《The love of a Mr. CEO》 01 TAKE THAT YOU CRAZY SHE-DEVIL!!! I screamed as I jump kicked the crazy women running at me with a pair of tweezers. As my foot was about to collide with the women¡¯s face I here my rm ring informing me that it was all a dream. The annoying ringing continued for another minute before I grabbed a pillow and threw it towards the direction the sound wasing from. This effectively silenced the ringing and a smile stretched across my face as I tried to get back to beating the lights out of the crazy women. After 5 minutes of unsessfully trying to go back to sleep I decide to wake up, scratching the bird¡¯s nest I call my hair in the process. I look around my room to find my rm clock by my door instead of on my night stand where it belongs. ¡°Amelia Winters scores 3 points for getting the ball into the goal!¡± I exim to myself with a frighteninglyrge grin on my face. After my little victory I actually look at the time and freak out when it says 9:30am. ¡°Shit¡± I say as I very ungracefully get out of bed tangling the sheets around my legs in the process. I fall head first on the floor and justy there as I recover from my clumsy yet very painful fall. I quickly get up remembering I have a job interview at the biggest industry in America and I¡¯m already runningte. Way to make an impression Amelia. Running to the bathroom I take the quickest shower in the world and get dressed in a white blouse and a ck pencil skirt keeping it ssy but still business appropriate. I make sure to unbutton the top two buttons and put on ck heals. Once I¡¯m dressed I quickly put my annoyingly long brown hair into a slick ponytail and add some pearl earrings. I put on some light makeup consisting of eyeliner with a slight wing to make my green eyes pop and a little tinted lip gloss. Once I¡¯mpletely ready I take another nce at my clock to see its almost 10 o¡¯clock. Grabbing my phone and my purse I race down the stairs and out the door at a speed that would put speedy Gonzalez to shame. ¡°Enough of the immaturements Amelia, you¡¯re about to be unemployed if you don¡¯t hurry your ass to Stone Industry¡± I scowled myself as I get in my car and sped down the road in a quest to get to my interview on time and hopefully get the job. After 10 minutes of driving I finally pull into the parking lot of a huge building. I shake off my shocked face and kill the engine while getting out of the car. Running in heels is not in my expertise so you can probably guess I tripped again wasting another minute. ¡°Double shit¡± I say to myself as I take my heels off and run inside the building to the receptionist¡¯s desk.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Amelia Winters, job interview with Mr. Stone¡± I quickly exim out of breath. Thedy behind the desk looks at me as if I just escaped a mental institution but calls what I¡¯m assuming is Mr. Stone to confirm my appointment. ¡°Mr. Stone has been waiting for you for almost 15 minutes so you better hope he¡¯s not furious, patience isn¡¯t his strongest attribute.¡± Thedy says almost apologetically. I quickly thank her and run to the elevator pressing the button and rushing inside. Not knowing what floor his office is on I press the top floor praying that I¡¯m right. Thirty secondster the doors open and I rush out putting my heals on at the same time. I stumble across a door with ¡°Do not disturb¡± written on it and assume it¡¯s Mr. Stone¡¯s office. Knocking three times I wait until I hear ae in before entering the office. Walking in, I don¡¯t look up until I¡¯m right in front of his desk. I gasp at the sight in front of me, my eyes widen as I take a moment to ogle at this gorgeous hunk sitting behind the table. He had dark brown hair slightly spiked and his eyes where to die for. A mixture of hazel and gold stared back at me as I made my way down his face. Chiseled jaw with the perfect amount of facial hair and perfectly plump pink lips met my eyes. I hear him clear his throat before I snap out of my daze to see him slightly smirking. ¡°You¡¯rete¡± his husky voice says. ¡°Thanks for pointing out the obvious¡± I respond instantly regretting it once I see his expression darken. ¡°You showed up to this industry looking for a job and if you expect to get it, I suggest you refrain from your childishments Ms. Winters.¡± He bites back making me slightly cringe bringing a look of satisfaction and amusement to Mr. Stone¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mr. Stone I slept in and had trouble getting here on time but I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± I quickly rush out to hopefully make him like me. He slightly nods and pulls out a file with what I assume is my records. After a couple of awkward minutes of him looking through my records and me chewing on my bottom lip he nces up with a look of impress. ¡°Well Ms. Winters from your records I can see that your expertise level in the business industry is remarkable.¡± I blushed furiously before I replied back with a small thank you. ¡°You got the job but if I see you¡¯rete one more time you¡¯re fired. Do I make myself clear?¡± He asks me in a voice full of authority. I quickly nod my head with a smile and wait for his next words. He continues to stare at me and all I can do is look around his office waiting for the awkward silence to be broken. His office is huge with arge window that took up the whole wall to my right. His desk was a light brown wooden texture with aptop,mp and a stack of files. The walls were a light shade of grey with a seating area behind me with a ck table in the center. The office was well put together and it screamed dark and mysterious. I look back to see my new boss still staring at me intensely with is golden eyes which made me a bit ufortable. Not being able to hold back ament I ask ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve been staring at me for a couple minutes, is there something on my face?¡± ¡°No, I just never expected you to be so beautiful and alluring.¡± He replies slickly with a smirk. My face probably resembled a tomato from how hard I was blushing. His smirk widens at that and I can¡¯t help but want to wipe that sexy smirk off his face. ¡°Well being the CEO of a massivepany I would¡¯ve assumed you¡¯d know it¡¯s not polite to stare¡­. Guess not¡± I bite back with a smirk of my own. He clearly wasn¡¯t expecting that so his smirk slipped from his face making mine get bigger. ¡°Well being an employee in mypany I¡¯d assume you¡¯d know that your job could easily be given to someone else.¡± He snaps back. My smirk falls and a look of panic crosses my face at his words. He obviously saw my expression because the smirk I¡¯m starting to really hate was back on his face. He dismisses our conversation as he starts to get up nodding at me to follow. He opened a door I didn¡¯t notice was in his office that connected to another office but a tad bit smaller. On the table there was a list with a bunch ofpanies and numbers along with a stack of files and aputer. ¡°I need you to call thesepanies and arrange a meeting for tomorrow at 2pm. Then I want you to put these files of Stone Industry¡¯s finances in theputer onto one document. After you print copies of the document, set it on my desk and then you¡¯re free to go.¡± He tells me looking back making sure I heard everything. ¡°Sure thing Mr. Stone I¡¯ll get right on it.¡± I say as I walk past him and sit behind my desk picking up the phone. He watches me for a couple moments before he nods and walks back to his office shutting the door on the way out. I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding and get to work. It takes me a couple hours to arrange the meeting, and the documents. ncing at the time I see it¡¯s 4:30pm when I finished. Satisfied with the work I aplished I gather my things and make my way back into Mr. Stone¡¯s office to drop off the copies. Knocking on the door, I wait a couple moments before I enter to see him staring intently at hisptop. I wait for him to nce up and slowly walk over to his desk. I put the copies on his desk and he grabs them looking at them to check for any mistakes. I wait nervously for him to say something, when he doesn¡¯t respond after a few minutes I ask ¡°Is there something wrong with the copies Mr. Stone?¡± He nces up at me ¡°No, I was just making sure everything was correct. I wasn¡¯t expecting you to finish the documents so quickly but good job today, you¡¯re free to go.¡± He responds with a curt nod. Turing around my heel gets stuck on the leg of the desk making me fall forward. epting my embarrassment, I don¡¯t try and prevent the fall but amter confused when my face doesn¡¯t meet the wooden floor. Instead I feel strong arms grasp my waist leaving a trail of heat in the process. Opening my eyes Ie face to face with Mr. Stone and take a moment to stare at him yet again. His eyes were so alluring they kept drawing me in making me loose my train of thought. This stare off went on for a couple of seconds before I snapped out of it getting out of his arms. 02 ¡°See you at work tomorrow Mr. Stone¡± I rush out trying to y off my clumsiness. I don¡¯t wait for a response but I do catch a glimpse of his smirk as I walk out the door and towards the elevators. ¡°Way to go Amelia, you¡¯ve managed to embarrass yourself in front of your attractive boss on the first day of work.¡± I congratte my stupidity in my head. I enter the elevators pressing the first floor and wait for the door to close. As the doors close I catch a glimpse of Mr. Stone staring at me. I could have sworn I saw him wink at me but dismissed the thought. ¡°Amelia Winters, you¡¯re an official idiot!¡± I exim to myself when the elevator doors close. When I got home I quickly kicked my heels off and ran to the kitchen to stuff my face. I haven¡¯t eaten all day so I rapidly put yesterday¡¯s leftovers of stir fry into the microwave to warm up. As I waited for my food I ran upstairs and changed into a pair of pj shorts and a muscle tee to be morefortable. Taking my makeup off in the bathroom, I also let my hair down and brushed it watching it cascade down my back in beautiful waves. ¡°Why is it that my hair looks like those girls off of Pantenemercials when I¡¯m all alone in my room but like I got run over when I need to be presentable?¡± I question myself out loud wondering how this happens. Shrugging my shoulders I walk out the bathroom to hear the microwave beep making my excitement bubble. I skip down the stairs almost falling for the third time today and go to the kitchen to eat my delicious stir fry. Taking it out of the microwave I grab a fork and stuff it in my mouth forgetting it was hot and scorching my tongue. ¡°Shit!¡± I shout as I try to inspect my now numb taste buds. I probably looked weird trying to look at my tongue cross-eyed. Ignoring my numb tongue I grab my food and a bottled water from the fridge and walk to the living room to watch a bit of tv. Sitting on myfy couch, I set my food down to browse the channels and settle on watching pretty little liars reruns. Seeing as it¡¯s the first episode of season one, I squeal as fetus Ezria make out in the bathroom of a bar. After I finish my food, I continue watching PLL until I hear my door bell ring. Confused as to who it could be at 11pm at night, I walk to the door and open it without looking which was dumb move on my part. Standing there in all his glory was Hannibal Lector!! Just kidding, it was my boss aka Mr. Stone. A look of amusement crossed his face as he takes in my attire. Blushing I hide behind the door to cover up my bare legs. ¡°Mr. Stone, what¡¯re you doing here?¡± I ask voicing my confusion. ¡°You dropped your phone when you tripped and I came by to give it to you.¡± He replies showing me my phone in his outstretched hand. I reach my hand out to grab it but manage to also grab his hand in the process. Heat travels up my arm and I jerk my hand back and look up to see if he felt it too. He looked surprised but his signature smirk was still on his face. ¡°Thanks for dropping it off Mr. Stone, do you need anything else?¡± I ask him as he continues to stand in my doorway. ¡°No and you can call me Ivan when we¡¯re not at work Mrs. Winters.¡± He replies with a small breathtaking smile. ¡°And you can call me Amelia outside of work Mr. Stone I-I mean Ivan.¡± I said smiling as his name rolled off my tongue. Looking up, I see his eyes slightly darken before he snaps out of it and responds ¡°Well Amelia, I¡¯ll see you at work tomorrow at 10am sharp. Don¡¯t bete this time¡± He turns around to walk back to the elevators when I call his name again. ¡°How¡¯d you know where I live?¡± I asked furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I have my ways¡± he replies back mysteriously before winking and walking back to the elevators without waiting for my response. Closing the door, I lean back on it with a stupid smile on my face with my phone clutched to my chest. Shaking my head I walk up the stairs to my room to go to sleep because I¡¯m exhausted after today. Putting my phone on the nightstand. I pull back the sheets to my bed and get cosy before closing my eyes. As I was about to slip into a dreamless slumber my phone buzzes. Reaching for it, I see a text from an unsaved number and open it. Don¡¯t bete -I. S Knowing immediately that it was Ivan I shake my head not surprised he got my number since I don¡¯t have a passcode on my phone. I won¡¯t be, goodnight Ivan I text back and quickly get a response with thirty seconds. Goodnight Amelia Shaking my head with a small smile I don¡¯t reply and put my phone back on the nightstand. Once my head hits the pillow I was out like a light. The next morning I woke up with enough time to actually take my time getting ready. Jumping into the shower, I stood under the hot water thinking about Mr. Stone. Something about him makes me intrigued and by his cockiness I can tell he knows it. Shaking my head I continue to wash my body with my strawberry vani body wash and washing my hair. Getting out of the shower, I walk back into my room to put on my undergarments along with a tight fitted ck dress. Seeing as I have enough time to do my hair, I sit in front of my vanity and begin brushing the tangles out of my hair. Settling for a French braid but making sure to leave some hair to frame my face, I add some eyeliner and mascara to my emerald green eyes. Because my skin is fairly clear, I skip foundation and just add a nude lipstick. Finally all ready, I walk down the stairs to the kitchen making myself an iced coffee with a lot of sugar and ice. Not really feeling hungry I grab my cup of cold goodness and made my way to the door putting on peep toed ck heels. Making sure I had everything, I opened my front door and began my journey to Stone Industry. I got to the building at around 9:45 so I walked in making sure to check in with the receptionist. Not wanting to go up to my office just yet, I explore the building a bit and find a cafeteria not to far away from the main lobby. Walking in, all eyes are on me and I quickly shuffle to a table not liking the attention. I can see most of my co-workers are all women but what caught my eye is the fact that they were all wearing outfits that were a bit showy. Some had their boobs almost falling out of their blouses and others had skirts that barely covered their bottoms. Shaking my head, I continue to sip on my coffee and check my phone for any notifications to busy myself from the stares. ¡°You look quite lonely over here by yourself¡± a masculine voice startles me and I look up to find a very attractive man staring down at me with chocte brown eyes. ¡°Maybe I just don¡¯t want to have anypany.¡± I bite back with a slight smirk. Not expecting my response Mr. Tall, dark and handsome gives me a small smile and sits down across from me. ¡°I like you. My name is Connor and I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re new here seeing as I¡¯ve never seen a beautiful face like yours around the office.¡± He grins at me giving me a wink at the end. ¡°Only known me for a few minutes and you¡¯re already hitting on me, I¡¯m impressed. My names Amelia Winters and I¡¯m Mr. Stone¡¯s new assistant.¡± I tell him the smirk not wavering from my face. ¡°Well Amelia, from the way Mr. Stone is ring at me from across the cafe, I¡¯d better get to his office before he chews your pretty little head off.¡± He says looking behind me. Turning around, I catch a glimpse of Mr. Stone and quickly turn around gathering my stuff in the process. 03 ¡°Oh snap, I gotta run but maybe I¡¯ll catch you down here for lunch?¡± I ask Connor while getting up. ¡°You sure will, you know if you make it down here in one piece that is.¡± He says with augh looking back at Mr. Stone. With a smallugh and a nod, I walk back to the main lobby to greet Mr. Stone who is still ring at Connor. ¡°Good morning Mr. Stone, I was just on my way up to the office. Do you need me to do anything right now?¡± I ask. My voice snapping him out of his re off but his cold expression remained, this time it was fixed on me. ¡°Good morning Ms. Winters, grab me a coffee with 2 packets of sugar and no milk. I also need you to set up the meeting room for today, you¡¯ll be present taking notes while the meeting is going on.¡± He gives me instruction, his cold demeanor not slipping. Nodding I make my way back to the cafe before I hear him call me again. ¡°Ms. Winters, I would refrain from flirting with co-workers during work, it¡¯s highly unprofessional.¡± He nags me like I was a child. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between flirting and being friendly Mr. Stone, not like you would know.¡± I snap back and on que a couple female employees walk past and giggle at Mr. Stone when he nces in their direction. Rolling my eyes, I don¡¯t wait for a response and make my way back into the cafe to grab his coffee. ¡°Men¡± I mutter to myself shaking my head. Waiting in line for coffee I¡¯m approached by a blond women who I hate to admit was gorgeous. ¡°So you¡¯re the new assistant for Mr. Stone, I expected a little more from him after he fired me.¡± She says with a look of disgust. Annoyed I look her up and down sizing her up which wasn¡¯t that hard considering I was about 3 inches taller than her. ¡°I can see why he fired you, you don¡¯te across as intelligent or useful really.¡± I snap back slightly ring at blonde. Shocked at my response, she stutters to find aeback. ¡°Well I¡¯d love to stay and chat but I have business to attend to with Mr. Stone, you understand right?¡± I fake an innocent look and walk up to the counter ordering for Mr. Stone. If she thought she could walk all over me and I¡¯d get scared, she had another thinging. Paying for the coffee, I walk back to the elevators and enter, pressing the top floor. Waiting for the beep, I exit and walk into Mr. Stone¡¯s office without knocking. He looked to be in a very intense phone call so I set his coffee down and sit. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your pointless excuses Mr. Smith, get the job done or I¡¯ll find someone who can.¡± He yells into the phone before hanging up. Shaking his head, he nces up at me and ushers me over before speaking. ¡°The meeting starts in an hour so take these copies and go organize the meeting room. Make sure there are refreshments and you need a notepad to take notes in.¡± He instructs handing me a set of keys. ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it Mr. Stone.¡± I respond with a nod before making my way out of his office with keys and copies in hand. Walking down the hall, I realize I don¡¯t know where the meeting room is but I don¡¯t want to go back and ask Mr. Stone so I continue searching. ¡°Come on Amelia, it can¡¯t be that hard to find a meeting room.¡± I whisper to myself as I keep walking down the long hall. After 10 minutes of searching I finally stumble across an open room which thankfully was the meeting room. ¡°So much for these keys.¡± I mutter setting them down and getting to work on setting up the room. Twenty minutester the room is ready for the meeting with refreshments and the copies neatly stacked by where I assume Mr. Stone will be sitting. Taking the seat closest to Mr. Stone, I set my head down on the table and close my eyes. After a few minutes I hear a knock on the door which startles me and see Mr. Stonee in. ¡°Ms. Winters I don¡¯t have time for you to be sleeping on the job. Do you have your notepad and pen ready?¡± He questions as he sits down. ¡°Yes I do and I wasn¡¯t sleeping, just merely resting my eyes for a moment.¡± I snap back feeling like I had to defend myself. With a slight smirk and a nod, we continue to sit in afortable silence until people start shuffling in. Standing up Mr. Stone greets them with a nod and asks them to have a seat. Once everyone is seated, I get up to go close the door since no one bothered to do so themselves. Walking back to my seat I mutterN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Let the meeting begin¡± Once the meeting was in session all I had to do was take notes on important points Mr. Stone and the otherpanies brought up. I was so focused on writing, I didn¡¯t hear Mr. Stone call my name. ¡°Ms. Winters will you pass out these copies to each person?¡± He demands and I quickly get up, picking up the copies as well. Handing them out, I couldn¡¯t help but notice some of the men ncing down at my chest whenever I bent down to hand it to them. Slightly annoyed, I bite my tongue to refrain from making a snarkyment. Walking back to my seat, I take a quick nce at Mr. Stone to see he had an unreadable expression on his face. The meeting was going well, with almost everyone signing the petition Mr. Stone had to expand hispany into Canada so that he could branch out into newer territories. In return thepanies signing got 5% of whatever sess Mr. Stone attained. The whole idea was genius but I¡¯d never admit that to Mr. Stone. Once the meeting was over, Mr. Stone called me over. ¡°Did you take good notes Ms. Winters?¡± He asks me but I can¡¯t help but check him out. His gorgeous brown locks were slicked back and his suit fit him perfectly, clinging to his arms in a delicious way. Snapping out of it to see him smirking, I hand him the notes to see for himself. He nces at them, flipping through the pages and finally looks up to give me a smile. ¡°Good work today Ms. Winters, you¡¯re dismissed to go to lunch. Don¡¯t wanna keep your little boyfriend waiting.¡± He says with a slight re at the end of it. ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend and even if he was its none of your business Mr. Stone.¡± I snap back slightly annoyed that he¡¯s jumping to conclusion. ¡°Very well.¡± He says with yet another smirk and dismisses me with a wave of his hand. Rolling my eyes I exit the room and make my way down the stairs not wanting to wait for the elevator. Walking into the cafeteria, I spot Connor waving me over and walk towards him with a smile. ¡°You made it down unharmed!¡± He says with excitement that I can¡¯t help butugh at. ¡°Yes I did, but not before he told me off for flirting during work.¡± I say annoyance clear on my face. ¡°Don¡¯t let that bipr man bring your mood down, now let¡¯s see that smile.¡± He replies pinching my cheeks. Swatting his hands away, I shake my head with a smile and walk up to the cafe with Connor hot on my foot. When I got to the counter I ordered a turkey sandwich and a water pulling out my purse to pay. 04 ¡°I got it, I¡¯ll take a ham and cheese sandwich with a Diet Coke.¡± Connor orders paying for the both of us as well. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that you know.¡± I say turning around and walking back to our table with food in my hands. ¡°I know but what kind of best friend would I be if I let you pay yourself? We are best friends right?¡± He asks with a hopeful expression. ¡°Of course we are! Bffl!¡± I exim with a giggle taking a bite of my sandwich. Momentster blondie from this morning walks past rolling her eyes at me. Annoyed I shout ¡°Keep rolling your eyes, maybe you¡¯ll find a brain back there.¡± Earningughter from the other employees. Huffing she struts back to her table and I continue chewing my sandwich. ¡°Woah I never knew you were such a feisty little thing!¡± Connor replies with a chuckle. ¡°I am Hispanic and we¡¯re know for picking fights for the heck of it.¡± I reply with a smirk. God Mr. Stone is rubbing off on me. ¡°Aww my little Latina firecracker is a badass!¡± Connor exims with what I assume was suppose to be a Hispanic ent but came out sounding southern. Staring at him expressionless for a couple moments, we both burst outughing and continue eating. Once lunch was over Connor and I throw our trash away and exchange numbers before I walk towards the elevators to resume work. When I got back to Mr. Stone¡¯s office I knocked several times waiting for a e in.¡± Walking in I take a seat in front of him and wait for him to speak. ¡°I need you to grab your notepad and things, we¡¯re heading to another meeting but this one is at a restaurant.¡± He informs me. Nodding I get up and grab my things before following him out the door towards the elevators. Once inside I reached to press the bottom floor but was instead met with a hand that sent sparks up my arm. Jerking it back I make sure to keep my head down so he doesn¡¯t see the blush on my face. Exiting the elevator, we walk out Stone industry and Mr. Stone leads me towards a limo opening the door for me. With a ¡°thank you¡± I slowly slide into the limo trying to distance myself from Mr. Stone. Closing the door he gives the chauffeur an address and rxes back into his seat. After a few minutes of the tense silence it¡¯s broken by Mr. Stone. ¡°Would you like a drink Ms. Winters?¡± He asks bringing a ss of champagne in my direction. Not wanting to be rude, I take the ss with a smile and bring it up to my lips taking a sip. The sweet yet pungent drink fills my taste buds as I swallow it down. Setting the ss down in one of the cup holders I look out the window to see buildings fly past. The limo hits a speed bump causing me to fly onto Mr. Stone¡¯sp. Looking up at him, I¡¯m lost in his gorgeous pools of golden and hazel as I remain in hisp. Staring back at me, I spot a look of confusion and a bit of content cross his face before I try to get out of hisp. Gripping my hips, he keeps me in ce leaving a trail of sparks wherever he touched. Our intense moment is cut off with the chauffeur announcing our arrival. Shaking my head with a blush, I grab my things and open the door exiting. Adjusting my dress, I wait for Mr. Stone to exit the limo leading us inside a very ssy and expensive looking restaurant. Gasping I take a moment to look around before I continue to walk alongside Mr. Stone. ¡°Table for Stone¡± he tells thedy who pulled down her shirt and batted her eyes in a fail attempt to look sexy. With a smirk Mr. Stone follows the women to our table to find a man already sitting there. Standing up he shakes hands with Mr. Stone and proceeds to look me up and down, a look of approval crossing his face. ¡°And who¡¯s this beautifuldy Ivan? A new girlfriend I assume.¡± He asks Mr. Stone who looks back at me before replying. ¡°No Jason, she¡¯s my new assistant.¡± He replies curtly. Knowing he won¡¯t introduce me, I take the chance and do it myself. ¡°Amelia Winters, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Jason.¡± I say with a smile to which he smirks ¡°The pleasure is all mine Amelia¡± he says taking my hand and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. With a slight blush, I look at Mr. Stone to see him ring at Jason and I before taking a seat. ¡°If you¡¯re done flirting, I¡¯d like to start this meeting.¡± He says with a cold expression on his face yet again. Sitting down next to him, I take out the notepad ready to take notes if needed. ¡°So how¡¯d you end up working for Ivan in Stone Industry?¡± Jason asks with a look of curiosity. Not wanting to be rude I respond ¡°Well Jason, I recently graduated from Yale university and moved out on my own to pursue a career in the business industry. That¡¯s when I found an ad for an opening in Stone Industry and decided it was my chance to show everyone that I wasn¡¯t some little girl.¡± I reply looking down at myp feeling weird that he¡¯s showing me so much attention instead of discussing the deal with Mr. Stone. On que Ivan clears his throat snapping Jason out of his daze. ¡°Shall we continue or would you guys like to keep ying 21 questions?¡± Mr. Stone snaps shooting me a re.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I was gonna sign the deal anyway, seeing as you¡¯ve nevere up with a bad idea and this one is probably your best one yet. Count me in.¡± Jason says with a smile before signing a contract I didn¡¯t see Mr. Stone pull out. Slightly annoyed Mr. Stone puts the contract back into his briefcase before standing up. Following his lead, Jason and I stand up as well bidding our goodbyes. ¡°I hope to see you again Amelia.¡± Jason flirts sending me a wink. ¡°Maybe in the near future.¡± I reply before smiling politely and walking out with Mr. Stone. Knowing I was in for a talk, I slid back into the limo and waited for him to snap. Once he closes the door the scowling began. ¡°You know it¡¯d be great if you could stop making everything about you all the time. I hired you to assist me when needed not go around chatting up a storm with all my clients.¡± He shouts in anger startling me. ¡°I¡¯m not making everything about me! It¡¯s not my fault all your clients would much rather talk to me than you. Maybe if you didn¡¯t look like you had a stick up your ass all the time, people would find you more approachable!¡± I shout back instantly regretting it when his expression turned cold. ¡°Just because you¡¯re my new assistant doesn¡¯t mean you are above me. I am the head of Stone Industry and you¡¯re just a mere nobody, don¡¯t you ever forget your ce.¡± He says with a voice that sent chills up my spine and not in a good way. Not backing down I reply ¡°Just because you own an industry doesn¡¯t make you above anyone else. Why don¡¯t you step off your high horse and get an attitude adjustment!¡± I bite back matching his re with one of my own. ¡°Get out of my limo¡± He replies and I oblige mming the door in the process. Recognizing my surroundings, I walk into the library I use to study at when I was still in college. Looking around I find myself a good book and sit down in one of the many chairs opening the book to escape reality for awhile. I¡¯m snapped out of my book when the librarian taps my shoulder, informing me it was time to go. Walking outside I¡¯m hit with the chilly New York air making me quickly put on my coat. Sighing, I begin my walk back to Stone Industry to retrieve my car which was 20 minutes away. I could feel my ears starting to numb from the cold and I hug my jacket closer hoping to stay warm. A few minutester, I hear a car pull up towards me and I feel my heart beat quicken but continue walking anyway. The car drives alongside me for a few more seconds before I hear a voice that made me smile gratefully ¡°Amelia! What on earth are you doing walking in this weather?!? Get in my car I¡¯ll drive you home¡± Connor shouts at me ushering me towards his car. Grateful that my prayers were answered, I hop inside his car and demand for him to crank the heat up. After a few moments I hear Connor¡¯s voice break the silence. ¡°Mind telling me what possessed you to walk home in this freezing weather Amelia?¡± Connor asks ncing at me before looking back at the road. ¡°I came here with Mr. Stone to a meeting in a fancy restaurant but his client seemed to pay more attention to me then him. He didn¡¯t like that so once we got back into the limo, he started yelling at me as if I were a child so I yelled back. Apparently Mr. Stone doesn¡¯t like being talked back to so be kicked me out of the limo in this weather.¡± I fill him in still trying to warm up. 05 ¡°What an asshole¡± He replies with a look of anger before continuing ¡°Amelia, I¡¯ve worked for Mr. Stone for almost 3 years now and I know first hand that he¡¯s not afraid to fire people if theye off as a threat. I¡¯m telling you this because I don¡¯t want to see you fired, so please refrain from making any snarkyments.¡± He tells me with a look of sympathy ¡°I can¡¯t let him walk all over me even if he is my boss, that doesn¡¯t give him the right.¡± I argue back trying to make him see my point. ¡°I agree with you but please try and bite your tongue for me, I don¡¯t want to lose my best friend.¡± He replies taking his eyes off the road to look at me. ¡°Eyes on the road Mister!¡± I shout at him not wanting to die today. With augh he looks back at the road and continues driving, leaving us in afortable silence. The remainder of the ride consists of me giving him directions to my home before we finally arrive. ¡°Thanks for the ride Connor, I really appreciate it.¡± I thank him with a smile. ¡°Anytime Amelia, I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow at around 9:40am considering you left your car at Stone Industry.¡± He replies with a smirk at the end. ¡°Oh shit! You¡¯re right my baby¡¯s probably all alone waiting for me!¡± I exim with a look of horror. Connor looks at me weirdly before shaking his head with a chuckle. Getting out I bid Connor goodbye before running into my apartment, not wanting to be in the cold much longer. Entering my humble abode with a smile I mutter ¡°What a day.¡± The next morning I woke up with a struggle. Not exactly feeling like going to work but knowing I had to made me want to burst out into tears. Finally getting up, I walked into the bathroom jumping into the shower and only washing my body. Getting out I wrapped a fluffy towel around my body before walking to the mirror to brush my teeth. Walking out of the bathroom and into the walk in closet, I decide to wear a ck zer and matching red out pants. Not being able to find a proper shirt to wear under the zer, I decided to just wear a ck cropped top making sure the zer was buttoned so no one could see my bare stomach. Going back into the bathroom, I straighten my long hair and leave it down but making sure to have a hair tie just in case I change my mind. Once dressed I sat in front of my vanity and decided to do a nude smokey eye with winged eyeliner. For my lips, I put on a bit of lip balm and got up deeming myself ready for today. Walking down stairs with my purse in hand, I hear a knock on the door, slightly surprised at having a guest this early. Opening the door without looking¡­again I find myself looking at Connor and remember he¡¯s my ride today. ¡°I forgot you were my ride today.¡± I tell him ushering him inside. ¡°Usuallydies can¡¯t wait until I arrive to pick them up but of course you would forget.¡± He says with a little chuckle at the end. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t find you as attractive as you think you are.¡± I sass back trying to get a reaction out of him. ¡°Wow Amelia, you really think that? After all we¡¯ve been through?¡± He fakes a hurt expression with his hand holding his heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry dude, you¡¯re just not my type.¡± I say back with a smirk before walking into the kitchen to grab my coffee and a muffin. ¡°ying hard to get I see.¡± He adds before snatching my muffin and stuffing it into his mouth. ¡°And to think I actually thought you were an adult. You will pay Connor whatever yourst name is for taking my muffin!¡± I snap kind of angry he took my precious muffin. Walking to the door to put my heels on I turn around to see the muffin stealer still eating my muffin. ¡°You¡¯re not very scary considering you¡¯re like 5¡¯5 and I¡¯m 6¡¯0 but if it makes you feel better I¡¯ll buy you one when we get to work.¡± He says with a smile wiping the crumbs off his mouth with his sleeve. Rolling my eyes I ignore him and walk out the door waiting for him to do so as well before locking it. ¡°I¡¯m expecting a lemon poppy seed muffin by the time we get to work Mister.¡± I say jabbing him in the chest with my finger. With augh and a nod, he continues to walk us towards his car unlocking it in the process. Opening the door, I sit down putting my purse on myp and buckling up. Once Connor started the car, we were off to Stone Industry. ¡°You know, you look beautiful today, your sure to draw more attention than usual at work.¡± Connor says quickly ncing at me with a smirk. ¡°Thanks but I have pepper spray in my purse, just in case.¡± I reply with a ¡°don¡¯t mess with me¡± expression. With a nod we sit in thefortable silence until we finally arrive at work. We walked inside together and part ways promising to meet up at lunch. ¡°Don¡¯t forget my muffin punk¡± I say over my shoulder with a giggle. Not waiting for his response, I dreadfully press the button of the elevator and step inside. ¡°Deep breaths Amelia, deep breaths¡± I whisper to myself exiting the elevator and walking to Mr. Stone¡¯s office. With a knock, I open the door and walk straight to my desk not waiting for instructions. Setting my stuff down, I sit in my chair for a few moments realizing I have to ask Mr. Stone for my tasks of the day. Turning towards him, I begin to speak ¡°What shall I start on today sir?¡± I ask keeping it short. ¡°I need you to type up these documents and have them ready before lunch time. Once finished, analyze the daily profit my newest idea is making and make a simple graph.¡± He says staring at me intensely, handing me a stack of papers. ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it¡± I say with a curt nod and turn around getting started on my work. Half way through typing, my hand starts to cramp so I decide to lean back and take a break. Not even a few secondster I hear an angered sigh before shuffling. A loud m startles me, making me jump out of my seat, effectively hitting my boss in the face. With my mouth agape, I stare at him trying hardly to conceal myughter. ¡°I could fire you for smacking me in the face¡± Mr. Stone says with a re. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you deserve it after abandoning me in the cold yesterday?¡± I say ring back at him. ¡°Good thing your Prince Charming came just in time to save you.¡± He spits angrily ¡°Good thing he did¡± I bite back before adding ¡°You could learn a thing or two from him on how to treat ady.¡± I say smirking. He slowly walks towards me until there was a sliver of space between us. ¡°I don¡¯t need tips from anyone sweetheart.¡± He whispers, his minty breath fanning my face. Loosing my train of thought, I stare at him forcing myself not to look at his lips. Getting an idea, I internally smirk before leaning in closer until our lips brushed. ¡°Then maybe you could teach me?¡± I say seductively batting my eyshes. A look of surprise washes across his features before it switches to what I assume is lust. The close proximity is making me want to jump his bones so I give him a slight push to distance myself from him. Not expecting it he stumbles beforeposing himself and continuing ¡°Have you finished the documents?¡± He askspletely ignoring what just happened. ¡°I¡¯m almost finished but my hand cramped up so I took a break.¡± I reply sheepishlyExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. With a nod he goes to sit back down focusing on hisptop. Adjusting my zer I sit back down to finish typing. An hourter I¡¯m finally done so I hit print before walking to grab the papers. Neatly stacking them, I staple them together before walking back to Mr. Stone¡¯s desk. ¡°Here are the papers sir¡± I say setting the down in front of him. ¡°You may head to lunch now Amelia¡± he replies without thanking me. Rolling my eyes I exit his office and head straight to the elevators, relieved that I was out of there. Pressing the elevator, I step inside and remember the muffin Connor promised me. Excited, I head to the cafeteria, where my beautiful muffin awaits me. 06 After lunch was over, I walk back to the elevators with a smile on my face. All I had was the muffin Connor bought me and a bottled water. Walking into the office without knocking, I look up to see Mr. Stone talking to blondie. I walk past them to my desk but not before she shoots me a re which I return with a smile to anger her. Sitting down, I begin to analyze the profits but find myself listening to there conversation. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be your assistant again? I¡¯m way better than your new one¡± she exims shooting me another re. Rolling my eyes I look back down and pretend to keep working while listening. ¡°You should be d I didn¡¯t fire you for what you did Melissa.¡± Mr. Stone replies with a hint of anger. ¡°idents happen¡± she says not seeming sorry at all. ¡°You spilled coffee on Mr. Johnson, the head of the second biggestpany in America! I¡¯m not making you my assistant now or ever. You¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t press charges.¡± Mr. Stone shouts slightly red in the face. ¡°I hope you reconsider¡± she purrs, running her finger up and down his arm. Snorting, they both shoot me a look to which I respond by shrugging. ¡°Goodbye Melissa¡± Mr. Stone replies effectively ending the conversation. With a huff and a re in my direction, she flips her hair before strutting out of the room. ¡°Did she really spill coffee on Mr. Johnson?¡± I ask him curiously. Looking at me, he nods before focusing back on his paperwork. I take that as my cue to continue working and all that is heard in the silence is the scribbling of pens. A few hourster, I smile at the graph that Ipleted very proud of my work. Standing up, I walk over to give it to Mr. Stone. Our hands slightly brushed causing me to jerk mine back and cradle it to my chest still feeling the heat from where he touched me. Looking up, I watch him nce over the graph before he sets it down and stands up. He stalks towards me before stopping right in front of me. His woodsy cologne assaults my nose and I refrain from taking a whiff. He reaches out and caresses my face causing me to blush and look down. An intense silence washes over us before it is broken by his husky voice. ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± He whispers to himself not taking his eyes off me. Blushing even harder, I step out of his embrace knowing fully well that if I stayed, I might¡¯ve done something I¡¯d regretter. Walking back over to my desk, I lean forward to grab my purse before turning around. My eyes connect to his golden orbs swirling with lust and a slight smirk on his handsome face. ¡°Am I dismissed for the day Mr. Stone?¡± I ask wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. He snaps out of his daze before replying. ¡°Yes Ms. Winters, you are free to go. I need you to be ready bright and early tomorrow for another meeting at another industry I¡¯d like to work with. I¡¯ll pick you up at around 7:30am and we¡¯ll head over together. Bring your notepad and dress nicely, first impressions always count.¡± He says making sure I caught every word. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you then Mr. Stone¡± I respond before smiling and walking towards the door. I feel his eyes follow my every move as I exit causing me to increase my pace. Making it down to the lobby I make sure to bid Connor goodbye before running to my car and starting the engine. Entering my apartment, I kick my heels off before running to the kitchen to make some dinner. Getting a pot out, I fill it up with water to start boiling some pasta. For sauce, I decide on a simple lemon and herb vinaigrette not wanting to eat something too heavy. Getting out a te, I serve myself some pasta and grab a coke from the fridge before setting my dinner down in the living room. I quickly run up to my room and strip down from my work clothes and settle on wearing an oversized shirt and some shorts. Walking to the bathroom, I put my hair up before washing the make up off my face. Running back downstairs, I grab a nket before sitting on my couch to eat my dinner while watching a couple episodes of Friends. Two hourster, I decide to call it a night knowing I had to get up extra early tomorrow. Putting my dishes in the sink, I run up the stairs to my room making sure to jump on my bed like a child. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was weed by a dreamless slumber. I woke up at 6:30 to get ready for today¡¯s meeting. Jumping into the shower, I quickly wash my hair and body before getting out to brush my teeth. Walking into the closet, I grab a pair of ckce undergarments and put them on before walking to my vanity to blow dry my hair. Deciding on doing a slicked back ponytail, I gather my hair at the top of my head before securing it with a ck hair tie. For make up, I go with some ck eyeliner, mascara and a bold red lip, feeling a little daring. Walking back into my closet, I pick out a sheer white blouse and a pencil skirt with a slit on the side of it. I also grab a white tank top not wanting to sh anyone during the meeting. Grabbing my heels, I walk downstairs to make myself an iced coffee before sitting down on a stool. Sipping on my cold, mouthwatering beverage, I hear my phone ring and pick it up without looking at the caller ID. ¡°Pinky¡¯s porno pce, what¡¯s your pleasure?¡± I answer with a joyful voice. The line remains silent before I hear a bark ofughter. Smirking I check to see who¡¯s calling to see Ivan Stone across the screen. Shit¡­ ¡°Uhhh, I¡¯ll be right down?¡± I respond before hanging up and putting my heels on. Walking out my door I lock it behind me scolding myself as I walk down the stairs. ¡°Amelia Winters, you¡¯re officially an idiot¡± I whisper to myself still surprised I said that. Walking outside I see a limo, and automatically assume it¡¯s Mr. Stone. Opening the door, I slide in keeping my gaze on the ground. I shut the door behind me before sighing as the chauffeur pulls off the curb. The awkward silence is finally broken by Mr. Stone. ¡°So pinky¡¯s pce huh?