

 Chapter 87 - 86

    They ended at one of the biggest five-star restaurants in the city, and Violet got worried. She could never afford to dine here.


    "Uhm¡­ I think we should just go to a different restaurant. I didn''t bring enough cash with me," she said, a little embarrassed.


    "Oh, don''t worry, I have a friend that works here, and he''s giving us a complimentary mean," he lied.


    "Are you sure?" she asked, a little apprehensive.


    He nodded, "Yeah, let''s go!" and she followed him into the restaurant. She was very gullible and easily believed in the goodness of people because that is how her mother brought her up. Always believing that people are inherently good.


    It was just them when she was growing up, her mom and her, they didn''t have a lot of money, so they opted for the money-saving deals and restaurants that charged according to their budget. She didn''t have a lot of friends either, so she was not really exposed to the vileness and materialistic nature of women her age.


    Gabriel was satisfied that she did not expect anything from him and that she did not look at him as somebody she could use to get ahead, but he thought she was a little too innocent and trusting. What if somebody else was in his shoes and decided to use her for his gain?


    He was astonished that she made it this far in life without anything bad happening to her and nobody taking advantage of her.


    That first time he saw her at the hospital, she looked so pitiful that anybody''s heart would have melted. All men caved in when they were faced with a crying woman, and it seemed like he was no different. Inch by inch, she wormed her way into his heart.


    In the past, he did not have a very good opinion of women, they asked too much from him and expected to be tended to all the time, which was why he just slept with them and discarded them after. He used them to release his sexual frustration. But when it came to Violet, it was enough that he could see her and be with her.


    Violet ate to her heart''s content, her mom''s condition behind her. When her mother started getting sick, she started forgetting to eat and sleep on time. Worried about what would happen to both of them is she couldn''t come up with the money. But today, she enjoyed her meal.


    -=-


    When Gabriel got back, Dimitri asked him to go on a business trip on behalf of him, with the events that happened recently, he couldn''t leave home. He needed to establish his relationship with his family, and make sure they were protected before he could venture out and deal with their business. This time, his family came first.


    After he was done with his task, Gabriel went to the club as per usual to unwind, but he found that he was not interested in hooking up with anyone tonight.


    This club definitely had a lot of beautiful, sexy women, but none of them stirred his interest. One of the gorgeous, scantily clad women sat on his lap and tried to kiss him when Violet''s face flashed before his eyes. He immediately pushed the woman in front of him away, feeling guilty about even entertaining the thought of bedding one of them that night.


    He went back to his room and laid on the bed, thinking instead about Violet, her beautiful and innocent smile. The last few days with Violet floated through his mind, and he felt more relaxed and happier than he would have been if he had sex with that woman who tried to kiss him.


    He felt an aching need to have her in his life, to let her know that she belonged to him, and only him. Nobody else was allowed to be near her and take advantage of her innocence. He wanted to be the one that cares for her and protects her.


    This time away from her and the distance made him realize that he had feelings for her, the self-declared bachelor who vowed never to fall in love has inadvertently given his heart to Violet. And with this in mind, he decided that as soon as he gets back he would start pursuing her, and he won''t stop until he could make her his.


    He will not allow his past to ruin his present and his possible future. Maybe it was probably time he moved on and had a loving family like his brother. The thought of having a kid like Enzo made him smile.


    -=-


    The assignment took him out of the city for a week, and by that time he had a full-blown plan on how to capture Violet''s heart, and it involved Enzo.


    They were standing outside the cafe when Violet noticed them. He had promised Enzo that he was going to get him a chocolate cake, and the kid agreed. In a short period of time, he had grown very fond of his nephew because he had brought life and hope to his brother, plus the fact that he resembled Dimitri so much when he was a little boy. The only difference was that Enzo was more innocent and bubbly like his sister-in-law.


    "Are you ready to get your cake," Gabriel says excitedly outside the cafe.


    "Yay! Yummy cake! Yum Yum!" he jumped up and down.


    "Gabriel, is this your son? He''s very cute," Violet looked fondly at Enzo. He was so cute that she wanted to pick him up and smoosh him with kisses. But of course, she held back and kept her boundaries.


    Gabriel was annoyed, why would she come to the conclusion that he was already married, and had a kid. She made him feel like he was too old.


    "He''s my nephew," he said a little too stiffly.


    "What brings you guys here?" she asks.


    "Well, this little guy here said he wanted to eat the chocolate cake they make in this cafe," Gabriel replied.


    "Oh no, everything has already been closed up and the chocolate cake usually goes out first during the day," she remarked, "If you come tomorrow, I can save some for you."


    Gabriel came late on purpose, he wanted to be there during closing time because he wanted them both to get invited to Violet''s house, so she could cook for him again.

 Chapter 88 - 87

    Enzo did not really need to eat the cake made at the cafe because they had their own pastry chef, they made desserts that were found at the most high-end patisseries in the country. Enzo just needs to tell them what he wants, and they make it for him.


    "It''s okay baby, we''ll just have it tomorrow. I know you''ve been asking me the whole day, but Uncle made a mistake, I''m sorry I had to work so late, tomorrow I promise to bring you here early," Gabriel winked and patted Enzo''s little head.


    "No, It''s¡­," Enzo wanted to say it was okay, but Gabriel lifted him up in his arms just in case he wanted to divulge his secret that he didn''t want to eat here. Sometimes Enzo was too smart for him, and he would tell them what he knew, that''s how they usually caught Gabriel at the house when he did something naughty.


    "Aww.. don''t cry baby, it''s okay, we''ll just come again tomorrow," Gabriel said in a sad tone.


    Violet felt bad. The kid was so cute, and she had to tell him no. "If you come tomorrow, I can keep all your favorites aside," she said, trying to appease Enzo.


    "Can''t you just make him an easy one?" Gabriel asked.


    "How? I can''t use the kitchen here," she said.


    "Well, we can go to your house. You can make him something easy like a pudding or a mousse, this kid is easy to please," he said, trying to make her agree.


    Gabriel kept hugging Enzo to pretend that he was comforting him, and Violet got sucked in. "Okay, okay!" she said, "I guess they have books here that have something easy in them. Let me check, then we''ll head to my place."


    She was not a pastry chef, but she watched them make some of the cakes during the weekend and it didn''t look that hard, but she was going to start with something easy, so she did not disappoint the little kid and herself.


    Then she remembered she could make him some brownies, it was the easiest recipe in the book, so she grabbed the necessary ingredients, and they headed for home.


    "What is your name?" Violet asked when she handed them the brownies.


    "I''m Lorenzo¡­ yummy chocolate¡­ baby like you¡­.Big sister, call me Enzo," he cutely said with chocolate all over his face. He liked the brownies so much that he allowed her to call him by his nickname.


    "Aww.. you''re so cute," she pulled at his cheeks, "Big sister likes Enzo too. I''m glad you liked the brownies."


    Violet looked up, and there was a certain look to Gabriel, he had a happy smile on his face and something else she hadn''t seen before, which made her smile. But he stared at her too long, which made her a little self-conscious.


    Gabriel tried to bring Enzo to Violet''s house whenever he could, they would laze around her house while Violet cooked for both of them. He wanted his family to just like this, with Violet and his kids waiting for him to get home.


    For a second, a brooding thought crossed his mind when he thought about Enzo, but then he shook his head, and the thought went away.


    But when the people in the house started getting suspicious about them coming late at night, he had to ditch Enzo and execute phase 2 of his plans.


    Gabriel came to see Violet at the cafe without Enzo, but Violet got used to them being together the past week, so she looked for him automatically.


    "Where''s Enzo?" she asked without hesitation.


    "He''s with his parents," he frowned, "Why? Aren''t you happy to see me?"


    "Oh no, that''s not it," she replied, "I just got used to seeing him the past few days, I expected him to be glued to you by now,"


    In Violet''s mind, she was a little confused, why would seeing Gabriel make her happy? It didn''t make too much sense.


    "Why does your expression tell me that you''re not happy to see me," he walked towards her with a dangerous expression on his face.


    They were at the side entrance, and nobody else was out here, and she thought, "Nobody could help me. But wait, this is Gabriel. Why am I suddenly afraid of him?"


    "No, that''s not it," she feigned a smile while walking backward until she hit a wall. His expression unnerved her a little. It was like he came today with an intention and not just a regular visit.


    "Violet, I''m in love with you, will you be my girlfriend?" Gabriel was not beating around the bush anymore, after he analyzed his feelings and realized that he was in love with her, his next option was to just tell her about it. The Santoris men did not believe in delaying gratification, when they want something, they go out and get it.


    Violet looked at him with bewildered eyes, she did not expect him to confess to her, it didn''t even enter her mind that he liked her. Maybe it did, but she did not want to entertain it.


    She didn''t regard herself as someone special until she came to the cafe. Nobody cared to ask her out on a date or to be their girlfriend, plus she knew nothing about Gabriel except that he was kind to her and that he liked her cooking.


    Gabriel standing too close to her like this scared her a little, she sensed that saying no would leave him in a very terrible mood.


    She mustered all her courage even though she knew this was going to be a bad idea, "Uhm... sorry, but I''m not looking for a boyfriend."


    He had expected her to say not, but it still left a sour taste in his mouth when she rejected him.


    "But I want a girlfriend, and I want it to be you," he pushed in closer until their bodies were touching.

 Chapter 89 - 88

    "Stop, Gabriel..," she pushed at his chest, their proximity was making her claustrophobic.


    He held her shoulders back, "Shh... listen to me¡­ Violet I''m very serious about you. I did not come upon this decision overnight," he paused, "I''ve been thinking a lot and had come to the conclusion that you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with," he said this with a soft look on his face, and somehow in the course of their conversation, his hand had crept up to her cheek.


    She was hypnotized, he had that look in his eyes that was promising her all the things he was saying and more. How could a dominating person like him say such romantic words to her? It made her feel weak in the knees, so she had no say when Gabriel hugged her.


    "I will give you time to gather your thoughts, I hope it will be positive," he said softly while hugging her, "Don''t make me wait."


    Violet did not know if she should laugh right now. He threatened her indirectly by saying he was giving her time, but he wasn''t really giving her an option to refuse him. Or come to think of it even time to think about it. "This guy is impossible," she thought, "He tells me I''ll give you time then follows it up with, don''t make me wait."


    There was no escaping him, but he was going to give her a few days to think about his proposition.


    "Take care," he says as he breaks their hug and kisses her on the forehead. She was in a daze, coming to only when she heard the sound of her door closing.


    She tossed and turned the whole night, thinking about what Gabriel said, "...you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with¡­"


    In the morning, she wondered when he would show up, or if he would show up today, she was not ready to face him yet.


    She was apprehensive about seeing him again, what would she even say to him when she was not sure about what she wanted.


    It did not take long for him to show up, he was there when she got out of her office.


    "Come with me, I will drop you off at the cafe," he opened the door to his car, not giving her an option to run or hide from him.


    "So have you thought about what I said?" he asked, not beating around the bush.


    "Gabriel, it hasn''t been 24 hours since you asked me your question. I need more time," she stressed.


    "Okay, so how about tomorrow morning?" he asked with a naughty smile on his face.


    "Ugh! You''re insufferable," she said irritably, looking out the window so he wouldn''t see her rolling her eyes.


    But Gabriel was not one to heed any requests, especially since he wanted her very badly. He just smiled and kept on driving. He had put a hundred percent effort to get her, there was no backing down now.


    All those frequent nightly visits, going to the grocery store, dropping her off and picking her up from work, having meals together, and the last pi¨¨ce de r¨¦sistance, Enzo and his cute little antics.


    He even went to see her mom at the hospital and asked the doctors to make sure she was well cared for. But he did not introduce himself, since it was still too early on in the relationship.


    The more she analyzed her feelings, the more she realized she was falling for him or had been falling for him the whole time. She was so used to his sarcastic remarks, that she did not mind them at all anymore, some of them, she even found funny.


    All the conversations they''ve had, the dinners, and the visits had all embedded themselves into her heart, softening the lock to let him in.


    -=-


    At Violet''s house, Gabriel laid back on the couch and closed his eyes, there was so much to do these days, especially after that unfortunate incident involving Aurora.


    Violet sat next to him and placed her palm on his forehead to check his temperature, "Are you okay?"


    "Hmm...," he grasped her hand in his.


    "Just too much work," he replied.


    "Oh, then take a nap, and I will wake you up once dinner is ready," she suggested.


    "Are you concerned about me?" he teased but hoped that she was concerned for him. He sneaked a peak and opened an eye.


    Violet looked embarrassed, "Well that''s a first," he thought, "where did the catty Violet go?"


    Her face was beginning to heat up, and Gabriel''s question just hit its target. With a blush on her face, she nodded at his question.


    "What? Do you like me?" he asked, the hand holding hers pressing a little tighter.


    "Yes," she murmured, looking everywhere but him.


    "What?" he was stunned. He didn''t think she was going to agree that fast. He expected her to play a little hard to get, stringing him on until he lost his patience.


    "Say that again?" he pulls her toward him. Close enough so he wouldn''t miss anything she said.


    "I¡­ like you, Gabriel," she looked at him shyly.


    "Violet! You made me so goddamn happy," he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her on the mouth, while he held her face between his hands.


    "Umm...umm¡­," Violet tried to struggle, but it was futile. She gave up when she felt that his kiss did not feel like an attack, it was more of an assault to her senses, blazing a trail down her spine. His lips were softly nibbling hers, and his tongue trying to seek entrance, so he could taste her sweet nectar.


    Gabriel had kissed a ton of women before, yet it felt like this was the first time he was really kissing someone with feelings involved, this made it feel more special.


    He felt her kissing him back, nibbling his lips, and copying what his tongue was doing. She was moaning by the time they stopped for air, and her face was as red as a tomato.


    She hid in his shoulder when he let go of her face, "So cute," he said as he kissed the top of her head. His hug tightened as he caressed her back.


    "I will not let my past dictate my future. History will not repeat itself," he vowed to himself.

 Chapter 90 - 89

    Nicholas Russo was very, very, very angry at Dimitri. His enemy had outsmarted him. He had promised to give Nicholas the business deal in exchange for Aurora''s freedom, yet he did not anticipate that he had something else planned.


    Dimitri always had a backup. Yes, he gave up that business deal, but in exchange, he hijacked two of Nicholas'' ships, which delayed the manufacturing in his factories that lost him a ton of important deals.


    He was hatching a plan to pay Dimitri back and make him suffer when the company doctor came to see him personally. But because everybody knew that Nicholas was frustrated and was having a bad day, they blocked him from entering.


    The doctor was insistent, "I need to see him, and I am not leaving until I do."


    But the PA would not budge, "Nicholas is very busy and has no time to see you right now. He will call you when he is not busy."


    "It''s a matter of life and death, and I need to see him right away," the doctor insisted.


    The ruckus outside was too loud that it was starting to irritate Nicholas, "What is happening outside? Who is making too much noise?" He snapped.


    The PA relayed the doctor''s message but added that he did not think it was that important, so he would take care of it.


    "Just let him in," Nicholas said in an irritated voice.


    "What is so important that you had the need to interrupt me during work hours?" he glared at the doctor.


    "Sir¡­ I.. it''s important¡­ the blood work¡­ they match," the doctor stammered. Nicholas was always cordial and curt but never irritated when he came to see him, so he faltered a little. He had been confident before he got here, but now he was scared.


    "You are not making sense, doctor. I will give you one more chance, otherwise, I will have to tell them to throw you out," Nicholas yelled. There was so much work to do, and this bumbling idiot in front of him was wasting his time.


    "Uhm... I don''t know where to start¡­," the doctor adjusted his glasses.


    "Just start anywhere, you''re pissing me off," Nicholas replied.


    "When Ms. Aurora was here, she had that wound on her head, so we took a sample of her blood just in case she would need a transfusion," the doctor swallowed, he made this decision himself because Aurora looked like she lost a lot of blood before he was able to treat her.


    "We mixed it with the latest samples we got from your mother, so we checked them both to determine whose blood was in the vial," he wiped the sweat from his brow. Admitting his mistake may cost him his job, but this information was way more important.


    Nicholas'' mother had been severely ill since the downfall of the Russo empire, they were betrayed, and she had not been able to recover from all the heartache she experienced during that time, so she was constantly under medical observation and medication.


    "Are you guys stupid that you could not keep track of the things happening in that lab of yours? Why am I paying you a lot of money if you screw up like this? I should fire everyone in your team," Nicholas threatened.


    "Hold on sir, I am not done. When the results came back, the samples matched a little too closely which is why I am here. I''m a little bit suspicious, and we just need another test to match them to yours then we can be sure if Aurora is really related to your family." the doctor closed.


    Nicholas'' face went white, and his heart fell to his gut. Aurora might be the sister they had been looking for all these years. The little baby that had been lost to them, had been standing right in front of him, and he didn''t even know it.


    "We¡­ we will do the paternity test," his voice cracked. He was emotional, but the businessman in him still prevailed, he needed facts and not speculation. They will need to confirm her identity before they reveal the truth and give his parents false hope.


    -=-


    The only way to get the sample was to see Aurora in person and have her give them a couple strands of her hair or a vial of her blood. And even though Dimitri had increased the security around Aurora, but he was still going to make it possible to get what he wanted.


    His men blocked her car like they did before, but this time the Santoris men were all prepared. They had a van following her full of bodyguards, and they all positioned themselves outside her car, prepared to shoot anybody who made the wrong move.


    She did not wait for anything to happen, the minute the car stopped, she dialed Dimitri''s number to let him know her car had been blocked.


    Nicholas'' PA came to her side of the door and told the guard that his boss just wanted to talk to Aurora. She declined his offer, saying she just wanted him to get out of her way and did not want to get taken, again. Fear and caution had rooted her to the spot, and she was not going anywhere near him ever again. Plus, she was stalling until Dimitri got there. Only he could get rid of Nicholas, and she did not want to take her chances.


    When she did not budge, Nicholas himself came out and had her guards check his whole body to make sure that he had no weapons concealed on him.


    "Aurora," Nicholas yelled through the window, "I just want to talk to you. I promise nobody is taking you by force this time," he promised.


    Aurora shook her head, "Tell him no," she instructed one of her guards. She called Dimitri again to check where he was and what was taking so long.


    It was getting darker and darker the more time they spent out there waiting. She just wanted to go home already, and this lunatic was blocking her way.

 Chapter 91 - 90

    "Let him in this car," she instructed, but when none of her guards moved, she added, "We are at an advantage if he comes in here rather than me going out there. At least he won''t be able to drag me away from inside the car. Let''s hear what he has to say."


    "Aurora, thank you for granting my request," Nicholas said the moment they opened the door and let him in. There was a different tone to his voice this time, and it unnerved her a little.


    "Is he trying to charm me, so he could take me again?" she frowned at Nicholas'' soft voice.


    "Mr. Russo, I do not have time for these shenanigans. Did you not learn your lesson last time? You can''t defeat my husband, so you''re here to target me again?" she snapped.


    "I''m not here for Dimitri, I came to talk to you," Nicholas said.


    "I haven''t got all day, blurt it out or get out of my car," she replied.


    "Aren''t you curious about your parents, Aurora?" he asked.


    She was dumbfounded. There were a lot of things she was expecting him to ask about or say, but she did not expect him to say anything about her parents, the same ones that abandoned her, and never cared for her, "No," she answered abruptly.


    When she was a kid, she always imagined that her family would come for her and take her away from that horrible orphanage, but when several years had passed and they never came, she lost all hope. Now she considers Dimitri, and Enzo as her family, she was content and did not care about her real family anymore. The Santoris family had welcomed her with open arms, and she was happy.


    "I want you to come with me," he said, "I have something important to show you."


    Aurora laughed, "Are you delusional? You want me to willingly come with you? Did you forget what happened last time?" she smirked at him, "Don''t waste my time anymore, you can leave."


    He stared at her intently, "I know who your parents are."


    "It''s not nice to put salt on someone''s wound," she replied, and before he could answer back, the door was opened with such force that the car shook. Dimitri had dragged Nicholas out of the car and planted a punch on his face.


    Dimitri''s men held Nicholas back.


    "You have the nerve to detain my wife again?" Dimitri growled.


    Dimitri was so agitated the whole drive before he got to Aurora. When she dialed his phone again, while he was in the car, he was thinking of the worst-case scenario. That by the time he got to where her GPS showed her location, they would have taken her, again. He was ready to kill everyone, even his men if they lost her again.


    Aurora got out of the car and called out to Dimitri to get his attention. He came to her and started checking her for any cuts or bruises, "I''m okay, I''m okay. We just talked inside the car."


    Dimitri hugged her, "What did he say to you? I swear I told you everything you needed to know, anything else he says about me is a lie," he said defensively.


    "No, it''s not that. He said he knew¡­ he knows who they are¡­," she stammered.


    "I know who her parents are," Nicholas interjected, "And I need her to come with me to get a sample of her blood to make sure."


    "This is a very rotten trick for you to play on her," Dimitri replied.


    "I might be wrong, but I don''t think I am. We just need this DNA test, and then we can know for sure," Nicholas pleaded, "I could have gone and taken her blood sample secretly, but I didn''t. Please come with me Aurora."


    "Sweetheart, do you want to go with him?" Dimitri asked.


    There was a longing in her eyes every time she interacted with his mom, and he would not begrudge her the opportunity to find her parents if it would make her happy.


    Aurora looked up at Nicholas, unsure about what to do. She rejected the thought of finding her parents ever again, but this chance might give her the closure she needed. She looked at Dimitri and found the strength and courage she needed. She knew that he would be there for her no matter what the result was.


    She nodded, "You''re not taking my wife without me," said Dimitri, "And we''ll follow you in our car."


    They got to the Russo family mansion, but they did not enter the front entrance, they came to the side, entering a passage that led them to a hospital-looking facility. They took Aurora''s blood sample and told her that it would take a few days before they got the result.


    Nicholas did not tell them where the matching DNA would be taken from, telling them that he had speculation and would let them know as soon as the results came out.


    To make sure they covered all bases, Nicholas secretly gave his blood the same time they drew his mom''s, so they could check all their DNA together. He didn''t take his dad''s blood to avoid raising their hopes up. Everything will be revealed in due time.


    The report came two days later, and Nicholas summoned Aurora to meet him at one of his hotels. They were going to meet at one of the VIP rooms on the topmost floor.


    Dimitri reminded Aurora not to get her hopes up too high because they did not know what Nicholas was up to and if he was even telling her the truth. He just didn''t want her to get disappointed.


    It was a rough two days since they met with Nicholas. Dimitri had to reassure Aurora that they were already a family, and this test should not affect their relationship. He tried to get Enzo to entertain Aurora to keep her busy and stop her from worrying about the results.


    She was daydreaming about who these people were a lot, wondering how she was going to approach them, and what she would say to them after they abandoned her all those years.


    Tears would stream down her face at all hours of the day especially when she was alone and had time to think. "Why did you abandon me? Did you ever love me? Did you look for me?" Were some of the questions that passed through her mind to ask them. Should she be fierce when she meets them? Should she be nice? What if Nicholas says it did not match?

 Chapter 92 - 91

    Aurora was a 99.99% match with him and his mother, which meant she was the baby sister they had been looking for all these years.


    He was emotional and couldn''t stop the tears from flowing, who knew that out of a disaster, something beautiful would happen. Their most formidable enemy, the Santoris family, held their treasure in their hands. But he was glad that Dimitri cherished her more than anything else in his life. It gave him comfort that at least she was happy where she was right now.


    He waited anxiously for Dimitri and Aurora to arrive at their meeting place.  He was paced back and forth, impatient for them to get there already so he could hold his sister in his arms. There was so much he wanted to tell her, and there was so much love he wanted to shower on her. He does not know what kind of life she''s lived all these years, and they were going to make sure to compensate her for those trying times.


    Living without a family must have been hard for her, but now that she had Dimitri, he was happy that she found a man who loved her dearly.


    As soon as Aurora peeked in the door, he tried to attend to her every need. He directed her towards the softest sofa in the room and instructed the waiter to bring them water and whatever she wanted to drink. He got a couple of angry glares from Dimitri, but he did not care. His sister was right in front of him, and he failed to protect her once before, he will never fail again.


    "Did you get the test results?" Aurora asked in anticipation. That''s all she could think of the last few days. She had been operating on autopilot the whole time she waited for the results.


    "Yes, I did. Take a look at this," Nicholas handed her a Manila envelope that contained the report.


    Aurora''s hands were shaking, and tears were flowing down her face by the time she read the report. Her eyes started to blur after she read the 99.99% match with Nicholas Russo and his mother.


    "Your mother¡­. you...," she started.


    "Yes Aurora, you are my sister, you are a Russo," he said as she sat beside her, he wanted to hug her, but Dimitri blocked him from doing so.


    "You don''t know how happy I am to have finally found you. It''s been 25 years, and our parents are going to be happy once they hear about this news," Nicholas added.


    "How?... Why?...," she asked, confused. She knew she belonged to a family, but she never expected it to be the Russo family.


    Dimitri did not realize that the Russo family had a daughter all these years. All he knew was that they had one son and went into hiding after they were attacked, and had only come out in society recently. He had been six when the attack happened, so he did not pay attention to the news about them.


    "Let me tell you everything," Nicholas said.


    "As you know, the Russo family was one of the most powerful mafia families 25 years ago. We were ahead of everyone else, and as our popularity increased, so did our enemies. Everybody wanted to bring us down, but they could never find a way to do it.


    My father... I mean, our father was very cautious about our security, we never left the house without a slew of them following us around, so nobody can really come near us.


    But then, after 10 years, they learned that mom was pregnant again, this time with you, so dad was very happy. They had given up the hope of having more children, but it seemed that you were persistent. Mom was constantly sick, not only the morning sickness but her constitution was not like how it used to be when she was younger, so both of you were constantly under observation at the hospital.


    Around this time, dad decided he was going to personally be there to take care of mom because he did not want to lose her. He started delegating his work to his trusted subordinates. He still attended the meetings, but only the most important ones.


    He trusted his men so much that it was a blow to him when he learned that his enemies planted moles in the organization. Buying off several of our own men and security detail to work for them. But it was too late by the time he realized that the traitors had infiltrated us.


    A few weeks after your arrival, Dad held a party to show you off to everybody. He was so happy that we were finally given a princess we could cherish.


    After a few days, assassins came to our compound and attacked all our security, they were let in by the same traitors they had hired. I was ten at that time and did not really understand the gravity of the situation, so I did not know what to do.


    Dad got injured fighting the men off when they tried to take me. After that, we ran to the nursery where you and mom were resting, but mom had been very weak, she was not able to do anything when one of them took you and jumped outside the window. She passed out before she could tell us what happened.


    He took me and mom to the underground bunker and hid us there. When he came out to find you, you were gone. Nobody could tell him who took you or which way you went.


    When mom gained consciousness, she was hysterical, crying and screaming for everybody to find her daughter. She blamed Dad for failing to protect you, and up until this day, he''s been living with that guilt on his shoulders. Mom just kept getting sicker and sicker, she didn''t want to eat, and she just kept crying for you, so we had to sedate her to get the nutrients into her and let her rest.


    So for her sake and ours, we all went into hiding because Dad knew that his enemies would stop at nothing to wipe out our family. As long as we were alive, they would keep on hunting us down.


    Mom had never recovered and is still in a semi-coma these days, crying for you.


    But you see even in hiding, Dad sent out a few of his trusted men to find you, we checked everywhere, and we always hit a wall.


    It took us 25 years before we deemed it was safe to come back. I took over the business, and so here we are, growing back our empire, annihilating everybody that would try to get in our path," Nicholas explained.

 Chapter 93 - 92

    Both Nicholas and Aurora were teary-eyed by the time he completed his story.


    "All this time, I thought my parents had abandoned me. I thought they just didn''t want me, that''s why they left me at the orphanage," she sobbed.


    "It was never like that. There was never a day that we don''t remember you and wished for your return," he said, trying to console her.


    "So mom and dad, they are still both alive? Are they well?" she asked.


    "They will feel better once they see you," he looked at her with tenderness in his gaze, "It will be the happiest day of their lives once you come home."


    It was too much to take in for one day. She went from a regular wife to the wife of the Mafia leader, then from orphan to having a family. And it was not an ordinary family at that, they were the family from their rival group. It seemed like it didn''t matter what life she chose, she would still be connected to the mafia family, either by blood or by marriage.


    Nicholas wanted to spend more time with Aurora, but he could see that waiting the past two days for the result and the big news he gave her made her look tired. She probably cried more in the past week than she did in her lifetime, and he was responsible for most of it.


    "I¡­," Dimitri pulled her into his arms when he saw she was struggling, "It''s okay sweetie, it''s a lot to take in. Nicholas, I think I will take Aurora home and let her rest. We will schedule a meeting with your parents as soon as she is ready."


    Dimitri''s concern for his wife touched Nicholas. His sister was in good hands, he was so excited that he forgot about her feelings, that this may be too much for her to bear.


    Husband and wife stood up at the same time and were on their way out when Nicholas called Aurora to wait. He hugged her, but Dimitri was on him right away, peeling his hands away.


    "What the heck do you think you''re doing?" Dimitri barked.


    "She''s my sister," Nicholas replied nonchalantly, like being her brother was enough to erase all the wrongs he had done.


    "She is my wife, and I don''t like you. I still haven''t forgotten what you did to her," Dimitri replied possessively.


    "Who cares about you," Nicholas swatted Dimitri''s hands away. "I''ve been wanting to hug you ever since I learned the good news," he cupped her face, "My sister," he said lovingly.


    Aurora was embarrassed by his display of affection. He had totally done a one-eighty on her, up until two days ago, he was the bad guy trying to take her husband down, and yet today, he was so caring, that it made her feel awkward.


    He acted like they had always been together and had this wonderful, loving relationship. He was not shy to show her how happy he was that he had found her.


    True, that because of the test they were now siblings, but it would still take time for her to warm up to him. He kidnapped her, and one of his guards hit her in the head with his gun, that was not easy to forget.


    "Don''t forget to come to visit us soon. We''ll be waiting for you," he said very enthusiastically.


    "I will," she nodded as Dimitri tucked her beside him, and they walked out of there with his arms protectively around her.


    -=-


    In their youth Mr. Russo was a very handsome and smart young man, he was predicted to surpass all his seniors with the smart and efficient way he was handling business, Mrs. Russo, on the other hand, had a very gentle, pleasing personality that made everyone like her instantly, on top of that she was also very beautiful, but she was very humble and nice.


    Theirs was a traditional arranged marriage, both from mafia families that wanted to merge their business and make them more successful. And since neither of them had anybody in their hearts, it was easy for them to get attracted and fall in love with each other.


    Shortly after they were married, they had their first kid, and they were both happy that it was a boy, Nicholas they named him, only because the mafia gave more preference to male heirs.


    When his empire started growing and he was starting to gain followers, people around him started getting envious, he started getting enemies, and all of them had one goal. To bring him down, and the only way to do that was to bring his family down as well.


    He was very cautious and calculating which is why he had succeeded so far, and he applied that principle when it came to his family''s safety as well. The initial threats had made him amp up his security around them, but then, when he learned that his wife was pregnant again after 10 years he started focusing on her and his son. Thinking that since his business was flourishing, he could just take a step back and guide his subordinates from the background.


    But his enemies took that chance to infiltrate his tightly knit community. They took one of his subordinates'' family and told them to spy on Mr. Russo or else they won''t see their kids again.


    When his wife gave birth to a baby girl, he held a party a few weeks later, to commemorate her arrival and show her off. The enemies took this opportunity to map out his house and find the weak points and pinpoint specific locations on where they should attack.


    So on that fateful night they attacked, everything went smoothly. They planned to take Nicholas first and kill him, but that night Mr. Russo was reading him a book before bed, so he was there to fight off the attackers. He was heavily wounded, but he knew that he had to take his family to safety as soon as possible.


    He knew his wife was in the nursery, so he headed there but saw that his daughter was missing. Mrs. Russo had already been asleep when the assassin came to take the baby, so she did not even know what was happening until the baby had disappeared.

 Chapter 94 - 93

    One of the assassins was tasked to kill both mother and daughter, and he knew just where to find them because of the intel they got from the party. So it was not hard to find them and execute his plan. When he got to the nursery, Mrs. Russo was already asleep on the daybed.  As he was trying to suffocate the baby by using a pillow, he heard hurried steps heading his way. So instead of failing his task, he decided he would take the baby instead and do the deed outside. He jumped out of the building and made a run for it.


    What he didn''t account for was that one of the security guards would hear the baby and see him jump out the window. The guard followed him, shooting him in the leg, which slowed him down. He could have gotten rid of the baby and left it right there in the forest, but he was not going to fail, and have them find her, so he decided he was getting rid of her somewhere else.


    Lucky for him an open delivery truck was parked at the edge of the forest. The driver had stopped to relieve himself in the bushes, and the assassin used that opportunity to jump at the back of the truck and hide in between the crates. When the baby started crying, he left her near the tailgate. He hid deeper among the crates, to conceal himself, letting the driver find the baby himself. He slipped out later as soon as the driver stopped the vehicle to investigate the noise.


    The driver had picked the baby up and contemplated taking it to the cops or the church. It was the most humane thing to do, he thought, not wanting to kill an innocent child.


    He did not want to be questioned about the baby, so he decided he was dropping it off at the nearest church he could find. And it so happened, that beside the church was an orphanage, so he just dropped the baby there before it started raining.


    Back at the mansion, Mr. Russo fought so hard to carry his wife and son to the underground bunker to protect them, before he came out again and started looking for his daughter.


    These underground bunkers were hidden basements fashioned like the basements the royalty had to prevent them from being captured. They had all the provisions one would need in case of emergency, and not everyone knew about them, so nobody found his family while they hid in there.


    Mrs. Russo was hysterical when she woke up and found out that her daughter was nowhere to be found. She cried out loud, "This is all your fault. You killed my baby!" blaming her husband. "You should have just left me out there to die! This is worse than death! My baby, my baby...she''s out there, and you won''t want to look for her! Let me out! I want my baby!" she screamed.


    When the attack finally ended, and his daughter was still nowhere to be found they left the city to go into hiding. Mr. Russo wanted to protect the remaining family members that were still alive.


    They hoped every day that their baby girl was still out there, and someday soon, they would get reunited with her. Mrs. Russo never got better, she had refused to eat until they found her precious child, crying every day until she was exhausted. So they had to sedate her, so they could feed her and let her rest so she could get better.


    At 10 years old, Nicholas became a violent kid, lashing out at everybody all the time. He blamed himself partly for being so young and not being able to help his sister and his mother.


    He carried his father''s guilt, his mother''s deteriorating health, and losing his sister weighed very heavily in his heart. He wanted to hurt anybody and everybody that had to do with their family''s demise. He trained every day and studied hard to get ahead, vowing to get stronger and better so he could eliminate all their enemies.


    -=-


    Aurora went home with an extra bounce in her step. "Her parents did not abandon her, and they loved her all those years they were apart," she thought. It was the best news she had gotten in all the years of her life. Well, it was one of them, aside from Dimitri finding her and loving her all those years as well.


    She was arranging her wardrobe for tomorrow, and she didn''t notice that Dimitri had been standing behind her, with a sullen mood. He was sulking like a child, following her around, waiting for her to notice him, and pay attention to what he wanted.


    When she was still oblivious after a while, he initiated by hugging her from behind, rubbing his lips on her neck.


    "Aurora¡­," he said softly.


    "Hmm?" she responded absent-mindedly.


    "Aurora!" he said a little more curtly this time.


    "What is it? Tell me," she asked.


    "Aurora¡­," he said in a whiny singsong voice.


    His voice alerted her that there was something amiss. She was wondering why he was tiptoeing about telling her about it.


    "What is it Dimitri?" she asked as she turned into his arms, cupping his face, "What is bothering you?"


    "I know Nicholas is your brother," he trailed, "But I don''t trust him. What if he does something to harm you later?" he asked.


    "Dimitri, we''ve seen the reports, and it clearly showed that I am related to the Russo family," she smiled, "I finally found my family."


    "You had a family, you had us," he replied.


    "This is different," she dismissed, rolling her eyes, he was being ridiculous right now, but she knows where he''s coming from. Up until today, Nicholas was supposed to be their enemy. "I know, I don''t understand much about clans and families when it comes to the mafia, but I think he looked glad to see me. He welcomed me so readily as his sister, and that did not look rehearsed," she added


    He sighed.


    "I understand your concern. You don''t need to force yourself to like him right away. We all know it will take time to bury the hatchet, but for my sake, can you please reconsider being his friend?" she requested.


    Who would ever think that his sworn enemy would ever be his brother-in-law? "How do you even deal with that?" he thought. After one of Nicholas'' people clocked her in the head, Dimitri was still on the warpath to find this guy and make him suffer. Nobody lays a hand on his woman and lives.

 Chapter 95 - 94

    "Uhm-hmm..," he agreed as he hugged her tightly. Something about this whole situation unsettled him. He was trying not to overthink this situation, but his cautious nature could not help but be wary.


    After they got home, Aurora had decided she wanted to meet her parents already, there was no use prolonging the inevitable. Even though she feels a little apprehensive about it, she would rather tackle things head-on so they could all go on with their lives, and hopefully make up for all the time they lost being apart.


    They had broken the news to Dimitri''s parents that night, and it was evident on everybody''s face that they were all shocked. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that her parents would be another affluent Mafia family?


    They had all tiptoed about her learning the truth about the Santoris family since she had been rescued. They knew it was a sore subject because of all supposed killings and power struggles, so they never mentioned it to her again. But now, fate seemed to have laughed her in the face and threw her right in the middle of the mix.


    Daisy and Matthew Santoris, Dimtri''s parents, had warmed up to Aurora as soon as they met her, and they were pleased that she was able to thaw Dimitri''s stone-cold heart, it never really mattered to them that she had been an orphan when she came home to them, but this puts the icing on the cake. Who knew their marriage would be the glue that would finally bring down an age-old feud between two families that had always viewed each other as rivals.


    "Enzo, we''re meeting my parents today. They''re your other grandpa and grandma. So you better behave, okay," Aurora was dressing Ezo up to meet her parents. "No running around and asking for too many things. Remember, this is not our house. Ask me or dada first if you want anything, okay," she said.


    "Yes, mama. New grandma, new grandpa?" he asked.


    "Yes, you know, just like dada has his own mama and dada? I have the same thing," she explained. He was smart, but he was not really exposed to the grandparents on both sides early on, so she figured he might be confused.


    "You mama, dada¡­ no come, why?" asking why he''s never seen them before. Dimitri walked into the room to catch their conversation, he was supposed to be there to hurry them up, but since they were having a very serious conversation, he just sat himself on Enzo''s bed.


    "Hmm¡­," she wondered how she could phrase it and not shock her child too much, "They got lost, so they didn''t know anything about us," she said.


    "Like dada?" he said, making the connection when she explained why he had no father in the beginning.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I didn''t even think about that," she said with an amused look. Who knew he would make that connection. Her son was getting smarter and smarter every day.


    "Oh no! Big people dumb, dumb," he murmured.


    Aurora and Dimitri looked at each other and laughed out loud.


    "No worry mama... Enzo.. not lose you," he said as he patted her cheeks. She smiled and hugged her precious child. He was very thoughtful and innocent, and she wished that he would keep that attitude with him forever.


    -=-


    Everybody was abuzz in the Russo household. They had been preparing all day for the coming of their lost princess and the house looked nothing but spectacular. All the rooms that haven''t been used for a while had been cleaned and freshened up, just in case the visitors wanted to take a tour of the house. It was like they were receiving the Royal family.


    Aurora had been here a few days ago, but they never passed through the main doors, and because the atmosphere during that time had been tense she did not really pay attention to her surroundings. But today, she saw that the place was very well maintained. Flowers were planted all around the house, and even though the mansion was not as big as the Santoris'' it was still a sight to behold. She''s starting to get used to the opulence, but sometimes she''s still amazed how rich people lived their lives.


    This was the day she was going to meet her parents, and even though she talked Enzo through it to calm her nerves down, there was really no way she could prepare herself for this day. She was nervous, "Will they even want me as their daughter? Will they remember me? Will they want me?"


    Dimitri held her hand in his to stop her from fidgeting and to lend her some of his strength and his calm, "It''s going to be okay. They''re going to love you," he said just as they opened the doors.


    It was like they were being given the royal treatment, the maids and guards were lined up on both sides, bowing as they came in. Nicholas stood at the end with a big smile on his face, "Aurora, I''m so glad you came," he wanted to hug her in excitement, but the glare from Dimitri made him just reach out and hold both of her hands in his instead.


    "Mom and Dad are coming in a second, come and take a seat," he said, but at the exact moment, their attention was taken by her parents.


    "Mother! Father! Here you are. Look, my baby sister is finally home," Nicholas announced. He had broken the news to them the night before, and they all broke down crying, wanting to see Aurora right away, but he explained that she might not want the same thing right away, so they should give her time.


    Her father was in his early 60''s, some parts of his hair were still black, but it had a slight peppering of white here and there, making him look wiser. It was like looking at Nicholas 30 years in the future, but he gave the impression of someone a little bit nicer and approachable.


    She did not know where to look, wanting to take them both in at the same time.


    Despite the dark circles around her eyes, which were made invisible by very good make-up, and her very frail frame, one could see that Mrs. Russo was very good-looking in her days. She did not lose that classy air about her even as she sat on the wheelchair that Mr. Russo pushed her in.

 Chapter 96 - 95

    Aurora wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, she had never imagined she could be this happy in her life, now her family was complete, and her heart was overflowing with love.


    "Awww¡­ my baby¡­ my baby, it''s really you," Mrs. Russo stretched out her arms towards Aurora, and she did not hesitate to go and hug her mom. She had waited for this opportunity her entire life, and she was going to relish this moment as long as she lives.


    Aurora knelt in front of her mother, and they hugged like they never wanted to be separated from each other ever again.


    Her mother kept on caressing her face and her hair, "I always felt in my heart that you were alive. I never gave up hope. I''m so glad you are finally here," her mother sobbed.


    Aurora''s tears had been flowing since she felt her mother''s arms around her. She longed for her touch all her life, every single time the other kids made her cry or bullied her at the orphanage, or when she just needed a hug at the end of the day.


    "Oh mom¡­," there was a lump in Aurora''s throat, she couldn''t form the words she wanted to say. Mrs. Russo sobbed as she heard Aurora call her mom. Her heart was bursting with so much joy.


    "You have such a lovely voice, and look at you, you look so pretty, just as I imagined you to be," her mother said.


    Though the men tried to conceal their emotions, you can see that there was a sheen to their eyes. Who would not be moved by this very touching moment?


    Mr. Russo wanted to hug Aurora as well but did not feel like he should intrude. When his wife saw him on the corner of her eye, she invited him over. "Our daughter is here, don''t you want to hug her too?" Mrs. Russo asked.


    "Forgive me¡­," he said before he too broke down in tears as he stopped beside his wife and daughter. He was asking forgiveness for not finding her in time, for all the years they spent apart, and all the suffering she endured all those years.


    "Dad, you don''t need to apologize," Aurora said, "I am here, and that''s all that matters." The past was better forgotten now that they were all together again. She welcomed him into their hug, melting away all the pain and suffering she had endured all 25 years of her life.


    "You have grown up to be a wonderful person. I am glad that having no family all those years did not damage you too much," Mr. Russo rubbed her arm.


    While Aurora and his parents were catching up, Nicholas noticed Enzo hiding behind his father. He knew that Aurora had a child, but he has never met him before.


    "Hey kid, come here," Nicholas commanded.


    Enzo looked at his father, asking for assurance that it was okay to talk to this new person. He felt uncomfortable because from the moment they entered the house, his mother and these people he assumed were his grandparents started crying. For someone visiting their parents, he expected them to be happy to see each other, not sad.


    He wanted to ask why his mother was crying, and if she was alright, but if his dad was just standing there, then he would do the same.


    Dimitri nodded at him, "It''s okay. Go ahead."


    Nicholas stooped down to Enzo''s level, "So you''re Aurora''s kid, huh. I''m your mom''s older brother, so that makes me your uncle."


    Enzo stared at him, "Like Uncle Gabe?"


    "Hmm... No, I''m not Gabe. My name is Nicholas. Can you say that?" he asked.


    "Uncle Nicho-was," he tried, but the L on his tongue felt difficult to say, "Nicho..."


    Nicholas laughed out loud at Enzo, struggling to say his name, "Just call me Uncle Nicho. That''s good enough."


    "Uncle Nicho¡­ easy," Enzo giggled.


    "Oh, you are so cute!" Nicholas said as he carried Enzo in his arms and pinched his cheeks.


    When his grandparents heard him laughing, their attention got diverted to him.


    "Aurora, is he your baby?" Mrs. Russo asked.


    "Go and say hello to grandma," Nicholas said as he let Enzo down.


    He walked to her quietly, but when he saw his mom reach out for him, he ran faster. "Mama, is this my new grandma?" he loud whispered to Aurora while pointing to Mrs. Russo.


    Mother and daughter laughed, "Yes baby, she is your grandma. Did you say hello to her?"


    "Hello grandma, my name is Lorenzo," he said shyly.


    "Come, sit on my lap," Mrs. Russo instructed and Enzo enthusiastically tried to climb up when his mother told him to be a little more gentle, as his grandma is not feeling well.


    "I''m sorry, grandma," he said as he bowed in front of her.


    "Don''t worry about it. Just sit here," she said, patting her lap once again. But this time Aurora had to scoop him up and place him gently, so as not to injure her mother.


    "Look dear, my daughter was a baby when we lost her, and now she has her own baby," Mrs. Russo said teary-eyed.


    "Yes, and now our family is complete again," Mr. Russo replied.


    "Grandma... No lose mama, okay," Enzo instructed the elders.


    "No baby, I promise, we won''t lose her ever again," Mrs. Russo smiled, "You are such a smart kid."


    Mr. Russo nodded at Dimitri, "Your kid is very smart for his age. I''m glad my daughter has you in her life." He had to hand out an olive branch to Dimitri, years of enmity between their families are going to be hard to dissolve, but since Dimitri is his son-in-law he had to make some effort.


    Because of Aurora, their families have declared a ceasefire, nobody was allowed to make any moves, unless they want to ruin the relationship they have right now. And for the sake of Aurora, they will amicably learn to deal with each other as in-laws and family members.

 Chapter 97 - 96

    "Son-in-law, come to the dining room so we can eat," Mrs. Russo invited as soon as the meal was ready. She was oblivious to Dimitri''s identity, and she was ready to embrace him as her daughter''s husband and nothing more.


    Dimitri smiled and followed his family into the dining room. The table had been arranged so Aurora could sit beside her mother while Dimitri and Nicholas sat with Enzo in between them.


    They made for a funny group, just because when Nicholas tried to spoon-feed Enzo, he replied that he was a big boy and knew how to feed himself. He even pointed out the dishes he wanted to eat without difficulty.


    Dimitri beamed with pride as his son looked at him, "Good job, son." Enzo was happy that Dimitri had praised him in front of all his new family.


    Nicholas glared at Dimitri over the kid''s head, mad that he was rejected. He wanted to pamper the kid, and yet his offer was shot down. Dimitri just glared at him back to tell him, my kid, my rules.


    "Dimitri, I think you should have some of this lobster. It''s nicely seasoned," Aurora tried to diffuse the situation she could see brewing between her husband and her brother.


    After the initial tension was gone, lunch became a pleasant event. Enzo took most of the stage, entertaining everybody with the narration of his love for his favorite dishes and his days at school.


    It was almost nighttime by the time Enzo started yawning and nodding off in Aurora''s arms, which meant it was time for them to go.


    Mrs. Russo looked worriedly at Aurora when she heard Dimitri announce that it was time for them to head out. "Why are you leaving already. You can spend the night here. We have prepared several rooms for you to use," she pleaded.


    "Honey, we need to let them go, I bet they''ll come back soon enough, won''t you?" he looked at Aurora pointedly.


    "Yes, mom, we''ll visit again one of these days. Enzo has school tomorrow, and I have work. Don''t worry, we''ll come by often. I''ll ask for a leave of absence so we can spend more time together," she tried to pacify her mom.


    But Mrs. Russo did not want to hear any of it. "No! I want them to stay. Make them stay!" She was starting to get hysterical. Thinking that she would lose Aurora again.


    A dark cloud passed through Dimitri''s eyes, but he kept to himself. This is what he was afraid of, that the Russo family would want to detain Aurora in their house, and he might never see her again.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not disappearing again. I will come back. I promise," Aurora replied.


    "But no¡­ my baby¡­," she was starting to cry again, and Aurora could do nothing but hug her again, whispering and soothing her.


    So Nicholas had to step in. "Mother, Aurora will come back soon. Don''t worry about it," he added.


    "Grandma, I will come back. Don''t cry," Enzo said, trying to help. He knew he was cute and that most adults listen to him when he says cute stuff. And it worked.


    The Russo family looked at the retreating backs of the Santoris family, as they said their goodbyes.


    -=-


    Violet''s mother had been discharged from the hospital, and in order for her to tend to her mother''s needs, she had to quit her job at the cafe. She had been so tired the past couple of days that she had no time to do anything else other than going to work, and then head home by the end of the day. As her mother''s health progressed, the more optimistic she became that her mother would recover wonderfully.


    Gabriel, on the other hand, was happy with her mom''s recovery, but that meant they never got to see each other anymore. He was so used to seeing her every day that he felt deprived.


    He had been practicing self-restraint, but after a week and there was no sign of them seeing each other soon, he got impatient. He knows that their relationship was new, but if he went one more day without seeing her, he was gonna go crazy.


    Violet answered her phone when she saw that it was Gabriel, "Be ready tomorrow. I will take you out after work," he instructed. She was used to Gabriel''s way of talking on the phone now, he rarely beat around the bush, and used sweet words, always giving out instructions when he wanted to see her, but she could always forgive him for that because he treated her differently when they were alone together.


    He gave her his whole attention and he took care of everything she needed, so what else could she ask for?


    "I promised mom to take her out for a walk tomorrow after I come home from work. Plus, I need to make her dinner, and what if something happens to her?" Violet kept coming up with one excuse after another.


    "Stop with the excuses, Violet. You leave your mom at home during the day, and I haven''t heard of her death yet. She can take care of herself a couple more hours without you," he replied, "Plus, don''t forget you still owe me a favor," he reminded her.


    "But¡­," Violet hesitated.


    He had been prepared for all these excuses, but he will not agree to her request, "No more buts. If you don''t come with me willingly tomorrow, I will abduct you," he threatened.


    Violet giggled, "Gabriel, that sounds over the top. You''re just kidding right?"


    "Try me!" he said in a harsh tone. She thought he was kidding, but knowing Gabriel''s personality, he might just end up doing it.


    "Okay fine. I will be there, you can pick me up after work," she agreed because, in reality, she missed seeing him the past week as well.


    He smiled, and she could hear it in his voice, "Good. I can''t wait to see you."


    "Where are we going?" Violet asked, a little bit excited because this would be the first time they would be going on a proper date.


    "It''s going to be a surprise," he said.


    "But how am I going to know what outfit to wear?" she whined.


    "Just wear something casual, nothing too formal," he said.

 Chapter 98 - 97

    The next day Violet came home earlier than usual so she could get ready for her date. She wanted to look presentable wherever they were going, being Gabriel''s girlfriend was going to be a lot of work, and she did not want to embarrass him, because even though she was poor, she still had her dignity intact.


    Gabriel waited outside his car for Violet, he had been missing her the past week, and he needed to use drastic measures to make her agree to see him. Sure she told him that she liked him, but he wondered if she missed him as much as he missed her. As he spotted her walking towards him, he remembered why he fell in love with her.


    Violet had that confident air around her, that commanded him to look. She wore a green dress with floral patterns swirled throughout the fabric, and she paired it with very strappy sandals that showed off her toned calves. She looked very innocent, almost like a youthful teenager, with her hair loosely curled around her face and a soft natural look for her make-up that had a dewy finish. Suddenly he felt conscious about how he looked.


    Violet blushed when she saw his piercing gaze directed towards her. "Are you going to tell me where we''re going now?" she asks as she reaches him, receiving one of his hugs that she sorely missed, but it ended too soon.


    "You will know very soon," he said as he opened the door to let her in. He inhaled her natural scent, and he wanted to forget his plans and just kiss her all night in his car, but he promised her a date, and a date is what they will have.


    They reached a huge estate outside the city that was littered with fruit trees, shade trees, and every type of flowering bush, in the front. It was spectacular from Violet''s point of view, but to Gabriel, it was just another property they owned.


    "This is magnificent, do you live here?" she asked in awe, looking around, amazed that something like this existed near the city.


    "No, it''s just one of my family''s farming estates. We grow fruits and vegetables here to eat," he replied.