¡± He questions me with a smirk. Slightly annoyed, I feel the need to wipe that stupid smirk off his face. ¡°Shut up you big oaf¡± I reply not having anything better to say. He snorts before continuing ¡°I guess the quiet ones are always the wildest¡± he says winking which causes my heart to flutter. ¡°You never n a murder out loud now do you?¡± I bite back but all he does is chuckle at my response. ¡°I¡¯m shaking with fear, someone please save me!¡± He exims in a girlish voice causing me to giggle. Shaking my head, I turn to gaze out the window at the scenery that passed by in a blur. Afortable silence washes over us for the remainder of the ride as we were both lost in our thoughts. We finally arrived at a huge building almost as big as Stone Industry. I didn¡¯t see the opened door with the outstretched hand waiting for me to take it. Slightly blushing, I grab Mr. Stone¡¯s hand and step out of the car with a small thank you. We walk into the lobby together, quickly being greeted by the receptionist.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Wee to Miller Industry, can I get a name and possibly a number¡± the receptionist purred pulling down her shirt a bit. Annoyed, I huff and look up to see Mr. Stone already looking at me with a smirk. ¡°Ivan Stone, I¡¯m here to meet with Mr. Miller.¡± He says back adding a wink at the end. With a giggle the receptionist gave us directions before slipping Mr. Stone a piece of paper. Rolling my eyes, I start walking to the meeting room without waiting for my boss. Seeing him flirt with another women made my blood boil and I wanted nothing more than to show her who he belonged to. Then again we weren¡¯t together and therefore I was in no position to be jealous. Before I got to the meeting room, I felt a hand grab my forearm making me halt in my steps. Turning around, I was met with the eyes that constantly stared into my soul and erupted flutters in my stomach. 07 ¡°You know it¡¯s very unprofessional to walk into a meeting room without your boss¡± he taunts me with a smirk. ¡°You know it¡¯s highly unprofessional to flirt with a receptionist while on a business trip¡± I spit back with a hint of jealousy. ¡°Honey I can do whatever I want, I¡¯m Ivan Stone¡± he replies caressing my cheek before adding ¡°Not like you should care what I do with whom¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, I just don¡¯t want to be known as the assistant who¡¯s boss can¡¯t keep it in his pants¡± I sass, pping his hand away from my cheek beforeposing myself and entering the meeting room. I halt yet again to a room filled with men and maybe a few women. Blushing, I look down and follow behind Mr. Stone as he introduces himself to a man. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally be meeting you Mr. Miller, I¡¯m Ivan Stone, owner of Stone Industry¡± he booms with a voice filled of authority. Seeing him in business mode was a slight turn on not gonna lie. I¡¯m snapped out of my inappropriate thoughts by an unknown voice. ¡°The pleasure is all mine Mr. Stone, who is this beautifuldy behind you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± He responds everyone¡¯s attention snapping to me. Tilting my head up with confidence I introduce myself. ¡°Amelia Winters, assistant of Mr. Stone, I¡¯ve heard many things about yourpany¡± I shake his hand with a firm grip. ¡°Good things I hope¡± he says with augh causing the rest of the room tough along. ¡°Now shall we start this meeting¡± he asks directing the question to Mr. Stone. ¡°Let¡¯s begin¡± he replies as I take a seat next to him and take out my notebook to take notes of key points. As the meeting drags on, I feel a brush on my leg but ignore it and keep writing. A few minutester, I feel it again to which I turn to the owner of the leg that¡¯s been brushing mine. He looks at me before winking and I roll my eyes before continuing with my notes. He consists with brushing my leg and even as the nerve to stroke my thigh under the table. Having enough of this I p my pen down and turn to finally give this creep a piece of my mind. ¡°Sir, I¡¯d really appreciate it if you stopped ying footsie with me while I¡¯m trying to work¡± I snap before looking over at Mr. Stone to see him sending angry daggers to the man next to me. I look back at footsie guy to see him red with embarrassment. Smirking, I wait until the meeting continues this time with no interruptions. The meeting finally came to an end and I stood up, gathering my things preparing to leave. ¡°Our partnership will bring great sess for both orpanies, you¡¯re a genius for thinking of this Mr. Stone¡± Mr. Miller praises shaking Ivan¡¯s hand. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you Miller¡± he responds with a small smile and a curt nod. ¡°My apologies for the little interruption Ms. Winters, I¡¯ll be sure to talk to him about it¡± he says to me apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s really no big deal Mr. Miller¡± I respond with a charming smile. ¡°Well I bid you both goodbye, have a great rest of your day¡± he replies smiling. Mr. Stone and I walk out of the meeting room and back into the limo before he speaks. ¡°I could get him fired for what he did to you¡± Ivan says to me angrily. With a small smile I shake my head before answering. ¡°It¡¯s fine really, I think the public humiliation will teach him not to touch another women without her consent again¡± I assure him with a giggle. Nodding he gives the chauffeur directions while I continue to look out the window. Ten minutester, we arrive at a small diner and I turn to Mr. Stone with a hint of confusion. Not addressing me, he opens the door and gets out before ushering me out as well. I follow him into the diner, and we¡¯re seated at a table near the windows. Setting my things down, I look up to ask him why we¡¯re at this ce. ¡°Am I not allowed to treat my employees out to lunch?¡± He says with a hint of yfulness. With a giggle, we look up to see a cute waiter stand by our table. He had sand brown hair with blues eyes and sses, he looked adorable but hot at the same time. ¡°Wee to Rita¡¯s diner, can I get you any drinks?¡± He asks us, secretly smiling at me. ¡°I¡¯ll have a coke with extra ice¡± Mr. Stone orders with a cold expression. ¡°Um, I¡¯ll just have a water with lemon please¡± I order smiling at our waiter. With a nod, he walks off to grab our beverages. I turn back to Mr. Stone to see his piercing gaze already on me. ¡°Tell me about yourself Ms. Winters¡± he asks. ¡°Well for starters, call me Amelia¡± I sass with a giggle before continuing ¡°I¡¯m an only child, born and raised in Miami, Florida but moved to New York for college. I love to write whenever there¡¯s a lot on my mind and love to explore new ces which is mainly why I chose to move here in the first ce¡± I look up to see him staring intently at me as if he were listening to every word I said. Our drinks arrived, and I ordered a veggie burger with a side of fries while Mr. Stone ordered a steak with fried onions. As we ate I made sure to ask about him wanting to know more about him. ¡°I have a younger sister named Elsa, I¡¯m originally half Italian, half American. I started mypany from scratch after earning my business degree. I¡¯m 25 and I really enjoy going on hikes whenever I¡¯m stressed¡± he tells me as he took a sip of his coke. ¡°Do you speak Italian?¡± I ask fully intrigued. ¡°Sono cresciuto pando mia cara¡± he replies with a sexy grin. I think my ovaries just bursted, that was sexy as hell.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I grew up speaking it my dear¡± I trante with a smirk of my own. ¡°Do you speak Italian mia cara?¡± He asks surprised. ¡°No but I took it in high school so I kind of understand it¡± I reply still eating. ¡°Do you ever get bored of only speaking English?¡± He asks mocking me. I push my te away before taking a sip of my drink before continuing. ¡°I speak Spanish too asshole, I¡¯m half Cuban¡± I respond annoyed to which he barks outughing before a serious look washes across his features. ¡°That makes you sexier mia cara¡± he replies seductively to which I blush and shake my head before responding. ¡°Asshole¡± I say again hearing him chuckle as our waiteres back giving us our bill. I go to take out my card before a hand stops mine and Mr. Stone hands him cash not breaking eye contact. The waiter takes the money before smiling at me and handing me a slip of paper with his number on it. Smiling, I look up to see Mr. Stone ring at the paper to which Iugh and tuck it into my purse to piss him off. I had no intention of calling him but seeing the look of jealousy on Mr. Stone¡¯s face was worth it. ¡°Jealous?¡± I taunt following him out of the diner and back into the limo. ¡°I have no reason to be jealous of a little boy¡± he snaps crossing his arms and pouting like a child. ¡°If it makes you feel better, I have no interest in calling him¡± I say ripping up the paper to prove my point. He scoots closer to me and puts his face by my ear before speaking. ¡°Good, because you¡¯re mine and I don¡¯t share¡± he whispers gently cing a kiss behind my earlobe and going back to his original spot as if nothing happened. My body explodes with heat from where he kissed me and my heart flutters at his deration. I shake my head to clear my mind and lean my head on the window, closing my eyes for the remainder of car ride. The limo finally pulled up in front of my apartment and as I was getting out I felt a hand pull me back. With a gasp, I crashed into Mr. Stone¡¯sp cradling him. I sheepishly looked up at him to see that he was already intensely gazing at me. I made a move to get back up but was jerked back as a set of lips smashed against mine. Shocked, I didn¡¯t respond to the kiss until Ivan hesitantly began to pull away. Not wanting the kiss to be over yet, I yanked him back against me, wrapping my arms around his neck. He deepened the kiss sending my heart reeling as he tugged my bottom lip between his teeth. Moaning, I run my fingers through his gorgeous hair, tugging the ends. He grunts in approval and grips my waist tighter, bring us impossibly closer. I finally pulled away from the intense kiss, both of us breathing heavily. He continued to stare at me with hunger and I took that as my cue to get out. 08 ¡°Umm, s-see you tomorrow?¡± I stutter leaping out of the car, hearing his thunderingughter behind me as I run up to my apartment. mming the door behind me, I lean against it reying the earlier events in my head over and over again. My heart was still racing and I could still feel heat from where his lips had previously been. Snapping out of my daze, I walk to my room to take a nice rxing much needed bath. Going into the bathroom, I began to fill up the bath, lighting some vani scented candles for the hell of it. Adding a bath bomb, I walk back into my bedroom, to grab a robe and strip from my clothing. Getting into the bath, I sink in lower enjoying the hot water rxing my tense muscles. Closing my eyes, I sigh as I think about the one man I can¡¯t seem to get out of my head ever since I got this job. The little make out session we had in the limo was very unexpected but I didn¡¯t regret it at all and I hated to admit that. Something about his dominating personality and intense golden orbs lured me to him and I wanted more. ¡°Amelia, you need to get this little crush in check¡± I whisper to myself shaking my head. What happened in the limo could never be repeated for the sake of my sanity. It doesn¡¯t help that he¡¯s very famous in the business industry and I don¡¯t n on being known as the employee who¡¯s sleeping her way to a the top. Call me crazy but I¡¯d like to stay out of the public eye as much as possible. After sitting in the bath till my skin resembled a prune, I finally get out promising to keep our ¡°rtionship¡± business only. Feeling kind of lonely, I decide to call over my best friend who I haven¡¯t spoken to since I got this job. Picking up my phone and dialing her number, she picks up on the second ring. ¡°Amelia Grace Winters you better have a damn good exnation as to why you¡¯vepletely fallen under my radar¡± she yells through the phone almost blowing out my ear drum. ¡°I know I haven¡¯t kept in contact but if youe over I promise to make it up to you¡± I reply guiltily hoping she wasn¡¯t mad. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in 10 and I expect details as to what¡¯s kept you so upiedtely¡± she says before hanging up. Running down the stairs, I prepare the living room for a full blown movie night grabbing pillows and nkets from the closet. Walking into the kitchen, I make some popcorn with chocte drizzled on top knowing Sierra loved it. Exactly 10 minutester I hear a persistent knock on my door assuring me my best friend had arrived. Opening the door, I¡¯m quickly tackled into a hug sending both of us to the ground with a thud. ¡°God damnit Sierra, get your ass off me¡± I groan shoving her off me. ¡°You know you love my ass¡± she says shaking her ass in the air. Shaking my head with augh, I get up and shut the door before walking into the living room. Sierra hops onto the couch and getsfy before staring at me with a bored expression. ¡°I¡¯m waiting¡± she sasses crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°Well, I got a job at Stone industry¡± I begin before being cut off. ¡°Oh my god!!! I¡¯m so proud of you! I always knew your smart ass would make it far¡± she exims tackling me into another hug. ¡°Sierra, calm down and let me finish my story¡± I say before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m the assistant of Mr. Stone himself, and I¡¯m 100% convinced he¡¯s bipr. One minute he¡¯s praising my work and the next he¡¯s yelling at me like some child. Obviously I don¡¯t take his shit and I snap back which usually results in him threatening to fire me. He¡¯s hot as hell but he gets under my skin so much that sometimes I wish I could uppercut him¡± I rush out waiting for her reaction. ¡°Listen Amelia, you¡¯ve caught the eye of the Ivan Stone, the sexiest man alive, I¡¯m not getting where the problem is here¡± she replies before adding ¡°Is there something you¡¯re not telling me?¡± I remember the kiss we shared a few hours ago and blush before bolting to my room not ready to tell her. She runs after me before tackling me onto my bed pinning me underneath her. ¡°Amelia if you don¡¯t tell me what happened between you two I swear I¡¯ll shave off your eye brows and glue them to your wall¡± she threatens knowing she got me cornered. ¡°Fine get the hell off me, you¡¯re heavy¡± I respond sitting up and fixing my hair. With a gasp, she reluctantly gets off me before looking at me with one eye brow raised. ¡°Today he had a meeting he needed to attend and he picked me up early to take notes when needed. Right after, he took me out to lunch where he asked me questions about myself seeming interested. Then we got back into the limo and when I went to get out to leave, he pulled me back and we kinda kissed¡± I exin blushing brightly at the end. ¡°You¡¯re officially the luckiest women alive¡± she squeals before bombarding me with questions. ¡°Is he a good kisser? Was there tongue? Tell me the details women!¡± She exims excitedly while gripping my shoulders and shaking me vigorously. ¡°You¡¯re gross as hell, and I don¡¯t kiss n¡¯ tell¡± I wink before walking back downstairs into the living room. ¡°You¡¯re no fun¡± she pouts like a child before slumping down onto the couch and almost scarfing down the popcorn.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°What do you want to watch?¡± I ask reaching to grab so chocte covered popcorn. ¡°White chicks, 21 jump street or gossip girl, your choice¡± she responds still eating the popcorn. ¡°White chicks it is¡± I whisper before grabbing the remote and turning on Netflix. I click on the movie and sit back, draping the nket over us as the movie begins. When the movie ended, both of us were dying ofughter and probably looked like messes. I get up and walk into the kitchen wiping my tears, with Sierra following behind. I open up the fridge, to grab a drink and grab one for Sierra as well. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, make me food peasant¡± she deres grabbing the soda and chugging it. Shaking my head I stand on my tippy toes and grab the cereal box, mming it down in front of her with a giggle. ¡°Dinner is served¡± I sass but her serious expression causes me to burst outughing and begin to make her food. Feelingzy, I decided on making her some pancakes even though it was almost 10pm. Getting out a bowl, I begin to make the batter adding a little cinnamon for a kick. Waiting for the pan to heat up, I open the fridge to grab some butter and open the cab to get the syrup. Making her 4 total pancakes, I put two on her te and two on mine before loading the dish washer. I watch her face light up as she puts a little bit of butter and drowns her pancakes in syrup. Not wanting any butter, I add a bit of syrup and sit at the counter with her to eat. ¡°If I could I¡¯d marry you so you could make me food all the time¡± she moans with pancakes in her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t I already do that¡± I question before she shrugs with a nod and continues eating. When we finish, we walk to my room deciding it was time for bed. ¡°Yo can I borrow some pj¡¯s¡± Sierra asks not waiting for my response before she walks into my closet and helps herself. Feeling too tired to reply, I put my hair up while getting on my bed and scooting towards the wall to make space for Sierra. I close my eyes and not even a minuteter, I am jumped on for the third time that night. Groaning I push her off me with my eyes still closed muttering incoherently under my breathe. She finally settles down like a normal person and we both fall into a peaceful slumber. A wake up thirsty a few hourster to find Sierra¡¯s foot in my face. Pushing her foot off me, I get up and p her butt before walking down to the kitchen. Grabbing a ss and pouring myself some water, I slowly drink it looking around my apartment finding my phone on the ground by the door. Guess it must¡¯ve fallen out of my pocket when Sierra tackled me. Walking over and grabbing it, I check to see I had received one text message. Opening it, I read the message 09 Good night Amelia I. S Seeing his initials, I instantly blush remembering our make out session and decide to not respond. Finishing up my water, I go back upstairs and get into bed pushing Sierra to the side while falling back asleep cuddled up to my best friend. The next morning I woke up with Sierra¡¯s foot in my face yet again. Annoyed I grab a pillow and hit her on the head resulting in her kicking my jaw. ¡°OWW Sierra, what the hell?!?!¡± I groan rubbing my now throbbing jaw. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have been hitting me while I was asleep¡± she mumbles rubbing her eyes. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have your foot in other people¡¯s faces¡± I bite back holding my jaw. ¡°Anyone who has the pleasure of having my foot near their face should feel blessed¡± she sasses back sitting up. Groaning again, I get up and stomp towards the bathroom to get ready. Stripping off my pajamas, I hop into the shower allowing the hot water to rx my muscles. Grabbing the shampoo, Ither it in my hair before rinsing it out and doing the same with conditioner. Washing my body with my strawberry vani body wash, I make sure to shave wanting to wear a skirt today. Getting out of the shower, I wrap a white towel around my body before brushing my teeth and walking back into my room. I nce at my bed to see Sierra no longer there meaning she was somewhere doing god knows what. I walk into my closet and grab a pair of matchingcy white undergarments before browsing my closet for something to wear. After about five minutes, I finally decide on wearing a ckce top with straps and pairing it with a simple white skirt along with ck pumps. I grab a long flowy creme colored cardigan to put on top just to feel a bit more covered. For my hair I quickly blow dry it before letting it fall in its natural wave and move on to makeup. I go for just mascara and concealer adding a bold burgundy lip for some color. Deeming myself ready for the day, I walk downstairs to see Sierra in the kitchen making breakfast. Skipping to the kitchen, I head to the fridge to grab some creamer for my iced coffee that I¡¯m addicted to. Sitting on one of the stools I put some scrambled eggs with some sausage on a te before beginning to eat. ¡°What are you so dressed up for Mimi?¡± She asks with a knowing smirk using her nickname for me. ¡°This is how I always dress for work¡± I respond with a blush knowing she didn¡¯t believe me. With a nod and a wink she sits down as well piling some food on to her te. After 15 minutes of us just eating and catching up, I stand up knowing I had to start heading to work if I wanted to be on time. Putting my dishes in the sink, I put on my heels and make my way to the door with purse in hand.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°We have to go shopping soon my dearie¡± Sierra says as she hugs me. ¡°Definitely, I¡¯m running out of bras anyway¡± I reply with a giggle squeezing her back missing her warm embrace. ¡°Hit me up when you¡¯re not busy mija¡± she responds letting her Spanish ente out as she spoke to me. ¡°Will do, I got to get going or my boss will have my ass¡± I respond opening the door. ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind¡± she winks effectively causing me to rush out of there to save myself the embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you wouldn¡¯t¡± she shouts at me as I flip her the bird to which she barks outughing. Shaking my head, I get into the car and begin my journey to work. The drive there consists of me going over my n to stay as far away from Mr. Stone as possible making sure to keep it professional. Pulling into the parking lot, I cut the engine before walking into therge building. Having already eaten, I make my way over to the elevator pressing the button and waiting for the doors to open. Stepping in, I begin to take deep breaths preparing myself to see my hunk of a boss. When the doors open, I walk into his office to see Mr. Stone ring at hisptop. He looks up to the sound of my clicking heels. I watch as his golden eyes look me up and down his gaze lingering on my legs. Clearing my throat, I give him a curt nod before setting my things down on my desk. I take my cardigan off, hanging it on my chair before sitting down. The whole time I could feel a piercing gaze on my back and I had to refrain from turning around to meet his gaze. ¡°What would you like me to do today Mr. Stone¡± I ask slightly turning my head to address him. ¡°Get started on reorganizing my desk for me while I go grab a coffee¡± he demands as he gets up. ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it¡± I respond getting up as well and going over to his desk. I sit down in his chair to start organizing feeling his eyes watching my every move. Pretending I couldn¡¯t feel it, I continue to organize and I soon hear his retreating footsteps. When I¡¯m sure he¡¯s gone, I lean back in his chair trying to calm my shaky breath. It hasn¡¯t even been 20 minutes and avoiding him is bing harder and harder. I¡¯ve only been working here for like 2 months and I¡¯m already catching feelings for my boss. After the mini therapy session I had with myself, I began reorganizing the things on his desk making sure his pens and pencils were all in the small tin. I put hisptop in the center of his desk and put the stapler back by the pencils grabbing the folder with the files. Not realizing I grabbed it from the wrong end until it was toote, all the papers go flying to the ground causing me to groan. ¡°Shit¡± I whisper to myself before getting on my knees to start picking up the papers. As I¡¯m crawling around grabbing papers, I hear footstepsing closer to which I ignore. I continue to pick up the papers until they¡¯re all neatly back in their folder. I get up off the floor and turn my head to see Mr. Stone leaning against the door frame watching me. ¡°Oh Mr. Stone, how long have you been there?¡± I ask pretending I didn¡¯t hear his footsteps moments ago. ¡°Long enough to know you¡¯re clumsy as hell¡± he replies with a smirk before pushing off the door and closing it before walking towards me. Every step he took made my heart quicken but I kept my gaze on his shoes. I didn¡¯t even look up when I could feel his body heat and smell his cologne that assaulted my nostrils. It was getting harder for me to think with him at such a close proximity but I tried to calm myself the best I could. Seconds past before I felt his soft but firm hand tilt my chin up until our eyes met. He stared intensely at me with his golden orbs as if trying to figure out my deepest darkest secrets and I stared back not forgetting about his hand still on my chin sending surges of heat where our skin met. He let go of my chin and I almost whimpered because of theck of contact until I felt his hand quickly pull me closer to him until I crashed into his chest. 10 Not a sliver of space was between us, my hands the only thing keeping our chests from touching. I slowly trailed my eyes up his neck to his plump lips stopping momentarily before continuing my gaze upwards until our eyes met yet again. We continued to stare at each other until his voice disrupted the tense silence. ¡°To hell with it¡± he whispers huskily before bringing his lips down to crash against mine. He kisses me fiercely as I bring my hands up to hook around his neck. I felt his hands teasingly trail up and down my upper thigh before he pulls away from our heated kiss. ¡°Jump¡± he demands and I quickly jump feeling his firm but gentle grip on my ass to keep me up. Seconds pass before he smashes our lips together but this time running his tongue along my bottom lip asking for entrance. I hesitantly open my mouth and he doesn¡¯t waste the time to explore every inch of my mouth with his tongue. I bring my hands up to his hair to run my fingers through enjoying the softness. I finally pull away leaning my forehead against his, both of us breathing heavily. He lets go of my bum and I slide down until my feet hit the ground before taking a few steps back so I could think. ¡°Your desk is organized sir¡± I say breaking the silence to which he snaps out of his little daze. ¡°Thank you Ms. Winters, you can take a 15 minute break¡± he replies his voice still husky. I nod with a smile before walking to my desk to grab my cardigan putting it on in the process. Without another word, I begin walking towards the door before his voice calls me back.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°You will be mine Ms. Winters¡± he deres with an underlying promise to which I turn around to meet his gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll see Mr. Stone¡± I reply seductively adding a wink before turning around and strutting out making sure to add a little sway in my hips. Once I¡¯m fully out the door and hearing distance away from anyone I begin scolding myself out loud. ¡°Letting him shove his tongue down your throat is a great way to keep it professional Amelia¡± I whisper angrily to myself hitting the elevator button. Stepping inside, I lean against the bar closing my eyes and taking deep breaths. When I hear the doors open, I open my eyes and walk out deciding on spending my break walking around. As I walked down a long corridor, my brain immediately went to thinking about Mr. Stone and the heated kiss we just shared. I wondered about why I couldn¡¯t keep it together around him and why I always felt the need to touch him. Too consumed in my thoughts, I don¡¯t realize where I was until I could no longer recognize my surrounding. Stomping my heels a bit, I begin retracing my steps in hopes of finding my way back or stumbling across someone. Ten minutes pass and I¡¯m still unable to find my way back to the lobby and my break is already up. Huffing, I walk towards a wall before crouching down to sit leaning my head against my knees praying someone walked down this hallway and saw me. ¡°How the hell do you get lost at a ce you¡¯ve worked at for almost 3 months?¡± I question myself truly impressed at how much of an idiot I can be. Momentster I hear footsteps getting louder and louder until a tall man finallyes into view. Jumping up, I rush towards him to try and ask for directions. ¡°Excuse me sir, can you direct me on how I can get back to the lobby?¡± I ask ¡°Of course just take this hallway down and take a right¡± he replies warmly and I thank him before speed walking down the hall. Taking a right, I finally make it back to the lobby and I run to the elevator without breaking an ankle in my heels. Stepping inside, I pray to go Mr. Stone doesn¡¯t burst a vein for my tardiness. I make it back to his office and I walk in slightly out of breath from running. ¡°You¡¯rete Ms. Winters¡± he scolds slightly angry. ¡°I kinda got lost and couldn¡¯t find my way back so I sat against the wall hoping someone woulde to the rescue until finally someone did and he really deserves a promotion for sensing when his co-workers are in need anding to save the day¡± I rant until he cuts me off with a look of amusement. ¡°Just take these papers and make some copies for me¡± he replies handing me a folder. Nodding, I grab the folder before turning around until he speaks again. ¡°Oh and don¡¯t get lost this time¡± he teases with a smile to which I blush and walk out embarrassed. He barks outughing and I shake my head continuing to make my way down to the copy room this time not getting lost. When I came back to the office with the warm freshly printed papers, I found Mr. Stone staring out the window his back facing me. He didn¡¯t acknowledge me until I set the papers down on his desk and began to walk over to mine. I put my cardigan on wrapping it around myself before turning around. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out for lunch if that¡¯s ok with you Mr. Stone¡± I address him politely. ¡°Go ahead but I expect you back in an hour Ms. Winters¡± he replies turning around to face me. With a nod, I make my way out of his office and towards the elevator pressing the button. I walk inside the elevator and wait until the elevator reaches the bottom floor. Stepping out, I make my way into the lobby looking around for Connor. I feel a hand on my shoulder and whip around so fast that I stumble. I look up to see the devil himself chuckling at me while shaking his head amused. ¡°You almost gave me a heart attack asshole¡± I re before cracking a smile. ¡°My apologies mydy, allow me to escort you to lunch¡± he replies in a mock British ent offering me his arm. ¡°I¡¯d be delighted to kind sir¡± I reply taking his hand before giving it a firm squeeze, ¡°Next time you scare me I¡¯ll shove your arm down your throat¡± I add with an innocent smile. We both stare at each other before bursting out into a fit ofughter to which the receptionist shushes us. I follow him out of the building and towards his car before speaking. ¡°Where are you taking me¡± I ask curiously. ¡°That¡¯s for me to know and you to find out¡± he replies with a smirk. Rolling my eyes I get into his car before buckling up as he starts the engine. We make our way out of the parking lot and we sit in afortable silence for awhile before we pull into a nice looking diner. Getting out of the car, I straighten out my skirt before following Connor inside the diner. When we get inside, I¡¯m instantly hit with the smell of coffee and it gave me a sense offort. We walk over to a table further back before taking a seat. ¡°This is a really cute ce¡± I say while giving the ce a nce over. ¡°My mom use to bring my siblings and I here on the weekends¡± he replies his eyes showing his sheer mirth. ¡°Aw don¡¯t I feel special being included in a family tradition¡± I reply with a genuine smile to which he returns. ¡°You are special¡± he whispers quiet enough that I almost didn¡¯t catch it. Blushing, I pick up the menu trying to pick what I wanted to eat but everything sounded so damn good. ¡°I¡¯m stuck between the baked Mac N¡¯ Cheese or the chicken pot pie¡± I exim with a pout. 11 ¡°Get the pot pie, it¡¯s legendary¡± he replies smirking before adding ¡± I think I¡¯m just gonna get the ssic cheeseburger and fries¡± ¡°Good luck getting fat¡± I tease to which heughs. He shakes his head at me amused before a waitresses over to take our order. ¡°What would y¡¯all like to drink today¡± she asks with a thick southern ent. ¡°I¡¯ll have an iced tea¡± I respond. ¡°And I¡¯ll have a Diet Coke¡± Connor replies. With a nod she walks away from our table to fetch the drinks beforeing back again. ¡°I¡¯ll have the chicken pot with no peas¡± I order slightly grimacing at the thought of peas. ¡°I¡¯ll have the cheeseburger and fries¡± he responds adding a small smile in my direction. Shaking my head I turn my attention back to the waitress. She was about middle aged with blue eyes and blonde slightly grayish hair. She looked like one of those innocent grandmas in those movies who wouldn¡¯t harm a thing. ¡°Ok well I¡¯ll be back with y¡¯all¡¯s order in about 10-15 minutes¡± she tells us before nodding and walking away. I watch as she retreats and I¡¯m snapped out of my daze when I feel something hit my head. Startled, I whip my head towards Connor to see him full blownughing. I look down to inspect what he threw at me to see a bunched up straw wrapper on the table. ¡°Way to be mature Connor¡± I reply sarcastically nning on getting him backter. ¡°The l-look on y-your face was priceless¡± he says stillughing and holding his gut. ¡°Sometimes, I wonder how the hell you even got the job at Stone Industries¡± I reply shaking my head with a small smirk. ¡°I¡¯m the best employee Stone Industries has ever seen¡± he exims with a huge grin. While we continue to bicker, we don¡¯t notice the waitress return with our food. She smiles at us and sets our food down in front of us. Before she leaves she says something that had me blushing and wanting to wring her neck. ¡°Y¡¯all are such a cute couple¡± she says walking off without looking back. I look over at Connor beet red to see him smirking at me. He winks at me and I kick him under the table. ¡°Damn it women, what¡¯s your problem¡± he asks groaning and cradling his knee under the table. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, My leg started to cramp up and I needed to stretch it out¡± I reply with mock innocence, slightly smirking at the end. He ignores me and begins eating his food mumbling incoherent curse words under his breath. I begin to eat and the first bite was heavenly. Not being able to contain my content, I moan and start stuffing my face probably looking like a starved animal. The rest of our lunch consisted of us eating and making small talk but over all it was afortable time. ¡°You¡¯re bringing me here whenever I¡¯m craving a pot pie¡± I respond jabbing my finger into his side as we walk to the car. ¡°If it means spending time with you then of course¡± he replies cheekily with yet another wink. ¡°My leg is starting to cramp again¡± I say to no one in particr but get the desired reaction when Connor starts running to the car. With augh, I quicken my pace to get to his car and we ride off together to Stone Industries. Once we got back, we part ways and I head towards the elevator up to the devil himself. Stepping inside, I can¡¯t help when my thoughts wander over to the man I¡¯ve taken a fascination towards. Something about him had me constantly wanting to explore him not to mention the wicked kisses we shared. Immediately my mind starts reying those memories effectively getting me hot and bothered. I¡¯m snapped out of my daze once I make it to the top floor and I walk in to see Mr. Stone already ring at me. I slowed my pace but continued to walk towards his desk not exactly knowing what I did wrong. ¡°Mind telling me why you¡¯re 15 minuteste Ms. Winters?¡± He asks with a re hard enough to make anyone scared. I turn around towards the clock to see it was in fact 2:15pm. Slowly turning back around to him, I straighten myself up before responding. ¡°I went out to eat with Connor andpletely lost track of time¡± I reply eyes on the floor. I hear him get out of his seat before I feel his presence in front of me. His addictive cologne assaults my nostril and I refrain from sniffing it like a dog.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s no excuse Ms. Winters. It appears Connor is the main reason for your tardinesstely. I¡¯ll have to talk with him¡± he replies his expression getting colder when I mentioned Connor. Shocked, I quickly look up and try to persuade him from punishing Connor. ¡°Connor had nothing to do with my tardiness. As an adult, I shouldn¡¯t allow my mistakes to be put on someone else. I take full responsibility and it won¡¯t happen again, just please don¡¯t fire Connor¡± I plead, my voice getting softer towards the end. ¡°It seems you really care for him Ms. Winters¡± he uses still ring. ¡°He¡¯s the first friend I made here and is a really great person. Of course I care for him¡± I respond slightly blushing. To this his nostrils re and he brings his face closer to mine. ¡°Just know you¡¯re mine Amelia, and I don¡¯t like sharing¡± he whispers huskily to which I gulp before unconsciously nodding. Looking content he steps away before leaning against his desk. I snap out of it getting slightly annoyed to what I had agreed to. ¡°I¡¯m my own person and quite frankly we¡¯re not together so there for you have no im over me¡± I snap crossing my arms over my chest. His eyes immediately flick to my chest and his gaze darkens before he looks back up at my eyes. ¡°Then go on a date with me¡± he demands with a lust filled expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t it wrong to date your boss¡± I ask secretly wanting to scream yes to his question. ¡°I could care less what people think. When I want something I get it¡± he replies before walking towards me. Once there¡¯s absolutely no space between us he leans down, our lips almost brushing before adding ¡°And I want you.¡± Not being able to think straight, my eyes wander down to his plump lips before focusing back up on his eyes. Seeing the smirk and want on his face, I get an idea. ¡°Alright asshole, you¡¯re gonna have to work a lot harder to win me over¡± I sass wanting him to know I wasn¡¯t effected by our close proximity. He leans in even closer but this time towards my ear. ¡°Is that a yes then¡± he asks purposefully breathing on my neck. I think it over knowing I wanted this but not sure if I was willing to risk my reputation. I¡¯m snapped out my thoughts when he ces an open mouthed kiss on my neck. My sharp intake of breath makes him smile against my neck and I knew my answer. I push him away from me before answering his question. ¡°It has to be a private date¡± I reply out of breath and slightly nervous, eyes on the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to think I¡¯m some slut who¡¯s after your money¡± I add wanting to rify my insecurities. I feel hisrge hand gently tilt my head up leaving sparks where our skin touched. We continue to stare at each other until he caresses my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re not some gold digger and all that should matter is that I want you for you, no ones opinion is going to change that¡± he replies softly caressing my cheek once more. I blush and grin making sure to show my all my teeth. Hisugh makes my insides tingle and his smile was such a beauty. ¡°You have a beautiful smile¡± I stupidly blurt out but cover my mouth with my hands. Not know where that came from, I step out of his embrace and walk towards my desk trying to save myself from further embarrassment. I take my cardigan off feeling slightly warm before turning around to see Ivan still staring at me with want and adoration? ¡°What shall I get started on¡± I ask still flustered to what I had just said. He snaps out of his daze before straightening himself. ¡°Actually you¡¯re free for the rest of the day¡± he tells me to which I smile hugely again. He chuckles at me and I grab my purse before walking towards him. Feeling daring, I grab his tie and pull him towards me before smashing his lips against mine. I slightly bite his lips to tease him but pull away before he had the chance to kiss back. ¡°Goodbye Ivan¡± I reply seductively walking away making sure to sway my hips a bit. I don¡¯t look back to see his expression but instead walk straight into the elevator. Leaning my head against the wall, I smile feeling happy with how I handled my previously stupidment. ¡°If he thinks he¡¯s won me over then he¡¯s got another thinging¡± I whisper to myself smirking as an idea formted in my head. 12 Ivan¡¯s pov I stood there a few moment shocked at Amelia¡¯s boldness all of a sudden. She¡¯s ying with fire I thought to myself smirking as I pack up myself calling it quits for the day. Walking out of the office, I make sure to lock it behind me before making my way towards the elevator. My thoughts immediately go to my little assistant who¡¯s been all I could think about since she started working for me. Her beautiful brown almost ck hair cascading down her back as well as those mesmerizing green eyes that held a sort of innocence in them. My thoughts also go to Connor making my blood boil thinking about how close he was with Amelia but also I felt sort of envious that he had her attention whenever they were together. My thoughts are put on hold as I exit the elevator and walk into the lobby quickly grabbing the attention of the female employees. I slightly smirk as I continue walking but my smirk falls when I see Melissa rushing towards me. Already annoyed, I roll my eyes but slow down anyways not wanting toe off as rude. ¡°What can I do for you Melissa¡± I ask with an impassive expression not wanting my annoyance to be shown. ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯d like toe over tonight and maybe I could cook for you¡± she replies batting her eyshes. I don¡¯t understand how she can be so interested in a guy who hasn¡¯t batted an eye in her direction since she started. ¡°I¡¯m really busy at the moment but maybe another time¡± I say dismissively before walking away needing to get home. I walk to my limo and curtly greet my chauffeur before getting inside and opening up a bottle of champagne. Pouring myself a ss, I take slow sips before remembering Amelia never gave me an exact date for our date. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I quickly send her a text: When shall I pick you up for this date mia cara;) I. S I smirk at my nickname for her continuing to sip on my ss of champagne. I¡¯m interrupted by the beeping notifying me of her response. I thought we were over that nickname asshole How¡¯s Friday night at around 8pm? A. W Her response has me barking outughing almost spilling my drink on myself. If only she knew that I gave her that nickname the minute I decided she was going to be mine. Oh mia cara, would you prefer something corny like princess or kitten? I. S A lingering smile remains on my lips as Amelia Winters takes over my thoughts. I¡¯ve never been emotionally involved with a women but when I do I never n on letting them go. Well then I guess it¡¯s ok for me to call you princesa, si? A. W I slightly re at the nickname she gave me before shooting the idea down. If you ever call me that mia cara, you¡¯ll be punished;) I. S I can almost picture her nervous reaction and I internally smirk having too much fun teasing her. Before I know it, the limo pulls up in front of my house and I finish my champagne before exiting the vehicle. Thanking my driver, I walk into my house, shortly being greeted my by housemaid. Giving her a curt nod, I walk up to my room taking my suit coat off and loosening my tie. I hear another ding and I pull out my phone to read the notification. As tempting as that sounds, I think I¡¯m good;) A. W I reread the text slightly shocked at how teasing Amelia¡¯s behavior has been. I chuckle a bit, before replying. Don¡¯t deny the fact that you crave my presence mia cara or I might just have to prove to you how wrong you are;) I. S Taking off my watch, I set my phone down on my bed before opening up my balcony window to let in some air. I stand outside for a few moments with my eyes closed relishing in the serenity of nature. After a few minutes, I walk back inside feeling slightly hungry. Walking into the kitchen I see a te of chicken parmesan pasta sitting out along with a ss of wine curtsy of my housemaid. Not wasting a second, I dig into my dinner scarfing it all down in record time. I put my dishes in the sink and grab my ss of wine to take with me to my office. Opening the door, I walk over to my chair and sit down putting on my sses preparing myself for all the documents I had to look over. Downside of being a well-known CEO I think to myself opening myptop to begin working. The documents were mainly about the new regions I opened a portion of my business on. I have to set up dates and have one of my trusted employees visit them and report back to me ok how smooth everything was running. I also had to attend 3 analyst meetings in theing week which I had to prepare for. I bring myptop towards me and open up a new document to start summarizing the main points I wanted to get across during these meetings. I¡¯m interrupted halfway through by my phone ringing. I answer the phone without looking at the caller-ID: ¡°Ivan Stone owner of Stone Industry speaking¡± I reply still in business mode. ¡°You got a lot of nerve teasing me like that Stone¡± a melodic voicees through the speaker making me chuckle at her remarkpletely forgetting my work. ¡°You should be ttered I give you the time of day mia cara¡± I reply with a smirk on my face.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Sweetie you should be ttered I agreed to go on a date with you instead of Connor. Though I¡¯m starting to reconsider my decision¡± she snaps through the phone an underlying tone of anger underneath. At her response my blood instantly runs cold remembering how that boy had taken an interest in what was mine. ¡°How many times must I tell you that you¡¯re mine mia cara? That boy is nothingpared to what we have¡± I reply possessively slightly angered at her remark. ¡°Maybe I need a little lesson¡± she purrs sexily into the phone. My mind immediately fills with images of her underneath me as I ravish her body iming her as my own. As I begin to harden down there, I snap out of my little daze just in time to hear her melodic giggles. ¡°If a lesson is what you need to remember who you belong to, then I¡¯d be honored to teach you¡± I reply huskily to tease her. The line goes silent and I can faintly hear her gulping and I chuckle in amusement. ¡°Not so fun when you¡¯re being teased now is it mia cara?¡± I add before she can respond. ¡°W-well I-I have to do s-someundry now so bye¡± she stutters before ending the call effectively making me bark outughing. 13 Oh mia cara, the game has just begun, I think to myself already having a n before getting back to work with a smirk. Amelia¡¯s pov. The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face from my blissful sleep. Feeling fully rested, I stretch making an unattractive strangled sound before hopping out of bed and straight to the bathroom. Jumping into the shower I quickly wash my body as well as shave before getting out and wrapping a fluffy towel around my body.N?velDrama.Org owns this. I walk out of my room immediately shivering from the cold air against my wet body. I walk into my closet and grab a pair ofcy red undergarments internally smirking at my n for the day. For an outfit, I chose a flowy nude colored top with a ck pencil skirt and ck heels. Adding a ck zer, I also grab a simple long ne and pearl earrings not wanting to overdo it. I skip to my vanity to start my make deciding on eyeliner, mascara and a dark red lip wanting to feel a tad sexy. For my hair, Ib through it and leave it as is liking the way my waves cascaded down my back. Nodding at my appearance in the mirror, I grab my nude bag and walk down stairs to the kitchen to grab something. I grab my coffee cup and decide on making some vani chai tea not feeling too hungry. I walk out of my door and down the stairs to my car, sipping on my tea slightly moaning as the warm vani taste assaulted my taste buds. Getting into my car, I feel a buzz in my pocket and take it out seeing I received a text. Good morning Angel;) I. S Smiling, I open my phone and send a quick text before starting my car. What happened to mia cara, princessa;) A. W I smirk, knowing my nickname would irk him greatly. Not even a minuteter I receive another text but wait not wanting to die while driving. Five minutester, I pull into the parking lot, cutting the engine and grab my phone to read his text. What did I tell you about that nick name mia cara? I. S I giggle getting out of the car without responding, wanting to irritate him further. Walking into the building, I politely greet the receptionist while checking in before walking towards the cafe to grab Mr. Stone his coffee. As I walk through the cafeteria, I give polite smiles to my co workers, my gaze unfortunatelynding on Melissa. She res at me and I shoot her a menacing re of my own but continue my way to grab the coffee. I give the cashier my order making sure to add that it was for Mr. Stone hoping to speed up the wait. As I wait, I nce around the cafeteria hoping to spot Connor but to no avail. ¡°Guess he¡¯s runningte¡± I whisper to myself before I hear the cashier call out that my coffee was ready. With a quick thank you, I grab the coffee as well as a few napkins before making my way out of the cafe. With coffee in hand, I get inside the elevator and slightly pull my skirt down out of habit. As the elevator ascended to the top floor, my heart slowly began to creep up my throat until it was sitting in my mouth when the doors opened. Swallowing my nerves, I step out of the elevators and make my way towards Mr. Stone¡¯s office, opening it after gently knocking. Stepping in and closing the door behind me, I nce up at Mr. Stone with a smirk seeing him already gazing at me. His features seemed to darken as he raked his eyes up and down my body visibly gulping. ¡°Good morning boss¡± I say with a sultry tone adding in an award winning smile. I can see him snap out of his trance before giving me a curt nod to which my smile growsrger. ¡°I brought you a coffee¡± I add walking to his desk and setting down the cup along with the napkins. ¡°Thank you Ms. Winters¡± he replies with another nod. I strutted to my desk adding a little sway in my hips before sitting down to start my work. I can feel his eyes following my every move until I nce up at him again before speaking. ¡°Anything you¡¯d like me to get started on Mr. Stone¡± I ask batting my eyshes innocently. His eyes darken again with hunger causing my insides to flutter at the attention. ¡°I need you to look over this power point I¡¯ve created for any mistakes and then I want you to call Mr. Maxwell and ask him if he will stop by each of the different departments of mypany to check if everything is running smoothly. After that I want you to take these papers and fax them over to eachpany attending the meeting set for this Monday¡± he instructs walking over to my desk to set all the necessary papers down. I give him a nod before opening myptop to get started on revising the power point. He still hasn¡¯t moved from his spot and after a few moments of trying to concentrate I eventually look up. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that¡± I ask slightly confused. ¡°You look very enticing when you¡¯re concentrated, not to mention how tempting you look in that outfit mia cara¡± he replies huskily effectively making my cheeks tinge and my heart to flutter. He walks even closer to my desk and leans forward to brush my hair behind my ear. His touch leaves my skin on fire and I can¡¯t help the desire that fills my senses. I grab his hand, gently caressing it with my thumb before removing it from my face so I can think straight. ¡°If you keep talking like that, I won¡¯t be able to finish my work¡± I sass slightly irritated but not wanting him to stop talking. ¡°My apologies mia cara but you should have thought about that before putting on that outfit¡± he chuckles before adding ¡°I won¡¯t be able to concentrate knowing you¡¯re sitting arms length away from me in such tempting attire.¡± I blush before shaking my head focusing back onto the power point ending our conversation. He hesitantly walks back to his desk and begins working leaving us in afortable silence. All that was heard in the silence was the scribbling of pens and tapping ofputer keys. The power point was basically about how expanding hispany internationally can be a huge profit for not only Mr. Stone but any partnerships willing to join. There were a few minor grammar errors but other than that it was fine. My next task was to call Mr. Maxwell, so I grab the business card Mr. Stone left on my desk and dial the number on the card. It rings for a few seconds before a masculine voice picks up the phone. ¡°Is this James Maxwell¡± I ask wanting to confirm who the person was. ¡°This is he, may I ask who¡¯s calling¡± he responds politely. ¡°Yes this is Amelia Winters, assistant of Mr. Stone and I¡¯m calling to give you a very specific task assigned to you by Mr. Stone himself¡± I reply professionally keeping my voice light and friendly. The rest of the conversation goes uneventful and after a few moments, I¡¯m starting my final task. I grab the stack of papers and the list of emails before standing up to make my way across the room to the fax. 14 It takes me about 15 minutes to fax over the papers to everyone and by the time I¡¯m finished, it¡¯s almost 1:30pm. I walk over to the couch by the window and sit down before taking my zer off to rx for a bit. I gaze out the window at the wonderful view of New York¡¯s crazy traffic. It was already Thursday which thankfully meant I was closer to the weekend but also closer to my date with Ivan. Just thinking about being alone with him for who knows how long has me dying of excitement. I also feel a bit nervous knowing I was going on a date with a man who had women throwing themselves at his feet. I snap out of my thoughts and avert my eyes to Mr. Stone to see him intensely typing away at hisptop,pletely oblivious to me. He looked hot as hell when he was in business mode not to mention the look of concentration evident on his features. ¡°You know it¡¯s not polite to stare mia cara¡± he replies, scaring the hell out of me. ¡°It¡¯s not polite to scare people princessa¡± I retort but I soon realize my mistake when his eyes shoot to mine darkening at my nickname. ¡°How many times do I have to remind you not to call me that mia cara¡± he questions getting up to stalk towards me painfully slow. I gulp but my heart leaps in excitement, curious to see what he was gonna do. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± I say but ites out as a question to which he shakes his head to. ¡°You¡¯ve been a very bad girl mia cara¡± he whispers huskily sitting down beside me before grabbing me by the hips to sit me down on hisp. ¡°What are you gonna do about it princessa¡± I challenge excitedly as I wait for his response. Next thing I know his lips are smashed against mine aggressively but I kiss back with equal aggression. His dominant behavior had me whimpering trying to keep up with the heated kiss. His hands begin to slowly massage my hips through my skirt and I moan in his mouth. He smirks against my lips and I reach my hands towards his head to rake my fingers through his soft hair slightly tugging at the end. He groans as his hands trail up my thigh resting slightly underneath my skirt teasingly. I break the kiss to refill my lungs with air before his lips or on my own yet again. His other hand trails up to my hair and he begins running his hands through the waves, breaking the kiss to assault my neck with open mouthed kisses. He sucks and bites my skin leaving me a moaning mess as he left love bites all around my neck. He finally pulls away from my neck to stare intensely at me with a full blown smirk on his face, both of us still breathing heavily.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°I¡¯ve imed you as mine mia cara and I don¡¯t n on letting you go¡± he whispers leaning his forehead against mine his sentence causing my heart to flutter. We sit there continuing to catch our breath, his hand still underneath my skirt. We sit there for what felt like hours just enjoying the others presence as we gazed into each other¡¯s eyes. We finally break away from each other after what felt like forever. The atmosphere bes tense, our desire for one another filling the room. He doesn¡¯t break his gaze from me and I stare back equally as intense. He breaks the silence after staring at me for a few moments. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at around 7:30pm tomorrow so you can take the day off.¡± He says huskily, our prior heated moment clearly affecting him. ¡°Sounds good to me, I¡¯ll be heading out if you don¡¯t mind¡± I nod walking towards my desk to grab my zer, slightly fixing my hair. Putting it on, I sling my purse on my shoulder before walking towards the door, fully intent on ignoring him. A pair of hands grip my waist before I¡¯m pulled into a hard chest. ¡°No goodbye kiss mia cara¡± he whispers rubbing circles into my hips teasingly. My body immediately responds to his actions, depicting a moan from me before I quickly turn around facing him. ¡°Considering you¡¯ve been very mean teasing me, no you don¡¯t get a kiss¡± I sass getting out of his embrace, flipping my hair and walking out leaving him stunned. I hurriedly rush to the elevator, hearing him calling my name. I internally smirk getting into the elevator, pressing the button. When the doors open I walk out of the building mumbling a quick goodbye to the receptionist before entering my car. Once I¡¯m seated, my phone begins to vibrate in my purse and I pull it out knowing who it was. ¡°H princessa, I haven¡¯t heard from you in a while¡± I answer giggling at the end. ¡°You¡¯re really pushing my buttons with that nickname mia cara¡± he replies a hint of frustration in his tone. I can¡¯t help butugh at how annoyed he was and I hear him sigh heavily into the phone. ¡°Sorry Mr. Stone, is there anyway I could ever make it up to you¡± I question huskily hoping I didn¡¯t sound like a dying goat. ¡°You¡¯re a little minx, stop tempting me¡± he responds sounding strangled, meaning my voice had the desired affect. ¡°Consider yourself tempted sweetie¡± I say deviously before hanging up without letting him respond. I bite back augh, starting the car and backing out of the parking lot. I know my constant teasing would eventually get me in trouble but I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy riling him up a bit. Once I get home, I hop out of my car and walk towards my apartment feeling excited to finally be home after an eventful day. I open the door to my humble abode, and kick my heels off rushing to the kitchen to get food. I rip open the door to the pantry and grab the nearest bag of chips before popping the bag open. I stuff some Doritos into my mouth moaning as my taste buds were assaulted with the wonderful cheesiness. I sit in a stool happily munching on my chips until my fingers where so orange and ky they¡¯d put Donald Trump¡¯s fake tan to shame. Licking my fingers clean, I discard the bag satisfied and walk up the stairs to my room taking off my zer. I go straight towards my closet to take off my outfit and switch into something morefortable. I settle with an oversized sweater and a pair of booty shorts feeling chilly. I put on my clothes and put my hair in a bun while walking to the bathroom to take my makeup off. Once I¡¯ve achieved the desiredzy look, I skip down the stairs towards the kitchen to make myself actual food. I decide on making myself grilled chicken and some sd tossed lightly in balsamic vinaigrette. To get started I grab all my ingredients as well a cutting board and a knife. I halve my chicken so it would cook quicker and season it with garlic salt and pepper. I grab a skillet and drizzle a bit of oil before adding my chicken. 15 It takes about 20 minutes to assemble everything and once I¡¯m done, I walk up to my room with my food wanting to do a little online shopping. Situating myself on my bed, I drape the nket over my legs before opening myptop and begin eating. I browse a bit on Zara, Forever 21 and Victoria¡¯s Secret, adding a ton of stuff to my cart as I continue to eat. When I¡¯m done, I close myptop and walk back downstairs to the kitchen to put my dishes in the sink. I nce over to see my purse haphazardly thrown by the door and walk over to retrieve it. I take out my phone to see 3 texts, 2 from Sierra and 1 from Mr. Stone. I open up Sierra¡¯s first: H mami, care to go shopping with me this weekend? -Si I also want full details on whether or not you¡¯ve been ying hanky panky with that fine boss of yours;) I blush at the second text, shaking my head before typing a quick text to my unusual best friend. You¡¯re unbelievable How¡¯s Saturday sound chica? -Lee I open Ivan¡¯s and my heart flutters at the 4 words he texted me. Game on mia cara I. S I blush furiously, my mind picturing all the possible consequences he had in mind. All of which would make the most religious person blush. I shake the inappropriate thoughts out of my head and decide not to respond. I go to my room and walk towards my book shelf grabbing The Book Thief before gettingfortable in my bed, putting my reading sses on. After being engrossed in my book for hours, I close it satisfied that I finished it but look up to my clock to see it read 11:30pm. Feeling tired, I take off my sses and set them along with my book down on my nightstand before lying down. I close my eyes and a pair of golden orbs sh in my mind before I¡¯m absorbed by a blissful slumber. I wake up feeling fully rested and I sit up to stretch making a mixture of groaning and sighing noises. I pull the nket away from my body while getting up to go to the bathroom needing to pee. Once I do my business, I head into the closet feeling the need to go for a run, pulling on a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra. I put my hair into a high ponytail before grabbing my phone and a pair of running shoes while walking down the stairs. I leave my apartment and down the block a bit before putting in my earbuds, sting fast music. I begin running and my feet hit the pavement at the beat of the song. My mind drifts to Ivan Stone and my date tonight. I don¡¯t know exactly what he had in store for me but the thought alone thrilled me to no end. I continue to run as beads of sweat build up on my forehead. I run for about a half hour before making it back to my apartment wheezing like a hyena. I burst through my apartment and stumble into the kitchen needing water. I open up the fridge and crack open a bottle of water before gulping it down. The cool liquid, calmed my heavy pants and quenched my thirst. I set the bottle down, feeling better before walking my bathroom to take a shower. I peel the clothes off my sweaty body and hop into the shower, the hot water rxing my sore muscles. I let the water run down my body for a few minutes before I reach for the shampoo and beginthering it into my hair taking in the scent. Rinsing it out, I grab the conditioner and focus it on my ends before rinsing it out under colder water. I make sure to shave everywhere before washing my body and getting out of the shower. I wrap a towel around my head and put on my pink satin robe feeling extra. I prance down the stairs hungry settling on making an omelette and some orange juice. I scarf down my breakfast and head to the tv to kill a few hours. It¡¯s around 5:30pm meaning I had exactly 2 hours to get ready for my date. I walk into my room and start by painting my nails ck. As the paint dries, I walk into my closet to chose an outfit but freak out not knowing what to wear. I end up grabbing my phone and sending a quick text to Ivan. Yo wanna tell me what we¡¯re doing so I know what to wear? A. W I immediately get a reply and my heart flutters. It¡¯s a surprise mia cara and you¡¯ll look dazzling in anything you chose;) I. S Shaking my head, I walk back into the closet having no clue what to wear. Afterpletely destroying my closet, I chose a blood red dress that was tight at the top but red outing to about mid thigh. I pair it with a leather jacket and some ckbat boots that had a slight heel to them. Setting it out in my bed, I sit at my vanity and get started with my makeup, deciding on doing a nudish brown smokey eye with a bold matte red lip. I stare into the mirror and smile as my green eyes twinkle in the light. I unwrap the towel from my head and beginbing out the tangles before blow drying it. I settle on straightening it, parting it down the middle before getting into my outfit. For jewelry, I grab a ck choker with a pendant on it as well as my grandmother¡¯s ring keeping it simple. Giving myself a nod in the mirror, I grab my purse and shove some essentials in before putting on my shoes. I walk down the stairs as the door bell rings and my nerves finally start to kick in. I walk towards the door before stopping in front of it gulping at the knowledge of who was on the other side. Mustering up some courage, I open the door to reveal Ivan Stone in all his glory. I notice his eyes widen at my appearance and I gasp taking in the sight of him. He was wearing a ck suit that clung to his body deliciously, his hair falling messily around his face giving him a sexy look. I watch as his eyes darken as his gaze sweeps across my body, lingering on my chest and legs. I hear him curse quietly before he breaks the silence.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Mia cara, I¡¯m really losing my self control just looking at you. You look stunning¡± hepliments me huskily. ¡°I could say the same for you Ivan, now start walking before I end up locking you up in my house and never letting you out¡± I reply breathlessly to which he chuckles before adding. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind at all mia cara, I¡¯m actually reconsidering this whole night¡± he says, a look of hunger and consideration shing across his face as if he wanted to do exactly that. ¡°Walk¡± I instruct grabbing his hand allowing him to lead me towards his car. He opens the door for me like a gentlemen and I blush whispering a small thank you before getting inside. He runs to his side before getting in himself and starting the car backing out of th driveway. I lean my head against the window, curiosity consuming me wanting to know where he was taking me. ¡°Where are we going¡± I voice my curiosity ncing over at his devilishly handsome face. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise mia cara, be patient¡± he replies smirking as he takes in my expression of frustration. ¡°Bullshit, you can¡¯t expect me to sit here for who knows how long in anticipation of whether or not we¡¯re actually going on a date or if you n on dumping me in the woods¡± I rant frustrated to which he chuckles and I groan before adding ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡± I get no response and decide on messing with him while driving. I casually ce my hand on his thigh and I feel him tense and look over at me to which I pretend to be oblivious. He goes back to driving still tense and after a while I begin rubbing his thigh lightly still looking out the window. I can feel his piercing gaze burning the side of my face but I don¡¯t look at him. After a while I can tell he¡¯s quite enjoying my touch so to tease him I give his thigh a firm grip beforepletely moving my hand away from him. After my little fun, we sit in aforting silence for a while until we pull up to a marvelous looking restaurant and my eyes widen at the sight. I turn to him to see he¡¯s smirking at me enjoying my reaction. ¡°W-we¡¯re eating here¡± I question astonished at the beauty of it all. ¡°Of course mia cara, now that we¡¯re here I guess I¡¯ll tell you my n for tonight¡± he looks at me to make sure I¡¯m listening before continuing ¡°We¡¯re going to have dinner here and then we can do whatever your little heart desires¡± he adds with a wink. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to bring me to such a fancy restaurant, a movie and a small dinner would¡¯ve been fine¡± I say trying to hide my tomato face. ¡°You¡¯re worth more than just a movie and dinner mia cara¡± he whispers caressing my cheek and gets out of the car leaving my body hot and bothered. Hees to my side and opens the door to offer me his hand. I grab it and climb out of his car, adjusting my skirt. We walk into the restaurant and I gawk at the sheer beauty and elegance of it. Immediately a women greets us and directs her attention onto Ivan. ¡°Do you have a reservation sir¡± she asks waiting for his answer. ¡°Yes, under Stone¡± he replies curtly ncing back at me to wink yet again. I shake my head as thedy leads us to our table and my nerves are unleashed. We¡¯re seated at a table in the back that felt more secluded then the rest of the restaurant. Once we sit down, thedy hands us both a menu before leaving us. I look up at Ivan to see him staring at me with a small smile. I smile back before hiding my face into the menu browsing the many options they had. 16 After a few moments in silence the womenes back to take our orders. ¡°I¡¯ll have the smoked salmon with asparagus and a ss of champagne¡± I order setting the menu down on the table and ncing at Ivan. ¡°I¡¯ll have the garlic shrimp pasta with a ss of champagne as well¡± he orders giving me a look of mischief. Thedy nods and disappears allowing some time alone with Ivan. I take my leather jacket off feeling slightly warm, and cross my arms on the table as we sit in an ufortable silence. His piercing gaze makes me shift in my seat and I look up to question him. ¡°Can I as why your staring at me like that¡± I ask with a hint of sass in my voice. He stares at me for a few more moments to irk me further before responding. ¡°I¡¯m just marveling at your beauty and the fact that you¡¯re mine to touch, kiss and do as I please mia cara¡± he says, his expression darkening at hisst few words. I shiver in anticipation before I open my mouth. ¡°Technically I belong to myself, and I don¡¯t remember giving you permission to ever touch me¡± I tease trying to conceal the fact that his words excited me to no end. ¡°Oh mia cara, you gave me permission the minute your body responded to my touch¡± he teases huskily causing me to blush. The waitress arrives with our food and I immediately dig into the salmon, moaning as the ky fish hit my tongue. We continue to eat making small talk before Ivan takes a chunk of my salmon with his fork. ¡°What¡¯s your problem Stone? I¡¯ll cut off your fingers next time you touch my te¡± I exim defensively scooting my te closer to me. Heughs with food in his mouth and I scowl at him. ¡°You can have some of mine mia cara¡± he says apologetically offering me some pasta on his fork. Smiling, I lean forward and eat the food from his fork closing my eyes at the taste. I open my eyes still chewing happily and take a sip of champagne to wash down the food. ¡°You know if just eating my food satisfies you it¡¯s a wonder what else I could do to make you feel good¡± he replies deviously, his eyes holding a hidden promise. I break eye contact and use my hair to shield my blush as I hear him chuckle at my embarrassment. Our dinner continues and I can¡¯t help but fall for my boss even further as he keeps talking. ¡°Mia cara, tell me a dream you¡¯ve always wanted to be a reality that you¡¯ve never told anyone¡± he asks taking a gulp of his champagne. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to travel around the world and surround myself with the culture, and music of where ever I am. I want to take loads of pictures of the scenery I stumble across while traveling. Since I¡¯m just freshly out of college I haven¡¯t mustered enough money to make it a reality yet¡± I respond sheepishly pushing my te away from me and ncing up at Ivan. He nods, a look of concentration on his face as he stares at me. ¡°What¡¯s a dream you¡¯ve had Ivan¡± I ask curiously waiting for his answer. He snaps out of his daze and take another sip of champagne before answering. ¡°I want to move to Italy with whom ever I love and buy a beautiful beach house while still maintaining business at Stone Industries internationally¡± he replies without much thought and I nod before he adds ¡°If you¡¯re ready we can head out¡± to which I smile and get out of my seat to put on my jacket. He escorts us back to the front, his hand resting on my lower back as we walk. He asks the women at the front for the bill and quickly pays it before leading me to his car. Once inside, I put on my seatbelt and run my fingers through my hair nervously. He got into the driver¡¯s seat and quickly started the engine, driving us away from the beautiful restaurant. I was curious to know where he was taking me but refrained from asking knowing he wouldn¡¯t tell me. Instead, I leaned my head against the cool ss and focused on the scenery zooming past us as we drove along. The car was filled with an air of serenity, helping to ease my raging hormones. My attention soon fell on the devilishly handsome man sitting beside me. ncing over, I watched as his eyes held concentration navigating us through the roads. My eyes fell to his perfectly sculptured jawline and I imagined leaving feather like kisses on the very chiseled skin. I snap out of my imagination when I hear his voice disrupt the silence. ¡°What are you thinking about mia cara¡± he asks me causing my thoughts to drift back to me kissing his jawline. ¡°N-nothing¡± I stutter cursing myself at how breathy I sounded even to my own ears. I watch his mouth curl up into his trademark smirk quickly ncing over with an eyebrow raised. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem like nothing when you were eye raping the side of my face mia cara¡± he responds almost mockingly trying to rile me up. Feeling bold and teasing, I open my mouth to share my thoughts. ¡°Well if you must know, I was thinking about leaning over and cing a trail of feathery kisses along your jawline¡± I say nonchntly pretending to examine my finger nails. I hear him suck in a breath and cursing before I feel him pullover on the side of the rose. ¡°That¡¯s it¡± he whispers huskily turning off the engine and reaching his arm over to lift me off my seat. He ces me on hisp and I shift around trying to getfortable but I can tell my movements weren¡¯t helping. ¡°God damn it mia cara, you¡¯re gonna be the death of me¡± he whispers, his Italian enting out as he smashed his lips on mine. The kiss was nothing but aggressive, our hunger and need for each other evident. His hands grip my hair and pull my head back slightly to give him better ess to my mouth. I feel him run his tongue along the bottom of my lip and I open my mouth his tongue immediately exploring my mouth giving me jolts of pleasure.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. I break away to catch my breath while I begin peppering kisses on his jawline grasping his hair and tugging his head back to get more ess. I easily elicit a growl from him and I teasingly bite his neck slightly before pulling awaypletely. His eyes remain closed as he catches his breath and his colossal hands still gripped my hips tightly. When he opens his eyes, his golden orbs pool with desire and admiration as he stares at my disheveled state. I attempt to get off hisp and back into my seat but his iron grip keeps me still. ¡°Mia cara, will you be mine¡± he asks huskily, his face expressing his nervousness as well as hope. I smile from ear to ear before giving him a sweet peck. ¡°Of course you idiot¡± I respond gleefully and I watch as his expression lights up. I yank him towards me and connect our lips once more but this time the kiss was sweet. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and I moan loudly blushing furiously. He breaks the kiss to suck on my neck and I tilt my head to allow him more room. I feel him smile against my skin before he begins leaving hot open mouthed kisses on my neck leaving trails of heat where ever his mouth touched. His actions quickly igniting a me in my lower stomach causing heat to pool between my legs. He uses his other hand to run along the length of my body very slowly to tease me even further. In just a few short moments I¡¯m a moaning mess but quickly snap out of it and try to get the upper hand. I slowly grind my hips into his pelvis and he immediately freezes, his lips still on my neck. He pulls awaypletely to stare into my eyes and I give him a sedcutive smile to which his face darkenspletely. ¡°Mia cara, you have no idea how much I¡¯m restraining myself but if you don¡¯t stop I won¡¯t hesitate to rip your clothes off your body and make you scream until everyone in the neighborhood can hear you¡± he says hungrily with underlying promise. It was now that I felt the hardness against my butt and I was shocked. I almost do it again to see if he¡¯d go through with his threat but stop myself knowing it was too soon. I blush like a school girl and nod before getting off hisp. I run my fingers through my hair to try and look semi decent. Once I have control of my raging hormones, I turn to ask him were we¡¯re going. ¡°So princesa, where are you taking me¡± I ask trying to seem unaffected by his past remark. I hear him growl at my nickname and he shakes his head before responding. ¡°Mia cara¡± he says sternly before continuing ¡°It¡¯s gettingte so I was just gonna drive us to my house and we can watch a movie or do other things¡± he tells me suggestively wiggling his eyebrows. I throw my head backughing and my heart warms at his words. Once Ipose myself I look over to see him staring at me with sheer mirth. ¡°What¡± I ask confused as to why he was staring at me so happily. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful when youugh¡± he whispers and I blush before muttering a quick ¡°thank you.¡± He turns the car back on and drives away to what I assume was the direction of his house. My nerves start to spike once I process where he was taking me. I was gonna be alone with the sexiest CEO in America for the night and the thought both frightened as well as excited me. After five minutes we pull into the driveway and my eyes are met with a beautifullyrge mansion. My jaw drops as I take in his home the size of it alone shocking me entirely. ¡°You live here¡± I ask my voice squeaking at the end. Heughs before nodding and getting out to open my door. ¡°Come on mia cara, I promise it¡¯s even better once you¡¯re inside it¡± he says and offers me a hand to help me out. I take it and climb out, grabbing my purse to follow him up the pathway and to the front door. I tuck my hair behind my ears as he fumbles with the keys but opens it after a few seconds. ¡°Wee to mi casa¡± he replies opening the door widely for me to step in. As I take in my surroundings my jaw drops once again before I exim: ¡°Holy shit¡± 17 The interior was absolutely gorgeous with high ceilings and nice wooden floors. As I kept walking I was meant with the living room that was massive with nice plush sofas and a mahogany table in the center. The t screen was hanging from the wall and the whole ce was surreal. Their was a set of spiral stairs and a huge ss chandelier in the center of the ceiling. From what I could see this ce was anyone¡¯s dream home and I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. ¡°You live here¡± I exim one again bbergasted at my surroundings. ¡°No the tooth fairy lives here. I merely check in every once in a while¡± he retorts sarcastically and I can¡¯t help but giggle at his response. ¡°Damn Stone, didn¡¯t know you had sass¡± I reply, arms crossed as if I were assessing him. ¡°What can I say mia cara, it¡¯s all apart of the charm¡± he says adding a wink at the end. Shaking my head I continue to explore further into his home and as I¡¯m lost in my amazement I feel something lick my ankle. I scream and jolt away looking down to see a puppy. My expression immediately melts and I squat down to pet him. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you had a dog¡± I exim gushing at how cute the little fur ball was. He climbs into myp and my heart warms again as he makes himselffortable. I continue to coo and pet the puppletely ignoring Ivan. ¡°If I¡¯d known you were this into dogs, I would¡¯ve brought it up ages ago¡± he replies with a small smile. I look and give him an award winning smile but focus my attention back to the pup. He stands up in myp to gaze into my eyes in confusion before licking my face in eptance. Giggling I wipe his slobber away and pick him up before standing up myself. ¡°What¡¯s this cuties name Stone¡± I ask referring to him by hisst name. ¡°His names Marley¡± he answers walking towards me to engulf us into his embrace. I lean into his chest and look up at him to see him looking at me with such happiness. I put the dog down and stand on my tippy toes needing to feel his lips on my own. I turn around and wrap my arms around his neck as we kiss but I pull away quickly. He growls in protest before turning us around and pushing me up against the nearest wall. He continues to assault my lips with his in a heated way causing heat to travel around my body. I lift my arms up to run my fingers through his gorgeous locks of hair slightly tugging. He groans before gliding his hands down the length of my body before they teasingly rested on my bum. He gives it a firm squeeze to which I gasp in pleasure and he uses this to slide his tongue into my mouth starting a war between us. We fight for dominance but he wins and we keep kissing heatedly. My need for him increases and I hesitantly put my hand under his shirt and I graze my nails against his toned skin causing him to moan loudly. He breaks the kiss looking at me with such hunger and need that I gasp in shock. ¡°Mia cara, I can¡¯t control myself if you keep doing that¡± he whispers strained and then I remember my hand still feeling his abs under his shirt. I blush and look down but he uses his hand to tilt my head up so I was looking straight into his eyes. ¡°Non nascondermi il tuo bel viso da me mia cara¡± he whispers to me in Italian and I had to squeeze my legs together to suppress the heat. (Don¡¯t ever hide your face from me) ¡°Me haces caliente y mojada¡± I respond sexily in Spanish knowing he wouldn¡¯t know what I meant. (You make me hot and bothered) ¡°That was the sexiest thing I¡¯ve ever heard in my life¡± he whispers huskily leaning his forehead against mine. ¡°What did you say¡± he adds confused and I blush before breaking from his embrace to go to the kitchen. He follows me still questioning what I said but to no avail because I ignore him. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty¡± I whine to him needing something to quench my thirst. He looks at me mischievously with a wink before walking to his fridge and opening it. I process what I said and shake my head with a chuckle.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Water or lemonade¡± he asks with his head in the fridge. ¡°Lemonade¡± I reply jumping up to sit on the counter. He grabs to sses and pours the liquid into them before handing me mine. With a smile, I put the ss to my lips and take a sip, my taste buds being swarmed with the sour but refreshing taste of lemonade. I drink about half the ss before setting it down on the counter. Ivan walks towards me with his ss and spreads my legs apart to stand in between them. ¡°Have I told you how enticing you are mia cara¡± he asks staring into my green eyes. ¡°Only about a million times¡± I joke before adding ¡°Say it to me in Italian.¡± ¡°Si attira mia cara¡± he says pronouncing each syble extremely slow and sexy. I¡¯m sure my expression could show my lust for him and he chuckles before giving my exposed thigh a squeeze. He turns and walks away into the living room leaving me in my dazed state wondering what it would be like if he made love to me while whispering in Italian. I snap out of my highly inappropriate thoughts before jumping off the counter leaving my ss behind. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice¡± I say sternly walking into the living room to see him sprawled out on the massive sofa. He chuckles before opening his arms out signaling me over. ¡°Come cuddle with me mia cara¡± he instructs me and I oblige without hesitation. Iy down next to him given we had enough room to store a small army. He immediately wraps his arms around my small body and tugs me so close that I wasying on top of him. I lift my head up to gaze into his mesmerizing gold eyes and give him a quick peck before lying back down. Wey in afortable silence as I listen to his thumping heart beat and he ys with my long hair. I feel myself begin to doze off and wee the sleep with open arms. I wake up about an hourter to see we were in the same position. I nce up sleepily to see Ivan sleeping peacefully underneath me and that moment I gush at how adorable he looked. In his sleep he no longer looked like the intimidating CEO that fired people for the hell of it, there was a sense of calmness surrounding him as he slept and I couldn¡¯t help but admire him. His eyes shoot open startling me and I manage to somehow fall off him onto the floor. I groan and justy there in pain as I here his boomingugh above me. ¡°Mia cara are you ok¡± he asks after he sobers up fromughing and I pull myself up before ring at him. ¡°I¡¯m d my physical pain was of some amusement to you¡± I retort sarcastically rubbing my elbow before standing up and speaking again. ¡°What time is it¡± I ask confused. He takes his phone out of his pocket to examine the time before holding it up to me. The time on his phone read ¡°10:30pm¡± and I nod walking into the kitchen slightly hungry. He walks in behind me and I sit on a stool running my fingers through my untamed tangles. ¡°Are you hungry¡± he asks while getting a pan out of one of the cabs. I nod relieved that he asked and he continues walking around the kitchen. I put my head down on the cool counter and listen to the sound of him cooking. A smile grazes my face and at that moment I was on cloud nine. Graduating college, I hadn¡¯t expected to find a job so easily not to mention be working for an insanely hot man who had taken an interest in me. Growing up, I didn¡¯t have the best life considering my father left my mother and I when I was 4 years old. My mother did the best she could to provide for me but as I grew older she slowly began to lose herself in depression. Shemitted suicide when I was 17 and I had been alone ever since. From then on I began to lose myself in work and school, promising to be a sessful business women for my mom. I feel a wetness on my cheek and I realize I¡¯m crying. I didn¡¯t exactly know if it was because I missed my mother or if I was happy that I stood true to my promise. Even if my mother and I weren¡¯t close, I still felt somewhat responsible for her death. 18 I¡¯m literally shaken out of my thoughts and my head shoots up, my eyes meeting golden ones. ¡°Mia cara why are you crying¡± he asks concerned, wiping a tear from my cheek. I giggle lightly before shaking my head. He thankfully understands and doesn¡¯t push me further to which I¡¯m grateful. ¡°What¡¯d you make princesa¡± I ask with a smile and notice a te of pancakes sitting in front of me. ¡°That nickname is seriously gonna get you in trouble¡± he says sternly with a hint of mischief. I shake my head with a smile before digging into my heap of pancakes. I moan as the buttery taste of pancakes hits my mouth and I scarf down the rest. In record time, I¡¯m done and I use the back of my hand to wipe my mouth. I look to see Ivan watching me and I blush in embarrassment that he witnessed my caveman like behavior. We sit in a calming silence and after a few minutes he finishes his te as well. I take our tes and walk towards the sink to wash them quickly. I wipe my hands on the towel hanging from the wall and turn to face him. He signals I follow him and I oblige as he leads me up the spiral steps. We walk down a semi long hall adorned with beautiful paintings and he leads me into a room. The room was massive and had dark grey walls. A huge king sized bed was against one wall and he had arge table and chair on another wall. He had another huge couch next to the bed and a few night stands. The room was dark and mysterious but also elegant like the rest of the house. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the couch and you can take the bed love¡± he says dismissively and my heart flutters at the new endearment. He walks towards the closet andes back shortly with arge button down shirt and hands it to me. He shows me to the connected bathroom I hadn¡¯t notice and I quickly change into the dress shirt, folding my dress. ¡°The bed isrge enough, I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t share¡± I respond boldly walking back out into the room He grins goofily and nods peeling off his shirt to reveal sexy tan toned skin. I take a couple moments to ogle at his marvelous upper body and my eyes scan the sight drinking it all in. He had a gorgeous set of abs that I imagined licking but shake my head at the thought. My eyes travel lower to the happy trail that led to down under. The sight could bring any women to her knees in a matter of minutes and I was no exception. ¡°I love how your eyes travel around my body with such need¡± he says snapping me out of my staring. His words cause me to turn a deep shade of red and I mumble a ¡°shut up¡± before walking towards the bed and climbing on. Heughs before joining me, pulling the nket over the both of us and scooting my body so close that my bum was on his pelvis. He drapes his arm around my waist and turns off themp before whispering in my ear. ¡°Good night mia cara¡± he says and I smile before quietly responding. ¡°Good night corazon¡± I whisper before shutting my eyes and falling into an amazing slumber. The next morning I woke up with a warm feeling of a presence behind me. Startled, I screamed and kicked the person away from me making themnd on the ground with a thud. I pull the nket closer to my body when the stranger groans loudly. I peep over the bed to see none other than Ivan Stone on the floor half naked. ¡°Jesus mia cara! You said I could sleep with youst night¡± he groans dragging himself off the floor and back onto the bed. ¡°I kinda forgot I spent the night¡± I replied sheepishly watching him rub his neck in pain. ¡°Next time a little warning before you horse kick me off my own bed¡± he responds and it was then I noticed how deep and sexy his morning voice was. My body starts tingling at just the sheer sound of it and I quickly get off the bed. I run my fingers through my hair to distract myself from the half naked greek god sitting on the bed. I raise my hands up above my head stretching while making udylike sounds. ¡°Nice underwear¡± I hear Ivan say behind me huskily and I turn towards him quickly to re. ¡°Pervert¡± I mumble while tugging my shirt down further. I walk into his bathroom and close it behind me so that I could do my business. Washing my hands, I open the door a crack to stick my head through. ¡°Do you have a spare toothbrush I could borrow¡± I ask praying his answer was yes. ¡°Left cab by the sink, second drawer from the top¡± he responds, his voice mumbled by the nket over his head. Nodding, I shut the door again and open the cab to pull out a toothbrush. I quickly brush my teeth and wash my face with cold water to wake myself up. Once I¡¯m finished, I give myself a smile in the mirror and walk back into the bedroom. The room waspletely empty and I started to panic until I heard movement downstairs. I walk down the spiral stairs and enter the kitchen to see Ivan taking out various items. I quickly walk over to him and grab his arms to make him stop his task. ¡°I want to cook for you today¡± I shyly tell him blushing. He gives me a huge smile and nods before responding. ¡°What are you going to make mia cara¡± he asks and I let go of his arms to walk around him before grabbing the wooden spat. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise, now get out of my kitchen¡± I exim hitting his ass with the wooden spat. He jolts at my actions and looks at me lustfully beforeplying. He walks out of the kitchen and leaves me to my thoughts. ¡°What am I gonna make¡± I whisper to myself while opening the fridge to see what he had. I grabbed the eggs, milk, peppers, cheese and other ingredients deciding on making a huge breakfast. I started with the hash browns and just put them into the oven to cook. I saw leftover pancake batter fromst night and decided to make that as well as some omelettes and hash browns. I also get a pan to cook the bacon in and I finish everything in about forty five minutes. I set out tes, cups and silverware as well as all the food I made. I walk back towards the fridge and grab orange juice to set on the counter. I smile at myself triumphantly going into the living room to call Ivan in. I see himying on the couch watching a football game, a look ofplete interest on his face. I tip toe towards the couch and pounce on him when he least expected it. ¡°Breakfast is ready¡± I exim as he jumps at my sudden appearance. I giggle as he gives me a yful re but I give him a sweet kiss and his expression changes into a content one. ¡°Then what are we waiting for mia cara¡± he asks, lifting me up by my waist and carrying me into the kitchen. He sits down on a stool and sits me on hisp as he grabs a te for us to share I assume. He piles loads of food onto the te and situates it in front of us. I pick up the fork to grab some eggs and a church of bacon on the fork before holding it out in front of Ivan¡¯s mouth.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He stares at me as he opens up his mouth and slowly slid the food into his mouth, never breaking eye contact. I blush before putting a fork full of food in my mouth as well to distract myself. I continued to feed him until both of us were full. ¡°Damn mia cara, I didn¡¯t know your cooking would be that good¡± he whispers in my ear huskily. I turn around so that I was facing himpletely before giving him a small smile. He leans forward and crashes our lips together and I immediately respond. I put my hands on his chest as we kiss passionately. Unlike our other kisses, this one was slow and sweet. I break away before it got anymore intense but lean my forehead against his. ¡°I promised I¡¯d go shopping with my friend today¡± I tell him remembering my promise to Sierra, disrupting the silence. ¡°I wish you could spend the night again. I¡¯m already addicted to you¡± he responds understandingly before his voice hints his lust. ¡°I¡¯m addicted to you to corazon¡± I reply calling him sweetheart in Spanish. It was true. I¡¯ve only been working for him for about 4 months and we¡¯ve only been dating for about 3 days but I couldn¡¯t get enough of him. I lean in to kiss him again but pull away to rest my head in the crook of his neck. He rubs patterns into my back as we sit in thefortable silence just wrapped in each other¡¯s embrace. 19 ¡°I have to go now but I promise to call youter on¡± I tell him as I slide off hisp. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go mi amour¡± he replies letting me go reluctantly. I give him a sad smile but walk up the stairs to change back into the dress I wore here. I put my hair up in a ponytail and wrap my leather jacket around my waist before skipping down the stairs with my purse. Reaching the bottom step, I walk into the living room to see Ivan sitting on the recliner on the phone in a heated conversation. Not wanting to interrupt, I quietly walk up to him to kiss him on the cheek and mutter a quick goodbye before walking myself towards the door. Halfway down the pathway I realized I didn¡¯t exactly have a ride home and walk back into his house. Walking into the living room again, I see him still on the phone and decide to wait until he finishes. ¡°If you can¡¯t have this done by the end of the week, I¡¯ll find someone who can¡± Ivan shouts angrily into the phone before mming it shut not noticing my presence. ¡°U-um could you give me a ride back to my apartment¡± I stutter not wanting to upset him further. His head snaps towards my direction as his gaze softens before he nods and ushers me to follow him. I oblige following him out the door and towards his car in silence. I quickly climb into the car and y with my dress to keep me upied. I feel his hand grab my own and I look up towards him. ¡°Mia cara, I don¡¯t want you to be afraid of me¡± he tells me regretfully but I quickly shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you princesa, I just didn¡¯t want to upset you further¡± I reply with a small smile and a wink. He chuckles before nodding and starts the car. We sit in silence for about fifteen minutes until he pulls up in front of my apartments. I turn towards him to speak but he crashes our lips together. I gasp at the urgency in the kiss but respond with just as much intensity. I run my fingers through his hair before gently caressing his cheek. I pull away blushing and he smirks at my expression. I open the door to get out and I¡¯m quickly met with Sierra crossing her arms, ring at me. ¡°Shit¡± I think to myself as I watch her speed walk in my direction. ¡°Amelia Winters you better exin to me why you haven¡¯t answered any of my call and why you weren¡¯t home all night¡± she yells at mepletely ignoring Mr. Stone. ¡°I-I was kind of one a date with my boss and spent the night at his ce¡± I reply nervously but her expression quickly brightens as she finally takes notice of Mr. Stone. ¡°So you¡¯re the one who¡¯s been getting down and dirty with my little chica, si¡± she asks her Latin enting out slightly. ¡°SIERRA¡± I yell at her but to no avail because she keeps talking. ¡°Listen mister, you may be the most sessful CEO and sexiest man in the country but if you hurt my baby I won¡¯t hesitate to set Stone Industries on fire while you watch it burn¡± she threatens menacingly, further increasing my embarrassment. ¡°That¡¯s enough¡± I nag her rushing to her side to re at her. ¡°It¡¯s no problem mia cara¡± he assures me before directing his attention to Sierra. ¡°If I ever hurt her which I would never in my life, I¡¯ll help you destroy all my cooperations¡± he replies charmingly earning a grin and look of content from Sierra. ¡°Good and make sure y¡¯all use protection, I¡¯m too young to be an aunt¡± she teases us and I blush furiously before shoving her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will¡± he promises giving me a lustful look making me blush even further. Hees towards me and gives me a kiss on the cheek before adding ¡°I¡¯ll see youter mia cara, have fun.¡± He retreats to his car and drives away leaving Sierra and I on the sidewalk. ¡°You¡¯re the most obnoxious person I¡¯ve ever met¡± I exim to her throwing my hands in the air and shaking my head in disbelief.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°And you¡¯re the worst best friend ever for not telling me you¡¯re getting down and dirty with your boss¡± she replies with a look that said ¡°you have a lot of exining to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I totally forgot we were going shopping today¡± I tell her apologetically. ¡°Of course you did. I would to if I had a sexy piece of ass making love to me until I couldn¡¯t remember my name¡± she dismisses with a wave of her hand. She walks towards her car and I follow ready to defend myself. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything, we¡¯ve only been dating for 3 days¡± I defend myself, falling in step with her. ¡°And that¡¯s the only thing you should be regretting chica¡± she responds unlocking her car as we both get in. ¡°You¡¯re infuriating¡± I groan while buckling up my seatbelt. She throws her head back inughter and I shake my head in amusement. ¡°You love me¡± she says after calming down from herughing fit. ¡°Unfortunately¡± I whisper loud enough for her to hear and we begin our long day of shopping. We drove for about ten minutes before Sierra parked the car in front of a huge shopping center. Getting out, I walk alongside Sierra as she gushes about the amount of stuff she was going to buy. I tuned out her talking as my thoughts wandered to Ivan. Immediately, a goofy smile grazed my face as my heart fluttered at the mere thought of him. He made me happy, something I hadn¡¯t truly been in a long time. My thoughts are cut short as Sierra begins yelling. ¡°Are you even listening to me¡± she exims finally noticing myck of attention. I sheepishly shake my head and smile at her. ¡°Whatever, lets just get shopping¡± she dismisses while grabbing my arm and yanking me into Zara. We kind of separated once we entered the store considering we hadpletely different styles. I gravitated towards the leather jackets and dark colored clothes while she dressed more girly and chic. I browse the racks grabbing whatever caught my eye and adding it to my selection. Ten minutes in and I already had both my arms full with clothing. Deciding to look for Sierra, I follow her voice considering she was being considerable loud. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have this in red¡± I hear my best friend shout at a poor employee. The women looked frightened at my friend¡¯s outburst and I rush over to help. ¡°Come on Si¡± I say slightly tugging her away towards the cashiers. ¡°B-but but they didn¡¯t have the dress in red¡± she replies sadly and Iugh at her reaction. ¡°We can go to Victoria¡¯s Secret and buy all the lingeries your little heart desires¡± I reason knowing I won when a huge smile sters across her face. ¡°What are we waiting for then¡± she asks rushing us as we paid for our stuff. Shaking my head, I grab my bags and follow her as she skips towards the store. We enter and are immediately faced with so many colors and patterns that my eyes went blind for a second. I walk around the store following Sierra as she grabs random things. She quickly turns to face me with a huge smirk and my smile falls as soon as I realize what she¡¯s thinking. ¡°No¡± I reply before she even has time to speak. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I was gonna say¡± she exims stomping her foot like a spoiled child. ¡°I know damn well you¡¯re trying to get me to try on all those skimpy pieces of cloth in the fitting room¡± I reply with a knowing look. Every time we went shopping, she¡¯d make me do a little fashion show in the fitting rooms, today was no different. ¡°P-please¡± she pouts giving me a puppy dog look. I try to stand my ground but after a few seconds of staring into her eyes my act falls. ¡°Give me the damn thing¡± I snap grabbing something from her and stomping towards the fitting room. She runs after me and we chose thergest fitting room for us to share. 20 ¡°I¡¯ll put this on and let youe in after I¡¯m done changing¡± I reply while stepping into the fitting room. ¡°Hurry hoe¡± she says to me and I roll my eyes before stripping and changing into the lingerie. It was an all whitece push up bra with a small bow in the center along with a matching thong with the same bow. I examine myself in the mirror and smile seeing how well it fit me. ¡°I¡¯m done¡± I shout behind the door unlocking it for her toe in. She steps in and immediately her jaw drops as she looks at me. ¡°Damn mami you¡¯re looking fine¡± she jokes as I give her a wink. ¡°Show me your modeling skills chica¡± she adds shoving me along. Sierra was a photographer who worked in the modeling industry and she tried to get me to model for her but always failed. Giving in, I sigh before beginning to strut and pose how I imagined a model would. Sierra ps and hollers as I continue and I can¡¯t help butugh. We continue goofing around in the fitting room, alternating between who modeled and who was the fake photographer. ¡°That was surprisingly fun¡± I say to her as we walked out of Victoria Secret¡¯s and towards the food court. ¡°You¡¯ve been missing out chica¡± she replies while we walk to Panda Express. We grab our food and sit at a table still goofing around like idiots. While we continue to eat I feel a buzz in my purse and I begin fumbling through my bag to look for my phone. I¡¯m notified of the text and open it while putting a fork full of food in my mouth. You really enjoy tempting me don¡¯t you mia cara? The white really brings out your innocence and makes you even more enticing;) I. S A look of confusion washes across my face but it turns into one of embarrassment when I see the picture of me in the lingerie sent to him. ¡°Why the hell would you send that to Ivan¡± I exim mming my hand down on the table. Sierra continues to eat not bothered at all by my sudden outburst. ¡°Y¡¯all are dating, he¡¯s bound to see you in less so what¡¯s the big deal¡± she replies indifferently but I re at her before deciding to respond to Ivan. Sierra sent you that and stop being a perv A. W I smile at my phone before looking up to see Sierra staring at me.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°You look stupid staring at your phone while smiling¡± she says examining her nails. My smile slips off my face and I re at her yet again before standing up to throw my garbage away. ¡°You¡¯re an asshole¡± I grumble before walking away and dumping my trash. I continue walking towards the carpletely ignoring Sierra¡¯s pleas for me to slow down. I get to her car with bags still in hand and wait for her to catch up. When she unlocks the door I get in and drop my bags on myp when my phone buzzes again. I can¡¯t help it, I¡¯m a man and you¡¯re absolutely gorgeous I. S I blush at hispliment and before I could respond my phone buzzes again. Nice belly button ring btw;) I. S Iugh before sending him a quick text that I¡¯d call him when I got home. I look at the time to see it was 7:30pm before Sierra finally got into the car slightly flustered. ¡°What took you so long¡± I ask faking boredom and this time she res at me. ¡°My fault you didn¡¯t remind me to grab my bags before storming off¡± she snaps and I giggle to which she gives me a small smile. ¡°Drive me home peasant¡± Imand and she shakes her head beforeplying. It takes about 15 minutes before we pull up outside my house. I unbuckle my seatbelt and grab my things before turning to Sierra. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have work tomorrow, I¡¯d have left you spend the night¡± I tell her apologetically knowing I promised that she could stay over. ¡°It¡¯s ok, I have to edit a few picture for mytest project anyway but I cane over anytime¡± she assures me with a smile and I grin before leaning over to hug her. ¡°Thanks Si, you¡¯re the best¡± I reply while getting out of the car. ¡°Of course I am, I¡¯m fabulous¡± she says flipping her hair. I shake my head and say a quick goodbye before mming the door shut. I walk up to my apartment and open the door with my keys before running up the stairs with bags in hand. I set my things on my bed and rush to the closet needing to get into something morefortable. I settle on my white knitted sweater and I also grab new undergarments before stripping my clothes off to put them on. I hear my phone begin to ring and I quickly put my hair down before running to answer it. ¡°Hello¡± I say into the phone waiting for a response. ¡°I miss you mia cara¡± the voice responds huskily and I immediately know it¡¯s Ivan. ¡°We were with each other this morning¡± I answer trying to bite back the urge to tell him how much I missed him. ¡°I know but my desire to kiss you senseless is driving me insane¡± he groans and I giggle feeling heat creep up my neck. ¡°Then what¡¯re you waiting for¡± I respond making my voice a lower octave and I hear him curse on the other end. ¡°Give me ten minutes¡± he growls ending the phone call. His words register in my head and I go to the bathroom to brush my hair while attempting to calm my heart rate. I also take them time to wash my face trying to take my mind off of my boss. Grabbing a towel, I pat my face dry and add a touch of moisturizer before walking back into my room. I sit on my bed and grab my phone to pass the time. A loud banging on my door startles me but I calm down knowing who it was. I walk down the stairs and towards the door as excitement bubbles in my stomach. Opening it, Ivan steps in quickly before mming it shut and pushing me up against the door. I gasp but have no time to react before his lips are assaulting mine. I kiss back with equal need and I moan as his hands wander my body. He grips my thighs and gives them a squeeze and I jump knowing that¡¯s what he wanted. I wrap my legs around his waist while we continue to kiss aggressively. He takes my button lip between his teeth and tugs causing me to moan at the sensation. Wanting to take control, I hesitantly grind my hips into his at a slow rate wanting to tease him. He groans and I smile against his lips before running my fingers through his hair. He pulls back and uses one hand to tug on my sweater and I eager take it off throwing it to the side. I watch as his eyes darken as he takes in the sight of me in just my underwear and he looks up at me before attacking my neck with kisses. I wrap my arms around his neck as I feel his hands slowly trail up my stomach and towards my bra d chest. He boldly grabs my breast and begins slowly massaging me through the bra while still sucking on my skin making me moan loudly. ¡°I-Ivan¡± I moan loudly and he growls before pulling backpletely. ¡°Amelia we have to stop before I end up taking you against this door and every surface in this home until all you remember is my name¡± he growls looking at me with such desire and admiration. ¡°I can¡¯t allow that, or you¡¯d get tired of me¡± I reply jokingly but he immediately cuts me off. ¡°I could never get tired of you love¡± he says and I nod with a smile before letting my eyes wander to his lips. They were red and swollen letting me assume I looked just as bad if not worse. I let my arms fall from his neck before slowly sliding down until my feet touched the floor. He steps back from me and I watch as his eyes roam my body hungrily. His eyes linger on my chest and legs before he looks up to nce at me. Blushing, I grab my sweater that I tossed to the side and slide it on. I look down to see his hard on and blush even brighter before speaking. ¡°You might want to get rid of that¡± I say to him while pointing down to his pelvis. ¡°Want to help me¡± he replies suggestively and I giggle before shaking my head. ¡°That¡¯s what cold showers are for love but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea considering it¡¯s like thirty degrees outside¡± I bite back and I hear him chuckle as I walk up the steps with him hot on my trail. I step in and go to sit on the bed before turning around to say something else. 21 ¡°I don¡¯t have anything for you to wear if you n on staying¡± I tell him and I watch him grin. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll sleep in my underwear¡± he says while smirking and beginning to unbutton his top. I squeal before hiding my face in my hands in embarrassment. ¡°Mia cara you¡¯re too innocent¡± I hear him say while chuckling. I look up to see him in nothing but boxer and take the time to ogle over his body. I quickly snap out of it and look at his face to his smirk widen before we walks towards me. ¡°Next time, a little warning would be much appreciated¡± I grumble while crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°My dearest apologizes mia cara¡± he replies with a smile whole walking over and pulling back the nkets. He gives me a kiss on the cheek before pulling me with him as heys down. I snuggle up to his chest gettingfortable before looking up to bat my eyshes at him. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be the death of me¡± he whispers lovingly with his eyes closed and I smile. I close my eyes soon after and let his steady heartbeat lull me into a peaceful sleep. Ivan¡¯s pov. The sun ring in my closed eyes through the window disrupted my sleep. I open my eyes and look around confused at the unfamiliar surroundings. I feel weight on my chest and look down to see my angel sleeping soundly, her hair sprawled across her face. I watch her body rise and fall as she breathes, taking the time to admire her. Her face had a very peaceful expression as she sleptfortably on my chest. Her long dark eyshes rested on the top of her rosy cheeks and my gaze continues to sweep across her face. My eyesnd on her little button nose and I examine the silver hoop that was pierced into her nose. My eyes finallynd on her beautifully plump, pouty lips that I crave to have on mine every second of the day. I slowly lift my hand up to brush her hair out of her face but she stirs and finally her eyes flutter open. My heart warmed as her gorgeous pools of emerald green eyes light up at the sight of me. ¡°Good morning Ivan¡± she whispers shyly her voice a lower pitch from sleeping making my lower anatomy stir excitedly. ¡°Good morning my love¡± I reply huskily and lean down to kiss her on the forehead. Pulling back, I look into her eyes and watch her expression as a beautiful smile appears on her mouth. She snuggles closer to me and lifts her head up to give me a kiss on my jaw. Restraining myself from ravishing her right here I close my eyes to calm myself down. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep¡± she asks me, smiling deviously knowing her effect on me. ¡°Best sleep I¡¯ve had in a while¡± I respond truthfully. Whenever I went to my bed to sleep, my mind kept me up with business ideas and possible alliances making me get up to write the down. It was a constant cycle until I was so exhausted I had no choice but to sleep. With her though, all my thoughts drifted away giving me the peace I needed to sleep. ¡°Same here¡± she replies sheepishly before sitting up to pull the nkets off her body. She stands up and my eyes immediately scan over her body stopping momentarily on her neck, my mind instantly filling up with how it¡¯d feel to be kissing her neck. My gaze also falls to her long legs and I close my eyes instantly thinking of her legs wrapped around my torso as I made love to her. ¡°WHAT ON EARTH ARE WE STILL DOING ASLEEP WHEN WE HAVE WORK¡± I hear her screech making my eyes shoot open to look at her panicked state. Before I have time to answer, she¡¯s already rushing to the bathroom muttering about how stupid she was. Chuckling I get up myself and grab my phone to call my chauffeur to bring me a suit telling him to be here in fifteen minutes. I walk over to her bathroom door to knock and opening it once I hear her respond. Walking in, I watch as she brushes her teeth and washes her face rapidly before she turns around to re at me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dressed yet?! Do you not realize I could get fired for showing upte¡± she exims with her hands on her hips and I immediately burst out intoughter. ¡°Oh mia cara, you¡¯re so cute¡± I reply sobering up and giving her a kiss on the cheek. She gives me yet another re before responding. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what exactly you find so funny¡± she snaps frustratedly still not realizing her mistake. ¡°Considering I¡¯m your boss, I don¡¯t think you could get into very much trouble¡± I respond with a straight face before cracking a smile. Her facial expression changes to one of realization before she reddens in the face. I chuckle and shake my head before asking her a question. ¡°Do you have another bathroom I could use to get ready¡± I ask seriously. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s down the hall to your left. Their should be toothbrushes and such in one of the drawers¡± she replies thoughtfully before adding ¡°Now get out so I can shower¡± giving me a soft push out of the bathroom. I chuckle before heading to the bathroom to get ready myself. Shutting the door behind me, I quickly hop into the shower my muscles rxing under the hot water. My mind fills with images of Amelia and I smile to myself feeling lucky to have her. She was gentle and kind hearted as well as a little minx when she wanted to be. I¡¯m immediately filled with thoughts of Amelia in the shower, the water cascading down her body deliciously and I¡¯m tempted to go explore every inch of her soft skin. I groan at my thoughts and switch the water to cold trying to calm myself down. It seemed to work slightly but my need to take her was still quite evident. After my shower, I quickly brush my teeth and run my fingers through my hair before walking down the stairs with a towel around my waist. My gaze falls on Amelia¡¯s back as she answers the door and grabs my suit from my chauffeur. She shuts the door and turns around jumping at my sudden appearance. I watch as her eyes rake my body hungrily and I watch her gulp before her eyesnd on my own. Smirking, I walk over to her and grab my suit making sure to press myself against her before walking awaypletely. ¡°Meany¡± she grumbles under her breath and I bite back augh before walking back into the bathroom to get dressed. Amelia¡¯s pov. I walk into the kitchen flustered at the sight of Ivan in only a towel but shake my head to rid the mental image. I make myself a cup of chai tea and Ivan a cup of in coffee knowing he liked it like that. I open the fridge to see what I could make and decide on some scrambled eggs and sausage, scrambling around to make it. I hear footsteps behind me as I¡¯m flipping the bacon and turn to see Ivan fully clothed much to my disappointment. He looked sexy as hell wearing his suit that hugged his strong physique nicely and I walk up to him before stopping. His eyes stare into mine intensely before he leans in to capture my lips with his. The kiss was soft and sweet but still left my head reeling with the need for more. He tenderly caresses my cheek and I smile against his lips. He pulls away and I slowly open my eyes to see him looking at me with such want. I blush before turning around to te the food, fully aware of Ivan¡¯s gaze on me. I grab the two tes and set one in front of Ivan before handing him his coffee as well. I sit across from him at my counter and we both eat in a tense silence knowing fully well how much both of us wanted to jump one another. I slowly sip on my tea trying to distract myself from the very man whom I craved.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Finishing our breakfast I grab both our tes and set them in the sink before going to grab my heels as well as my purse. I was dressed in an all ck dress with a red belt in the center. The dress was almost a bodycon but looked very professional. I paired it with nude heels and I kept my make up light only adding concealer and lip balm. I curled my hair very lightly to give it some texture and left it to cascade down my back. ¡°I¡¯m gonna drive myself to work¡± I say over my shoulder, prepared to leave. ¡°We¡¯re going the same way, I don¡¯t understand why you can¡¯t ride with me mia cara¡± he replies confused to which I sigh. 22 ¡°What will people think when they see me stepping out of a limo with you? Word will get out fast and pretty soon I¡¯ll be headlined as Ivan¡¯s new toy¡± I say voicing my insecurities. He gets off his stool beforeing over to me and tilting my head up so I was looking at him. ¡°Mia cara, you¡¯re not just some toy to me and you should know that. I get that my reputation gives you some doubts but I can assure you, that you¡¯re important to me¡± he replies softly while leaning down to kiss my forehead in reassurance. I nod reluctantly before speaking. ¡°Do you think I could drive myself today? I¡¯m not ready for people to know about us yet¡± I respond hoping heplied. Looking into his eyes, I could tell he was struggling to give me an answer. After a few moments of silence, he finally sighs before answering. ¡°If it¡¯ll make you feel better then fine but you have to promise to let me touch you even if we¡¯re at work¡± he reasons with me and I smile before nodding and kissing him on the cheek. ¡°If letting you touch me was all it took for you to say yes, then I¡¯ll be getting my way more often¡± I joke and open the door to leave without waiting for his response. Getting into my car, I start the engine before driving in the direction of Stone Industries. It takes me about ten minutes to get there before I¡¯m pulling into the parking lot. Cutting the engine, I hop out of my car and begin walking into the building towards the receptionist to check in. I greet them with a smile and head to the cafeteria wanting to see Connor before work started. To my luck he was sitting by himself, his back to me and I take this as my chance. I tip toe towards him before I¡¯m standing behind him before whispering. ¡°Guess who bitch¡± I whisper creepily and I watch as he jumps in fright. Giggling, I take a seat next to him waiting for his response. ¡°Jesus Amelia, would it kill you to walk up to me like a normal person instead of nearly giving me a heart attack¡± he exims in fake anger and I giggle once again. ¡°What¡¯s the fun in that Conny¡± I ask with a smile and he res at me before cracking a smile. ¡°How¡¯s life been without me¡± he asks genuinely interested and I blush at the thought of Mr. Stone. ¡°It¡¯s been amazing not having an overbearing presence constantly nagging me¡± I reply pretending to be interested in my nails.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Well damn, way to bruise a guy¡¯s ego¡± he says feigning hurt while clutching his heart. ¡°Knocking down an arrogant ass a few pegs is my specialty¡± I sass before adding ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to get upstairs before Mr. Stone has a fit. Bye Conny¡± I say over my shoulder hearing a faint bye from him. Getting into the elevator, I wait patiently for it to reach the top floor before exiting and walking towards his office. I walk in without knocking and see Ivan typing away at hisptop not noticing my presence. ¡°Good morning Mr. Stone¡± I say seductively getting his attention. He gives me a once over before instructing me to shut the door. Iply and walk over to him, stopping at the end of his desk. ¡°Can you please call Jason and set up another appointment for this afternoon at the restaurant across the street¡± he instructs while guiding me over to hisp. Sitting down, I lean against his chest and nod before responding. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the one that was flirting with mest time while I was with you¡± I question knowing the answer. ¡°Yes¡± he grumbles before peppering small kisses on my neck. ¡°He was cute but not my type¡± I reply sighing in pleasure. He snaps his head to look at me and I smile at him innocently. ¡°You¡¯re mine mia cara¡± he says possessively before capturing my lips in a dominant kiss. We fight for control but he wins and I moan as he continues his assault on my already swollen lips. Pulling away, I lean my forehead against his before responding. ¡°Yours¡± Amelia¡¯s pov. After our a little moment, I quickly got off hisp and straighten out my dress. As I¡¯m about to walk over to my desk, I feel a light p on my bum and I jump in surprise before turning around to re at Mr. Stone. He looks at me with a smirk and gives me a teasing wink. ¡°Asshole¡± I grumble shaking my head emitting augh from him as I walk away. I take a seat and begin focus on my work. I pick up the post it note with Jason¡¯s number on it and dial before putting it on speaker in case Ivan wanted to listen. Someone answers on the third ring: ¡°Jason Maxwell speaking¡± said a deep voice from the other end. ¡°Yes Mr. Maxwell, this is Amelia Winters calling to arrange a meeting between you and my boss Mr. Stone¡± I reply curtly slowly ncing at Ivan to see him already gazing at me intensely. ¡°Oh yes Amelia, how¡¯s life been treating you¡± he asks, his voice expressing his sudden interest. ¡°I¡¯m doing well sir thank you but I was calling about a meeting with Mr. Stone¡± I ask trying to keep the conversation as short as possible once I see Ivan¡¯s nostrils re in annoyance. ¡°When was he looking to meet me? I¡¯m free 3:30pm today if that¡¯s ok¡± he responds back in business mode and I nce over to Ivan for approval which he gives me a short nod. ¡°Alright then, three-thirty it is¡± I answer getting ready to hang up. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to seeing you again Ms. Winters¡± he flirts before the line goes dead. I roll my eyes at his tant flirting and turn my chair to look at Mr. Stone. His eyes were piercing and held an air of intensity that frightened me a bit. ¡°W-we¡¯ll be meeting him at 3:30¡± I confirm to him before turning towards myptop, not wanting to be the center of his apparent annoyance. I begin typing away at myptop trying to stay focused on the task at hand but find it very difficult with someone¡¯s constant staring. Feeling fed up, I swing my chair around to face him before speaking. ¡°Do you have a staring problem or something, because it seems to be all your doing today¡± I snap making sure my annoyance was very evident in my tone. ¡°Not my fault when all you seem to do is tempt me mia cara¡± he responds unfazed but his eyes darken slightly. ¡°If you¡¯re tempted with me just sitting here and doing my work that YOU assigned me then I think you have a major problem¡± I bite back making sure to put emphasis on the you. ¡°Mia cara, you could lookpletely shit faced and I¡¯d still find you tempting¡± he says back with a small smirk and I blush causing his smirk to widen. ¡°Well quit it, you¡¯re distracting me¡± I mutter pathetically not having anything else to say. I turn back to myptop after my response and I hear him slightly chuckle before I hear a shuffling of papers notifying me of him going back to work. Deciding to do the same, I start typing up a couple of documents trying to stay focused. The documents were for future meetings and Ivan wanted me to put them in the filing cab once I was done. I print them out once I¡¯m finished and walk over to begin putting them in the cabs. It took about a half hour to finish typing and putting them away. 23 After that I was suppose to print up a contract that would be signed by Jason during the small meetingter today. The contract basically sealed the partnership between Maxwell and Stone Industries as they continued to work in major projects together. As time went on, the room remainedpletely silent both of us indulged in our work. ¡°Do you want to head out now¡± Ivan asks disrupting the silence. I close myptop after hitting print and turn to nod at him before standing up to fix my dress. I run my fingers through my hair quickly and walk towards the printer to grab the contract. The warm, freshly printed paper makes contact with my cold hands as I quickly put it in a mani folder and slip in a pen. Turning around, I make my way over to Ivan and set the folder into his awaiting hands. He gives me a smile, and yanks me into his embrace causing me to stumble forward. I take in his expensive cologne before sighing contently. He rubs his hands up and down my sides soothingly making me hum in content. We stay in each other¡¯s embrace for what felt like a few minutes but was probably longer. ¡°We should get going¡± I tell him tilting my head up slightly to look up into his gorgeous hazel eyes. He nods before leaning down to peck me on the lips sweetly before stepping back. We walk to the elevator together and step in while I¡¯m making sure I have everything for the meeting. Ivan was looking through his phone and I assume he was reading emails. The elevator dings and the doors open as we both step out. We make our way into the lobby and I immediately spot Connor and he begins making his way over to us. ¡°And where is my Latina fire cracker heading off to¡± Connor asks me with a smilepletely ignoring Mr. Stone. I giggle before punching him lightly on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m off to a meeting with Mr. Stone and I told you not to call me that¡± I inform him making sure to re yfully at the end. Connor finally acknowledges Mr. Stone and the look on his face was priceless. ¡°H-hello sir, I didn¡¯t see you there. I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time¡± he stutters out looking like he¡¯s about ready to shit his pants. I try my hardest to contain my fits ofughter but failpletely. ¡°Well then, what¡¯re you still doing here¡± Mr. Stone spits out rudely and I immediately sober up before elbowing him in the rib discretely. He nces down at me and I give him a pointed look to which hepletely brushes off. Not wanting to stay in this situation any longer, I chose to speak. ¡°Well Connor, we have a meeting to get to but I promise we can get lunch another time¡± I say apologetically adding a smile at the end before walking out the door with Mr. Stone hot on my trail. I walk towards the limo to see Ivan¡¯s chauffeur holding the door open. Giving him a smile to which he returns, I slide into the limo making sure to scoot all the way by the window. Shortly after, Ivan gets inside and the door is shut behind him. We sit in silence until we pull of the curb and Ivan begins to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t like you being alone with other males who obviously fancy you¡± he grumbles out. ¡°Oh don¡¯t be such a baby, we¡¯re only friends¡± I tell him not taking my eyes off the window. ¡°You¡¯re very oblivious if you can¡¯t see he likes you and I don¡¯t want to have to worry about some boy taking you away from me¡± he responds possessively and I take the time to look at his expression. His eyes were lit with jealousy and my insides flutter at how much he cared. I scoot closer to him before taking his face in between my hands and looking him dead in the eye. ¡°No ones gonna take me away from you anytime soon and you have nothing to worry about. Connor and I are just friends, nothing will ever happen between us¡± I assure him making sure my expression showed my sincerity. I lean in and kiss him to which he responds, rapidly taking over. Heys me down on the seat and gets on top of me not once breaking the kiss. He uses one hand to hold himself up and uses the other to trail across my body teasingly. I shutter under his touch and I feel him smile into the kiss before he trails his tongue across my bottom lip. Giving him entrance, our tongues fight for dominance and I can¡¯t help but let out moans. We¡¯re so engrossed into each other, we don¡¯t feel the car stop or the door open or even see the shes of lighting from outside. Ivan gets off me immediately to get out of the limo and I sit up to try topose myself. Stepping out, I¡¯m instantly blinded by shes and all I heard was shouting. Once my eyes readjust, I realize that I was standing in front of a group of reporters looking like a hot mess. I¡¯m quickly bombarded with question but I chose to keep quite. ¡°Shit¡± I mutter before using my hand to cover my face and following Ivan as he pushed through the sea of reporters. As we¡¯re walking through the crowd I focus in on what the reporters were shouting. ¡°Can you give us a brief summary of who you are and what you do for a living¡± someone asks while shoving a recorder in my face. ¡°What¡¯s your rtion to Ivan Stone¡± one voice says to the left of me. ¡°Are you guys romantically involved¡± another asks somewhere towards the right. ¡°Are you the newest bed warmer for Mr. Stone¡± one asks from behind. The question took me off guard and left me baffled at how quick they were to judge me but slightly angered me at how many women Ivan had rtions with. I ignore the question and the shes but continue to walk forward. We step into a restaurant and I immediately run to the bathroom ignoring Ivan shouting my name. I burst inside and lean against the wall trying to calm my rapid breathing. My mind immediately goes to the reporters and how they took so many pictures of Ivan on top of me. I refrain from loosing my shit and walk over to the mirrors to observe my appearance. My hair was a mess and my lips were swollen with smeared red lipstick making me look a clown. I run my fingers through my hair trying to tame it but give up and settle on putting it in a low bun. I pull some strands out to frame my face and look through my purse for some make up wipes. Taking them out, I take off my lipstick and applied some lip balm before deeming myself ready to go back outside. Giving myself a nod in the mirror, I walk out with my head held high and dismiss the thought of running out of here like a crazy women. I walk over to Ivan and Jason with a smile on my face looking professional. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my sudden departure, I needed to freshen up real quick¡± I apologize with a smile focusing my attention on Jason. ¡°No worries, just so long as I get to see your pretty face again¡± Jason flirts and I try my best to bite my tongue.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Shall we take a seat and get on with the meeting then¡± a voice butts in and we both turn our attention to Mr. Stone who looked annoyed. We both nod and walk over to a table to sit down at. I sit down beside Ivan and resist the urge to cuss him out in Spanish for earlier. Instead, I pull out my notebook, pen and prepare myself to take notes. The meeting begins and I busy myself with taking notes forgetting about the earlier incident for the time being. The two men discussed their partnership and what their first order of business was once the contract was signed. Both men ignored me as the meeting went on but their were times where Jason would subtly look at me. The meeting wasing to an end and I take out the contract from the mani folder before setting it down in front of Jason. He signs it without hesitation and we all get up, the two men shaking hands as we parted ways. ¡°It was nice seeing you again Amelia¡± Jason says to me tenderly kissing my hand to which I yank it away quickly. ¡°I¡¯d say likewise but then I¡¯d be lying¡± I snap fed up with his relentless flirting. I leave both men standing in the restaurant and rush to the limo covering my face once I see more reporters. Once I¡¯m inside, I close my eyes and lean my head against the cool window focusing on my breathing. I ignore Ivan as he gets in, fuming at the fact that I¡¯d be headlining all over every newspaper as ¡°Ivan¡¯s new y toy.