    They took a tour of the house and the gardens, stopping at an area where a picnic blanket was laid out, on it was different types of dishes made with the fruits and vegetables picked from the farm that morning. Nothing could be fresher than that.


    "Did you have this prepared? This is so amazing. You''re so thoughtful," she smiled and ran to the blanket to sample some of the dishes. Gabriel followed right behind her.


    "Wow, there''s a lot of food here. It''s making me hungry," she said as she opened one container after the other.


    "Me too, I''m hungry, "Gabriel said as his eyes roamed all over her body.


    She was trying to feed him a strawberry when he pulled her waist so they could lay on the blanket together.


    "Ahhh..," she screamed as she fell on the blanket.


    "I''ve been wanting to do this since I picked you up," he kissed her lips hungrily. It had been a week since they last kissed, and he was hungry for the taste of her lips.


    Gabriel sucked on her lips, prying them open with his very insistent tongue, so he could taste her sweet nectar. Violet could not stop the onslaught of feelings his mouth created. She kissed him back while she ran her hands through his hair. "Hmm¡­," they both moaned at the same time.


    But kissing her swollen lips was not enough, he wanted to taste all of her. His lips traveled to her chin, then to her neck, and then down to the V of her dress.


    Violet moaned, "Ughhhh¡­," which encouraged him to lower the straps on her dress. She was wearing a black silky bra that hugged her milky white skin, enticing Gabriel to touch what was hidden underneath.


    He was feeling very feverish as he squeezed one of her breasts, and Violet moaned again. "Oh honey, you''re very beautiful. I want to feel you in my mouth," he moaned, licking the tops of her breasts.


    Her whole body turned to jelly, and she wanted the same thing he did. For him to lick her everywhere, but when she opened her eyes she remembered where they were. In the middle of Gabriel''s farm where people could probably see what they were doing.


    She froze, "Gabriel, honey¡­ ahhh.. I think we should stop...ahhh," he had one of her nipples in his mouth and did not want to stop, his hands were unhooking her bra when she caught his hand.


    "Gabriel, we need to stop¡­. people can see us out here¡­ it''s too open," she said as she hugged his head to her bosom.


    "What was I thinking? I got carried away. Dammit! It''s her first time, and I almost took her right in front of everybody," he hugged her, "I''m sorry, honey," he said, shielding her from any prying eyes, while he tried to arrange her dress back to the way it was.


    She deserved better than this, and he will make sure that her first time would be very special.


    "It''s okay," she said as she hugged him back. They proceeded to eat the food they had forgotten when they were trying to taste each other. They fed each other with their fingers and their lips, always touching, always kissing.


    They talked about her mother, her work, and all her dreams and ambitions as the sun came down, bathing them in the sunset glow. It was getting harder for Gabriel to say goodbye to her every time they parted. And he had decided that it was time to legally bind her to him, so they could be together without any restrictions. But as we all know, plans never go the way we plan them.


    Just like everyone, Gabriel has a past, and it has come to haunt him. This time, once and for all, he needs to face it head-on, so he can move forward and plan for his future.

 Chapter 99 - 98

    Another week had passed, and Violet''s mother was recovering faster than she anticipated. And because all she did was sleep and eat the past few weeks, she was getting tired of staying at home. Before she got sick, she had a job, went to the supermarket, cooked their meals, and went out whenever she wanted to. But these days, she felt so cooped up, so she asked Violet if they could go out to the mall and just walk around.


    How could Violet say no when she was just so happy that her mother was getting better, and since they never used to do this before, Violet thought today was a good day to start.


    There weren''t too many shoppers walking about, so it was easy to spot Gabriel walking at the mall. Violet and her mom were walking to one of the clothing stores when she saw him. She had missed him since they went out for their date, so she excitedly tried to catch his attention.


    But that''s when she saw that he wasn''t alone. Gabriel was out shopping with a gorgeously dressed woman. She halted in her tracks but then thought maybe she was a sister or a cousin. They never really talked about his family, so she doesn''t even know if he had a sister.


    She tried to step forward again, thinking, "I''ll just say hi. He said, he was serious about me, so maybe it''s time I met his relatives, right?"


    The woman smiled up at Gabriel, and he just nodded and kept walking. Violet was trying hard to keep up when she saw the woman grab the paper bag from his hand and say out loud, "Oh honey, thank you so much for the gift,'' she smiled as she hugged Gabriel''s arm.


    Violet''s heart dropped. Whoever that was, wasn''t his sister, or even a close relative. She called him honey, and he didn''t even say no to her. She ran back to the clothing store with tears in her eyes. After she wiped off her tears, she told her mother there was something important she needed to do at work, so they have to leave right away.


    The scene kept playing again and again inside her head. Gabriel told her that he was serious about her, so why was he out dating another woman? She locked herself in her bedroom and let all the tears she''s been holding free.


    ''Why would he date someone like me? Boring ordinary me? When he can have that gorgeous, classy woman whose clothes probably cost more than my salary.'' she felt pity for herself.


    She recalled all the times they had been at the grocery when all the women openly admired him, whispering how he could be dating somebody as plain as her. She didn''t mind them before because as she looked at Gabriel, his attention was directed only at her. He never even smiled at the cashier who was being too over-friendly or the other women who tried to strike up a conversation and show him their boobs. He always hurried her up instead, telling her he was hungry and that she should cook him dinner right away.


    Violet often wondered what Gabriel saw in her. But with his constant care and attention, she forgot all her doubts. She appreciated that he was snarky when it came to other women, but gentle and kind to her.


    But today, more doubts entered her mind, "Did Gabriel finally realize that I will never be his match? And he needed someone more sophisticated?


    And that robin''s-egg blue paper bag that he had in his hand, wasn''t that from the most expensive jewelry store in town? Isn''t that a very intimate gift?


    Everybody knew that jewelry and perfume were never given casually, they always represented love, so they were always given and received by lovers."


    She cried her heart out until she fell asleep.


    Later that night, Gabriel called Violet, as per usual. So she decided to ask him about his day, what he did, and where he was, but he responded that he was at work the whole day because it was very busy.


    ''No! No! You liar! You were with another woman!'' she screamed in her head. He was usually honest about how he spends his days, so today, she thought, maybe he had been lying to her all along.


    When he asked how she spent her day off, she said she had to go. She couldn''t pretend one more second that everything was normal. In a couple more minutes, she would have screamed at him on the phone if she did not cut the call.


    He was taken aback when she said she was not feeling well and needed to go. She never made this excuse before. Even when she was not feeling well, they would chat for hours and hours until she fell asleep.


    When he said no, she made another excuse. She had to prepare her mother''s dinner, and that she needed to make sure her mother took her medicine at the exact time every night.


    He let her go, but he knew there was something else behind the excuses. There was something in her voice that said she was lying.


    The next day, Gabriel came to the office to pick her up. Violet was not ready to see him right now, but she can''t just turn him away, otherwise, he''d probably throw a scene, and she did not want that.


    She forced a smile on her face and walked toward his car. "Hey, I didn''t know you''d be here."


    "I missed you a lot, and I couldn''t wait," he hugged her tightly, "I wanted to surprise you."


    But she could not hug him back, and he felt it, "What happened? Is everything fine?"


    "I''m a little bit tired. There¡­. there was too much work today," she stammered because she was not used to lying to him.


    There were too many questions running through her mind, but she couldn''t get herself to ask about the woman she saw him with. It was either she had no confidence in herself, or she was not strong enough to hear him say that he did not want her anymore.

 Chapter 100 - 99

    Violet was timid and shy by nature, and being with Gabriel was so intimidating. If she had a choice, she would never have dared to go out with him, in reality, she only agreed because he persuaded her to be with him.


    Gabriel cupped her face and ran his thumb on her cheek. He noticed dark circles under her eyes, and her face was a little pale. He thought she was probably tired from juggling work and taking care of her mom that past few months, neglecting her health in the process.


    He promised himself that once they get married, Violet would live happily without worry since he would be there to take care of her. Together with the servants that will do all the housework for her.


    "Let me send someone to look after your mom. You look tired, and I think you should rest," he suggested as he caressed her face.


    "No, don''t do that." she replied as he raised his eyebrow, "My mom knows how much I earn at the office, and if I hire a caretaker, then she would become suspicious. I can''t afford someone like that with my salary."


    He gave her a  small peck on her lips as before he dropped her off. "Take care and make sure you get enough sleep okay? If you need anything, don''t hesitate to call me."


    The next day one of the secretaries informed Violet that someone named Alya had come looking for her and was waiting in the lobby. She frowned as she made her way down the elevator because she did not know anyone by that name. And as she walked to the receiving area, looking for Alya, her heart sank, it was the same woman she saw Garbiel with at the shopping mall.


    "Hi, Violet! I know you don''t know me, but I''m Alya, and I would like to sit down somewhere and talk to you if you''re free," Alya glanced at the receptionist to emphasize that she did not want anyone to listen to what she had to say.


    There was a cafe nearby that Violet suggested they go to. There was an awkward silence between them the whole time they walked to the cafe, and Violet did not know what to do.


    "I''ve been wanting to see you for a long time, but I didn''t want to hurt you," Alya said, softy. The more Violet looked at her, the more beautiful she became, and it seemed like whatever she wanted to say was sincere.


    "It''s okay, you can tell me¡­ What is it about?" Even though she had a bad feeling about what Alya was going to tell her, she still needed to hear it.


    "Gabriel is my boyfriend," Alya said effortlessly.


    "What!" Violet raised her voice, getting the attention of a few of the customers and staff. She wanted to run out of there as soon as she heard what Alya said.


    "Please calm down. Listen to me, I was 18 when I met Gabriel at the summer club, he was 19 then. I worked at the club, so I saw him every day during the summer, and after spending some time together, we fell in love.


    I was from a poor family and was hesitant at first to be with him, but Gabriel held my hand and promised me the world. You know how he is, he pampers you when he is interested in you, making each day very memorable and special.


    But alas, his parents learned about our relationship and did not want us to be together, saying that I will disgrace their family just because I was poor. Gabriel fought against his parents, but in the end, they won, they sent him abroad to keep us apart. But since we were each other''s first love we endured the distance, and our love just became stronger.


    He came home after a year, and that night he could not keep his hands to himself, so we slept together. After a few months, we learned that I was pregnant, so Gabriel decided it was a good reason for us to get married. This time his parents would not say no, especially since we have their future grandson inside me already.


    But then, because of all the pressure, I miscarried. I was so sad that we lost our baby, and because of that, his parents had been relentless about keeping us apart.


    Now that I am established, I decided to come back. Because I know deep in Gabriel''s heart it would always be me. I saw him the other day, and he was more than glad to reconcile with me.


    He told me all about your relationship. He wanted you only as a rebound girlfriend, and now that I''m here, he does not know how to break up with you. So he sent me to talk to you," Alya said sadly.


    "I''m sorry. There is no easy way to do this," she said with pity on her face.


    Violet was shocked she did not know how to react. She sat there thinking about what the woman in front of her said. If his parents did not accept Alya because she was poor, they probably won''t accept Violet either.


    Gabriel had never told her he was ready to marry her, but this woman, they were supposed to get married and have a kid together. He was really serious about her.


    So if they both wanted to be together, then it just meant that Violet was a hindrance, and even if Alya did not tell her to back out, it was implied.


    She was not the type of person who would keep a man by her side when she knew that his heart belonged to someone else. She had the answer, and it''s to let him go.


    "So Gabriel sent you?" Violet asked.


    "Yes, he could not do it himself. He said he did not want to hurt you after all you''ve gone through together," Alya said.


    This made Violet angry. What kind of a man sends his girlfriend to break up with somebody? Did their relationship not mean anything to him, that he did not care to say it to her directly?


    Alya was playing with the necklace around her neck while Violet processed all this information. And Violet noticed that it had the same logo as the paper bag Gabriel was holding that day she saw them at the mall.


    "That''s a lovely necklace," Violet says.


    Alya smiles, "Oh this? Gabriel and I went shopping the other day. I was just looking at it, and he bought it for me," she said with a twinkle in her eye.


    That was the last straw, Violet stood up, "I understand. He... will never hear anything from me... from this day forward," her voice was trembling. She ran out of the cafe without hearing Alya''s response.


    Alya smirked as she stared at Violet''s retreating back. "My plan worked," she thought triumphantly.

 Chapter 101 - 100

    Violet did not know how she had been able to go back to work and do her job after she learned the truth. She was on autopilot.


    Gabriel had called her as per usual, but she kept making the excuse that she was busy and had no time to talk to him. She was exhausted, trying to evade his calls and pretend everything was okay when he texted.


    ''Why is he doing this to me if he''s already with someone else. How cruel can you be?'' She cried herself with that question in mind every night since then.


    But after a few days, she decided that she would make it clear to him once and for all that she was not some chick he could play with. That she was a person that deserved to be loved.


    She let the phone ring for a while before she picked up his call to prepare for what she wanted to say to him.


    "Violet, oh thank god you answered the phone. I thought something happened to you. Is everything okay?" Gabriel sounded tense. She always answered her phone when he called, so he thought she might have been in danger.


    "I am fine. What do you want?" She asked in a stiff voice.


    Gabriel frowned, "Why do you answer me like this every time I call? I feel like you do not want to talk to me anymore."


    "I want to break up with you," she went straight to the point.


    "What?" Gabriel thought he misheard her and asked her to repeat again.


    "You heard what I said. I want to break up," She repeated, and he was stunned.


    "You want to break up with me? Violet is this some kind of a joke because this is not funny," he scoffed.


    "No, I thought a lot about us. We are not compatible. Sooner or later, you will realize I am correct. We can avoid getting hurt the sooner we end this relationship," she gritted her teeth as each word came out of her mouth. She loved him so much, but she also had to protect herself.


    "Violet! Enough of this nonsense. There is no issue we cannot sort out. What did I do wrong? I''ll do everything to make it right. Don''t break up with me like you don''t care about this relationship," he pleaded.


    She melted at his words, but then she remembered what Alya said, that he used her as a placeholder until Alya came back. Just the thought of them having a kid and getting married put her back in perspective. She will not allow herself to be a mistress or a third party.


    "Gabriel¡­ I¡­ I don''t love you anymore. So stop bothering me," she said with a catch in her voice. There was absolute silence from Gabriel''s side, that for a second, she thought their call got disconnected.


    "Fine. If that''s what you want," He said and ended the call.


    Violet sat on her bed numb, she did not expect him to accept it so calmly that she thought, "Alya was right. He didn''t love me after all." When reality hit her, she began sobbing uncontrollably. She had ended their relationship, but it felt like he stabbed her heart when he readily agreed.


    Work the next day was gloomy. She operated like a robot and was not interested in anything. Now she understood why people felt lifeless after parting with their lovers. The pain was more than physical, and her spirit had gone. She had no more will to live.


    She remembered she needed to go to the supermarket after work, so she made a detour and passed by a dark alley on her way there. When she felt somebody touch her shoulder, she began attacking the person in the dark, using her purse to inflict as much pain as she could.


    "Help! Help! Thief!"


    He covered her mouth with his hand and hugged her from behind, "Shh¡­ it''s me, it''s me¡­," he whispered in her ear.


    "Gabriel! Why did you do that?" she asked when he let her go.


    "Let''s go! I''ll explain later," he dragged her towards his car so they could get out as fast as they could.


    "What are you doing here? Leave me alone! We broke up already, if you keep forcing me like this, I''ll have you sent behind bars," she argued as she tried to struggle from his grip.


    Gabriel smirked, "You think the law can touch me? I think you really don''t know who I am."


    He dragged her despite her continuous cries, but nobody was there to witness it. As soon as he sat her in the car, she tried to get out. But the doors were locked from the outside.


    "Let me go, Gabriel! I do not want to go with you," she faced him with anger in her eyes.


    He grabbed her shoulders and said in the coldest tone she has ever heard from him, "I am not in a good mood right now, and I have no time for your whining. So either you keep quiet until we reach my place, or I can show you how angry I feel right now in the back seat of this car, and yes, it is what you think it is. So decide fast."


    Seeing his deathly stare, she silently sat back in her seat and clicked her seatbelt on, she had really pissed him off this time, and it seemed that if she caused too much trouble, she might end up losing her v card at the back of his car.


    Satisfied by her obedience, he drove quietly to one of his properties. He had instructed all his staff to leave for the day so they would not get interrupted. He lifted her in his arms and went straight to the bedroom.


    He stood in front of her after he laid her down on the bed, "Now tell me what you had to say during that sordid phone call last night," he barked.

 Chapter 102 - 101

    She tried to scramble off the bed, "I¡­ I think¡­ we should..,"


    "What? Say it! You were so brave last night, why can''t you say it now?" he yelled.


    "You''re a liar! You''re a cheat, and you always bully me," she sobbed and broke under all that pressure. She couldn''t take it anymore, first, he cheated on her, and now he''s screaming at her. What did she do to deserve this?


    He cursed, "Shit! I raise my voice a little, and you end up crying. How do you want me to talk to you when you won''t tell me anything?"


    "I want to go home," she pleaded.


    "Violet! Stop this nonsense! You cannot run away whenever you face a problem. Talk to me. I''m your boyfriend, for crying out loud," he snapped.


    Violet covered her mouth to control her sobs. "Boyfriend? How can he still think he''s my boyfriend when he loves another woman?"


    Her tears were his weakness, and his heart softened when she wouldn''t stop crying. He sat beside her and wiped her tears away.


    "Violet, you must know I love you a lot. More than you will ever know. I cannot and will not break up with you no matter what happens."


    "Until when will you want me like this?" she frowned. Why is he spouting all these lies when she knows his secret?


    "Forever, my love," he smiled as he caressed her cheek, "Forever."


    "Lies! Everything is a lie! All your promises are fake!" she tried to push him away.


    "Why do you keep saying that I''m lying? What happened? I am asking for the last time," he threatened in an icy tone as he held her hands tightly. The tone he used could make even the hardest criminal fearful, and that is how she felt.


    "You love someone else, you even sent her to break up with me. And don''t lie to me, I saw you at the mall with her. I witnessed you giving her a gift, being all sweet and stuff," she blurted.


    "And who is this you are talking about?" he frowned.


    "Alya, your first love. The one you can''t wait to get back together with. The love of your stupid life," she said with repulsion in her tone.


    Gabriel was shocked. How does his innocent Violet know Alya? He would never send Alya to her, ever.


    "What are you talking about? When did you meet with Alya?" he was confused.


    "Stop lying!" she yelled.


    "I already know the truth about you and her baby. I know everything. I didn''t think you''d be so cruel to send her to break up with me," she accused.


    "We never had a baby. Tell me everything she told you, or god forbid I will strangle it out of her," he said, angrily.


    Now she was confused, why was he angry at Alya? Something did not make sense here, and her gut told her to trust Gabriel and tell him the truth about the visit and what they talked about.


    "Oh, that fucking bitch! No wonder you tried to distance yourself from me." he felt relieved, now it all made sense. For a second there it broke his heart to believe that Violet did not really love him anymore.


    "Let me tell you the truth, the real one, that is if you still trust me. Because my version of this story is the real truth and not hers.


    The only truth in her story is that we met when we were teenagers. We were initially friends. I learned in the course of our friendship that she came from a poor family and had a hard time surviving. She acted like a goody-two-shoes and was always pitiful, so she gained everyone''s sympathy, including mine.


    I fell in love after some time thinking that she was a good person. It was all innocent, we held hands a lot and maybe kissed sometimes, but nothing more. I introduced her to my parents, and they accepted her with open arms. They did not care about money and status. I know she said they were superficial, but my sister-in-law came from an orphanage, and they did not care as long as she loved my brother.


    When my brother took over the business, he was overwhelmed and it took time for him to gain control. So in order to help him, I volunteered to be sent to another city to take care of the negotiations there.


    Alya did not like that and tried to stop me, but I could not let my brother take all the burden. So I convinced Alya that the faster I take care of business, the sooner I could come back, and she reluctantly agreed.


    We promised to always stay loyal and committed to one another. And so it happens that I was busier than I expected, but whatever extra time I could get, I tried to spend with her, talking on the phone. I always believed her when she said she was waiting for me to come back. There were a lot of temptations where I was, but I resisted all of them for her.


    Finally, when I came home, she started acting distant towards me. I thought it was just because we haven''t seen each other for a long time, but now that we are together, everything will go back to normal.


    Boy, was I wrong, she got irritated with everything I said and did that we always ended up fighting. One night I was waiting at her house, as usual, she was taking forever to get ready, so I started looking at the stuff on her desk, and that''s where I found her pregnancy reports.


    I was shocked since we''ve never slept together. When I asked her about it, she said it wasn''t hers. But her name was clearly on it, so she relented. She started crying, saying that someone had forced her while I was gone and she did not know how to tell me. And because I loved her so much, I told her that I would marry her, and keep the baby as mine.

 Chapter 103 - 102

    When I asked for the name of the person who violated her so I could destroy him, she suddenly panicked and said she could not tell me who it was. Then she said she didn''t want to marry me anymore.


    I thought she just felt bad, about everything, so I consoled her, but instead of being nice, she snapped at me, calling me a fool for loving her so much that I was ready to be her doormat.


    I got so mad and pressed her to tell me the truth. And there it was she cheated on me, slept with some rich guy because she wasn''t getting any monetary and sexual benefits from me. She assumed that I was sleeping around like she was, so in her mind, she thought it was just fair. She had an appointment for an abortion the next day, but I caught he before she was able to do it, and now she blamed me. She screamed at me for violating her privacy by snooping around her house.


    She said she thought about cheating on me because she was not sure if our long-distance relationship would last. Plus, I was not beside her, so I was not showering her with gifts all time, and that sucked for her. She loved the money and the perks that came with it.


    I felt so betrayed, angry, sad, and frustrated. I wanted to shake her, and bring back the innocent girl that I left before I went on that business trip, the one that I loved. It must have shown in my face because she got scared. She thought I was going to hurt her, so she armed herself with a knife and tried stabbing me before I could get to her. My reflexes were fast, so she only swiped my hand. That is where the scar came from, he showed her.


    After that, I cut off all ties with her. I heard she went abroad with some other richer guy that could give her what she wanted.


    After she left me, I went down in a spiral. I went and did everything I didn''t get to do when I was with her. I partied every night, slept with all types of women, just to forget how she used me.


    But the first moment I saw you I forgot all about her and started to feel hope. Your simplicity had attracted me the most. What I said before about loving you, all of that was true. I never lied to you." he said.


    "Why didn''t you tell me you met her at the mall?" she asked.


    "Because it was not important. She said she was back and she wanted to see me, at first I didn''t want to, but then for the sake of our relationship, I wanted to make sure that I was not carrying any extra baggage.  I met her at the shopping mall to get closure.


    When I saw her, I felt nothing. At first, I thought I would get mad and tell her all these nasty things I could think of, but when I was there, all I could think of was you. I looked around the mall, and all I could think of was, what should I get you for our next date.


    You said you saw me with a gift bag, I got you a necklace from that store, but she grabbed the bag from me before I could say no. If you stayed a second longer, you would have seen that I pushed her away after she grabbed my arm.


    And when I saw her take the necklace from the box, I felt disgusted. I didn''t want to give it to you anymore because she had touched it, it felt dirty. Nothing evil, and ugly should touch your innocent skin," he said as he looked at Violet lovingly, touching her neck, "I was going to buy you another one. Something that was meaningful to both of us.


    Because of you, I was healed from my bitter past. And because of you, I''ve learned to love again."


    He kissed her hand, "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you I saw her, it was nothing important, but I know now that I should always tell you everything. So there will be no misunderstandings between us.


    Do not believe any word she has said. I never wanted to see her face again, why would I want to get back to her.


    And what type of man do you think I am, that you had little faith in me, you think I am not man enough to break up with you if I really wanted to? Send someone to do my dirty work, please Violet, it''s like you never believed any word I said." she pursed her lips. She was wrong to believe that he would do such a thing.


    "You are not my rebound girlfriend. You are my second chance at love, you are a blessing.


    After my relationship with that vile woman, I had no desire to be in a relationship ever again. All the women after her were just ''flings'', and they all agreed to be just that.," he explained. Now she felt worse, that she hadn''t even bothered to ask him the truth before she believed someone else''s lies.


    "But why did she lie to me?" Violet asked.


    "You are so innocent, and that is what I like about you. She wanted to get back with me for my name and my status, but she had to get rid of you, so she did what she was good at, she lied.


    And you. I should be the one grilling you right now. How could you believe someone else, when I am supposed to be your boyfriend? You should believe me first.


    Hmm¡­ It looks like you need to be punished," he raised his eyebrow suggestively.


    She was ashamed of being a very bad girlfriend. Not believing in him was a sign of her not trusting him. "I¡­ I''m very sorry¡­ I will never do it again."


    "Never again?" he mocked.


    "I promise that from now on, I will trust you unconditionally, and if I have any doubts, I will share them all with you first," she said in a very serious tone.


    "Good," he hugged her very tightly, "remember you said this because next time there will be consequences," he smiled as he kissed her forehead.


    "What about Alya?" she asked, "Don''t you think she might be back when she learns that we''re still together?"


    "Forget about her and concentrate on me," said Gabriel.

 Chapter 104 - 103

    Gabriel was unbuttoning his shirt, and Violet''s eyes widened in surprise, "Gabriel! What are you doing?" she panicked.


    "You will know soon enough," he smiled as he threw his shirt on the floor and looked at her with a mischievous smile.


    Violet scrambled back on the bed, but Gabriel just pulled her back down towards him. The hungry look in his eyes scared her a lot, and before she could say anything, she felt his lips cover hers.


    She tried to push him off, but the feel of her hands on his chest just encouraged him some more. He grabbed her hair and tilted her head to deepen the kiss. This kiss felt hotter and more insistent, sucking on her lips while his other hand opened her top for his exploration.


    He had unhooked her bra and discarded her top even before she realized what he was doing. It only registered that she was half-naked when she felt his lips sucking on her nipple.


    "Ughhh¡­ ahhh¡­ oh Gabriel¡­. Uggghhhh¡­.oh stop," she whimpered, but he just transferred his lips to her other nipple.


    "Gabriel¡­," she tried to push his head away, but he wouldn''t budge. When she pulled on his hair, he took that as more stimulation.


    "Agghhh Violet, I love how you taste," he kissed her lips again and kneaded her breasts with his hands.


    "Gabriel! Stop!" this time she successfully pushed him off a few inches off of her.


    "What happened?" Gabriel asked in an annoyed tone.


    "I think you should take me home. My mom will be waiting for me," before Gabriel took her, she remembered telling her mom she was going to the supermarket.


    "Get your phone and call her, tell her you''re not coming home tonight," he ordered.


    "But... I... I can''t tell her I''m staying here," she stuttered, ''She doesn''t even know about you yet."


    "Tell her one of your girlfriends invited you over," giving her an easy excuse.


    Violet hesitated. She wanted to spend time with Gabriel because they just made up, but she was not sure if she was ready to spend the night with him romantically.


    Her mother was livid when she got her on the phone. Screaming at Violet because she was so worried that she called her a few hours ago and she still hasn''t come home. She said she met a friend on her way to the supermarket and invited her to spend the night.


    Because she felt guilty that her daughter had been caring for her the past months and had not been going anywhere, she wished her well and told her to call her earlier next time so she would not worry.


    As soon as she ended the call, Gabriel interceeded.


    "Enough interruptions! I''m a very impatient man," he threw the phone away.


    While she was on the phone, he was removing her pants and other pieces of clothing. She could not make any protests because her mother might hear Gabriel, then their plans would be ruined.


    Her face was so red by the time he threw her phone away.


    "Stop looking," she whimpered as she tried to roll over to cover her sensitive body parts, but he needed to have his fill, and he just flipped her right over, sitting on her legs.


    "No, I will look to my heart''s content," Gabriel grinned, "This beautiful body should never be covered," he slowly released her legs and caressed her feet. He took the rest of his clothes off as he stared at her body adoringly.


    He kissed her feet, then her legs up to her knees.


    She had love bites on every part of her body that his lips had passed over. Up and down her neck, her chest, around her breasts, her tummy, and down to her inner thighs.


    ''Ughhh..,'' she gasped when he licked her most sensitive spot. She thought his touch was already intoxicating, but his lips were addicting. She can never look at him without imagining his tongue licking her like he was right now.


    Nobody''s even touched her down there except herself, and now he''s kissing her. She did not know what to feel, excited or embarrassed. But one thing was for sure, whatever he was doing was shooting electricity up and down her spine.


    She was so wet and ready that Gabriel did not hesitate when he entered her. Forgetting that it was her first time in his excitement, and as she screamed in pain, he had to pull out halfway, whispering endearing words so she could adjust to his width. Thrusting slowly was torture for him, he was getting stimulated and he just wanted to do it faster, but he wanted her to find pleasure in this as well. So he waited.


    When she started moving her hips, in time to his, he knew that she was enjoying the feeling of having him inside her.


    They were moaning and panting as their thrusts moved faster and faster. ''Uggghhh¡­ Gabriel¡­ ughhh¡­ Violet¡­ ugghhh, baby¡­ ugh¡­ Violet¡­," they both moaned as Violet came and Gabriel right after.


    He was still inside her, "Look how compatible our bodies are with each other. Never tell me we are not compatible, ever again. I hated that," he said as he bit her ear.


    She giggled.


    "Never break up with me again either. I will find you to the ends of the earth and tie you to me if you do," He felt so angry when she broke up with him over the phone, that''s when he realized he could never live without her.


    He took her to his house to talk, yet his feelings had overwhelmed him when he learned why she did what she did. Making love to her gave him reassurance, that giving her virtue up meant she loved him, and that from now on, they can never be separated. He knew it was wrong to force her, but he had to make her see that they were meant to be together.


    "Tell me, Violet, tell me how compatible we are," he insisted. He was very insecure that he had lost control, and now he needed more reassurance.


    "Yes Gabriel, we are compatible together," she answered, and a smile formed on his face. He felt satisfied as he pulled her to his chest, wrapping her in his arms as she snuggled into him.


    He kissed her head and whispered, "Sleep Violet, tomorrow everything will be better."

 Chapter 105 - 104

    The next day after sending Violet home Gabriel decided to end his unfinished business, once and for all.


    Alya was already at the designated place when he got there. There was hope in her eyes as she raked her eyes over the man she had her sights on. "Hi Gabriel!," she said in her happy melodic voice, "I''m so glad you wanted to see me again. I missed you!"


    He had sent her a message very early that morning asking her to meet him, and that was when she knew her plan had worked. She would have Gabriel in her clutches once again.


    "Sit down!" he commanded. He would rather not see her ever again, but he had to close this chapter of his life. Otherwise, Violet will never be at peace.


    She tucked a strand of her behind her ear as she looked at him shyly, "Why did you call me here so early in the morning? Did you miss me too?" She had dressed up very nicely today, a flowy dress with a deep V to show him what she was offering.


    "Did you go and see Violet?" he asked coldly.


    "Yeah, I wanted to see who she was. And honestly, she is the dumbest woman I have ever met, and did you see how she dressed. I''m glad you dumped her. She was definitely way below your standards and would have easily lowered your status," she was on a roll and would have gone on and on if Gabriel did not cut her insults.


    "Did I ask your opinion about her? I asked you a yes or no question.


    If someone like her would lower my status, do you think a slut like you would upgrade it?


    Plus, what gave you the idea that I broke up with her?"


    All the color drained from her face, "If you did not break up with her, then why did you call me here? I thought we were getting back together."


    Gabriel chuckled, "You are a very good storyteller if I may say. That was some elaborate fairy tale you told her."


    "That bitch complained to you?" she said with the most hostile look in her eye.


    "Don''t you ever dare to call her that name! That''s reserved just for you," he glared back.


    She shivered, "You misunderstood my intention. I wanted to test out how strong her love for you was. I was looking out for you."


    "Sprouting more lies, I see. I have misunderstood you before, but I was very young and naive then," he waved his hand, and two men came to stand behind her.


    "You made a fool of me years ago, and I let you go, but instead of being grateful, you were too cocky to come back and dare touch my Violet.


    I was too softhearted, thinking you were a woman, you might still find someone who will cherish you, and you might change. I learned my lesson, and it''s time you learned yours," he concluded.


    "What are you going to do? Tell your dogs to get off me," she swatted away the guards trying to hold onto her arms.


    "Take her to the cell, and after you are done with her, make sure she is banned from entering this country ever again," he ordered. "You will never touch what is mine as long as I live."


    She pleaded to Gabriel''s back as he walked away, "No! No! Gabriel, please forgive me¡­ Gabriel¡­."


    The face she once used to lure men into her web, was now useless. She could not ruin their families and their relationships or even hurt anybody ever again.


    Gabriel had no remorse, his heart had broken into a million pieces when Violet had broken up with him. He should have suspected it was Alya''s doing from the beginning, but he had been too lenient. Now that he had Violet back in his arms, he would do everything possible to keep her there.


    His brother was right, it was easier to kill a sapling than a full-grown tree. So problems need to be crushed in their budding stage to avoid complications and tragedies in the future.


    -=-


    The Russo family had been very blissful since the return of their daughter, now they have their lost empire back, and their family is complete.


    Aurora has been treated like the queen ever since she arrived. They wanted to make up for the guilt of losing her for the past 25 years. It was a little overwhelming for Aurora to have everyone around her tending to her needs. She was lucky that she found a husband that loved her dearly, then having been blessed with a very intelligent, and adorable son, and to top that off, her in-laws were as sweet as her parents.


    Her mother had been giving her a lot of jewelry, and every time she came home, it looked like she had gone shopping. They were running out of places to hide the clothes and jewelry in.


    It took a few weeks before Aurora got used to having her own family. Aurora and Dimitri had debated a lot on whether she should take a leave of absence to spend more time with them. He was looking out for her safety and his sanity.


    He argued that he would not be able to sleep without her in his arms, knowing that they were in the same city and just miles away. When Aurora invited him to stay, he said he would not feel comfortable knowing Nicholas was in the next room, plus they never even really asked him to stay, this was just her idea to appease him.


    Dimitri was apprehensive about the idea, but then the opportunity presented itself in the form of a business trip. They both decided it was the best opportunity for her and Enzo to stay with her family and bond with them while he was gone.


    "Uncle! Uncle Nicho!" Enzo ran to him excitedly as soon as he spotted his new uncle.


    "Hey, there champ! My, I think you have grown heavier. Did you grow since the last time I saw you?" Nicholas smiled as he picked up his nephew in his arms.


    "Yes, I am this tall now," Enzo demonstrated.


    "Enzo, do you want to see the Transformer that uncle got you?" Nicholas asked.


    "Did you get me the big one? Is the red and blue?" the kid said, clapping his hand enthusiastically, excited for his surprise.

 Chapter 106 - 105

    Since Enzo was the only child in both families, he is now spoiled twice over.


    "Brother, why did you get him another new toy? He has so many toys already, some of them he hasn''t even played with. I think you should stop getting him new stuff," Aurora was more strict when it comes to parenting. She did not want Enzo to take things for granted and think that he is rich and he can have anything at a whim.


    "Let him have it. It''s my chance to spoil him now. Also, I had your room remodeled, if you don''t like the colors or the design, just let me know, and we''ll change it okay," Nicholas added.


    Nobody has listened to what Aurora wanted ever since she arrived, she wanted simple things, but everybody just seems to go overboard and do what they want, so she just let them do it.


    Nicholas took Enzo to check out his new toys while Aurora was left with their mother. Mrs. Russo has been feeling better and better since Aurora arrived. She had been taking her medicines regularly, eager to get back to her usual self, so she could get out of the wheelchair and get on with her life.


    "I know you feel overwhelmed with the things we do for you, but Nicholas has always been protective of you. Even before you were born, he would dote on you endlessly, he would talk to you in my tummy as if he were having normal conversations. He vowed to give you all his toys and to guard you against bullies. So when you disappeared, it had been as hard for him as well.


    Like me, he cried a lot and refused to eat, but then he vowed to be stronger and bigger, so he could find you and the people who stole you. He was just a child then, but he lost his innocence too early.


    So if you think he showers you with too much attention, it''s because he is trying to re-live the life you were supposed to have together," her mother explained.


    Aurora''s heart softened. They had all been damaged at one point because of the tragedy that befell them, but now that she is here, hopefully, everything can be mended. "I know he only wants the best for me."


    Days had passed, and it seemed that their relationship was getting better and better, Aurora was getting used to Nicholas as being her brother though there are times that it still felt odd.


    One night after dinner, she heard someone outside her door, it was Nicholas pacing back and forth, wondering if he should knock or just head to bed.


    "Brother, you look bothered. Is something the matter? Is mom okay?" she asked, concerned.


    "Uhm.. yeah, she''s okay, I just wanted to talk to you about something if you''re not busy," he replied.


    "Enzo is down for the night, so we can talk," she said as she invited him to sit on the sofa.


    "How does Dimitri treat you? Has he been good to you? What about his parents? Do they look down on you?" Nicholas asked.


    He never liked Dimitri and never failed to show it. Their families have been enemies way before they were even born, and that would be hard to erase. And now that they got Aurora back, he could not accept that Dimitri was his brother-in-law. He always thought that Aurora got the short end of the stick on this deal.


    "Brother, what''s up with all the questions? I feel like you don''t like my husband that much.


    He is a very good man, he puts me and my needs above everything else.  He loves me very much and isn''t afraid to show it. You saw how he was when you took me. There is nothing he wouldn''t do for me.


    I know you are just concerned, but you don''t need to worry. His parents are the sweetest people in the world, they welcomed me with open arms. They did not care that I was an orphan when they met me. They were just happy that Dimitri and I found each other. So if I never met you guys again, I would have been happy because they would have been my family, they treated me like their family," she assured him.


    "Uhm-hum¡­ I heard you guys had a rocky beginning. If for some reason, you are only with him because of obligation, don''t force yourself to stay. You have us now, you are not alone, and we won''t care if Enzo does not have a father," he stated.


    He did a background check on Dimitri, and so far, all he learned was that Aurora had been the only woman he had been with his entire life, but that does not mean he did not sleep around. But then that report came clean as well.


    Aurora was embarrassed that her brother found out what happened to them. She wanted to keep it a secret because it was not something she was proud of.


    "We had a bad beginning, and at first, I wanted to be in the relationship for Enzo''s sake, I did not want him to grow up without a father, but I truly love him, and I know he loves me too. It was an accident for both of us to be at the same place, we were both drugged..," she explained.


    Nicholas frowned and interrupted her, "He was not drugged. I thought you knew about it and forgave him, that''s why I asked."


    "What are you talking about?" she asked, confused.


    "One of his business partners tried to drug him. Dimitri pretended he had been drugged and acted according to their plan, but when they thought he was out, that''s when his men came out and attacked everyone involved," he explained.


    When Nicholas investigated what happened, he learned that Peter tried to kill Dimitri, but he had died instead.


    From what her brother is saying, he implied that she was the only one who had been drugged, and Dimitri had known what he was doing all along, which meant he had taken advantage of her when she was helpless.


    "Did Dimitri ruin me that night?" she felt conflicted. "Is this another lie? Did he really keep the truth from me?"


    Nicholas had jumped to conclusions when he saw the frown on her face. "Aurora, he lied to you again. He manipulated you to cover his mistake. I don''t think you should trust him. After all his lies, he does not deserve you!" he snapped.


    "Brother, I need time to myself. Please excuse me," she said as she stood up to head to the bathroom.


    This new revelation shook her existence. She could not believe this. Not when he said he wasn''t hiding anything else from her. She wanted to believe him so badly because deep in her heart, she loved him so much.


    "Aurora¡­," Nicholas worriedly tried to console her.


    "Please leave me alone¡­," she said as she locked herself in the bathroom.


    "Remember, you are not alone. Your family is here whenever you''re ready," he said through the door.

 Chapter 107 - 106

    Dimitri and Aurora talked on the phone regularly. This was the first time they''ve been apart since they got married, so they kept in contact with each other so they wouldn''t miss each other so much. But Dimitri was surprised when she didn''t pick up or return any of his calls the day before. It was a good thing he was coming home so he could find the reason why. He was very worried that something might have happened and there was no way to contact him.


    He anxiously came to the Russo''s house, but when he saw Enzo playing happily in the living room, his feelings were assuaged, he was probably just paranoid.


    As soon as his son saw him, he ran to him happily, "Dada! Dada!" Enzo hugged his leg. Dimitri lifted him up and planted a kiss on his cheek.


    "Dada, look, new toy," Enzo pointed to the toys around him.


    "Hmm¡­ more new toys? That''s great. Did you behave while I was away?" he asked.


    "Yes, yes, Enzo, good boy. Eat veggies!" his son bobbed his head up and down enthusiastically.


    "Where is your mama?" he asked.


    Nicholas had just been alerted that Dimitri had finally arrived, and he was here to intercept him. If he hated Dimitri before when they were just rivals, Nicholas hated him more now, when he learned that he took advantage of his sister.


    "Why are you here?" Nicholas asked with an arrogant tone.


    "What do you mean why am I here? My wife and son are here, I''ve come to take them home," Dimitri glowered at him.


    "She doesn''t want to see you. You can leave the way you came in," he grunted.


    Dimitri had been very worried about Aurora and now with Nicholas'' strange behavior, he can attest that something was really wrong and he was not just paranoid. He headed to his wife''s room, intent to get to the bottom of this fiasco, "Aurora! Aurora!," he banged on the locked door.


    "Why don''t you understand, my sister will never be with a dishonest man like you. Leave her alone," Nicholas grunted.


    "Nicholas, I''m just going to say this once, for the sake of my wife, stop interfering with our life. You won''t like the consequences. Aurora! Let me in!" he hollered.


    Mr. Russo was alarmed with all the ruckus these two were making, "Why are you both screaming in my house? There''s a child present. Aren''t you ashamed of yourselves?" he yelled at both of them.


    "Father, I''m just preventing him from seeing my sister. She does not want to do anything with him anymore. I''m trying to make him leave," Nicholas explained.


    "Nicholas! You have nothing to do with this issue. It is between a husband and his wife. Come with me and stay out of their business," he wanted to argue with his father, but one look at his angry face had Nicholas gritting his teeth and heading the other way.


    Mrs. Russo took Enzo with her to another part of the house, so he wouldn''t have to witness any unpleasantness between his parents. She wanted to shield him from any conflicts that might occur.


    She ordered the maid to get the key to Aurora''s room and hand it to Dimitri. They won''t be able to resolve anything if they do not talk about it .


    "Aurora! What happened? Are you okay?" he grabbed and hugged her tight, checking her for any injuries afterward.


    Her eyes were very puffy and red, "What happened? Why are there rings around your eyes, are you sad?" he asked as he caressed her face?


    She pushed Dimitri away, her anger, frustration, and helplessness came rushing back at her, "Stay away from me! I never want to see you again," she yelled.


    "Sweetheart, what is it? Talk to me? What have I done?" he said as he tried to move towards her. But she wouldn''t let him, so she started throwing things at him, "Liar! You''re such a liar! Everything we have is based on lies!" she sobbed.


    "Okay! Stop throwing things. I''ll stay where I am, but you have to talk to me," he said as he deflected every projectile directed at him.


    "I hate you! Why Dimitri, why? Why do you keep on hurting me?" she accused.


    "What are you saying? I don''t understand why you are angry at me. You haven''t been picking up my calls, then now your brother looks at me like I committed a grave sin against you. If you do not talk to me, how will I know?" He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated.


    "The night you met me¡­ is it true that you were not drugged? That you took advantage of me?" she wept.


    Dimitri stood frozen on the spot, his blood ran cold, and the earth seemed to collapse underneath him. It was the one lie he had wished to bring to his grave, never to let Aurora know as long as they both lived.


    "How? How do you know?" he asked lifelessly.


    "My brother told me. From your answer, I guess it''s true," she answered.


    "Shit! That Nicholas is always causing trouble," he thought as he clenched his fists.


    "Why did you do it? You knew what you were doing. You could have left me the way you found me," she needed answers. All the horrors of living alone, being pregnant, with no money, and raising the child alone came back. She faced so many difficulties in her life, all because their paths had crossed.


    He sat on the bed with his face in his hands, nothing prepared him for this day to come, but it was here now, and he had to deal with it.


    "Sweetheart¡­ I have no words to say to make this right¡­ I was wrong to do such a thing, but before you judge me, please listen to what I have to say," he pleaded.


    "I had just taken over the business from my father at that time. People thought I was an easy target, that they could easily destroy me. It was hard to prove myself when all they did was try to bring me down every chance they got.

 Chapter 108 - 107

    "I had just taken over the business from my father at that time. People thought I was an easy target, that they could easily destroy me. It was hard to prove myself when all they did was try to bring me down every chance they got.


    One of my business partners, Peter, had been so power-hungry that he killed his own brother to get his position, and I was next on his list. They had drugged me, but he gave himself away when he signaled one of the waiters to execute his plan.


    So I pretended to be drugged so I could wait for their next step. But when they took me to the bedroom where they were supposed to kill me the next day, you were there. I''ve never been attracted to anybody in my life the way I was attracted to you that night.


    I tried to leave but you kept on coming onto me and your sweet voice got me intoxicated. It was worse than the drug they gave me. I could not control myself, and even though I know it was wrong I did it anyway. My plan was to take responsibility for my actions and marry you when you woke up.


    The next day I stationed a guard outside your door while I took care of Peter, I surprised him in the same room he was supposed to kill me in. But when my guard heard the gunshot, he ran to me and that''s when you slipped out. Peter had disabled all the cameras to cover his crimes, so there was no evidence anywhere of your existence.


    I searched for you like a maniac for the past 5 years, and I was surprised when you came to me as Gabe''s doctor. Finally, the heavens were smiling down upon me.


    It was so difficult to convince you to be with me, and just like my other secrets, this one needed to be kept. I love you Aurora and I cannot live without you," he explained as his face bore the weight of the most disgusting crime he had committed in his life.


    Aurora remembered what had happened the day after, she was so embarrassed that she had a one-night stand that she left the city right after she got away from the hotel.


    He begged when she didn''t say anything, "Please believe me. I know I gave in to my urges and it started out all wrong, but you cannot question my love for you. I have never been with anyone all these years, the memory of you plagued me so bad that I only had to have you or no one else.


    I know you went into this relationship with Enzo in mind, but I wanted you to fall in love with me too. So when you told me why you said yes I was afraid to tell you the real truth. Would you have said yes if I told you I gave in to my urges that night because I could not resist you? You made my heart race as nobody else could, and just when I thought I would forever be alone, the heavens threw you at me. I just couldn''t let you go,"


    She looked at him calmly, "I want you to leave me here at my parent''s house, you can go home now. I need time for myself," she lowered her eyes, afraid that if she kept looking at him she would just forget everything and run into his arms. She was conflicted. Why did her life have to be so hard? She had managed to get herself away as far from him while they were talking, she wanted to lock herself in the bathroom and wallow in her sorrows, but Dimitri had other plans.


    Dimitri stalked towards her,  as he trapped her between by the wall. "You want to run away from me? To forget about me?" one handheld her waist, while the other cupped her face, "Tell me, why do you want to torture me like this?" He kissed her neck as his hands roamed over her body. He missed her so much the past few days that he can''t keep his hands away from her.


    "Sweetheart, don''t do this to me... To us. I''m trying to do everything to make you happy. You are the only woman I love and will love for the rest of my life. Tell me what I need to do to make it right. Just think about Enzo if we get separated. You said it yourself, he''s changed since I came into your life, will you take that away from him?" he was grasping at straws, using all his resources just to plead his case.


    "Now that you found your family you don''t want me anymore?" he propped his head on her shoulder, defeated, "Will that one mistake overshadows everything that I''ve been doing to prove to you that I love you?


    "Let me go, Dimitri, you''re crushing me¡­ you''re hurting me," she tried to squirm away from his embrace.


    "What about you... This is hurting me... Please, Aurora, I beg of you. Please don''t leave me," he pleaded. He looked so vulnerable that she could not resist her anger from melting.


    "Do you truly love me?" she looked into his eyes.


    "More than life itself. I would die if I lost you now," he stared right back. Trying to convey all his feelings with that one look, "Do you doubt me?"


    She shook her head no as she hugged him.


    Everything he told her was true, his actions made up for his one lie, and even though she was very mad at what happened, she could not deny the fact that this man in front of her begging for her to take him back was the love of her life. Just like him, she could not bear for them to part.


    Whatever decision they made would greatly affect Enzo, and she knew how important it was for her to have her family together. With both of them together, Enzo had transformed from a shy, scared little boy to a confident, outgoing happy one. If they separated now, he might not grow into the man he was supposed to be.


    As she hugged Dimitri, she thought back on what happened and decided what''s done is done. She will now move forward and forget everything that made her life miserable.


    He was relieved, now that they got all their skeletons out of the closet, he was ready to move forward.


    That night he made love to Aurora like it was their last time together. Much more passionate than he had ever before, and with enough gentleness to make her sigh and ask for more. He could not sleep even after they''ve made love several times, afraid that as soon as he closed his eyes, she would be gone.


    "Sweetheart, I would burn the world before I even let you go," he kissed her forehead, the thought of her missing from his life really scared him. And as he wrapped his arms around her, laying her head on his chest he promised to be together with her for eternity.

 Chapter 109 - 108

    Mr. Russo called Nicholas into his study to give him a lecture. He found him having a shouting match with Dimitri outside Aurora''s door, and he had to find the reason why.


    "Nicho, what is up with all that racket. Are you trying to scare your sister away? Explain to me what is happening?" he asked.


    Nicholas explained everything he knew about her sister''s relationship to his father, not leaving any details behind. But when he finished, his father had an unreadable expression on his face. Which baffled him because he just told him the biggest secret that could eliminate Dimitri from their lives.


    "What? Don''t you think it''s time we kicked Dimitri out of this house?" Nicho impatiently prodded his father.


    "Stay out of their business. Let them be together," Mr. Russo said.


    "But father, how can you say that? You''re just allowing her to be with a very dishonest man that ruined her? How can you be okay with that?" he said, angrily.


    "Then what, Nicho? Tell me what will happen after she leaves him? Do you think you can find another man that will love her like Dimitri does?


    Don''t forget that when she was alone, Dimitri accepted her without any hesitation, he was there when we could not be.


    I agree the mistake he made was grave, but who has not made a mistake in their life? All that matters right now is how he is making up for that mistake. Dimitri has been a wonderful husband and father, so I do not oppose them being together.


    Dimitri is an Aristocratic heir, and they are more powerful than our family. We could never find a man better than him for your sister. He will always protect and pamper her. Given their family history, all their men are extremely loyal to their spouses. And that is all I want for your sister, to have a husband that will love her all the days of her life.


    And don''t forget your nephew, Enzo will be devastated if he loses his father again. You heard what Aurora said, that kid had been an introvert before they came together. What do you think will happen to him?


    I think the main problem here is that you''ve never liked Dimitri because he has always been more powerful and stronger than you. Right now, you are just trying to find fault in him to find reasons not to like him.


    They had always been our rivals, but they were never our real enemy. They never stepped over our territories or our businesses. And if you meddle too much with their relationship, your sister will be torn between whose side she should take. Do you want that for her?" Mr. Russo explained, only as a very experienced man could.


    Nicholas just stood there, his father''s words sinking in. It was wrong for him to drive a wedge between his sister and her husband, no matter how much he hated Dimitri. And with his father''s imparted wisdom, he decided that from now on he would not place any emotional burden on his sister and let their family live happily.


    "I understand father, I will not make this mistake again," he promised, and that satisfied Mr. Russo.


    -=-


    The next morning, Dimitri and Aurora came down for breakfast with their arms around each other, which indicated that they had made up, so nobody bothered to ask about what happened the day before.


    Nicholas had requested Dimitri to step outside to discuss a very important matter. With his guard up, Dimitri followed. "Say it quickly, I do not want to spend too much time away from my family."


    "I¡­ I want to apologize," Nicholas coughed, it was very difficult for him to admit he had been wrong, but he had to end this animosity between them for the sake of his sister. It would be hard for their families to get together if he was holding a grudge.


    Dimitri was stunned. He never expected Nicholas to say sorry for what he did, considering he was an alpha male like him. So he knew this was a big step in getting their families together. And since Nicholas was extending an olive branch, there was no reason not to accept it.


    "Let the past lay where it should be. Never doubt that I love your sister," Dimitri said as understanding passed between them.


    -=-


    A few nights later, at the Santoris household.


    "Mama, I want sweets!" Enzo had been begging for the past hour. Trying to plead with Aurora to let him get what he wanted.


    "You know that you only have sweets after dinner. Why are you being stubborn right now?" Aurora answered. She did not want her son to have cavities, or ruin his appetite for dinner which is why she is sticking with her decision.


    "Go Aunty Vi-let, get sweets," Enzo said as he pulled on Gabriel''s hand. "Come, come¡­ Aunty Vi-let."


    What he meant was they should go to Aunty Violet''s house to eat desserts. Enzo knows that Violet will never say no to anything he wants.


    All the family members looked at Gabriel curiously, they all wondered who Violet was and how come Enzo knew her.


    Gabriel coughed, "Enzo, aunty is busy right now. We''ll go see her tomorrow."


    "Oh? Why no sweet? Baby hungry," he pouted pitifully, forgetting that Aurora had given in to his request earlier and gave him 3 pieces of chocolate already.


    "Gabe, who is Violet?" Daisy, his mom asked. She always knew her son dated around, but he was never serious about his relationships.


    "Uhm¡­ Mom, Dad¡­ well¡­ I''ve been meaning to tell you this for a while now. Violet is my girlfriend, and she is the one I''m going to marry. I really love her very much," he replied.


    Now that all their issues seemed to have been resolved he was just waiting for the right moment to tell them about her, but Enzo jumped the gun in revealing the trust. But he was okay with that because he knew it was time he introduced the love of his life.


    Matthew and Daisy looked at each other with knowing looks on their faces.


    "Bring her home so we can get to know her," his mom responded.


    Gabriel agreed and excitedly called Violet so she could get ready to meet them the next day.

 Chapter 110 - 109

    Violet was very nervous. This was the first time she would meet her boyfriend''s parents, and she wanted to create a favorable impression from his family.


    "Calm down, I''ll be there, and I promise they will love you just like I do," she was fidgeting with her dress again, and he didn''t want her to feel too nervous.


    "Aunty Violet! So pretty!" Enzo welcomed as soon as he saw her. All of the Santoris family sat in the living room to welcome them, it would have been a tense situation, but it was saved by Enzo breaking the ice.


    "Thank you, Enzo. I missed you a lot," she smiled as she patted his head. The women smiled back, while the men remained with their poker faces.


    Violet relaxed when she saw Aurora, she recognized her as being her mom''s doctor. She was glad that she was as nice and friendly as she was at the hospital. Initiating engaging conversations that made her feel welcome and comfortable.


    Daisy asked a lot of questions, but they did not feel offensive, it was just someone being friendly that wanted to know more about her.


    While Matthew and Gabriel chimed in on the conversations from time to time, Dimitri had no interest in joining them. All that mattered was that Violet was the woman Gabriel loved, and there was no issue there because his parents seemed to like her already.


    And the feelings were mutual, Violet felt very relaxed and at ease with his family. Gabriel was right, Alya had totally manipulated the truth about his family.


    She had prepared handmade gifts for Gabriel''s family instead of buying something from the store. It would be hard to shop for them since they already have everything. To show her appreciation and respect, she made a flower arrangement from flowers she hand-picked from a local flower market and baked a variety of desserts she thought they would like.


    Daisy was digging into a delectable chocolate creation, "You really made these Violet? These taste like the ones you get from those specialty bakeries, I love them."


    "Aunty, yum yum...baby favorite," Enzo added cheerfully as he covered his face with icing.


    Gabriel felt proud that everything seemed to go as he planned. "Mom, Violet is a very talented baker, you should have her bake you more. These are just a portion of what she knows to make."


    Violet got shy when Gabriel held her hand and praised her, "Oh Gabe, thank you! I''m really not that good. I only bake because I really enjoy it."


    When all the desserts have been consumed, and all the conversations exhausted, Gabriel brought Violet home.


    Daisy and Matthew gave their approval on the spot, thinking this time Gabriel made the right choice. Violet was someone who would love him and make him happy.


    Gabriel was grateful that his family always supported his decisions, and like his brother, he finally found the woman he would spend the rest of his life with.


    -=-


    Aurora and Daisy were having tea in the garden when the subject of Violet came up.


    "Mom, what did you think of Violet? Did you have the same feeling about her?


    I really liked her a lot. I haven''t known her for a long time, but I always thought she was a very good daughter by taking care of her mother when she was sick," Aurora stated.


    "Yeah, I had a very good impression of her. Gabriel has always been softhearted, he innocently believes people are inherently good, not like Dimitri, who distrusts people before giving them the benefit of the doubt.


    So years ago, Gabe brought this girl home, he thought he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But the thing is, we knew that she would not make him happy. She was always asking for the most expensive gifts, demanding things from Gabe that were not possible. Her eyes always looked like she was scheming, and when I learned that she sought him out to be his girlfriend, I decided to step in.


    He was so young and so jaded, we knew that talking to him would only make him rebel, so we sent him on a business trip for a year. Test their relationship if it does not break them apart. But what we did not expect was that she would cheat on him and hurt him as she did. You know the story right?


    That incident changed his outlook and the way he viewed women. We thought there was no bringing him back, but I always hoped that one special woman that would love him would come and make him believe in love again.


    Violet fit that bill, and I think from the thoughtful gifts she brought us, to the way she held herself even though she was nervous, her love for him was genuine. There is no faking loving someone like that," Daisy declared.


    Aurora''s admiration for her mother-in-law increased. She was a very smart lady and knew how to handle situations perfectly. There was a reason she was Matthew''s perfect match.


    "Speaking of love, I want you to know that I know what happened to you and Dimitri. He used to avoid marriage like the plague, so we were surprised when he called us the day he saw you, informing us that he had a wife and a son.


    He had not been proud of what he did, but he was honest about it. He regretted taking advantage of you and losing you the next day. Dimitri told us he fell in love with you that night and now that he found you again, that he would marry you right away.


    We promised to keep his secret because I''ve never seen my son look so scared to lose anyone before. But it was not a problem because as soon as we met you and Enzo, we were drawn to you, and liked you right away.


    I''ve always wanted my children to marry for love. Business marriages seldom work out for the best, and since we already have a lot of money and we don''t need anybody to expand the business I let my kids choose the woman they want. My only hope was that my daughters-in-law would be good people who loved my sons for who they were and not because of what they have to offer," Daisy said.


    Aurora was glad that she had a mother-in-law like Daisy who treated her like her own daughter. It made it easier to make her decision.


    "Mom, when I learned about what Dimitri did, I was devastated, but I have decided to move past that. I realized that I have fallen in love and cannot live without him. So you don''t need to worry. Everything is fine. Your wish has come true," Aurora assured her.


    Daisy smiled, "I''m happy for both of you. Every relationship has a past, and believe it or not, my relationship with Matthew had a very bumpy beginning. We were both stubborn people, so we fought a lot.


    In the end, we should always look at the bigger picture, determine what is important, then and only then will you have your answer."


    Aurora could not believe her in-laws had a troubled start because looking at them together would make you think they''ve always been in love with each other.


    Life is not always going to be a bed of roses, the thorns show us how valuable the roses are.

 Chapter 111 - 110

    A few months later, Dimitri, Aurora, and Enzo had gone on a vacation on one of the islands owned by the Santoris family. Dimitri had always wanted to take her away to a small getaway. But one thing or another always pops up, and their plans keep getting delayed.


    As soon as they landed, Aurora was in awe. Aside from their honeymoon, she had never been anywhere but the city. And this island was just as beautiful as the last, if not better.


    "I really love this place Dimitri, is this one of your islands?" she asked. Dimitri had hugged her from behind as they looked out over the beach.


    "Hmm.. yes, it''s a very special place, and it''s one of our islands. Whatever belongs to me, belongs to you too.


    We own a lot more than just this resort, and one of these days, we will get to visit all of them. We can take a family trip whenever you want," he nuzzled her neck.


    "That''s a great idea, it would be nice to get away from the bustling city from time to time," she placed her hand in his, relishing their time together.


    Enzo had been very enthusiastic to go on this very special vacation, he went about investigating his new surroundings, playing on the sand with his new toys.


    On the fifth day, Dimitri mysteriously instructed Aurora to get ready for a candlelit dinner, disappearing on her before she could even finish showering. He took Enzo with him, and his excuse was that he wanted to be at the venue to check on something.


    When Aurora walked down to the lobby, in her deep green figure hugging dress she noticed there were rose petals that were leading her to the venue. The candles placed along the path, lit her way into the most romantic setting she had ever seen.


    At the end of the path, Dimitri and Enzo stood side by side wearing the same suit and green tie, like her dress. Their hair was styled the same way, and their stance a carbon copy of each other. Dimitri looked dashingly handsome, while Enzo looked adorably cute, a total miniature of his father.


    She was giddy with excitement, "Aww look at you guys, you are so cute. What is all this?" surprised that a candlelit dinner could be this extravagant.


    "Sweetheart, you look so gorgeous," he extended his hand to pull her over for a hug. This overwhelming feeling he had whenever he looked at her always shot him in the heart.


    "I cannot wait to tear this dress off tonight," he whispered seductively in her ear. Aurora blushed, and for a second, she forgot that their son was standing with them.


    "Mama, mama," Enzo pulled at her dress so he could tell her something, "So pretty," he said as he kissed her cheek like his father did.


    She was delighted so much with her dinner surprise that she could not eat properly. One surprise just kept coming after another, from the dishes they were serving to the quartet that started playing her favorite song.


    When the dessert trolley came, she was astonished to see a big cake with sparklers on it. ''Happy Birthday'' was written across the icing.


    "Dimitri, today is not my birthday," she insisted, feeling bad that maybe Dimitri might have written the wrong date down.


    But Dimitri made sure to know everything about her, and he did not make a mistake."No sweetheart, today is your real birthday, the day when your mom gave birth to you, not the one you were assigned."


    She was teary-eyed, even though they assigned her a so-called birthday, the orphanage never celebrated it, so she never gave it any importance.


    "Happy Birthday sweetheart, may we spend all your birthdays together as a happy family," he kissed her cheeks.


    "Mama, happy birthday! I love you!," Enzo copied his father yet again as he kissed her too.


    "Aww... thank you, baby," she said as she dabbed her eyes.


    She didn''t notice that Dimitri was on his knees beside her, until he spoke, "Aurora, you came into my life unexpectedly, and since then you have occupied a special place in my heart. I really regret missing out on spending the last 5 years with you together, but this only taught me to cherish you more.


    It was our fate to meet again, and as promised, I had to make you mine. I love you so much sweetheart, more than anything in this world. We got married too soon, applying for the certificate just so I can bind you to me, but you deserve so much more. So I want to give you the wedding you will never forget.


    I know it''s your birthday, but I''m asking if you would grant me this gift. Will you marry me?" Dimitri asked.


    "Mama, say yes, Dada loves you" chimed their little angel.


    Her cheeks were numb, she had been smiling so much the whole night, and this proposal just topped off everything. How could she say no to the love of her life proposing in such a manner?


    "Yes, I will. You are the best gift I''ve received in my life, and I am beyond grateful for that," she answered.


    Dimitri and Aurora did not hesitate to kiss passionately in front of Enzo as he shyly covered his eyes.


    Her heart was thudding so hard that she imagined she could hear people applauding and cheering behind them, and when she peeked, the whole Santoris clan was present behind him, including Violet. And as more clapping resonated behind her, there was her family.


    "Oh my gosh, everyone is here. How did you pull this off?" she asked as she waved all of them over.


    "It was with great difficulty, especially when it seemed like you were catching on to our plans. Your parents told me it was your birthday when I presented my plan to them, so I thought why not do both on the same day with both our families to make it more memorable.


    I think there was a reason our wedding got delayed, it was so your family could be part of it," he explained.


    Dimitri was right, this was the happiest and most memorable birthday of her life. "Thank you for bringing everyone together and making this possible. I love how you always think about making me happy," she kissed his cheek after everyone had congratulated them.


    "Sweetheart, you don''t need to thank me, it''s my duty to always make you happy. You just need to keep on loving me," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her.


    "That I will," she buried her face in his chest.

 Chapter 112 - 111

    Today was a big day. It was the wedding of the year because Dimitri and Daisy took care of all the details so Aurora could concentrate on being the bride.


    Because Daisy had been in charge, only the best people in the industry were invited to work on the wedding. From the caterers and florists to the makeup artists and hairdressers.


    Aurora had insisted she could do her own makeup, just like she had been taught. But Daisy wouldn''t hear it, she was an Aristocratic bride, and she needed to be stunning.


    Enzo had been waiting for the festivities to begin, and he could not wait to see his mother. Dimitri kept on gushing about how this was her big day, and Enzo wanted to see what the celebration was all about. Plus, he also wanted to show off his suit and bowtie to his mother.


    "Mama, look how handsome," he said as he ran to her, trying to jump on her lap.


    But his grandma stopped him, "Enzo, you can''t jump on mama right now. We don''t want to crush her dress."


    "Mama is beautiful," he gazed at her and touched the pattern on her gown.


    "Aww.. thank you. You look very handsome yourself, my baby," she replied.


    -=-


    In Dimitri''s room, the Aristocratic heirs congregated.


    "Aiden, will you look at that, you are everybody''s best man," Blake smirked.


    "What happened to you? Even Gabriel got himself a girlfriend, and he was supposed to hate women," Tristan marveled.


    Aiden sniffed, "How you icebergs found such beautiful wives is beyond me. I was the gentleman, and yet I seem to repel women. I think the universe is against me."


    "For sure, we know now that being a goody-two-shoes never gets you anywhere, it certainly didn''t bring you any women," Dimitri added.


    "Guys, guys, guys, we have time to give Aiden a hard time later. It''s time," Gabriel said as he fetched the groom.


    -=-


    Mr. Russo was walking Aurora down the aisle, and you could see him beaming alongside his daughter, but Dimitri only had eyes for his bride.


    Aurora had an ethereal glow about her, making her look like an angel, while Dimitri looked very hot and dangerous in his three-piece black suit.


    "I know you have been taking care of her all this time, and I just ask you to continue doing so in the future," Mr. Rusoo said as he handed his daughter to his son-in-law.


    "I will. Always and forever," Dimitri promised.


    Dimitri could not help himself as he kissed her hand, "Sweetheart, you look extra gorgeous today. I can''t wait to announce you are mine."


    Aurora smiled,  "And you, my husband are too handsome for your own good."


    Dimitri chuckled as the priest started the ceremony.


    They exchanged their rings and got ready to say their handwritten vows.


    "I am not the type of person who believes in sentimental things, but I knew the moment I saw you that I fell in love. Thank you for putting up with my stubborn personality and giving me the chance to show my love. Words fall short when it comes to describing how much I love you. I will give you and our son everything your heart desires, and I will never let you go. You are my love and my life," Dimitri declared for all the world to hear.


    Aurora smiled, his declaration was so heartfelt that it moved her to tears.


    "Dimitri, that chance encounter with you changed my fate forever. Our love is something people wish for in this life and never experience, yet here you are, living proof that it is possible. Thank you for loving me without any hesitation. Because of you, we have an adorable son, we found my family, and I got The best in-laws. Thank you for never letting go of me and our love. I vow to love you until we both grow old and grey.


    They kissed each other passionately in front of their guests after declaring their love for each other.


    When it was time to throw the bouquet, all the single unmarried women gathered nervously to catch it. But as fate would have it, Violet caught it without even trying.


    The flowers landed right in her hands. And suddenly, Gabriel was on his knees proposing with a ring in his hand.


    "Violet, I love you very much, and every minute spent away from you feels like a lifetime. I want you to marry me so we can get started on our own forever," he said cockily as always.


    Violet giggled and stuck out her hand, used to his uncanny way of making her feel loved.


    Before the wedding, Gabriel had met her mother. She was perplexed that someone as established and as rich as Gabriel was in love with her daughter and it might bring some difficulties if they continued to be together. But then Gabriel charmed her doubts away, and all her worries disappeared.


    -=-


    On the other side of the party, Ava had been forcing Tristan to take her pictures for the past hour, and according to Ava, he wasn''t doing her pictures any justice.


    "Tristan, none of my photos are good. Try taking it from a different angle," Ava complained.


    "Little one, we''ve been here for the past hour, and all your pictures look beautiful to me. I don''t see any difference," He responded.


    She showed him her puppy dog eyes, "Please husband, take one more photo for me?" He was helpless against her when she did this cutesy begging with him.


    "Yay! I know my Tristan is the best," she kissed his cheeks and smiled, and that alone made it all worth it.


    -=-


    Blake and Sarah were having their own private conversation, "Blake this is a limited edition designer dress that I got especially for the wedding," she said.


    "Really? But I don''t think it''s a nice dress," he said as he covered her in a coat.


    "I don''t want to wear this. This dress is meant to be shown to everyone," she removed the coat, but her husband held the lapels closed around her.


    "But it''s going to be cold, and I''m scared you might get sick," he replied, concerned in his voice.


    She was annoyed, "Are you kidding me? It''s so hot, and I refuse to wear your coat." She rolled her eyes, Blake was acting all protective, and she decided to ignore him.


    "Baby...," he sweetly wooed her.


    She sighed, "Okay, I know you don''t like me wearing short backless dresses, but I like them. They look good on me." He just didn''t want all the other men to ogle her, for Blake, every inch of Sarah''s skin should only be for him.


    "But baby¡­," he begged as he kissed her neck.


    "Okay, fine," she relented and wore his coat, and Blake smiled in triumph.


    -=-


    On the dance floor, Dimitri and Aurora were dancing to a very romantic song, "Sweetheart, I am so happy today," he planted a kiss on her forehead.


    "So am I," she said as she laid her head on his chest.


    "I''m glad. We will be leaving for a long honeymoon tomorrow, just you and me."


    She lifted her head, "What about Enzo?"


    "We don''t need to worry about him. His grandparents are already fighting over who he''s going to stay with first. Then we have his two uncles that will take care of him as well. So we have it covered," he assured her.


    "Okay," she smiled, "I''m excited."


    Aiden felt left out when he looked around, and he saw that all his friends had someone they were spending the rest of their lives with. Because of his easy-going demeanor, everyone expected him to be the first to get hitched. So he vowed to find his own special woman just like they did.


    Please read the author''s note below-

 Chapter 113 - 112

    Aiden Cooper, the last single Aristocratic heir, had been immersing himself in work these days. The most carefree, chill, and relaxed heir had been working like his life depended on it, but that was not the reason he had been drowning in paperwork. He was doing it out of boredom. Whenever he called his friends to hangout at their regular meeting spot they always said they are busy with their spouses. Like after marriage friends have no value compared with their beautiful wives. Who know he was going to be the same very soon.


    His friends had abandoned him for their wives, and he had no one to hang out with after work anymore.


    Dimitri was far off in another country enjoying his honeymoon, continuously posting pictures of his beautiful wife, making him wish he had a girlfriend. Leaving Enzo with his grandparents , they both enjoyed their alone time without a single worry in the world. Blake had taken Sarah shopping in Milan, she was such a shopaholic that Blake had one of their bedrooms converted as her dressing room. Even though now she was handling business , she was once a model so her love for fashion never decreased . She used to get invites to popular fashion shows which she attended in her spare time .And Tristan, the guy who was scared of the word marriage, had been married blissfully with his wife and was having date nights once a week.


    "Seriously, they see each other every day, is it necessary to go on a date every week," he shook his head in exasperation. These days the only way he could see his friends was in their chat group and when they sent pictures. They were hopeless.


    -=-


    Cooper Industries was investing in the Collins Beauty Company. And at the meeting today, even though they just needed an assistant to look over the paperwork, Aiden volunteered to go. Not knowing that this meeting will change his life forever.


    Sophia Collins'' day starts early. She wakes up at 5 a.m. every day. Starting with a very healthy breakfast then her rigorous workout. She always believed that each second wasted was equal to losing a dollar. Except work she had no other hobby or interest. Before doing anything she used to think whether this was going to bring her profit or not.


    She was very organized, and her schedules were usually set up weeks or sometimes months in advance. And today was a very important meeting, the shareholders were coming to talk about her funding. The money they will get today is going towards the expansion of her business overseas.


    Aiden had been standing near the elevators talking on the phone when he saw her. The woman had the bluest eyes he''s ever seen in his life, they had him captivated the minute he looked into them. She was waiting for the ride up and was not really looking at him, but she definitely got his full attention. He tried to memorize every aspect of her image. From her fair oval-shaped facial features, dark brown wavy hair, her high heeled clad dainty feet that brought her height just enough for her to reach his shoulders. Down to the business suit she was wearing. It was hugging her curves in all the right places.


    She looked very reserved by wearing a minimal amount of make-up, and he would have loved to stare at her a little bit longer, but the lift came down too soon.


    All of a sudden he didn''t want to be in this meeting anymore, he wanted to pursue the woman who had captivated his attention.


    A lot of people got excited when they saw him at the meeting. Aristocratic heirs rarely attend these small functions, opting to send their PA''s most of the time. But Aiden being here meant it was going to be a good investment.


    As the employees and marketing head presented one after the other, Aiden half-listened to their presentation. His mind was still filled with the thought of the woman at the lift. And as soon as they turned the lights back on, he was going to make his grand escape, leaving his PA to deal with the contract. They have reviewed the paperwork already and were ready to invest, attending the meeting was just a formality.


    But all plans went out the door when the founder of Collin''s Beauty Company walked through the door. "Hello everyone, I am Sophia Collins. I am here to discuss any questions you might have."


    She noticed him standing by the door, so she asked her PA who he was. "He''s Aiden Cooper, Aristocratic heir," her assistant whispered. Sophia raised an eyebrow, "So this is what he looked like." She heard about him, and he might have been featured in the media time and again, but she did not recognize him, as he had been very private about getting his picture taken.


    "Mr.Cooper is everything alright, it looks like you''re already leaving," Sophia said.


    Aiden couldn''t stop staring at her, his elevator lady was right in front of him, how can he leave now? "Uhm... No, I had a phone call. But it can wait,'' he lied as he went back to his seat. Thank god even if he left one minute early he could have missed seeing her.


    Sophia answered all their questions confidently, and Aiden was impressed. She was not only beautiful but also smart and confident.


    He listened as she tried to justify why she needed a large amount for the funding, "The investment amount had already been decided when we came up with our product. It would be difficult to change it now. We cannot compromise any aspect of our product, doing so would make us look bad, using less than perfect ingredients will lower the quality of our merchandise.


    This is the first time we are launching our product, and we are trying to make a huge impact so it would be easier to gain the customer''s trust."


    Someone asked, "How about reducing the packaging cost? Do away with the extra box or shrink wrap. People are bound to throw those away anyway."


    "Packaging plays a very important role in catching the customer''s attention. Most of the time, people buy a product because of how the wrapping caught their eye. Just like how snacks always have those bright orange packaging to entice you to buy them without even tasting what''s inside.


    Shops know that the items packaged meticulously sell first, so they always place those in the front of the store or beside the register, so the minute you walk in, you get the inkling to buy them.


    While the others who skimped on their packaging will have their products at the back of the store, or in between the aisles where nobody can usually find them.


    There''s a saying, do not judge a book by its cover, but in the beauty industry, we do it all the time. And that''s alright," she ended confidently. Who know better than her that people always give more important to outer beauty than what lies inside. She had learned the truth the hard way.


    When they asked about advertisements, she repeated what they said in their presentation, they were going to tap into the social media influencers that could get them to the masses faster than the stores could. 50% would still rely on promotions made through billboards and banners, and later when they get more popular, they could hire famous models or artists.


    "If everyone is satisfied, you can sign the contracts and hand them over as soon as you are done," she stated. People were satisfied with her answers and were scrambling with their pens when Aiden interrupted their buzzing.


    "Ms. Collins, I will still need some time to study your proposal," he said. And as soon as Aiden declared his hesitation, the other businessmen declared they will sign after him. If he was apprehensive about this investment, then there must be something wrong with it, something they did not see. So they would wait and see what Aiden does, then they will all follow suit.


    Sophia sighed as she nodded her head in agreement. "I will wait for your response Mr. Cooper," she declared as she left the meeting.


    Aiden smirked as he watched her retreating back.


    Hello everyone ,Aiden story is starting from today , read and enjoy.

 Chapter 114 - 113

    The next day Aiden enthusiastically got up and headed to Collins Beauty Company head office, prepared and excited to see Sophia. But all his dreams were crushed when her assistant came out to greet him and explain the sales figures he wanted to talk about.


    "Where is your boss? I want to talk to her," he asked.


    "Sir, Ms. Collins is in another important meeting right now, but I am confident I can answer all your questions," she replied.


    "What do you mean by important meeting? So are you telling me I''m not important?" he scoffed.


    "Sir, I think you''ve misunderstood me. Ms. Collins'' schedule was already full, and since your request was last minute, she could not move any of her appointments," she tried to plead her case, and not anger the one person that could make or break their funding.


    "I''m not accepting that as an answer. Call her now," he demanded.


    The assistant tried to see if she could bargain with Aiden, but he had completely ignored her, so she had no choice but to call Sophia. And because she was in the middle of a meeting, she had to leave just to accommodate Aiden.


    "Mr. Cooper, I heard you had issues with my assistant and wanted to see me?" she stated.


    "Yes, I needed you to explain this figure in your sales report," he pointed.


    Sophia explained the figures and how she came up with them, and she definitely had a captive audience. He was lost, and none of the words that came out of her mouth had registered.


    "So that''s where that came from, did you have anything else to ask?" she said.


    "Nope," Aiden shook his head.


    "Well, then if there''s nothing else, we can sign the contract tomorrow," she stated.


    "Sure, how about coffee right now?" he asked.


    He liked that she was very intelligent, and professional in dealing with her business. She had definitely explained everything thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned. And at yesterday''s meeting, he was impressed when she stood her ground and defended her stance on her beauty products.


    Aiden didn''t really have any questions about the contract, he just wanted to see her again.


    "I''m sorry Mr. Cooper, I left the meeting in the middle of their presentation and called for a small break so I could see you, I should head back so we could wrap it up," she politely declined.


    "Ms. Sophia, I insist, there is a very good cafe across the street, and I wanted you to try it," he pressed.


    Sophia was not budging, with a stern voice, "Sorry Mr. Cooper, but except for work, I have nothing else to discuss with you. I don''t entertain people outside a business deal. Have a good day. I''m heading back to my meeting."


    And just like that, she left as fast as she came. Aiden was astonished. Sophia was definitely different from all the other women he had met in his life. She dealt with business and him with her stone-face, looking like a lifeless doll that did not even scrunch her brows in annoyance when he tried to push her to go out with him.


    He was baffled at her expression and her demeanor. Most women blush when they see him or get irritated when he challenges them. But she was ice cold, and that made him more curious about her.


    The only thing he knew about her at this point is that she was the owner of Collins Beauty company, and that was it, he wanted to learn more about this untouchable beauty.


    -=-


    Aiden went online to gather all the information he could on her. There was not much there except for the history of her company. She started Collins'' beauty company three years ago with a couple of organic soaps, and it just grew from there. Her products were the perfect blend of nature and technology, so she was a hit in the market.


    He found nothing about her family, relationships, or anything about her personal life. The last interview she gave was around the same time she started her company, and it only mentioned her products in detail. Rumor was that she never attended any functions or parties, outside of work. There were no suitors either, and everyone had dubbed her the ''Ice Beauty.''


    "Hmm... Ice beauty... That name suits her," he thought.


    The need to see her again was overwhelming, but there were no more excuses for him to interact with her. But luck was on his side, she was visiting one of the farms that supply a key ingredient in her cosmetics. And because she wanted the international launch to be a success, she had to micromanage everything down to the last detail.


    -=-


    Sophia was already in the factory, immersed in the process of talking to the foreman regarding the extraction of sunflower oil. Even in her jeans and shirt, she still looked formidable.


    When she spotted Aiden, a frown crossed her face for a few seconds, but then she simply walked past him pretending he was not there.


    "Ms. Collins, could you please slow down," he said as he ran to catch up with her.


    "Mr. Cooper, is there a reason you''re here this morning? Is anything wrong?" she asked cooly.


    "Why should we talk only when there is something wrong? Can''t we chat casually?" He replied.


    "I''m not interested in casual conversations," she answered sternly, walking hurriedly across the sunflower fields. Since it rained the previous day, the ground became muddy.


    "Don''t walk that way," Aiden tried to warn her. She had been really frustrated with him the minute he appeared, and she was getting a headache due to his continuous chattering. So she tried to walk away, not caring where she stepped, and the puddle was deeper than it looked.


    "Owww!" she screamed as she fell into the muddy ground.


    "Did you not hear me when I told you not to walk this way?" he said with concern in his voice. He tried to help her up, but she swatted his arm away.

 Chapter 115 - 114

    "Enough, stop throwing a tantrum," Aiden snapped as he held his hand out. This time he was not fooling around. He did not want to land in the same dirty puddle she landed in, and he probably would if she kept on struggling.


    Sophia''s face changed suddenly, she felt timid when she heard Aiden''s dominating tone, so she had no choice but to reach out and let him help her up.


    Her outfit was now covered in mud, and since it was just a one-day trip, she did not think to pack any extra clothes with her. She still had a ton of things to do, so she sent her assistant to find a shop that would have clothes for her to change in.


    It did not take long, but as she inspected the contents of the bag her assistant handed her, she found a yellow floral dress, something she would never be caught wearing.


    "What is this?" she questioned her assistant, "I asked you to get me another pair of pants and a shirt."


    "Oh ma''am, I''m sorry, but this is a small town, and the only shop they had in town sold dresses and nothing else," her assistant explained.


    Sophia gritted her teeth. Businesswomen did not wear frilly dresses, wearing these types of clothing might give the men she was working with the wrong idea.


    Aiden was still in the sunflower fields when she came out half an hour later.


    He did not expect to be stunned by her transformation. A simple dress had changed her look totally, making her look more feminine.


    The yellow dress made her look more lively. She had taken down her hair when she took a shower, so she just left it to dry. Her face was free of any makeup, which showed her very soft, flawless skin, and her naturally pink lips he always thought were covered with the same lipstick color.


    "Let''s get started," she said, bringing him back from his gawking. After a few hours, when the work had been finally done, and the last employee had left, Aiden had remained with Sophia.


    The sun was setting down on the horizon, and the sky started turning orange and yellow. Sophia standing in the middle of the sunflower field with her yellow, flowy dress, and her long brown hair being blown by the wind, was a sight to behold.


    She looked relaxed and lost in her own world, as a smile played across her lips.


    "Sunshine¡­", was the first word that escaped from his lips. She was a vision he would never forget in this lifetime.


    She was like a painting, eye-catching and very breathtaking. Something that he wanted to own, gaze at every day, and never show to anyone else.


    The ice-cold beauty had disappeared. A woman who was full of hope had taken her place, and all her dreams were within her reach.


    Sophia was enjoying the scenery and was completely oblivious that Aiden had been ogling her the whole time. But when she turned around, she saw a strange look in his eye, something she was not familiar with.


    "Is there something you wanted to say?" Sophia asked while she wiped her face for any dirt, but Aiden just replied no and kept staring, so she just ignored him.


    When they were done, they left for their respective houses without any more incidents.


    -=-


    Aiden was lying on his bed scrolling through the pictures he secretly took of Sophia that afternoon in the middle of the sunflower fields. He couldn''t help but smile while he looked at them. As he zoomed on her face, her prominent blue eyes haunted him.


    "Sophia," that name sounded lovely on his lips, it rolled off his tongue effortlessly. He traced her face on his phone, focusing on her pink, soft lips, making him want to taste them so badly.


    "Sophia¡­ Sophia¡­," he repeated her name and let out a laugh. He was not like his friends, who were running away from marriage, but as soon as they got married, they became slaves to their wives'' every whim.


    He always wanted to find that one special person, marry her, have cute babies, and live happily ever after. But in the myriad of women that he met, one more beautiful, intelligent, and charming than the other, he never found the connection he was looking for.


    But with Sophia, the attraction was instantaneous. He felt love at first sight.


    In the beginning, he was attracted to her looks. She had those blue eyes that had mesmerized him, that wavy brown hair he wanted to sink his hands into, and those soft pink lips that he imagined to taste like honey. The way she carried herself called out to him.


    Then he liked that she had that ice-cold attitude towards everybody, which meant she was not naive and did not fall into the arms of the first guy that tried to woo her.


    It had only been a week since they first met, but he had fallen for her, truly, madly, and deeply. He knew that there was something beneath that facade, that there was another side to her. And he wanted to be the one that broke down her walls and show him the real Sophia. It would be a challenge to enter her heart, but the reward will be greater, so he was willing to sacrifice everything he''s got for her.


    Just like the other Aristocratic heirs, Aiden did not waste time playing around. He was going to confess, but since Sophia was different, he needed to tread carefully, and formulate a plan that would definitely make her fall for him.


    "You are so beautiful¡­ so bright¡­ just like a sunflower.


    I will make you mine at any cost," he was looking at her pictures again, and he could not imagine spending the rest of his life without her.


    Sleep would not come to him, he was excited because tomorrow was the day they would see each other again.

 Chapter 116 - 115

    Today Collins Beauty Company was meeting with the shareholders and finally signing the contract. Aiden had been the first one there, and as Sophia entered the room, his eyes shone.


    He sat next to her and kept asking all his ridiculous questions, which eventually annoyed her. "Mr. Cooper, we''ve already gone through this section several times. The explanation was very simple. I don''t know why you still don''t get it," Sophia stated.


    "Of course I understand now, I was just really confused before," he replied, trying to save face.


    When she started to relax, he started asking her about herself. Her favorite restaurants, favorite dishes, where she liked shopping, and all other mundane things she could not be bothered with.


    She ignored him and tried to pretend he was not there, but when the questions got to be too personal, she snapped, "Mr. Cooper, why are you so interested in my personal life? We are here to sign a contract. Please concentrate on signing the correct forms. If you are not interested, then we can just withdraw your investment."


    Her patience was growing thin because of his constant nagging. She had never met anybody who could annoy her as much as he could.


    "Of course I am interested¡­ in you," he whispered the last two to himself.


    "Please check and sign the marked areas," she said as she handed him more papers to sign.


    Aiden read the document and touched her hand.


    "What?" Sophia was surprised, and she withdrew her hand.


    "I forgot my pen," he said innocently, tracing her fingers as he slowly took the pen she offered.


    He saw her frown, and he smiled secretly.


    Sophia gave everyone a handshake when all the paperwork had been signed. "Thank you for collaborating with us," she said, "I hope this deal brings our companies a lot of profit. All the updates will be sent to you during the monthly evaluations. If you have any queries, my assistant will be more than happy to help you."


    "What if I want to see you?" Aiden asked with a smirk.


    "My schedule is packed for the next few weeks. Let us meet at the next board meeting," she answered dryly.


    Aiden nodded as she walked away, "We will meet sooner than you think. I cannot wait for long," he murmured to himself.


    When Aiden arrived at his office, a package sat at his desk.


    "Had everything been taken care of?" he asked.


    "Yes sir, the previous owner had been very cranky and hesitant in the beginning. But when we offered him 3x the amount, he readily agreed. He just needed the right price," the assistant replied.


    "That''s good. Everybody can be bought after all. Get the rest of the stuff in order," Aiden instructed.


    Aiden opened the package on his desk with a smile. This was the first step to get closer to Sophia.


    -=-


    Sophia lived on the 20th floor of the most elite apartment complex ever built. She never mingled with any of her neighbors, opting to avoid them whenever they tried to strike up a conversation. So she was surprised when there were a lot of movers on her floor, they were carrying a lot of boxes in the flat next to hers.


    There was never anybody there, so she thought it had always been vacant, but according to one of the crew, the owner was not returning from overseas, so they sold the apartment.


    That same night, someone knocked on her door. "Probably the next-door neighbor," she thought, "they''ve come to introduce themselves." She met her neighbors once or twice and she always gave them the impression that she was not friendly, so they eventually stopped bothering her.


    But she was surprised when she opened the door, for a minute, she thought she was hallucinating. She rubbed her eyes, but the image in front of her did not change. "Why is this person standing at my door?" she wondered.


    "Mr. Cooper, why are you here?" Sophia asked, a little confused.


    Aiden enjoyed the expressions changing on her face. For the first time, he had the upper hand. He appreciated that she looked very comfortable when she was at home, from the loose shirt that she paired with the most comfortable leggings, to her tied-up hair and makeup-free face.


    He pretended to be shocked when she opened the door, "Oh, Ms. Collins, what a pleasant surprise. I''m your new neighbor. I did not know you lived here."


    "Really? Why did you move here when your office is nowhere near this area?" she asked curiously.


    "My old apartment was in the middle of the city, there was just too much noise, and the pollution got so bad that I started to have insomnia. It was just too chaotic for me, so I decided to live on the outskirts. My agent referred me to these flats, and I really liked it, so here I am," he replied.


    "Hmm¡­ yeah, this is a very good area," she agreed because one of the reasons she chose this apartment was that it was located outside the city, and it gave her the peace she was looking for.


    Aiden wanted to be near Sophia, so he asked his assistant to find her address and buy the apartment next to hers.


    Her neighbors were overseas for their son''s studies, and he was not ready to sell their flat. They loved coming home during vacations. But after a lot of bargaining and convincing, Aiden got the house for 3x at the regular price. He left his big villa with all its servants just for Sophia.


    The flat was posh and costly, but nothing compared to his villa. He was going to miss all his servants doing everything for him.


    "So what brought you to my door at this hour?" she asked.


    "I haven''t fully unpacked, and I couldn''t find the lighter. I need it for the stove. It''s gotten so late moving all that stuff, and I think the shops must be closed by now," he said.

 Chapter 117 - 116

    This will be the first time he would enter her house, her personal space. He wanted to know more about her, so he looked around quickly before she came back. He tried to drink in every detail of her apartment.


    All her walls had been painted white, she had paintings all around the apartment from famous painters that could only be seen in art exhibitions, which meant she had the means to buy all these expensive items. The furniture, accessories, and plants had given off a warm and cozy vibe. Each item complemented each other, which showed the careful consideration Sophia had applied in purchasing each piece.


    He wanted to see what her bedroom would look like, but he knew it was not possible, with the time he had. The one thing he noticed was that there were no pictures of her family anywhere.


    The whole house was very tidy, a laptop in the living room sat on top of a few files, something she must have been working on before he knocked.


    Sophia came back right away, "Here take the lighter," she tried to dismiss him.


    "Thank you, you''re a lifesaver," he said but showed no signs of leaving. Sophia raised her eyebrows in question.


    "Did you have dinner yet?" he asked, wanting to stay a little bit longer with her.


    "I will as soon as you leave," she replied pointedly.


    "Okay fine, I get the hint," he walked to the door, but then turned around again.


    "Now what?" Sophia said, annoyed.


    "I noticed the papers on X company. If you''re stuck, I can help you with that," he volunteered.


    "No thanks, I can manage," she replied immediately.


    "Come on, it''s my first day here, and I have nothing to do. I know about that company, I can save you a lot of time," he tried to convince her.


    Sophia had been working on the said company for the past 3 hours, and she was nowhere near done, the meeting tomorrow would suffer if she comes unprepared. So she agreed reluctantly.


    Aiden smirked as Sophia made space for him. She was very focused once she started working, noting down the points and fixing her mistakes. He, on the other hand, was focused solely on her, he would give inputs time and again just so she wouldn''t think he was just there to stare at her.


    He knew this was one of his brilliant plans, and it seems to be working. Aiden couldn''t help but keep on smiling while he was with her. And because of their teamwork and Aiden''s in-depth knowledge of company X, Sophia finished her report in an hour.


    She was surprised that he genuinely helped her instead of pestering her with his personal questions like he did at the shareholder''s meeting. "Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Cooper. I hope you will have a good night," she closed her laptop and tried to make him leave.


    He knew when to walk away when it was necessary, this was a triumph for him, and if he pestered Sophia, it would set him back to being the bad guy. "Good night Sophia, sorry for interrupting your dinner," he nodded and walked out the door.


    The huge smile that was plastered on his face said it all. One of these days, she would let him in, he would occupy her life so much that there would be no place for anyone else.


    -=-


    Things were getting hectic at Collins Beauty Company, it was less than a week before their international launch, and they needed to prepare everything so it could run perfectly.


    "Ma''am, Mr. Sterling had been calling the past few hours. He''s starting to complain that you aren''t picking up his calls. He wants to come to visit, so when should I tell him to come?" her assistant asked.


    "Never invite him to the office. And don''t pick up any of his calls," Sophia said with an indifferent manner.


    "But ma''am, he''s your uncle¡­," her assistant trailed off when she saw Sophia''s fierce glance.


    "Just do as I say," Sophia ordered.


    The assistant did not understand her boss, why doesn''t she want to see her uncle? When her uncle was so sweet, she had seen Mr. Sterling and some of her relatives in the building several times, but Sophia never gave them the time of day.


    In all her years with Sophia, she had never seen her interact with anyone. She always kept to herself, working 24/7, but when she achieved her goals and closed down million-dollar deals, she wouldn''t even smile. Her assistant felt like she was a robot, void of emotions.


    -=-


    After a week of traveling overseas, launching their product overseas, Sophia was finally home. It had been a very tiring trip, each day filled with one meeting, interview, or appointment after another. So she opened her door ignoring all the flyers stuck on it, and took a warm relaxing bath.


    "You''re back," a male voice from behind her spoke. She was startled that she dropped the cup of tea she was holding. When she looked up Aiden was standing on his balcony.


    Since their apartments were beside each other, their balconies were adjacent to each other as well, separated by a small gap to separate the units. From the moment she moved into her place, she''s never seen her neighbors use their balcony, so she always felt like she had it to herself. Aiden standing on the other side had totally surprised her.


    "What are you doing? Be careful where you step," Aiden warned as she almost stepped on the broken glass.


    "Let me clean it up," she ran to get the dustpan.


    "So, where have you been this past week?" Aiden asked after she cleaned up the mess.


    "Yeah, I launched our product overseas and had several meetings everywhere," she replied.


    "That''s why you never answered any of my written messages. Remember that night we worked on company X, I wanted to ask how your presentation went," Aiden said.


    "Written messages? Did you leave them in my mailbox?" she asked.


    "Yes, I had a few of them stuck to your door, you didn''t see them?" He was surprised. Any normal person would have noticed them.


    Now she remembered there was paper stuck at her door, she thought they were just flyers or announcements about activities in the complex so she completely ignored them.


    "I thought they were flyers," she admitted. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

 Chapter 118 - 117

    "They were from you? I thought they were flyers," Sophia admitted. "What are you doing out here anyway?"


    Aiden half smiled, and replied, "It''s amazing how the stars are visible from here. The sky at my previous apartment was always cloudy due to the pollution, so I thought it would be nice to do some star gazing," he replied.


    "Yeah, it is pretty out here. I would sit outside for hours after work," she said.


    "What else do you do except work?" Aiden asked. He could see that her balcony was decorated with outdoor furniture that had colorful cushions, plants that were either on pedestals or hanging, and even a painted quote from Atticus, "Chase your stars you fool, life is short."


    With all these lush, healthy plants on the balcony together with the plants inside the house, she must love to garden. And taking care of them would not be an easy task.


    "Work consumes so much of my time I have no time to do anything else," she replied.


    "Come on, everybody does something else to forget about work. Some people read, cook, paint, play instruments, sew or garden. What about your plants, don''t you take care of those?" he pried.


    "I''m not interested in any of those hobbies. I have the housekeeper take care of the plants for me," she defended.


    But somehow, Aiden knew she was lying, because as he recited his list, her facial expression changed. He would ask her about that later.


    "And you?" she asked.


    "I''m good at a lot of things. If you want, I can always show them to you," he replied.


    "There''s no need. Mr. Cooper, I think it''s time I headed for bed," she said before she headed back to her apartment.


    She was sorting through her mail when she remembered what Aiden said about the sticky notes outside her door.


    The messages contained small notes, "Did my input help your presentation?"


    "Hey, answer the door." With a smiley face at the bottom.


    "Are you busy?"


    "Why are you ignoring me?" With an angry face at the top.


    Sophia thought they were kind of silly. As the messages progressed, Aiden sounded more and more like an impatient little kid. She was standing in front of the trash bin, but for some reason, she could not throw them out. So she kept them in one of the drawers in the living room.


    -=-


    Today was Sophia''s market day. She was running out of daily necessities, but when she tried to pay at the register, they turned her away because the machines were broken, and they could only take cash at the moment. Cash had not been necessary before, so she never thought of carrying any spare change in her wallet.


    She was disappointed that she would have to return all the things she already chose when she heard someone behind her speak, "Let me pay for your groceries," the man said.


    "Oh, there''s no need," she readily declined, only to find out that it was Aiden behind her. He included his groceries in her pile and handed the cashier the required amount.


    "No, it''s okay, I''ll get them later. I''m not in a hurry," she added, still trying to decline his offer to help.


    "It''s okay. If you''re here at this hour, it means you really wanted to get these items. Just think of it as me being neighborly?" he said as they bagged their items. She nodded and finally accepted.


    "Do you still have work to do?" Aiden asked as they got to the front of the store. She shook her head.


    "Have you been around the neighborhood? Would you mind walking with me?" he asked. Hoping she would say yes. He knew of a path that would take them back to their apartment that was not as busy as the one she took to go to the store.


    This road was lined with trees that carried the most beautiful red blooms and as their branches swayed with the wind, the petals showered the path and the people who passed by, making it a very romantic and magical experience.


    "I always see you working, even on the weekends, don''t your parents nag you to visit them?" he asked.


    "My parents passed away when I was 12," Sophia replied, giving him another of her stone-cold expressions. As if it was not something to be sad about. But it affected Aiden, and he did not know how to make conversation after that. He never knew she was an orphan, and he felt bad because he really loved his parents a lot.


    "What about you?" she asked, nonchalantly.


    "My dad loves to work, play golf, and of course¡­ his wife," he chuckled as he remembered his parents.


    Sophia gave a curt smile while Aiden continued, "My mom is a social butterfly, always attending one part after another. Every month she starts a new hobby, enrolling in the class, buying all the materials required, then gives up halfway because she got bored. We have a storage closet full of her unfinished stuff. My dad and I always joke that we would enter her into the Guinness book of record for the woman who tried every art and craft the world has to offer."


    "Sounds like a very warm, and close-knit family," she commented as she saw the smile on his face.


    "Yes, we are. My mom has one rule, Sunday is a day for the family. When I was a kid we went to the park to have picnics, but these days she''s okay with having meals together, due to my hectic work schedule," he said.


    "What about your siblings?" she pried.


    "I''m an only child, she had nobody else to nag, that''s why she concentrates on me," he chuckled.


    "Really? I always thought you had siblings with the way you act. You don''t look like a rich, pampered brat. Usually, when one is an only child, they tend to be arrogant, self-obsessed, stubborn, and mischievous. Just because they can always get away with anything," she replied.


    He grinned, "Who knows, I may be exactly as you described, you just don''t know it yet."


    "No, I don''t see it. You seem to look nicer than that," she added.


    Aiden smirked, he was all of what she described above, but by the time she gets to know him, it would be too late for her to back out.


    "What happened?" Sophia stepped back when she felt Aiden touch her hair.


    He ran his hand through her hair and produced a leaf, "It was tangled in your hair," he said.


    "Oh, thanks," she took the leaf and threw it away.

 Chapter 119 - 118

    The long walk had been oddly comforting to Sophia. It''s been ages since she had a very entertaining conversation with anybody. Aiden was relishing the moment they finally got to spend together outside the office.


    He always knew it could happen, but then when would always be up to Sophia. Slowly but surely, he will have his reward.


    "Mr. Cooper, thank you¡­ " she started, but Aiden interrupted her.


    "Sophia, we''ve known each other for a while now. Not only are we business partners, but neighbors too. You should stop calling me Mr. Cooper. I prefer Aiden," he replied.


    "Oh, okay¡­ Aiden," she tried saying his name. Aiden smiled that on her lips, his name sounded more melodic.


    "Aiden, thank you for the groceries. Just give me your bank account, so I can send you the money," she said.


    "Sophia, come on, I just explained we are neighbors. Are you trying to block me again?" he sighed.


    "But¡­," Sophia was once again interrupted.


    "It''s just a small amount, but if you really feel bad, you can invite me for dinner. Tomorrow night would be perfect since I will be free," he pressed.


    "Yeah, fine. Come to dinner tomorrow," in a conceding tone.


    That night as she was lying on her bed Sophia felt like she had been cheated. Aiden had just persuaded her to cook him dinner in exchange for such a very small favor and had already scheduled it the following night without consulting her.


    Aiden, on the other hand, had not expected to make so much progress today. Their chance meeting at the supermarket was not really a coincidence. He had followed her earlier when he saw her walking out of their building. He kept a good distance so she would not spot him. It just so happened that she had no cash, which worked for him. And dinner was a last-minute decision he thought of when she said she wanted to pay for groceries.


    He did not have many chances to spend time with her, so he took every opportunity that came his way. Once they become a couple, he would insist they spend as much time together, but that was jumping the gun. He had to be patient.


    -=-


    The next evening Aiden came knocking on Sophia''s door bearing gifts for dinner. He had dressed casually in a brown shirt and blue pants that showed his more relaxed side.


    Sophia saw his gifts, "You didn''t have to bring anything. Dinner was on me, remember," she said as he let him into her house. He brought a flower bouquet and a bag of pastries and macarons from the most famous bakery in the city.


    "You invited me for dinner, so I cannot come empty-handed," he replied.


    "Hmmm¡­ Didn''t he invite himself to dinner?" Sophia thought?


    "Thank you for the gifts then, and please make yourself comfortable. I''m serving dinner in a few minutes," she said.


    She was surprised when she came out from the kitchen and saw that the living room lights had been dimmed and there were candles on the dining room table.


    "What did you do?" she asked.


    "Well, the weather was chilly, so I thought having a candlelit dinner would be ideal," Aiden replied unapologetically.


    Sophia did not like people going through her things. It was obviously clear that Aiden had opened the cabinets to find the candles. If he was someone else then she would have definitely scolded him. But Aiden was so friendly and nice that she could not bring herself to be rude to him.


    She just let the whole thing slide, it was such a trivial matter that she didn''t think she should even mention it. Plus, it would probably have ruined dinner if he got offended.


    "This curry is very tasty," he said as he ladled more food on his plate.


    "I''ll be sure to let him know," Sophia replied.


    "Who?" he questioned.


    "The person who cooked all this food, of course," Sophia said.


    "You did not cook this?" He got disappointed, all this time he had been thinking that all the amazing dishes on the table were made by her own hands.


    "Oh no, there''s this famous chef from Z restaurant who retired recently because he wanted to spend time with his grandparents. I''ve known him for a long time, so whenever I want something special cooked for me, all I need to do is request him to do it," Sophia said.


    "I thought you did," he said.


    "I was in the office until 6pm. Where will I have time? Plus, I don''t cook," she stated.


    He smirked, "It''s fine that you can''t, I can cook for you in the future," he was thinking. The evening went by smoothly as they talked more about business and other general topics, nothing too personal to put her off.


    Let''s have those pastries for desserts, those freshly baked ones are always good," Aiden suggested.


    "Oh sure, I forgot about those," she proceeded to get them some pastries.


    After they finished a few slices, Aiden noticed that Sophia had cream on her face, but instead of telling her about it, he just smiled.


    The romantic ambiance lent by the candles and the dimmed lighting made her look more beautiful than before. Those pink lips had him biting his, to stop from attacking her lips right now. And that whipped cream on her chin gave him ideas on which parts of her body he wanted to spread it on.


    "Aide! Aiden! I''ve been calling you for a while now, you seem to be somewhere else," she said.


    "Oh, what were you asking?" he asked.


    "Do you want one more piece of cake?" she asked for the nth time.


    Aiden shook his head no, "Feel free to have another one if you want to."


    "No, I don''t think I can take one more bite," she said as she got up to clean the table.


    Aiden stood up to block her. As he moved closer, Sophia stepped back until she hit the table. It might have been the darkness or the intensity in his eyes that prevented her from saying anything. She clutched the plates tightly as she waited for his move, nervousness leaked out her pores.


    Aiden''s hot breath fell on her ear. She could see his hand move, and goosebumps appeared on her arms while waiting for him to touch her waist. But instead, she saw a napkin being waved in front of her face.


    "Huh?" she asked, cluelessly as she blinked her eyes.


    "Use this to wipe the cream off your chin," he took a step back to see her reaction.


    "Oh, okay," she took the napkin hurriedly and walked away, her face crimson red.

 Chapter 120 - 119

    Seeing Sophia rattled put a smile on Aiden''s face. He wanted so much to wipe her face and touch her lips. But knew, that she was not ready they were not on that comfort level yet. So instead, he passed her the tissue that was lying on the table. Something to stir her up but not scare her.


    After they both cleared up the table, Aiden suggested they watch a movie, since the night was still young.


    "I''m not sure, I''m really not interested in watching any of those," as she saw him looking at her movie collection.


    "Why not? You have such an amazing collection of movies. Have you watched all of them?" Aiden asked.