¡± ¡°Amelia¡± he says trying to get my attention but I ignore him, keeping my eyes closed. ¡°Amelia listen to me¡± he says, this time with more power but yet again I ignore him. ¡°Damn it Amelia, I didn¡¯t know they¡¯d be here¡± he snaps angrily but I chose not to respond. I know I was being childish but I couldn¡¯t find the strength in me to care. ¡°I¡¯ll sue them if they release those pictures mia cara, just please talk to me¡± he tells me softly and I open my eyes to look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want people to think I slept my way up to bing your assistant¡± I whisper tiredly to him. 24 ¡°No one will release those pictures and I¡¯ll make sure of it¡± he replies fiercely while stroking my cheek. I nod and lean against his hand enjoying the contact. He pulls me into his side and I rest my head against his shoulders slowly beginning to doze off as he ys with my hair. Thest thing I remember is being cuddled up to Ivan in the limo before I wee the sleep. I wake up a few hourster and look around at my surroundings. By the familiar room and the scent of expensive cologne, I assumed I was in Ivan¡¯s room. Sitting up, I scratch my head before pulling the nket off me. I walk into his connected bathroom to freshen up a bit. I turn on the sink and wash the remainder of today¡¯s make up off my face. Patting my face dry, I walk back into his room and towards his closet wanting to get out of my dress. I look through his drawers and pick out a pale blue button up to put on over my undergarments. I wiggle out of my dress and carefully fold it before setting it on one of the drawers. The shirt rested at about mid thigh and I decide against attempting to fit into one of his sweats. I pull my hair out of the now messy bun and quickly brush my fingers through my hair to tame it. I open the door and step out before attempting to find Ivan. I wander aimlessly through the halls for awhile, admiring the paintings before I hear faint talking. Deciding to follow the voice, I find myself in front of the room where the sound wasing from. I knock a few times and wait for ae in before twisting the doorknob. I fling the door open and am met with Ivan neck deep in papers talking fiercely into a phone. I step into the room quietly not wanting to disturb him and walk over to sit on the couch. I wait for him to finish but can¡¯t help but catch fragments of their conversation. ¡°Why must youe on such short notice¡± Ivan grumbled into the phone using his other hand to rub his temples. I could barely hear the other person¡¯s voice so I stop listening in and I chose to busy myself with a magazine instead. The vogue magazine had a beautiful women on the cover sporting a dark smoky eye and wless features making me envious. I flip through the magazine only half paying attention when I hear Ivan sigh deeply. Looking up, I watch as Ivan takes deep breaths and shut my magazine. ¡°Who was that¡± I say voicing my curiosity and breaking Ivan out of his trance. ¡°That was my dearest mother calling to inform me that she will be flying in tomorrow morning to pay me a visit¡± He says frustrated not looking in my direction. ¡°Do you not like your mother¡± I ask confused on why it was such a big deal. I¡¯d be ecstatic to have my mother still around and willing to be apart of my life. ¡°Of course I love her mia cara, it¡¯s just that she can be a handful at times. Not to mention her obsession with wanting to set me up with women I have no concern in being with¡± he tells me finally looking up to meet my curious gaze. ¡°Well you should be thankful, I¡¯d take having a nosy mother who¡¯s concerned about my future over not having one at all any day¡± I reply my voice getting colder at the end. Ivan looks at me perplexed and studies me for a few minutes. I fidget under his gaze but keep eye contact until he finally says something. ¡°Mia cara, where¡¯s your mother¡± he asks hesitantly as if him asking the question would result in my downfall. ¡°She¡¯s in a better ce I presume¡± I tell him pretending I didn¡¯t care but my facade falls as soon as a single tear caresses my cheek. I quickly wipe it away before standing up and walking towards the door. Turning around I meet his gaze before answering the question he was dying to know. ¡°Shemitted suicide when I was 17 leaving me alone in this monstrous city with no blood rtive within 100 miles leaving me to fend for myself until I became of age¡± I inform him before quickly walking out of the room and down the stairs into the living room. I copse onto the couch face first and it was then the waterworks began. I sobbed into the couch quietly until I was gently lifted up and pulled into a hard chest. I sobbed into Ivan¡¯s chest for what felt like hours finally allowing myself the chance to grieve. I cried for my mother, I cried for my father not caring enough to stick around, I cried about all of the hardships I¡¯ve faced in the past 5 years. Ivan said nothing but rubbed patterns into my back and cooed into my ear until my hysteric sobbing became small sniffles. I lift my head up off his chest and examine his shirt to see it wet with tears. I look into his eyes to see him staring at me in pain and I smiled at him to reassure him that I was fine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve had to face such pain in the past and if I could, I¡¯d go back in time to erase every single event that has caused you such grief¡± he tells me and the sincerity in his eyes almost making me burst into tears again. ¡°I don¡¯t think time travel has been invented yet¡± I joke trying to lighten the mood and seed when he cracks a smile. He kisses me on the forehead before lifting me up into his arms and walking us into the kitchen. He sets me down on the counter before leaving to go change his shirt. I swing my legs as I think about my father and how much I wished he were in my life. Granted, he did leave me at a tender age but I couldn¡¯t find it in me to hate him. I¡¯m snapped out of my thoughts once Ivanes back in with a new shirt on and some sweats. ¡°Do you want me to cook us something or do you want to order take out instead¡± he asks me softly not wanting to add to my apparent pain. ¡°Take out is fine¡± I whisper in response and he nods before going off to order the food. I hop off the counter and walk down the hall to busy my mind. At the end of the hall, I stumble across a vacant room with a piano sitting in the center of it. Not being able to resist, I rush over to it and walk around the piano for a few minutes just examining it. I slowly glide my fingers across the keys and let the familiar surface calm me. I take a seat and close my eyes to reminisce my piano ying days.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. I finally strike up the courage and settle on ying a tune my mother used to sing to me at night. The room was filled with the melodic sound of the piano and I close my eyes to indulge myself into the music. As I continued to y, I slowly begin to sing the lyrics in Spanish letting the words fall of the tip of my tongue in waves. My fingers y thest note before the room is back to silence and filled with the emptiness I felt when I first walked in. I slowly open my eyes and stand up ready to leave the room but I see Ivan standing in the threshold. ¡°Mia cara, you continue to surprise me, even when I least expect it¡± he tells me once we¡¯re face to face and all I do is smile. ¡°No one knows I can y the piano, not even Sierra. I kept it as my little escape from reality and felt that if I told anyone about it, it¡¯d suddenly lose it¡¯s meaning¡± I respond with a small blush knowing my exnation probably sounded childish. I look down at my feet as I wait for a response from Ivan but I feel a light touch on my chin. ¡°I understand what you mean, whenever I felt as if the world was getting to be too much, I would pull out my sketch pad and draw until my fingers became numb. In a way, it was like my safe haven¡± he replies thoughtfully looking me straight in the eyes as he spoke. My expression probably mirrored my surprise because secondster, Ivan was chuckling. ¡°I never pegged you to be the type to enjoy drawing¡± I tell him before asking ¡°Do you think I could see some of your drawings?¡± He nods before grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room and towards his office. Our inteced fingers brought pleasurable tingles up my arm and I smiled goofily. Momentster we were in his office and he let go of my hand to retrieve the sketch pad. He walks back to me and hands me a book urging me to look through it. Grabbing it from him, I open up the book and begin flipping through the pages. 25 What I was met with made my jaw drop as I looked at the various pieces of art. Their were drawings of animals, nts and beautifulndmarks that were so detailed it would put any professional artist to shame. ¡°Ivan this is a gift, you¡¯re like the next Van Gogh!! Just please don¡¯t go bat shit crazy and cut your ear off¡± I tell him while still looking through the pages. The room is filled with his contagiousughter and my insides churn at the sound of his mirth. ¡°Oh mia cara, cutting my ear off would mean I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear your giggles as clearly¡± he flirts after sobering up. I blush before closing the book and hitting it across his chest. We¡¯re interrupted by the sound of the door bell and I follow Ivan out of his office. While Ivan went to go answer the door, I went into the kitchen and browsed his fridge for something to drink. I grab two cans of soda and walk into the living room before plopping down on the couch. Ivanes back carrying two bags full of food and I look at him weirdly. ¡°Did you n on feeding a small army with all of the food you got¡± I joke as he sets the bags down on the table. ¡°No but I do n on eating all of this by myself if you don¡¯t quit the sass¡± he jokes yfully ring at me. I giggle before grabbing one of the bags to take out a to go carton. Ivan sits next to me and grabs one for himself, opening it up and beginning to eat. I stuff my mouth with chicken and fried rice while using my other hand to pick up the remote. ¡°What do you want to watch¡± I ask looking over to Ivan for a response. He finishes chewing his food and takes a sip of coke before responding. ¡°I¡¯m good with anything so long as it¡¯s not a romance movie¡± he tells me and I smile deviously. ¡°The Notebook it is¡± I say smirking to which he grumbles in protest. I shake my head in amusement and settle on watching 21 Jump Street instead feeling as if I¡¯ve cried enough for today. The movie begins and I¡¯m immediately sucked in once Channing Tatumes on the screen. ¡°Channing Tatum is so hot¡± I gush star struck to which Ivan snorts. I pause the movie to re at him for interrupting my fangirling.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°I¡¯m way hotter mia cara, and besides isn¡¯t he like 30¡± he asks with a smirk making my re intensify. ¡°Considering you¡¯re on the verge of thirty yourself, I don¡¯t understand your point¡± I tell him annoyed to which he res at me. ¡°I¡¯m only twenty six mia cara, way to subtly tell a guy he¡¯s old¡± he replies, his voice dripping in sarcasm. I giggle before ying the movie and continue eating my Chinese food. Throughout the movie, I couldn¡¯t help myughter and at times Ivan would join in too. Half way through the movie, Ivan rested his head on myp as he sprawled himself across the couch. The end credits roll across the screen and I wipe the tears ofughter of my cheek. I nce down at Ivan who was looking up at me, and lean down to capture his lips in mine. The kiss started off slow and sweet but turned urgent as Ivan got up and pulled me into hisp. I pushed him down so that I was on top of him and straddled hisp. We continued to kiss aggressively as I felt Ivan tug my bottom lip between his teeth. I moan loudly before breaking the kiss to catch my breath. I begin to kiss and suck on his neck teasingly enjoying hearing the groans he was emitting. ¡°Mia cara¡± Ivan groaned breathlessly. I hummed in response still leaving a trail of kisses on his neck and jaw. ¡°We have to stop¡± he adds and I finally sit up to look at him. His eyes glowed with hunger and passion as he gazed at me intensely. I nod in agreement before getting off him and grabbing the empty to go containers to throw in the garbage. He follows behind me as I throw everything in and I nce at the clock on the oven that read 10:00pm. I yawn feeling tired all of a sudden and open my arms out to Ivan letting him know I wanted him to carry me. He smiles and shakes his head before scooping me up in his arms while carrying me up the stairs and to his room. He sets me down gently on the bed before taking his shirt off and getting underneath the covers with me. He pulls me into his bare chest and I snuggle into the warmth he brought me before beginning to doze off. ¡°Good night corazon¡± I whisper sleepily to him to which he leans down and kisses my forehead. ¡°Good night mia cara¡± he replies before we both fall asleep,pletely tangled in each other¡¯s embrace. The next morning, I woke up feeling fully rested and refreshed. I turned my head to where Ivan was sleeping to see his side empty. Getting up anyways, I walk into the bathroom and do my business before brushing my teeth. Once I finished, I quickly washed my face and used Ivan¡¯sb to untangle my hair leaving it down. Stepping out of his room, I maneuver my way through the maze of hallways to the kitchen. I hear Ivan¡¯s voice and smile slightly until I also hear a feminine voice. Reluctantly, I walked into the kitchen to see Ivan sitting in one of the stools facing away from me and a women sitting across from him. Confused, I cleared my voice effectively snapping them out of their conversation. Ivan quickly got up and made his way over to give me a sweet kiss before wrapping his arm around me. ¡°Mama, meet Amelia Winters, my assistant and girlfriend. Amelia meet my wonderful mother, Giada Stone¡± Ivan exins to her while looking at me lovingly. I blush and lean into his body before giving the woman a smile. ¡°It¡¯s very nice to finally meet you Mrs. Stone¡± I tell the woman with a grin. She was beautiful with honey brown hair and mesmerizing hazel eyes. She had the same high cheek bones as Ivan but that was about it for simrities. ¡°Please, call me Giada. It¡¯s nice to finally meet someone that¡¯s dear to my son¡± she replies with a thick Italian ent. ¡°Don¡¯t we have to go to work Ivan¡± I ask slightly rmed when I see the time but Ivan¡¯s chuckle makes me rx. ¡°Actually, I was thinking you could go take the day off and go to a spa or shopping with my mom¡± he tells me thoughtfully and my heart swoons at his words. ¡°Are you sure? I can help sort stuff out with you at the office and we could go some other time¡± I tell him not wanting to abandon him with all of the work. ¡°Nonsense mia cara, you go and have a rxing day with my mom, I can handle it¡± he tells me and I immediately jump into his arms before attacking his face with a bunch of kisses. ¡°Thank you, thank you thank you¡± I exim in between each kiss before kissing him lovingly on the lips. I hear Giadaughing in the background and slide down Ivan¡¯s body blushing furiously. I look down embarrassed, using my hair to cover my face as Ivan and Giadaugh at me. ¡°Mia cara, how about you go get dressed and then you guys can head out¡± Ivan tells me grinning and I nod before running up the stairs. I giddily skip into his closet and grab some clothes from the bag I always leave in here for whenever I stay. 26 I pull out an oversized maroon knitted sweater and pair it with a pair of denim jeans. I add a fuzzy grey infinity scarf and pull out a pair ofbat boots. Stripping from my clothes, I grab the sweater and was about to put it on until all of a sudden the doors fly open. Standing their in all his glory was Ivan and his eyes immediately darken as he takes in my state. I use the sweater to cover up my underwear d body from Ivan¡¯s wandering eyes. He stalks towards me like a predator and I slowly begin to back up until my back hits the wall. Startled at the cold surface against my back, I drop the sweater on the floor leaving me in only my undergarments. My face goes scarlet and I try my best to avoid Ivan¡¯s gaze. He stops in front of me and uses one hand to tilt my face towards him. ¡°So beautiful¡± he whispers huskily before smashing his lips against mine heatedly causing me to gasp. I try to bring my hands up to his hair but he uses his other hand to pin mine above my head. I moan into the kiss as his mouth dominated against my own. My entire body was ignited with lust and his close proximity wasn¡¯t helping. He uses one hand to trail up my body teasingly running his fingers across my breasts. I moan even louder and begin to whimper as his hand slowly massages my breast. He pulls awaypletely leaving me cold at the loss of contact. I open my eyes to see him gazing at me with a smirk and I groan in irritation. ¡°You can¡¯t just kiss me senseless and thenpletely pull away leaving me unsatisfied¡± I snap at him and his chest rumbles inughter. Feeling annoyed, I wait until he¡¯s done before speaking again. ¡°If you think you can get away with that, you¡¯ve got another thinging¡± I exin to him as my eyes light up in excitement. ¡°Whatever do you mean, mi amour¡± he asks feigning innocence and I smirk before slowly sauntering over to him, swaying my hips slightly. I stop in front of him and cross my arms across my chest making his eyes immediately follow my movement. ¡°Tu descubrira pronto lo que quiero decir, Ivan¡± I reply in Spanish making sure to add a seductive wink at then end. (You¡¯ll find out soon what I mean, Ivan) I turn around and walk back into the closet before getting dressed. I put my hair in a low ponytail before walking back out to see Ivan standing where I had left him. I smirk while putting on my boots before standing up straight. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, cat got your tongue¡± I ask innocently propping my hands on my hips. He finally snaps out of his daze before ring at me. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice Amelia¡± Ivan scowled with a pout on his lips. I giggle before going over and grabbing his hand, leading him out of the room. He continues to grumble behind me about how much of a tease I was but I keep walking ignoring him. We walk back into the kitchen causing Giada to look up before standing up with a smile. ¡°Are you ready to go Tesoro¡± she asks me and I nod with a grin. ¡°Here¡¯s my card, buy whatever your little hearts desire and Amelia I mean it. If you see anything that catches your eye, buy it¡± he tells me pointedly while handing me his card. ¡°If I bought every little thing that caught my eye, I¡¯d end by buying the entire shopping center¡± I joke taking the card and putting it in my purse. ¡°If it¡¯ll make you genuinely happy, then so be it mia cara¡± he tells me seriously and my eyes begin to water at his gesture. I pull him into a hug before whispering a small thank you. Pulling away, I turn to Giada with a mischievous smile. ¡°Well you heard what he said Giada, buy anything that our hearts desire¡± I tell her deviously and sheughs. ¡°Let¡¯s go Tesoro, we don¡¯t want to bete to the spa¡± she replies while walking towards the door. I turn to Ivan once again and give him a quick peck before rushing out the door as well. Walking down the pavement, we get into her car and she starts the engine. ¡°You know, you¡¯re the first girl he¡¯s ever introduced me to¡± Giada tells me while driving. I look at her confused knowing Ivan dated plenty of women in the past. ¡°Hasn¡¯t he dated several women before me? Wouldn¡¯t you have met them at one point¡± I voice my confusion while looking at her. ¡°I know he¡¯s dated many women but I guess none of them were important enough for me to formally meet them. I¡¯m d, I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve enjoyed talking to any of those air heads¡± she exins momentarily taking her eyes off the road to look at me. I giggle at her remark, my stomach fluttering at what Giada had told me. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know that this isn¡¯t some fling and that he wants to be with me just as much as I want to be with him¡± I tell her turning my attention toward the fleeting scenery out of the window. ¡°Oh Tesoro, you¡¯re very important to him. I can see it in the way his eyes light up when you walk into a room or how he¡¯s always wanting to touch you. It warms my heart knowing my Ivan has found someone worthwhile¡± she tells me her ent bing more prominent as she said his name. My smile bes so big that my cheeks began to hurt but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°I really care for your son Giada, he¡¯s finally given me something worth looking forward to everyday of my life¡± I tell her as a tear slides down my cheek. I sniffle trying to keep calm and my little sniffle doesn¡¯t go unnoticed by Giada. She pulls into the parking out before stopping and turning her attention to me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Tesoro¡± she asks rmed and I shake my head before smiling. ¡°Nothing, I just get a little emotional thinking about certain things¡± I tell her trying to dismiss the topic and thankfully she does. We both get out of the car and make our way into the spa. Walking into the lobby we¡¯re immediately greeted by a small woman. ¡°Good afternoondies, do you have an appointment¡± she asks with a friendly smile. ¡°Yes we do, under Stone¡± Giada responds and the women immediately checks us in before guiding us into a room. ¡°You guys will be starting off with a full body massage. After we will proceed to the skin soothing facials and will end with the sauna¡± she exins to us and we both nod before she continues. ¡°I need you to take off your clothes and put on these robes. Your masseuse will be with you shortly¡± she tells us before leaving us. We follow her directions and both strip from our clothing and get into the robes. I fold my clothes and set them aside before sitting on one of the beds. ¡°Have you ever been here before¡± Giada asks me and I simply shake my head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really one for luxury all the time and would much rather sit at home watching movies¡± I tell her with a smile remembering my coge days. Not long after, two women arrived to gives us massages and our day of rxation began.N?velDrama.Org owns this. We left the spa at around 3:30pm and decided on grabbing a quick lunch. My body felt rxed after our session and my skin felt like it was glowing. We decided on going to a cute outdoor restaurant we stumbled across while looking around. Getting a table for two by the windows, we take our seats before picking up the menus. I browse the options for a few moments before settling on a chicken Cesar sd with a ss of lemonade. Giada ordered a lemon and pesto pasta along with a sparkling water. ¡°What was Ivan like as a child, if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡± I ask Giada curiously waiting for her response. ¡°Ivan was always a creative child growing up. He often sat with his toys trying to find ways to put them together while the other kids would y outside. He was our only child for quite awhile until I gave birth to a baby girl. From then on he made it his duty to make sure his little sister had everything she could ever imagine. He¡¯s obviously the CEO of thergest business in the country but he never once became arrogant about his sess¡± she tells me and I nod remembering him telling me about his sister. Our food arrives and I dig in utterly hungry. We made small talk as we ate, but we were both too hungry to keep a conversation going for too long. After we were finished, we paid and walked back to the car, ready to go home. ¡°How long are you staying in the city¡± I ask her as she was driving. ¡°I leave in about a week and will be going back to Miami¡± she tells me and I nod before leaning my head against the window. The drive back to Ivan¡¯s house wasfortable, both of us engrossed into our thoughts. In about fifteen minutes we pull up outside of Ivan¡¯s house. I turn to Giada and pull her into a hug. 27 ¡°Thank you for today, I enjoyed spending time with you¡± I tell her pulling away from her warm embrace. ¡°You cane to me for anything Tesoro. If Ivan is being an ass, just call me over and I¡¯ll happily smack some sense into him¡± she says smiling and Iugh before nodding. I bid her good bye before closing the car door behind me and walking up to the house. I knock on the door and wait until Ivan opens up. He opens the door a few momentster and immediately pulls me into the house. ¡°I missed you mi amour¡± he whispers into my ear making me gasp as his warm breath fanned against my skin. ¡°I missed you too¡± I whisper back taking the time to stay in his embrace. He pulls away to look me in the eye and goes to kiss me. I tilt my head to the side making his lipse in contact with my cheek. He looks at me confused and I smirk before pulling away from himpletely. ¡°You¡¯re punishment for earlier is that you can¡¯t touch me for the next 24hrs and that includes cuddling as well¡± I exin to him deviously and run away before he can protest. He chases after me and I squeal before quickening my pace. I run into the piano room and hide behind the piano. I hear his footstepse into the room and I try my best to calm down my breathing. ¡°I know you¡¯re in here mia cara, I can hear your breathing¡± he says his voice getting closer and closer. I feel a pair of arms wrap themselves around my waist before he whispers in my ear that he caught me. I struggle against his grip trying to wiggle free but to no avail. ¡°That¡¯s not fair you¡¯re not taking your punishment seriously¡± I pout looking him in the eyes. He chuckles before setting me down but still holding onto my waist knowing I¡¯d run if he let me go. ¡°Mia cara I can¡¯t go 24hrs without touching you, it¡¯s a wonder how I went 4hrs. Please I¡¯ll take any other punishment you have in mind¡± he tells me, his voice bing husky at the end. I blush at his suggestion before shaking my head. ¡°Fine then you have to cook me food whenever I want¡± I reply before sauntering out of the room with him hot on my trail. ¡°Don¡¯t I already do that¡± he responds cheekily and I spin around before ring. ¡°Listen asshole, it¡¯s either you sleep on the couch tonight or you go into that kitchen right now and cook me food¡± I snap at him faking annoyance before cracking a smile at the end. ¡°Aye aye captain¡± he salutes me before rushing into the kitchen. I giggle before walking in behind him and hopping onto the counter. ¡°So what¡¯re you making Chef Stone¡± I interrogate him watching while he pulled out ingredients. ¡°I was thinking maybe some butterfly chicken breast with a light sd and some sauteed mushrooms¡± he exins while cutting some lettuce and the mushrooms. ¡°Ok well while you do that, I¡¯m gonna go put on The Notebook¡± I exim excitedly before jumping off the counter and towards the living room. An hourter Ivanes into the room with two tes to see me sobbing. ¡°Mia cara what¡¯s the matter¡± Ivan asks me worriedly and I sniffle before turning from the screen. ¡°It¡¯s so romantic how even though she left him, he still built her the house she wanted and waited for her while she fooled around with some other guy¡± I exin to him wiping away the remainder of my tears. Ivanughs at me and I re at him before taking the tes from his hand to set them on the coffee table. Hees back with a bottle of wine and pours us each a ss as we begin eating. We talk about our days while we eat and I learn that Ivan fired an employee because they had been stealing money from hispany. I told him about my day at the spa and he smiles at me while I told him. ¡°I¡¯m tired as hell even though I haven¡¯t been very productive today¡± I giggle while taking the tes towards the sink. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted so I would¡¯ve forced you to sleep so I could cuddle with you anyway¡± Ivan tells me and Iugh before following him up the stairs. Walking into his room, I began taking off my clothes before walking into the closet. I grabbed one of Ivan¡¯s shirts and slipped it on quickly not wanting a repeat of this morning. I put my hair up into a bun while walking out to see Ivan¡¯s bare torso. I ignored his beautiful body and instead jumped onto the bed face first like a child. ¡°Was that really necessary mia cara¡± he asks with an amused expression and I look at him sheepishly before nodding. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if it were necessary or not, it got me on the bed didn¡¯t it¡± I snap yfully and he chuckles. ¡°I can think of various ways to get you on the bed love¡± he suggests sending me a wink.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Shut up ande cuddle with me you brooding idiot¡± I say while snuggling into theforter waiting for him. He chuckles beforeying down beside me and pulling me into his chest. His warmth brings me a sense of safety and I fall into a blissful sleep to the sound of his heart beat. I stirred awake when I couldn¡¯t ignore the zing light in my eyes. I open my eyes and turn my head to see Ivan sleeping soundly, his bodypletely cocooning mine. I took the time to study his features as he slept. Ivan¡¯s features were softer and he looked content with the slightest smile grazing his lips. His hair fell in a short mop around his face because it wasn¡¯t slicked back. His expression made him look younger now that he didn¡¯t have the constant smirk on his face that he usually had when he was awake. He was truly a sight to see even when he was unconscious with bed hair. It gave him a sense of innocence even though I still couldn¡¯t shake the fact that he looked like a sex god even in his sleep. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been told that staring is impolite love¡± he suddenly questions in a husky voice and I jolt in shock. He opens his eyes and looks at me with a knowing look making me hide my beet red face in his bare chest. ¡°I could say the same for you¡± I retort pathetically as he chuckles in amusement. I attempt to get out of his embrace but fail epically when I feel his grip around my waist tighten. ¡°Mind letting me go¡± I ask still trying to break away from his grasp. ¡°Not until you tell me why you were staring at me¡± he mutters into my hair and I refrain from head butting him. ¡°You looked adorable, cuddling up to me with a small smile on your face. It¡¯s refreshingpared to your constant ¡®I know I¡¯m a sexy beast smirk¡¯ you¡¯re always sporting¡± I huff annoyed and I feel his chest rumble withughter. I attempt to pull away and this time he lets me go allowing me to sit up. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know you think I¡¯m a sexy beast mia cara but I¡¯m not adorable¡± he tells me with a grin sitting up as well so that we were facing each other. ¡°Of course you are, you¡¯re like a huggable bear¡± I exim in mock excitement wanting to rile him up. In the blink of an eye, I¡¯m pinned to the bed with Ivan hovering over me with a devious look. ¡°Now what was that about me being a huggable bear¡± he replies huskily while leaning into my neck to ce feather like kisses. I bite my lip to suppress the moan itching toe out. ¡°Y-you¡¯re a huggable bear with major hormonal issues¡± I bite back breathlessly making me sound like I was moaning. 28 ¡°Way to bruise a man¡¯s ego¡± he replies with a chuckle getting off me much to my disappointment. I get off the bed and walk into the closet beforeing back out with a dress to wear after my shower. ¡°While you pout about your bruised ego, I¡¯m gonna go freshen up, you¡¯re wee to join me¡± I tell him over my shoulder teasingly. I walk into the bathroom, leaving the door open in case he wanted toe in. I take off my shirt and was about to unsp my bra until I felt a presence behind me. ¡°Are you sure I can join you mia cara¡± Ivan whispers huskily into my ear and I nod trying to seem unaffected before turning around to face him. I grab the waistline of his sweats and pull it down leaving him in his boxers. He reaches his arms behind me to unsp my bra making it fall to the floor in a pool with the rest of our clothes. We continue to undress each other until we both stood nude. I step into the shower with Ivan and I turn on the hot water making the shower fog up immediately. I feel my muscles begin to rx but my body was still on fire from Ivan¡¯s heated gaze. I grab the shampoo and walk towards Ivan going on my tippy toes, my breasts brushing against his naked chest teasingly making him groan. ¡°You¡¯re killing me mia cara¡± Ivan replies, his voice strained causing me to smirk. ¡°Then lean down so I can wash your hair¡± I retort innocently and he obliges. The rest of the shower was spent with us washing each other and me teasingly brushing myself against him or leaning down to wash my legs suggestively. Anytime he made an attempt to grab me, I would casually side step making his frustration grow. We get out of the shower, each wrapped in a fluffy towel and we walk back into the room together. ¡°That was rxing don¡¯t you think¡± I ask him while happily drying my body with the towel. ¡°Aside from how sexually frustrated I am, then yes it was¡± he replies sarcastically making me chuckle. ¡°Guess we¡¯re even then¡± I spoke nonchntly while pulling on my undergarments. ¡°What do you mean love¡± Ivan asked me confuseding over once he was half dressed. ¡°Remember yesterday¡± I reply pointedly having a shback of yesterday in the closet. Realization crosses his features once he puts two and two together. I smirk at him before leaving him to pull on my dress and shoes.N?velDrama.Org owns this. For today, I decided to go for a casual look, choosing a creme colored dress that had pastel tones on it. For shoes, I decided on a pair of ts, not in the mood to walk around in heels all day. I put my in a side braid, taking out pieces to frame my face. Walking back out, I see Ivan fully clothed while tying his tie around his neck. I walk over to the bed and take a seat deciding on going bare faced today. Once he¡¯s done, he shrugs on his coat before turning to look at me with a nervous look. ¡°There¡¯s a ging up in a week in honor of a friend of mine and I was wondering if you¡¯d like to apany me as my date¡± he asks, nervously running his fingers through his hair awaiting my response. I ponder the idea of going to the g with Ivan, which would possibly cause an uproar in the media and have people bubbling with curiosity. ¡°I¡¯d love to go with you to the g Ivan¡± I tell him and watch as his nervous expression changes to one of relief. He picks me up and spins me a few times making me giggle. He sets me down gently on the ground, our expressions mirroring our content. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d say no¡± I ask him curiously wanting to know why he was surprised at mypliance. ¡°To be honest, yes I did because you¡¯re always telling me how much you dislike being in the public eye and I was bracing myself for your answer¡± he tells me sobering up and I nod in understanding. ¡°Although I really do hate being the center of attention, I¡¯vee to terms with dating a well known CEO and I will try my best to keep up with your hectic life even if it means getting out of myfort zone more than I already have. I will support you for however long you allow me to¡± I confess to him walking over and cing my arms around his neck to show him my support. ¡°You¡¯re truly an angel mia cara¡± he tells me grinning before leaning down to capture my lips in a kiss. I smile as our lips move together in unison, the passion we had for each other evident. I pull away and lean my forehead against his taking the time to take in his expression. ¡°We should get going now¡± I whisper to him reluctantly and he nods taking my hand as we walk down the stairs to the front door. I step out and wait as Ivan locks the door before continuing to make our way to the limo. Getting in, I scoot over a bit to give Ivan some room but snuggle up to him once he¡¯s sitting down. I breathe in his scent and smile as he wraps his arms around my waist. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend that¡¯s being honored at the g next week¡± I ask him wanting to get more information about his circle. ¡°Her name is Simone Pierre and she¡¯s being honored for her charitable work abroad. She¡¯s been traveling the world to donate to the less fortunate and working with them to better theirmunities. Not to mention she¡¯s also a well known model¡± he fills me in and I gape at the knowledge. ¡°She seems like my kind of gal¡± I tell him smiling before adding ¡°what¡¯s the color scheme for ensembles¡± wanting to know what I should wear to the g. ¡°The colors are gold and maroon but no worries, I can have a dress custom made for you¡± he says dismissively and I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have a dress in mind I can wear that way it¡¯ll be a surprise¡± I tell him with a wink as the car slows down to a stop in front of Stone Industries. Ivan gets out and extends a hand for me to take as I get out of the limo. We walk into the building together but part ways as I go to grab him a coffee. Walking through the cafe, I wait in line and quickly order, grabbing the hot beverage once it was ready. As I was walking through the cafe and back to the lobby, I¡¯m approached by Melissa. ¡°Well look what the cat dragged in¡± Melissa says, snobbishly looking down on me. ¡°Yeah did it hurt¡± I ask feigning concern and watch as her smirk turns into a scowl. ¡°Just because you¡¯re Mr. Stone¡¯s assistant doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re better then me¡± she whines in a bitter tone. ¡°Well I certainly didn¡¯t spill coffee on a CEO¡¯sp, so I think that already makes me better then you¡± I retort sarcastically, watching her face turn red in anger. ¡°It was an ident damn it¡± she shouts stomping her foot and getting the attention of several employees. ¡°While you have your little tantrum, I¡¯m gonna go assist Mr. Stone¡± I tell her putting emphasis on assist before walking away towards the elevators. I quietly wait as the elevator ascends to the top floor before getting out and walking into Ivan¡¯s office. ¡°What took you so long mia cara¡± he asks me while taking the coffee at of my hand. ¡°I had a little run in with Melissa on my way up here¡± I tell him dismissively, taking a seat in front of him and leaning my elbow against his table. ¡°Is she bothering you because I can take care of it, all you need to do is tell me¡± he asks worriedly making me smile. ¡°She¡¯s like an annoying pet that barks but doesn¡¯t bite, no worries I can handle it¡± I respond and he nods before getting into business mode. ¡°So for today I need you to analyze our investment profit and type up a quick summary exining our weakest/strongest areas. Then I will need you to go down to Connor¡¯s office to pick up some papers I need to sign. Sound good?¡± he asks me and I give him a curt nod before heading straight to work. I begin by pulling up the profit on myptop and quickly analyzing it before writing the summary. I made sure to include some opinion on what areas I felt were beginning tock before hitting print. I went over to the printer and grabbed the freshly printed stack of paper, walking it over to set on Ivan¡¯s desk. He looks up to give me a quick smile and goes back to work while I walk out of the office to find Connor. I walked through the hallways several times trying to find Connor when I identally bump into someone. I brace myself for the impact but it neveres. 29 ¡°Watch were you¡¯re going their firecracker, you almost ran right through me¡± Connor jokes pulling me up as I step out of his embrace. ¡°My fault you seem to disappear when I need you¡± I snap adjusting my dress to hide my embarrassment. ¡°If you needed me that much all you had to do was ask¡± Connor replies suggestively, adding a wink at the end. ¡°You¡¯re officially the most arrogant, perverted person I¡¯ve ever met¡± I exim throwing my hands up. Connorughs at my reaction and I punch him making him yelp in surprise. ¡°Damn women, no need to go ape shit on me¡± he mutters, rubbing his now sore arm. ¡°Just give me the papers for Mr. Stone so I can be on my way¡± I nag him as he straightens up and hands me a stack of papers. ¡°I was just on my way to his office but thank god I don¡¯t have to anymore¡± he says rxing slightly. ¡°He¡¯s not that bad you know¡± I exin to him feeling slightly defensive. ¡°This ising for the same girl who wanted to strangle him a few weeks ago¡± he asks while chuckling and I shake my head in response. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I even bother with you¡± I mutter before turning on my heels to walk away. ¡°Admit you love me firecracker¡± he yells behind me and I flip him the bird before continuing down to Ivan¡¯s office. I walk in to see Ivan leaning against his desk with Melissa¡¯s hand all over his chest. I stop abruptly in the doorway before they could see me and hide against the wall. ¡°Come on baby, what we had was special¡± I hear Melissa say causing me to fume in jealously. ¡°Melissa, we were never a thing and I made that very clear to you before we slept together¡± Ivan replies sounding frustrated. My heart drops slightly at the sudden realization and I straighten up once I hear silence before walking into the office. They both spin around to face me and Ivan pushes her off him but I pay them no attention. ¡°I got the papers you wanted Mr. Stone¡± I inform him curtly, setting them down on the table before adding ¡°am I dismissed for the day¡± ¡°Yes you are, great work today¡± he says hesitantly and we stare at each other for a moment before I break eye contact. I gather my things in my hand and make my way to the door before stopping to turn around. ¡°Oh and Melissa¡± I say getting her attention. ¡°What is it skank¡± she asks me ring and I brush off her insult. ¡°Desperately presuming a guy who doesn¡¯t want you is a major turn off now a days¡± I snap at her making it evident to the two of them that I heard their conversation before walking out with my heart hurting. I make my way into the elevator and hit the close button but not before seeing Ivan rushing towards the elevators. I get to the lobby and walk out without looking at anyone wanting to get to my car before Ivan came after me. I get into my car that¡¯s been sitting in the parking lot for a couple of days before starting the engine and driving off. I make it home in ten minutes and I run to my apartment, shutting the door behind me before a tear caresses my cheek. I wipe it away knowing I was overreacting but couldn¡¯t shake off the ache in my heart. I¡¯m startled by my phone ringing and pick it up knowing it was probably Ivan. ¡°Hello¡± I say into the phone, my voiceing out slightly hoarse. ¡± Mia cara, have you been crying¡± Ivan asks through the phone sounding worried. ¡°No I haven¡¯t, why did you call me while at work¡± I ask trying to change the subject. ¡°Because I know you¡¯re upset, so I¡¯m halfway to your house to make you feel better¡± he tells me apologetically and my heart flutter stupidly. ¡°Whatever¡± I mutter before hanging up and waiting anxiously for his arrival. Staying true to his words, Ivan arrived within ten minutes. I wiped my tear stained cheeks before opening the door toe face to face with Ivan. His worried expression changes to one of pain as he steps in and immediately engulfs me in a hug. ¡°Mia cara why are you so upset¡± he asks picking me up and carrying me to the living room. He takes a seat in the couch and adjusts me onto hisp so that I was facing him. ¡°Seeing her all over you made me realize you could leave me at any given moment¡± I reply ashamed at how much I was overreacting. His colossal hands rest on each side of my face as he looks at me determined. ¡°Listen to me Amelia, I will never leave you nor do I ever want to¡± he proims sincerely making yet another tear caress my cheek.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you, I mean everyone else has¡± I snap before realizing what I said. I watch as his expression changes to understanding and I wait for his response. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of losing people you care about¡± he says once he puts everything together. I nod reluctantly and he pulls me into a passionate kiss. Our lips move in sync for a few moments before I pulls away. ¡°All my life I¡¯ve had to deal with people I care about leaving me. Anytime something got tooplicated or too nd for them they¡¯d just pack their bags and abandon me to fix it. Sierra¡¯s been the only one their to get me back on my feet and smiling again. With you I actually feel like the old me who didn¡¯t have a care in the world and had the biggest heart. I guess I¡¯m just afraid of you leaving once you realize how broken I really am¡± I confess to him looking into his eyes. I watch as his eyes darken slightly and his grip on my hips tighten. ¡°No matter how broken you may think you are, all I see is a genuine hearted woman who¡¯s too kind for her own good and so beautiful it hurts me to look away. You¡¯ve given purpose to my otherwise boring life. You are my angel and my heart beats for you alone. Mia cara you are stronger than you think, you just have to believe in it¡± he tells me, every wordced with truth and sincerity. He leans in to kiss me on the forehead before saying the three words that I¡¯ve been waiting for. ¡°Mia cara, I love you¡± Ivan whispers and I grin from ear to ear at his deration. ¡°I love you too corazon¡± I tell him genuinely and I watch as his eyes light up in happiness. ¡°You don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve waited to hear you say that¡± he tells me gleefully before capturing my lips in yet another kiss. The kiss begins to get heated as he runs his tongue across my bottom lip and I moan while granting him ess. We continue to kiss as heys me down on the couch while getting on top of me. I bring my hands up to grip his hair, tugging slightly eliciting a growl that goes straight to my core. He pulls away and I whimper at the loss of contact. ¡°Mia cara, we have to stop or I won¡¯t be able to restrain myself¡± he tells me strained and I lift myself up to grind into his pelvis slowly. ¡°Who said I wanted you to stop¡± I question seductively and he curses before getting off me to throw me over his shoulder. He carries me up the stairs as Iugh at his eagerness. We get into my room and he throws me on the plush bed before getting on top of me yet again. ¡°Are you sure about this love¡± he asks me and I nod hungrily knowing fully well that he didn¡¯t want to stop. ** ¡°Make me yours corazon¡± I reply in a lower voice making me sound breathy. His eyes darken even more before he rips my dress off my body, leaving me in only my undergarments. He wanders my body with his eyes for a few minutes before lowering himself to my lips. Our lips move together aggressively as his hands roam over my body. He reaches behind me to unsp my bra and flings it to the side before kissing me again. 