    "Oh, those are not my selections, my assistant got them for me. She suggested that on the weekend I should relax a little and watch some of them, honestly, I forget they''re even there when the weekend comes," she said disinterestedly.


    Aiden sighed, he could not understand Sophia. She was not interested in any of the things other women were interested in. He learned that she didn''t even shop for her clothes, she sent her assistant for that. While other women went shopping, bought make-up, and had fun on the weekends, work was the only thing that interested her.


    "Okay, let me select a good one then. I know the good ones," he went through the collection and selected the most romantic movie he could find. He''d seen this movie before, and he knew that the lead characters were going to fight against fate, it had heart-touching moments, sweet kissing scenes, and a happily ever after. All the ingredients for a movie that all women love.


    This was how he got the idea for the candlelit dinner earlier. He was going through her collection on the shelves, and the cabinets when he found the candles.


    Fifteen minutes after Aiden sat beside Sophia and played the movie, she started giving her opinion about the film.


    "How many times do you think they replace the car during the chase scene? The initial car looked different, didn''t it? Look! Look!"


    "Why did she just leave the gift on the table, should she give it to him directly?"


    "What is he waiting for? Why is it taking so long for him to propose?"


    "Oh look, it''s the lantern festival. Didn''t they meet at the same time last year? That''s why it''s special," he replied.


    "Why does he need to wait for a special day? When you have a goal in mind, planning is key. Then he shouldn''t wait too long to execute his plans. That just leads to more misunderstanding," she said.


    "It''s a movie, you don''t need to think much about it, just enjoy it," he answered.


    "Uh-huh," Sophia agreed, but she could not keep quiet for more than five minutes.


    "See, I told you. He didn''t propose when he had the chance, and now she misunderstood his intentions," she said.


    He had been excited when he selected the romantic movie, but he''s had enough, she didn''t even bother to try to understand the story and relax with him. If the movie was shot the way she dictated, then it would have ended in half an hour instead of the two hours it ran for. He got up and switched the TV off.


    Sophia was surprised, "What happened?"


    "I got bored," he lied.


    "Actually, I was bored too. Those sappy movies never make sense," she replied.


    He was irritated, "Maybe next time we should watch some documentaries," he said sarcastically.


    "Oh, that''s a good idea. The last one I watched was "Social Dilemma," it was riveting. Do you know any other good documentaries?" she asked, not catching his mocking tone.


    He was losing his cool. "Why is she so clueless? This is so infuriating," he thought to himself.


    "I''ll be sure to search for good ones," he gritted his teeth. He could not spend another moment with her. If she wasn''t so beautiful and smart, he wouldn''t put up with her. Their first date, which he planned without asking her, was not supposed to go this way.


    He thought the candlelit dinner and the romantic movie would open her up a bit, make her more comfortable with him. But it seems that she viewed their dinner as one of her business deals, nothing but a means to take care of a favor. The evening that had started out on such a good note had gone downhill for him.


    Before he said anything rude, he got out of her place like he was on fire. Maybe the next date would be better. He just needed to learn how to approach her.


    -=-


    Aiden was having one of his meetings at a hotel, he had met with the foreign delegates, and the meeting had run further than he planned. But it had been an advantage for him because he learned that Sophia was at the same venue, meeting some of her clients as well.


    He finally found her in one of the other meeting rooms, but she was still busy with someone, so he just waved to let her know he was there. She acknowledged his presence but could not end the conversation she was having. After 20 minutes, she found Aiden sitting idly on one of the sofas outside the venue, she had totally forgotten about him being there.


    "Hey, why are you still here? I thought you''ve gone home," she said.


    "I was waiting for you," he replied.


    They both had their cars parked outside, and as Sophia walked to her car, Aiden asked, "Why are you going in your car? Come drive home with me, it''s much nicer to drive with the company."


    He could see the hesitation in her face, but after a few grueling seconds, she agreed, "What about my car?"


    Aiden suggested letting his driver take it home so he could be alone with her. Like a kid, he felt happy that he was getting his wish.


    Sophia had been trying to observe where they were driving to when she noticed the route was not leading them home.


    "Where are we going?" she asked.


    Aiden replied, "I wanted to take you somewhere special."

 Chapter 121 - 120

    Aiden replied, "I wanted to take you somewhere special."


    "Oh no, I don''t have any energy to go to the movies or dinner right now," Sophia groaned.


    Aiden chuckled and replied, "Relax, I already know what type of person you are by now, so I have chosen something I know you''d appreciate."


    "We''ll see about that," she stated.


    Sophia was surprised, "A museum?"


    "Yes, but it''s not just any museum. This is one of the oldest museums in the country. Invited guests and important people are the only ones allowed to view the collections because of the highly prized items they have curated over the years. And now you are one of the few to witness it," he said.


    "Really? Let''s go then. I''m curious to see what they have inside," her eyes widened in excitement.


    After spending time with Sophia, Aiden concluded that choosing any touristy or cheesy destinations recommended online would not earn him any points in Sophia''s book. So he wracked his brain the whole night, and her comment about documentaries being interesting led him to the museum. The museum had been closed to the public for a while now, and he hoped that Sophia had never visited it before.


    Being an Aristocratic heir gave him special privileges around the city, and visiting the museum was one of them.


    The museum housed jewelry dating back to the kings and queens that ruled the country way before they were both born. Paintings, that were collected from all over the world. All first edition literature, and works from very famous artists. Sophia looked like a kid that had been released in a candy store. Her eyes were full of life, and unlike the movie they watched at her house, she looked like she enjoyed being in the museum very much.


    Whereas Aiden had been really bored. He spent all his time just gazing at her. So she did not see that he was staring at her the whole time.


    "Aiden, thank you for taking me to see this museum, I really enjoyed it," she said as they finished the tour. It made him smile, his mission had been a complete success.


    "All that walking got me hungry, do you mind?" she asked on their way home.


    "No, I don''t mind. Let''s go find a restaurant around here," he said as kept his eyes peeled out for somewhere to eat. But they were out of luck every restaurant they found had been closed.


    Sophia had spotted a food truck and ordered Aiden to stop.


    "Hmm¡­ do you think that place would be good? I think we can go a little further, we''re bound to find a better restaurant that''s still open," Aiden hesitated.


    "It''s going to be okay. Plus, I''m really very hungry, I''m not sure I can wait any longer," she said as her stomach grumbled.


    "Okay, but don''t blame me if we both get sick," he joked. Though it was a little uncomfortable for him to eat at the food truck, since he''s never been to one, he did it for Sophia anyway.


    They both ordered the taco combo with two tacos, rice, and beans.


    "Oh my god¡­," Sophia spoke with her mouth full of food, "this is the best... taco I''ve had in a while."


    Aiden chuckled while eating his plate with enough grace that made him look like he was eating at a fine dining restaurant, "Slow down, you''re going to choke if you eat too fast."


    She shivered a little, the temperature had dropped while they were in the museum. She did not anticipate them to be out so late that she left her jack in her car.


    And Aiden, always the gentleman, removed his coat and placed it around her shoulders. Sophia nodded and pulled the jacket closer to stay warm.


    "Don''t you think that was the most delicious taco you''ve had?" she asked, and Aiden shook his head no.


    "What? Are you kidding me? That''s the type of food you eat when you''re really very hungry, and it tastes better the hungrier you are," she shook her head, disbelief in her face, "Tsk, tsk, I can''t believe that didn''t hit the spot for you. Let me get something that would make it all better."


    And before he could speak, she went to the counter to order smoothies, "Here, drink this. There was only mango left, I hope that''s okay," she said, handing him a to-go cup.


    "Yeah, that''s fine. You know¡­," Aiden noticed Sophia was not paying attention to him, her face had gone pale, and she was looking at someone behind him. Her hand was shaking as she crushed her cup, spilling her drink.


    He frowned and looked back to what she was looking at, but all he saw was a man''s arm closing his car door before the sports car drove away.


    "Sophia¡­," he wanted to ask what happened.


    "I''m ready to go. I can''t drink this," she threw the cup in the nearby trash can and stood beside his car.


    He was curious about who she saw in the sports car that affected her. He knew she was rattled because as she sat in his car, he saw her fidgeting and looking out the window angrily to see if someone was following them.


    Knowing Sophia would not talk to him while the issue was hot, he kept silent and tried not to pry about the situation. But it really worried him that she was bothered by someone.


    -=-


    After their date at the museum, Aiden had been busy, so he thought of spending the weekend with Sophia. But when he knocked at the door there was no response, he was sure that she was home because she had nowhere to go. Her routine during the weekend was to stay at home and keep on working.


    When his banging and shouting at her front door did not do anything, he knew something was wrong. Thinking of ways to get into her apartment, he remembered that their balconies were adjacent to each other, so he jumped the small space between them and tried to open the door. Luckily, it had been unlocked.


    A smile formed on his face when he saw Sophia asleep on the table, she had files scattered around her as she laid her head on the table. "I was right she worked too much again," he thought.


    But as he drew closer, he became concerned, her cheeks looked flushed as sweat dotted her face.


    He could feel the heat emanating from her body when he tried to feel her forehead.

 Chapter 122 - 121

    Aiden knew Sophia had a fever the minute he touched her forehead because she was burning hot. He carried her to the bedroom and applied a cold compress to her head while he called the doctor.


    The doctor and Aiden figured that she probably overworked herself, that''s why she got the fever and fainted. Her skin looks dehydrated, so the doctor suggested they apply a drip on her on top of the medicine he already prescribed. Aiden had to give her medicine and feed her every four hours to make sure her fever breaks, and there would be no further implications.


    After the doctor left, Aiden sat at the end of her bed, staring at her. She slept peacefully but looked gaunt and tired. The circles under her eyes told him she had not been getting enough sleep. It pained him to see her in such a state, he wished he could do something to make her feel better, but they just had to wait until she did.


    He stroked her cheek with his thumb, "Sunshine, why don''t you take care of yourself? Don''t you care about anything except for work? Why are you like this?" he sighed, "But don''t worry, I''m here now, and I will take care of you," he planted a kiss on her forehead softly while she was dead to the world.


    While he waited for her to wake up, Aiden went to the kitchen to prepare her food she could easily digest and swallow.


    Sophia woke up to a dark room. At first, she thought everything was blurry, but the lack of light had impaired her vision. When everything came into focus, she saw tubes stuck to her hand, and she panicked. Trying to get up had been a chore, so she fell back on her bed and searched around for her phone with her good hand, and in the process, she knocked over the alarm clock, alerting Aiden she was awake.


    Aiden rushed to the bedroom and turned on one of her lamps. "Sophia, it''s me Aiden, stop moving. Let me help you up," he said as he arranged the pillows behind her to help prop her up.


    "Water," Sophia''s throat felt very dry, and it was hard for her to speak.


    "What happened?" she asked after drinking the water Aiden handed to her.


    "You were very sick, so I had to get a doctor to treat you. We can take those off as soon as your body absorbs everything," he explained.


    "Oh, okay," she nodded. Still a little lethargic.


    "Tell me, how can you be so careless? What project are you working on that''s so important you forgot to eat and sleep?" he said with concern in his voice.


    She coughed, "I had nothing else to do, so I thought I''d just continue on through the night."


    He wanted to scold her some more, but right now, she looked very pitiful in her state, that he eased off on her. "If you relax a bit, you will find that the world is very beautiful. Work is not the only thing that makes the world go round."


    "Let me get your food, you need to eat before you take the medicine. Doctor''s orders," he said as he excused himself from her room.


    When she saw it was porridge, she drew a face, "Should I really eat this? Can''t I eat something more substantial, or something with taste, maybe spicy soup?"


    "No! Your stomach is weak right now, and eating spicy food might aggravate your condition. You just need enough sustenance so the medicine can do its work," he replied.


    "Okay, fine!" she said with defiance as he sadly ate her food. After she finished everything in the bowl, he made sure she took her medicine.


    Under his watchful eye, he instructed her to sleep again.


    "I can do it," she said as Aiden got closer to tuck her in, but he pretended not to hear her.


    She was trying to be defiant, keeping her eyes open, but sleep took over, and she was under its spell in less than a minute.


    Aiden moved to the living room and started reading one of the books on the shelf. He figured it would take her a couple of hours before he needed to remove the IV, and before she awoke again.


    By the time Sophia woke up again, the sky outside was dark. With her IV removed, she was able to go to the bathroom and move around the house. The house was silent, so she concluded that Aiden must have left.


    She sat on her vanity as she remembered why she worked herself to almost her death. The person at the food truck brought about all the memories that have haunted her over the years. To take her mind off reminiscing about the past, she started working, not taking a break so she wouldn''t lose her concentration. She did not expect to collapse, thinking that sleeping it off would be enough.


    Aiden standing with his back to her in the living room surprised her. He looked like he was doing something on the table, and she wanted to know what it was.


    "Aiden, what are you still doing here?" she asked


    "Yes, I was waiting for you to wake up, so you can eat and drink your medicine again. How are you feeling?" he asked as he turned his back.


    "I feel much better, thanks! What is that?" she asked when she saw the flower arrangement on the table.


    "I saw the dead flowers I gave you 2 nights ago," he said, pointing to the flowers he gave her for their candlelit dinner.


    "Oh, those. Sorry, I forgot," she was embarrassed.


    "I ordered fresh ones so it could liven up your place," he replied, a little insulted that she had ignored his gift.


    She noticed the cut stems, flowers, and leaves around him, "Did you arrange these flowers yourself?"


    "Yeah, I did, my mom loved arranging flowers from our garden, and she taught me how to do it," he said.

 Chapter 123 - 122

    Aiden had entered Sophia''s house through the balcony again and was reading a magazine in the living room when Sophia appeared, "Agghhh!!!" she screamed.


    He pretended to act innocent as he looked up, but it was not only Sophia who was surprised. She had just taken a bath and had wrapped herself in a black silky bathrobe without drying her hair, so she was still dripping when she chanced upon Aiden on her way to the kitchen.


    The sight of Sophia in her robe had rendered him speechless, her face was flushed from her bath, and it was evident from her robe that she probably wore next to nothing underneath. Aiden looked at her hungrily as he gulped.


    "What are you doing in my house?" she continued her screaming. She did not expect anybody else to be in her house since she was used to being alone.


    "I came to see you," he shrugged.


    "Don''t you know how to knock?" she snapped.


    "I knocked earlier, but you did not answer. So I took the more convenient route," he answered as if Aiden jumping on the balcony had been her fault. Truth be told he knocked once and didn''t even bother to wait and see if she answered the door.


    "I was busy taking a bath," Sophia gritted her teeth.


    "Yeah, I can see that," he roamed his eyes appreciatively up and down her body.


    She scolded him, "You cannot just come and go inside my house whenever you feel like it."


    "Then give me the passcode for the door," he suggested, "Then I won''t need to jump the balcony."


    "No! Act like a regular human being and learn to knock. I''ll open the door for you," she scoffed and got dressed.


    The bathroom Sophia was wearing had been low cut, and the more she screamed and paced in front of Aiden, the more it slid open, but of course, he was not going to tell her that. He wanted to see what was underneath, but now that she left, he only had his vivid imagination to accompany him.


    He was imagining her long legs wrapping around his waist as he opened her robe to expose what she was hiding. It almost made him groan, he had to adjust his seating position. The things he wanted to do to her were not for the innocent. A little more time and he will be able to fulfill his heart''s desire.


    Sophia ignored Aiden when she came out fully dressed and her hair dried. She watered her plants to get away from him, but he just followed her, taking the watering can from her hand.


    "How do you have so much free time? Don''t you have to work?" she asked curiously. Aiden looked so carefree, always roaming around, yet surprisingly the Cooper Industries performed better than the year before, and all their new ventures were flourishing.


    "Oh, well, there''s not much to do nowadays," he dismissed her question easily. The truth was that he worked until the early hours of the morning so he could spend as much time with Sophia when she was home.


    A butterfly tried to land near Sophia''s shoulder, but she brushed it away and accidentally swatted it to the ground.


    "Hey! What did you do that for? Are you okay little one?" He asked the butterfly when he picked it up. Luckily it was just knocked about a bit and started moving when he left it on one of the bigger leaves of her plants.


    "When a butterfly comes, it means good omen," he said.


    "Good omen?" she questioned.


    "Yes, don''t you know about the butterfly lovers?" he asked.


    "No, there''s no such thing. What is it?" She was confused.


    "There''s a famous folktale called the butterfly lovers. Many years ago, in a faraway land, a daughter was born to a rich merchant. She was beautiful and courageous. To learn was her dream, but during those times, women were not permitted to go to school. The merchant loved his daughter very much, so he granted her wish with a condition she could never break.


    She was going to school dressed up as a male student, and she could never reveal who she was, no matter what happened. When she got to the school, she met a nobleman''s son who was intelligent as he was handsome. And one look at him got her smitten.


    Four years passed and she kept her promise, nobody knew her real identity, but in the process, she fell in love with the nobleman''s son. The young man had treated her like he would a male best friend. And she could not leave without letting him know about her feelings, so she left him a letter and headed back home.


    The young man read the letter and had a hard time grasping the truth. A month¡­ then two... passed by, yet there was no reply from the young man. The merchant''s daughter thought he did not feel the same way, so she started to mope around.


    There was a festival in the city, and the young lady was tasked to light the lamps outside their house when someone held her hand, it was her young man. He had been in the city for a few weeks, observing her, he confessed that he had been mesmerized when he saw her wearing dresses instead of the men''s garbs she used to wear at the university. He cared for her more than a friend and had been afraid to approach her, but as they hugged and rejoiced, he knew he made the right decision.


    But their joy was short-lived, their parents opposed their marriage. Their families had been at odds since the beginning of time, and though they didn''t have any idea why they were enemies, their families just kept the torch going.


    The merchant had arranged for his daughter to get married to another merchant''s son, and since the young man could not do anything, he fell into depression and eventually passed away. The young woman, upon learning about his demise, refused to marry anybody else, she was just as heartbroken as her lover.


    Her parents did not care about her plight, so they went on with the wedding, dressing their daughter like a lifeless doll. Before they got married, the couple had to pay respects at the holy place, but on the way, she passed the graveyard where her young man was buried.


    The procession had been stuck for a while and could not get past the burial grounds, first, there was mud that stopped their wheels from turning. Then came the rains that impaired their vision, then the thunder that spooked their horses. The young lady took this opportunity to visit his tomb, crying and promising to love him forever, and as she cried for him to take her away, lighting landed close by, shaking and opening up the ground swallowing the young maiden.


    As the sky cleared, two butterflies emerged from the hole in the ground. Up to this day, people still say it was the lovers'' spirits transformed into magnificent creatures so they could fly away and spend all their days together.


    So when a butterfly shows up around a man and a woman, it indicates they are soul mates," he said with intensity in his eyes.


    Sophia bit her lower lip as she noticed his piercing gaze.


    "Tell me, do you think it''s accurate?" he said softly, referring to them.


    "I don''t know," she said as she looked at Aiden''s teasing face.


    He chuckled and replied, "We''re not in a hurry. We can find out later,"

 Chapter 124 - 123

    "What are you doing?" Sophia heard someone whispering from behind her. She panicked, scattering the paper she had in her hand all around the floor.


    "Aiden!" she squealed, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she snapped at him.


    "I came to see you," Aiden stated.


    "I was in the living room the whole time, but I never heard you knock or ring the bell," she complained.


    He shrugged off her comment, "It''s too tedious to go out the front door, going through the back is way easier." He sat on the sofa, flicked on the remote to find himself something good on her TV.


    "Aiden, can you promise me something? Tell me you won''t come through the balcony anymore, please," she pleaded.


    He ignored her the whole time, watching TV as his life depended on it.


    "Are you listening to me?" she raised her voice at him, not seeing him secretly smiling as he continued to ignore her demands.


    His inattentiveness was irritating her, so she stood in front of him to block his view. "Move¡­," he tried to push her lightly out of his way, "I can''t see what I''m watching."


    "No, no until you give me your word," she demanded, standing her ground. But he was relentless, he just moved to one side and continued watching.


    "Are you listening to me? Dammit!" she was getting more and more frustrated.


    Aiden was unaffected, "You could always close the balcony door," he replied.


    "I want fresh air while I work. That''s the whole reason why I chose this floor. Good view with no disturbance," she answered.


    He just groaned, "Oh no¡­ I have to wait another six months to watch the Tom Cruise movie," still ignoring Sophia.


    "Aiden! That''s enough, look at me," she requested as she placed both of her hands on his shoulders to get his attention.


    He smirked at her as he got up, looking her square in the eye, "Okay, I''m looking at you now," with a softer tone, crowding into her space. She did not account that they would be this close when she stood in front of him.


    "Uhm... I think you should just stand where you are," she poked at his chest and moved back.


    "Hmm... I think you better make up your mind. This is getting to be confusing for me. One minute you ask me to look at you, then the next second you push me away," he teased.


    She narrowed her eyes at him, "Oh, you know what I''m saying. Don''t make this hard for me."


    "Okay fine, give me the password to the door so you''ll always hear me when I come in," he suggested.


    She cursed and gave him the password eventually. "Don''t misuse it. Don''t come in when I''m not home. Don''t come in at night when I''m sleeping. Don''t come in too early in the morning either," she listed her conditions.


    "Yes, I promise I won''t," he smiled a very satisfied smile. He felt like they were together, kind of like the boyfriend having his girlfriend''s house key.


    It had become routine for him to come to her house at the end of the day, and spend time together. Now, it felt like he got upgraded, he was now a member of the family, able to come in and out whenever he felt like it.


    Sophia had gotten used to him coming to her house, watching TV, or reading a book, and though there was silence between them whenever they were busy doing their own thing, it did not feel uncomfortable or awkward. And when they do have discussions, it is just a matter of exchanging opinions and not arguing too much. It made Aiden feel like they were getting along very beautifully, just like a normal couple would.


    -=-


    Sophia was busy typing in front of her laptop when her phone started ringing. She looked at the number and frowned, not bothering to pick it up. But still, the phone kept on ringing again and again, and every time she would send it to voicemail. When the caller did not give up, she blocked the number, anger masking her face.


    Aiden observed her reaction, but it was evident in her body language that she did not want to volunteer any information about her caller. So she pretended to keep on working, but he knew she wasn''t making progress when he saw that she hadn''t turned the page in the last half hour.


    It had bothered him that she wouldn''t share any information, but as he had figured out, he was a patient man after all, and this could wait.


    -=-


    Most of the time Sophia avoided gatherings, but this time she had been invited to a very high-profile party that she had been forced to attend due to the fact that a very important associate was holding the party, and she wanted to make a good impression.


    The guests attending these functions usually travel in the same circles, so they knew one another. Her attendance had garnered their attention just because she was fresh meat. People were intrigued to know more about the enchanting beauty who decided to grace their presence.


    "Sister, I can''t believe you are here," a sweet voice excitedly said behind her.


    Sophia knew the voice even before she turned around, Harper her cousin, decided to appear before her. Once upon a time, Sophia had considered her like a sister. But there was always more than meets the eye. Some people are disguised as angels while evil lurks deep in their hearts.


    Harper wore a white dress that made her look almost virginal and innocent. Sophia faced her cousin wearing her stoic mask, "Yes, well, I am now able to get an invitation to parties such as these."


    "I''m just happy to see you, why are you being so offensive?" her cousin asked, a little panic in her voice.


    "Wait, don''t leave, we haven''t seen each other for such a long time, and I was thinking we could catch up," Harper pleaded when she saw her cousin walking away. She held onto Sophia''s arm to make her stay.

 Chapter 125 - 124

    Sophia turned away because she was not willing to spend another minute in her cousin''s presence. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.


    The big diamond ring on her cousin''s hand had rendered her speechless. That ring was supposed to be hers, and for a second, a pained look passed through her eyes.


    "Leave me alone," Sophia said with her voice raised. There was nothing else to say to her cousin after their last encounter.


    "Sister, please don''t be mad. I know Gavin designed this ring with you in mind, but by the time he received it the situation had changed. I''m so sorry, but I could not decline his proposal," Harper said in a sorrowful tone as she held onto Sophia like a leech.


    "Okay, I got it, now let me go," Sophia tried to pry off her cousin''s filthy fingers off her arm.


    "No sister! I will not let go until you forgive me. I know I am the reason you have broken ties with the family, and I want to mend that," Harper said with her very pitiful face as she dug her sharp claws into Sophia''s arm, intending to hurt her and inflict pain.


    "Stop it, Harper," Sophia squeezed Harper''s fingers so she could stop hurting her arm. Harper stepped back and pretended to stumble as she let the tears from her eyes fall.


    Sophia was baffled, ''Why is this girl crying when she dug her nails into my arm. I think she even drew blood. Ouch!" she thought as she rubbed her arm.


    Harper wanted to draw attention, so she sobbed louder, gathering the attention of that one person she knew would come to her rescue. "What happened here?" said the man that picked her up from the floor, "Why are you crying?"


    "Hmph! No wonder you had to give that award-winning performance, bravo Harper. Once again, I''m the bad guy," Sophia thought bitterly.


    Harper sobbed, "Gavin, sister got angry when I begged her to come home. I just miss her so much."


    "How many times did I tell you to be careful when dealing with unsightly people?" Gavin cooed at Harper while he glared at Sophia angrily.


    "You haven''t changed at all. Would it hurt you to be a little kinder to Harper when all she''s asking is for you to come home? You can reject her, but don''t be rude," he said to Sophia.


    Sophia huffed, Gavin had always thought so little of her that she wondered if she imagined all those years they were together. Was she the only one who loved and respected him? Why was it so easy to believe Harper when one could easily see the marks on her arm?


    "There is no use talking to both of you. Let''s not waste each other''s time, so don''t ever approach me ever again," she curtly replied.


    Both their attitudes had always been this way, and she should not have been surprised that they never changed.


    Sophia walked away before they could even confront her again, "Sophia!" Gavin screamed angrily. But his scream fell on deaf ears.


    Harper held on to his hand very tightly so he could not follow Sophia. "Let''s go find somewhere to sit. This confrontation got me exhausted," she said. And just like before, he could never say no to any of her requests.


    -=-


    The next day Sophia found herself with a massive headache. Seeing Gavin and Harper always affected her mood. Even though she tried to show them that she had moved on and she was stronger than they perceive her to be, it was always rough on her. Seeing them always dredged up all the past making her question herself, was there something she could have done differently to change her ill fate?


    There was a knock on her door that cut into her reverie. Aiden sauntered into the office and sat in the chair in front of her desk as if it was his office.


    "Why are you here? Is this going to be work-related?" Sophia asked, annoyed.


    "No, it''s not, I just thought we should have lunch together," he said, playing with the paperweight on her table.


    Sophia''s assistant had come into the office, and instead of giving Sophia her message, she stood in disbelief when she heard their exchange. I wonder if they''re in a relationship? Is Mr.Cooper pursuing my boss?


    "I have a meeting right now that may extend through lunch, so I don''t think I can join you," she said when she said her assistant at the door.


    Aiden stood up and walked to her side of the table, "What are you struggling with? Let me help you so you can finish this meeting faster," he leaned towards her monitor.


    "This line here," she points out with her mouse.


    "Let me see," Aiden smoothly places his hand over hers while he moves the mouse. Making some minor changes along the way.


    Sophia''s assistant fell wide open. She could not believe that the last eligible Aristocratic heir was openly flirting with her cold boss, and from the looks of it, she had no objections. Her boss had avoided men like the plague for the last five years, but now during the light of day, she was accepting Aiden''s advances.


    "Hurry up and finish the meeting, I''ll order us some takeout. What would you prefer to eat?" he asked.


    "Hmm... Maybe order some Chinese," she said as she left for her meeting.


    The assistant thought Sophia had rejected all her suitors because of her high standards, but it seemed that Mr. Cooper was her perfect match, being an Aristocratic heir probably checked all her boxes.


    And if her boss liked Aiden, then she would make sure to make him feel comfortable while he waited. "Mr. Cooper, is the temperature in the office okay for you?" Aiden shook his head.


    "Would you like me to bring you some coffee or tea?" she asked, and he said no.


    "If there''s anything you need, I''ll be out here," she said before leaving him alone in Sophia''s office.


    "No, you guys can carry on," Aiden waved his hand.

 Chapter 126 - 125

    After having lunch together, Aiden just lingered around in Sophia''s office all day. Conducting his business on his laptop and his phone when it was necessary. The aura around them felt very comfortable, giving off the vibe that they have been doing this for a long time together, working side by side.


    When they got home, Aiden dropped by his place to change into more comfortable clothing and came back to her apartment. Watching TV as usual.


    "Hey, so how about dinner? Aren''t you getting hungry?" He looked at Sophia and noticed that she had fallen asleep, so he covered her in a blanket he found in the bedroom. She had back-to-back meetings since that morning, and it was understandable that she was probably beat.


    Aiden admired her sleeping face, so calm and peaceful. It was funny to him that this same sleeping angel was as fiery as a devil when she was awake, scaring people in her path, making them cower in fear.


    He liked that she was beautiful even without the products that her company has been encouraging women to cover their faces with, he was thinking about the makeup women wear to hide all their flaws.


    Her long eyelashes, soft cheeks, and pink, plump lips beckoned for him to touch her. Her lips were a natural shade of pink, and he badly wanted to caress them. Every time he talked to her, those same lips he always thought were covered in lipstick distracted him.


    He ran his thumb over her lower lip as she slept, and she sighed and parted her lips, moving her head a little towards his face. And that was reason enough for him to have a little taste, he touched his lips to hers to give her a little peck, but he became greedy.


    That brief moment their lips touched was not enough for him, he had to have more. In hindsight, he should have stopped that first time while she was still asleep, but the desire to sleep inside him was awakening, and it was getting harder and harder for him to wait.


    Sophia opened her eyes wide when she felt something touch her lips. On instinct, she used her hands to push off her aggressor, not recognizing Aiden right away.


    "What are you doing?" she screamed when she realized it was him.


    "Shit!" he cursed and held her hands. He did not want things to turn out like this. "Sophia¡­"


    "Get out! Get out of my place," she yelled as she tried to get up, but Aiden wouldn''t let her. He had pushed her back into the couch, straddling her while he held her hands high above her head.


    "Let me go! You oaf!" She struggled to free herself.


    "Shh¡­ I''m sorry I startled you." He kept her still with one hand and the other on her lips.


    "I love you. I''ve fallen in love with you the first moment I set my eyes on you. I know it doesn''t make sense, but when has love ever made sense? You captured my attention and then my heart in that short period, and I knew I was lost without you."


    Sophia''s eyes widened when she heard his confession. "What is he saying?" her heart was thudding in her chest so fast, it seemed like it was all she could hear.


    Aiden felt relieved that he told her his feelings even though he wanted his proposal to be a grand and romantic gesture. Knowing her personality, he knew convincing her wasn''t going to be an easy feat, so he planned each step carefully. He wanted their relationship to go through the motions of cooking a frog in slowly boiling water, nice and slow so that it won''t notice the temperature change, then eventually, the frog won''t want to jump out of the pot anymore.


    But now, because of what he did, his chances might have been ruined. To save face, he decided to confess prematurely. But then that was better than Sophia misunderstanding his actions because all his hard work the past few days would have been in vain.


    Since he jumped the gun, he thought he would just make it up to her with a grander gesture later, when she has finally calmed down.


    Aiden straightened the frown on her face and smiled, "I don''t think you''re ignorant to not realize my intentions".


    "But..," Sophia stammered as she frowned again.


    Of course, she was not ignorant, she knew Aiden was attracted to her, but it never crossed her mind that he could love her. Aiden Cooper was a name the whole country was familiar with, he was the last of the Aristocratic bachelors to be single, and they''ve been rumored to be a lot of things, but they are very private people, and the ones close to them were the only ones who knew who they really were.


    When Cooper Industries showed interest in the Collins Beauty Industry, she had been very happy. It showed that her company had finally made a name in the market. Getting the attention of one of the top companies in the country meant a big deal. Sophia never expected Aiden himself to attend the meeting since hers was an upcoming company. She had expected one of his assistants to attend, so she really had no impression of him except that she wanted the presentation to go the way she planned.


    The surprise came when she discovered him as her neighbor. He had been quite different from the young heirs from the other different families she knew of. Aiden was polite, charming, and kind, though sometimes he was a little pushy, throwing a tantrum like a child to get what he wanted. But overall, he made her feel at ease, she felt very relaxed around him. He treated her with respect though sometimes she found him looking at her differently, like a man who viewed an attractive woman.


    Sophia ignored his longing stares, thinking it was nothing intended for her. And since he never crossed the line, they were going to be good as platonic friends. So it really made her mad when she said him stealing a kiss from her while she was asleep. But his confession stunned her, never in her wildest dream did she expect him to profess his love for her.


    "I don''t care, I don''t love you, and I never will," she said sternly.

 Chapter 127 - 126

    "Really now?" Aiden raised his eyebrow, hearing her comment as a challenge.


    "Yes," Sophia struggled to get out of his grip.


    "Sunshine, I promise you will come running into my arms soon enough. It''s not going to take that much time," he said with a deadly tone.


    Sophia paused with her struggling when she saw the face Aiden was wearing. He gave off this very cold vibe, his eyes piercing into her soul. This was not the usual jovial, friendly Aiden she was used to. The gentleman was definitely gone and in his place was the devil.


    She gulped, there was nowhere to go. She started breathing heavily, when he placed his hand around her slender neck, the motion of her bosom rising and falling had captured his attention.


    With a dangerous glint in his eye, he ran a finger down the valley between her breasts, which he followed by a circular motion to encircle one globe. Eliciting a scream from her lips, "Aiden, No!"


    He took a deep breath and murmured, "Soon¡­ very soon." After a second, his face returned to the Aiden she knew. He got up and sat beside her.


    She scrambled to get up and arrange her clothes, somehow while she was struggling, the top buttons on her blouse had become undone, no wonder she felt the full impact of his finger as it traveled between her breasts. Her face heated up, remembering what happened.


    Aiden moved closer, and she inched away from him, "Shh¡­," he said in a soft voice as he tucked some hair strands behind her ear.


    "Sleep well," he touched her cheek, and with a smile, walked out of her house.


    Sophia felt so confused and messed up with the turn of events, she did not know what to make of his comment, "you will come running into my arms soon enough¡­." So she sat silently with her thoughts for a while, wondering how to deal with Aiden.


    She had been naive once, believing love was beautiful, people were kind, and you get what you give. But she learned that falling in love, and blindly trusting the person with her heart was the biggest mistake she had ever made in her life, she vowed never to make the same mistake again. Nowadays, she believes that love just makes you vulnerable, and putting another person''s feelings and happiness before your own always holds consequences.


    As they say, once bitten twice shy, she was going to be smart, the second time around. She tried to analyze her feelings for Aiden, and she realized that she did not really love him, he was a good person, but other than that, nothing attracted him to her.


    She was an orphan, so what can he get out of her other than being another of his conquests. ''He probably likes me because I''m stubborn, and I''ve ignored him so much that he''s challenged himself to peel my layers and find the real me.''


    His parents will probably have a say in the woman he would eventually marry, and an orphan like her would not be it. She knew how these rich families operated, they only dated their kind and the people who can bring something to their table.


    Her plan was to just keep on acting like she did not care, her rude behavior will put him off eventually. Most of the men who tried had given up after a few months, so she was not that optimistic about Aiden either.


    -=-


    The next morning, after she took a shower, Sophia was surprised that breakfast was already lying on the table. She looked at her watch and thought the only person who would come at 7am would be her assistant.


    Aiden came from the kitchen, "Come and sit down before breakfast gets cold."


    "What''s all this?" she frowned.


    After confessing, Aiden thought that if Sophia was not going to be convinced with his words, then he was going to show her how he really felt by his actions. So he decided to cook all her favorite dishes for breakfast.


    "As you can see, it''s breakfast. You always eat while you''re working, that''s not good for digestion," he said while serving her a plate.


    She stared at him coldly with folded hands. Trying to distance herself from him.


    "Eat. I made all of this for you," he prompted her by making her feel guilty.


    "You do know that doing these things will not make me agree to be with you, right?" she scoffed.


    Aiden shrugged, "Yeah, I know that. Let''s not talk about all those things, just eat. You don''t want all this food to go to waste, do you?" he smiled.


    The smell of the food wafted into Sophia''s nose, and her stomach grumbled even before she could reply, so there was no denying his request. She could not resist her needs any longer, and the more she looked at the food, the hungrier she got. Plus, she held Aiden''s word that this would not affect her decision.


    After breakfast, Sophia went back to her bedroom to get ready, put on her makeup, and fix her hair. So Aiden had to get to the door when the doorbell rang.


    Sophia''s assistant came to knock at her door, but when Aiden answered, she thought she had made a mistake, "I''m sorry.. I have the wrong¡­," she paused, looking at the number on the door, thinking she made a mistake.


    She looked at Aiden Cooper closely, noticing that he was wearing house clothes so she speculated that this was not a business call.


    "Come in, she''s just getting ready," he smiled invitingly.


    Shock reflected on her face, she was rooted in her spot. When she saw Aiden in her boss'' office, the first thought that went through her mind was that he was courting Sophia, or maybe they were friends that wanted to spend time together. But this changes everything, the evidence shows they were already living together.


    She had come to bring Sophia breakfast but realized that she already ate when she saw the dirty dishes and leftover food still on the table.


    "You don''t need to bring breakfast from now on," he instructed


    The assistant nodded her head. Her imagination ran wild thinking that Sophia and Aiden were having lunch like a regular couple at work, and then now breakfast as well? She was not aware that things had progressed this far. She smiled at the possibility of wedding bells in the future.

 Chapter 128 - 127

    Every day Aiden came to Sophia''s house, cooking her breakfast and dinner. Among the Aristocratic heroes, he was the only one who knew how to cook. Initially, she refused his offerings and belittled his efforts, but then when she learned that all the dishes he cooked had ingredients that were carefully selected by Aiden''s nutritionist, she felt more appreciative.


    Her assistant got her food from the best restaurants around town. Those were always either fried or too spicy, which made up for the taste but not the benefits. Which meant all the food she''s been eating was not good for her digestion.


    Working long hours, skipping meals, and not drinking enough water had given Sophia gastric problems. Her doctor had prescribed her something to ease the pain, but that was not a long-term solution.


    Aiden was preparing home-cooked meals that included a lot of veggies, less salt, and much more nutritious. Sometimes protein like meat would be added to the meals, but they were always smaller in proportion to what she usually ate.


    Sophia sniffed at the soup Aiden had just served her, it smelled different. He said it was medicinal herbs that will help her digestive system recuperate. His attentiveness was making her uncomfortable. Aside from her parents, who have long since passed, nobody has cared for her this much. Maybe her assistant, but that only because she was afraid to lose her job.


    She was in the living room typing something up when Aiden''s phone rang. He was in the kitchen washing the dishes and pots that he used to make dinner with.


    "Aiden! You got a call," Sophia yelled to let him know.


    "Answer it," Aiden replied back.


    Sophia tried to ignore the ringing phone, not answering it because she might be picking up a personal call, but it rang too much to break her concentration from work, so she gave in.


    It was an unknown number in an area code that she recognized to be somewhere in the city.


    "It''s about time you answered my call. Where are you? How many times do I have to call you before you reply to my messages?


    Why did you move? And why didn''t you give me the new address? Are you scared I''ll visit you?


    Tell me, if I didn''t call you from another number, you probably wouldn''t have answered, right?" the voice rattled on angrily.


    "Hello! Answer me," Sophia was taken aback by the rapid-fire of questions from a woman that seemed to be looking for Aiden.


    "Uhm¡­ Hello, who is this?" She asked, and her question was met with silence for a few seconds.


    "Is this Aiden''s number?" the woman asked.


    "Yes, it is," Sophia answered.


    "Who are you, and why are you answering his phone?" the woman pried.


    "I am Sophia, his¡­," Sophia was interrupted before she could even say, his neighbor.


    "Hubby! Hubby! Hurry come, our son has been lying to us," she heard the woman scream on the other end of the phone.


    "Son?" Sophia asked.


    "Yes, son. I am Aiden Cooper''s one and only mother," the woman replied enthusiastically. This made Sophia drop the phone on her lap, her fingers felt nerveless, she just talked to Aiden''s mother.


    "Hello? Hello?" Aiden''s mother was still on the phone, and in her fear, Sophia ended the call.


    "Oh no, why did I answer the phone?" she looked at her watch mortified, "It''s almost midnight, his mother must think I live here. Oh no..."


    Angrily she marched to the kitchen and snapped at Aiden, "Do you know that I just picked up your mother''s call?"


    "Oh, okay," he replied as if nothing happened.


    "Seriously, that''s your response?" she was miffed.


    "What do you want me to say?" he asked.


    "I dropped the call on your mother even before I told her I was your neighbor. She sounded very mad. Call her back and explain that you are in my house and not the other way around," she commanded.


    "I''m busy right now, I''ll call her later," he shrugged as he rinsed the pot in his hand.


    Sophia sighed, "Why didn''t you save your mother''s number? She complained that you are not responding to her calls?"


    "I ignored her because she told me to come home, I wanted to be near you, so I told her no. I haven''t confessed to you when she learned I moved out here. I feared telling her about you might cause her to get excited, for sure, she was going to meddle between us, and I did not want her to do that. She used someone else''s phone when I kept disregarding her calls." Aiden knew that his mother would talk to Sophia the minute he got wind of her existence, and since Sophia was not like all the other women he''s known, he knew that his mom stepping in would probably blow his chances.


    He was planning to take it slow with Sophia. Give her the romantic courtship she deserves, and when the time was right, propose to her about marriage. He did not want to scare her with talks about marriage right away, even though he was sure that she was the woman he wanted to spend his life with. Knowing his mom, the minute she met Sophia, she would start talking about getting married, planning the wedding, and asking about babies. He did not want to scare Sophia right off the bat. But now that the cat is out of the bag, he had to deal with it.


    "She said she hasn''t seen you for a long time, so maybe you should go home and see her. She probably misses you a lot," Sophia suggested.


    "I''m not going. I''m going to miss you if I go," He denied her request.


    "Aiden!" she warned.


    Aiden leaned his head onto her right shoulder, the one nearest him, "But you''ll be all alone." He tried to plead.


    Sophia lifted his head. In a stern tone said, "I am not a kid Aiden, I was fine before you came into my life. Your parents are requesting you to go home. Go visit them tomorrow."


    He huffed, "Fine. I will listen to you," he said in a pouty kind of way which made Sophia roll her eyes.


    "Would you like to come with me?" he asked.


    "No way," Sophia ran out of the kitchen as fast as she could. Aiden''s loud laugh followed her to the living room.

 Chapter 129 - 128

    As per Sophia''s request, Aiden went to visit his parents. It has been more than one month since he came back home. As soon as he entered their house, he spotted his mom giving instructions to one of the servants.


    "Mom¡­," Aiden called.


    Mrs. Cooper turned to look at her returning son with anger in her eyes.


    "Aiden! You finally came home. Are you so busy that you don''t have time to reply to my messages? Last Sunday I sent you a message because I  wanted to have lunch with you, but you never came. I''m so disappointed in you," Mrs. Copper vented out all her frustrations.


    Mr. Cooper came down to investigate the commotion he heard all the way from their bedroom. "Dad, help me!" Aiden''s eyes said as he looked at his father.


    "Honey, calm down. Our son runs the Cooper empire now, and he hardly gets any time to rest, so don''t be too hard on him. At least he had time to come today. Don''t be angry with your child. I know he feels very guilty for disappointing you," Mr. Cooper nudged Aiden to follow up his explanation.


    "Yes, mom, I''m really sorry, please forgive me," Aiden apologized. Knowing that as long as he felt genuine, his mother would relent.


    "Okay, don''t repeat it again," his mom said as she patted his cheeks. Her anger had dissipated once her husband started explaining. She was always worried since Aiden was her one and only son.


    "Yes, mom," he nodded in agreement. But just when he was about to relax, thinking that everything was fine, his mother asked the most important question.


    "Aiden, who is Sophia?" She could not control her curiosity, the need to know who answered the phone late last night was gnawing at her.


    "Sophia, who?" Aiden replied.


    "Stop pretending you don''t know. A woman picked up your phone late last night. Is she your girlfriend?" she said with suspicion in her eyes.


    "No," Aiden denied.


    "Oh my god, is she your wife? Did you marry her without telling us? I wanted to give you a grand wedding, so I could invite all my friends, and¡­," she was mouthing off, but she got interrupted.


    "Mom, slow down. Sophia is the woman I love, she hasn''t agreed to be with me yet, but I want to be with her in the future," he explained.


    Aiden''s parents married for love. They moved around in the same circles, so their families knew each other well, but they never interacted when they were younger, they had different sets of friends. They met in college when his father went abroad to study, then three years later, his mother joined the same university. Their families relied on his father to look out for her since she was a young woman alone in the big city.


    All the time they spent together made his father fall right away. He had been a very studious student, and even though his mother hardly studied, playing with her friends all the time. He had been very patient with her, studying until midnight to catch up with his studies when she wanted to go out.


    When their families learned about their relationship, they were more than happy to proceed with the wedding right away. But his father did not come back to work until his mother completed her studies. After that, they got married in the most lavish celebration in their home country.


    Mr. Cooper gave in to his wife''s every whim, and that made their relationship more pleasurable.


    "Ahhh¡­ finally my son has fallen in love. You just don''t know how long I have been waiting for this day. Hubby, look, finally I can relax," she squealed in delight.


    "Yes," Mr. Cooper''s eyes shone with happiness when he heard the news that his son was finally ready to settle down.


    Aiden''s parents have been worried about him getting married. After Tristan and Blake got married one after the other, they started fixing him up with all the single women they knew. Dimitri took the cake when he showed up with a wife and a kid. That got them more frantic to find him the right partner. But Aiden did not show any interest in settling down.


    He never lost his charm, entertaining the women his parents introduced to him, but at the end of the night, he would declare that he did not find the connection he was looking for. But now that he had Sophia, they were happy that at last, he found that missing puzzle in his life.


    "Tell me more about Sophia," his mother pried, "Does she work? Does she have a lot of siblings? Where are her parents from? Where does she live? How did you meet?"


    Aiden had to volunteer all the information he knew, or his mother would never stop nagging him, "Her name is Sophia Collins. She is the CEO of Collins Beauty Industries, it''s a cosmetics brand that''s gaining popularity with health-conscious customers. She got orphaned early in life when her parents died in a car accident. The attraction I feel for her is very strong.


    Dad, you remember we partnered with the Collins company a few months ago because I believed that their products would be popular, and I was not wrong. It was because of Sophia, she is so intelligent and hard-working, I''ve never seen anybody work so hard at anything like she does, well of course except for me," he joked.


    "Oh yeah, I tried their products, and they felt good on my skin. She sounds like a very exceptional lady. That''s so sad about losing her parents at a young age, don''t worry, we will definitely treat her well in the future.


    So when are you bringing her home? I can''t wait to meet her," Aiden''s mother asked eagerly.


    "I''ll take her to meet you after she agrees to be with me. We cannot force her, or she will try to bolt," he answered.


    But as expected, his mother could not sit still once she learned about his love life.


    "What is taking so long? Is she not taken by your wit or your charm? Your father did everything he could to make me fall in love with him when we were in college. You''re not working hard enough to convince her," Mrs. Cooper complained.


    "Mom, I finally got her to trust me the past couple of days, then you forced me to come here," he sighed, "Hopefully, my hard work won''t be wasted when I get back."


    "How would I know you were with her when you never answer my calls? Maybe answer my calls once in a while, so I know what''s happening with you," she reprimanded him.


    "Enough of that arguing, let''s go and have lunch, I''m hungry," Mr. Cooper tried to break them up.


    As they savored all of Aiden''s favorite dishes, they talked more about their future daughter-in-law Sophia.

 Chapter 130 - 129

    Sophia was finally ready to go home, it had been a very long day, but as she walked to her car, she saw Aiden carrying a big bouquet of red roses. He was so cute it almost made her want to smile.


    He was wearing his most dazzling smile, eager to see her, "Sunshine, I missed you," he said as he reached her.


    "You were only gone for three days. Why are you acting like you''ve been gone for long?" she replied.


    "What do you want me to do? Each second I wasn''t by your side made me feel so lonely," he replied with a soft voice.


    After Aiden confessed, Sophia can now see the desire in his eyes very clearly, something she never noticed before. Now that she analyzed his gentleness and attentiveness, it felt too much for her to handle.


    Aiden did not plan to stay away from Sophia that long, but his parents wanted him to spend more time with them. Especially now that someone else has his attention, he may not be able to visit them every weekend. And all their time away from each other, he never failed to send Sophia text messages. She had replied to some of them, and he thought even short messages were better than nothing.


    "Why are you being so cheesy?" she asked.


    He winked at her, "Being with you turns me into a romantic. See, I even got you flowers."


    They were the most beautiful deep red roses Sophia had seen. These roses were usually for special order.  Flown in from other countries, and are selected for their color and their aroma. It would cost an arm and a leg for a regular citizen, but Aiden was not an ordinary person.


    "I don''t like flowers," Sophia said, rejecting his sweet offering.


    "Liar, I saw your eyes twinkle, and your lips twitched when you saw me. Was it me or the flowers?" He asked as he stepped closer, touching her chin.


    Sophia did not notice that she had smiled. Her moves were always calculated. She tried to hide any hint of her expression from anyone, always maintaining a poker face. But with Aiden''s careful scrutiny, he was noticing more and more of her tells.


    They were very subtle. A twitch in her lips showed her smile, a small movement of her eyebrow showed mild annoyance, a mild squint showed anger, and her glossy eyes showed sadness. All he needed was to look at Sophia, and Aiden knew what she was thinking.


    "Keep the flowers in a vase this time and don''t let them die," he instructed.


    "Okay, I will take care of them," she took the bouquet and inhaled their sweet scent.


    Aiden invited her to have dinner at his place, "My parents sent a lot of dishes for me to take home, and I won''t be able to finish all of them alone, come and join me," he asked.


    This will be the first time she will enter his home since they usually hung out at her place when they were together. It was surprising for Sophia to see that Aiden''s home was more pleasing than she anticipated. She expected his apartment to be a regular bachelor pad with just the basic appliances and necessities in it, muted colors. There was so much color everywhere, from the sky blue sofa, red and yellow throw pillows, the multiple artworks on the wall, to the healthy-looking plants on every corner. It definitely looked better than her house, it gave off the lived-in, homey vibe.


    "Your house is very beautiful, I did not expect it to look like this," she gushed.


    "Thanks, I really don''t like boring colors. I gave my PA my requirements and she put it all together," he passed her a water bottle to quench her thirst.


    "Make yourself comfortable, I''m going to freshen up." He left her to take a shower and change his clothes. When he came out, he found Sophia watching the TV. But the minute he stepped out of his room, her attention was diverted, and surprisingly she was inspecting his appearance.


    The shirt he wore highlighted the muscles he got from working out a lot, from his shoulders to his abs, the shirt did not hide anything. And his hair that was still slightly dripping hair made him look more dangerous. Sophia had to swallow to stop herself from drooling.


    He headed to the dining area, smiling as he overlooked Sophia''s discomfort. He thought he saw interest in her eyes when she stared at him, but he was not sure. "Come and sit, I will set the table," he called out.


    He showed her all the dishes his mom packed for him, selecting the items they wanted to heat up and eat. There was an assortment of main dishes, side dishes, dessert, and fruit. And it looked like he was covered for the next few weeks.


    "There is so much food. Did your mom get scared you were going hungry?" she sat on the chair he pulled out for her.


    Aiden laughed and replied, "We don''t need to finish everything today. I will leave some in your refrigerator so we can eat it the whole week.


    After dinner, she decided to look around while Aiden washed the dishes. She got curious when she found he had left his bedroom open, wanting to see if his bedroom was as colorful as the whole house. She hesitated and thought it would be hard to explain what she was doing in his personal space if she got caught.


    As she walked by, a yellow image on his wall caught her eye. She did a double-take and walked into the room, not caring anymore about the consequences. What greeted her first shocked then angered her.


    An almost life-size picture of Sophia was framed on the top of Aiden''s bed. The photo had been taken when they were in the sunflower fields. She remembered being there, wearing that yellow dress, the wind blowing her hair, and feeling like she had no other cares in the world.


    The picture shocked her because of her smile, it made her remember that time when her parents were still alive, and life was still good.

 Chapter 131 - 130

    "Aiden! Aiden! You better get in here!" she screamed in anger. He got to his room in a few seconds, thinking that something bad happened to Sophia.


    "What''s the matter? Are you okay?" He inspected her face and body, checking for any wounds.


    "Stop that!" she swiped at his hands, "Why is my picture up on your wall?" she grumbled.


    "Oh, that? You are the one I love, so obviously, I wanted to have your pictures around me," he said nonchalantly.


    "This is inappropriate, take that picture down now," she commanded.


    "Can''t you see how beautiful you looked that day?" he dodged her instruction.


    "Was that the first time you started liking me?" she asked.


    "I liked you when I first met you, but that day in the sunflower fields, I fell in love," he smiled.


    "What? How can you fall in love just like that? You don''t even know me," she scoffed.


    Aiden chuckled, tipping her chin up to meet his eyes, "I don''t know how it happens for other people, but for me, this is how it is."


    Sophia was lost, the sincerity of his intentions was very evident in his eyes.


    He hooked one arm around her waist to pull her closer. "You know what I do to fall asleep at night? I think about how it would feel to have you next to me."


    "Let me go!" she said, trying to free herself.


    He laughed and tightened his arms around her, "I imagine doing things to you that would make you squeal." He nuzzled her neck to prove his point.


    "You pervert! Unhand me! This is so improper!" but she couldn''t get out of his steely grip.


    "What''s wrong? You are my woman," he replied.


    "I am not your woman," she tried to wriggle free, but he just got more stimulated.


    "Very soon you will be Mrs. Aiden Cooper," he nuzzled her neck again, "Hmm¡­ you smell so good."


    Sophia held onto his shoulders, trying to push him away, but all she managed to do was crumple his shirt.


    "It''s so difficult to stay away from you..," he trailed more kisses down her neck.


    "Sunshine, having you near me is testing my self-control," he was that space between her shoulder, and she was putty in his hands. When he reached the valley of her breasts, Sophia couldn''t help but let out a moan, "Ahhh¡­"


    "Trust me when I say I will never fail you, just believe in me," he said as he kissed her cheek. The moan he got from her, and the flush on her face made him want to take her lips and just ravage her, but nuzzling her neck was enough for now. He would have more of her later.


    Her eyes were glazed over, and she was breathing heavily. She could not believe a few kisses from Aiden were going to heighten all her sensations. He fixed her hair and top to give her time to recuperate, but even that gesture made her shiver, the touch of his fingers was electrifying.


    After a few more seconds Sophia came back to reality. She pushed Aiden away and declared she wanted to go home. And as soon as he loosened his hold on Sophia, she ran to her apartment without looking back.


    Aiden smirked, he knew not that she was not made of ice underneath all that facade. The seed has been planted, and all he needed to do was wait for her feelings to grow.


    -=-


    The following days, Sophia pretended as nothing happened, so he made sure not to push the issue.


    The week had come and gone, and Aiden had been trying to convince her to go out to dinner with him, somewhere fancy they would both enjoy, he said. After all the nagging, she agreed.


    She was already complaining about the drive to the restaurant, "This place is too far from our house. Couldn''t you find somewhere nearby to have dinner?" she asked.


    "Well, this restaurant is having their anniversary, and I wanted to try their mega feast," he replied.


    They went straight to the VIP section and waited to get seated when Sophia heard a voice behind her.


    "Sister!" The voice called out. It''s the one and only voice she would never forget, not even in her sleep because she riddled her nightmares all the time.


    "Harper, what do you want?" she asked coldly.


    "Why are you here?" Harper confronted Sophia like she had no business eating at a fine dining restaurant.


    "For shopping," Sophia replied.


    "Huh?" Harper was dumbfounded. There were no shops in the building, so what was Sophia talking about?


    Aiden got shoved behind Harper and tried to control his snicker.


    "This is a restaurant, so obviously I came here to eat," Sophia bit back.


    "I was just trying to be nice. The mega feast is a couple''s meal, and Gavin brought me here to surprise me. Sadly, you came alone," Harper tried to appear concerned.


    Gavin did not plan any surprise for her, Harper had begged him over and over again to come and have the mega feast only because her friends had already bragged about it. And since he was a sucker for whatever Harper wanted, he went on with her plans. When Harper saw Sophia, she had planned to mock her and show her that Gavin was all over her, doing all the things they never did when they were together.


    Gavin arrived just before she gave her reply.


    "Sophia!" he said with elation in his voice, happy to see her, "I didn''t know you''d be here."


    "Gavin, sister is alone, I feel sorry for her, maybe we could have her at our table," Harper feigned innocence.


    "Who told you she was alone?" Aiden interjected and stood beside Sophia, placing his hand on her lower back to show his support. Nobody was going to get away insulting Sophia while he was alive.


    Gavin and Harper both had their mouths wide open when they saw who tried to defend Sophia. All those years after their break-up, Gavin thought Sophia was still carrying a torch for him, which was why she never got romantically involved with anyone else.


    "Mr. Aiden Cooper?" Gavin asked when he finally recognized him.


    "Yes, that''s me," Aiden replied, not bothering to ask who these worthless people were. They seemed to upset Sophia, and he was going to pay them back.


    Harper looked at Gavin, questioning who Aiden was. "He is one of the Aristocratic heirs," he explained. Harper''s mouth formed a silent O when she heard who Sophia was dating.

 Chapter 132 - 131

    Gavin and Harper could not believe that the Aristocratic heir, Aiden Cooper, was having dinner with Sophia, who was once a country bumpkin.


    They both were jealous of Sophia, but for different reasons. Gavin was jealous that Sophia was with another man, and he lost her to Aiden Cooper. Aiden, who was being praised and worshipped by the whole country. Whose wealth and business acumen was no match for him, and had no shortage of beautiful, talented, intelligent women throwing themselves at his feet.


    Sure, Sophia was pretty and very smart, she was able to start her own company after all, but he did not think she was outstanding enough to catch an Aristocratic heir. This is the reason why he dumped her, he thought he could do better than her.


    Harper, on the other hand, could not digest seeing Sophia in the arms of a man better than Gavin. She remembered when her family adopted Sophia after her parents passed away, she dressed like an old-fashioned old maid. But Sophia managed to snag Gavin, and Harper was miffed. She did everything to break them apart and have him choose her. Harper finally thought she won when she got Gavin, but now it seems she lost to Sophia once again. How is it possible that an orphan had outshined her?


    "Sister, let''s have a meal together," Harper said with an evil glint in her eye. She wanted to test how Sophia''s relationship was like with one of the most powerful men in the country. ''He''s probably just using my cousin,'' she thought.


    "Yes, let''s sit together, catch up. We haven''t seen each other in a long time," Gavin joined with the invitation.


    "Sure, no problem," Aiden agreed and asked the waiter to change their table. Sophia looked at him with annoyance, but he squeezed her hands, assuring her that he was in charge. ''I''ll handle this, don''t worry," he whispered in her ear, but that''s all she did, worry about dinner.


    As they got seated, the manager came over and introduced himself, offering Aiden their best wine and telling him their specials. They needed to cater to him because one bad review could send their establishment to the ground.


    "What do you want to eat?" Aiden asked Sophia. She gave him her order, and he called the waiter over, ordering for both of them.


    When the waiter turned to Harper, Aiden said they were having the same dishes and dismissed him before she or Gavin could utter another word.


    "Uhhh..," Harper tried to mumble, but when she saw Aiden glaring at her, she decided to keep quiet.


    Gavin and Harper were not used to having spicy food, so when their meal was served, they had a problem enjoying it.


    "Keep on eating," Aiden pushed when he saw Sophia ate the vegetables but not the main course.


    "No, I''m good," Sophia replied.


    "You didn''t even touch your food. How are you full? Have a taste, it''s very delicious, it''s their specialty," he insisted.


    "I don''t like shelling the crabs," she complained, "I thought they were going to be served without it.''


    Aiden chuckled, "You should have told me, give me your plate. I''ll do it for you."


    Harper was jealous, and she was not going to be beaten, "Gavin, I want crabs too," she pleaded.


    "Then eat the ones on your plate," Gavin said as he looked over at Sophia.


    Harper cursed him in her head when he did not get the hint, "Peel it for me, please," she said, pushing her plate in front of him.


    "You know I hate peeling shellfish. Don''t give that to me. I can''t even eat my food," he grumbled.


    "Please, just this once?" she pouted, trying to act cute. And just like that, Gavin peeled her crabs for her.


    On the other side of the table, "Here, give me back my plate. I''ve taken all the meat out so you can eat," Aiden said in his soft, sweet voice.


    "Oh my gosh, this is so good. I would have missed out on this delicious crab if you didn''t do this for me," Sophia said as she started eating.


    "Here''s your food," Gavin pushed the plate towards Harper with a frown on his face. Harper had been gritting her teeth for a while. ''What is happening today? Why does Aiden care for Sophia so much? Why does my fiance keep looking at her? Why is no one paying attention to me? Am I not prettier than her?'' she thought to herself.


    She was mad that compared to Aiden, Gavin now looked very average, the novelty of having him as a fiance was wearing off fast because of her jealousy. It kept on increasing the more she analyzed her situation. Sophia seemed to look better these days, especially since she could now afford all the high-end clothing and accessories that she never had access to before.


    The manager had invited a quartet and a pianist to grace their celebration. So he figured another way to suck up to Aiden was to ask if he had any recommendations for the music.


    But when he came over to their table, Gavin volunteered Sophia''s favorite song even before Aiden or Sophia could answer. This irked Aiden, but he decided not to say anything.


    Harper broke the awkward silence at their table, "Gavin, why don''t you request the song they played when you proposed to me. I think that would be better." Gavin''s face turned red, he was embarrassed that he totally forgot about Harper, his supposed to be fiance just because he kept looking at Sophia.


    "I''m sorry sir, but Mr. Cooper holds a membership to this establishment, and we wanted to give him the first choice," the manager corrected Gavin. It made him doubly jealous that the manager had pointed out the difference between his and Aiden''s status, it was like he got slapped and lost face all in that one sentence.


    They played the song that Aiden requested, Sun is shining by Axwell and Ingrosso, he made sure that they would be able to play it by requesting it in advance.


    "Oh, I know that song. You played that same song at home," Sophia said excitedly, "I like that song."


    "Of course, that song reminds me of you, my sunshine," Aiden smiled at her sweetly, running his knuckle down her cheek.


    Harper and Gavin had scowls on their face as they witnessed the couple being sweet with each other. Harper wanted them to dine together to show Sophia how well her relationship with Gavin was, but everything backfired on her. It was like they were invited to witness the Aiden and Sophia lovefest.

 Chapter 133 - 132

    After dinner, Sophia excused herself to wash her hands when she felt male hands grab her shoulder. "Aiden, I was...," she turned around, only to find out it was Gavin behind her.


    She pushed his hand away as if she got burned.


    "Sophia, what is happening here?" He kept on wanting to talk to her, but the chance never presented itself, they were always surrounded by people. So when she went to the restroom, he sneaked out to follow her.


    "What are you talking about?" she was confused, knowing she did nothing to upset anybody.


    "Are you with Aiden Cooper? Are you just friends or more than that?" he pried.


    "That is none of your business," she answered.


    "Do you know what kind of person he is? He''s an aristocratic heir,  it is not easy for regular people to enter that circle," he tried to discourage her from being with Aiden. Implying that she would never measure to be his partner.


    "I know what type of person Aiden is, and I don''t feel the need to clarify our relationship to you," she said coldly. She tried to walk away from Gavin, but he blocked her path.


    "Did he force you to be with him? I heard your company collaborated with each other, tell me the truth, did you just get together for the benefits? Is that why you are ashamed to speak about him?" Gavin has it in his head that the only reason they could be together was for business reasons, Aiden could never be in a real relationship with Sophia.


    "Watch your mouth, Gavin. Why can''t you believe that this guy likes me? You think I''m not good enough to attract a man without compromising my morals?" Sophia was very angry, and she wanted to slap Gavin and show him how much she is hurting right now. They''ve been in a relationship for so many years, and she never had a clue that Gavin thought so lowly of her. He should have known the real her, but it seems he was not the same guy she thought she dated.


    "Get out of my face," Sophia shoved him aside before he got hurt, but he would not budge.


    "Look, I''m sorry, just listen to me," he stood his ground and prevented her from going anywhere.


    "I don''t want to talk to you," she gave Gavin one big shove, putting all her strength into it.


    "No!" he said as he stumbled backward. He tried to hold her arm, but she weaved away from him.


    "Sophia?" Aiden questioned while he stood in front of the bathroom entrance. He had gotten suspicious when Sophia had not returned from the restroom, and Gavin disappeared a short time after. In his gut, he felt something was not right, so he made his way to find her.


    Gavin stepped back when he saw Aiden protectively place an arm around Sophia. "Gavin, your girlfriend is downstairs. You should go see her," he commanded in a steely voice.


    "Yeah, I was just saying goodbye," Gavin lowered his head and walked away.


    "Are you okay? Aiden rubbed the small of her back.


    "I want to go home," Sophia murmured.


    Aiden held her hand, and Sophia unknowingly tightened her grip. She felt thankful and safe when Aiden appeared in front of her. It gave her the security of having a protector.


    After all this time, she had not realized that she was slowly beginning to depend on him, even looking forward to spending time together after work. His presence had calmed her down when all she wanted to do was lash out at Gavin for his preposterous accusations.


    Harper had been anxious when Aiden had paid for the bill, and neither Sophia nor Gavin had shown up, she tried not to speculate, but when Sophia and Aiden walked out the same direction Gavin came from, she couldn''t help but worry.


    Gavin looked annoyed as he sat in the back of the car with Harper.


    "Gavin, what did you think about tonight''s dinner? I really enjoyed it a lot. We should really have more¡­," Harper was still talking, but Gavin rudely interrupted her.


    "Stop it! I''m tired. Let me rest," he scolded as his eyes closed, not in the mood to hear Harper''s chatter. It stunned her to see him angry, he had never snapped at her before, until they saw Sophia.


    What Harper didn''t realize was that she kept on blaming Sophia for her misfortunes, but every time they were at the same place, she never failed to seek Sophia out and provoke her. And she never learned, that gone was the girl she used to push around a lot, Sophia has grown up into a more sophisticated, elegant woman.


    -=-


    The other couple''s car ride home had also been silent. Aiden kept stealing glances at Sophia, wanting to make sure that she was alright. He had questions about what he overheard but knew that Sophia would just snap at him if he did, so he kept silent.


    And when they reached their apartments, he patted her head and replied, "Sleep well, Sophia."


    She just nodded, as if on autopilot, and left Aiden standing outside her closed door. He had his fists clenched tightly, a murderous gaze in his eyes. Nobody knew what he was thinking, but with his facial expression, one can see that he was not the same Aiden with a calm demeanor and pleasing personality.


    It took a few minutes before he was able to relax and go home.


    Sophia had been messed up by her exchange with Gavin, no matter how much she avoided Harper and her family, they seem to always pop up when she least expects it. She knew that there was no way to avoid them, seeing as they all lived in the same city.


    When she tried to cut ties with them, they came at her with full force. Visiting her at work and showing people that Sophia was the bad apple who would not talk to them or even acknowledge them.


    She tried to sleep and forget what happened, but she just kept tossing and turning. "Aaaagh!" she got up from sheer frustration. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep now.


    She opened the balcony door and sat in her personal oasis, and looked at the stars. This was the place she escaped to every time she needed solace.

 Chapter 134 - 133

    Today the past had come to haunt Sophia.


    Sophia''s mother, Nova Sterling, came from an affluent family. She had lost her mother at an early age. But thankfully, her father and older brother had pampered and shielded her from the realities of the real world. So she had longed for nothing.


    She was a beauty like no other, but none of her suitors caught her attention.


    Austin Collins was an orphan who went to the same university as Nova, but unlike her who''s schooling was fully funded by her father. Austin survived on scholarships and grants combined with hard work.


    Nova and Austin had a lot of classes together, so they often saw each other, and were sometimes paired up for group projects. Eventually, Nova fell in love with Austin. She had given him a lot of hints to show how she felt, but he was either ignoring her, or he was just slow when it came to relationships.


    So with bravery in her step, she confessed her true feelings for Austin, only to be shot down. He explained that they were not suitable since they came from different social backgrounds. It was needless to say that Nova was heartbroken. She avoided him for a while to save face and sort out what she was feeling, but the heart wants what the heart wants, so she wept and pined for him while they were apart.


    It couldn''t be said that Nova was not a determined young woman, because of her upbringing, when she wanted something, she made sure she got it. So she confessed to Austin one more time, crying and showing him her pain. And he broke, not able to resist a beautiful woman crying in front of him.


    He confessed that it had been hard for him to drive her away because the second he laid eyes on her, he knew she was the one for him, but he hid his feelings from her because he knew he was not worthy, she was a princess, and he was a pauper, he would not be able to give her the life that she deserved. Nova hugged him, saying she did not care about anything else as long as they were together.


    They were happy for a little while until Nova''s father discovered their relationship. He had strongly opposed Nova being with Austin, saying he was not good enough for someone like her, who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.


    Nova fought with her father fiercely, trying to convince him that Austin was a genuine person, he was smart and resourceful given the chance to flourish. Even after a lot of pleading, her father did not relent. He made her choose between Austin and her family, and she did not hesitate to choose Austin, as she had fallen so madly and deeply in love with him, there was no question in her mind that they should be together.


    In his anger and disbelief that the only daughter he had pampered and cared for chose a man she barely knew, he cut off all ties with Nova. Disowning her and cutting off all communications.


    Austin and Nova got married after they graduated. They went back to Austin''s village, where they started their lives and survived with their meager possessions.


    Austin felt guilty that he had nothing to offer her, so in exchange for the riches, she was used to, he made sure he was not lacking when it came to love and care. He showed her every day how much he felt. Never raising his voice at her even though for the first few months she burned everything she tried to cook. Life in the village was completely different from how she was raised, and Nova took a while to get adjusted, but with Austin''s support and constant encouragement, she got used to it.


    Nova tried to contact her father several times, sending him letters to let him know how she was faring, but he never responded.


    After two years, Sophia was born, it was the happiest moment of the couple''s lives, and they cherished each other so well that now their family was complete. Nova never learned how to cook, so Austin would always rush home so he could prepare all their meals. It was his way of spoiling her.


    Sophia''s father was so sweet and loving that he called Nova his Queen and Sophia his Princess. She loved hearing that nickname coming from her father''s lips. It always made her giggle.


    For at least 12 years, they had been blessed with their blissful family life. Nova had been content with country living, but in her heart, she still missed her father. So she kept sending him handwritten letters, to try to re-establish their broken relationship, but he never took the time to respond.


    Unexpectedly a catastrophe happened that would change the course of their lives forever.


    On a supposed regular day, Austin and Nova got caught in a rainstorm on their way home from the market. The sudden downpour made roads slippery and the paths almost invisible. The truck driver veered into oncoming traffic to avoid the accident in front of him, not noticing Austin and Aurora were on a scooter until it was too late. The impact from the truck and being thrown at least ten feet away from where they were, had instantly killed the husband and wife and their unborn three-month-old son.


    Sophia had been left at home, which was why she was able to avoid the accident. But whenever Sophia remembers that day, she wishes that they had all been together that day, then she wouldn''t have been so miserable in her life.


    -=-


    Austin had no known relatives, so the state had no choice but to send Sophia to Nova''s family. Nova''s father was devastated when he heard what happened, he had lost his daughter, and because of his pride, he will never get to talk to her again.


    Sophia was devastated, she wailed in agony though there was no one to hear her pleas to bring her family back. When she learned she had a grandfather she thought her fate had gotten better. She wouldn''t need to be sent to the orphanage, and staying with her family should make the situation a little bit better.

 Chapter 135 - 134

    Her grandfather took her in, but he could not accept that she was the offspring of the man who took his daughter from him. He blamed Austin for the accident, if Nova had married the man of his choice, then she would never have died while she was still in her prime. She would still be here in front of him, alive and happy.


    He wanted to take out his frustration on Sophia, but he couldn''t since Sophia resembled her mother like they were hewn from the same mold. He gave her everything, the latest clothing, accessories, shoes, anything a little girl would want. But the only thing Sophia needed from him, his love, he withheld from her.


    To keep her mother''s memory alive, Sophia wore most of her mother''s clothes, they were all old, and ill-fitting outfits, which made the other kids laugh at her. But she did not care, she was in mourning and this was the only way to keep her mother alive.


    Her uncle, the only sibling her mother had, was initially kind to her. He would make Harper, his daughter, help Sophia with things she did not understand about city living. But eventually, that had been short-lived when he learned that the properties and businesses would be split between the two grand-children, Harper and Sophia.


    From then on, Harper took on a new personality, she was unkind to Sophia, making fun of her like the other kids. During these days, she wished things went back to the way they were, her parents were still alive, and her dad still called her his princess.


    Somewhere along the road, she met Gavin. His father and her grandfather, Mr. Sterling, were business associates. Gavin was that bright light amid the storm, he was kind to her, it gave her hope. When she turned 20, Gavin''s family instructed him to propose to her to strengthen their business.


    It had been natural for Sophia to be chosen for the family merger since she was older than Harper. Gavin and Sophia grew up together, and since they had a good relationship as friends, they both agreed to the decision of the elders. Sophia wanted to marry for love, like her parents, who adored each other. And since Gavin had been nice to her, she thought it had been love that she felt for him.


    Sophia wanted the same support and encouragement she saw from her parents, so in order to get praise from Gavin, she changed herself to fit his ideal woman. She learned how to cook, starting with his favorites, so she could always cook them when they get married.


    Her parents gave each other handmade gifts all the time, so she thought Gavin would appreciate it if she learned how to knit. She planned to make him sweaters, mittens, and scarves for when it got too cold. It had been time-consuming to learn how to make the perfect sweater, so she beamed with pride when she finally made something.


    The thought of Gavin praising her for her effort made her smile. But when he finally received her gift, his response was not the one she had expected. He took one look at her present and shoved it under the couch so nobody would see it. She had been naive to think that he had real feelings for her. As Gavin''s visits became infrequent and his responses more terse Sophia should have taken the hint, but she believed in the goodness of people, making excuses for Gavin because she could not accept that he was changing as well.


    She told herself he was just busy and she should not disturb him so much. But when she hadn''t seen him for a month, she decided she would cook him his favorite dishes and visit him at work. She wore something simple, a typical white dress shirt partnered with a loose-fitting, long black skirt. Her hair was braided just as her mother had taught her, and though she looked presentable, she looked like someone who did not really put any effort into how she was dressed.


    Gavin had been embarrassed to see her, so he scolded her, ''If you want to see me or give me anything, you should just wait at home. I don''t need you coming to my place of work embarrassing me like this. Look at your dress. You look like one of the maids,'' he said loudly enough for everyone around him to hear. So when she got out of his office, the staff who overheard started mocking her and laughing at her.


    Her heart broke that day, but she still hoped that it had just been a mistake, that Gavin would come and apologize to her the same day. But he didn''t. He came 2 days later and acted as if nothing happened.


    But it seemed fate always had a way of messing with her. When Sophia''s grandfather passed away, she learned that everyone around her was just using her, they were vultures, just waiting to devour her. All the properties, businesses, and stocks had been transferred in her Uncle''s name. So Gavin''s parents diverted their attention over to Harper, now that she was the heir to her father''s business, they thought it better for him to marry her instead of Sophia.


    For the second time in her life, Sophia was devastated. Gavin had broken off their engagement, stating that she had nothing to offer now that her grandfather was gone. She had begged him not to leave her, ''You are the only person I have in my life. I will do anything you want. Just tell me what to do.''


    ''I always saw you as a friend, I caved to my parent''s request, but all this time, it was Harper that I loved. I just couldn''t tell you. But now that your grandfather is not here to oppose our relationship, I want to be with Harper,'' Gavin replied.


    Once again, she did not know that she was competing with cheerful, sweet Harper, and as always, Harper won. Now she understood why he had been cold towards her the past few months, she guessed that around the same time, he probably started seeing Harper.


    Sophia''s aunt and uncle had kicked her out of the house in fear of her asking for a portion of her inheritance. It was ironic that in one day, she lost everything, and the people who had betrayed her were the ones she trusted the most.


    Six months later, Gavin announced his engagement with Harper, justifying her speculation that they had been cheating behind her back.


    This situation transformed Sophia from a sweet, innocent young woman to a cold, calculated adult who never cared for anyone except for her own well-being.


    After the funeral, the heavens finally opened up and showered Sophia with good tidings. Her grandfather''s death had been in the newspapers, and that was how the executor of her parent''s will found her. They had squirreled enough money for her to live on her own, but because he also sued the truck driver and won, she got extra money from the insurance.


    The executor had been trying to find her since she got transferred to her mother''s ancestral home, but nobody gave him a forwarding address, so while she was growing up, the money her parents set aside for her grew as well.


    It had been hard to start from scratch, nobody knew who she was, and they did not care if she had a good product. But eventually, all her hard work paid off. All those sleepless nights, scrimping every little money she had, not eating when she was not hungry, and buying only the necessary clothes and toiletries had been essential to her company''s success.


    When somebody recognized her products for what it was worth, her sales and production shot through the roof, and she never looked back. She had now grown into the smart woman she was. Not letting emotions or circumstances dictate her future.


    The Sterling family had their luck change as well when they kicked out Sophia. The family business had been prosperous when her grandfather had been alive, but once they changed hands, her uncle sank most of the business in debt. He had been riding on his father''s coattails, pretending he knew how to run the business. ]When in reality, all he was good at was spending money and bragging about their wealth.


    And once Sophia became rich, the Sterling family wanted to ride on her achievements. But she remembered how they kicked her out when she needed their help, so she avoided them at any cost.


    On days like this one, Sophia wished she had been with her family when they passed away. Though she showed this steel hard facade, she couldn''t help admitting that she was lonely. She cursed the skies for taking her family and leaving her to be alone in this cruel world.


    Tears fell on her cheeks as she remembered all the pain she had endured over the years, but she promised herself not to dwell on the past anymore. With sheer determination, she wiped her tears and vowed never to let her sordid past spoil today''s triumphs.

 Chapter 136 - 135

    Mrs. Cooper''s patience had run out, she had been waiting for a month now, but there wasn''t any news coming from Aiden. She was growing impatient, there was no way she was going to fall behind the other Aristocratic families. As soon as she learned about Sophia a month ago, she had been excited, waiting for the news that she would meet her soon, but it seemed Aiden was dragging his heels.


    It was now time for her to interfere and investigate, she planned to meet Sophia in secret. And with the help of her husband, they were able to get details about her and her schedule.


    Mr. Cooper does not try to oppose his wife''s wishes as much as possible, because he believes in the saying, "Happy wife, happy life."


    Now that she had all the information she needed, Mrs. Cooper needed to pick a place to meet her. Of course, business parties and conventions were out of the question, there were just too many people there that could probably recognize her and blow up her plan. She felt sad for Sophia when she saw that she barely had time for herself, her schedule was full of work appointments, demonstrations, and meetings. But then she found her opportunity, once a month, Sophia has an appointment with one of the top clothing designers in the country, to alter her clothes and pick out the ones she likes from what her PA has chosen for her.


    -=-


    "This is not necessary," she argued with her PA, yet again, "You already know my size and what I want. Just pick it out and send it to my house. I don''t need to take time out of my schedule just so I can go clothes shopping."


    Sophia had entrusted her wardrobe to her PA. She cannot be bothered to waste her time on clothes shopping, something a woman with her amount of money would appreciate. But she looked at it as a chore. Sure she loved trying on the dresses when she was there, but when she thought of the amount of stuff she needed to do at work, it made her want to go back to the office and just skip her appointment.


    The only consolation today, was that at least she had the time after lunch when it was less crowded and made shopping easier.


    The store manager showed Sophia the catalog, she wanted to roll her eyes when she saw what her PA had chosen for her. It would have been the same style as she chose, give or take a few dresses she didn''t think would match the formal chic style she was going for.


    She tried a few different outfits to make sure her measurements were still the same. Taking in and letting out in places that were too loose or too tight, like the waist, hip, and bosom areas.


    Since she was there, Sophia decided to take the rest of her time to look around. The manager informed her that they would send the altered clothing to her apartment as soon as they were finished.


    Sophia was eyeing a blazer adorned with crystals on the neckline when someone took it the same time she did.


    The woman beside her, though a little older, looked very beautiful and classy. She estimated the woman was in her 50''s, and the blazer would probably suit her better.


    "I''m sorry, you can take it," Sophia gave in and handed the woman the blazer.


    Mrs. Cooper had been scrutinizing Sophia from afar, and she did not expect that up close she was more beautiful than she had anticipated. She observed that Sophia had very good manners and was kind and nice to the staff, which were very important traits to gauge a person''s personality.


    "Oh no, dear. You can take it. I was just admiring it," Mrs. Cooper replied.


    Sophia returned the blazer to the rack and walked away, going back to her perusal of the other merchandise.


    Mrs. Cooper did not think that interaction was enough to form an opinion, she wanted to learn more about this woman that captivated her son''s heart.


    So she followed Sophia around the store, "Don''t you think the Dior summer collection is very festive?" Sophia nodded and walked to another display.


    Mrs. Cooper followed Sophia everywhere, complimenting her choice every time she touched an article of clothing or an accessory.


    "Now this blue dress suits you, I think you should buy it," Mrs. Cooper suggested when she saw Sophia touching the fabric of the dress.


    "I''m just looking. I already selected the outfits I wanted," Sophia said, trying to refuse her suggestion softly.


    "But it''s the same as your eye color. Why not try it on. You can decide later if you really want it," Mrs. Cooper tried to goad her into trying the dress on.


    Sophia could not refuse the older woman, she was pushy and a little intrusive, but it seemed like she was friendly. There was no harm in playing dress-up. She was so excited that the dress had fit her like a glove, so she got out of the fitting room and showed the older lady how it looked on her.


    "You are right, this color suits me," Sophia said as she presented her new dress to her audience.


    "May I make a suggestion?" Mrs. Cooper asked as she approached Sophia in front of the mirror. "I think you should cross the straps to give it a design."


    "I''ll do it, it''s okay," she tried to refuse her help.


    "No, let me do it. It would be easier ''coz I can see it from this side," Mrs. Cooper insisted, fashionably tying the straps.


    "Thank you, it does look better," Sophia acknowledged.


    "Your boyfriend will love it. He better compliment you when he sees you in this dress," Mrs. Cooper beamed as she tried to pry about her status, "Wait, maybe you have a husband?"


    Aiden''s face flashed in Sophia''s mind when the older woman mentioned her boyfriend.

 Chapter 137 - 136

    "Oh no, no, no... I don''t have a boyfriend," Sophia answered, "I''m buying this for me."


    Mrs. Cooper just got the information she needed, it seemed like her son had not succeeded in courting Sophia. ''Hmph! How can it be that my handsome, charming son is having difficulty charming this woman? Maybe I should step in and hurry these two up. I definitely want a daughter-in-law soon," she thought.


    "Bring those shoes and the bag," Mrs. Cooper ordered the store assistant. Adding these extra trinkets to her outfit really transformed her look.


    "Wow, thanks for helping me out, I really know nothing about fashion. My PA chooses everything for me, and you have a very good eye. The only thing I know about is women''s beauty products.


    "You look, beautiful dear. I wish I had a daughter like you. Someone I can go shopping with, spend time at the spas, drink tea with me and my friends," she touches Sophia''s hair with longing. "All I have is a useless son who doesn''t have time to see me," Mrs. Cooper always thought daughters were cuter than sons, and of course she did not mean Aiden was really useless, but she couldn''t do any of the things she mentioned with him, and he was taking his time getting her a daughter-in-law.


    "I think your son wants to spend time with you, but sometimes work takes all his time, and he cannot help it. I bet he''s doing all of this for you," Sophia consoled her. Mrs. Cooper smiled inwardly, she liked that Sophia was supporting Aiden without even knowing her true identity.


    "Yes, yes¡­ you are probably right. But I still wish I had a daughter," she pouted.


    "Well if you ever feel bored, you can call me," Sophia volunteered out of compassion. She didn''t have a mom, so maybe this friendship could be beneficial for both of them.


    Mrs. Cooper had her mouth and eyes wide open when she heard her reply. She did not expect her to volunteer to meet up after today. The reply she was expecting was a pat on the shoulder and something heartfelt.


    Sophia blushed, "Well... Only if you want to," she said, a little embarrassed.


    "Oh, of course, I want your number.," Mrs. Cooper said happily. "I was just surprised that you would give an old lady like me your number. Most younger women just ignore us," she said in her little sad voice to drive her point across. But deep inside, she was doing her happy dance.


    Sophia will probably regret giving out her number because her future mother-in-law has a lot stored for her. But for now, she thinks she did the right thing.


    -=-


    It just started raining heavily when Aiden received a call from Sophia''s assistant on his way home.


    "Sir, is Ms. Collins with you?" the assistant asked in a frantic voice.


    Aiden had coordinated with Sophia''s assistant, giving his phone number because Sophia rarely answered his calls or his messages. His instructions were to inform him if anything happens to her boss. So he was able to monitor her whereabouts all the time.


    "She''s not with me, what happened?" He asked.


    "Well¡­ I don''t know if I should tell you this¡­," Aiden''s concern grew, "Just tell me already," he barked.


    "Ms. Collins has a hard time during the rainy season, especially when we have thunderstorms. I would usually stay with her, but it didn''t start raining until I got home. My place is too far from hers, and right now I can''t get there because the roads are blocked," the assistant explained anxiously.


    "I''ve been calling her the past few hours, but she hasn''t picked up. Please...please¡­ check on her Mr. Cooper," the assistant sounded like she was almost in tears. When the rains started she would always stay in Sophia''s spare bedroom. She learned about Sophia''s condition by accident, and she has been protective ever since.


    "I will check on her when I get home," he answered and ended the call.


    Aiden tried Sophia''s phone, thinking he could get through to her. Even though he mildly annoyed her, she would at least answer his calls and his messages. But today, there was nothing but radio silence. He told the driver to hurry, concerned about what the PA told him, he counted every second until he got to his building.


    When he got inside everything felt eerie. The power had just turned off because of the thunderstorm. The residents were waiting for the generators to kick in, but he could not wait for the elevators, so he took the stairs two steps at a time until he reached their floor.


    When he got to Sophia''s door, the generator''s power just kicked in, which meant there was not enough to power the whole building. Just enough juice to power the doors, the elevators, and some lights.


    "Sophia! Sophia!" he yelled, looking in the living room and the balcony, "Where are you?"


    He entered her bedroom but did not find her there, he tried the other rooms, but she was nowhere to be found. There was a voice inside his head that told him to go back to her bedroom, so he did. After one big clap of thunder that shook the window frames, he heard something from the bathroom.


    "Sophia?" he kneeled beside her, touching her shoulder. And she looked at him like she was seeing someone else.


    Aiden brushed her hair away from her face, "Sophia?" She stared at him without seeing him.


    "What happened? Are you okay?" She looked down and around her like she did not know what was happening.


    "It''s Aiden," he said softly, as she stared at his face trying to figure out who he was.


    He was not getting through, and it was killing him. How is he going to help her if she didn''t know who he was?


    Aiden took Sophia in his arms and laid her on the bed, covering her with a thick blanket. Her hands were freezing, and he tried to warm her up by rubbing them between his palms. ''I''ll make her soup to warm her up," he thought as he got up. But Sophia surprised him, "Don''t go," she feebly murmured as she grabbed his hand.

 Chapter 138 - 137

    "I was about to make you some soup to warm you up. I''ll be in the other room," he replied.


    "No, don''t go," she grabbed onto his arm tighter.


    He sat down and touched her face, "Okay, I won''t. I''m here," his expression softened.


    "They.. they left me¡­," she said with a cracking voice.


    "Who left you sunshine?" Aiden asked.


    "My parents¡­," she trailed off as she looked at the ceiling, her face forlorn, "It was a night just like this¡­ They promised me they''d return soon¡­ that they''d bring me my favorite candy.


    I waited... and waited... and waited. But they never came back," tears rolled down her cheeks.


    "Someone told me they died, a truck hit their scooter, and they were never coming back again." Aiden''s heart ached for her. The thunderstorms brought back the painful memories of her parents'' death. She had been a child when they died, so the impact on her had been devastating.


    He cradled Sophia in his arms, brushing her hair away from her tear-streaked face as she cried her heart out. When she was ready, she started speaking again.


    "Harper knew I was scared of thunderstorms, then one day she found my birthday gift from Gavin, and when I wouldn''t give it to her, she locked me in this big closet. It rained the whole night, so nobody heard me shouting for help. I was so scared.


    They found me the next day when I didn''t show up for breakfast. I had fainted inside the closet, and they had to admit me to the hospital. It was the first time grandpa stayed by my side and showed concern. I thought he was going to change after that, but he didn''t. They hated me," she cried.


    Aiden hugged her tighter. How could her family treat her that way? Instead of helping her, Harper aggravated her condition, and now thunderstorms trigger all that bad experience, making her mind shut down.


    "Shhh¡­ it''s okay, sunshine. I will replace all your bad memories with better ones. I promise I will never leave your side," hugging her tightly to his chest.


    Sophia just sat in his lap, stoic, "Liar! Gavin promised to always be with me, but he left me, just like you will sooner or later."


    "Never! Your place will always be next to me," Aiden said in a determined tone.


    "Liar! You''re just another liar!" she said defeatedly. Sophia fell asleep with sorrow in her heart. But Aiden had a renewed determination in his. He laid her down on the bed, caressing her face, "When will you believe that I am different from everybody else. That I do what I say, and I promise to stay in your life forever," he pledged.


    It was the first time Aiden saw her vulnerable side, and he was right, that beyond her strong, stubborn appearance, she was hiding something. He didn''t know that it was the pain of separation and betrayal from her loved ones. Armed with this knowledge, he vowed to make her life better than it was.


    -=-


    Rays of sunlight hitting her face had woken Sophia, as she slowly opened her eyes, she remembered what happened the night before. She had another panic attack, and Aiden had taken care of her until the thunderstorm had passed and the rains calmed down. The conversation they had last night had been of her past, something she never discussed with anyone, not even Gavin when they were together. She thought that burdening him with her problems would be a nuisance, but with Aiden, it seemed like she felt like speaking freely, lightening her load in the process.


    She got up, wore her home slippers, and walked to the living room.


    Aiden saw her from the kitchen and smiled, "You''re finally up. How are you feeling?"


    "Hm," Sophia nodded in her sleepy state. She did not feel like talking at the moment.


    Aiden chuckled and walked towards her, holding her face between his hands, tracing her cheek with his thumbs. "You look better, no more tears, that''s good. I prepared all your favorite food, come and join me."


    "I...I''m going to wash up," she replied as she headed to her bathroom.


    "Come back soon, food tastes better when it''s hot", he reminded her.


    Aiden was relieved to see that Sophia seemed better, she looked a little bit pale but way better than last night. He learned about her last night, and he felt honored that she felt the need to share all that information with him. It felt like they were making progress.


    Sophia went to bed last night with an empty stomach, so she appreciated that Aiden had prepared enough food to sate her hunger.


    During Sophia''s trip to the bathroom, he received a message on his phone that changed his whole outlook for the day. "Sophia, I''m going on a business trip," Aiden revealed while he watched her reaction.


    "Okay," she said without lifting her head as if something on her plate was more interesting.


    "I may be gone for three to four weeks, maybe more," he added. Her hand stilled as she looked up at him. Having Aiden far from her for that long did not sit well with Sophia.


    "Why are¡­," she asked angrily, but she caught her reaction and changed it mid-way, "Do as you wish."


    "Sunshine, are you angry at me? What are you thinking?" He looked at her inquisitively. "I''ve put off taking this trip for a while now, but it seems I don''t have any choice anymore. I''m going to a place where they control the use of technology and communication. I''m not sure how frequently I can contact you, I might not even have that chance. I will make sure you are protected when I''m gone, so don''t worry about that," Aiden said with concern in his voice, not wanting to leave Sophia alone.


    "When are you leaving?" she asked.


    "This afternoon," he replied, as he held her gaze. She wanted to say so many things to him but found that the lump in her throat made it difficult for her to speak.


    "Have a safe journey," she replied, her knuckles white from clutching the fork too tight. He could see the sadness in her eyes, if only she could voice out her feelings, so he knew how she felt about him.


    "I''m leaving today, so the earlier I get things done, the sooner I can come back," he tried to appease her.


    Aiden stayed with her until the last minute, leaving all the packing and preparation to his assistant so he could spend their last few hours together.


    "I will come back as soon as possible. Take care of yourself. Don''t skip meals and tire yourself out," he instructed as he held her close, encircling her waist with his hands. He wanted to kiss her so badly right now. Give him something to look forward to later, but he did not want to take what she was not offering. So he hugged her tight, hoping she would not push him away, and she didn''t.


    She could not understand how she seemed to like being hugged by Aiden. She deduced that with the events last night and him leaving for so long, she couldn''t withhold the only thing she can give him for now.


    Aiden nuzzled her neck when she didn''t push him back, "I will miss you so much," he said against her, making her tremble. He kissed her forehead and walked out the door.


    Sophia felt like Aiden took the life out of her house when he left. She could not understand how the lack of his presence affected her, it made her feel sad. Almost as bad as when her parents left her. They''ve known each other for a few months, yet for her, it felt like they''ve known each other for a lifetime.


    "Don''t go!" These were the words that she so desperately wanted to say when she saw him at the door. She had grown attached to Aiden without her knowledge.

 Chapter 139 - 138

    Sophia used work to distract herself, but Aiden instructed her assistant to watch out for Sophia, so the latter pestered her to eat and sleep on time. Bombarding her incessantly with messages and phone calls, she was getting annoyed.


    After a few days, the woman she met at the shopping mall called her, asking her to hang out. Sophia readily agreed to get her assistant off her back.


    Mrs. Cooper smiled and waved as she saw Sophia. They agreed to meet at a seven-star restaurant so they could sample the dishes there.


    ''I''m so glad you''re here, I didn''t think you''d come when I invited you. I was expecting you to make an excuse," said Mrs. Cooper.


    "I''m sorry, I was late because there was so much traffic," Sophia replied.


    "I''m glad you made it safe, dear. Let''s go, they''re waiting for us," Mrs. Cooper held Sophia''s hand, guiding her to the elevator.


    "Did you just say they?" Sophia was confused, remembering that there was no mention of meeting a group of people. She thought they were going to be alone, "How many people are we meeting, and who are they?" she asked as the elevator opened and her host guided her to their destination.


    Mrs. Cooper patted Sophia''s hand, "It''s just some of my friends. Don''t feel nervous. They always bring their daughters. I get jealous because I don''t have one." She was playing the sympathy card. "But if you don''t want to meet with them, it''s okay. I''ll just tell them I have to leave. I can''t sit there while they have all their daughters with them."


    "No, it''s okay," Sophia agreed, albeit reluctantly. She was a little hesitant to meet new people because she feels like she will have nothing in common with them unless they talk about business matters.


    All the women in attendance were wearing designer clothing and decked out in their finest jewelry. One could definitely see that they all came from affluent families. A few women looked like they were her age, so she knew that they were the daughters Mrs. Cooper talked about.


    "Oh, you brought someone new. Who is she?" someone asked.


    Mrs. Cooper answered, "Her name is Sophia, she''s my new friend. I brought her to meet all of you."


    Sophia smiled and gave a small wave of hello to everyone and the women seemed welcoming, so that allayed her fears of being looked down upon.


    "There are empty seats over here," waved one of them.


    "She''s very beautiful," another replied.


    "Of course, and she is talented as well. She is the CEO of the Collins beauty company," she bragged.


    The women around them gasped and started chiming in their replies.


    "Oh my, I tried the new serum that came out last month, and the results are phenomenal."


    "Oh, I''m using the makeup right now, and there''s no build-up. I can use this the whole day without touching up."


    "I use the cleansers and night treatment, and I''ve seen the difference."


    "Ladies, ladies, stop bombarding her with these things. We have time to talk about that. Let''s eat first, then talk," Mrs. Cooper said, trying to steer all the women''s attention from Sophia, just in case she feels conscious.


    "Hey, isn''t your son still single? Are you planning on making Sophia your daughter-in-law?" Someone asked pointedly.


    All the women have tried setting up their daughters with Aiden, but he has never paid them any attention. But since Mrs. Cooper did not reveal her identity to Sophia, the younger woman did not have a clue that she was sitting with her mother-in-law and her friends.


    "I don''t¡­," Sophia wanted to clarify her status to her new friends, but Mrs. Cooper interrupted her, trying to divert their attention, so they wouldn''t mention Aiden. She could not blow her cover this early. "Sophia, be a dear and pass me that pastry, and the cake beside it."


    While everyone was having their fill of tea, cakes, and pastries, the women started asking Sophia about her company again. About how she started her whole operation, and the products she could recommend for their specific needs.


    They veered onto other topics later on, and Sophia was glad she came. The apprehension she had of spending time with new people had completely disappeared. By the time it was time to go home, she had acquired a new set of friends. Making her smile the whole time.


    "Sophia, I really enjoyed tea time today. Did you have a good time?" Mrs. Cooper asked. "Wasn''t it nice to have them for company?"


    "Yes, I had a very good time, thank you for inviting me," and she genuinely meant it because all the women had been nice to her. She never had girlfriends to spend time with the outside of work, so this was a nice change to how she spent her time off.


    "You think you''d want to go out again?" Mrs. Cooper asked, and she eagerly agreed.


    -=-


    Three weeks had passed,  and still, there was no news from Aiden. Sophia didn''t it would happen, but she missed Aiden, she had gotten used to his daily messages and phone calls and was now looking forward to getting them every day. So for the past few days, she noticed that her gaze would automatically go to her phone, hoping there was a text from Aiden, even a good morning text was enough.


    Everything reminded her of Aiden. Even her own apartment that used to offer her solace when she needed it, had been too silent. Not hearing his constant chatter made her miss him more. There were several times when she thought about knocking on his door just to see if he was home. Not knowing the full details of his trip made her apprehensive. ''When is he going to come back?'' she asked herself several times.


    To fill her house with noise, she decided to watch the news like Aiden would, when he visited. That''s where he saw the news about him having dinner with Princess Gloria of Country X. There were a lot of speculations about their relationship. The headlines just got worse and worse.


    "Aiden Cooper romancing Princess Gloria in their own candlelit dinner."


    "Did the Aristocratic heir finally find his bride in Princess Gloria?"


    "Is Country X ready to welcome Aiden as their son-in-law?"


    They showed several blurry and far away pictures of Princess Gloria and the man who was supposed to be Aiden. But Sophia knew his stance anywhere, so there was no denying it was him.


    In the pictures, they looked very cozy together, their heads close to each other. Some of them even looked very intimate.


    Sophia''s blood ran cold. She believed him when he said he loved her. How could he be with another woman he promised to be with her forever? She was such a fool to believe in him.


    She had been swayed by his caring and persistent nature, he melted her frozen heart, and she would have agreed to be with him, had he not gone on this trip.


    Good thing she didn''t tell him anything. She didn''t make a fool of herself in front of him, declaring her feelings. Now he will never, ever know. They were back to being business partners.


    "I was hoping you were the one, Aiden. Why did you have to do this to me? You''re nothing but another cheating bastard. The fates keep playing this cruel joke on me. What did I do wrong?" she asked as tears rolled down her cheeks. She was tired of being played. Her only wish was to find her happy ending. How hard was that?

 Chapter 140 - 139

    It''s been more than a month since Aiden went to Country X, and after seeing the news, Sophia believed that Aiden was just like any other man. He will never be content with what he has.


    She was so heartbroken that she had not been sleeping that well. It was the weekend, so she took the excuse to wake up later. She trudged her way to the kitchen to get a drink when she got halted by what she saw sitting in her living room. "I think I''m imagining things," she said while she rubbed her eyes.


    Aiden was sitting on her sofa, flipping a magazine, just like any other day. "Hi, Sunshine!" He smiled at her like everything was normal.


    For a second, she wanted to hug him and welcome him home, but then she remembered the pictures in that news report, and her mood changed, "What are you doing here?" Her reply was curt.


    "I returned this morning, but you were still asleep, so I decided to wait here," Aiden had come to her apartment as soon as his plane landed that morning. She cursed herself for forgetting to change the passcode for the door. During his absence, Sophia made up her mind to cut all ties with Aiden so she could start forgetting about him. There was no use hanging onto her feelings when he wanted someone else.


    "I''m busy today. I have a ton of things to do. You should just go home," she stated.


    "Oh, you can just do your work, and I''ll be here. I promise not to disturb you," he said, oblivious to the fact there was an undercurrent of anger coming from Sophia.


    "How many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone?" she curtly said before she turned around to walk to the kitchen.


    Aiden frowned and caught her hand before she walked too far away from him, "Sophia, what happened? Are you alright?"


    "Nothing," she tugged her hand to get away from him, but he wouldn''t let her go.


    "Is it work? Did your family come to bother you? Tell me, I''m worried about you," he said with the utmost concern.


    "I don''t have a problem with anyone else but you!" she snapped


    "Me? What did I do?" Aiden was miffed.


    "Stop pretending. I am not falling for your sweet-talking again," She replied brusquely.


    "What? I have no idea what you''re talking about." he held her shoulders. Sophia tried to free herself from his grasp by pushing at him.


    Aiden''s patience was running thin, so he lifted her fireman style and laid her on the sofa. "How dare you! Let me go!" she screamed as he pinned her arms down and laid on top of her.


    She twisted her face away from him, repelled by the fact that he was touching her after being with that other woman.


    He held her face and turned it towards him. I''m not letting you go until you tell me what''s wrong," he threatened, but there was no response, "It''s fine, even if you don''t tell me. I like being in this position," he smirked. He was hugging Sophia very closely, and she was afraid to move too much, in case she rubbed up against him, and he saw it as an invitation.


    "Pervert¡­," She muttered.


    "Come on, tell me, what''s bothering you?" he asked softly.


    "I don''t like you, and my feelings for you will never change. So we should stop seeing each other. I tried to give you enough time, but I just can''t imagine spending my whole life with you," she said the words like it did not hurt her.


    Sophia expected Aiden to scream and throw a fit, but he took it like a man, or so she thought. Because under that silent facade, it felt like a storm was brewing.


    His finger traced her cheek lazily, then down her neck, all the way down the V of her nightshirt.


    "What do you think you''re doing? Stop that!" she tried to swipe his hand away with what little movement she could make. But that didn''t stop him. He just kept roaming his hands all over her body, branding her with his touch.


    She screamed, "Aiden! That''s enough! You''re crossing the line!"


    He stopped, but his face looked irate, "You belong to me as much I belong to you. There should nothing be wrong with me touching you."


    "I am my own person, and we are not together!" Sophia said indignantly.


    "Do you know what''s running through my head? Having you trapped under me gives me a lot of ideas about what I want to do to you right now. Believe me, none of them are good," he said with a sinister look on his face.


    It looked like a switch had been flipped when she told him she didn''t want him. ''How could he easily change his moods so quickly?"


    "Aiden, please¡­ Don''t do this¡­," she begged, her voice shaking.


    His face relaxed a bit, but a frown still showed on his face, "Tell me the truth Sophia, not some made-up story you came up with to fool me." He knew that she had been lying earlier. Things had been going well with them before he went on his month-long trip. What he wanted to know was what happened while he was away? What did he do to make her hate him so much?


    "I am not here to relieve you from boredom," she said stubbornly.


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" he asked impatiently.


    "I saw the pictures. You were with that princess from Country X. I know she''s more beautiful, much richer, and she brings much more to the table than anyone. There''s probably a possibility of you marrying her in the future, so stop wasting your time on me," she explained angrily.


    He was silent for a minute, staring at the most wonderful woman in front of him, then started laughing, "Oh my fucking god, you''re jealous! That''s what it is?" He kept on laughing.

 Chapter 141 - 140

    "Why are you laughing?" Sophia was annoyed that Aiden never did anything she expected.


    "Oh, baby!" Aiden hugged her tight, "I''m so happy you have feelings for me too."


    She still had a frown on her face and kept trying to push his solid chest away from her. He kissed her forehead, "You have it all wrong Sophia. I''m not dating Princess Gloria. Aristocratic families have connections with different countries. Country X is one of them, but since the king ruled the country, they still have old-fashioned rules and have applied communism as their form of government. People are trying to revolt and push the government to hold elections so they could overthrow the monarchy. They want to turn their government into a democracy.


    Technology was being monitored for security reasons, so I couldn''t contact you. Those pictures you saw had been taken by someone at one of the meetings, something to stir trouble while they distracted the people. The perpetrator got caught and was punished by the king, so every picture and article has been removed from the internet and the news.


    As for Gloria, we are not interested in one another, she already has a lover. They were having a family dispute because her father wouldn''t agree to their marriage.


    Is everything clear now?"


    "Oh," was all Sophia could say, she felt guilty for doubting him.