30 Our tongues fight for dominance until he finally wins. He breaks the kiss to trail feather like kisses down my neck before attacking my already harden nipple with his mouth. He sucks and fondles my breasts as I¡¯m left a moaning mess. I arch my back upward to give him more of me before he pulls awaypletely. He stares at my panting state and trails his fingers down the length of my body. ¡°So beautiful¡± he whispers before flipping us so that I was on top. I gaze down at him as he looks at me hungrily urging me to do something. I snap out of my daze and begin kissing his jaw and down his neck eliciting growls from him. I kiss and lick down his chest before stopping at the beginning of his boxers. Ie back up and crash my lips against his while grinding my hips into his pelvis. He groans into the kiss before flipping us so that I was at the bottom. He teasingly pulls off his boxers and my panties leaving us both nude. He gets on top of me once more and kisses me quickly before pulling away to look me in the eye. ¡°I love you mi amour¡± he growls out before taking me on a roller coaster of bliss. ** I woke up the next morning entangled with Ivan¡¯s naked body. The events ofst night rush back into my head leaving me blushing beet red. We made love for several hours and finally fell asleep at around midnight. I attempt to get out of his embrace but fall back down on Ivan¡¯s chest once the soreness hit. His eyes shoot open but he rxes once his eyend on me. ¡°Mia cara, are you alright¡± Ivan asks huskily and I look at him before blushing again. ¡°I feel sore¡± I whisper sheepishly and his chest rumbles inughter before he gets up taking me with him. ¡°Perfect time to take a hot bath together right¡± he asks making it evident that he was enjoying my difort by adding a knowing smirk at the end. ¡°Keep up the douchebag behavior and their won¡¯t be a repeat ofst night¡± I snap annoyed as he sets me down to turn on the hot water. ¡°My apologies mi amour¡± he replies sheepishly as hees over to engulf me in a hug. Our chests are pressed together and I rub my breasts against him slightly to tease him causing him to groan. I make a move to pull away but next thing I know I¡¯m being lifted off my feet. ¡°That¡¯s it¡± he adds hungrily, running back into the room with me giggling in his arms. He throws me onto the bed and we make love for awhile. We finally take a shower and get dressed infy clothing before walking down to the kitchen hand in hand. ¡°What do you want to eat¡± Ivan asks as he browses through my fridge looking for ingredients. ¡°Surprise me¡± I tell him before walking into the living room to watch some tv. I spent about twenty minutes watching random shows before the aroma of food forces me to get up. I follow the scent into the kitchen to see Ivan with his back to me cooking. I take a seat on a stool and take a few moments to admire him before making my presence known. ¡°So what¡¯s cookin¡¯ good lookin''¡± I joke with a giggle. He jumps at my voice before turning around to face me with a smile. ¡°I made some hash browns, Italian sausage and some omelettes if that works for you, your highness¡± he replies in a posh ent making me giggle at the end. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯ll do peasant, now bring me food¡± I joke as he chuckles before setting a te full of food in front of me. My mouth waters at the sight and within minutes I¡¯m scarfing down my breakfast like an animal. ¡°Slow down mia cara, you¡¯ll choke¡± Ivan nags me and I flip him the finger. ¡°After using all my energyst night, the least you could do is shut your trap while I recharge¡± I snap but break into a smile at the end. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t enjoy my body love¡± he teases back with a full blown smirk. ¡°I¡¯ve had better¡± I reply indifferently pretending to take sudden interest in my food. ¡°And who might that have been¡± he asks seemingly annoyed at my remark. ¡°Why, did you want to take notes¡± I tease with a smirk. ¡°No I need to eliminate all possiblepetition so I was nning on killing him¡± he says annoyed and I throw my head back inughter. ¡°Rx corazon, you were my first¡± I confess to him blushing slightly at the end. I use my hair to cover my face and hear Ivan putting down his silverware. I feel a hand tilt my head up and suddenly I¡¯m looking Ivan dead in the eye. ¡°Mi amour, I¡¯m honored to have been your first and I promise to be yourst so long as you want me to¡± he admits and I smile widely before leaning in to kiss him on the lips. ¡°I love you¡± I tell him sincerely and he breaks into a grin. ¡°I love you too mia cara¡± he replies before grabbing both of our tes to put into the sink. ¡°When¡¯s the g again¡± I ask not remembering the exact date. ¡°Tomorrow¡± he replies nonchntly and I feel my heart sink. ¡°Tomorrow?!?! Would it have killed you to give me a little more of a heads up¡± I shout, my heart beating rapidly.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal¡± he asks confused and I refrain from smacking him upside the head. ¡°I have no idea what I¡¯m gonna wear and I look like a hot mess¡± I snap before running up the stairs to my room to find a dress for tomorrow. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll be down here watching football¡± he shouts and I shake my head not understanding men and their obsession with football. I rush into my closet and begin my search for the perfect dress. I tear apart my wardrobe looking high and low but to no avail. After a half hour of finding nothing, I remember I had a certain dress I kept that belonged to my mother. I go to the back of my closet and grab the box that I haven¡¯t touched since her death and pull the lid open. I slowly take out the dress and stare at it for ages, remembering my mother in it. shback ¡°Amelia dear, would you mind telling me how I look in this dress¡± I hear my mother¡¯s voice shout from her room and I get up to rush to her. I walk into the room to see her standing in a full length, deep red colored dress that had embellishments on the top half. She looked absolutely breathtaking and I couldn¡¯t help but admire her for a minute or two. She had looked to be an older version of me with long dark brown hair and emerald eyes. She had a heart shaped face with high cheek bones making her look angelic not to mention her curvaceous body that was every man¡¯s fantasy. ¡°You look breathtaking mama¡± I tell her in my little twelve year old voice as she smiles down at me beforeing over to crouch in front of me. ¡°Thank you Amy, one day you¡¯ll wear this dress and attend a ball with your prince charming¡± she tells me and I nod excitedly before jumping into her arms as sheughs. ¡°Mama will I look as beautiful as you one day¡± I ask innocently into my mom¡¯s hair as she sways from side to side. ¡°You¡¯ll look even more gorgeous in it corazon¡± she tells me and I nod with a grin. End of shback. Before I know it, a tear is gliding down my cheek. I reach my hand towards my locket and open it to look at the picture of my mother, father and I before everything went wrong. ¡°I miss you so much mama¡± I whisper to myself, bringing the locket to my heart. I wipe my tears and put everything back to where it belongs before setting the dress to the side along with a pair of heels as well as some jewelry. I slowly walk back down the stairs and into the living room to see Ivan fully focused on the tv screen. I take a seat next to him and he pulls me into his side finally taking his eyes off the screen. ¡°Did you find a dress mia cara, because the offer still stands if you didn¡¯t¡± he asks me and I nod into his chest with a smile. 31 ¡°I found a dress afterpletely tearing my closet apart and putting it back together¡± I inform him and he chuckles while shaking his head. ¡°Do you want to watch something else¡± he asks me and I shake my head wanting to let him finish his game. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna catch up on my reading instead¡± I tell him, getting up to go grab my book and sses. I put them on before sitting down in the recliner and opening my book. I look up to see Ivan staring at me adoringly and blush slightly. ¡°What¡¯re you looking at¡± I ask him while flipping the pages of my book. ¡°You look even more adorable and cuddly with sses on¡± he admits and I giggle in response. ¡°Shut up¡± I say dismissively before focusing on my reading. He chuckles and turns his attention back to the screen leaving me to read my book in peace. I woke up engulfed in a warm embrace with the sun shing aggressively in my face. I slowly open my eyes to be face to face with Ivan¡¯s chest. I smile and peel his arms away from my waist to go to the bathroom. Walking in, I shut the door behind me and do my business before quickly brushing my teeth. I peep my head out of the door to see Ivan sleeping peacefully and tip toe my way down the stairs. Entering the kitchen, I open the fridge and pull out some ingredients, wanting to make Ivan breakfast. I decide to make some chocte croissants, sausage, scrambled eggs as well as some coffee. I walk over to the radio and turn it on, making sure to turn it down slightly. I begin by making the croissants making sure to spread a bit of Nute in the middle before rolling it up. I pop them into the oven and begin on the sausage. My apartment began to warm up and smell like chocte making my stomach grumble. I quickly scramble the eggs and take the sausage off the stove before putting it on a pastel blue te. I jump up onto the counter and wait for the croissants to bake, gently humming along to the radio. In ten minutes, I have everything ready and begin walking up the stairs towards my room. Kicking the door open, I watch as Ivanes out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and gulp before closing my eyes. I try my hardest to get the inappropriate thoughts out of my head but fail. ¡°Is there something wrong mia cara¡± he asks the smugness evident in his tone. ¡°N-nothing¡¯s wrong, just go put on some clothes¡± I stutter out earning augh from him but his footsteps retreat to the closet. I let out a breath and walk over to the nightstand to set down the tray. I plop down on the plush mattress and close my eyes, taking deep breaths. Momentster I feel the bed dip and open my eyes toe face to face with Ivan on top of me. ¡°H-hi¡± I whisper breathless as he gazes at me intensely. ¡°I love you¡± he deres not breaking eye contact causing my heart to swoon. He lowers himself to capture my lips between his and I use my hands to grip his chin. The kiss immediately bes heated and my lips struggle to keep up with his aggression. I moan when he bites my lower lip and before I know it, I¡¯m in only my panties. I gasp when he dips his head to take my hardened nipple in his mouth sucking. I let out a groan and arch my back towards him as he continues his assault on my breast. He breaks away to pepper kisses down my stomach before his mouth is kissing along the hemline of my panties. He looks up at me teasingly before pulling them offpletely. ¡°I-Ivan please¡± I moan snapping him out of his staring. His eyes darkenpletely and before I know it he¡¯s plunged deep inside of me taking us both into bliss. I walk out of the closet in a long shirt and situate myself on Ivan¡¯sp. ¡°I made you breakfast and now it¡¯s cold because someone got a little distracted¡± I tease causing him to chuckle while he rubs my thigh. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t both of us that got distracted becausest time I checked you were moaning underneath me¡± he replies smugly causing me to blush furiously and hide in his chest. ¡°Either way you¡¯re going to eat the breakfast I made you and you¡¯re going to enjoy it¡± I snap jokingly and he smirks. ¡°I can think of many other things we¡¯d both enjoy¡± he suggests and I p his chest before giggling. ¡°We¡¯ve been at it all morning and you¡¯re still not tired¡± I exim throwing my hands up as he smiles at my reaction. ¡°Mia cara, I told you, I¡¯m addicted¡± he says while snuggling into my neck cing kisses every now and then. ¡°Stop it¡± I moan identally but he continues his assault causing me to hop off hisp. He makes an attempt to grab me and I dodge his arm before rushing down the stairs. I jump onto the couch, turning on the television before beginning to watch. Ten minutester I hear footsteps and Ivan walks into the room with an empty tray. ¡°What took you so long¡± I ask as he plops down on the recliner. ¡°I got a call from Simone about the g¡± he informs me with his eyes closed. ¡°And the food¡± I question ncing down at the empty tray. ¡°Was delicious mi amour¡± he tells me with a smile and I sit back to continue watching tv. We spend the next couple of hours lounging around until it was time for us to get ready. It was now 6:30pm and I just hopped out of the shower wrapping a towel around myself. Ivan had gone home to get dressed promising to pick me up at around 8pm. Walking into the room, I head for the closet and take out my mother¡¯s dress along with the heels. The dress was a floor length maroon gown with embellishments on the top half and flowly bottom. I paired it with a pair of ck pumps and diamond jewelry to match the top. For my makeup, I did a bronze smoker eye adding a bold red lip to make it sexier. For hair, I curled all the strands and put it in a messy side bun, making sure to leave pieces to frame my face. I painted my nails ck and made sure to put on my mothers ring before grabbing my clutch. I walked down the stairs and took a seat on the couch taking my phone out to shoot Ivan a text. Are you here yet? -A. W I put my phone down as my nerves finally kick in at where I was heading. Momentster my phone dings alerting me of a text. Give us 5 minutes, we¡¯re half way there -I. SAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. I close my eyes and take deep breathes giving myself a small pep talk before Ivan showed up. My doorbell rings, startling me and I get up to go open it. Throwing the door open, I gasp at the sight in front of me, running my eyes up and down Ivan¡¯s body. He was wearing an expensive looking suit with his hair slicked back sexily. I clench my legs together as heat pools in the pit of my stomach. I watch as his eyes hungrily drink in my appearance and I clear my throat to get his attention. 32 ¡°Mia cara I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to keep my hands off you¡± he confesses and I blush as he adds ¡°you look absolutely mesmerizing¡± ¡°I might need to learn how to kick box so I can kick the ass of any women ogling at you¡± I reply only half joking. He throws his head back inughter causing me to crack a smile. He sobers up and takes my hand in his, causing a trail of heat to travel up my arm. ¡°We should get going if we want to make it in time¡± he tells me and I nod before following him down to the limo. He opens the door for me and I thank him before sliding in, with himing in right after. We pull off away from the curb and begin our journey towards the g. ¡°So when we get there, we¡¯ll be bombarded with reporters wanting to get pictures of you¡± he notifies me and I scrunch my nose in confusion. ¡°Why would they want pictures of me? I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s friend is being honored or the head of a famous industry¡± I voice my confusion causing him to smile. ¡°They want to know who¡¯s the owner of my heart and that would frankly be you¡± he replies making my heart melt. ¡°My heart is forever yours corazon¡± I tell him lovingly and he grins before continuing. ¡°We¡¯ll have to stop for a couple minutes to answer their questions before heading inside. We¡¯ll most likely be chatting for a couple of hours before Simonees out. After, we¡¯ll have dinner and call it a night if you¡¯d like¡± he informs me and my head throbs at the information. ¡°Is there anyone in particr you¡¯d like me to know about¡± I ask making sure I don¡¯t make a fool out of myself. ¡°Just remember to ask Emilee Ronaldo about her uing fashion line and to never bring up dys Richards¡¯ husbands and you should be good¡± he jokes but I make sure to take note of it anyway. ¡°Husbands¡± I question and he nods before exining. ¡°She¡¯s been divorced 8 times so her love life is quite bitter¡± he tells me and I immediately sympathize with her. ¡°How close are you and Simone¡± I ask wanting to know more about their history. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends since college and at one point we were sleeping together¡± he confesses nervously and I ignore the pinch of my heart. ¡°What happened¡± I ask curiously even though my heart ached. ¡°I guess we just drifted apart once our lives became separate but we remained friends¡± he informs me and I nod before settling back in my seat. The rest of the ride is spent in an awkward silence until we finally arrive at the g. ¡°Stick by my side and I¡¯ll handle the rest¡± he tells me making me nod in response before the door is opened and my eyes are blinded by lights. I feel Ivan grab my hand and pull me out gently before settling his arm around my waist. ¡°Mr. Stone over here¡± I hear a reporter shout out and we make our way towards him. He fumbles to get his recorder out before beginning his questions. ¡°So who¡¯s this beauty¡± he asks roaming his eyes across my body. I step closer to Ivan trying to shield myself from his gaze. Ivan steps in front of me slightly, a look of annoyance crossing his face momentarily. ¡°This is Amelia Winters, my assistant and girlfriend¡± he introduces me looking at me lovingly causing me to blush. ¡°How long have you been together¡± he asks fully intrigued by our rtionship. ¡°About a month and a half now¡± I answer causing the reporter to switch his gaze towards me. ¡°That¡¯s the longest Mr. Stone has ever been with a women, much less a girlfriend¡± he says causing Ivan to tense. I manage to pull him away from the reporter before he did something stupid. ¡°Piece of shit, what business does he have in who I¡¯m involved with¡± he snaps, his ent bing quite prominent. ¡°He¡¯s a reporter Ivan, isn¡¯t that what he¡¯s paid for¡± I respond stopping us and cing my hands on each side of his face before continuing ¡°I don¡¯t care for who you dated or for how long. It¡¯s in the past and all we can do is move forward¡± I assure him and he nods. ¡°I only have eyes for you mi amour¡± he tells me and I nod with a smile before leaning up to give him a quick peck. ¡°Lets head inside and meet some of your upper ss friends shall we¡± I ask and he nods with a smile before resting his arm around my waist. We walk into the building and I gasp at the elegance of it. Their were high ceilings with chandeliers and marble floors that were too beautiful to walk on. The room was filled with men and women wearing expensive suits and gowns. They all had sses of champagne in their hands while ncing around snobbishly. I immediately be intimidated and feel as if I don¡¯t belong. I quickly shake the feeling and put my shoulders back while tilting my head up. ¡°Come mia cara, there¡¯s someone important I want you to meet¡± he says ushering me towards a man. The man was quite good looking with beautiful brown eyes and a perfectly chiseled jaw. I refrain from gawking and settle on remaining quite. ¡°Ivan! Long time no see¡± the man exims and Ivan pulls away from me to give the man a hug. ¡°I¡¯ve been quite tied uptely but have you been taking care of yourself¡± Ivan asks, his face lighting up with excitement. ¡°I have been thank you and I can see why, who is this goddess¡± he responds, immediately turning his attention towards me. I blush at thepliment but smile anyway. ¡°Amelia Winters, pleasure to meet you¡± I answer politely stretching my hand out. He grabs it and gently ces a kiss on my hand causing me to pull back. ¡°Jake Reynolds, best friend of this oaf and owner of Reynolds & Co¡± he replies with a grin and I smile in return. ¡°Jake, this is my girlfriend and assistant so please refrain from embarrassing me any further¡± Ivan jokes lightly and I giggle in response. His attention darts towards me causing me to smile and he leans down to kiss the side of my head. ¡°Ah Amelia, why stick around with this lout when you can be happier with me¡± he flirts and I giggle before responding. ¡°Well Jake, from what I¡¯ve gathered in the short thirty seconds I¡¯ve known you, you¡¯re just as much if not more of a lout than he is¡± I joke and he throws his head back inughter. ¡°Ah Ivan, you¡¯ve got yourself a keeper¡± he says and Ivan looks at me adoringly. ¡°I know¡± he whispers before snapping out of it ¡°It was nice seeing you again Jake, we need to catch up sometime in the next week¡± he tells him while pulling him into another hug.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°As long as Amelia is there, I¡¯m all for it¡± he flirts sending a wink my way. ¡°Don¡¯t push it Jake, she¡¯s mine¡± he replies possessively and Jake puts his hands up. ¡°Rx Ivan, I was kidding¡± he assures him and Ivan nods before pulling me away. ¡°It was nice meeting you Jake¡± I shout over my shoulder before crashing into Ivan¡¯s chest. I look up at him and he crashes his lips against mine possessively causing me to gasp in surprise. I struggle to keep up with his pace but kiss back with just as much hunger. ¡°Ivan not now, we¡¯re in a room full of people¡± I whisper after pulling away looking around at all the people curiously looking out way. ¡°Let them wait¡± he says attempting to capture my lips yet again. I kiss back while wrapping arms around his neck before someone clears their throat. We pull away from each other and Ie face to face with a gorgeous woman. 33 Standing right in front of us was a woman no older than 24 with stunning blue eyes. Her body was d in a shimmering gold dress along with a pair of legs to die for. Her hair was perfectly curled and her make up was sultry. I felt an immediate threat from her and shrank back a bit. ¡°Ivan Stone, nice to see you again¡± the woman says going in to embrace Ivan tightly. I stand their awkwardly scratching my arm as the two embraced. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too Simone, congrats on your sess¡± he says giving her a kiss on the cheek before pulling away. I ignore the nasty taste of jealousy and grip Ivan¡¯s arm when he pulls me closer. ¡°Who¡¯s this cutie¡± she asks condescendingly while turning her attention towards me. I put on a smile and square my shoulders before replying. ¡°Amelia Winters, assistant of Mr. Stone¡± I say leaving out the girlfriend part. She nods while carefully eyeing me in warning. ¡°She¡¯s also my girlfriend¡± Ivan butts in, pulling me closer into his side. Simone¡¯s expression turns sour as she huffs in annoyance. ¡°Dating your employee seems a little lower ss for someone like you Ivan¡± she bites taking me by surprise. I resist the urge to snap back and wait for Ivan to defend himself. ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t ask you to analyze my decisions so I suggest you bite your tongue next time Simone¡± he replies coldly before pulling us away from her. He escorts me to a table upied by a single man and we take a seat. Ivan takes a minute to calm his breathing and I give him a reassuring squeeze on his hand. ¡°Ivan Stone, I must say it¡¯s been awhile since we¡¯vest met¡± a voice booms next to us and I turn my attention towards the interruption. The man looked to be in histe forties with green eyes and dark brown hair. His eyes assess my appearance before a look of shock washes across his face but he quickly masks it. ¡°Well Alejandro, I never expected to run into you ever again, especially after ourst encounter¡± he responds coldly with a guarded expression. I look between the two as they re at each other before butting in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met, Amelia Winters¡± I say as both men snap their attention towards me. Alejandro gasps as a look of surprise bes evident on his expression. He quickly shakes out of his trance before giving me a curt smile. ¡°Alejandro Chavez, pleasure to meet you Amelia¡± he responds and I smile before a sound of a mic grabs our attention. ¡°Hello everyone and wee to the Award G of 2016. Today we¡¯ll be honoring a very familiar face to the public eye for not only her generosity but also her entrepreneur skills. Please give it up to our very own, Simone Pierre¡± the announcer exims as the room erupts into pping and cheers. Simonees out with a smile and hugs the announcer before taking the mic. ¡°Thank you all foring, it¡¯s truly heart warming to see us all so interested in helping ourmunity. As for my modeling, I¡¯ve had a great year with many promising projects and I can¡¯t wait to be able to share them with you all¡± she says before thanking them once again. The crowd ps some more and she walks off stage to greet a few people as the rest of us resume our conversations. As the room lights up with chatter, various waiters walked around with trays filled with food. As we wait for our food toe, Jake walks over with a grin and seats himself beside me. ¡°Well I must say, Simone has truly done it this time¡± he says lightheartedly and I give a slight nod in agreement. ¡°Tell me about it, the woman is the perfect business woman not to mention the fact that she thinks with her head and not her heart which is smart in this industry¡± Alejandro says joining the conversation. Ivan sends a re his way and Jake looks between the two with the same expression I had. ¡°Ivan, is there something between you two that we don¡¯t know about¡± Jake asks and Ivan snaps his attention towards Jake. ¡°You of all people should remember Alejandro Chavez¡± Ivan responds and Jake¡¯s expression turns cold at the knowledge of this man. ¡°Nice to see that cheating and scamming your way to the top worked so great for you¡± Jake says curtly causing Alejandro to flinch. ¡°I¡¯m not like that anymore so I¡¯d appreciate it if we let the past stay in the past¡± he replies directing towards Jake and Ivan. ¡°He¡¯s right, you guys should be happy for Simone instead of throwing insults to a man who¡¯s clearly sorry for his past¡± I add causing them to look at me. They nod in agreement and before we know it, our food arrives. My stomach grumbles loudly causing Jake to chuckle at me.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Someone¡¯s very hungry aren¡¯t you Amelia¡± Jake says with a smile and I send him a yful re. ¡°Obviously, I haven¡¯t eaten all day so that I¡¯d look good in this dress and not look like some bloated ballon¡± I reply causing the table to rumble inughter. ¡°Trust me baby, that dress is doing you plenty of favors¡± he flirts with a wink causing me to giggle. ¡°Jake, I suggest you stop flirting with me before a certain someone over here looses their shit and ends up throwing a fork at you¡± I nag with a smile causing Jake to chuckle. The rest of the night is spent with lighthearted conversations until our food ispletely gone. Jake excuses himself to the restroom and I finally direct my attention towards my boyfriend. Ivan scoots closer to me before opening his mouth to tell me something. ¡°Mia cara, I have to go congratte Simone again and go talk to her parents. Are you ok with staying here or would you like toe with¡± he whispers and I shiver slightly before shaking my head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you go do whatever CEOs do and I¡¯ll wait here until you¡¯re done¡± I answer and he excuses himself but not before giving me a kiss. I watch his retreating figure blend in with the rest of the people and turn my attention to Alejandro, who was already staring at me. ¡°Is there a problem¡± I ask confused but also wanting him to stop staring at me. ¡°No problem, you just look really familiar. Are you sure we haven¡¯t met¡± he asks and I shake my head. ¡°Not before today¡± I respond and we fall into an awkward silence as I y with my dress to pass time. Getting fed up I attempt to strike up a conversation, much to my dismay. ¡°So what do you do for a living¡± I ask awkwardly and he looks up at me. ¡°Do you really want to know or are you asking just to make small talk¡± he asks curtly and I blush in embarrassment. ¡°Not really¡± I admit and he chuckles in amusement. ¡°You know, someone dear to me always said No hables a menos que puedas mejorar el silencio. It means-¡± he says but not before I cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t speak unless you can improve on silence¡± I trante and he looks at me surprised. ¡°Not many people know that saying¡± he says confused and I snap out of my daze before responding. ¡°My mother always said that to me whenever I would say something out of line¡± I admit and he nods with a smile. ¡°It was good to see you again Amelia¡± he replies and I look at him weirdly before he gets up and walks away leaving me slightly confused. I sit there for a couple of minutes trying to gather my thoughts before getting up to go find Ivan. I walk around the g giving anyone who nced my direction a smile while skimming the crowd for Ivan. I walk down a narrow hallway that leads to a garden and hide behind a corner when I hear talking. ¡°You really left me for some middle ssed nobody who¡¯s probably sleeping her way towards a better job¡± I hear a feminine voice whisper shout angrily. 34 ¡°She¡¯s not using me if that¡¯s what you¡¯re implying and isn¡¯t that what you did to get where you are now¡± Ivan snaps back with equal anger. ¡°I had to in order to get the praise I deserve and plus why not¡± the voice which I assume is Simone¡¯s replies. ¡°I don¡¯t see why me being with Amelia is such a big problem to you even though we¡¯re not together¡± he replies frustrated. ¡°Just because we¡¯re not together doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want you¡± she says suggestively and I take the time to step out from my hiding spot. The scene before me makes my heart stop as Simone is chest to chest with Ivan while gripping his arm. I clear my voice as both snap their attention towards me and I walk towards Ivan. ¡°Are we ready to go or was I interrupting something important¡± I ask innocently and Ivan looks back at Simone before shaking his head. ¡°We can go now if you¡¯d like mia cara¡± he tells me nervously and I nod before walking away not waiting for Ivan. I push through the crowd of people as I make my way towards the front with Ivan hot on my heel. As I got to the front entrance, a hand grips my hand and pushes me up against the wall. ¡°Mia cara, what¡¯s your problem¡± he asks me frustrated and my blood boils in anger. ¡°You told me you were going to go talk to Simone¡¯s parents, not to go discuss your past rtionship with Simone while I sat with some creep wondering where you were¡± I shout in his face before escaping his grasp and walking out the door. I hide my face as the reporters bombard me with questions and quickly slide into the limo, creating as much distance as possible between us. The door ms shut and Ivan scoots closer making me push myself as close to the door as possible. ¡°I don¡¯t see the problem here, nothing happened between us¡± he defends himself heatedly and I roll my eyes. ¡°The problem is you lying to my face to go talk it up with your past lover who obviously still has feelings for you. What would¡¯ve happened if I hadn¡¯t walked in when I did¡± I snap at him annoyed and he sits their shocked at my outburst. ¡°Nothing would¡¯ve happened Amelia, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed it¡± he replies softly and I shake my head. ¡°Nothing can stop a woman determined to im a man and Simone is no different¡± I mutter insecurely. There was no doubt that Simone could take Ivan from me whenever she wanted and that frightened me to the extreme. He goes to touch my arm and I move away not wanting to be near him right now. We sit in a tense silence for around ten minutes until we pull up to my apartment. Opening the door, I m it shut without saying goodbye and run to my apartment. mming the front door shut, I slide down it and curl my knees into my chest while letting out a sob. For the first time in a long time, I felt utterly alone. I sit their and cry for who knows how long until I muster enough energy to get up and walk to my room. Throwing my things on the bed, I strip off from my dress and walk into the bathroom for a much needed shower. Stepping in, I let the hot water pelt my back as my mind is clouded with thoughts of the g, Simone and Ivan. I remember the conversation I had with Alejandro and the weirdness of the situation. There was no doubt that he knew who I was and that thought alone sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine. I got out of the shower once my skin was wrinkled and wrap a towel around my wet body. Walking into my closet, I grab a pair of undergarments and a nightgown, quickly putting it on. I towel dry my wet hair before throwing it up in a bun. Laying down on my bed, I put my phone in the charger before looking at the one notification. I¡¯m sorry. I. S I cracked a sad smile before setting my phone down and weing a peaceful slumber. Ivan¡¯s pov. I got home after dropping Amelia off, and mmed my front door shut causing the walls to shake. Angrily, I stomped to my mini bar and poured myself some whiskey, immediately shooting it down my throat. Weing the burn, I slumped onto the stool, loosening my tie and poured myself another ss. I thought back to Amelia¡¯s outburst and realize that I messed up. She had every right to be angry, I lied to her and made it no big deal. The thought of her crying because of me made my heart clench painfully. ¡°FUCK¡± I shout mming the cup down furiously at my stupidity. I quickly sent her an apology text and set my phone down hoping she texted back. Momentster my phone rings and I pick it up, eager to hear her voice. ¡°Baby I¡¯m so sorry for tonight, I was stupid for lying to you, and I promise to make it up to you¡± I exim nervously hoping she¡¯d ept my apology. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly the greeting I was anticipating but sounds like you were expecting someone else¡± a masculine voice says making my blood boil. ¡°This does not concern you Alejandro so I suggest you mind your own damn business¡± I reply darkly trying my hardest to not explode. ¡°I just called to ask how you were doing, clearly there¡¯s been some trouble in paradise¡± he teases coldly and I grip my ss cup in anger. ¡°Again, Amelia is not your concern and neither is our rtionship so if you have nothing important to say to me, stop wasting my time¡± I snap wanting to end this phone call. ¡°Actually, she means more to me than you think and if she sheds a single tear because of you I will kill you¡± he says equally as dark and I scoff in annoyance. ¡°Well frankly I don¡¯t give a fuck what you have to say nor do I care for your empty threats¡± I burst before ending the call and mming my phone on the bar.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After a half hour of drinking countless amounts of alcohol, someone knocks on my door. Stumbling, I use the wall for support to get to the door before swinging it open. ¡°Hello babe¡± Simone purrs walking into my house and closing the door. ¡°Simone, get out¡± I slurred drunkly as she advanced towards me. ¡°How about we have a little fun first¡± she whispers leaning closer to my lips. ¡°I have a girlfriend¡± I slur weakly as she rubs my chest teasingly. ¡°The same girlfriend who didn¡¯t trust you enough to talk to me¡± she purrs trying to convince me. I snap out of my daze and muster enough strength to push her off me looking at her furiously. ¡°Simone I¡¯m giving you 30 seconds to get the fuck out of my house. I¡¯m in love with Amelia and I¡¯ll be damned if some attention seeking whore will ruin that. Now GET OUT¡± I shout surprised at how sober I sounded. She gets up embarrassed and scurries out of my house. I huff angrily before stumbling into my living room. I barely make it to the couch before loosing my bnce and falling on the floor. The alcohol numbs the pain and I close my eyes, weing the darkness. Amelia¡¯s pov. The next morning I stumbled out of bed with a minor headache. Clutching my forehead, I slowly walk down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab some pain killers. Putting two in my mouth, I washed it down with some water before going back into my room to get ready for work. Sluggishly, I walk into my closet and grab an outfit to wear along with a pair of heels. I walk into the bathroom and take a quick shower before putting on my outfit. 35 I chose to wear a ckce bra with an ankle length ck pencil skirt. I decided on putting a denim button up on top and tying the ends together. Izily curled my hair and put it in a slicked back ponytail before quickly doing my makeup. Grabbing my purse, I walk down the steps and out the door not feeling like eating.N?velDrama.Org owns this. I hopped into my car and started my engine before beginning the drive to Stone Industries. My thoughts wander off tost night and specifically the fight between us. My eyes begin to water but I quickly blink back the tears. I get to work and walk into the building quietly. I press the elevator button and step in slightly dreading having to see him so soon. The elevator gets to the top floor and I get out before walking into Ivan¡¯s office. I¡¯m met with an empty room and look around confused. I walk over to his desk and pick up the note. Mr. Stone has taken the day off to rest but if you have any questions feel free to call 763-298-5679 -Chris I dial the number still confused and wait for someone to pick up. ¡°Chris Evans, how can I help you?¡± A masculine voice answers curtly. ¡°Hey Chris, it¡¯s Amelia I was just calling to ask why Mr. Stone has taken the day off when he has plenty of meetings¡± I exin hoping he knew something ¡°I don¡¯t have an answer to that, all he told me was to make sure no one disturbed him¡± he replies and I nod before answering. ¡°Ok thanks so much¡± I say before ending the call and grabbing my keys. ¡°Rest my ass¡± I whisper to myself before heading into the elevator. I walk back outside and jump into my car while starting it before driving to Ivan¡¯s house. I get there in 15 minutes and park my car in front of his home. I stomp to the front door and knock loudly before waiting impatiently. Momentster, his maid opens the door and lets me in without questions. ¡°Oh Ms. Winters, Mr. Stone is up in his room but he¡¯s very tired¡± she tells me and I give her a polite smile. ¡°Agatha, I¡¯ve told you many times to call me Amelia¡± I reply and she apologizes before I continue ¡± You¡¯re free to go, I¡¯ll take care of him¡± ¡°You are sure Ms-Amelia¡± she questions and I nod with a smile. She thanks me before grabbing her things and leaving. Taking off my shoes, I make my way towards Ivan¡¯s room annoyed. I fling the door open to see Ivanying on his back shirtless. ¡°Have you forgotten you¡¯re a busy CEO who has important meetings to attend today¡± I exim causing him to jolt in surprise. ¡°Amelia what are you doing here¡± he mutters sleepily and my heart sinks when he doesn¡¯t call me my usual nickname. ¡°I wanted to know why you decided to take today of all days off when you know how busy you are¡± I ask and he holds his head in pain. ¡°Could you please talk a little softer, I have a massive hangover and I postponed all of the meetings until tomorrow¡± he replies and I finally walk over to him before sitting down. I hold his face and he opens his eyes to look at me. ¡°Can I ask why you drankst night¡± I ask curiously and he sighs before responding. ¡°I came homest night realizing how much I messed up and began drinking to drown out the pain. Mia cara, I was a douchest night and I promise to make it up to you, just please forgive me¡± he confesses and my heart clenches at the pain in his voice. ¡°I forgive you dumbass¡± I reply and lean in to capture his lips. The kiss was sweet but my body still filled with warmth. I pull away before getting up to go grab him some pain killers. ¡°Where are you going¡± he asks curiously. ¡°I¡¯m gonna make breakfast and grab you some pain killers so go take a shower, you smell¡± I reply and I hear his melodicughter behind me. Ivan¡¯s pov. I don¡¯t mask the full blown grin on my face as I walk over to my bathroom. I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done if she hadn¡¯t forgiven me. I hop into the shower and wash my body before quickly getting out. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walk into my closet and put on some boxers and a pair of sweats. I towel dry my hair before walking down the stairs, following the wonderful aroma of food. I walk into the kitchen to see Amelia stirring something on the stove. I take a moment to appreciate her back side before making my presence know. ¡°Have I told you how much I love you¡± I whisper into her ear, slightly smirking when she leans in closer to me. She turns around to face me and I look into her mesmerizing green eyes. ¡°Not as much as I love you¡± she replies with a smile and I lean in to peck her lips. ¡°Not possible¡± I say, once I pull back. She shakes her head before turning her attention back to the food. I watch as she continues to make her way around the kitchen gracefully, almost as if it came easy for her. She opens a cab and attempts to grab the salt not being able to reach it. Pushing off the counter, I walk up behind her and grab it while chuckling, slightly pressing myself onto her backside. She ps it out of my hand causing it to drop on the floor. She bends down to grab it, making sure to rub herself onto my pelvis area sexually. I groan in response when she stands back up and walking away as if nothing happened. ¡°You¡¯re a little minx¡± I say huskily causing her to giggle in response. She continues to cook before putting everything on a te and onto the counter. I sit on a stool across from her before digging inpletely famished. We make small talk as we eat and before we know it, all of the food is gone. ¡°You¡¯re an amazing cook¡± Ipliment her while putting the dishes in the sink and she blushes before muttering a small thank you. I chuckle at her shyness while grabbing her hand to take her to the living room. ¡°What do you want to do since you obviously aren¡¯t going to work today¡± she asks me sassily causing me tough. ¡°I have plenty of things we can do but it depends if you have the energy¡± I say into her ear huskily turning her around and running my hands along her leg. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood and frankly you need to rest so neither are you¡± she sasses before walking away to jump onto the couch. I groan frustrated but walk over to her anyway. ¡°No need to pout like a spoiled child¡± she continues to tease and I ignore her, turning my attention towards the tv. ¡°I guess we¡¯re watching a movie instead¡± I reply dejectedly causing her to giggle. We settle on watching Divergent and all throughout the movie Amelia continues to tease me. ¡°It¡¯s hot in here¡± she says halfway through the movie before slowly unbuttoning her denim shirt and taking it off. I gulp as my eyes drink in her half naked torso, stopping a few times on her chest, instantly making me hard. I groan once again and focus my attention on the screen trying my hardest not to crack. A few momentster, she begins to slide her hands up and down my leg, inching closer to my private area before sliding it back down. ¡°Mia cara, please¡± I say strangled and she giggles, clearly enjoying my difort. ¡°Is there something wrong Mr. Stone¡± she asks innocently and I lose all self control. In no time, she¡¯s underneath me as I use my arms to support my weight. I crash my lips onto her soft ones and kiss her with urgency. She moans into the kiss and I run my tongue along her bottom lip waiting for ess. She grants it to me and I explore every inch of her mouth with my tongue, enjoying the sweet taste of her. I use one hand to cup her through her bra causing her to moan breathlessly. I break this kiss and begin sucking on her neck almost punishingly, continuing to massage her breast. She arches her back towards me and I smirk at her body¡¯s response to my touch. I break away from her causing a whimper to escape her lips but before she knows it I¡¯m carrying her bridal style up to my room. I throw her onto the bed and take a moment to take in her appearance. She looked breathtaking, with her hair curled and her toned body aching to be kissed. Her eyes were dark with desire but still held that aura of innocence. Not wasting anymore time, I crash my lips onto hers once more before we¡¯re both surrounded by eternal bliss. Amelia¡¯s pov. 36 I woke up to the sound of talking but decided to listen. ¡°How long do I have to be gone for¡± Ivan said sounding highly irritated. I don¡¯t try to make out the other voice and instead wait for Ivan¡¯s response. ¡°Fine but if I feel even the slightest amount of disrespect the deal is off¡± Ivan says huffing after the phone ends. I move around a bit before opening my eyes and pretending to have just woken up. ¡°Mia cara, did I wake you¡± he asks apologetically and I smile while shaking my head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I usually wake up around this time anyway¡± I assure him and he nods distractedly. ¡°Is something bothering you¡± I ask while sitting up causing Ivan¡¯s gaze to fall on my chest. His expression darkens and I look at him confused before following his gaze. Blushing, I pull up the sheets to cover my bare chest causing him to groan. ¡°Why must you be such a tease, Amelia¡± he asks clearly frustrated. ¡°Not my fault everything I do seems to turn you on, sounds to me like you¡¯ve got a bit of a problem¡± I sass adding a devious smirk to the end. He shakes his head with a smile before getting up to go to the bathroom. I attempt to get up but fall back on the bed once the soreness kicks in. I groan at the difort causing Ivan to smirk once he understands my situation. ¡°I forget how small you arepared to me and can¡¯t control myself when making love to you¡± he replies cheekily whileing back to lift me up. I blush and hide my face into his bare chest causing him to chuckle.