    "I am capable of running my own empire, I don''t need a woman''s family background to make it work. So I don''t need a princess. I just need you. Not a second went by that I didn''t miss you. I worked hard day and night, so I could fly back home. I was supposed to arrive tomorrow morning, but I told the pilot to fly last night because I wanted to see you. I barely had enough time to sleep on the flight because I was excited to head home." He explained.


    Sophia did not have time to look at his attire this morning, if she did, she would have seen that he was wearing a wrinkled suit, something he wouldn''t be caught wearing on an ordinary day. And if she had looked closer, it would also have been evident that in the last month Aiden had lost some weight. His eyes had dark circles under him and had a day-old beard covering his face. He just looked very exhausted.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t realize," she acknowledged as she lowered her eyes.


    "Look at me," he commanded, "I love you Sophia, and I will keep on telling you until you believe me. I make a decision once and stick with it. You are the first woman I have fallen deeply in love with, and you will be the last. I am courting you with marriage in mind. This is not a fling, this is going to be forever.


    Do you know why you couldn''t bear to see me with another woman? It''s because you know deep in your heart that the place beside me belongs to you, and only you. I am here to give you everything you wish for in life."


    Sophia could not look away from Aiden''s loving face. This is the one she recognizes the most and hopes to see every single day.


    "Until when are you going to keep denying that my presence affects you? I know you missed me just like I missed you. Just open your heart and trust me, you know you want to. I promise you that it will be the best decision you''ve made in your life," he added.


    Sophia felt deep in her heart that what he said was true, and maybe it was high time she had accepted her feelings for him as well. There was no point in denying something that has completely consumed her heart. She had fallen for Aiden Cooper, and her acceptance made her feel peace in her heart. It also brought hope that the rain was finally over, and finally, the rainbow was coming into her life.


    "You promise not to leave me, right?" she asked as she grabbed his coat. Every single person she cared for in her life had left her, and they''ve caused her so much psychological pain, that she had to be sure that Aiden would not leave her too.


    Aiden smiled sweetly as he took her hand in his, "Never sunshine. I will hold your hand ''til my last breath."


    "I love you Aiden," Sophia declared softly as she looked into his eyes.


    Aiden leaned his forehead into hers. He had waited a long time for this moment to come. Not asking for permission, he took her lips in his and kissed her thoroughly, parting them with his tongue to gain entrance, he wanted to taste her sweet nectar. And as expected, it was better than he had imagined.


    The touch of her lips was softer, the taste of her mouth sweeter, everything was better than what he had dreamt up. Sophia followed his lead and noticed that her hands had wound their way around his neck, bringing him closer. They were both panting when Aiden decided to stop to breathe. He was mesmerized by the way her chest rose up and down to draw more air, that he squeezed one of her breasts.


    Sophia squealed, "Ahh¡­ stop it!" All this kissing and physical intimacy were new to Sophia. She had been together with Gavin, but they never even held hands. Since they were resigned to be in the relationship it felt like they had no sexual desires towards each other.


    He did not heat up her blood as Aiden did. Gavin had always been polite and proper, and she knew now why he never complimented her on her clothing or her looks, it was because he was just pretending.


    Aiden made it clear the first day they met that he was physically attracted to her and that always made her question her relationship with Gavin, he was a brother more than her lover.


    Today Aiden wanted to show her a lot of things lovers do, but since she was not ready, he took a step back and relished the fact that Sophia had finally agreed to be his girlfriend and that she acknowledged her feelings. There was no need to hurry. Things will happen when they do.

 Chapter 142 - 141

    "I''m taking a bath and a nap," Aiden said as he rolled his luggage to her bedroom.


    "What? Aren''t you going home? Why are you heading to my bedroom?"


    "No, I''m going to sleep in your room," He replied like he didn''t expect any arguments.


    Sophia sighed, how can she argue when he looked so tired and disheveled. He already treated her house as his own, so she just let him be. She will have this discussion later when he was well-rested.


    Aiden woke up around dinner time. She did not check on him because she wanted him to recuperate after his long trip, or maybe, she was scared that he might take her to bed when she wasn''t ready. So she gave herself the excuse that she had a lot of work to do, and Aiden needed his rest.


    Sophia had ordered food for lunch, but since Aiden was still sleeping when it arrived, she decided to heat the food up when he awoke.


    She was transferring the dishes to pots and pans when he startled her by hugging her from behind.


    "Did you sleep well?" she asked when she got her heart back from her throat.


    "Uhm-hmm," he nuzzled her neck and answered her at the same time.


    "I''m heating up the food so we can have dinner. Go sit down and relax," She instructed.


    "Let''s do it together. I just want to hug you like this a little longer," he implored.


    Dinner wasn''t served until a little bit later because Aiden kept on wanting to hug her, disabling her from doing anything around the kitchen. She had to shoo him out to finish heating up the dishes.


    "Let''s meet my parents tomorrow," he said, nonchalantly as they ate dinner.


    Sophia was stunned. "What? No, that''s so soon. We just made our relationship official today."


    She was scared that this would happen sooner or later, but she expected there would be more time to prepare herself. Her perception of rich people was based upon the way the Sterling family, and Gavin''s family treated her. And she used that as a gauge on which to measure them by. So she needed to brace herself for their mocking, humiliation, and rejection.


    "Sophia, there is no use beating around the bush. From the day I told you about my feelings, I was intent on making you my wife. My friends and family have urged me to find a partner, so when I found you I knew they would like you. If you''re going to meet them in the future anyway, why not tomorrow? I assure you that my parents are very nice people, I guarantee that you will like each other," he explained.


    "But¡­I...," she was hesitant as images from her past flitted across her memories.


    Aiden held her hand, "Sunshine, I will be there with you, so leave all your worries behind. Nothing will happen to you."


    Sophia nodded, convinced by Aiden''s words. But at the back of her mind, she was praying that this meeting would not be a disaster.


    -=-


    The next day Sophia got up early to prepare for the meeting with Aiden''s parents. She went through her closet several times trying so hard to select the perfect dress and accessories, to impress her future in-laws.


    "Aiden, how do I look?" She asked, parading in front of him as he waited in her living room. He got up and kissed her on the cheek, "Very beautiful, like always."


    "Stop that, you''ll ruin my makeup," she said as she covered her cheek.


    He chuckled and nibbled her ear, "I''ll just continue when we get home."


    Sophia blushed and dragged him to the door, "We can make your parents wait, they''re expecting us."


    The Cooper mansion was astonishing in Sophia''s eyes. It was surrounded by a very beautiful, lush, colorful garden and tall green trees. A high fence had surrounded the property, guarded by security personnel. She knew that the Aristocratic families were loaded with money, but seeing their wealth up close was something else.


    Aiden and Sophia waited for his parents in the living room while the maid announced their arrival. Refreshments were served, but Sophia was just too nervous to touch anything. She did not want to cause any accidents by eating something that would get stuck in her teeth or accidentally spill on her dress.


    Mr. and Mrs. Cooper descended the stairs, and Aurora''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "Auntie! Is this your house?" Sophia asked as she stood up to welcome them.


    Mrs. Cooper gave out her winning smile, "Sophia?!? What a pleasant surprise to see you in my house."


    Seeing her shocked, Sophia, "That means Aiden is your¡­"


    "Son? Yes, Aiden is my son," Mrs. Cooper confirmed.


    Sophia''s mouth hung open, she had no words to describe her disbelief.


    Aiden frowned, "You two already know each other?" He looked at both of them questioningly.


    "Yes," Both women replied at the same time.


    Mrs. Cooper, with her innocent little smile, explained, "We accidentally met at the Shopping Center, we bonded over Dior. We''ve gone out to meet my friends for tea as well."


    Mr. Cooper was astounded by his wife''s acting skills, he rolled his eyes as she pretended to know nothing about Sophia.


    Aiden looked at his mother closely and knew by her smile and the glint in her eye that she was hiding something. But as he looked at his dad asking for confirmation, he looked anywhere but at his son.


    Mr. Cooper coughed to cover his embarrassment, verifying Aiden''s suspicion that his mom''s meeting with Sophia was not because of chance. "So Aiden, is Sophia the woman you''ve been talking about?" His father asked.


    Mrs. Cooper squealed in delight, "Oh my gosh, dear is this true? Sophia, are you really dating my son?"


    "Uhm¡­ Yes," Sophia nodded shyly.


    Mrs. Cooper held Sophia''s hand, "This is the best news I''ve ever heard from Aiden. I liked you the first time I met you, and I''m so excited to have you as my daughter-in-law. The heavens have finally heard my plea."


    "Oh, you can''t believe how glad I am that you are Aiden''s parents. You are very nice to me, and I can''t ask for anything more," she said with heartfelt gratitude.


    Mrs. Cooper hugged Sophia very tightly, "Oh you are such a sweet child. Don''t worry now. We are going to take care of you. Welcome to our family, Sophia."


    Father and son looked at each other and sighed helplessly. No one can go against his mother now that she is in good spirits.

 Chapter 143 - 142

    Sophia felt very comfortable and relaxed since she''s already met Mrs. Cooper before, she could say that they had a very good relationship right from the start, so all the anxiety she felt earlier just melted away. And in the shortest time possible, Sophia grew fond of Aiden''s family. Mrs. Cooper did not fail to compliment her future daughter-in-law every time she had the chance, and this made her feel more at ease.


    Aiden followed his mother in the kitchen when she said she was on her way to get more drinks.


    "Mom, can I ask you something?" he asked.


    She answered with a sly smile. It was only time before her son confronted her. "Sure, my very handsome son, what is it?"


    He tried to look her in the eye, but she pretended to be busy doing something. "Did you orchestrate that meeting between you and Sophia?"


    "What are you talking about? That meeting was pure coincidence. You know I love shopping, it just so happened that Sophia was there, so it was a very happy coincidence, don''t you think?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.


    "Please tell me the truth, I can see it in dad''s guilty face that he helped you," he speculated, trying to catch her.


    "Okay fine, I admit I sought her out. I was getting bored waiting for you to bring her home," Aiden just shook his head, "Plus, I wanted to make a good impression on her so she knows that she can always come to me if anything happens. Like if you guys fight in the future, I can be the peacemaker," she winked at her son.


    "That is never going to happen. We are never going to fight," Aiden said in a determined tone. Small fights will always arise among all couples. But he vowed never to let them grow and become a thorn in their relationship.


    She patted his cheek, "Of course, you should not fight. You are lucky to get such a sweet, talented woman like her, and you should always treasure her.


    Tell me this. After Sophia saw me, didn''t she appear to look more relaxed and confident around us? My friendship with her made it easier to break the tension. If I may say so, what I did was a genius move, don''t you think?" Mrs. Cooper answered, a smug look on her face.


    Aiden pondered for a second before he nodded his head in agreement. Sophia had opened up to his parents immediately, and he just hoped that this would help them get married as soon as possible.


    Aiden and his mother had disappeared for quite a while, so Sophia thought maybe she could be of help in the kitchen.


    "Sophia, just the person I was looking for! Come with me, I want to show you my closet.", Mrs. Cooper said as she held her hand.


    Aiden knew what his mother was up to, so he decided to intervene, "She just had lunch, let her relax."


    "No, it''s fine, I''ll go with you, I want to see your closet," Sophia politely accepted her future mother-in-law''s kind request.


    "I knew she''d be interested. Tell your father we''ll have dessert later," Mrs. Cooper said as she dragged Sophia to her room.


    Sophia turned back and winked at Aiden, showing him that everything will be fine. Aiden smiled, hopefully, she wouldn''t regret her decision later.


    Sophia gawked at the biggest closet she has ever seen in her life. Nothing could have ever prepared her for this day, it was bigger than she could imagine. She wondered how a person could own so much stuff she could only dream of. There were all types of clothes, bags, accessories, jewelry, and shoes from different brands and designers. Not to mention the vintage, and limited edition items that lined the walls.


    "Auntie¡­this is...," with her eyes wide and mouth hanging open, Sophia could not express the awe she felt surrounded by all that luxury.


    "Amazing, right? I know. Fashion has always been my first love, so I had this built when I got married. I was so sure that I was going to have a daughter when I was pregnant with Aiden, but of course, I had a boy. Even though he was not a girl, I still dressed him up as one, I only stopped when his father forced me to do it, so I don''t confuse him as he grew up," Mrs. Cooper recounted.


    "Really? Aiden must have looked so cute," Sophia giggled.


    "Yes, I have a lot of photos, I send some to you later," Mrs. Cooper giggled back.


    "I was still optimistic that even if I end up not having a daughter, I will have a daughter-in-law, and I always envisioned dressing that person in all these glamorous clothes. See this collection here, these are all yours," she said as she pointed to a section of the closet filled with the most gorgeous dresses Sophia had ever seen.


    She ran her hand over the gowns, "These fabrics are so exquisite, they all feel so soft, and not to mention these designs, they all look like they were stitched by hand."


    "What don''t you try them?" her mother-in-law suggested. She wanted to decline her offer, but the clothes called out to her. She might never have this opportunity again.


    Mrs. Cooper made her wear the whole shebang, dresses, shoes, and accessories while she walked around parading like a model.


    When they were done, trying most of the items in her closet, Mrs. Cooper insisted Sophia take home everything she tried on, but she did not have enough closet space to house all those wonderful items. ''We''ll be visiting you often, so I can just come here when I need an outfit," she explained.


    Aiden invited Sophia to join him on the sofa, so they could have coffee before they headed home. "Didn''t I tell you it was a bad idea to go with my mother? Now look how tired you''ve become. She has a crazy obsession with fashion, and now that she has you, she''s unstoppable."


    "No, I''m not tired," she denied, "My legs are a little painful from trying all those high heels, but otherwise, I''m happy."


    Aiden laid his mug back on the table and pulled Sophia''s leg to his lap.


    "What are you doing," she said, freaking out by his display.


    "Let me give you a massage," he replied.


    "You know how to give a foot massage?" she asked.


    Aiden chuckled, "I am a man of many talents, you''ll discover all of them over time."


    Sophia leaned back on the pillows as he massaged the arch of her feet, "Hmm¡­. it''s actually not bad."


    "I promise to do this for you whenever you are tired, all you have to do is ask," he added.


    "Of course, now that you made me experience how good it is, you can''t decline. Plus, you promised to take care of me for the rest of my life, so I expect nothing less," she teased.


    Aiden laughed out loud, "And I always make good with my promises."

 Chapter 144 - 143

    A month has passed since Aiden and Sophia had officially declared to be together. They''ve been spending more time together after work, they would go home to each other''s apartments, where they would cuddle, watch TV, movies, or just dine together. They would trade spending time in each other''s place depending on what they were doing.


    Aiden was taking Sophia on a special trip, the first one they''re going to after they became a couple. When she came out dressed in one of the dresses Mrs. Cooper gave her, Aiden told her to change.


    "What''s wrong with my attire? If we''re going somewhere classy, I want to fit it," she stated.


    "Sunshine, just wear something plain, like what I''m wearing, jeans and tennis shoes will do. We''re going to walk around a lot, so I don''t think you''d want your feet to hurt," he said as he winked at her.


    Sophia changed into a white shirt and blue jeans. But instead of tennis shoes, she wore her beige sandals to make her still look a little dressed up. She also traded her makeup for a simple ponytail. If they were walking around, she did not want her makeup melting off her face.


    "Now, that''s better. Let''s go," Aiden smiled as he held her hand.


    It took them two hours to reach the special place Aiden kept secret from her, but she knew right away where they were when she saw the strawberry logo outside the farm.


    "We''re in a strawberry field? Why?" she asked, confused.


    "I thought it would be a nice change of scenery, so I arranged for us to go strawberry picking. Do you like it?" he asked.


    Memories of her parents picking strawberries on their farm came rushing back. She remembered running in the fields as they gathered the freshly picked fruits and vegetables. Those were very happy times she loved remembering. She nodded enthusiastically.


    The farmworkers gave them empty pails and gloves they could use to pick strawberries.


    "These are good right?" Sophia turned and asked Aiden, pointing to one that looked ripe enough.


    "They''re ripe, but they''re too small, they''ll get crushed under the pail. You want the big plump ones like the ones in the next group.


    After an hour of bending and picking fruit under the glorious morning sun, Sophia noticed that Aiden picked bigger strawberries than she did.


    "Hey, why do yours look better than mine? I think they''re more delicious, let me taste one," she said as she grabbed one from his pail.


    Her soft pink lips wrapping around the big juicy strawberry gave Aiden ideas that heated his blood.


    "Hmmm¡­ these are so fresh and tasty, you want some?" Sophia offered him half of her fruit. Setting the half-eaten strawberry in front of his mouth.


    But Aiden had other ideas. He grabbed her waist and dragged her into his arms, "Let me taste," he said as he took her lips, savoring the taste of the sweet strawberry that still lingered there.


    "Hmm¡­ hmmm¡­," Sophia moaned as Aiden deepened their kiss, her hands wrapping around his neck, their fruits forgotten.


    "Aiden, somebody might see us," she said as he started kissing her neck, his fingers trailing under her shirt, touching her bare skin.


    "I told the management to give us privacy, we have the whole place to ourselves. So don''t worry, nobody will see us," Aiden tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and lovingly stroked her cheek after he kissed her thoroughly and let her go.


    They were having lunch at the resort, inside one of the private cabanas Aiden had rented for the day. The Aristocratic heirs shied away from dining in public areas, keeping to themselves to maintain their privacy.


    "We can go visit the tourist spots in the area after we have lunch," Aiden remarked, to let her know that their date was far from over.


    "Sure, it''s nice to sit inside after being under the sun. Let''s stay here for a while," She replied. Who knew that picking strawberries were going to be a strenuous activity. Her clothes had become dusty and grimy being out in the fields, so Sophia decided to take a shower, knowing that the resorts usually provided extra clothing just in case the guests did not bring any. She did not care if she went home with a shirt that carried the resort''s logo, as long as she was clean.


    But she was dumbfounded when she opened the package, and instead of an ordinary shirt and lounge pants, she found sleepwear, very sexy sleepwear that left nothing to the imagination. The resort was a well-known destination for honeymooners that wanted to spend a few days away from the city, so they made sure that each cabana was secluded, available only to the people renting them out, so they could have their privacy. And as a bonus for the couple, they left them a gift.


    This tiny thing in her hands did not even look like it had enough fabric to cover the parts that needed to be covered. She''s only seen these kinds of sleepwear in magazines or brochures, and she was never brave enough to try them. The lacy wine-colored halter top barely reached her midriff, and the shorts were so tiny, they looked like underwear.


    She was thinking of ditching the attire and just wearing her dirty, grimy clothes back when Aiden knocked on the bedroom door.


    He was getting concerned that Sophia had been in the bedroom for a long time, the sun was slowly coming down the horizon, and they were missing out on their sightseeing. The day was wasting away, and he wanted them to spend as much time together, having fun around town.


    "Sophia, are you ready?" He asked when she didn''t answer when he knocked the first time.


    "Aiden, I changed my mind. I don''t think I can walk anymore," she tried to make an excuse from her side of the door.


    "Why what happened? Are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his words.


    "No, I think I just want to head to bed," she lied.


    Aiden felt something was amiss, "Did you get sick? Open the door. I want to see you," he commanded.


    Sophia peeked out the door, "Uhm.. I think the sun was too hot, I felt a little dizzy earlier. I''m okay now," she tried to close the door to keep him out.


    But Aiden knew she was hiding something, so he wedged his way into the small opening of the door, pushing her back into the room, exposing her attire. He was shocked to see her wearing so little. The straps on her top were so thin, they looked like they barely held it up. And the lace did not look like it was covering anything. With her creamy white skin on full display, Aiden''s body burned with desire. She tried so hard to shield parts of her body, but it was no use.


    "I¡­ I didn''t have anything else to wear. The resort had these¡­," but her explanation was lost on him. His eyes busily gawking at her almost naked body.


    "Aiden, please leave!" she commanded.


    He smirked.

 Chapter 145 - 144

    Aiden smirked as he sauntered towards Sophia, "Aiden, stop right there!" she warned. He pulled her waist and kissed her lips with a scorching intensity that heated the room.


    Her creamy white skin tempted him to taste, and so he did. Licking her neck, nibbling on her shoulders as he lowered one of her straps and kissed her collarbone to the V of her top. He lifted her towards the bed, her legs automatically wrapping around him as they exchanged the most sizzling of kisses.


    His hands rubbed her thighs and ended up cupping her backside, which was half-exposed from the itty bitty shorts she was wearing. ''Hmm¡­,'' she moaned as she felt the length of his arousal rub up against her front.


    He laid her on the bed and ran his hands over her lace-covered breasts. She gasped when his thumbs grazed her nipples, the lace amplified the sensation each time his fingers brushed against them, making her feel lethargic.


    "We should stop," she slurred as he rained kisses on her neck. ''Hmm¡­Aiden.''


    "Sunshine, I just want to feel your skin against mine, let me touch you... Please?" he asked softly, as he continued caressing her stomach under her top, his thumb sweeping the underside of her breasts.


    Sophia was mesmerized by the way his hands felt, so soft and gentle against her skin. It might be a bad idea, but she wanted to feel more from Aiden, so she mustered up all her courage and nodded her assent.


    She felt shy as he lifted her nightie off the top of her head. With both her hands, she tried to cover her breasts, "You are very beautiful, never cover yourself in front of me. I want to see you like this, all the time," he slowly held her wrists away from her body.


    "Aiden¡­," she blushed as he stared at her half-naked body. He hugged her to quell her fears, and she wondered when he took his shirt off. The contact of their skin gave her goosebumps, making her nipples pucker up.


    "Ahh¡­," she moaned as Aiden cupped her breast, squeezing it slightly, to get a better feel. Hearing her moan was music to his ears.


    She bit her lip as he licked her neck, she felt so aroused that she couldn''t help but pull at his hair, guiding his mouth to use his tongue on her rosy nipples.


    Aiden had come undone after tasting her pert and perfect breasts. He hurriedly removed the rest of her clothing, parting her legs so he could touch her luscious core.


    "Uuugghh¡­," she cried in pleasure as her body arched into his hand. He loved how slick she felt under his fingers as he rubbed her over and over again. ''Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!'' Sophia screamed as she felt her body release the spasms that wracked her body. She could not believe she had come undone under Aiden''s fingers. It was something she has never felt before.


    Sophia felt shy, but she knew she had to satisfy Aiden''s needs as well. There were instructions on how to do it, but she''s never tried it before, so she shyly ran her hands across his body, exploring him while he fought for self-control. "Honey¡­I... Agghh...," he moaned as she found his bulging flesh under his boxers.


    "Aiden, I''ve never done this before," She admitted hesitantly as her hand tried to encase his width.


    "Ughh... you''re doing fine... Ooohh...," he moaned as she brushed him in an up and down motion. Her soft, tiny hands drove him nuts, and he screamed her name when he found his release.


    Aiden cleaned them both up with a damp towel, rubbing her sensitive parts in slow circles. Her eyes closed when she felt the arousal coming back. He grinned at her and kissed her sensitive parts before he took her in his arms and covered them with a quilt.


    Sophia felt languid and drowsy, as she snuggled into his warm, broad chest.


    "I love you, Sunshine!" Aiden kissed her forehead.


    "You too¡­ hmmm¡­," Sophia purred like a cat. Aiden chuckled while he tightened his arms around her.


    -=-


    The next day Aiden was ordering breakfast when Sophia woke up. As he stood by the phone in his boxers, she could not hide the blush that touched her cheeks. She remembered everything they did last night and did not know how to face him.


    She tried to hide under the covers, but they made eye contact before she did. He grinned at her, making her blush more. Then she remembered she was still naked under the sheets.


    "Ahh! How am I going to the bathroom with no clothes on?" she asked herself when Aiden peeled back the covers from her face, he was lying beside her, trapping her under the sheets.


    "Good morning, Sunshine!" he kissed her lips briefly, making Sophia want more.


    "I love this color on your cheeks," he caressed her cheeks and kissed them softly, "It makes me want to continue what we started last night," he teased.


    "Stop it!" she said, wriggling out to free her hands, trying to push him away, but she was no match for all that pure lean muscle and gorgeous body, so instead, she just let her hand explore.


    "We missed sightseeing because of you," she added when she remembered why her hand was on his chest.


    He kissed both her palms, "Don''t worry, we''ll come back again, and I promise we will enjoy the scenery next time, aside from other things," he winked.


    "Go get ready, there''s something else we need to do today," Aiden deposited her in the bathroom together with all the blankets wrapped around her.


    -=-


    During breakfast, Aiden decided to boast about his relationship with Sophia by sending a picture of her on the Ariststocratic heirs'' group chat. His friends have been flaunting their wives in his face for a while now. And as he had promised when they were single, he was now bragging about his girlfriend.


    He sent them a picture of Sophia in her sundress, not as spectacular as the one in the field of sunflowers but something that highlighted her pretty smile. "My girlfriend," he sent as a caption for the picture.


    The group chat started lighting up.


    Tristan replied with a question mark followed by Blake and Dimitri, "We know who she is. Stop faking it man." "Just because your an heir doesn''t mean you can post pictures of women and pretend she''s your girlfriend."


    "It''s true! SHE IS MY GIRLFRIEND!" Aiden replied angrily on his text.


    "Who? Sophia Collins? Stop daydreaming, man. You will never succeed. So far, nobody in the entertainment industry has managed to woo her. You are not even half as good-looking as those guys," Blake replied, followed by several rolling off the floor laughing emojis.


    "Being single for so long has made you desperate," Tristan mocked.


    "Stop being delusional," Dimitri joined in.


    "You''re all A**holes. Why don''t you believe me?" Aiden sent.


    "Why is it that you can have your wives, and you think I can''t do it?" he asked.


    "Not handsome enough."


    "Become richer."


    "You should be manipulative."


    Blake, Tristan, and Dimitri sent, respectively.


    "Stop underestimating me, let''s meet at our usual spot, and I''ll show you who''s lying," Aiden replied.


    Tristan and Dimitri agreed, but Blake took time to answer. When he finally did, he sent, "Dinner at my place, my wife insisted." And everybody agreed.

 Chapter 146 - 145

    Aiden told Sophia about their dinner plans at the Anderson mansion so she could meet his friends. Since she already met his parents, and they welcomed her with open arms, so she agreed to meet his friends as well. She knew Aiden considered them like his family, so they were probably good people as well.


    Tristan and Ava got to the mansion before everybody arrived.


    "Sis, I missed you so much," Ava hugged Sara like they haven''t seen each other in a long while.


    "We just saw each other two weeks ago. You should visit mom, she''s been complaining she hasn''t seen you in a while. You''ll need to come out of your love nest soon, or people will start to forget about you," Sara joked.


    "Blame Tristan for that," Ava smiled at her husband from across the room, and he smiled back, not knowing she was blaming him for keeping her in the house for himself.


    Ava has been designing jewelry for a while now, and she was lucky that she could make her designs from home most of the time. Just like her mentor Leena, the most prestigious jewelry designer in Europe, she only commissions a few projects a year to ensure the quality and design of the product. She learned she wanted to be a jewelry designer by accident, Leena was the wife of Tristan''s friend Reynold, and they met for dinner one day and started talking about Leena''s profession. She then took Ava under her wing, and that''s where Ava discovered she had a passion for designing jewelry.


    Ava''s business has been thriving thanks to Tristan and her assistant for doing all her negotiations, paperwork and promotions.


    "Sis, my jewelry exhibition is next week, I want you to be there with my brother-in-law," Ava followed Sara into the kitchen as she supervises the food preparation.


    "Give me the exact date, and I will free my schedule the whole day," Sara replied.


    Dimitri, Aurora, and Enzo made their appearance while the sisters were in the dining area, fixing the place settings.


    "Auntie! Auntie!" Enzo screamed as he ran towards his aunts. The three women have gotten closer in the last few months, they frequently met for tea, shopping, and to complain, about anything and everything under the sun. Enzo was being pampered by his aunts and uncles since he was the only child among the couples.


    "Enzo, I think you keep on growing. You look taller than the last time," Sara picked him up and ruffled his hair.


    "Aww¡­ look how cute you are," Ava pulled his cheeks lightly.


    Enzo giggled, "Auntie Ava, you are so pretty," he said as he kissed Ava''s cheeks. His speech has gotten more articulate, and his sentences were more complete now that he had gained the confidence of being with a complete family.


    "Huh, learning such sweet words at a young age. He will surely be a lady''s'' man in the future," Sara commented.


    Ava laughed and planted a kiss on his cheeks.


    "Aurora, how are you doing with your masters?" Sara asked. The former decided to further her studies to speed up her residency. The nanny was looking after Enzo, so Dimitri and her mother-in-law, Daisy encouraged her to go ahead with her masters. She had nothing to worry about since Enzo was still young and there were a lot of people to care for him when she was not there.


    "I submitted my paper, chose my major, then I enrolled in the classes last week, so I''m just waiting for that to start," Aurora replied, "It''s going to be a mess, but hopefully it won''t be that bad."


    Aiden and Sophia were the last to arrive, and they met with the men, who were waiting in the living room.


    "Hey, guys! This my girlfriend, Sophia," Aiden beamed as he put his arms around her shoulder. He silently sent the message that he was finally one of them, he found the one he was going to marry. He introduced the Aristocratic heirs one by one though people usually knew who they were because of their lavish weddings which had been plastered in the newspapers when they got married.


    "Ms. Sophia, It''s nice to see you. I never expected to meet you here, like this," Blake said as he shook her hands. They have already been acquainted due to the parties they attended, Sophia had commissioned a few of Blake''s models for her advertisements.


    "It''s nice to see a familiar face," Sophia smiled.


    "Well, it''s nice to see that you''re not a liar," Tristan joked. Aiden''s friends thought he was still courting her, not expecting to bring her and flaunt her in front of them.


    "Sunshine, they thought I was lying when I said we were together," Aiden complained, and Sophia gave him a quick hug and smiled up at him, showing everybody that they were together.


    It was a little hard for the guys to believe their relationship because Blake told them that Sophia had a reputation for having a heart made of ice, she was like Dimitri, who never paid any heed to the men around her. Aiden, on the other hand, was the most mild-mannered among the heirs. He never exhibited any dominant behavior, so they don''t know how he convinced the beauty to be with him. What they did not know was that he was good at manipulation just like they were, he just didn''t show it in a bossy manner.


    "They never believed in my charms," Aiden smirked.


    Dimitri raised his eyebrows, "Did she see your childhood pictures?"


    "Stop it!" Aiden narrowed his eyes.


    Meanwhile, the women knew Aiden had arrived when they heard the loud voices from the dining room.


    "Boys, boys, boys, stop the bickering," Sara commanded.


    "Hello, Aiden," she said as she hugged him and took Sophia''s hand in hers, "Welcome to our little group, Sophia, don''t let these men intimidate you, they''re big teddy bears at heart."


    "This is Sara, Blake''s wife. Honestly, I don''t know why she married him," Aiden said as a comeback for Blake''s insults.


    "Hey!" Blake replied.


    "This younger woman here is Ava, Tristan''s wife, and Sara''s younger sister,'' Aiden looked at Tristan about to say something but the glare he received stopped him.


    "And last but not least, we have Aurora, Dimitri''s wife, and their adorable and smart son, Lorenzo," Aiden introduced.


    Sophia shook all their hands, "It''s nice to meet all of you."


    "Auntie you can call me Enzo," he squealed. "Uncle Aiden, she''s very pretty," he said as he stared at her. Enzo had asked his aunts and uncles to call him by his nickname, it was a sign for him that he liked them.


    "Thank you, Enzo. I will try to remember that." Sophia smiled as she patted his cute little head.


    "Let''s take a seat," the maids will bring out some appetizers before dinner.

 Chapter 147 - 146

    Sara had installed a new aquarium in the living room to liven the place up, and Enzo had discovered that it had live fish in it, so it captivated his attention while the adults talked amongst themselves.


    "Fish! Fish! Look, mama! They have different colors," he squealed in delight. He stuck his face on the glass and clapped when the big oyster opened up and blew bubbles into the water.


    Aurora called him an hour later, "Baby, it''s time to have dinner."


    "No, mommy, I want to look at the fish," he complained.


    "We''ll see them again later. There are yummy desserts on the table. Don''t you like sweets?" Aurora tried to pick him up, but he wriggled free, "No! I want to look at the fish, mommy." he argued.


    Dimitri intervened when Enzo started crying every time Aurora tried to pick him up. He knelt and wiped his son''s face, "What is happening here? Stop crying," he instructed.


    "Baby wants an orange fish. Look, dada! I want that," he pointed adoringly to the fish inside the aquarium.


    "I don''t know how to help him when he goes on these tantrums," Aurora sighed helplessly.


    "Don''t worry, I will talk to him," he reassured her.


    "So tell me, does my baby want to have fish at home?" he asked his son.


    "Yes, papa, please," Enzo wrapped his arms around Dimitri''s neck, trying to be sweet, begging his father to let him have one.


    "Then you should have dinner like a good boy. I will buy you one, and you can choose where to place it in our house," Dimitri said.


    "Yay! I have the best papa," Enzo squealed happily and planted kisses on Dimitri''s face.


    "Dimitri, stop spoiling him,"  Sophia scolded.


    "It''s fine, having a pet is good for a growing child," he argued.


    On the surface, it looked as if Dimitri was spoiling Enzo, but in reality, he gave in to his requests only when his father saw the need. Dimitri was very strict when it came to the important stuff. He wanted his son to grow up to be capable, intelligent, and hard-working, not wanting his son to think that everything was easy to get because they were rich.


    Enzo agreed to eat since his father promised to buy him his aquarium. During the first part of the meal, he happily showed everyone he was a big boy, how eating on his own was a breeze. He ate with gusto, but as the meal progressed, he kept asking his mother for sweets.


    "You didn''t eat everything on your plate. Finish it off so you can have dessert," Aurora sternly instructed.


    "I don''t want veggies mama, I want sweets," he said as he pointed to the dessert plate in the middle of the table. Aurora glared at him, and he stopped whining.


    Ava was having a problem of her own, "Sis, why didn''t you ask them to prepare my favorite dish?"


    Blake laughed out loud, "It seems like there is no difference between Ava and Enzo."


    Ava pouted angrily and crossed her arms. She glared at Blake to stop him from laughing, but he just continued when he saw her take the same stance as Enzo.


    "Enough!" Tristan narrowed his eyes at Blake.


    And Sara consoled her sister while swatting Blake with her napkin, "Don''t worry Ava, next time I will remind the chef to prepare all your favorites."


    "Little one, don''t mind Blake, we''ll get your favorite macarons on our way home," Tristan added to pacify Ava. She smiled and resumed eating.


    "Mama, pleeeease¡­," Enzo continued his begging to have his way.


    "Enzo, you need to protect your new fish, so you have to eat so you can be strong and tall like me. Be a good boy and finish all your veggies," Dimitri intervened before Aurora started scolding their son.


    Enzo nodded as she slowly contemplated what his father said. Dimitri always knew what to say to sway his son from being hard-headed. "Yes, I need to protect my new fish. I will eat my veggies."


    Sophia looked around the table with a smile on her face. This group of friends had the warmth of a family where everyone cared for each other genuinely. There was laughter, teasing, and playful banter. She understood that the men cared for each other like brothers, and was glad that she was part of it.  This is what she imagined having a good family would feel like.


    On their way home, Aiden asked, "Did you like my friends?"


    "Yes, they are very nice and welcoming. I liked how your friends received me with warmth right away," she answered.


    "Ava, Sara, and Aurora meet up regularly to go to the spa or shopping. You should join them, it''s good to get out of the office and get a break. Maybe you can start a hobby with them, make new friends," he suggested.


    "Yeah, we talked about that. I have their contact numbers, so we would probably meet soon. It will be new to me, and I''m a little excited," she replied.


    "Good. I''m happy that you''re happy," Aiden took Sophia''s hand and squeezed it. Everything felt just right.


    -=-


    Sophia had come to the Spa, she thought she could have a relaxing day, but then she spotted her aunt, Mrs. Sterling, and her cousin, Harper.


    They were arguing with one of the attendants as she came in, "Madam, I''m sorry, but your appointment was only for one person. Please understand that we cannot accommodate both of you right now because we are fully booked."


    Mrs. Sterling raised her voice, "My daughter has to attend an event with her fianc¨¦. This event is very important." Her face got red when she saw Aurora being attended by someone else.


    "Did you lower your spa standards that anyone can just walk in here? I am Mrs. Sterling, and my husband owns the Sterling company. Why are you refusing my daughter your services and giving it to someone who came from the streets?" Mrs. Sterling screamed.


    "Mom, please calm down, sister has an appointment. We cannot ask her to give up her spot," Harper replied with fake concern. She was implying Sophia should give her spot to Harper because her social status was higher.

 Chapter 148 - 147

    Sophia ignored the mother and daughter duo like they were not standing a few feet from her.  She was used to this mother and daughter doing this to her all the time. Over the years, she thought they would ease off on the bullying and the offensive words, but they never relented. It seemed that it had increased even more now that she did not live with them. They would shame her in front of other people every time they had an opportunity.


    Just as they were insulting Sophia, Mrs. Cooper arrived for her appointment, looking flushed and agitated, "Sophia, I''m so sorry for being so late. There was so much traffic." They''ve been enjoying their time together so much that they scheduled a spa date.


    "Oh don''t worry, I was here early because I saw the traffic report. I didn''t want you to stand around here waiting for me," Sophia replied.


    "They know me here, so we won''t have any problem¡­," Mrs. Cooper got interrupted.


    "Sophia, you ungrateful child, do we always have to force you to do things for us? What''s a small favor for your sister? We asked nicely, and you ignored us. God forbid your mother could see how awful you''ve become," Mrs. Sterling snapped, not caring who the newcomer was.


    "And who are these people?" Mrs. Cooper frowned.


    "These two, unfortunately, are my aunt and cousin," she replied as she shook her head. As always, they were being obnoxiously rude in front of everybody just to demean Sophia.


    Mrs. Cooper had learned from Aiden that Sophia lived with her grandpa and her uncle''s family after her parents passed away, and they hated her so much that they''ve been bullying her since she was a kid.


    "Sophia, let''s go. We don''t need to be here," Mrs. Cooper protectively held Sophia''s hand so she could take her away from the vile women in front of them.


    "Who are you? I''m still talking to my niece, and you''re rudely interrupting us," Mrs. Sterling''s face turned so red, she was so humiliated that this woman with Sophia dare insult her.


    Mrs.Cooper turned around and said, "Your ignorance will cost you dearly."


    "We both need all your services today, and I expect absolute quiet the whole time. I''m delighted that the staff is not taking any more appointments today," Mrs. Cooper pointedly looked at the manager. And he understood what she was implying.


    Going against an Aristocratic family would mean the demise of any business, and the spa manager did not want that to happen to them. Mrs. Cooper has been to their spa several times before and having her as their client was beneficial for them because she brings in her friends all the time. When you ask the staff, they would say they all love her because she is always nice to them, and generous when it came to their tips.


    The manager turned to Mrs. Sterling, "Madam, we are sorry, but your appointment has just been canceled."


    Mrs. Sterling lost it and started throwing a fit, "How dare you kick me out for this nobody? Do you know who I am? Wait until my husband hears about this," she threatened. She was bent on having all their heads roll for upsetting her and her daughter.


    "Madam in front of you is none other than Mrs. Cooper, the first lady of the Aristocratic family," the manager replied.


    "What?" Both Mrs. Sterling and Harper were dumbfounded. They looked from Mrs. Cooper to Sophia, not believing that they knew each other.


    "Sis, is she Aiden''s mother?" Harper asked in disbelief, she thought her cousin was just one of Aiden''s flings, but with his mother here, it looked more serious.


    Before anybody else could say anything, "Sophia is my daughter-in-law," Mrs. Cooper announced proudly.


    Mrs. Sterling felt like she was in a dream. How could one of the wealthiest families in the country choose Sophia, the orphan, as their daughter-in-law? Why is Sophia having better luck than her daughter? Now Gavin doesn''t look so appealing.


    The manager ushered Mrs. Sterling towards the door, "Madam, I think it is time for you to leave. You are delaying their schedule."


    The mother and daughter duo left angrily. Cursing at the manager the whole time they were being ushered out the door. Harper could not fathom why Sophia had been lucky? She had been engaged to Gavin for a while, and his mother never even invited her to the spa.


    Having gotten rid of the negative people around them, Mrs. Cooper and Sophia had the best day at the spa. They were pampered by all the staff, giving them the best treatments and offering them the best wine and desserts.


    "Auntie, thank you for standing up for me earlier," Sophia had always been bullied since she was an orphan. But today, she felt like she had a family when Mrs. Cooper supported her.


    "Silly child, drop all your formalities, we are a family now," Mrs.Cooper said.


    "Yes, we are a family," Sophia''s eyes teared up a bit. It had been a long time since she felt like she belonged, and all this was due to Aiden being persistent in being with her.


    "Oh child, you don''t need to fear anyone anymore. We are here for you," Mrs.Cooper hugged her to allay her fears.


    "Yes, now I have your family and Aiden," Sophia replied, "Thank you!"


    "Aiden has always been very gentle and understanding. But when he wants something, or if someone hurts his family, he can go rogue, and he can be pretty terrifying.


    I request you to have patience during that time, and he if he continues to bully you, come to me, and I will teach him a lesson," Mrs. Cooper stated.


    "Auntie, don''t worry, Aiden can be stubborn sometimes, but he has never hurt me, and I am positive he will never do it in the future," Sophia assured her mother-in-law.


    "Aiden was lucky to cross paths with you. He should always cherish you," Mrs. Cooper smiled.

 Chapter 149 - 148

    Five months had passed since Sophia met Aiden and launched her beauty products overseas. Her relationship was getting stronger as the day goes by, and her company''s venture had been thriving as well.


    Aiden had gotten more considerate and patient than he was during their initial days of dating, and Sophia appreciated how he treated her like his most precious treasure. He hardly got mad at her even when she had unreasonable outbursts, he would coax her out of her bad mood, and everything turned out better. She felt so blissful and lucky to have Aiden as her boyfriend.


    Her spare time was spent spending time between her mother-in-law and new girlfriends, the spouses of the Aristocratic heirs, Ava, Sara, and Aurora. She now looked forward to spending weekends away from work, and for the first time in her life, both her personal and professional life was going well.


    -=-


    Aiden was going on a business trip, and Sophia was afraid that just like last time, it would take a long time for him to get back, so she decided to go with him.


    She had gotten so accustomed to having him around her 24/7 that spending time without him, even for a few hours, made her miss him.


    Their trip brought them to Venice, Italy. Aiden went to work while she stayed in their room during the day. He promised to have dinner with her, but when he didn''t return, she ordered room service and decided to catch up on her reading until he came back. She fell asleep on the sofa halfway through her book, and that''s where Aiden found her.


    He came back around 5 am, "Sunshine¡­," he kissed her forehead. Sophia slowly opened her eyes and leaned on his chest.


    "What time is it? You''ve been gone a long time. Is everything okay?" she asked.


    "I''m sorry I couldn''t come back for dinner, and you got stuck in the room the whole day. Would you like to take a walk now that I''m here?" Aiden suggested.


    "It''s still dark outside, you want to go right now?" she asked, perplexed.


    "Yeah, it''s okay, we''ll be safe," he reassured.


    They almost had the place to themselves, save for a few people who were on their way home or going to work for the day. Venice was a bustling city during the day, with all the architectural buildings, old cobblestone paths, authentic Italian food, and patisseries, it made anyone want to stay and live in this majestic city.


    "This is the first time I''m going sightseeing, and I''m excited to spend it with you," Sophia smiled up at Aiden. She had never found time to be a tourist whenever she traveled because she always concentrated on her work when she visited new places. It also scared her to travel anywhere alone, not knowing the language or culture of the place she was in.


    Aiden squeezed her hand and said, "Don''t worry, this won''t be the last time. We can go on a vacation whenever and wherever you want to.


    They walked around Venice, down to the Grand Canal, so they could see one of the oldest bridges in Italy, the Ponte di Rialto. Aiden stopped by one of the gondolas. "Let''s take a ride," Aiden took her hand and ushered her into her seat. The canal was not as busy as it would have been, but when a few gondolas came towards them, Sophia got concerned, she did not want to take a swim so early in the morning if they capsized.


    Several gondolas had flowers in them, and at least two others had people with musical instruments. She was surprised when they surrounded their gondola and started playing a very romantic classical song.


    The early morning sun rose on the horizon when Aiden stood up, "What is happening?" Sophia asked.


    Aiden knelt in front of her, and the people holding flowers had spelled Marry Me behind him.


    "Sophia, just like the first rays of the sun, you are the light of my life. My sunshine. The moment I saw you, I realized that you are the one I will marry and live with for the rest of my life. I did everything to have you fall in love with me, and now we are here. I want to show how much I love you until the day I die. Sunshine, please marry me and fulfill my biggest wish," Aiden opened a box he had taken from his breast pocket, and there lay a beautiful customized diamond ring from Belgium.


    It had a square cut diamond in the middle and was surrounded by tiny yellow diamonds on the border. It was the most stunning piece of jewelry she''s seen in her entire life, and Aiden was giving it to her.


    It felt like a beautiful dream. The sunrise coloring the bridge with its orange and yellow rays, the gondola with flowers spelled out, the romantic music, and Aiden baring his soul, asking her to marry him, it felt unreal. It had really touched her heart and wished that if this was a dream, that she would never wake up.


    "Aiden I¡­," She stammered to get the right words out.


    "Sunshine, I was always yours, and you were always mine. Let''s make it official. I cannot wait to make you Mrs. Cooper anymore," Aiden said excitedly.


    Sophia smiled as tears of joy flowed down her face. "Yes, yes." She gave out her hand so Aiden could put on her ring.


    He hugged her tight, "You make me so happy, I cannot wait to start this new chapter of our lives together," Aiden said, looking into her eyes.


    "You are the reason for my happiness, Aiden. Thank you!" Sophia giggled and pecked his lips.


    "Let''s make each other happy for a lifetime," Aiden kissed her, not caring who was watching. Taking his lead, she kissed him passionately. They were in one of the most romantic cities in the world, so why not be romantic?


    When they looked at each other, there was only love in their eyes. Aiden waved to something in the air, it was a drone, he paid someone to document the most magical moment in their life. Something they could watch over later when the excitement has gone down.


    He had planned this proposal for a long time, he pretended to have a business trip that would take him away from her for a long time, hoping that she would ask to come, and she fell for it. He knew their bond was stronger, and there was no way she would agree to part from him for more than a few days. So he gambled, and he won.


    -=-


    A week after their exciting trip, Aiden took Sophia to travel out of town, but as always, he kept the destination a secret. She was used to his impromptu secret trips by now, so she just slept on the car ride.


    "Sophia, wake up. We''re here," he nudged her softly.


    Sophia rubbed her eyes awake and yawned, "Where are we?"


    "Look around," he said as he opened her door so she could step out.


    She felt frozen for a second. Sophia knew this place and longed to come here ever since they sent her to the city. They were in the cemetery where they buried her parents. She never expected in her wildest dreams for Aiden to bring her here.


    Tears were already flowing down her face. "This man is truly exceptional. I''m so glad I''m marrying him."


    "Come on, we have to meet the two most important people in your life," Aiden held her hand as they walked towards her parents. He placed flowers on both their graves.


    "Auntie, Uncle, I am Aiden Cooper, your daughter''s fianc¨¦. She is a very good person, and you have taught her well. I really love Sophia and intend to take care of her all the days of our lives. Please bless our marriage, so you can cast all your worries aside and rest in peace."


    Tears kept on falling down her cheek, and Aiden wiped them with his handkerchief, ''Mom, Dad, your little girl has finally grown up. I''m getting married to this wonderful man who brought me here today. I always wish you were here with me. I always miss you. I love Aiden, and he cherishes me a lot. For the first time after you passed away, I can say that am truly happy, so please shower us with your blessings."


    Aiden squeezed her hand, and after they cleaned their tombs a bit, they both returned to the car.


    "Aiden thanks, for bringing me to see my parents," Sophia said.


    "Silly, you no need to thank me. We will visit your parents as often as you want," Aiden hugged her tight, and she snuggled into his chest and, "You are so good to me."


    "That''s why you should hold on tightly," Aiden said smugly.


    "Of course I will. I will never let go," she murmured.

 Chapter 150 - 149

    Today was Sophia''s big day. Ever since she started dreaming about getting married, she always thought Gavin would be her groom, but she never expected the events to turn out the way they did. A few days ago, she saw the news about Gavin''s lavish wedding to another rich tycoon''s daughter. She wondered why he got hitched to somebody else when he insisted he loved Harper very much just a few months ago.


    When she asked Aiden, he said that Gavin''s family business was facing some difficulty, and they needed that woman''s family to make their business stable. Gavin did not get married to Harper because the Sterling company was about to face bankruptcy, Aiden said he had nothing to do with both their companies failing, but we all know better.


    Aiden mocked that Gavin was a person that loved only himself, he''s so used to his way of life that he would do everything to stay there, even if it meant stepping on other people.


    Sophia was glad that Gavin broke up with her before she established her company, otherwise, she never would have fallen in love with him without knowing who he truly was.


    Sophia was wearing a mermaid-style dress that hugged her body, showing her sexy silhouette.  It had been adorned with pearls throughout the dress, and the translucent sleeves ended with lace on her wrists.


    It had been a fun event for Sophia to plan the wedding, having so many friends and a loving mother-in-law always in hand, ready to help. There was just a moment that she had wished her mother was by her side, but she was glad that she was blessed with the wonderful people around her.


    "Sophia, have you finalized your choice?" Mrs. Cooper asked as she held up two pairs of earrings for her to choose from. "Is it the blue or the yellow earrings?"


    "Mom, I think I want to wear the yellow ones since they match my ring," Sophia had been calling Mrs. Cooper mom, upon her insistence.


    "Use the bronzer that is one shade lighter," Sara instructed the make-up artist. She was overseeing Sophia''s hair and make-up to make sure that she came out looking her best.


    "Mama, mama!" Enzo was running around the venue while waiting for the festivities to start. He also entertained most of the people, since there were not a lot of kids invited to this special event.


    "Baby, why are your shoes muddy?" Aurora took some tissue to wipe his shoes. The maid assigned to Enzo could not keep up.


    "Mama, I found a butterfly in the garden," he gestured with his hands, "It was this big, and I ran to catch it."


    "Okay, remember what I told you? It''s Uncle Aiden and Aunt Sophia''s wedding today, and you have to look good. So no more wandering. Go find dada and stay with him like a good boy," Aurora instructed.


    "Okay, mama," Enzo kissed his mother''s cheek and ran to find his father. They were all in the room trying to assist Aurora with whatever she might need. She got teary-eyed when she remembered her wedding day.


    "Sis, this is the bracelet Leena and Reylond sent for Sophia, they apologize they couldn''t make it as they are both busy overseas right now.'' Ava opened the bracelet box the couple had sent. The bracelet was encrusted in diamonds, but the initials AS had been inlaid with yellow-colored stones. ''This was designed by Leena herself, and now each of us has one," Ava beamed. Leena gave each of the women a bracelet with their initials as a wedding present.


    "Wow! It is so beautiful," Sara said as she laid the trinket on Sophia''s wrist.


    When they heard the music outside playing for the wedding march, the women knew it was time to take their places. Sophia was feeling a little of the wedding jitters, so she took two deep breaths as they placed the veil on her head, the final piece, before she walked down the aisle.


    The venue, thanks to her mother-in-law''s sense of style and fashion, had been decorated with flowers and trimmings that befitted a princess. Blooms had been ordered from every part of the country and the world to accommodate the size of the venue. The lights, music and food preparations, and variety had been outstanding, it was a celebration Sophia would have been part of had she not met Aiden.


    The music that cued her walk down the aisle was playing when she saw a glimpse of Aiden in his tuxedo, all groomed up, with gel in his hair, she would never find a more handsome man than her soon-to-be husband.


    He stopped himself from blinking, afraid he might miss something as Sophia walked down the aisle. She was a vision he would remember forever even after the lights have gone down. He saw a glimpse of her wedding dress before. But on Sophia, it looked much more magnificent.


    The soon-to-be-married couple only had eyes for each other, they stared at one another the moment she walked down the aisle to the time she reached him at the altar.


    "Sophia, you stole my heart in that sunflower field, and in return, I wanted to have yours. Thanks for opening up and giving me a chance. Sunshine, you are the love of my life, and today as you become Mrs. Sophia Cooper, I promise you that I will do everything to make you happy. I will be here for you in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, and all our ups and downs," Aiden slid the wedding band on her finger.


    Sophia smiled, knowing he meant every single word.


    "Aiden, I know I was stubborn and irrational, but I want to thank you for never giving up and being persistent. I never believed in fairy tales until you came, you were my prince charming, gentle, and sincere. You gave me love, and above all else, you gave me the family I craved for. I promised to cherish you and hold your hand as we share all the miracles and turbulence of life. I love you very much Aiden, my husband," Sophia slid the wedding band on his finger.


    They kissed passionately as their friends and family cheered and clapped for their unending love for each other. Mr. and Mrs.Cooper rejoiced, finally, their one and only son were married, and everything felt right in the world.


    For the reception, Sophia changed into a purple gown. It was almost as extravagant as the wedding dress, but this time it was adorned with Swarovski crystals. Aiden matched her with the tie he wore with his grey suit.


    Dimitri brought the men their drinks. "Finally, all the aristocratic heirs are off the market."


    "Yes, strangely, marriage suits us perfectly," Blake added. These four dangerous men who never gave a damn about anyone but themselves now enjoyed having wives, who they dote on regularly. These women are now their priority, and they would fight tooth and nail for them if the need arises.


    Tristan, with his melancholic demeanor, added, "I never expected a day like this would exist." If he did not meet Ava, he would have lived his life in comfort, but it would not have been as joyful and thrilling.


    "Hah! I''m not alone anymore. I don''t need to watch you and your wives display too much affection in front of me," Aiden replied.


    Sara, together with the other women, joined the men after they helped Sophia change into her gown. "What are you talking about?" she asked.


    Blake readily replied as he rubbed her hand on his arm, "We were discussing how it would be nice to give Enzo a playmate," he winked at her.


    Enzo towed by Aurora, chimed in, "Yeah, dada, I need a brother¡­ or a sister. I will give the baby all my toys," he said, cheerfully.


    "Keep bugging your dad, he won''t say no to you," Tristan smirked. They had not planned on having kids yet, so he was passing the torch to someone else.


    Dimitri looked at Aurora with desire in his eyes, and she couldn''t help but lower her eyes as she blushed. All the talk of giving Enzo a baby brother reminded her what they had been up to that morning.


    After the festivities and when everyone had gone home, Aiden and Sophia were now in the wedding chamber preparing for bed.


    "Did I tell you how beautiful you looked today?" Aiden asked.


    "Hmm¡­ nothing short of a thousand times," she smiled.


    Aiden smirked, "Well, how about I show you how beautiful I think you are, now that we are alone?"


    "I don''t know, I am kind of tired," Sophia replied playfully, trying to run away from him.


    Aiden caught her waist and pinned her on the wall. He nuzzled her neck and tickled her sides. They were both being playful as they removed each other''s clothing, "Oh sunshine," Aiden said between kisses, "When I saw you wearing that wedding dress earlier¡­ Hmmm¡­ You don''t know how much¡­ hmmm¡­ I wanted to tear that thing off of you," he laid her on the bed and followed with his exploration.


    "Oh.. these are so soft¡­. these are mine," he said as he kissed and tried to fit her mounds into his mouth, ''Hmmm¡­ delicious.''


    "Here, let me show you where you can touch me," he guided her hands to teach her how to pleasure him.


    "Sophia, just bear with me a little, it''ll sting a bit, then everything will be fine," as he opened a foil packet for protection. Their relationship was still new, and he wanted to enjoy this time alone with her as much as he could.


    He coaxed Sophia and planted kisses everywhere as he slowly entered her, trying to ease her into the transition with as little pain as possible. When she got accustomed to the feel of him inside her, they explored and pleasured each other all night. That night the moon saw the union of two lovers while the rest of the world fell silently asleep.


    The lovers professed their undying devotion to each other until the wee hours of the morning.


    "My sunshine, my life, my love," Aiden took her in his arms and covered them with a blanket.


    "Husband, I love you," Sophia murmured faintly into his neck.


    Aiden planted a kiss on her forehead, staring with wonder and awe at his new wife.


    They have come a long way, and now Sophia will have someone to shield her with an umbrella when the rains come.

 Chapter 151 - 150

    It had been a year and a half since Nicholas got reunited with his long-lost sister Aurora. Because of her re-appearance, his parents had been able to move on from the guilt of not being able to protect their daughter.


    Their mother was improving day by day, and because of his sister''s knowledge as a doctor, she got the most utmost care anybody can get. She started responding to the treatment as soon as Aurora took over. Together with the right food choices, the best medicine, and all the love in her heart, her mother had started walking again.


    Nicholas did not think Dimitri was good enough for his sister, he knew him because they were rivals, but because of his father''s insistence, he gave his brother-in-law a chance, and that was the best decision he''s ever made in his life. His father had been right that Dimitri loved Aurora more than himself, he was loyal and attentive to her needs, and he never failed to make her smile, she loved him just as much. Taking them apart as he planned would have been a disaster.


    And Enzo, the light in his family''s life, his nephew, was just what they needed for their family to be happy again. Nicholas loved and spoiled the kid like he was his own. Since the Santoris and Russo families were now in-laws, there was harmony in their businesses.


    Now that everything has calmed down Mrs. Russo''s attention has turned to Nicholas having his own family. He was not against getting married, he wanted the love his parents had for each other, something that could withstand the test of time. His parents'' love never faltered even in the time of crisis. And that is what he wanted, but he felt that it was not the right time, he was busy with their family business and did not have time spare for a relationship.


    -=-


    Nicholas had just finished his meeting at X restaurant when out of the blue, a woman hugged him. He was on the phone, so it took time to get away from her clutches.


    Lowering his phone from his ear, he loudly whispered, "Hey, who are you?" Nicholas tried to push her with one hand, but she was far stronger than she looked.


    "Shh¡­ keep quiet," she murmured as she held onto him tighter, hiding her face in his shoulder.


    "Adelyn! Adelyn! She was just here," the man looked at Nicholas and the woman he was hugging suspiciously but then decided to walk in the other direction.


    When she was sure the man was gone, her grip loosened. She looked around to make sure he was nowhere in sight and ran the other way.


    Nicholas had a brief glimpse of the woman who had accosted him before she disappeared.


    She had a heart-shaped face, her skin fair, very expressive eyes, and she had very nice kissable lips. What surprised him was that she had been tall enough to have her head under his chin. He was 6''2", and women needed to wear very high heels to measure up to his shoulders as that woman did.


    In the little time he got to look at her, he noticed that she had nice features albeit being covered with too much make-up, and lips too red which made her look like a seductress. She also had an attractive figure encased in a tight-fitting gown and the top of her cleavage teasing him under a sweetheart neckline. Adelyn was the type of woman who would attract everyone''s attention everywhere she went.


    "Adelyn," he thought of her name as he drove away with his driver. The strong smell of perfume permeated his thoughts, and he remembered the way she clung to him, her strong smell had lingered in his coat jacket. He did not like women who smelled like they bathed in perfume, so he took the coat jacket off and cast it aside.


    -=-


    "Sister, I am so sorry I was discussing your new project with the director," Adelyn''s assistant apologized, ''You look flustered, did something happen?"


    "Nah, I think I evaded Viggo successfully, I can''t see him anymore, so he must have left. He was forcing me to dance with him, and I hid from him," Adelyn replied.


    Her assistant walked them to the doors, "Hopefully, he will give up after a few days. Let''s go home. Don''t worry too much about it."


    Adelyn was a third-tier actress, she usually starred as the third lead in movies and television series, she would appear in around 5 to 6 episodes, nothing significant to the story, just another character to take the lead look better. She rarely gets second-lead, and when she does, her characters were mostly that of a mistress, a troublemaker, or someone unscrupulous.


    She was very beautiful and talented enough to be the main lead, but she did not like long schedules and working too much. Modeling was her first love, and she would rather do that all day, but not many people wanted her because she was not well-known in the industry.


    One could say that Adelyn was a pretty normal person that had an average life. Her childhood was nothing special, she was an only child, which probably attributed to her wanting to get her way all the time. Her talents consisted of singing, dancing, and playing the piano. But with mediocre grades, she had no future other than the entertainment industry.


    When she announced to her parents that she wanted to be an actress, they got worried. They knew how she operated, and this was a job she could succeed in if she put in the hard work, though without any connections, it would be difficult to survive this glamorous world.


    But when they finally saw one of her dramas, her parents understood that she was good at it. The only thing that held her back was her inability to work on one project at a tim. She loved having time to pamper herself, and working too much will prevent her from spending time with her close-knit set of friends and going out whenever she wanted to.


    Viggo''s family has always been in the background of the entertainment industry, his father was a well-known producer of films that never failed to receive awards.  He was good-looking and loved riding on his father''s name, partying in the clubs, and dating a new girl each week.


    He chanced upon Adelyn 2 months ago, and she had never given him the time of day, and he saw that as a challenge and has chased her ever since then. Charming her with jewelry, designer bags, flowers, cakes, drinks, food, you name it, and he had sent it, but Adelyn politely rejected all his gifts. She had never been in a relationship before, but it was clear that this was not what she wanted. Not Viggo and his sweet words and empty promises.


    Viggo offered her the moon, better roles, better movies, and make her the most popular actress of her time. But she wanted none of that, she did not want to be a workaholic who had no friends, and the more she rejected him, the more adamant he became. Of course, he was doing all of this because he was lusting after her, she had the right curves in the right places, and her face was something that haunted his dreams, and he had to have her.


    At the party, Viggo got a little too drunk, and he was forcing her to dance with him, but since all eyes were on them, she could not make a scene. And when she asked to be excused, he follower her. So she grabbed the first person she saw and tried to hide.


    Note-


    Hi everyone , as this book is ending soon I request you to leave a review .

 Chapter 152 - 151

    The Russo family had made their peace with the Santoris family, but both of their families still had many enemies, and today one of them was trying to assassinate Nicholas. His driver was skilled, but he was no match for the two cars that tried to run them off the road. They veered off an unmarked exit and hit a rock, immobilizing their vehicle, so Nicholas, his driver, and bodyguards decided to split up, to throw them off his scent.


    He called for backup and started walking deeper into a remote wooded area at least a half-hour from the city, it would take time for his men to get there, so he needed to hide.


    Adelyn had been filming a periodic drama in the same area for a late-night scene when she saw a familiar figure walking down the road.


    "Hello there! Were you at Hotel X a couple of nights ago?" she asked as the driver stopped the car in front of Nicholas.


    "No," he answered. Which had her do a double-take, and look at him more closely.


    "I know you''re the same guy I met that night. Are you waiting for a lift? I can drop you home," she suggested. All her ideas had been shut down when Nicholas said no to all of them.


    This guy is so stingy with words, she thought.


    "Come on, it''s difficult to get a cab around here. Nobody else will offer you a ride," she was trying to return the favor when he helped her hide from Viggo, and he was trying to make it difficult for her.


    Nicholas was about to reject her again when his phone buzzed. He got a message from one of his guys that said his backup came, but they encountered their enemies, so he could either lay low and wait for them or get out if he could.


    His expression turned rigid, "Okay, you can drop me off at the metro," he said it like he was doing her a favor.


    Adelyn smiled with her small victory but was disappointed when Nicholas said he wanted to go to the train station. ''Oh well, at least I have at least 30 minutes to get to know him," she thought.


    She openly stared at him the whole ride, liking what she was seeing. He looked like his skin was tanned, probably from being outdoors a lot, which made her wonder what he did for a living. Did it involve using the muscles he hid under his suits? She wanted to touch his muscled arms but refrained from doing so when she noticed he was staring at her dangerously.


    His eyes told her to back off. "Too bad, you look very handsome, if only you were more approachable," she thought. The dirt and mud on his clothes and shoes did not turn her off, she did not know why he was walking outside the city, but she knew that he was not poor because of the rare watch he was wearing on his wrist and the expensive Italian shoes on his feet.


    "So, what were you doing alone on the road? Where was your driver? Do you know that it''s dangerous to roam in the area I picked you up from?" She asked, a little concerned, but he just dismissed her questions.


    "Hmm..."


    "I can drop you at our house, taking the metro will take time," she suggested trying to convince him to tell her where he lived. Adelyn was very talkative, whereas Nicholas acted like he would lose a dollar for every word he spoke.


    "It''s fine, I can manage," he turned towards the window to end the conversation. She smirked at his reply but kept sneaking glances at him from time to time.


    When they reached the train station, Nicholas jumped out of the car without saying thank you or goodbye.


    After he disappeared from her sight, she remembered that she never asked for his name.


    -=-


    The next day, Adelyn is on the set studying her lines when a bouquet of fresh-cut red roses appears in front of her. She scoffed, knowing who sent her the flowers.


    "Your cheeks are probably softer than those petals. I would love to have a feel if you''d let me," Viggo smiled and sat on the seat in front of her.


    "Ugh, so cheesy," she thought, making her cringed. He was a little too forward for her taste and a little loud when it came to clothing choices. The shirts he wore always had some garish kind of animal or floral prints. Some days she thought he was more primped than she was, with his manicured fingernails, neatly trimmed hair, and stylish clothing.


    Adelyn ignored him and continued memorizing her lines.


    "Adelyn, where did you go during the party at Hotel X? I went looking for you, but you disappeared," Viggo said, not minding that she ignored the flowers he gave her.


    "I went home early ", she replied, not lifting her head.


    "Adelyn, I have tickets for the new concert, I''ll pick you up at 8? Viggo asked.


    " I am not interested, please leave me alone I cannot concentrate," Adelyn slapped the table lightly.


    "Adelyn, why are you so unreasonable, I like you, and you''re lucky I choose you to be my girlfriend. I suggest you take what I''m giving you. This offer will not last forever. I can make your life worse than this," he said arrogantly.


    Because of her constant rejection, Viggo made her his project. "Instead of being grateful that I am willing to date her, she keeps on rejecting me. I will bend you to my will. You''ll see, eventually, every woman falls into my hands. You just need extra work," he thought. He was not courting Adelyn to marry her, as soon as he gets her to bed, she will be forgotten.


    "Come on, one date," Vigoo nagged.


    "No. I will be busy that day," she clenched her teeth.


    He raised his eyebrows and mocked, "Oh really? Doing what?"


    "Meeting my boyfriend," Adelyn blurted out, the panic reflected in her face. Viggo tried to catch her expression, but with her head bent down pretending to read her script, she was able to hide it well.


    He laughed out loud, "Adelyn stop lying, I checked your records, and you''ve been very much single since the day you were born," Viggo smirked.


    Adelyn would not let him win, "Not everything about my life has been written down, in some record. We just got together recently because he came back from aboard. I did not want our relationship to affect my work, so we kept a low profile," she lied already, so it does not matter whether if the lie is small or big.


    "I want to meet him, this boyfriend of yours, bring him to the met gala," Viggo challenged her confidently.


    The Met Gala was the biggest party in the entertainment industry. All the people in the industry gather at this party every year to establish connections, catch up with old friends and find new ones. This is the event a celebrity goes to be seen and recognized, to be assigned new projects, or to be gossiped about.


    For one night a year, all the celebrities, big and small, gather together to pretend to be nice, like each other, and smile though they are all vying for the same job.


    Adelyn frowned, she enjoyed coming to this party because she gets to dress up. Now Viggo is going to ruin it for her. Where is she going to get a fake boyfriend within a week?


    Note - If you have read so far and enjoyed , please leave a review.

 Chapter 153 - 152

    During the preparations for the Met Gala, designers all over the country would send all their latest creations to the top actresses hoping their designs would be worn on the red carpet.


    And unlike these top actresses, Adelyn had to shop for her gown for the event.


    She was on her way to the clothing section when she spotted the same man who saved her from Viggo and whom she dropped off at the train station.


    "Mr! Mr!... Hello! Wait!" she called out as she ran after him. With his long strides, he easily left her behind. A few minutes later, she catches up to him when he entered a toy shop.


    "Hey... I''ve¡­. been calling you.... for a while, why didn''t you stop?" Adelyn complained as she tried to catch her breath. Nicholas looked at her with an annoyed expression, "Why is this woman always following me?"


    "I am Adelyn, by the way, what''s your name?" she smiled, holding out her hand, he ignores her and checks out the toys nearest him.


    "We''ve met three times already, don''t you think I should at least know your name?" she asked.


    "Nicholas," he said curtly, trying to be dismissive.


    "So, Nicholas are you buying toys for your kids?" she inquired. He kept quiet, hoping that his silence implied he was married and that would drive her away.


    Adelyn looked at his hands to see if he wore a ring, "So no wedding band means you''re getting something for your niece or nephew. I can help you with that," she offered.


    He waved his hand, "I know what I''m doing." Then proceeded to add more toys to his cart. "Wow, you got a lot of gaming consoles there. Some of them are the same. Tell me about this kid''s age and gender, and I will pick the right one for you," she had no boundaries as she rifled through the items in his cart like she had the authority to do it.


    Nicholas'' patience was running out, he just wanted to get rid of her already, "Fine, my nephew is 7."


    "Ohhh.. you just need this console for him, with these games, and he will love you forever," she replied with a smug smile.


    While he was paying at the counter, Adelyn had a bright idea pop into her head. She debated for a few minutes, but there was no harm in trying.


    "Nicholas," she said in her sweetest voice, "I''ve helped you twice now, don''t you think you owe me a favor?"


    "No," he said dismissively.


    She smirked, "Ugh! This guy doesn''t even have manners," she cursed at him inside her head. But then outside, she gave him her sweetest smile, "I know deep inside you want to help me, but you think I might ask for something too big, right?"


    Nicholas stared at her, wondering what was going on inside her head. He wanted to walk away, but she had a point. If Enzo likes his toy, he will owe her two favors.


    "You see, I''m a very generous person, I won''t ask for something grand. It''s something easy. All you need to do is show up," she batted her eyelashes at him.


    "I can''t," he replied.


    "What? I haven''t told you what I wanted. See, here''s the thing, I bet you''ve heard about the Met gala right, it''s the most famous party in the country. They''re holding it this Friday, and I need you to come with me¡­ as my boyfriend," she said the last three words faintly, ashamed of what she was asking of him.


    Nicholas heard her clearly and narrowed his eyes.


    "Fake¡­ fake boyfriend, I just need you to act as my fake boyfriend for one night," she explained.


    When she saw the frown on his face, she added, "So this is the biggest event in the country, and not a lot of people can get in. I am providing your access to the hottest party you''ve ever been to. All the most beautiful women in the country will be there. Seeing that you do not have a wife, maybe you''ll meet someone. I already have the ticket, so all you need is to be there. This place will have the best food, wine, and music. It will be a very enjoyable night. So, whichever way you look at it, you''ve hit the jackpot for just being there," she smiled at him convincingly.


    Adelyn reminded him of the salespeople who sold insurance off the street, they will tell you all kinds of lies, so you''d buy what they were selling. He walked away after her spiel, not willing to waste another precious minute of his time.


    "Remember to be there on time," she screamed at his retreating form.


    She sighed, it did not go as she had planned, but still prayed that somehow Nicholas would change his mind and show up at the event.


    What she didn''t know was that Nicholas did not need a party to attract women. He was Nicholas Russo, and women threw themselves at him all the time. All he needed was to lift a finger, and they come running towards him.


    -=-


    Enzo ran towards him as soon as he saw his car stop in the driveway. "Uncle, I missed you. Did you get me any new gifts?" he tried to look into his car to see if he had anything.


    As soon as Nicholas saw his nephew, his frosty exterior changed into a gentle smile, ruffling his hair and planting a kiss on his adorable cheeks, "Hey Enzo, when did you get here? Nobody told me you guys were going to be here today."


    "Mama said she wanted to see granny, so we came this morning," Enzo replied.


    "I bought you several things, but I have a special toy just for you, do you want to see it?" They took the boxes from the trunk of his car and set them up in the living room.


    "Brother you came home early, mom said you were returning later tonight," Aurora said.


    He nodded, "I finished with work early so we could go on that picnic this weekend. I told Dmitri about it already."


    "Yes, he told me. I''m excited, mom needs to spend a lot of time outdoors to recover more quickly," she replied.


    Enzo had been busy opening all the boxes, but when he saw the play station, he squealed, "Uncle, this is my most favorite one. Thank you!" He hugged and kissed Nicholas excitedly.


    "I''m glad you like it," Nicholas replied.


    "Let''s have lunch Enzo, we will play with that later," Aurora instructed.


    Enzo could not stop talking about his play station, talking about all the games he was going to play on it, some he''s already played with at his friend''s house. Nicholas thought Adelyn was right, helping him with the game choice got him up on the uncle scale.


    Note - If you have read so far and enjoyed , please leave a review.

 Chapter 154 - 153

    It was the night for the Met Gala, and amidst the blazing lights, everybody was in high spirits except for Adelyn. She felt so high-strung, anticipating Viggo to pop up any moment to ask her where her boyfriend was, and she had none to show him.


    "Maybe I should have stayed at home. I opened my mouth, and now I''m in so much trouble," she thought as she stood near the doors, waiting for Nicholas, hoping he would come.


    And right when she thought of him, the devil appeared. Viggo saunters to her side, holding a glass of champagne.


    "Adelyn, looking beautiful as always. Where is your boyfriend? Did he ditch you?" He taunted.


    "He did not ditch me, we even went shopping for this dress together," she defended.


    "Oh! Where is he then? Wait, is he a low-grade nobody that''s why you are so ashamed to bring him?" He mocked.


    He had a doubt that Adelyn may be in love with a ordinary worker and could not bring him to glam world as it will lower her celebrity status.


    "Stop with the insults, he will be here soon," she clenched her teeth, wanting to sock him in the face.


    He chuckled, "Well, we have the whole night, so I guess we''ll see who this guy really is."


    Adelyn exhaled loudly when Viggo was out of sight. She tried to enjoy the party, but since she had no date and did not know too many people, she stood mostly by herself. Her standing in the entertainment industry was not that high, so she just had a few people that said hi, but people mostly avoided her because they did not know her.


    She was thinking of going to the buffet table when she saw Nicholas, "Oh, here''s my knight in shining armor," she thought to herself.


    Nicholas stood at the entrance to the Met Gala, he frowned as he looked at all the people gathered for this one event. He never liked mingling with these people since most of their concerns were usually trivial, nothing to do with his business. He was only here tonight because one of his friends had a brother who was producing a drama and was facing financial problems. The brothers were supposed to meet Nicholas tonight to talk about him investing in their project, he reluctantly agreed since they''ve been very good friends for years.


    "Nicholas!" Adelyn rushed towards him happily.


    Nicholas had long since forgotten Adelyn''s request and was surprised when she called his name. He thought of her as just another woman who wanted to get into his good graces.


    "Oh my gosh, thank god you came, I was so stressed, and I could not eat. But now that you''re here, I can eat my favorite pastry without choking on it," she rambled on.


    Fake boyfriend, Nicholas suddenly remembered. "About that¡­," he wanted to tell her the truth of why he came when Viggo interrupted him.


    Viggo had been keeping an eye on Adelyn the whole time, so when she spotted him with another man, he had to investigate. "So who is this, Adelyn?" he asked with suspicion in his eyes?


    She held Nicholas'' arm, "This is my boyfriend, Nicholas. He was apologizing for arriving late. He came from work, where he works very hard, unlike some people I know, doing nothing all the time."


    "Are you talking about me?" Viggo exploded, " How dare you?"


    This third tier actress has so much guts to talk back to a producer''s son , he could not tolerate this.


    "When did I say it was you," she interrupted his tirade, "It was a casual remark, if it offended you, then that''s not my problem, is it," she ended arrogantly.


    "Hmmm.. suddenly you found some courage just because your boyfriend is standing next to you. The question is, is he truly your boyfriend or just some man you randomly picked for this occasion," he remarked.


    Having Nicholas beside made Adelyn braver. His height, the mystery shrouding his identity, and his deadly stare made her feel protected. Having him gave her the chance to talk back to Viggo.


    "Stop spouting nonsense. You said it yourself, I am beautiful, so why can''t I have someone like him as my boyfriend?" It made her nervous that Viggo saw beyond her ruse, but she was an actress, so she just played the part.


    Viggo stared at Nicholas and acknowledged that he was handsome, but there was something about him he could not put his foot on. He looked formidable in his clothing and the way he stood, but he noticed that he didn''t really step in to defend Adelyn, so Viggo knew there was more to their relationship.


    "Excuse me, I see a few people waving at me. Don''t think you''ve escaped," he warned her and left.


    Adelyn rolled her eyes, then she turned towards Nicholas, "That actually¡­.," but she was interrupted.


    "I don''t need your explanation. I''m here for work," Nicholas dismissed her lengthy explanation which would probably bore him anyway.


    "Oh, okay, sure. I''m grateful for your help. Do you mind if I tag along with you?" Adelyn asked, she did not want Viggo to come back and bother her again before she was ready to go home. She was here to enjoy the party and to be seen, not to worry about him the whole time.


    Nicholas frowned about to refuse her request, "Please, I just need him off my back. I won''t disturb you. If it''s confidential, I''ll stay away," she said with puppy dog eyes.


    "Hm," he grunted but nodded anyway.


    "Yay!," she said, cheerfully and followed him. If he was there , she can let go of all worries as Viggo will not bother her again tonight.


    He looked at her for a second, she just reminded him of Enzo, who said the same thing when he was happy.


    Note- If you have read so far and enjoyed , please leave a review. It helps the book to reach more audience.

 Chapter 155 - 154

    Adelyn had finished shooting her part in the drama she was starring in, and she was hungry for lunch.


    "Ohhh¡­ What is the occasion? Why lunch so fancy?" she asked when she saw the buffet table laid out with food.


    Someone replied, "Viggo, the son of the award-winning producer wanted to treat everyone, so he brought all of these delicious delicacies to us."


    It sounded suspicious, but she would never say no to free food, so she grabbed a plate and selected all her favorite dishes. Viggo took the opportunity to sit in front of her while she was eating, "How do you like the food?" he asked, then added, "This is all for you."


    She wondered what the occasion was, "For me? Why? It''s not my birthday."


    "Well, I don''t know if you remember, I invited you to the lunch, but you declined. So I didn''t want to bring food only for you and make everyone jealous, so I included everyone," he was showing off to win her favor. But she was not falling for it.


    "I introduced you to my boyfriend at the Met, or did you forget? He''s the jealous type, so I would suggest you stay away from me," she said.


    "Stop fooling me. That guy was not your boyfriend." Viggo raised an eyebrow when she didn''t reply. "What does he have that I don''t?"


    Adelyn was about to argue when she spotted Nicholas at the doors. "Oh my gosh, the gods are smiling down on me right now. Thank you!" she praised the heavens.


    "See, he came to see me," she boasted.


    Viggo clenched his fists. It was supposed to be his and Adelyn''s time to get closer. She was supposed to grovel at his feet for bringing her lunch, but now Nicholas had ruined his plans. "Ugh! Asshole!" he muttered under his breath. He did not care if they were sleeping together, all he wanted was Adelyn, and he was going to have her.


    "Nicholas! Nicholas!" Adelyn waved wildly as she left Viggo by himself.


    Nicholas looked at the person trying to get his attention and his mood soured when he saw Adelyn. "Why is this girl everywhere?"


    Adelyn smiled at him, "Are you here for work?" He didn''t answer.


    "Come have lunch with us, somebody is catering our food today," she scanned the crowd for Viggo.


    "Hopefully, that pest is not going to bother me again," she thought.


    "I ate already. I have to go. Someone''s waiting for me," he excused himself.


    The sun had gone down by the time Adelyn finished the rest of her shots, she was worried that her driver was running late, he had gone earlier to have the car serviced and hasn''t heard from him since.


    Nicholas had just ended his big meeting with the director and was ready to head home. "Hey Nicholas, do you mind giving me a lift? Everyone in the set is leaving, and I haven''t heard from my driver. I would get a cab, but it''s hard to get one out here, please," she requested.


    He looked around, and just a few people were loitering around, and they didn''t look like they were friendly with Adelyn. "Fine, you can ride with me. Give the driver your address."


    From the minute she sat inside the car, she talked non-stop. Telling him about her day, what her role was in the drama, talking about the actors included in it, and so on. She would stop for air once in a while, which Nicholas thought was the end of her chattering, but he was wrong, she had the energy of a 5-year old kid that ate too much chocolate.


    He tried to tune out her voice, but then she started asking him questions, "So, will you be visiting the sets frequently?"


    Nicholas touched the bridge of his nose, trying to dispel his growing headache, "I guess¡­," he answered.


    "The lead actress was asking about you, you know her right? She''s very beautiful and talented, I want to be her someday. She wants to get close to you, so if you are attracted to her, I will put in a good word for you," Adelyn winked mischievously.


    "Not interested. Don''t encourage her," Nicholas said sternly.


    "Why? She is the talk of the town, a lot of men are chasing after her. You''re lucky you caught her attention. You know one time¡­," She kept on singing praises about the actress.


    "Enough, if you say one more word, I will throw you out of the car," Nicholas snapped angrily. His silence usually made people fear him, and the tone he just used had his opponents shivering in their boots.


    Adelyn''s eyes widened as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She always assumed that Nicholas was just the silent type, and giving her a lift gave her the impression that he was friendly. Her teasing might have gone too far-seeing that she just made him angry beyond reprieve. "Uh oh," she thought while biting her lower lip.


    She turned towards the window, and for the next ten minutes, there was complete silence in the car. Nicholas looked at the back of her head, "Maybe I was too harsh. Should I say something?"


    He raised his hand. "A¡­" the driver stopped the car, and Adelyn jumped out as if she couldn''t wait to get out of there fast enough. But then Adelyn turned back and shouted, "I''ll still tell her how nice you are," she stuck out her tongue and made a funny face.


    "Hey!" he shouted back, wanting to scold her, but she ran out of his sight.


    After the driver pulled away, his face relaxed, his lips forming into a tiny smile.


    Adelyn laughed on the way to her house as she recalled the shock in his face when her prank registered. She always had a sunny disposition, and she never kept any grudges. It was the reason she got along well with her peers.


    The next day Nicholas came back to the set, and just like Adelyn said, the lead actress approached him.


    She had been watching them from afar, and it didn''t look like the conversation was going well. The actress tried to act demure, tucking her hair behind her ear, looking at Nicholas from under her lashes, and giving him her secret smile, all to attract him. But Nicholas frowned and must have said something rude because the next instant, the lead actress ran away from him with her head bent, looking upset.


    Adelyn shook her head, "How can he reject an innocent woman just like that?" After that incident, no one dared to come near Nicholas again, except for her. She did not fear him, he was like a dog who barked a lot, but never bit anyone.

 Chapter 156 - 155

    As time passed by, Adelyn started to notice distinct features about Nicholas. How he always wore a serious expression on his face, never smiling. Suits in varying shades of Grey are the only suits he wore, and these, together with his accessories, come from one specific brand. This told her that he was very picky about his choices.


    When she asked him what his hobbies were, he said he had none. He was a workaholic, working from the moment he woke up to the time he closed his eyes.


    Nicholas joined the crew and celebrities for a team lunch, but he stood out like a sore thumb, not only because his looks surpassed that of the celebrities present but also because he kept a distance from everybody. He got irritated when women sat beside him and started chattering to get his attention. Another thing that set him apart from everybody was that his eating habits equaled the British royalty.


    He was everything Adelyn wished she could be, reserved, hardworking, smart, and very disciplined. The only thing she did not like was that he grunted his answers as if it was an effort to answer her questions.


    Adelyn realized she had fallen in love with Nicholas. She knew he had no feelings for her whatsoever, but this instance proved that opposites attracted each other. And she would do everything to make this work.


    Her first order of business was to get his phone number.


    "Nicholas, can you help me find my phone. I seemed to have lost it. Do you mind making it ring?" she asked, adding panic in her voice to convince him of her desperation.


    He handed her his phone, so she could do it herself. When her bag started making a noise, he looked at her suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.


    "Oh no, that''s where it is,'' she feigned innocence, ''I had so many things in my bag I didn''t see it. You know what they say about women''s purses, it''s like Pandora''s box," she explained.


    "No, I don''t," he said grumpily.


    "Oh, there is always a first time for everything," Adelyn skipped away from him happily now that she accomplished her task.


    "Childish," Nicholas murmured as he shook his head. He figured she had an IQ of a high school student, a good thing she had her looks to rely on, otherwise, life would have been so hard for her.


    -=-


    Nicholas was in his study, late that night when he got a message on his phone that read, "Guess who?"


    After a couple of minutes, another message popped up, "Come on, it''s so easy to guess. You just saw me."


    He ignored her message. There were far more important things for him to concentrate on.


    "I''m a little fairy. If you say my name, I will grant you three wishes," appeared another message.


    His phone was dinging so much he thought it was something important from his sister perhaps, or his brother-in-law? But when he checked the messages, they half-annoyed and half-amused him.


    "ADELYN!!!" he scolded over the text.


    "Awww¡­ this little fairy is happy that you guessed her name correctly. Now give me your wishes?" she sent followed with a lot of smiley icons.


    "First wish. Stop texting me," he sent and went back to work.


    "That''s not possible. If you ignore this fairy, she may curse you for life."


    "What do you want?" he asked.


    "I''m just bored. What are you doing?" she was wearing a face mask while she laid on the couch.


    "Work. Don''t you have an outdoor shoot coming up? Go rest, the sun will reveal all your wrinkles," he sent.


    "Ohhh¡­ are you coming to the set?" she asked.


    "Probably on the last day," he replied.


    The drama was coming to an end, and the last day at the set would probably mean she would never see him again. So she panicked and thought about what she would do to confess her feelings.


    The next day Adelyn instructed her driver to go home early, she would grab a ride from Nicholas after work. When they reached her house, Adelyn mustered all her courage, "Nicholas, I want to tell you something."


    "Hmm¡­.," Nicholas nodded, waiting for her to continue.


    "Do you mind if we talk by the trees?" Adelyn asked. They stood under a grove of trees as the breeze swayed the branches, muffling the sound of the noise around them.


    "I like you Nicholas, and it''s not just an infatuation, nor am I saying this to get any benefits. I just don''t want to complicate my life by bottling what I feel. I know we are from two different worlds, but I will do my best, so can you consider giving me a chance?" Adelyn bravely revealed though she felt nervous.


    Nicholas was stunned, not because Adelyn confessed to him or because it touched his heart. Her confession had no-frills and whistles. It was simple and straight to the point. He liked that she did not praise herself or talk of her undying love. She did not use big romantic words and declare that she could never live without him in her life.


    But rejection was his answer, "Sorry, but I currently have no plans of settling down."


    Adelyn stared silently into his eyes, and after a minute, she said okay and walked away. He had been waiting for her to convince him, tell him how he did not know what he was losing by rejecting her affection. And it really annoyed him when she did none of that. He walked back to his car in a daze, never even noticed when the driver pulled away to head home.


    She knew she was going to get rejected, so she did not feel as sad as the actress who confessed to him and ran away in tears. Plus he wasn''t rude to her, so maybe she still had a chance?


    To cheer herself up she ordered a big meal for dinner and took a soak in the tub. Tomorrow will be another day, and she would have to figure out what to do next. She would not let Nicholas, the first man she''s taken a liking to slip through her fingers so easily.


    On the other side, Nicholas felt a little bit disturbed by the turn of events, but he just buried himself with work, not bothering to figure out the workings of the mind of a woman he barely knew.


    It seems like this might be the start of something new for these two misfits.


    Note-


    The main story has already been completed. Now I am writing two short stories, first one is Nicholas and Adelyn , second is Matthew and Daisy (If you don''t remember they are Dimitri''s parents). Both the stories will be around 10-15 chapters , so it will be fast paced and only important events will be written. After this the third and last installment of aristocratic series "Bewitched his soul " will be started .


    My initial plan was to complete this novel this month but then I took my first dose of vaccine and was little unwell . Now I am okay and will try to write as quickly as possible. I think this book may get extended up to August first week.

 Chapter 157 - 156

    A week had passed since Adelyn has confessed to Nicholas. She had been so busy because the lead actress was going abroad to shoot another movie, so they needed to shoot all the scenes she was in before she left.


    And because of the sudden time crunch and her good fortune in getting a part in the big-budget movie, the lead actress decided to treat everybody to a meal at a very posh hotel. Adelyn went because she has never been to the hotel before, and of course, because of the free meal. She searched for the lipstick in her clutch when it jumped out and rolled away from her, bumping into somebody''s foot. "Hey, don''t step¡­" she yelled and saved it before it became mush.


    When she lifted her head, it was Nicholas, her face bloomed as she stood up excitedly. "Nicholas, it''s you!"


    His expression looked stoic, but upon closer inspection, his pupils dilated when he saw her, depicting a change in his emotions.


    "I''m here for a lunch meeting," he replied impassively.


    "Oh yeah, me too! They''re in one of the private rooms right now," she answered.


    For a few brief moments, there was an awkward silence that descended upon them. Nicholas felt uncomfortable because of her confession, so without really thinking, he asked, "Do you want to join me?"


    Adelyn was over the moon. "Really? Are you inviting me to have lunch with you? Let me call somebody to let them know I''m not coming."


    He regretted his decision the minute she agreed. It was the right thing to say, he thought, not expecting her to agree with him. And because he was meeting his business associates he thought it better for them to have lunch separately. Entertaining Adelyn and talking business at the same time would not work for him.


    "Don''t you think it''s fate that we keep on meeting unexpectedly like this?" Adelyn asked.


    "No," he said with a curt reply.


    "Well, you can''t deny that out of the millions of people out there, it''s uncanny that we keep on bumping into each other," she justified.


    "What rubbish. Just eat your food," Nicholas said.


    He was nitpicking every move she made, use the serving spoon, move your water glass aside, use your fork.


    "Are you here to watch me eat?" she asked as she picked up one of the rolls by hand, "So... did you miss me?


    "No," he denied.


    "You didn''t even think of me once?" she teased.


    "No," even though she crossed his mind once or twice, "I have a busy schedule, and I am too tired to think about anything else."


    He narrowed his eyes at her, ''Why is she expecting me to miss her when she was the one who declared she''d fallen for me?"


    "You''ve been working hard lately, have you not?" he raised his eyebrow and mocked her. He''s known her for over a month and had gotten used to her lax attitude, texting him whenever she had nothing to do, but the past week, she hardly sent him a message.


    "Yeah, I have. We had a last-minute schedule change because the lead actress needs to be available for another film," she replied.


    When they finished eating, she looked at their bill and gave it to him, "You need to pay for this."


    Nicholas was obviously going to pay without her saying, but since she insisted, he wanted to tease her.


    "I was thinking, maybe we should split it," Nicholas said seriously.


    "No way, I''m just a small actress, if that lead actress was not sponsoring the meal, do you think I would be here?" Adelyn asked.


    He shook his head, "Can''t you at least watch your tongue?" dumbfounded by her frankness. It surprised him that she didn''t even try to be charming for him to foot the bill.


    "It''s too much work to be charming all the time. My life is not splashed on the front page of any magazine, so I do not need to watch what I say," Adelyn replied.


    He did not understand her logic, so he just paid the bill.


    They were standing in the lobby, "Nicholas¡­," she trailed.


    "I cannot give you a lift. I''m heading towards the opposite direction," he said even before she could force him to drive her home again.


    "Oh, I don''t expect you to do that. I was going to ask if you were free this weekend," she looked up at him, "There''s a new movie coming out, and I wanted to see it."


    "I have a meeting this weekend, and I have no interest to sit somewhere for 2 hours doing nothing," he replied, rejecting her invitation.


    "Oh okay, no problem, but if you change your mind, just call me," she said


    Nicholas knew 100% that he was never going to agree with her suggestion, so he didn''t reply.


    -=-


    His parents were getting desperate for their son to have a relationship of his own. After they found their daughter, Aurora, they turned their concentration on him. It was time for him to be happy and find someone to love, but he was too busy taking care of the family business.


    So they took it in their hands and arranged blind dates for him. This weekend they had tricked him into meeting one of them. He thought she was quite pretty and smart, being one of the top executives at the company she worked at. It had been very interesting when they started talking. Maybe this woman was someone he could share his life with, he thought. But after a while, he became bored when all she talked about were her accomplishments, her projects, and her business. He felt like she had no substance, bringing to attention his idea for his ideal type of woman. She had to be mature, smart, and they should have at least something in common, not necessarily business. Because as he discovered that can be too boring too fast.


    He wanted someone who had a career but did not let her career rule her life. It would be nice to go home to a wife who would welcome him at the end of the day, relaxed in each other''s company, doing anything else but discuss work.


    So when his phone rang, he thanked the heavens for sending the person calling him right now. It was Adelyn, and she had impeccable timing. "I''m on my way," he said loud enough for his date to realize that he was not staying. And because he said yes to her movie invitation, Nicholas just felt it right that he should honor that commitment.

 Chapter 158 - 157

    Adelyn and Nicholas are sitting in a movie theater, she had chosen a romantic comedy, and since it was a very much anticipated movie, the theatre was packed.


    It was the first time he was watching a romance film, and he tried to be enthusiastic but not even 20 minutes into the film, and he was already irritated. The plot, according to him, was unreasonable, the actors too dramatic, the dialogue too cheesy, and he felt like it was more suited for teenagers.


    Instead of watching the movie, he watched Adelyn. She had a twinkle in her eye the whole time, and she sighed and laughed at all the right places when he couldn''t even understand half the jokes. "Do you want some popcorn?" She asked of him when Adelyn saw him looking at her.


    After a few more minutes, when Adelyn sneaked a glance, he was asleep. It could be several things that lulled him, the AC being nice and cool, the dark surroundings, or the movie bored him too much he could not resist closing his eyes.


    Adelyn shook her head, she was just glad he made it today, she half-expected him to decline and make excuses, but for some reason, he was there. And it made her happy that they were having their first date. She was planning to create more romantic moments between them like whispering in his ear, touching his hand to pass the popcorn or the drinks, something she could do in the dark and he couldn''t disagree to unless he wanted to get scolded.


    While people were filing out of the theatre, an idea flashed through her mind, she made the victory sign with her fingers and took pictures of them using the selfie mode with the camera in her phone.


    "Nicholas, wake up!" she shook him awake. A few seconds later, he slowly opened his eyes and massaged his forehead.


    "What? The movie''s already over?" he asked, pretending to have watched the film.


    Adelyn crossly replied, "It''s been two hours, and you slept through it. You''re unbelievable." She wanted him to feel bad.


    But he replied, "Choose a better movie next time," like he did nothing wrong.


    "Next time?" her smile widened, "You want to watch a movie with me again?"


    "I didn''t say that," he got up to put on his coat, "It was a figure of speech. I don''t understand why people pay to watch this nonsense."


    "It''s called experiencing life, not everything in life should make sense," she was offended.


    "Fine, whatever," he sighed.


    Adelyn''s life looked very colorful, never letting small things bother her too much. She told him that she liked living in the present, making sure that the past does not repeat itself. Small things like the smell of a new book, a cup of tea, the fragrance of flowers, and the rain made her happy. Nicholas wished his life could be that easy.


    They were driving home, and she wanted more time with him, thinking that him sleeping in the theatre did not count as time spent together.


    "Nicholas, I''m hungry," she grumbled.


    "Well, we''re going to reach your house soon. Just eat there," he replied


    Adelyn rolled her eyes, ''This guy is so dumb, why can''t he understand what I''m trying to say?"


    "I''m in no mood to cook, and there''s nothing to eat at my house. Can we get something along the way?" she said cutely.


    He was thinking about agreeing to her suggestion, but the car halted suddenly, propelling them forward. But before Adelyn could hit the front seat, Nicholas had his arm blocking her.


    She squealed while grabbing onto his arm. Surprised that he would do something thoughtful as stopping her from getting hurt.


    "What happened?" he growled at the driver?


    "Sir, there are people outside blocking the road. It might be the same guys," the driver answered.


    "Adelyn, don''t come out no matter what happens," he instructed before he came out of the car. The driver was right. Nicholas recognized one of the men who tried to get him that day he met Adelyn in the woods.


    She looked through the front windows to where Nicholas stood. The men looked angry, and shouts could be heard from inside the car. The whole situation put her on edge, she got scared, so when a loud explosion boomed into the night, her instinct was to be where Nicholas was.


    "Adelyn, what are you doing out here?" Nicholas snapped.


    "There was a bang, I feel safer next to you," she replied as she tried to run towards him.


    His face lost its frown, but before she got to his side, one of the bad guys tried to pull her to their side, they wanted to use her against him. Nicholas drew his gun and shot the guy''s hand, missing Adelyn by a hair.


    She screamed, "Aaahhh! Whaaa¡­" her mouth hung open in disbelief.


    The driver got Adelyn out of sight and back into the car. Nicholas'' men arrived just in time to back him up, and after they subdued every single one of his enemies, they were brought to the Russo''s secret location for torturing their enemies. He had been too lenient with them last time, letting them go back to whoever sent them, but now they will see his wrath.


    Nicholas found Adelyn staring at nothing inside the back of his car. He could understand people get stunned the minute they find out what type of business he was in, blood and gunshots usually sent normal people into shock.


    He tried to console her. "Adelyn you''re safe. It''s just a tiny accident. Forget everything that happened here tonight, okay?


    "Nicholas, are you a gangster?" she asked, "Oh my god, you looked so cool holding that gun, like those bond movies," she made the gun gestures with her hands, "You looked more handsome than that actor who got an award last year for best actor in an action movie. Those moves you did today, I only see them in the set." She said excitedly.


    He was dumbfounded, seriously he did not think Adelyn would find all of this interesting.


    He flicks her forehead. "I highly doubt you have something wrong with your brain, get it scanned tomorrow."


    "Ouch, that hurts!" She rubbed the spot where it ached and continued, "So one day if I get kidnapped, will you fight those goons and save me? I will be crying, Nick! Nick! Save me, then you will say,  my love, I am here. Everything will be fine."


    Nicholas felt like dealing with Adelyn was more difficult than dealing with his enemies, nothing could keep her down.


    "Enough! Keep quiet!" he scolded her.


    "Hmph! Party popper!" she murmured.


    When Nicholas glared at her, she decided to keep quiet as she turned towards the window. Nicholas clamped his lips down to control his laughter.


    "Lock the door and do not open it to anyone you do not know," he cautioned her to be extra careful as he dropped her off at her house.


    She was lying on the sofa looking at the photos she took in the theatre when her doorbell rang. It was the delivery guy from the Chinese restaurant she always ordered. She wondered who sent the food, but then realized it must have been Nicholas, he was the only other person who knew she was hungry.


    Her heart warmed up like her food. Although nothing went as planned today, the event still oddly satisfied her.


    Note -


    This chapter is dedicated to IceCreamLadyBug , wish you many many happy returns of the day (Hope its July 25th at your place )

 Chapter 159 - 158

    It''s been three days since Adelyn last heard from Nicholas. He wasn''t responding to her calls or messages. She always thought he was just another rich businessman investing in the movie industry, but after that deadly night, she learned that there was more to him than she thought. He was part of the mob or a gang, and they''ve been known to cut corners and deal with situations illegally. She was worried if he was okay.


    Today, Viggo decided that he was going to put an end to her masquerade. He knows that deep inside, Adelyn wants him, and she was just playing hard to get. She tried to reject him every time, but to him, it was a game, she was a prize to be won.


    The pictures in today''s ad campaign made him want her more. Adelyn was playing a vile supporting character, and to emphasize her role, they made her wear revealing clothing that made Viggo drool. He had to have Adelyn, by hook or by crook.


    He was loaded with money, and in his mind, he thought nobody else could compare to him.


    "Hi, Adelyn..." Viggo drawled out her name, making her skin crawl, ''You look very sexy in those new posters."


    Adelyn was getting her makeup done in the dressing room, and since she had her eyes closed, she did not see him come in. He instructed the makeup artist and the hairstylist to leave them alone.


    "No one is here, so don''t be shy. Cut the crap, this cat and mouse game is starting to piss me off. We both know you''re just playing hard to get so you can get the upper hand. You know what, you win!


    Next week I am celebrating my birthday on my father''s yacht. I need you there so I can introduce you as my girlfriend," He commanded.


    Adelyn rolled her eyes. "Stop it, Viggo, don''t think too highly of yourself. I''m not playing. Haven''t you learned that it is really hard to get me," she snapped.


    "You¡­ you have the guts¡­," he pulled her arm, jolting her out of her chair.


    "Ouch¡­ let me go!" When she tried to free herself, he tightened his hold.


    "When will you learn? You have to talk nicely¡­," Adelyn had her hand raised to slap him when a punch landed on his face, releasing Adelyn from his hold and pushing him to fall on his butt.


    Adelyn was surprised when she looked to her savior, it was the lead actor. He kicked Viggo before he could get up.


    "Who the hell are you?" Viggo asked, angrily as he swiped the blood from his nose. "Stay out of this!"  he yelled angrily.


    The lead actor yelled back. "You were bullying a woman, don''t you have any morals?"


    "I''m going to crush you," Viggo threatened.


    "I''m an A-list actor. Your father recruited me to collaborate on a project. I really don''t need to be here." the lead replied.


    "I don''t care who you are?" Viggo dismissed.


    "I bring your company so much revenue that the investors will follow me if I choose to leave. Is your father ready to bear that loss? Is your company ready to deal with my fans and all the repercussions?" the lead stared at him and added, "Can you?"


    Viggo ran out from the dressing room in a hurry.


    Adelyn stared at the exchange with her mouth open. Why was the lead actor helping her? They had a few scenes together, but other than that, they never interacted with each other.


    "Thanks a lot for coming to my rescue," Adelyn bowed to express her gratitude.


    "No problem, if he bothers you again, just let me know," the actor said. They both know he''s just trying to be nice, and she will never go to him if she faces any more problems.


    "Adelyn¡­," he looked back before he walked out the door. She raised an eyebrow waiting for him to continue.


    "Uhm¡­ nothing," he shook his head and left.


    "That was odd," she thought, but scrambled to find her makeup artist, she cannot delay the next shoot.


    -=-


    Adelyn was waiting for her driver when she spotted Nicholas standing outside his car. He was making a phone call, and though he did not see her, yet she got excited that he finally showed up.


    When he noticed her walking towards him, he signaled to give him another minute. While she was waiting for his call to end, somebody approached Adelyn to hand her a bouquet.


    "Who gave you the flowers?" Nicholas asked before she could even check who it was from.


    "It''s that stupid Viggo trying to annoy me again. Let me throw it out," she replied, heading for the trashcan. He was probably trying to say sorry, she thought.


    Something fell from her bouquet, "There''s a card," he said, picking it up from the ground and reading what was written inside.


    Let''s have coffee, it said, with the name of the actor who helped her earlier signed on the bottom.


    Adelyn looked at Nicholas confused. Why was their lead actor suddenly interested in making friends with her. He comes and goes to work without hanging out with anybody, and now he wants to get coffee.


    Nicholas snickered, "Look at you. First, it was Viggo, and now this actor. Are you going to get coffee with him?"


    "I don''t even know the guy? How will I accept?" Adelyn defended, throwing the flower in the trash.


    "They look very expensive. You''re never going to get flowers as beautiful as those again. Take it back!" he taunted.


    "Nicholas, stop making fun of me. Remember when you said you were not interested in getting married. Just bring me home and stop meddling in my affairs." Adelyn got annoyed, so she made a beeline for his car, slammed the door, and waited for him to get in.


    They sat sullenly all the way home. When she got out of the car Nicholas followed her. "Can we talk?" he asked.

 Chapter 160 - 159

    "Do you have anything to say to me?" Nicolas just looked at her and hesitated, "Say it quickly, it''s cold out here," she said, irritated.


    Nicholas removed his coat and placed it on her shoulders to warm her up. "Did you mean what you said?" He asked.


    "What?" she looked at him confused, they didn''t have any conversations earlier, so what was he talking about?


    "You said you loved me. As you learned, I''m not just a businessman. My family is deeply connected to the underworld. Being with me will be more dangerous than you''ve ever imagined," he looked into her eyes to see if she was getting his point.


    "I want you to be sure you know what you are getting into. Once you agree, there will be no backing out." He added.


    She looked at him with sincerity in her eyes, "My feelings for you are very genuine. I don''t care about your background, I know you will be there¡­ Wait!" It finally dawned on her, "So, this means that you like me too?" she grinned as she asked him her question.


    "Yes, but I¡­," Adelyn jumped to hug him tightly before he could finish.


    He slowly hugged her back and whispered, "I love you too."


    "Oh Nick, I''m so happy," she cried as she touched his cheek.


    "Stay away from those pests," he glared at her, remembering the men circling around her.


    "Of course. I''ve been avoiding these guys all this time, and nothing is going to change," she replied, "You should stop going on blind dates too."


    "Blind date? How did you know about that? I went once," he frowned, wondering if she was stalking him.


    "Your driver told me. Hmm.. that''s good to know, no more dates," She became close to his driver that night they had an altercation with the men who tried to take Nicholas. He was trying to divert her attention from what was happening outside, so he talked about his boss, then accidentally blurted out the information about his blind date.


    Nicholas cursed under his breath, "Such and f*ing big mouth." He caressed her cheek and told her to go inside as it was getting late.


    Adelyn tried to give him back the coat on her shoulders, but he told her to keep it. "Good night Nicholas," she was walking towards her house when she came back.


    He raised his brow, wondering what she was coming back for. She went on her tippy toes, and when Nicholas thought she was going to whisper something in his ear, she kissed his cheek instead, ran away. All he could do was shake his head as he watched her safely inside.


    -=-


    On his way home, Nicholas touched his cheek, recalling the way Adelyn kissed him earlier. When they first saw each other, he never gave her much importance, she was just another person passing through his life.


    Then when she asked him to pretend they were in a relationship, Nicholas knew for sure she had ulterior motives. It was not the first time a woman has approached him, telling him she loved him, promising him the world, but only if he agrees to their demands. And this has made him spurn love even when they promise to be sincere.


    He lost everything at a very young age when people they trusted as friends almost cost him the life of his dear sister. And since then, he had been careful, cautious to the point of being obsessive. He had taught his heart to feel nothing so nobody could hurt him ever again, it was as if his heart was made of steel.


    His tender side was reserved only for his family. When they lost his sister, they went into hiding for a while to build their reputation back up. And to do that, he had to be ruthless, merciless, and aggressive, to show everybody that nobody can touch his family ever again.


    Because of business, he didn''t have time for romantic relationships, not enough time to explore his options and opportunity to meet the woman of his dreams.


    Adelyn had always been outspoken, saying whatever was on her mind. Though he thought she was a little peculiar, it still felt refreshing to have someone spell out what they want instead of having him guess every time if she was telling the truth. She was very relaxed the way she lived her life, working to survive and get out of boredom. To save money, she was very practical, spending money only when she needed to. She could have made a name for herself any time, given her beauty and more than average acting skills, but she would rather relax and take life as it is.


    Nicholas did not know he was slowly changing his attitude towards Adelyn until he visited her in one of her shoots. It was a historical drama, and she played the role of an evil antagonist who was going to bully the female lead. Adelyn was wearing a traditional red silky gown that molded her figure, and while everybody sympathized with the female lead being abused, Nicholas was getting other ideas. Her expressive eyes that showed her anger and contempt drew him in, feeling the emotions she was portraying, and her lips, soft and pink, made his throat go dry.


    Adelyn never knew about his visit because he left without seeing her, but from that day on, he would think about her character and how he learned a new aspect to her personality and that there was more than amusement that caused him to seek her out from time to time.


    She was haughty and conceited, but she had a reason for her attitude. Though her IQ sometimes equaled that of his nephew Enzo, one can never argue with her because she had an answer to everything. She lived as if the whole world was made up of rainbows and sunshine, never revealing any untoward experiences in her past.


    On the set, she was talkative and bubby, treating everyone around her with courtesy. She conserved her expenses by never saying no to a free meal, and instead of hiring a driver, she made excuses to get a free ride from him the whole time.

 Chapter 161 - 160

    When Adelyn confessed, he was a little shocked because he never excepted her to fall in love with him so easily, and for her to tell him of her feelings without hesitation. He did not have feelings for her during that time and was not ready to even think about marriage, which was why he rejected her.


    He thought she would cry or fuss about it, but it surprised him when she said nothing. It bruised his ego that she might not have real feelings for him that''s why she just gave up, and the next time they met, she just pretended as if nothing happened.


    One of the things he liked about Adelyn was her optimism, where most women would cower in fear when Nicholas glared at them or talked to them harshly, she just brushed off his rude attitude. The other thing was when they got confronted by those men who wanted to take him, she told him that she felt safe when she was next to him. Her declaration of trust made his heart skip a beat. She didn''t even flinch when she learned about his true identity, and that reaction she gave him was unexpected. Not even his wildest dream could he come up with that kind of stuff. She said he was way cooler than the action stars in the movies.


    Being a romantic at heart, she had readily accepted him, good and bad parts together. After he dealt with his enemies, he came to see her without even heading home to change, he was that eager. But when he saw her carrying those flowers flown in from overseas, he grew jealous. Though he would not name the feeling he was having, he had completely fallen with Adelyn without his knowledge.


    His fear of her suitors, ''the pests,'' taking her away from him gave him the courage to say what he wanted, but when it was time to say it out loud, he faltered. Then the look of disappointment on her face as she walked away from him propelled him to confess his feelings. The look of happiness on her face reflected what he felt, and he vowed that he would give her all the love that she deserves.


    He planned to keep all those men interested in Adelyn in check, especially that Viggo character who didn''t seem to know the meaning of the word ''No.''


    Slowly and without his knowledge, she had crept into his heart, and now they are inseparable.


    -=-


    Adelyn was in high spirits today, and even though the director kept on having her re-enact the same scene over and over again, nothing fazed her.  Her professionalism had impressed him immensely.


    Nothing could bring her down because Nicholas'' confession brought her up to cloud nine. It took her a while to sleep the night before because she kept replaying their sweet moments together.


    After finishing her work for the day, she found Nicholas had been there for a while watching her.


    "You''re done with work already?" she asked as she hugged him tightly.


    He returned her hug, "Uhm-hum." It was a lie, he had a lot of work to do but did not want to start their first day on the wrong foot. He did not want her to think that he had other priorities than her. He learned that from his brother-in-law, Dimitri, who always placed all his sister''s needs before his own.


    When Adelyn opened the car door, the fragrance floated up in the air to tickle her nose even before she saw the bouquet of roses laid on the seat. She looked at Nicholas questioningly.


    "It''s for you. Stop receiving flowers from unwanted people," he replied.


    Adelyn giggled, ''Were you jealous?" she teased. He looked away, but not before Adelyn got her answer.


    "Don''t worry, I''m only interested in you," she cradled the flowers gently in her lap, inhaling their sweet scent. These beautiful flowers will be sitting on a vase so she could gaze at them every day.


    A small smile played on his lips. Adelyn was truly different, she made him smile a lot these days.


    "What happened?" Nicholas asked. They had parked outside her house, but she hesitated to leave.


    "Mmmmm¡­," she looked at the driver, hesitating to say what was on her mind. But Nicholas knew she wanted privacy, so he pressed the button to bring up the partition that would separate them from the driver.


    Adelyn knew that Nicholas was slow when it came to love and that she should always take the initiative, so she laid the flowers on the space beside her and touched her lips to his.


    Nicholas froze for a bit, being used to blocking unwanted advances, but when he came to terms that it was Adelyn, his girlfriend, he softened up. He lowered his head closer to hers and responded to her full open-mouthed kiss. His hands pulled her closer, and his lips nibbled on hers, licking and sucking every part of her beautiful, soft, pliant mouth. She let out a soft moan and ran her fingers through his neatly styled hair.


    When he broke the kiss a few seconds later, they were both light-headed.


    "I might be busy tomorrow," he said, running his thumb on her cheek.


    "No worries, I understand, but you should call me," she replied.


    "Hmm.. go home now," he kissed her lips lightly before they parted.


    -=-


    They''ve been together for two months, and everything was sailing smoothly. Adelyn had become a little bit spoiled and would throw tantrums when something did not go according to plan.  It was her way of being assertive and making Nicholas pay attention to her. In reality, she was very understanding, but it was the small silly things she was stubborn about.


    Small things annoyed her, like forgetting to hold her hand. He would release her hand when taking calls, and Adelyn expected him to continue holding her hand when he ended his conversations, but he would always forget.


    She would find a reason to give him a hint, like saying, "Nick, I think you forgot something," but being the guy he was, he always had no clue what she was talking about. So she always had to spell it out for him until it became second nature to hold her hand all the time.

 Chapter 162 - 161

    But these were not the only things he forgot or were not accustomed to, there were more.


    Big things like not responding to her messages all day because he was busy was a valid excuse, not sending her home because he was busy was okay too, but good morning and good night text messages were compulsory because she wanted to be the first and last thing on his mind every day. She was being silly, but he indulged her anyway.


    One thing she would not forgive was Nicholas forgetting to compliment her on a new dress, or accessory she wore that day. It was as if she expected him to memorize her whole wardrobe. She would parade in front of him to give him hints, touching the accessory or dress that he should notice.


    It was a game they would play, and as soon as he noticed, she would pretend to appear modest. "Oh Nick, stop it, I''m not that beautiful for you to compliment me every breathing second."


    He just rolled his eyes at her shamelessness.


    When it came to going out, Nicholas did not understand why she had to take a picture of every dish they had. ''Why would anyone want to know what you are eating, what you are doing, or what you are shopping for anyway?'' He asked one day when he got a headache waiting for her to finish taking all her pictures.


    "I''m a celebrity, and I have a ton of followers, so I have to make them happy. I show them the food I eat and the things I shop for because I''m also an influencer, I get discounts when people buy the same things I do."


    Adelyn complains that she gains weight because of Nicholas bringing her to amazing restaurants, and she could not help herself from sampling all the dishes. Even though she knows that she could just exercise more to keep the pounds off, she still blames him. So next time they go out, he orders smaller portions and gets accused of being stingy. He just shakes his head because he knows he will never win. That is what he is paying for falling in love with a silly girl like her.


    -=-


    Nicholas was waiting for Adelyn to get inside the house when she looked back at him, "Did you want to tell me something?" he asked.


    Adelyn bit her lower lip, "Uhm¡­ do you want to come inside?"


    Nicholas looked at her questioningly, so she added, "I bought new movies, do you want to check them out." He said something to his driver and walked towards her with his laptop bag.


    When they entered Adelyn''s house, Nicholas was surprised that there could be so much of the color pink in one place. The walls were white but the sofa, the pillows, the carpet, some of the paintings, and other accessories came in varying shades of pink, some lighter and brighter than the others that his eyes had a hard time adjusting. On top of the color, there was also so much glitter that he was scared to touch anything just in case they adhered to his skin.


    "Make yourself comfortable. I''ll be right back."


    Nicholas removed his coat and tie, folded his sleeves back to his elbows, and searched in her fridge for something cold to drink.


    Adelyn came out wearing simple pajamas. But ten minutes after they started the movie, he got bored and started checking his emails. She watched the movie half-heartedly and annoyed him instead, trying to break his concentration, trying everything from poking his cheek, sleeping on his shoulder, writing words on his arms, and asking him to guess the words. But he wouldn''t budge.


    "Oh, you know what, Nick, I saw Viggo today," she suddenly remembered about their encounter. Nicholas'' fingers froze on the keyboard. Just hearing that guy''s name made his blood boil.


    "But you know what''s strange is that he did not even pester me. As soon as she saw me, he lowered his head. Then when he bumped into me outside the dressing room, he kept apologizing that it was his fault. Don''t you think that''s odd?" Adelyn asked.


    Nicholas relaxed as soon as she finished her story. He smirked, knowing that Viggo will never cause her trouble again.


    "Hmmm¡­ I think it sounds good that he''s not bothering you anymore. If anyone else does, then let me know," he replied.


    "Of course, my boyfriend is from the mob. He will beat you up," she said proudly. He chuckled and ruffled her hair.


    Nicholas had warned Viggo''s father to talk some sense into his son. Tell him to stay away from his girlfriend. Viggo''s father got scared when he got the call. The Russo''s were powerful and dangerous, and he did not want to go against them, so he scolded his son, instructing him to stop finding proof that  Nicholas and Adelyn were together because they were. And if he didn''t want his allowance taken away, he would stop bothering her as well.


    Viggo had decided that Adelyn was not worth the trouble, he could get another woman that would pay attention to him, true that she was beautiful than the rest of the women he''s dated, but he cannot do without his allowance. Without money, he can continue with his lavish lifestyle, which meant he won''t get women to fall at his feet.


    With that issue solved, Nicholas could now breathe easier and not worry about Adelyn.


    They ordered take-out food for dinner so they could just stay in and spend more time together. When it was time for Nicholas to leave, Adelyn asked him if he could stay the night.


    Nicholas sighed and placed his bag back on the table. He pulled her closer and asked, "Why are you being so clingy today?"


    She pouted, "Well, it''s because you''re going on a business trip in two days¡­ and I will miss you." He understood ho,w she felt because during his week-long business trips there was no time to contact her, they were in different time zones, and he did not want to disturb her schedule by calling at all hours of the day.


    After a couple of minutes, he asked, "Do you want to come with me?"


    Adelyn cheered, "Oh really? Nick, I can?"


    "Only if you can spare the time," he replied.


    "Of course I can. I''ll go with you," she said excitedly.


    "But what about your projects?" he asked.


    She smugly told him, "I just finished the last one, and I can do whatever I want. I can get more jobs when I come back."


    He nodded, "I will be very busy, and I won''t have time to accompany you anywhere."


    "Don''t worry about me. I can go sightseeing on my own, and I bet there''ll be a lot of shops to look around," she said, trying to convince him to take her.


    "It''s settled then. Pack your bags, and we leave in two days," He kissed her before heading home.

 Chapter 163 - 162

    Nicholas and his assistant were shocked when they saw the luggage Adelyn decided to pack for the trip.


    "Adelyn, it''s just a 5-day trip I don''t think you need 3 big huge suitcases of clothes," He just thought it was too excessive to bring that amount of stuff.


    "Nick, I checked online, and the place we are going to has a lot of scenic spots. I need all these things so I can post them on my gram. The clothes need to match the shoes, bags, hats, and cosmetics," she explained.


    Nicholas sighed, it was a good thing they were traveling on his private jet, otherwise they would have to contend with the baggage restrictions.


    It was nighttime by the time they reached their destination, and the room they checked into was a suite, so they each had their rooms.


    The next day Nicholas when to work while Adelyn went sightseeing, he had assigned her a bodyguard and a car because he didn''t want her to get lost while traipsing around an unknown place.


    Four days had passed, and each day was spent just like the last. But when Adelyn got back on the fourth day, she found Nicholas sipping coffee in the living room.


    "Nick, you came home early today. What happened?" she asked.


    "Well, I didn''t get to spend any time with you, so I was planning to take you out tomorrow," Nicholas thought that he had left Adelyn alone the last few days, and even though she never complained he still felt guilty. So he decided to take the last day as his personal day off, finishing everything he needed to do earlier than scheduled.


    "Really? Oh, I know just the place to go, there was a place all these lovers were taking pictures at, will you take me there tomorrow?" she asked. She had been envious when she saw all the couples spending time together at the tourist spot.


    "I see you''ve gone shopping," he stated, seeing her carrying so many shopping bags.


    "Ohhh¡­ I want to show you my new dress," she gushed.


    She came out wearing a pink dress, and he said it looked good. So she tried on another dress and asked him about it.


    "Isn''t that the same dress?" he asked.


    "No, it''s not, it''s different, can''t you see?" she asked.


    "How? When they''re both pink," he was confused.


    "Oh Nick, the one before was blush, and this is candy pink. I couldn''t make up my mind which shade of pink to choose, so I got all three pink shades. There''s another one, you want me to show it to you?" she replied.


    Nicholas frowned, it was better to just let Adelyn try on everything than argue with her because he knew he was never going to win. After a while, he took one of the magazines off the table, flipping through it, pretending to pay attention to her wardrobe changes.


    "Yup, that looks good too," he said without lifting his head.


    "You''re not looking at me," Adelyn complained.


    When Nicholas lifted his head, he was stunned. She was wearing a dark blue teddy covered by a not-so-modest see-through robe in a matching color. The vision in front of him made him question what he was seeing.


    "Adelyn?" his throat ran dry.


    "Nick, what do you think about this dress? I got it today," she asked in a soft voice. He nodded as he gulped the lump that had formed in his throat, wondering if his girlfriend knew what she was doing to him right now.


    "I got tired trying on all those dresses, will you help me untie this ribbon?" she asked coquettishly as she adjusted the strap on her shoulder.


    Nicholas was right beside her at lighting speed, holding her waist as he asked, "Do you know what you are asking for?"


    Adelyn traced a finger on his cheek and whispered, "Of course." How could she not know? The store that showed this dress in the display held a lot of the same flirty, sexy clothes that seemed to highlight every woman''s asset and put it on display. The store gave her the idea of what she needed to do.


    "I hope you know what you want because I can''t help myself right now," his lips crashed onto hers, as he carried her to bed without breaking the kiss.


    Adelyn lightly pushed him off from her, "Take your shirt off, the buttons are digging into my skin."


    Nicholas shed both their clothes off and threw them on the floor. He was mesmerized by how flawless her naked body looked all shaved and free of any blemishes. She blushed under his stare. "Nick...," she called out to him with her outstretched hands. He came to her and kissed her thoroughly, squeezing her breasts. She moaned as he took one of them into her mouth.


    "Ahh¡­," Adelyn cried in pleasure. After he paid the other equal attention, he licked his way downward, planting wet kisses down to her navel. She clutched the sheets and closed her eyes because he did not stop there, he went lower. He did not stop using his mouth and fingers to give her pleasure.


    "Nick! Ahhhh¡­," she moaned as she reached fulfillment.


    He opened the side drawers to find a silver packet. There was fear and anticipation in her eyes, so he tried to be gentle. "This will probably hurt," he said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.


    He entered her slowly, and after the initial pain, she found it pleasurable to feel him inside of her.


    They cuddled together as he kissed her forehead.


    "I love you, my Nick," Adelyn murmured.


    Nicholas chuckled and replied, "I love you too, my Adelyn."


    The next day they canceled all their plans as they spent more time together in bed, doing more pleasurable things to each others'' bodies.


    -=-


    Nicholas was having dinner with his family one night after they came back from their trip, and Mrs. Russo was nagging him about getting married, again. She was lecturing him on how to treat women. How he should be gentle and patient with them, otherwise he would never find a wife. But Nicholas just sat there pretending to listen to his mother.


    Enzo was playing with his phone when a call came through. "Uncle, little fairy, is calling," he said as he read the person''s name on the phone. And because he was mischievous, he pressed the speakerphone when he answered the call, just like he always does when his dad called his mom.


    "Hello, Nick! How''s¡­," everybody heard a female voice right before Nicholas snatched the phone and ended the call. But it was too late because everyone at the dining table was silent as they stared at him.


    "Nicholas, was that your girlfriend? How come we don''t know anything about her?" Mrs.Russo asked.


    "Little fairy, seriously? That''s what you call your girlfriend," Dimitri chuckled as he teased his brother-in-law. He could not skip the change to make fun of him.


    Aurora giggled, Enzo stared at everyone, wondering what the fuss was all about.


    Nicholas shot Dimitri an angry look, but the latter just laughed it off.


    Adelyn had saved her name as ''little fairy'' on his phone, and he could not say no to her request when she pouted and pretended to be sad when he tried to change it.


    "Mother, that''s my girlfriend Adelyn on the phone," Nicholas replied.


    "Bring her home this weekend," Mr. Russo commanded.


    "Yes, I want to meet the woman who made my son behave like a teenager." Mrs. Russo was very happy that Nicholas has finally chosen someone to spend his life with.


    Everyone burst into laughter, Nicholas smiled helplessly though he was embarrassed by what happened.


    -=-


    When he told Adelyn his parents wanted to meet her, he excepted her to be nervous or say she needed more time. But instead, she was very enthusiastic and even planned her wardrobe for that day.


    Since it was her first meeting with the family she asked Nicholas about his family''s preference and got them gifts.


    The meeting went very smoothly, she was very chatty without being overbearing, mingling with everyone. Adelyn and Enzo bonded so well because she knew how to deal with the younger generation.


    Everyone was happy for Nicholas, and they expressed how they liked Adelyn very much. And even though they were total opposites, they fit so well together.


    After Nicholas dropped Adeldyn home, his parents asked when the wedding was going to take place? And because they loved each other and he was sure that Adelyn was the only woman he would love forever, he decided there was no reason to delay their union.


    He proposed on the rooftop of the tallest hotels in the country, complete with flowers, candles, a string quartet, and the largest diamond ring Adelyn has ever seen. There was no hesitation when she happily said yes to Nick, the love of her life.


    Just like a whirlwind, as soon as he proposed, they had their families meet, and a lavish wedding followed. Love shone in their eyes as they completed their vows and exchanged their rings.


    At last, Nicholas Russo found his happy ending. And as they say, love always finds you in the place you least expect.

 Chapter 164 - 163

    Matthew Santoris recently took over the business. The Santoris family was one of the oldest mafia clans whose lineage dated back to the last century.


    He had been the only child and was therefore brought up in a very strict household since he was next in line to inherit such a vast empire.


    His personality fits the future heir, stern, calculating, and uncompromising. He was very handsome, yet he was very unreachable, just like all the Aristocratic heirs. His intelligence quotient was through the roof, and he was capable of handling anything except for reading the emotions of the people around him.


    Matthew though low in EQ had easily fallen in love with Jane, he had the chance to meet her when she came by to help her mother at one of the social gatherings typically hosted by the Santoris''. Her father worked as a security detail for Matthew''s father, and her mother worked in the kitchens.


    Though Jane''s family was not well to do, her parents strived for their children to be educated and well refined. Her beauty was not exceptional, but she had attracted Matthew''s attention because she was very polite and kind. She loved animals and was very patient with children.


    It was not love at first sight or some kind of instant connection for Matthew. Their romance was like a slow-burning candle, it gradually developed and bloomed.


    He had his choice of women from prestigious and opulent families, but Matthew wanted someone gentle, virtuous, and someone who wanted children. Most of the women he met were very materialistic and vain, so it turned him off a lot.


    Jane was very timid, and he liked that she did not appear to be over-enthusiastic when he asked her to be his girlfriend, she had him wait two days before she gave him her answer.


    Unfortunately, Matthew''s parents were not happy with his choice. They objected by saying Jane was not suitable to be the next Mrs. Santoris. Their name carried a great empire, and the lady of the clan should be strong and smart enough to stand and make decisions with her husband.


    Jane had been the opposite of what they were looking for. They thought she was very homely, and they needed a captivating person. There was also the fact that she always appeared to be weak. She easily gets nervous when faced with a crowd of people, and if somebody raises their voice, she would automatically burst into tears.


    Then there was also the matter of her status, it would be degrading if people knew that her parents were but mere servants in the Santoris household. But Matthew was adamant about his decision, there was only one woman for him, and that was Jane. The house was in an uproar, but despite the arguments, threats, and coercion, nothing could shake Matthew.


    He threatened to give up his title just to be with her, so they had no choice but to accept his decision.


    -=-


    Matthew was sitting on a garden bench reading a book when Jane came to see him bearing fresh cut flowers in her hand. She was wearing a white dress that made her look pure and virginal. And this image of her being almost angelic made him smile, his eyes shone as he gazed at her.


    She sat beside him, and in a sweet angelic voice greeted him, "Congratulations! Father told me you''ve taken over the family business."


    "Thanks! It might be difficult for us to spend more time together, is that okay?" Matthew asked, his voice a little sad as he took her hand in his.


    "Don''t worry about it. It''s not going to be a problem because my internship will be starting next month as well, so I''ll be just as busy. How about we celebrate now and worry about it later?" she asked.


    "Okay, I agree. Where is it that you want to go?" he asked.


    "Let me think about it, but let me tell you about my day," and so she droned on and on about her school, her friends, and some funny stories. "You know what, last week¡­," she halted when she noticed that Matthew was not listening, putting a frown on her face.


    She understood that he was a workaholic, achieving to be the very best, and to do that, he needed to study a whole lot. But even during his free time he had no other interests but to read business journals and theories on business principles. Aside from the business aspect, he also had to be on guard all the time, predicting what his enemies will do next.


    "Why did you stop? You were telling me something about last week," Matthew asked when he finally noticed her silence.


    "So last week, my mother taught me this new dish, I want to make it for you tomorrow," she continued.


    "Hmm...sure... that sounds good," he replied while looking at his book.


    Jane sighed, ''Hmph! Another dull response. I thought he''d talk more now that we''re together, but it seems like he''s talking even less." The last time she baked him a pastry that took her a long time to learn all he had to say about it was it was tasty. She felt insignificant every time he did this to her, so she stopped talking because it was felt like talking to thin air.


    -=-


    To celebrate his promotion, Jane thought they should go on a small picnic in this scenic spot that overlooked the city skyline. She was so excited because they rarely went anywhere these days, all the talk about security and too much work. So she got up early in the morning to prepare all the picnic foods she could think of, by the time she was done she had a basket full of different kinds of cookies, pastries, hard-boiled eggs, sandwiches, and fruits. She even remembered his favorite drinks, so she brought those too.


    They planned to spend the day in the area, just the two of them until the sun came down. "Matthew, I am so happy we could spend the whole day together. My friends said the sunset in this area is stunning." Jane said as she held Matthew''s arm. And he nodded his head.


    It was a bit of a walk from the parking, and after Matthew laid the blanket down, she showed him all the items she prepared for their trip. He said he was impressed with her preparation, and she beamed, thinking finally she was getting to him, and this time spent together would be the best day ever.


    Jane wanted to go to another side of the lookout to see the other part of the city, but when Matthew tried to follow her, one of his men came to whisper something in his ear, and his face became tense.


    "Matthew, what''s the matter?" she came back to fetch him, but he was wearing his shoes back on.


    "Jane, I''m sorry, I need to go, there''s an emergency. The driver will send you home," And without waiting for her reply, he left.


    She was disappointed, he disappeared without even consoling her, giving her a terse apology, was that all she deserved? Did he not know how much she was looking forward to this getaway? In a foul mood, she threw everything in the nearby trash can and sat in the car, sulking all the way home.

 Chapter 165 - 164

    The party to announce Matthew''s appointment was in full swing. All the big wigs, influential businessmen, and members of the mafia circles were in attendance since it was a very important day.


    Finn, Matthew''s childhood friend, knew about his relationship with Jane, so he asked why she was not present for his big unveiling.


    "Jane said she was busy with her internship, and she couldn''t get away," Matthew replied.


    The two men have been friends since they were small kids. Finn''s family owned several construction companies around the country, and since construction was always a booming business, they were considered well-to-do. Not Santoris rich, but rich enough to be well known.


    They were as different as night and day, where Matthew was stoic and austere, Finn was sociable, extroverted, and charming. His smile and easy nature made people open up to him. If they were not childhood friends, there was no chance they would have gotten along.


    Jane, on the other hand, decided not to come because she felt out of place. She remembered her last time at one of these ritzy parties was at his mother''s birthday. Sure, people did not say anything to her face because they feared Matthew, but they gossiped and mocked her behind her back. They made fun of her clothes and the gift she made for his mom. She felt so uncomfortable that she left the party even before it ended.


    She anticipated Matthew being busy for his event. He would be receiving and entertaining his guests, and he would not be able to be with her the whole time, so she lied and told him she was busy. In reality, she felt inferior to the crowd her boyfriend mingled with and knew that she would never measure up to their expectations.


    And Matthew believed her and did not pressure her to be there, even though he felt that it would have been nice if she was there to support him. "I cannot force her to be here if she has other commitments," he said.


    Fin asked, "Is this the real reason? Maybe she''s not comfortable with this crowd?"


    Matthew frowned. Why would Jane lie? If she had a problem then she would have already said something to him.


    "Ohhh¡­ Look who''s coming. I better leave before I get kicked out," Finn chuckled, not minding his friends'' glare.


    Daisy, a beautiful, smart, and bold young lady, had walked in with her father, Matthew''s business associate. She had been molded by her father from a young age to act and think like one of the male heirs, so she had been handling their family business alongside him for a while.


    And just like any heir that had been groomed for greatness, she took on the chilly, arrogant demeanor that most of them exhibited. She had an unapologetic attitude and did whatever she wanted.


    She had men falling at her feet, but she never gave them the time of day, rejecting them ruthlessly, bruising their egos so much they ended up hating her.


    Daisy met Matthew abroad when she and her father were there to attend a meeting. He caught her eye when he started showing his initiative in commanding his audience. The way he spoke showed how intelligent and strategic he was when it came to business matters.


    Gradually she started paying attention to certain things about him, how his arrogance made him more handsome. His inattentiveness to the women flaunting themselves at him was a plus in her book. Bit by bit she started comparing him to her idea of her ideal man, and he was ticking off all her boxes.


    Men were usually intimidated by her beauty and intelligence, so they kept a good distance away from her, they got insulted or flustered when she gave them snide comments. But not Matthew, he met her head-on, staring her in the eye and challenging her.


    At the end of the trip, Daisy realized she had fallen in love with him, his masculinity, and his confidence. Like a true dominant heir, she did not waste time confessing her true feelings for him, but Matthew replied that he had a girlfriend waiting for him back home. Though disappointed, she did not lose hope. It was not surprising that a man like Matthew was already taken.


    -=-


    Daisy would approach Matthew every time she had the chance, and today she wanted to congratulate him on his achievement, "Hi Matthew! Congratulations! How does it feel to be the big boss?"


    Matthew grimaced, he didn''t really like talking to Daisy. When he rejected her, he thought she would just quit and disappear, but it seemed she knew where he was at all times, and that irked him.


    With all the people present, he had to put up a facade that they were at least civil to each other. "Daisy," he replied tersely.


    "I heard you are going to X region to expand your business. The locals are a bit troublesome, but I have resources that could help you," she offered.


    "I can manage," he scoffed.


    "Are you underestimating me? There are very¡­," Matthew cut her off. "I don''t want to owe you any favors."


    Daisy nodded, "I understand." She turned her back on him and walked away, knowing when she was not wanted.


    He knew that her resources were useful. Her talent and her wide range of networks would bring him better assistance, but he did not want to be associated with her when he knew that she was interested in him.


    She was very headstrong and talented, but her comment about not giving up on him turned him off. "You''re not married yet, there''s still a chance we could be together. But don''t worry I won''t try to separate you and your lover, that will happen on its own. I will wait here patiently, and I know that someday you will reciprocate my feelings," she declared.


    Recalling that day made him mad.


    His reply to her had been, "Good luck with your wishful thinking. You and I will never happen."


    "Don''t be too sure about that. One can never predict human nature," she told him before she left.


    He had avoided Daisy ever since, but she seemed to appear at every function he attended. She was true to her word, only talking to him about business, and whenever he would give her the cold shoulder, she''d leave without making a fuss. Her attitude intrigued him, finding it a little strange that she did not fit the mold of the typical heiress he knew.


    -=-


    After the event, Jane came to see Matthew to bring him a gift.


    "My friend dragged me into pottery class. I wanted to make something special for you, and I hope you like it," she replied as she gave him the box.


    Inside there were two figurines that resembled him and Jane. It was not a masterpiece, but it looked cute to have cartoon replicas of them together. She made them with love and wanted to share them with him.


    "I like it a lot," Matthew smiled at her.


    "Really? Then you have to take care of it," Jane smiled, seeing her efforts paid off.


    "Jane, I want you to know that I''m going on a long business trip," he said.


    "How many days will you be gone?" she asked.


    He looked at her like he was delivering a regular message, "I might be gone for more than two months.


    Her face fell as her heart sank, "Why are you going to be gone for so long? What is taking you away?"


    "I''m starting a new project in X region. I need to stay there until everything gets settled. But don''t worry, we can talk over the phone anytime," Matthew tried to reassure her.


    With a forced smile, she accepted her fate, "Okay, come back soon. I''ll be waiting for you."


    Matthew got called away for a phone call, and as she sat there, Jane felt so alone and bitter that her boyfriend did not seem to care that she would be lonely the whole time he was gone. She was also pissed that although he said he liked her gift, he just left them lying on the sofa where they could have fallen and broken.


    With a heavy heart, she left him alone to finish the phone call that sounded like it would take a while to finish. She did not want to sit around and wait for him to notice her because she knew she came last in everything he did.

 Chapter 166 - 165

    Matthew''s 2-month long business trip turned into 4, as things kept getting delayed and situations kept on changing.


    He was excited to get home, and his first stop was to see Jane. She was still at the office where she interned, so he headed there straight away.


    She was crossing the street when he saw her, "Jane!" he called out.


    On the other side of the street, she turned when she heard someone call her name. The smile on her face became frozen as she saw Matthew cross the street.


    "Hi, Jane! How are you? I just came back and wanted to see if we could have dinner," Matthew''s voice had that feeling of longing in it.


    "I''m good. You came back so soon," her voice was masked with disappointment.


    Matthew chuckled and answered, "What soon? It''s been 4 months, I would say I''m late. I was thinking you''re probably mad at me for leaving you that long."


    "Oh of course not. You had some important work to do. It''s okay," she stated. Matthew smiled at Jane, thinking she was so considerate.


    "Why are you in such a hurry? I saw you crossing the road earlier. Where are you going to?" He was concerned that she might have gotten hit while crossing the road earlier.


    Jane kept looking around, as if looking for someone, "Yeah, I will."


    "Jane, you look pale, are you okay?" he asked.


    "It''s probably the sun. It''s a little hot today," she said as she touched her forehead, but her eyes were still somewhere else.


    "Wait here, I will get you some water," he said as he headed to his vehicle. When he came back, Jane was lying on the floor, unconscious.


    "Jane? Jane, are you okay?" Matthew looked for a pulse and carried her to his car when he found it.


    Out of nowhere, Finn appeared at his side, "What happened to Jane?" he asked.


    "Open the door, quickly. She fainted when I was getting water," Matthew explained.


    In the car, Matthew laid Jan in the back seat while Finn took the front. They were on their way to the hospital.


    "Why are you here?" Matthew asked.


    "I had some business in the area, it''s in the same building Jane works in," Finn explained.


    At the hospital, the doctor checked Jane and took some of her blood to do some tests. After a while, Jane opened her eyes, disoriented. She sat up in bed, "Hold on, drink this," he lifted a glass to her lips so she could drink water.


    "Why am I here?" She asked.


    "You fainted earlier, probably of sunstroke. Just lay back, the doctor will come soon," Matthew said.


    "Congratulations, your wife is three weeks pregnant," the doctor said as he came in with the results. "She is very weak right now but a little rest and a lot of vegetables and vitamins that I''m going to prescribe, and she''s sure to recover in no time." He left the couple when they remained silent after his news.


    "Pregnant¡­," Matthew murmured, shocked because of the news. Jane had been very conservative. They seldom held hands, and she wouldn''t even let him kiss her when he left for his trip, and now after 4 months away from her, she''s pregnant.


    Matthew''s eyes narrowed, his jaw tensed, and his lips tightened, as his hands formed into tight fists, he turns to Jane, "The doctor said you''re pregnant, tell me that''s not true."


    "I¡­," Jane stammered, shock coursing through her body when she learned she was pregnant. She never expected the truth to come out today, just as Matthew came back.


    "Tell me Jane, who''s the father? I know it can''t be me. Who is it?" Matthew screamed.


    Jane was frightened, she knew that Matthew does not spare anyone who betrayed him. She raised her arms in self-defense, "NO! Don''t hurt me, please."


    "Tell me!" Matthew tried to reach forward to shake her when Finn took her in his arms to shield her.


    "Matthew, stop it!" Finn pleaded.


    "Finn, stay out of this, it''s between Jane and me," Matthew snapped.


    "I will not let anything happen to my child," Finn blurted out.


    Matthew could not believe his ears, "What are you saying?" he asked.


    "Jane is pregnant with my child," Finn declared.


    Matthew felt like his head was spinning, his girlfriend and his best friend cheated on him. The people he trusted the most betrayed him.


    "Matthew, I am sorry, please listen to me¡­," Finn tried to apologize.


    "Shut up! I don''t need your bloody explanation. From now on, never show me your faces again." Matthew stormed out of the room without hearing their pleas.


    -=-


    Initially, when Jane went to the Santoris mansion to help her mother, she got the impression that Matthew was cold and merciless.


    She had seen Matthew disciplining one of his subordinates, and it scared her so much that she tried her best to stay away from him. So she was surprised when he confessed to her. Matthew was handsome, rich, powerful, and the most eligible bachelor in the city. There were a lot of women dying to marry him, so she did not know how to answer him when he told her about his feelings. She said yes because she thought she could change her life. And maybe in the process, change his life as well, make him less stern and more sensitive to her needs. She thought it would take time for him to warm up, but as time went by, it only got worse.


    He never gave her any gifts or said any sweet words to make her feel they were in a relationship.


    And because he was always busy, so they rarely went on dates, they only met when she came to see him. All their conversations had been one-sided, which he listened half-heartedly to, answering with one-word answers or just nodding his head.


    She was jealous of her friends because their boyfriends pampered and spoiled them, which she never experienced with Matthew. And because of this, she thought of breaking up with him several times, but then she thought about her future and decided that she would endure the suffering early in the relationship since her future looked bright with Matthew.


    Unfortunately, when Matthew went on a business trip, she broke. Her loneliness and sadness consumed her, then one evening she saw Finn in the elevator. He offered her a lift, and that''s where everything started.


    When her friends saw Finn and mistook him as her boyfriend, she never corrected them. It gave her an idea that maybe it would be better if he was her boyfriend instead of Matthew. So she started entertaining his advances. They went out to the movies, dinner some nights, walks in the park, then one night they let their emotions take over, and they slept with each other. One night turned into several, and even though they knew what they were doing was wrong, they continued with their secret relationship.


    She had completely forgotten about Matthew, and just as she was crossing the street to meet Finn, Matthew showed up. She felt so guilty, so she panicked and fainted because she knew that Matthew would never forgive her, he might even ruin her life.

 Chapter 167 - 166

    Anger was not the only feeling running through Matthew, hate, loathing, rage, and pain. Pain from being betrayed by Jane and Finn, the two people he trusted most in the world, had gone behind his back and stabbed him.


    He tried to figure out what had gone wrong, was it his fault? He was loyal to her, respecting all her wishes. She was the woman he was going to marry and spend his life with forever, yet it seemed like he didn''t really know her.


    Was it because he was not as charming as Finn? He knew he was not as expressive about his emotions, but he had a lot on his plate, and he had to be rigid and stern if he wanted people to follow him.


    He kept beating himself up about going on the business trip, maybe if he didn''t go then he and Jane would still be together. But maybe he was not really at fault. While he was away, he made a point to call her every day and every spare time he got. In the beginning, she would answer his calls and be usually sweet, but as the weeks passed by she always had an excuse as to why she couldn''t talk to him. Work and overtime were always on the list, now it seems she avoided him because she was already dating Finn.


    When his parents learned about the news, they were sad because Matthew did not deserve to be cheated on, but on the other hand, they were also relieved because they knew that Jane could never have measured up to be his wife.


    To shield himself from all the gossip and social ridicule, he drowned himself in the family business. He was the clan leader of the Santoris family, and he had no time to wallow in self-pity and rejection.


    Nights would be spent at the club with his friends just so he could forget.


    "Matthew, look around you, you are surrounded with all these beautiful women, pick one and get it done." said one of them.


    "Was she even good in bed? Go get laid so you can forget about her." another one chided.


    "C''mon, I''ll send someone to your room. Tell me which one." His friends were well-meaning, but he had no intention of bedding one of them. Sleeping to get even with Jane was not going to help him forget.


    He was absently looking at the dance floor when something shiny caught his eye. Daisy was in the middle of the club wearing a short sparkly dress dancing as if she had no cares in the world.


    "You know Daisy right? Don''t even think about it, you''ll never get anywhere with her. She just likes to tease the men around her," his friend said when he saw Matthew looking at her. He smirked.


    Yesterday Daisy had barged into his office even though he gave explicit instructions not to let anyone in. She scolded him for working himself to the ground, "Hiding and moping around will not give you back what you lost. Do you think your ex is thinking about you while she is romancing her new boyfriend? Stop ruining your life."


    It bruised Matthew''s ego that someone he barely knew was talking to him so bluntly, only his parents were allowed to talk to him in such a manner. But what bothered him more was that she spoke the truth, he was self-sabotaging to forget Jane.


    Matthew stood and walked towards Daisy.


    "Hey!" Daisy screamed when someone grabbed her hand. But smiled when she saw it was Matthew, "Hey, it''s good to see you out and about."


    "You shouldn''t be here," he said with narrowed eyes.


    "Why not? It''s a club, and I''m here with my friends," she replied with a grin.


    "Clubs are not safe for women, go home," he ordered.


    She rolled her eyes, "Stop acting like my dad," then turned away.


    He held her shoulders steering her to the door. But Daisy taunted him, "Wait, are you drinking because of her again? She''s not worth it."


    Matthew''s temper increased, why does she keep on poking at him when she knows the truth? He had an inkling she was going to do this to him, but there was something that compelled him to talk to her. Maybe it was the alcohol.


    He held her body closer to his, "Then who''s worthy of me? You?"


    She was unperturbed, "That''s something you should decide for yourself."


    "And how do I do that?" he snapped.


    Daisy stared at him eye-to-eye. Matthew had never closely inspected her face before, and amidst the dim lighting in the club, he was struck with her beauty. Her eyes were staring straight into his soul, waking up something inside of him he had no name for. And after the blink of an eye, he found his lips tasting hers.


    Her whole body stiffened, but his lips were relentless, and the assault of his lips felt so good, so she felt herself reciprocating his kisses. He sucked on her soft sweet lips, his tongue seeking entrance, and as he broke the kiss, he knew it was not enough, he wanted more.


    They were both breathless, her skin tinged pink, but aside from these indicators, he could not read what she was feeling. He was incensed, this woman in front of him infuriated him. Scooping her up in his arms he headed to the VIP rooms upstairs.


    She did not protest, so he saw that as consent. The VIP room was spacious and elegantly decorated, but none of them noticed that as Matthew kissed her passionately and hurriedly took off their clothes.


    He gazed at Daisy''s breathtakingly naked body before he joined her on the bed and explored her with his hands and his mouth. The scent she gave off was intoxicating, and together with the alcohol in his blood, he gave in.


    She knew what she was giving up when he took her into this room, but she could not stop him, she moaned and ground her hips against him in complete surrender. And as passion overcame him, he entered her in one swift motion making her cry out in pain.


    There was no going back now, now that he took her purity, and all he could do is make her feel better and enjoy the ride. He kissed her lips, diverting her from the pain, and when her body softened up, he continued and took them both to fulfillment.


    They let their bodies talk the whole night, speaking a language only lovers knew.


    The next morning, Matthew struggled to open his eyes. He had a headache, and for a second, he forgot where he was. All he remembered was that he drank too much last night.


    But when he closed his eyes to blot out the pain in his head, the events from last night flashed before his eyes.


    He recalled talking to Daisy and kissing her when she provoked him too much. The image of Daisy''s body under him, on top of him, and wrapped around him got him hard.


    "Daisy¡­ oh my god," he blurted as he patted the space beside him, but she was nowhere to be found


    "Shit! he cursed at his impulsiveness. He sat on the bed with a troubled expression, he was a mess. He knew that Daisy liked him, and he took advantage of her.

 Chapter 168 - 167

    Matthew knew what he needed to do, so he went to see Daisy. And because she was a workaholic like he was, it was easy to find her.


    "You left without telling me," he confronted her angrily.


    "I had an early meeting," she replied as she checked the paper in her hand.


    Matthew was incensed that Daisy was handling the situation much better than he was. "Aren''t we going to talk about what happened last night?"


    "We''re both adults, and we both consented to what happened last night, so what is there to talk about?" she answered nonchalantly.


    "Marry me," he blurted out, wanting to do the right thing.


    Daisy raised an eyebrow, "Is this some kind of joke?"


    "We slept together," he ground out his teeth, "I need to be responsible for you." He knew that last night was her first time, and being old-fashioned he knew he must protect her virtue at all costs.


    "What era do you live in? If people went on marrying everybody they slept with, they would be in trouble," she chuckled.


    "You might be carrying my child," he argued. In his haste to have her, he had not used any protection. He believed that the chances of getting pregnant are higher when the woman was a virgin.


    "Not everybody gets pregnant on their first try," she said as she rolled her eyes.


    "But what if you are with child?" he was not convinced by what she said. It was the main reason he never did it with Jane, he was scared to get her pregnant before they were ready to start a family.


    "Then once the baby is born I will send it to you," she said with annoyance.


    "Didn''t you say you loved me? Now it''s my turn to ask you to marry me, why are you being difficult?" he asked.


    "Answer me this Matthew. Do you love me?" she stared into his eyes, challenging him for the truth.


    "I¡­," he faltered because he knew that this feeling did not exist between them.


    "I like you, but that doesn''t mean I''m willing to be with you when you don''t feel the same way. I am not that desperate," she replied sternly.


    Matthew couldn''t do anything to convince her, so he left dejected.


    Daisy knew from the beginning that there was nothing special about his ex-girlfriend, and she was not worthy to be the future Mrs. Santoris, so when she cheated on Matthew, Daisy got her chance. The only problem now was Matthew because he seemed to be hung up on his ex.


    Last night she knew he was drunk, but she still chose to sleep with him because she wanted him. But she did not anticipate that he would feel responsible for what happened. She did not want him to be with her just because of duty.


    If they were going to start a relationship, she wanted it to be because of the right reasons. Forcing his hand would eventually put a strain on their relationship, leaving her wondering if he really loved her.


    Two months have passed, and Matthew had not heard from Daisy if before he complained that he bumped into her a lot, this time around he felt agitated whenever she was not in any of the parties or business functions they frequented.


    Whenever he was by himself all he could think about was Daisy and that special night they had together. And because she wouldn''t give him the time of day, he instructed his assistant to give him regular updates about her activities. From her schedule, he could see that she had no problem putting the past behind her. She would work all day and party with her friends at night, it seemed to him that she was definitely enjoying her life without him, and he felt miserable about that.


    An invitation arrived at Matthew''s office for a wedding, and the minute he found out who it was from, he lost all reason and flew down to meet her. He found Daisy inside a bridal shop, looking for a dress.


    "Matthew, what are you doing here?" she tried to mask the elation from her voice.


    He ignored her question. "Is the wedding date finalized?"


    "Yes, I think by now you''ve received the invitation. I''d say that''s final," she replied.


    Matthew was fuming, he came to question her about the invitation he received.


    "Does your fianc¨¦ know about us? How we shared that passionate night in my hotel room? How you were moaning and squirming beneath me. And how you were calling out my name?" Matthew taunted.


    Daisy blushed, remembering all the things they did that night. She smirked, "Are you jealous, Matthew? That perhaps I''ve found someone better than you?"


    His gaze narrowed, and his eyes darkened. Jealous? Of course, he was jealous. Why wouldn''t he? Imagining another man touching Daisy drove him nuts. Nobody should be touching her beautiful, silky, soft, smooth skin except for him. It will never happen. Nobody can take her away from him. He will find this guy and make him regret laying a hand on her.


    "Don''t marry him, or I will tell him our secret," Matthew ordered.


    Daisy shrugged, "Sure."


    He was confused as to why she readily agreed to his demand.


    "But you need to come to the wedding," she said as she picked out more dresses to try on.


    He sneered, he was insulted, but before he could reply, she added,  "As my date."


    "What?" Matthew asked, totally confused.


    "I will not marry him because he is supposed to marry my older sister. If I go alone, then the elders will start matching me with every eligible bachelor at the party. You have to save me from them," Daisy replied with a smile as she walked toward the fitting room.


    She was gone by the time he realized what had happened. His assistant announced the surname of the people having their nuptials, and he assumed that it was Daisy. His lips curled upwards as he relaxed, he''ll definitely save her from the troublesome elders.

 Chapter 169 - 168

    Matthew came as Daisy''s plus one to her sister''s wedding. He made sure the elders wouldn''t match her with anyone else by being extra attentive to her needs and guarding her against all the men who were trying to hover around her.


    Daisy was amused at how possessive he''s gotten over the past few days since he came barging at the dress store, and since she knew there was no keeping him back, she agreed to go out with him, get to know him, and see where they stand.


    Matthew called on her often, inviting her out for lunch or dinner whenever he had the time. He sent her messages every day until it became routine for them to talk to each other until the wee hours of the morning.


    He had completely forgotten about Jane, and what she did to him. The past few weeks thoughts of Daisy filled his mind, her smile, her expressive eyes, and her smart mind.


    Every day that they spent together he learned something new about her. She was hardworking, yet she knew how to have fun and enjoy her life. Being in the same industry, she knew the pressure he received from everyone, so she made his life easier by being his sounding board. Listening patiently to all his concerns and tribulations, offering solutions when she had them, or just letting him speak when she had none.


    He was always busy, and when he could not make time for them to be together, Daisy brought him dinner so they wouldn''t miss out on being with each other.


    And as his attraction grew, so did his possessive attitude. There were many times that he wanted to keep Daisy all to himself. But since she loved going out to dinner, he readily agreed to her requests.  He wanted to gouge out the eyes of the men that ogled her even when he was around, but she just laughed off his concern, saying she only had eyes for him.


    Jane had moved to another city. After Finn''s parents learned about her pregnancy, they forced him to break up with her. And since he was not brave enough to go against them, he agreed. They did not want to be burdened with somebody else''s child, so they gave Jane enough money to abort her child and set herself up to live comfortably somewhere else, otherwise, they promised to make her life a living hell. She was so depressed that she agreed. She knew that there was no use fighting for their relationship when Finn had given up.


    -=-


    Daisy and Matthew had spent the whole day at the beach, bathing in the clear waters of the sea and lounging around like they were on vacation. They had a free weekend, and it was a nice enough day to spend outdoors.


    Matthew could not take his eyes off Daisy. Her skin had been tinted by the sun, and as the wind was blowing her hair this way and that, his breath caught in his throat. She had never looked more beautiful than she did right now.


    He could not hear what she was saying, all he could hear was the thudding in his heart, "I love you, Daisy," he said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Will you marry me?"


    She smiled up at him, "Am I the only woman in your heart?" she asked.


    "Yes, the only one," he kissed her knuckles, "I think about you as soon as I open my eyes in the morning and before I close them at night. I cannot bear to be parted from you for much longer. Please be mine."


    Daisy felt the sincerity in his voice, and as she stared into his eyes she knew that he was telling her the truth, "Yes, I will.


    His lips claimed hers as he pulled her closer, there was no stopping the emotions that were rolling through him. He carried her into their hotel room, their lips pasted together the whole time, and he had little to no regard for whoever saw them.


    "Slow down, I''m not running away," Daisy said as she held his insistent hands from tearing through her clothes.


    "You are mine now, you cannot run away," he declared as he claimed her lips again. She laughed when his lips traveled down her neck, "Didn''t you tell me you were old-fashioned. No sleeping together before marriage?"


    "Who says we''re going to sleep?" he continued undressing her, "I am your fianc¨¦ now, and there is no denying me." He stared at her naked body with his intense gaze. "Plus, we''re getting married next month, we''re just skipping a step." He carried her to the bed and took off his clothes.


    "Oh honey, you don''t know how much I''ve been dreaming about doing this with you again." He said as his body covered hers. They spent the whole night caressing and loving each other, whispering promises for the future, and cuddling until the morning sun came up.


    -=-


    Both families celebrated when they heard about Matthew and Daisy''s engagement. What else was there to say? The lovers complimented each other in every aspect, from their knowledge regarding business matters to the way they anticipate each other''s needs and emotions. She was everything the future Mrs. Santoris was supposed to be, beautiful, smart, and strong-willed.


    Daisy was visiting Matthew to meet his parents, and as they waited, he was called out to answer a very important phone call, so she decided to look around to pass the time.


    It was in the study where Matthew would find her, broken pieces of ceramic on her feet.


    "There you are, what happened?" he asked.


    "I broke them. I don''t think you should be keeping those kinds of souvenirs," she challenged. It was a test, she would not tolerate her man having trinkets from his past.


    "I agree. Come, watch your step. The maids will come to clean that up," he offered his hand with a soft expression on his face. The jealousy on her face had ignited the passion in his veins. He wanted to take her here and now to show her there was nobody else. She was right, he would have felt the same way had she kept any gift from someone else.


    Satisfied with his response, she reached out, "Let''s go to the gardens, I heard you have my favorite flowers planted recently."


    -=-


    A month later, they got married in the most romantic venue in the country, where bookings were made a year in advance.  But because he was a Santoris, they made no exceptions. Matthew was not going to wait for anyone to marry his bride.


    "I have a wedding gift for you," Daisy said after they lay spent in their hotel room.


    "Another one?" Matthew asked. Daisy had already given him a special anniversary edition of the Lamborghini Aventador, and he thought that was a very frivolous gift, and nothing else could top that.


    "Yes, but this is more special than the last one," Daisy said as she got a bow from the side table and pasted it on her tummy, "Congratulations, daddy!"


    "What? Really?" He was beside himself as he patted her tummy. "I love you so much, Daisy! You have given me so much."


    "And I love you, Matthew. You deserve the world," she answered before he kissed her thoroughly.


    The End.


    Note-


    This book is completed now and I will be starting the last book in Aristocratic Series "Bewitched His Soul " from next week (propably from 18th wed) .


    So please add "Bewitched His Soul " to your librabry.


    Let me know whether you have any suggestions for me  (in terms of plot or updating schedule or anything else ). I will try to incorporate them.


    A huge thanks for all the readers for your unconditional support and love.