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°You¡¯re adorable when you blush¡± he tells me further increasing my embarrassment. ¡°Shut up¡± I respond not having anything else to say. He sets me down in the bath tub and steps in behind me while turning on the hot water. We spent the entire shower washing each other while stealing kisses every now and then. Ivan stepped out of the shower and grabbed each of us towels to dry ourselves. The soreness was very faint but I could definitely feel it there. We walked back into the room together and quickly got dressed knowing fully well about the busy day ahead of us. ¡°Do you want anything to eat sweetheart¡± Ivan asked as he rummaged through the fridge. ¡°I¡¯m good for now thanks babe¡± I respond while putting on my heels. I stood up and ttened my dress while Ivan stuffed his face like an animal. ¡°You know for a world renown businessman I¡¯d figure you¡¯d eat more politely instead of like a caveman¡± I joke while staring at his stuffed mouth. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re the only one I act like a caveman around¡± he flirts after swallowing his food adding a wink at the end. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure your employees would beg to differ¡± I dismiss giggling at his crestfallen face. ¡°Damn babe, no need to be so rough¡± he adds jokingly and I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m gonna drive my car to work and I¡¯ll meet you there¡± I tell him while walking towards the door. Secondster I¡¯m pushed up against the wall causing me to gasp in surprise. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take the limo with me and I¡¯ll have my chauffeur drive your car back to your apartment¡± he whispers into my ear while teasingly running the tip of his nose across my neck. I shiver but nodpletely dazed suddenly not wanting to go to work. He grabs my hand to usher me out the door and towards his limo. I give the chauffeur a quick smile to which he returns before sliding into the vehicle. Ivan gets in right after and the driver shuts the door before running over to the driver¡¯s seat. We pull off the curb and begin our ride to Stone Industries. We got to work 15 minutester and as I was getting out of the car, Ivan grabs my arm. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something you¡¯re forgetting¡± he asks and I tilt my head is slight confusion. ¡°Not that I know of¡± I answer and he frowns before jutting his lips out causing me tough. I lean over and quickly peck his lips before stepping out of the limo. I speed walk towards the building,pletely ignoring Ivan¡¯s attempts at getting my attention. Walking into the lobby I make my way towards the cafeteria instantly spotting Connor. Guilt begins to creep into my body at how detached I¡¯ve been from my friends. I shake it off and tap his shoulder causing him to turn around. His eyes instantly light up in excitement and secondster I¡¯m engulfed into a massive hug. ¡°Oh Amelia, I¡¯ve missed you so much¡± he confesses causing me to giggle. ¡°There won¡¯t be much of me left if you continue to squeeze my fragile body¡± I choke at causing him to release me immediately. ¡°Sorry bout that chica, it¡¯s just I haven¡¯t seen you since you went off with Mr. Stone to that meeting¡± he exins and the guilt hits me hard at his saddened expression. ¡°I¡¯ve been a shitty friendtely-¡± I begin but he cuts me off. ¡°Yeah no kidding¡± he says causing me to punch his arm lightly. ¡°As I was saying, I realize I¡¯ve been a shitty friend so what do you say we got out and have fun¡± I ask hoping my attempt works. ¡°Sure thing babe but we¡¯re going to a club so dress sexy¡± he says winking and I punch his arm even harder. ¡°Jesus woman, my arm is gonna fall off if you don¡¯t stop your assault¡± he snaps rubbing his arm. ¡°I¡¯ll stop punching you when you¡¯re done making inappropriatements¡± I nag yfully and he grins at me. ¡°I¡¯ve really missed hanging out Amelia¡± he repeats and I open my arms to embrace him yet again. ¡°If you don¡¯t quit it, I¡¯ll start crying because of guilt¡± I mutter into his chest causing him to chuckle. We breakaway from each other and I straighten out my dress. ¡°Which is why I better see you at the club tonight¡± he replies pointedly and I nod. ¡°Is it ok if I bring a friend¡± I ask hoping I could y matchmaker between Connor and Sierra. ¡°Just so long as she¡¯s as hot as you than go ahead¡± he responds flirtatiously and I punch him for the third time before walking away. ¡°See you tonight Amelia¡± he shouts and I shake my head with a smile before getting into the elevator. I get off at the top floor and walk into the office to see Ivan on the phone. He holds his finger up to me and I nod while walking over to my desk to put my things down. I don¡¯t bother listening to their conversation and instead decide on checking my emails. I respond to a few about an uing meeting before Ivan gets off the phone. 37 ¡°You want the meeting with Mr. Brown to be on this uing Thursday right¡± I ask making sure I don¡¯t email him the wrong date. ¡°Yeah and make sure he has a copy of the contract, whether you want to print it out or email it to him is your choice¡± he orders and I nod while typing away on myptop. Hitting send, I turn my chair towards Ivan to see him staring intently at some documents. ¡°Is there something you needed¡± he asks not taking his eyes off the papers and I blush at being caught. ¡°Actually, I just wanted to let you know that I¡¯m going out tonight with a couple friends¡± I tell him vaguely. ¡°And where exactly do you n on going¡± he asks turning his attention on me. ¡°Well Connor wants us to go to a club tonight and I said yes¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°No¡± he responds finally ¡°What do you mean no? I wasn¡¯t asking you for permission¡± I snap slightly annoyed. ¡°Well you were obviously looking for my opinion and I say no¡± he responds dismissively. ¡°And I¡¯m disregarding your opinion¡± I sass and his eyes darken slightly as he stalks towards me. He stops right in front of me and leans down so that we¡¯re eye to eye. ¡°Do you know how many drunk assholes will be at a club waiting for a naive women to manipte¡± he asks darkly ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not naive then¡± I reply trying my hardest not to be bothered by his close proximity. ¡°You may not be naive but you¡¯re too innocent for your own good and I can¡¯t afford sitting at home worrying about whether or not you¡¯re alright¡± ¡°Thene with us, it¡¯ll be fun¡± I respond wholeheartedly. ¡°See mia cara, I don¡¯t exactly think it¡¯s wise for your boss to show up at a club and start grinding on you like a fool¡± he whispers brushing our lips together. ¡°Why not? I mean the entire country probably knows we¡¯re together and so does Sierra. I¡¯m sure Connor won¡¯t mind¡± I whisper trying my hardest to seem unaffected. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it¡± he says finally and I wait for our lips to meet. Moments past and I open my eyes to see Ivan walking back over to his desk. ¡°Tease¡± I whisper loud enough so he could hear me. He throws his head back inughter and I shake my head before focusing back on my work. We work silently for about an hour before I stubble across a particr document. ¡°Can I ask a question¡± I ask turning my head towards Ivan. His sses at on the rim of his nose and I refrain from gushing about how adorable he looks. ¡°Go ahead¡± he replies still looking through files. ¡°What do you n to do once you buy this huge hotel¡± ¡°I n on making it into a sophisticated night club. It¡¯ll be a great investment and will be a huge attraction because it¡¯s on the beach¡± he exins and I nod. ¡°Brilliant, when are you going to seal the deal for the price¡± I ask again. ¡°I spoke to the owner and she is going to show me around sometime next week. We¡¯ll negotiate it then¡± he informs and I nod. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go to the bathroom real quick¡± I tell him and get up to go towards the door. Walking towards the bathroom, I pull out my phone and dial Sierra¡¯s number. It rings a couple of times before she finally picks up. ¡°Look who finally decided to call¡± she immediately says trying to make me feel guilty. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been a terrible friend but-¡± ¡°Terrible?!? Honey you¡¯ve won the shittiest best friend award by far¡± she says cutting me off. ¡°I deserved that but I promise to make it up to you tonight. Come to the club with me¡± I ask. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me¡± she asks suspiciously ¡°Unlimited drinks and you can pick out any of my dresses¡± ¡°Deal, see you tonight chica¡± she replies before the call ends. I smile in relief and whisper to myself: ¡°Tonight¡¯s gonna be interesting¡± Amelia¡¯s pov. I walked back into the office with a grin stered on my face. Ivan looks up from his work and furrows his eyebrows at my expression. ¡°With a smile that big, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re plotting something, si¡± he asks confused and I giggled. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to find out tonight mi amour¡± I reply mysteriously, adding a wink at the end. I walked back to my seat and began working but leaned back because I couldn¡¯t focus. I stare up at the wall trying to focus but I couldn¡¯t manage to keep my mind on my work. ¡°Is there something wrong Ms. Winters¡± Ivan asks and I turn my chair to face him. I shook my head but he ushers me over with his hand. I walk over to him and he pulls me onto hisp causing me to squeal in surprise. ¡°Now tell me why you can¡¯t seem to focus¡± he asks again, gently caressing my cheek. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know why I can¡¯t focus, I think I¡¯m just excited for tonight¡± I respond sheepishly. He chuckles while shaking his head and turns back to continue his work. After a few minutes, I begin tracing my hand up and down his chest innocently. I feel him stiffen under my touch and I smirk but continue to trace my hands lower towards his crotch but moving back up when I got too close. His breath begins to shake and I watch as he struggles to keep control. I lean forward and ce a gentle but teasing kiss on his neck. Before I know it I¡¯m on top of his desk with him in between my legs. He smashes his lips against mine and kisses me with hunger and urgency causing me to moan. He breaks the kiss and looks me dead in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re so distracting¡± Ivan mumbles not breaking eye contact. I sheepishly grin and shrug my shoulders before hopping off of the desk. ¡°Can I be dismissed for the day? I got through editing the documents, analyzing our funds and creating a slideshow for your uing meetings¡± I inform silently begging him with my eyes to let me leave early. ¡°Very well but I¡¯ming over tonight to pick you up¡± ¡°Thanks baby¡± I respond giddily and leaned down to peck him on the cheek. As I turn around I feel a sting on my butt and jump not expecting it. I whip around and re at a smirking Ivan before shaking my head. ¡°Pervert¡± I whisper quietly causing him tough. I leave him to his work and make my way out of Stone Industries. 38 When I got home I sent a quick text to Sierra asking her toe over. I set my things down on the counter and run to my room to change outfits. My phone starts ringing and I skip down the stairs to answer it. ¡°Hello¡± ¡°Ms. Winters, I¡¯m d I could get a hold of you¡± a baritone voice responds. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but could you please tell me who this is¡± ¡°It¡¯s Alejandro, I was calling to see if you had time to set up a meeting with me. I have some things I need to exin¡± ¡°I¡¯m currently busy but I should be free around lunch time tomorrow¡± I respond reluctantly not understanding his urgency. ¡°Perfect we¡¯ll meet at Ronaldo¡¯s Cafe around 1:30¡± he responds seeming overly excited. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you there then¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bete Ms. Winters¡± he says sternly before the line goes dead. I stare at the phone speechless for a couple minutes. Something about him entirely chilled me to the core. I¡¯m snapped out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. Jogging to the door I swing it open to be met with Sierra. Smiling sheepishly, I step to the side to let her in and she walks in without giving me a second nce. ¡°Sierra-¡± I begin to speak but am instantly cut off. ¡°Listen, don¡¯t bother exining yourself, I honestly don¡¯t care¡± Sierra says indifferently and I tilt my head in confusion. ¡°Ok um did you want to look through my closet for a dress to borrow¡± I ask awkwardly. She nods and I lead her up the stairs into my room. ¡°I want something that screams hoe but ssy¡± she exims and I giggle while noddingpletely forgetting about the awkwardness earlier. ¡°I have a dress that has a slit down the middle and some on the waist. I think it¡¯ll look good on you¡± I say pulling out the dress and ushering her to try it on. She squeals and grabs the dress while running to the bathroom to put it on. I sit down on my bed and wait for her toe out. Shees out momentster and she looked beautiful. The dress came down slightly under her butt and the slits really made her look hot. ¡± I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll need to bring a bat just in case some guy pushes his luck¡± I joke and she lets out a genuineugh. ¡°The dress is hot as hell, can I keep it afterward¡± she asks. ¡°It¡¯s yours chica¡± I respond and she flings her arms around me while simultaneously thanking me. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. We need something so painfully sexy that will tease that boss of yours into insanity¡± she mutters to herself deviously and I chuckle nervously. She rushes into the closet and I shake my head while sitting down. All of a sudden my phone rings and I pick it up hoping it was who I thought it was. ¡°Hello¡± ¡°Mia cara I miss you¡± a husky voice says from the other line. ¡°I was with you an hour ago¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t miss me¡± he asks sounding slightly offended. ¡°No I miss you too mi amour¡± I admit lovingly. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about your plump lips since you left especially getting to bite and tug at them while you moan into my mouth¡± he says huskily sending shivers through my body. My mind begins to think inappropriately and I shake my head to rid my thoughts. Before I could respond the phone is snatched out of my hand. ¡°Hey mister, quit trying to seduce my best friend through the phone. She¡¯s trying to pick an outfit for tonight and you¡¯re nothing but a distraction¡± Sierra shouts into the phone ending the call and tossing my phone onto the bed. My face flushes as sheughs while throwing an outfit into my face.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Here try this on¡± she says after sobering up from herughing fest. I grab the outfit and stomp to the bathroom, grumbling about how rude she was. It was now almost 10:00pm meaning Ivan wasing to get us very shortly. Sierra and I spent the day catching up but began to get ready at around 7:30pm. Sierra was wearing her dress along with some blood red heels and the slightest amount of jewelry. For make up, she had on a subtle smokey eye and a bold red lip while her hair was pin straight. My outfit consisted of a maroon tank top that was flowy paired with some leather pants. For shoes, I wore some ck strapped heels and a bit of gold jewelry. My hair was messily curled and thrown up into a night ponytail with some strands framing my face. I kept my make up very minimal only adding eyeliner, mascara and sheer lipgloss. Ivan texted me that he arrived and we headed out the door. As soon as we walked out a cool breeze hit us making us shiver. We scurry to get into the car and I text Connor to meet us there. ¡°Good eveningdies¡± Ivan greets us smoothly. ¡°Hi¡± we reply simultaneously. Before we know it, we are on our way to the nightclub. The entire ride was spent in afortable silence and kept my head lent against the window. We arrive fifteen minutester and get out of the car. I lead us to the front of the line and smile brightly at the bouncer. ¡°Hey Jeff, long time no see¡± I greet him and his face automatically brightens up. ¡°Sunshine, how are you¡± he asks with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing great thank you. How¡¯s the club life been treating you¡± I ask interested. ¡°Great when I¡¯m don¡¯t have to deal with half drunk assholes¡± he answers and I giggle. ¡°This is my boyfriend Ivan and you remember Sierra¡± I inform him grabbing Ivan¡¯s hand. Sierra smiles brightly at him and he returns the gesture. ¡°It¡¯s nice seeing you again Sierra and Ivan good to meet you¡± he responds. Ivan gives him a curt nod. ¡°Now I don¡¯t want to keep y¡¯all waiting out here when the fun is in there. Have a great night but don¡¯t drink too much likest time¡± he adds giving Sierra and I a stern look at the end. We smile sheepishly and nod before walking into the club. We all walk to the bar and take a seat while Sierra orders herself a drink. ¡°Mia cara, I don¡¯t know how I feel about knowing the bouncer has some sort of rtions with you and has seen you enough to know how crazy you get drunk¡± Ivan whispers into my ear erupting shivers through my spine. ¡°He¡¯s just a friend and he had to call a cab for Sierra and I one night when we had too much to drink. It¡¯s not big deal babe¡± I assure turning to face him. Even though it was dark, I could still make out his expression. I lean forward and capture his lips in a kiss pulling back to look at him. ¡°My heart belongs to you and only you¡± I add trying to erase the doubt he had. He nods and take my hand. Ivan waves the bartender over to get us drinks. ¡°Get me a ss of scotch and my girlfriend an bama mmer¡± he orders for me and I smile at him. The bartender nods and goes off to make our drinks. ¡°What the hell is an bama mmer¡± I ask curiously and he smirks but doesn¡¯t respond. The bartender gives Ivan his drink and sets an orange colored liquid in front of me. I thanks him and put the ss to my lips to take a sip. The cool liquid runs down my throat and my tastebuds are met with a mango tequbination. 39 ¡°What do you think sweetheart¡± he asks and I nod with approval but continue to drink. Ivan chuckles beside me and throws the scotch down his throat. ¡°Lets dance¡± he replies huskily and I nod excitedly setting down my half empty drink. He leads me to the dance floor and turns me so that my back was against his front. I start swaying my hips to the song,pletely shutting out everyone dancing around me. I close my eyes and let my body move to the rhythm. I feel Ivan grip my waist firmly and I continue to dance trying my hardest to get a reaction out of him. ¡°Baby, I don¡¯t think I can control myself while you sway your ass in front of me like that¡± he mutters, his voice sounding strained. I smirk and roll my entire body against his slowly causing him to groan lowly in my ear. He grabs my hand and leads me into the hallway, pushing me up against the wall. ¡°I warned you sweetheart¡± he responds running his fingers down the length of my body. Before I have time to respond he smashes his lips against mine urgently. I respond with equal intensity moaning when I feel his tongue against my lip. He pulls away hesitantly and I whimper in response. ¡°Mia cara I don¡¯t want to take you against a dirty club wall but let¡¯s go back to my ce¡± he whispers, his voice dripping with hunger. I nod and follow him out but remember Sierra. ¡°You wait out here, I have to tell Sierra about my whereabouts so she doesn¡¯t worry¡± I tell him and he nods while I run back into the club. I scan my eyes around the club and spot her in a booth with a guy. I speed walk over there and stop in front of her. ¡°Sierra, I¡¯m gonna go home with Ivan are you ok with that¡± I ask her and she looks up at me and I also notice the guy sitting across from her. ¡°Connor?? Why the hell didn¡¯t you respond to my text¡± I exim surprised that he was here. ¡°I did respond to your text but you seemed pretty upied with some guy¡± he responds with a smirk and I blush in response. ¡°Ok whatever but Sierra are you good with catching a cab or something¡± I ask her and she nods but Connor cuts in. ¡°No worries, I can drop her offter on¡± he reassures me and I look between the two curiously. ¡°You better take care of her Connor, I won¡¯t hesitate to beat your ass if you hurt her¡± I warn him and he puts his hands up in mock surrender. ¡°Just go get your hunk and leave us alone¡± Sierra finally says teasingly and I give her a slight re before walking off. ¡°Use protection¡± they both shout behind me and I flip them the finger while walking outside. I find Ivan leaning against a wall on his phone. ¡°I¡¯m ready¡± I tell him and he nods. He grabs my hand and rushes me into the car. He gets into the driver side and begins to speed down the road.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I have so many things in mind for you mia cara¡± he tells me hungrily and I shiver in excitement. Within ten minutes, we are outside his house. He opens my door and helps me out before grabbing my hand yet again. He rushes me to the front door and fumbles to get the door open but finally seeds. I have little time to react before he ms me against the front door, assaulting me with his lips. He tugs on my top and I pull away to take it off, immediately capturing his lips with mine. I kick off my shoes and he lifts me up to carry me to his room. He throws me onto the bed and climbs on top of me, leaving hot kisses down my body. Before we know it, we¡¯re both naked and he ms into me bringing us both into sheer bliss. Amelia¡¯s pov. I woke up half expecting toy beside Ivan but rolling over, I feel nothing. Confused, I sit up and pull the covers over my naked body while making my way to the living room. I walk in to see Ivan full dressed and talking fiercely on the phone. Giving him privacy, I slowly walk back to his room and gather the remains of my clothes thrown around his room. I walk into his closet and grab one of Ivan¡¯s button-ups while entering the bathroom. Hopping into the shower, I rx my sore muscles under the scorching hot water. shbacks of the previous night cause my insides to flutter and I smile slightly dazed. After quickly washing myself, I get out and dry myself before putting on a pair of ck undergarments. I grab the button-up and wrap it around my body turning it into a dress while mentally thanking Sierra for showing me how. ¡°Having a designer as a best friend surees in handy¡± I whisper to myself while finger detangling my hair. I take a moment to nce in the mirror admiring the girl staring back at me. The happiness radiating from her eyes made her entire body glow. Walking back into Ivan¡¯s room, I slip on my heels fromst night and grab a zer to throw over my make shift dress before walking back to Ivan hoping he was finished with the call. I¡¯m greeted with him at the kitchen counter typing adamantly on his phone only putting it down once he notices my presence. ¡°Morning babes¡± I greet him with a smile and watch his expression soften as he takes in my appearance. ¡°Morning mia cara, I was thinking we could go out for brunchter on if that¡¯s good with you¡± he asks with a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t, I-I¡¯m meeting up with a friend for lunch¡± I reply dismissively, looking anywhere but directly at him. ¡°What friend¡± he pushes curiously getting up to approach me. He stops directly in front of me and I take a step back trying to gather my thoughts. ¡°You don¡¯t know her but she went to school with me¡± I answer, not sound nearly as convincing as I had hoped. ¡°Ok, well lets get going then¡± he responds not convinced but decides not to pester further. I quickly grab an apple while follow him out the door and into the awaiting limo quietly. I slide in beside him and lean my head against the cool window feeling guilty about lying to him. We arrive at Stone Industries momentster and walk into the lobby together. My eyes drift across the room andnd on Connor who shoots me a smile. I smile back and wink at him making a note to pester him about Sierrater on. I look back to see Ivan already stepping into the elevator and run to catch up to him. I step in slightly winded and give him a slight re to which he smirks. ¡°Thanks for waiting Mr. Stone¡± I tell him while brushing my hair away from my face. Before I know it, I¡¯m pulled into his body and I let out a squeal in surprise. 40 ¡°Did I tell you how unbelievably enticing you look in my clothes¡± he asks huskily, gliding his hands towards my bottom. ¡°More then you¡± I flirt back, leaning into his body. ¡°Way more than me¡± he whispers into my ear leaning a feather like kiss on my neck. I bite my lips to suppress the gasp itching toe out and instead step out of his hold, much to his dismay. I adjust myself and stick my tongue out at him teasingly causing him to chuckle.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t stick your tongue out again if you know what¡¯s best for you¡± he warns, his eyes darkening with hunger. I quickly step out of the elevator and run to his office, hearing hisughter behind me. The morning was spent mainly taking notes during Ivan¡¯s meetings. Once the final meeting ended, I waited as Ivan shook hands with the other men and gathered my notes. After all the men left the room, I made my way over to Ivan who immediately pulled me towards him. ¡°Who knew you could talk for so long¡± I teased with a smile. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t like hearing my voice Ms. Winters¡± he answers feigning annoyance. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯d rather shove chopsticks into my ears¡± I respond giggling at his surprised expression. ¡°You never seem toin when I¡¯m whispering inappropriately into your ear¡± he whispers and I tense hoping it went unnoticed. ¡°Of course I don¡¯tin, I need to relieve myself somehow¡± I cheekily reply causing his eyebrows to shoot up in surprise. I have know idea where this boldness wasing from but I was sure not gonna let it go to waste. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re joking or not and it¡¯s slightly scaring me¡± he responds and I giggle before standing on my tip toes so that I was closer to his ear. ¡°Your voice alone could make me do things I¡¯d rather not say in a work environment¡± I sexily whisper and if it weren¡¯t for him stiffening against me, I¡¯d think he didn¡¯t hear me. ¡°You¡¯re a little minx¡± he groans and I wink before pulling away. ¡°I have to get going to meet up with my friend¡± I inform him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help me fix my problem¡± he asks and I stare at him confused before he gestures down and I examine his lower half. He was sporting an obvious hard on causing me to gasp in surprise. Every nerve in my body was urging me to pounce on him but I hold back. ¡°You¡¯re a big boy, you can take care of it¡± I respond before walking out, ignoring his shouts for my name. Smirking, I walk over to the elevator and step in before hearing my phone buzzing in my purse. ¡°Amelia Winters speaking¡± ¡°Yes Ms. Winters, I was calling to rify our meeting at Ronaldo¡¯s Cafe in a half hour¡± a deep voice answers. ¡°Yes, I will be there very shortly¡± I respond, my nerves finally kicking in. ¡°Don¡¯t bete¡± he once again answers before the line goes dead. I roll my eyes at my phone before stepping out of the elevator. I smile at the receptionist before exiting the building, deciding to walk to the cafe seeing as it wasn¡¯t that far from Stone Industries. I curse myself for not bringing a coat and pull my zer closet to my body once the chilling wind begins to quicken. I hurriedly walk to the cafe and enter, the warmth engulfing me immediately. I scan the cafe before my eyesnd on a man sitting in the far back. Assuming it was Alejandro, I slowly walk over to him before taking a seat across from him. He looks up from his phone and smiles at me before speaking. ¡°Ms. Winters, d you could join me today¡± he says gleefully and I nod politely. ¡°What exactly did you need to discuss¡± I ask wanting to make this as short as possible. ¡°I wanted to discuss your rtionship with Mr. Stone¡± he blurts out and my expression darkens instantly. ¡°Our rtionship doesn¡¯t pertain to you and isn¡¯t up for debate so if that is all, I will be on my way¡± I respond angrily getting up to walk away. His hand shoots out and grabs my wrist in an iron grip before he pulls me back to the table. I pull my arm away from his grip and cradle it to my body, knowing there¡¯d be a bruiseter on. ¡°I wasn¡¯t finished talking Ms. Winters, so I suggest you keep still until I say otherwise¡± he responds sternly and I roll my eyes in return. ¡°Then please continue sir¡± I mock, crossing my arms around my body to shield myself from his cold re. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly enjoy the idea of you being with such a heartless man. If you need money, you cane to me and I¡¯ll give you all the money you need.¡± He tells me and I clench my teeth in anger. ¡°Like I said, what I do with my personal life doesn¡¯t have to do with you so stay out of it and I have all the money I need without Ivan¡± I respond coldly. His eyes darken before he leans over the table towards me. ¡°You will stay away from him if you know what¡¯s best for you Lia¡± he responds darkly and my eyes widen at his nickname. Only one person called me that and he abandoned our family years ago. My face reddens in anger when I realize who I¡¯m sitting across. ¡°Well father at least I know for a fact he wouldn¡¯t abandon me like you did¡± I spat angrily and his expression gives away his surprise. It doesn¡¯t stay for long before a look of frustration takes its ce. ¡°I had my reasons for leaving you and your mother Lia¡± he responds begging me to understand. ¡°Your greed for money isn¡¯t a valid reason father¡± I snap back letting him know that I wasn¡¯t gonna forgive him any time soon. ¡°Lia I am your father and you will listen to me¡± he says sternly and I get impossibly angrier. ¡°No Alejandro, you lost that right when you chose money over family. Did you know that mommitted suicide and I fell into depression shortly after? Do you know how hard it was for me to keep going despite all of the negativity that surrounded me? I¡¯ve finally found a purpose for my life and someone who makes me happy and I¡¯ll be damned if I let you take that away from me too¡± I rant not realizing the tears streaming down my face. Not letting him respond, I get up and run out of the cafe. I continue to run for several blocks before copsing onto the cold pavement. I cry and scream and pull at my hair allowing all of the hurt out. Looking around, I watch the startled faces of the few people who cared enough to look my way. Shaking my head I get up and walk the remainder of the way to Stone Industries, not once wiping the tears away from my swollen face. I stumbled a bit before being caught my foreign arms. Startled, I looked up and caught the eye of Ivan¡¯s chauffeur. His eyes shown with sympathy as he helped me into the car. I get out of the car and thanked the driver before glumly striding to his door, wanting to be in his embrace. I open the door and step in before shutting it behind me and dropping my bag to the floor. I walked to the office in Ivan¡¯s home before throwing the door open. Ivan looks up at the noise and his eyebrows shoot up once he takes in my appearance. He jumps out of his chair and walks towards me before pulling me towards him. He takes in my puffy eyes and swollen face while examining the rest of my body for injuries. I watch as his eyes darken in anger towards my supposed offender. ¡°Mia cara, what happened¡± he asks while stroking my hair away from my face. I cry into his chest and attempt to answer but end up letting out a painful sob. ¡°H-he told me to s-stay away from you¡± I mumble out hoping he understood my words. He picks me up and walks over to his couch and sits me on hisp, cradling me into his body like a baby. We stay in this position until my sobbing subdues into whimpers. I breathe in his scent and calm down my heartbeat before running my fingers through my hair 41 ¡°Amelia, who did this to you¡± he asks softly as if I¡¯d burst into tears at the slightest noise. ¡°My father¡± I whisper and he tenses underneath my body. Amelia¡¯s pov. After my little confession I satfortably in his embrace until my gut wrenching sobs were reduced to small whimpers and sniffles. He continuously whispered in my ear and rubbed my back until I felt better. I slowly lift my head up to look at Ivan to see a pained expression across his face. I stared into his eyes and gave him a small smile to show him that I was ok. I leaned up and gave him a small but loving kiss before pulling away. ¡°Thank you¡± I tell him and he nods in return. I could tell that my confession left him slightly confused so I decided to fill him in. Leaning back down toy my head on his chest, I took a deep breath before beginning. ¡°It started when I got a call a couple of days ago from a person who urgently wanted to see me. I set up lunch with him and went to go meet him today¡± I feel Ivan stiffen underneath my body but continue anyway ¡°He began to pester me about my rtionship with you and seemed very angered that I refused to stop seeing you. I went to get up and he gripped my wrist tightly before pulling me back down to my seat¡± as I said this Ivan grabbed my wrist gently to examine the faint bruise starting to form. ¡°I¡¯ll kill that bastard¡± Ivan growls furiously and I leave a sweet kiss on his neck to calm him down. He wraps his arms tighter around me in response and I take that as my que to continue. ¡°I sat back down and he basically hinted at that the only reason why I was with you was for your money. I continued to refuse his questions still wondering why he cared until he called me a name that made me realize who he was to me. I was so angered at the nerve he had to approach me after what he did that I yelled at him and ran out¡± I tell him finally taking a deep breath after my rant. ¡°Baby can you please tell me his name¡± Ivan asks and I lift my head up to look at him. ¡°If I do you have to promise not to go after him and go through with your threat¡± I answer giving him a small smile. ¡°He deserves everything I n on doing to his pathetic little life¡± he growls furiously. I sigh deeply before cing my head back on his chest to calm him down. ¡°He¡¯s closer to you than you think¡± I hint before snuggling back into him. We sitfortably until Ivan¡¯s shallow breaths came back to normal. He stands up suddenly causing my arms to shoot up around his neck to prevent myself from embarrassing myself. ¡°Shh I got you¡± he assures me and walks us up the stairs and into his bedroom. He seats me on the bed and quickly shuffles to the bathroom. Iy down and calmly wait for Ivan toe out of the bathroom. When he doesn¡¯te out after ten minutes, I slowly sit up. ¡°Ivan, are you alright in there¡± I ask while walking to the bathroom door. It suddenly flies open with Ivan standing in the threshold. He steps aside and ushers me into the bathroom. My mouth drops at the sight of the dimly lit room filled with sweet smelling candles and a bath filling up with hot water. I turn to him and walk into his awaiting arms with a huge grin. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this you know¡± I tell him and he pulls away to look at me. ¡°I wanted to, you seem like you need it so undress your perfect little body and hop in¡± he answers and I blush at the end. ¡°Will you be joining me¡± I ask while unbuttoning my top. ¡°As tempting as it sounds, I¡¯m afraid I have some business to attend to so if you need me just holler¡± he informs me before pecking my lips and giving my button a slight tap. I jump in surprise before ring at his retreating form. He even had the nerve to turn around a give me a wink before shutting the door behind him. Shaking my head with a smile, I continue to undress before easing my body into the bathtub. The hot water immediately soothed my tense muscles and I closed my eyes to rx. I let the sweet scent of the candles ease my senses and allowed myself to feel at peace. Ivan¡¯s pov. Leaving Amelia in the bathroom by herself was proving to be a hard task. Images of her wet naked body shed in my mind causing my lower anatomy to stir in excitement. Shaking away my tempted thoughts, I quickly undress and change into some sweats before grabbing my phone hurriedly. I quickly dialed a number and waited in anticipation as it rang. ¡°Hello Mr. Stone, what can I do for you¡± a voice finally spoke on the other line. ¡°I need you to evaluate the security cameras at Stone Industries and get back to me on what you find¡± I instruct him curtly. If Amelia wasn¡¯t gonna tell me who her father was, I¡¯ll have to do some research myself. ¡°Is there anything in particr I should keep an eye on?¡± He asked and I thought about it for a moment before responding. ¡°Just look out for anything out of the ordinary¡± I respond curtly and hang up while going down to the kitchen. I wanted to make dinner before Amelia came out of the shower. Opening the fridge, I browse the shelves and pull out various types of cheeses as well as some herbs. I decide on making fettine Alfredo with a side sd. I start on the sauce and begin cutting herbs and tossing them into the pan along with the cheese and heavy cream. Letting that simmer, I swiftly cut up the lettuce, tomatoes and other vegetables while tossing them into a bowl. I drizzle some balsamic vinaigrette on top and let it marinate in the bowl. Everything wasing together and I added thest touches on the pasta before ting it. I set the table and light some candles before grabbing the white wine I left on the counter. I hear small footstepsing down the stairs and quickly brush myself off before standing next to the table. Amelia¡¯s silhouette is dimly lit by the candles and she looks up at me with a gasp. ¡°Dinner is served mia cara¡± I break the silence and lead her towards the table. Amelia¡¯s pov. A gasp left my lips at the sight in front of me. Ivan was standing next to a well decorated table with a heavenly aroma of surrounding him. He slowly walked towards me, grabbing my hand before leading me over to the table. I sit down and wait for him to sit down before noticing his bare torso. Blushing I turn my gaze to the food and it finally hits me how hungry I was. I didn¡¯t eat anything at the cafe because I was fueled with anger. ¡°I really appreciate you doing all of this¡± I confess to him and watch as his expression lights up. ¡°What kind of man would I be if I didn¡¯t spoil my woman¡± he replies with a wink and I shake my head at his response. ¡°And you¡¯re my man¡± I shoot back and he smirks before grabbing my hand to ce a kiss on it.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Always and forever¡± he assures me and I nod with a smile. ¡°Lets eat, I¡¯m hungrier than a bulldozer¡± I exim happily causing Ivan to chuckle. ¡°Bulldozers don¡¯t eat but I get what you mean¡± he jokes and I blush in embarrassment. ¡°Shut up and eat already¡± I snap before digging into my food. I moan in delight as the creamy pasta hits my taste buds. I look at Ivan who has a lustful expression on his face and I smile sheepishly before continuing to eat. 42 ¡°Sometimes I forget how good of a cook you are. I¡¯m gonna force you to make me food everyday until my stomach can barely fit through the door¡± I rant causing Ivan tough at my response. We continue to eat, exchanging stories andughs until we¡¯re done. Afterwards, we cleared the table and decided to watch a movie until we fell asleep. ¡°What movie should we watch¡± Ivan asks and I ponder my thoughts for a moment. ¡°Fifty shades darker¡± I answer not waiting to see his response. I really wanted to watch it since it came out but Sierra refused to go with me, something about her not wanting to pay for a porno. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before¡± he responds and I smile deviously before starting the movie. ¡°I think you¡¯ll enjoy it¡± I whisper in his ear causing him to shiver. I curl up into his side and quietly watch the film. As the film yed, I felt Ivan¡¯s continuous shifting causing me to smirk. ¡°Is there a problem¡± I ask slightly lifting my head to look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this movie to be so sexual¡± he responds ufortable and I giggle. ¡°It¡¯s called romance, it¡¯s meant to make you feel hot and bothered¡± I joke leaning up to ce an open mouthed kiss on his neck. He moans quietly and I smile again before turning my attention back to the movie. Before I know it, I¡¯m pinned underneath Ivan causing me to gasp. ¡°Mia cara, you seem to constantly tease me so it¡¯s my turn¡± he growls out causing my heat to flutter in excitement. His lipse into contact with my neck, leaving a hot trail of kisses. I bit my lip hard to prevent the moan itching to escape my mouth and instead reach my hands to grip his hair. He uses one of his hands to pin my arms above my head and grinds his pelvis into my lower region painfully slow. I clench my thighs together in attempt to satisfy the heat between my legs but Ivan was not having any of it because he puts one of his legs in between my own. ¡°Don¡¯t try to resist me¡± he whispers huskily and I shiver in response. My body was screaming for me to let him have his way with me but my pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. Instead I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him into me. I give him an innocent smile and I watch as his eyes flicker in lust. He finally crashes his lips against mine, satisfying both of us. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him impossibly closer. His tongue glides across my bottom lip and I open my mouth. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and I moan embarrassingly loud causing my cheeks to flush. ¡°Your moans and gasps drive me crazy¡± he says slightly pulling away to catch his breath. ¡°You drive me crazy¡± I whisper in response and he smiles before giving me onest peck. ¡°Come on, lets go to bed¡± he says getting up. I sit up and stretch my hands out hoping he gets my message. He shakes his head with a chuckle before scooping me into his arms like a baby. I snuggle into his bare chest as he walks us to his room. He opens the door and walks to the bed before gentlyying me down. He gets in beside me and pulls me into his chest, throwing the nket over both of us. ¡°I love you¡± I say slightly above a whisper hoping he heard me. He gives me a kiss on the head and gives me a slight squeeze. ¡°I love you too mia cara¡± he whispers and I smile into his chest before closing my eyes. We fell asleep in each other¡¯s armspletely content and at ease, not knowing the unfortunate that was soon to hit us. Third Person. Amelia and Ivan slept blissfully through the night, stupidly unaware of the people who wanted to cause them harm. So long as they were together, nothing could bring them trouble. Too bad all good things muste to an end and Amelia¡¯s little world might soon go up in mes. Ivan¡¯s pov. The next morning I woke up to a persistent ringing beside the bed. Untangling myself from Amelia, I reach over and grab my phone before holding it up to my ear. ¡°Stone speaking¡± I grumbled ¡°Yes Mr. Stone, I was looking through the footage ofst week and found a few strange things¡± the security exined through the phone. ¡°And what did you find¡± I asked curiously ¡°I think it¡¯d be better if you saw for yourself¡± he answered after a few moments of silence. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there¡± I responded ending the phone call. I set my phone down and turned my attention towards the sleeping beauty beside me. I took a few moments and watched her peaceful expression as she slept curled up to my side. I carefully untangled myself from her before quietly rushing to the bathroom. I hopped into the shower and let the water wake up my senses. I was one step closer into figuring out who Amelia¡¯s father was and why he demanded she stayed away from me. Not wasting anymore time, I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. I walked back inside the room and into Amelia¡¯s closet to get dressed. Having clothes at Amelia¡¯s house had proved very useful considering I spent most of my time here when I wasn¡¯t working. I walked back into the room while buttoning my shirt to see Amelia still peacefully sleeping. I looked inside the nightstand and grabbed a notepad to write Amelia note. Leaving it beside her, I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before slowly walking out of her room. I had my driver meet me outside to take me to work.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The entire ride I pondered possibilities on who Amelia¡¯s father was. From what she told me, I could only assume I had met him if he knew who I was. We arrived shortly and I quickly stepped out of the car eager to see what was found on camera. Walking in, I gave the receptionist a quick nod before rushing to the elevator. Instead of going to my usual floor, I pressed the button for the fourth floor and stood silently as I ascended. Stepping out, I walked down the security wing until I reached my destination. I opened the door and came across one of the security guardspletely focused on whatever he was observing. ¡°What exactly was so important that you couldn¡¯t tell me over the phone¡± I broke the silence causing him to jump in surprise. ¡°Sir while I was browsing through the footage I came across a few strange things¡± he answered quietly. I walked towards him and leaned down to see for myself. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look then¡± I responded curtly and waited as he rewinded the footage. I watched carefully for a few moments trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. A few clipster, Amelia appeared on the screen looking slightly shaken. I watched a few more clips before turning to the guard for an exnation. ¡°Well sir if you look carefully after Amelia walks past, you can see a male figure discreetly following her across the street¡± he exins and points to the figure. I nce at the footage closely and spot a man following Amelia from across the street. She seemed so lost in her own mind to even realize she was being followed. Next, I observe the man only to realize exactly who it was momentster. ¡°Do you have any other footage on that man¡± I ask coldly trying as hard as I could to contain my anger. ¡°This is all I could gather from this footage but I¡¯ll keep you posted¡± he answered before turning his focus back to the monitors. ¡°Thanks Ryan and send me that clip¡± I thanked him while walking out. I walked down the hall and stepped into the elevator before immediately pulling out my cell phone to make an important call. 43 ¡°Castillo¡¯s Enterprise, Natalie speaking¡± a feminine voice answered politely. ¡°Yes Natalie, I¡¯d like to schedule a meeting with Alejandro Castillo for this afternoon¡± I responded ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir but Mr. Castillo is a very busy man and isn¡¯t avable until next week¡± she answerspletely obviously to who she was speaking to. ¡°Well Natalie I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re gonna have to clear his schedule because Ivan Stone will be making an appearance¡± I spoke calmly and hung up before she could respond. I walked back into the lobby, tapping furiously on my phone not realizing I bumped into someone until it was toote. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re walking¡± I snapped irritated before looking at the person. Amelia was staring at me with a smile causing me to rx slightly. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the hallway before speaking. ¡°What¡¯s got you so worked up¡± she asks while stepping towards me, her delicate voice finally reaching my ears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry mia cara, I¡¯ve had a lot on my mind all morning¡± I apologize while pulling her body closer to mine. ¡°No worries, I was just on my way to your office right now¡± she answered while leaning into me. ¡°I left a stack of paperwork I need done by this evening, think you can handle that for me while I go to a quick meeting¡± I asked hoping she didn¡¯t ask questions about the meeting. ¡°I thought part of my job was to attend all meetings with you in case you needed assistance¡± she asked slightly pulling back to gaze up at me. ¡°This is a private meeting I set up with Mr. Campbell but I promise I¡¯ll be back before this evening. If not then I¡¯ll send my driver to take you home¡± I respondN?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°I drove here so don¡¯t bother with the driver, I¡¯ll see you whenever¡± she answers, her expression giving away her annoyance. She walks away from me,pletely ignoring my pleas. If only she knew that this meeting was for her own protection. Sighing, I walk out of the building and get back into my limo giving my driver directions to Castillo¡¯s Enterprise. We arrive to our destination within fifteen minutes and I step out of the car and begin walking into the lobby. I spot the receptionist at her desk and confidently stride towards her. ¡°Name¡± she asks without taking her eyes off herputer. ¡°Ivan Stone and I¡¯d dly appreciate you directing your attention towards me while I¡¯m speaking to you¡± I answer slightly annoyed at her disrespectful attitude. ¡°I-I¡¯m s-so sorry Mr. Stone, I¡¯ll call Mr. Castillo¡± she stutters and I nod waiting for her to make the call. I look around the main lobby slightly impressed at what I saw, the room was a decent size and decorated beautifully. ¡°Mr. Castillo will see you now, just take the elevator to the top floor, it¡¯s the first door on your right¡± she informs me and I give her a curt nod while walking away. Following her directions, I find myself right in front of Alejandro¡¯s office. Swinging the door open, I stride inside and shut the door quite loud to get his attention. ¡°You know, when I got a call for an urgent meeting, thest person I expected was you. What brings you to my office¡± he asks politely. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re thest person I¡¯d ever want to see but when I heard you were threatening my girlfriend I just had to make an appearance¡± I snap coldly, getting angrier by the minute. ¡°I don¡¯t know who your girlfriend is nor would I ever threaten her so Mr. Stone if you having nothing else to say please see yourself out¡± he says pretending to be oblivious. ¡°Are you sure? Because this video clearly says otherwise¡± I answer pulling out my phone to show him the footage. He watches the clip before looking back up at me. ¡°Mr. Stone, I have no idea who that man is nor have I had any form ofmunication with Amelia since the banquet¡± he sayspletely unfazed. ¡°It¡¯s funny because I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s your assistant Drew Hernandez following her¡± I snap my temper rising at his apparent lie. ¡°Mr. Hernandez has been with his wife who recently gave birth, I haven¡¯t heard from him in weeks. Now if you¡¯re done with these usations, I have work to get back to¡± he replies turning his attention back onto his paperwork. Finally snapping, I walk over to his desk and lean in so that we¡¯re eye to eye before answering. ¡°Listen very carefully Alejandro, I don¡¯t know who gave you the right to abandon Amelia and then walk back into her life and begin demanding things from her but you will stop. If I catch you or your men near her one more time, this petty little business of yours will go bankrupt. It¡¯s your call¡± I snap angrily before storming out of his office. Quickly pulling out my phone, I make a call while stepping into the elevator. ¡°Ryan I¡¯m going to need you to keep an eye on Alejandro Castillo and Drew Hernandez¡± I instruct him. ¡°Is there anything in particr I should be looking for¡± he asks ¡°Just keep an eye on him and his men to see exactly what he wants from Amelia. My guess is he¡¯s trying to get her to destroy Stone Industries from the inside¡± I answer while stepping out of the elevator. ¡°What rtions does Amelia have with Mr. Castillo for him to demand so much from her¡± he presses curiously. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, all I need from you is to look into those two and report back to me what you find. If we¡¯re gonna catch him, we need evidence¡± I instruct before ending the call. ¡°Alejandro, you just dug your own grave¡± I mutter to myself before stepping out of the building Amelia¡¯s pov. Waking up without Ivan wasn¡¯t usually out of the ordinary considering he was the CEO of a massive business. Having him lie straight to my face about his whereabouts is what concerned me. I brushed him off, ignoring his calls and walked into my office to start on the paperwork he needed done. It was a rtivelyrge stack of documents that needed to be marked, proofread, and filed in one of his many cabs. I got to work quickly knowing this would take me a significant amount of time. Halfway through the day, Ivan¡¯s telephone began to ring. I walked to his desk and picked up the phone before responding. ¡°Amelia Winters speaking¡± I answered politely while looking through the document I was working on. ¡°Hello Ms. Winters, I was calling to set up the meeting with Mr. Stone, is he present by any chance¡± a deep voice asked ¡°No sir, he¡¯s currently at a meeting but I¡¯m his assistant and can set up the meeting for him¡± I responded walking over to my desk to grab myptop. I looked through Ivan¡¯s avability to see when this meeting could be set up. ¡°He¡¯s free next Tuesday in the afternoon if that works for you¡± I informed him ¡°That¡¯s fine by me, thank you¡± he answered politely ¡°Great, what was your name sir¡± I asked realizing I had no idea who I was speaking with. ¡°Mr. Campbell, I¡¯m the head at Campbell & Co.¡± He answers and realization finally dawns on me. Snapping out of it I quickly thank him and end the phone call before I said something stupid. I had a feeling Ivan was lying to me but this just solidified by suspicion. Shaking my head, I angrily m myptop down and get back to work trying to contain my anger. I was able to get everything done before this evening but that did mean I had to miss lunch. Pushing my chair away from the desk, I lean my head back and take a deep breath, still not able toprehend why Ivan would lie to me. I stayed like this for a few minutes until the door flys open giving me a scare. Sitting up, I watch as Ivan enters the room and walks towards me with an unreadable expression. ¡°Were you able to finish all of the paperwork¡± he asks me curtly. ¡°Yes sir everything is finished and ready for your next few meetings¡± I answer politely trying to remain calm. He nods and steps towards me causing me to get up and step back. His eyebrows furrow in confusion and he steps forwards causing me to take another step back. This continues until my backes in contact with the wall and he¡¯s so close that our chests touched whenever we took a breath. ¡°Mia cara, did I do something wrong¡± he asks quietly waiting for my response. ¡°Mr. Campbell called and your meeting with him is set for next Tuesday¡± I whisper and watch as realization dawned on him. ¡°Amelia, I meant to tell you but-¡± he exins but I cut him. ¡°Can you honestly promise me that you were going to tell me if Mr. Campbell hadn¡¯t had called¡± I snap my anger bing apparent. He just stands there helpless and I push him away. I begin walking away from him before he grabs my writer and turns me around. ¡°I went to go visit your father and try to find out what he wanted from you¡± he finally reveals. My expression must have mirrored my confusion causing Ivan to continue. ¡°I had one of my guards review the security cameras and he found a man following you after your encounter with your father. The man I recognized as Drew Hernandez, your father¡¯s assistant¡± he exins and I shake my head in surprise. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would have someone follow me¡± I whisper my voice cracking at the end. ¡°Mia cara, I promise I¡¯ll figure out what he wants from you but until then, I need you to stay away from him¡± he exins while pulling me into him. I nod into his chest but pull away to look up at him. ¡°If you lie to me one more time about something like this I promise you I will break your nose¡± I respond trying to sound strong. He chuckles in response before leaning down to kiss my lips. ¡°I promise mia cara¡± he promises and we stay in each other¡¯s arms peacefully both understanding that the peace would soon be disrupted for a long time. 44 Amelia¡¯s pov. Ivan and I stayed in the office for a few more hours, adding finishing touches to the meeting ns. Once finished, we decided to pack up and head home for the evening, considering how exhausted we both were. Once my desk was rid of the files scattered around it, I grabbed my purse and walked over to Ivan, waiting patiently as he finished up. He looked up at me and gave me a breathtaking smile before closing hisptop and walking over to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it¡± I muttered to Ivan as he wrapped his arm around me. ¡°Do what¡± he asked curiously as he led me out to the elevators. ¡°Come to work everyday just to sit at a desk looking at papers until it¡¯s time to head home. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have shoved a pen through my left eye ages ago¡± I babble as we take the elevator down. I feel Ivan¡¯s chest rumble withughter and I look up to see him watching me amused. ¡°Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that pretty little head of yours when you say things like that¡± he responds causing me to blush in embarrassment. Ivan helps me into the car and gets in behind me as the driver pulls away from the curb. ¡°I hope it¡¯s ok that I asked the driver to take us to a restaurant before heading home¡± he asks me and I give him a small nod along with a smile.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Throughout the entire ride, the only thing I could think about was my father and what exactly he was nning. From his reaction to Ivan and I being together, I could only imagine him wanting to drive us further apart by all means necessary. I¡¯m pulled away from my thoughts by a constantly shaking of my arm, I look up to see Ivan gazing at me with concern. ¡°Mia cara, We arrived a couple minutes ago but you were too consumed with your thoughts¡± he tells me, silently asking me to tell him what I was thinking about. Giving him a sheepish smile, I step out of the car and walk with him to the front of the restaurant. We are quickly seated and begin to look through the menu trying to decide on what to eat. I finally decided on a light dinner of salmon and a sd on the side while Ivan ordered some fancy pasta with truffles and a bunch of other sides. ¡°It never fails to amaze me at how you eat enough to feed a baby whale but still maintain a muscr body¡± I mutter to myself as Ivan¡¯sughter fills my ears. I look up to see his eyes crinkled with happiness causing my heart to fill with joy. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to take that as apliment or an insult¡± he jokes and I giggle in response. Our food arrives and we begin to eat, asionally making small talk. When we finished, the bill arrives and Ivan immediately pulls out his card but I quickly p his hand away and hand the waiter my card instead. ¡°If you take her card I¡¯ll make sure to have you fired before you reach the front desk¡± Ivan threatens and the waiter quickly hands me my card before grabbing Ivan¡¯s and scurrying away. I re at Ivan as he looks at me smugly to which I flip him the finger. ¡°You told me I could pay the next time we went out to eat¡± I whine as he chuckles. The waiter arrives with the receipt and Ivan quickly signs while giving him a tip. ¡°What kind of man would I be if I let my woman waste her money knowing very well I had enough money to pay¡± he asks with a smirk and I roll my eyes in annoyance. ¡°And I love you for that but sometimes you make me want to stab a fork through your hand¡± I snap and heughs yet again as he escorts me out of the restaurant and back into the car. The ride to Ivan¡¯s house is rather quick as he opens the door and helps me out while guiding me to the front door of his house. He opens the door and pulls me inside before pushing me up against the door without giving me time to protest. Before I know it, his lips are attacking my neck feverishly eliciting breathy moans from me. I stay pressed against his body, enjoying the feel of his hot tongue against my cool skin. ¡°I-Ivan, w-we need to s-stop¡± I stutter out, my voice giving away how much I was enjoying his close proximity. He slowly pulls away from my neck giving me only enough space to breathe. Gazing into his eyes erupted a feeling of desire that coursed through my veins. Without another word, I pull him down to me and capture his lips between my teeth eliciting a groan that made my want for him increase. He quickly picks me up and rushes us to his room where he gently throws me onto the bed. I have no time to respond before his body is on top of mine and our lips move in sync. He pulls away to lift his shirt off of his body before helping me out of my dress. Our lips are battling for dominance as the remains of our clothing are discarded. I didn¡¯t realize how much of a release I needed until Ivan gave it to me. He copses on top of me as we both struggle to catch our breaths. ¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get tired of making love to you mia cara¡± Ivan whispers as he gently strokes my hair. ¡°d to know we¡¯re on the same page then¡± I whisper flirtatiously as I trail my hand down his chest. I feel his sharp intake of breath before I¡¯m under him yet again. He gives me little time to adjust before his lips are against mine and we¡¯re at it once more. The entire room was filled with the sound of moans until we finally finished. We remained cuddled in each others arms, the both of us weing the sleepiness we felt before the sound of the door ringing disrupts our slumber. With a groan, I reluctantly pulled away from Ivan and grabbed the nearest clothing item which happened to be Ivan¡¯s dress shirt. Quickly pulling it on and buttoning it, I trudge to the door and fling it open with annoyance. I silently study the familiar male standing in front of me as I watch his eyes take in my disheveled appearance before a smug look crosses his face. ¡°You must be the woman who Mr. Stone was talking about¡± the man speaks and I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. ¡°And what exactly has he said Mr.-¡± I question not exactly knowing his name and watch as he attempts to look behind me. ¡°Please call me Ryan, is Mr. Stone home? He asked me to look into a specific matter for him and I need to speak to him¡± he asks,pletely dodging my previous question. ¡°Let me go grab him, you¡¯re wee to wait in the living room¡± I tell him, as I lead him through the house. I walk back down the hallway and enter our room to see Ivan staring up at the ceiling,pletely oblivious to my presence. I quietly creep up to him and jump on top of him causing him to jolt in shock. I giggle at his reaction and watch as his expression rxes at the sight of me. ¡°Some guy named Ryan is waiting for you in the living room, said it was important¡± I inform him and watch as his expression bes cold. He gets up immediately and gives me a kiss on the forehead before shrugging on some pants and walking out of the room. I wait a few seconds before quietly following him to the living room. I hide in the hallway and begin to listen in on their conversation.. ¡°She¡¯s quite the catch Mr. Stone, I can see why you fell in love with her¡± Ryan teases ¡°I¡¯m sure my rtionship with my girlfriend isn¡¯t why you came to visit¡± Ivan snaps coldly before the room is filled with silence. ¡°Right, um so I looked into Alejandro Castillo like you asked and found a few things you might find useful¡± he finally says before continuing ¡°So in the past few weeks Mr. Castillo has been meeting a mysterious woman who goes by the name of Maria Torres at a cafe just a couple minutes from his office. Nothing eventful urred untilst week where Alejandro is seen getting rather physical with the woman which ended in her storming out. I looked into Ms. Torres and found no records before March 16, 2012 which was a little strange. What I did manage to find was that she moved here from Miami and lives with a distant rtive. My only guess is that she¡¯s either a mistress of Mr. Castillo or that she¡¯s running away from something which would exin theck of existence before 2012.¡± He exins and the room is consumed by a rather tense silence. 45 ¡°Did you find any way for me to contact Ms. Torres¡± Ivan asks and all I can hear next is the shuffling of papers. ¡°I was able to find an address of a rtive she¡¯s been staying with for a few months now but that¡¯s all I could find¡± he responds and I decide to head back to the room. I jump onto the bed and pretend that I was scrolling through my phone the entire time. I think back to what Ryan told Ivan and realize that this Maria character showed up exactly a year after my mother¡¯s death and that these meetings started roughly around the same time as my first day at Stone Industries. I¡¯m taken out of my thoughts by a persistent shaking of my shoulder, which happened to be Ivan. ¡°Mia cara this is the second time you¡¯vepletely zoned out, is there something bothering you¡± he asks concerned and I gaze into his eyes before leaning up to give him a light kiss. Heys us down and I cuddle into his side whileing up with a good excuse. ¡°It¡¯s just I¡¯ve had a lot on my mind between my father, work and you but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine¡± I assure him and watch him look at me unconvinced. ¡°So what did Ryan need to tell you¡± I ask in attempt to change the subject. ¡°He was just informing me about this guy I¡¯ve been having him keep an eye on for a bit¡± he responds while ying with my hair. It kind of hurt knowing he was keeping secrets about my father from me but for now, I needed to focus on finding a way to get that address from Ivan without being caught. It¡¯s about time I paid Maria Torres a visit and found out the real reason as to why my father came back into my life. With that thought in mind I said a quick goodnight to Ivan and fell asleep in his warm embrace. Amelia¡¯s pov. The next morning, I made sure to wake up early enough that I could get out of the house before Ivan had woken up. I managed to find the piece of paper with Maria¡¯s address lying on the nightstand and took a picture before leaving. Because I didn¡¯t have my car with me, I was forced to call for a cab to drive me to the location. The entire ride there, all I could think about was how close I was to revealing the truth about my father. We arrived in a rather secluded area which did little to soothe my already frightened nerves. I quickly paid the driver and got out, slowly walking up the trail towards the front of the house. I took a deep breath before knocking and waiting patiently for a response. I decided to knock a second time making sure that it was a lot louder than thest. The door creaked loudly against my knuckles as it opened enough for me to look inside. Peeping my head through, I looked around to see a rather nice looking living room but what scared me was the fact that it looked like it hadn¡¯t been touched for days. I pushed the door open and stepped in, ncing around for any sign of movement before continuing to look around the house. I sighed in disappointment, turning around to head back to the living room but was startled when a hand sped my shoulder. Letting out a scream, I quickly rammed my elbow into the person¡¯s stomach, satisfied when they let out a groan. I turned around expecting to see the owner of the house but was shocked to be looking at Ivan. ¡°What on earth are you doing here¡± I whispered angrily, trying to catch my breath. ¡°I could ask you the same thing mia cara¡± he responded while rubbing where I elbowed him causing me to smirk. ¡°I came here to get answers for myself since the one person I trusted the most lied directly to my face when I asked about a subject that had to do with me¡± I snapped making it evident at how hurt I was that he lied to mest night. I watch his expression change to one of guilt as he attempted to grab my hand but I took a step back. ¡°Mia cara, I didn¡¯t want to tell you because I wasn¡¯t sure if what Ryan found was urate nor did I want you to be in danger because of it¡± he exined but I shook my head in disagreement. ¡°That wasn¡¯t your choice to make Ivan, you should have told me the minute you found anything useful about my father¡± I answered annoyed at hisck of trust in me. ¡°You¡¯re right and I¡¯m sorry but you knew everything that I knew about your father considering you were listening in on our conversationst night¡± he responded and I was slightly offended at his word choice. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have needed a reason to be nosy if you had been honest with me in the first ce¡± I shouted before turning around and walking out of the house. I could hear his heavy footsteps following me which made me quicken my pace. For the second time today, a hand sped around my shoulder and turned me around fast enough to give me whish, ¡°What do you want Ivan¡± I sighed dejectedly, crossing my arms over my chest forfort.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry with me mia cara, I did what I thought was necessary¡± he pleaded as his eyes searched mine for any signs of forgiveness. ¡°I¡¯m not angry with you, I¡¯m just disappointed that we¡¯d gotten this far in our rtionship yet you¡¯re still keeping secrets from me. Guess I didn¡¯t know you as much as I thought¡± I answered turning around once more but this time he didn¡¯t follow. I got outside and began walking, hoping that I¡¯d be able to clear my head before I got to any familiar surroundings. The neighborhood seemed eerily quiet for any city in New York but I continued walking nheless. It was when I spotted a man following me from across the street discreetly that I started freaking out and quickened my pace. Seeing as he did the same, I pulled out my phone and dialed Ivan¡¯s number praying that he¡¯d pick up. I had little time to tell him anything because the man had crossed the street and was now a few feet behind me. I began running while screaming frantically in hopes of drawing some attention to myself but of course with my luck, the town was vacant. Suddenly, I was tackled to the ground from behind and grit my teeth at the impact. The guy who tackled me was breathing heavily and yanked me up from the ground while looking me in the eyes. Before he had the chance to say anything, he was ripped off me in the blink of any eye. I watched breathless and surprised as Ivan threw punch after punch at the guys face until I snapped out of it. ¡°Ivan get off him or you¡¯ll kill him¡± I screamed and attempted to pull him off the man. He refused to listen and continued to beat the guy until his fists were covered in blood. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, you¡¯ll loose me forever¡± I pleaded and watched as his fist halted in mid air. I let out the breath I was holding and pulled Ivan off the man, this time without a problem. I examined his bloody knuckles and shook my head as I pulled out my phone to call an ambnce for the now unconscious man lying on the sidewalk. They arrived shortly after and immediately rushed him to the hospital after interrogating me on what had happened. I exined to them that he attempted to possibly kidnap me and that he was stopped by a stranger who heard my screams. I watched as the ambnce drove away with two police cars behind them. 46 ¡°Would you have killed him if I hadn¡¯t stopped you¡± I asked curiously and watched as he stood their staring at me intently. I took his silence as a yes and shook my head yet again in frustration. ¡°Did it cross your mind that if you had killed him, you would¡¯ve lost your position at Stone Industries and probably ended up in jail¡± I nagged hoping that he realized the extent of his actions. ¡°I¡¯d rather be locked up in a jail cell than have you kidnapped when I could¡¯ve done something to stop it¡± he finally responded, his voice conveying his apparent anger. I ran my fingers through my hair as I made another call for someone toe pick us up and we waited in silence for Ivan¡¯s driver to show up. The ride back to Ivan¡¯s house was rather quiet as we both sat in silence, too consumed by our racing thoughts. I followed behind him in silence as he opened the door to his house and we stepped inside. I kicked my shoes off and walked to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit and came back to the living room to see Ivan sitting there with his head between his hands. He looked up at the sound of my footsteps and I sat beside him signaling for him to show me his knuckles. We sat there in silence as I cleaned his knuckles and wrapped them in gauze before getting up to throw the scraps away. Without saying another word to him, I walked up the stairs and into his room to begin packing my things. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what I was doing but I did know that I couldn¡¯t stay in this house much longer. I sent a quick text to Connor and asked if he could pick me up and went back downstairs with my bags in hand. I noticed Ivan was in the same spot I left him in and set my bags down to get his attention. He looked up at me and I watched as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Where are you going¡± he asked and my heart clenched at what I was about to tell him. ¡°I need time away from you to process everything that¡¯s happened in the past week so I¡¯ve decided to go back to my apartment until I can make sense of everything¡± I whispered as tears welled up in my eyes. ¡°Amelia don¡¯t do this, we can figure this out together¡± he pleaded lookingpletely broken as he got up to hug me. I put my hands up in front of me so that he wouldn¡¯te closer, knowing that I would give in if he touched me. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t want to be with you, I just don¡¯t think I can trust you right now¡± I answered, turning around to leave. As I began to open the door, I turned around and took onest look at Ivan before grabbing my bags and leaving him there alone knowing that my decision had broken both of us entirely. I let out a sob as I ran to the car and got in without saying anything to Connor. ¡°Amelia what on earth happened to you¡± he asked, looking at me in concern. I shook my head in response and he pulled me to him and I cried into his shoulder feeling utterly destroyed. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s my boss, if that son of a bitch hurt you this much, I¡¯m gonna kick his ass¡± he muttered angrily and I cracked a smile at his protectiveness which made him smile as well. ¡°Can I ask what happened¡± he whispered while stroking my hair until my cries subdued to little whimpers. ¡°H-he kept-t a s-secret from me that had to do with my f-father and I-I told him I c-couldn¡¯t be with someone w-who didn¡¯t trust m-me¡± I stuttered as I began to sob once more. He shushed me and continued tofort me until I stopped crying. ¡°What do you say we go to my ce, order enough food for six pregnant woman and have a movie night¡± he asked and I nodded. He began driving to his house and told me random stories about his childhood in attempt to get my mind off of Ivan. ¡°This one time, I was so hungover that when one of my teachers began yelling at our ss, I told her that her voice made me want to shove a sword through my ears and walked out of the room¡± he exined and I giggled at his stupidity. ¡°If I were, your teacher, I would¡¯ve given you detention that same day just so that I could bang pots and pans to make your hangover even worse¡± I teased and he chuckled in response. ¡°Something tells me you¡¯d be an awful teacher¡± he teased back and I punched his arm in response. ¡°Has no one ever taught you to never hit a person while they¡¯re driving¡± he exims in surprise and I smile sheepishly. ¡°Whoops, sorry¡± I apologize stillughing as he pulled into his driveway. He takes the keys out of the ignition while shaking his head and muttering about how crazy I was. He walked us to his apartment and knocked the door which made me furrow my eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Did you forget that you lived alone¡± I asked and all of a sudden the door flies open to reveal none other than my best friend Sierra. ¡°Babe why didn¡¯t you tell me Amelia wasing over¡± she shrieks while pulling me into a bone crushing hug. I hugged her back in excitement at seeing her for the first time in weeks. ¡°It was kind ofst minute¡± Connor replied while shutting the door and kicking his shoes off. It was then that I realized Sierra called Connor her baby causing me to squeal in happiness.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°When were either of you going to tell me that you guys are together¡± I eximed pping both of them upside the head. ¡°We would¡¯ve if you hadn¡¯t been so engrossed in your billionaire boyfriend¡± Sierra responded while rubbing the side of her head. The smile quickly left my face at the mention of Ivan which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Sierra. ¡°What did that dickhead do to you¡± she asked immediately and I exined what had been going on between us for the past week. ¡°He had no right to keep a secret like that from you but Amelia did you stop to ask him why he did what he did¡± she asked and I shook my head in response. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the right mindset to listen to anything he had to say so I packed my bags and left¡± I exined and this time, Sierra smacked me across the head. ¡°What the hell¡± I eximed as Connorughed in the corner causing me to shoot him a re. ¡°I know what he did was wrong but maybe he had a reasonable exnation¡± she reasoned and I sighed in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll give him a call tomorrow but for now, let¡¯s just spend the night together¡± I exined and they both nodded in agreement. Sierra lent me some clothes to change into while Connor ordered the food and set up the living room. The entire day was spent cracking jokes and eating which reminded me on how much I missed spending time with my friends. I cherished this time together because I knew that it wouldn¡¯t be much longer until trouble came knocking on my doorstep. Ivan¡¯s pov. The minute she walked out of my house, I dropped to my knees and cursed myself for what I just did. I was so consumed in my thoughts of protecting Amelia from her father that I didn¡¯t realize that I was the one pushing her towards him. I will never forgive myself for making her cry much less making her feel as though I didn¡¯t trust her. I got off the floor and dragged myself to the bar, pouring myself a ss of scotch. I spent the night trying to drown out the events that urred and the pain of loosing the one person who meant the world to me. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to let Alejandroe in between the two of us but by the looks of it, it appeared he already was. Amelia pov. Connor and Sierra were cuddled together on one of the sofas while I was spread out like a sloth on the other. I was currently wallowing in self pity as we waiting for the pizza to arrive. Sierra was currently giving me ideas on how to get back at Ivan, each of her suggestions being dumber than thest. 47 ¡°Why don¡¯t you lock him in his office, break into his house and poke holes into all of his condoms¡± she suggested while shoving popcorn in her face. ¡°There are several things wrong with that idea Sierra, the main one being if I poked a hole into ALL of his condoms and we ever got back together, I¡¯ll be the one with bread in my oven¡± I nagged as she huffed in response. This conversation had been going on for ten minutes and Connor looked like a chipmunk on crack because he wasughing so hard. ¡°I got it, wait on top of the roof of Stone Industries until he leaves work and pelt him with water balloons filled with a mysterious substance, extra points if you managed to hit his car as well¡± she exined excitedly. ¡°How old are you¡± I questioned at her stupid idea of getting revenge on Ivan. ¡°Currently 24, why do you ask¡± she responds and I groan into the pillow I was lying on. ¡°Connor do you have any brilliant ideas that don¡¯t involve me getting pregnant, arrested or fired¡± I ask hopeful that he had a better idea. ¡°Well, you could always try and make him jealous with someone else¡± he replies after recovering from hisughing fit. ¡°Except whoever I flirt with will end up going missing if he finds out¡± I counter. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pretend to flirt with me, I¡¯m pretty sure Mr. Stone already hates me and he can¡¯t do me harm without getting hell from you so it¡¯s perfect¡± he exined and I lifted my head to look at Sierra for approval. ¡°Mimi, so long as you don¡¯t end up dry humping my man at work, I¡¯m cool¡± she jokes and I giggle in response. Our conversation is cut off by the doorbell signaling the arrival of our several boxes of pizza. After several minutes of arguing in front of the delivery guy for who was paying, Sierra somehow managed to hand him the cash before Connor and I. We immediately dug into the greasy goodness, having no regrets about eating our weight away in junk food. The rest of the night was spent over food, pointless bickering and watching enough tv tost us a lifetime. For the first time in awhile, my happiness wasn¡¯t because of a man and was solely brought out by spending time with my friends whom I considered family. A few days has passed since the fall out between Ivan and I, since then work has been extremely awkward. Ivan has attempted to talk to me several times, but each time I ignored him which led to him walking away frustrated. Connor and Sierra made sure that I never felt alone, whether they took me out for lunch, slept over or even given me a simple hug. I¡¯ve had several sleepless nights which was a direct result of overthinking the situation with Ivan and my father¡¯s intentions on returning to my life. Seeing Ivan everyday and not interacting with him has taken a great amount of my happiness away but I knew that I needed to distance myself from him. I also noticed the evident bags under his eyes and the fact that he yelled at everyone that wasn¡¯t me. ¡°Amelia¡± Connor shouted, snapping me out of my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve been saying your name for a few minutes without a response¡± he eximed and I looked at him apologetically. ¡°Sorry, I was thinking about my dad¡± I exined, rubbing my face in frustration. I haven¡¯t gotten any calls or appearances from him and it¡¯s been driving me insane. ¡°If you really need answers, why don¡¯t you go to his office and ask him yourself¡± he asked while munching on his sandwich. ¡°I guess I could do that but I don¡¯t exactly know where his office is. Every time I met up with him, it was at a cafe.¡± I answered dejectedly. ¡°Lucky for you, theirs a devilishly handsome man who¡¯d do anything to get in your good books again¡± he replied hinting at Ivan. ¡°Connor, I haven¡¯t said a word to him in almost a week, I don¡¯t know what to say¡± I exined nervously chewing on my bottom lip. ¡°I know, how about: Mr. Stone, can you give me the address to my father¡¯spany?¡± he joked causing me to punch his arm. ¡°Alright smartass¡± I sassed, getting up and tossing my half eaten sandwich in the trash. I quickly said goodbye to Connor and made my way to the elevators. The closer I got to his office, the more nervous I got. I took a deep breath before walking in and towards my desk. Ivan was in the same ce I left him, typing violently on hisptop. I sat at my desk and began working through the list of things he wanted me to do before I left. Thinking about what Connor said, I turned my chair to face Ivan and cleared my throat to get his attention. He immediately turned his focus from hisptop to me and gave me an intense gaze that reflected his curiosity and surprise. ¡°Um, I was wondering if you had the address to Alejandro¡¯s office by any chance¡± I nervously asked referring to my dad by his first name. He stared at me silently contemting my question and the silence didn¡¯t help to ease my nerves. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if visiting him is a very good idea¡± he finally admitted and I rolled my eyes in response. ¡°I just need his address if you have it, your opinion about whether or not I should visit him isn¡¯t going to change my decision¡± I snapped making it obvious I was still upset with him. I watched as he angrily mmed a notepad in front of him as he furiously wrote the address. Ripping the sheet out, he motioned for me toe and grab it which I happily obliged. As I neared his desk and attempted to grab the address, he pulled it towards him. ¡°Amelia please let mee with you, I know you¡¯re angry with me but I wouldn¡¯t forgive myself if something happened to you.¡± He pleaded ¡°My father¡¯s not gonna hurt me if that¡¯s what you want to hear¡± I assured ¡°You don¡¯t know him like I do, he¡¯s a lot more dangerous than he lets on¡± he argued and I huffed while nodding ¡°Fine but this doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re forgiven¡± I reply pointedly and he shes me a grin while nodding. ¡°Do you want to head out now¡± he asks and I turn towards the stacks of papersying on my desk before turning back around. ¡°I haven¡¯t evenpleted half of the documents on my desk¡± I reply ¡°Mia cara, I think you¡¯re forgetting who your boss is¡± he cockily reminds me and I roll my eyes yet again. ¡°d to know that nickname is still being used¡± I joke while we walk out of the office. ¡°Always and forever¡± he replies but that promise seemed to have an underlying meaning behind it. When we got down to the lobby, I saw Connor who sent me a knowing wink causing me to send him a wink as well, remembering the n he and I discussed. ¡°Did Connor just wink at you¡± Ivan angrily asked causing me to chuckle. ¡°He¡¯s being an idiot as per usual¡± I joked as his driver opened the door for us. I stepped in and slid all the way to the other door, resting my head against the cool ss. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to be so far away, I don¡¯t bite¡± Ivan said as he got into the car and shut the door.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I do when you seem to never be able to keep your hands to yourself whenever we¡¯re together¡± I sass and shake my head as his melodicughter reaches my ears. ¡°I can¡¯t help the fact that I feel better when I¡¯m touching you¡± he whispers huskily into my ear eliciting a shiver through my body. ¡°Keep your distance Stone¡± I warn, thankful my voice didn¡¯t give away my current desire to be near him. With onest chuckle, Ivan went back to his side of the car and remained silent until the car ride was over. The limo came to a steady stop before the driver notified us that we made it to our destination. Getting out, I took a deep breath before following Ivan into my father¡¯s building. The establishment was huge, almost asrge as Stone Industries and I was impressed at how sessful my father was at running this business considering the circumstances with his family. ¡°Woah¡± I muttered in astonishment as I gazed around the lobby. ¡°I may not have the best rtions with your father but I can say that he¡¯s done remarkable thing with thispany¡± Ivan spoke as he led me to the receptionist who was too busy typing adamantly on herputer to notice our presence. Ivan cleared his throat, effectively catching her attention and I noticed how she leaned forward and batted her eyshes flirtatiously. I resisted the urge of reaching over the desk and ripping her hair out, my sour expression not going unnoticed by Ivan. 48 ¡°I need to make an emergency meeting with Mr. Castillo¡± he gruntedpletely ignoring her not so discreet attempts at flirting. ¡°Um, Mr. Castillo doesn¡¯t allow walk-in appointments¡± she informed us causing the minimal amount of patience I had to go out the window. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Mr. Castillo and inform him that his daughter would like to meet him and doesn¡¯t have the patience to wait any longer¡± I snapped and watched as her mouth fell open at the knowledge of me being her boss¡¯ daughter. I could see Ivan suppressing a smirk from the corner of my eye and rolled my eyes at his apparent amusement about what was going on. She immediately dialed a phone number and began talking to what I assumed was my father about this unexpected meeting. Momentster of waiting, she turned her attention back to us with a clearly fake smile and began instructing us of where to go. ¡°Mr. Castillo¡¯s office is on the top floor, second door from your right¡± she informed us and I politely thanked her before walking towards the elevator with Ivan hot on my trail. ¡°Sometimes I forget how sexy you are when you¡¯re jealous¡± Ivan teased as we stepped into the elevator. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself, I was merely tired of waiting around for my father to summon us¡± I retorted but from his expression, I knew he didn¡¯t believe what I was saying. It took a couple minutes for the elevator to reach the top floor and for every floor we ascended, my heart beat slightly faster. When we got off, we were met with a simr floor n as the first floor except their was only two other rooms other than my dad¡¯s office. Another employee approached us but this time, it was a male who looked to be roughly 26 with bright blue eyes and beach blonde hair. ¡°Ms. Castillo, your father is awaits you but your friend must stay out here¡± the man exins and I bite my tongue from correcting him on what myst name was. ¡°I will being in with her whether he likes it or not¡± Ivan snapped coldly and I reached over to grip his hand in reassurance. Thanking the man with a smile, I turned towards Ivan and locked eyes with him before speaking. ¡°Ivan, this is between my father and I, but if I need you to punch someone, I¡¯ll call¡± I reassured him, only slightly joking at the end. He sighed deeply before nodding and giving my hand a final squeeze before letting me go. My nerves finally came to the surface as I turned the knob of the door and stepped in before closing it behind me and taking a look at who was in the room. My heart stopped as I stared deeply into the eyes I though I¡¯d never see again, my mind notprehending who was in front of me. ¡°M-mom¡± I whisperpletely confused as to what was going on. Amelia¡¯s pov.N?velDrama.Org owns this. I stumbled back until my back was pushed up against the wall. Without realizing it, I began having a panic attack as I tried toprehend what was going on. The woman who imed to be my mother rushed towards me and copsed beside me as I tried to scoot as far away from her as possible. I looked up in time to see Ivan rush into the room with my father behind him. I threw my arms around him when he was close enough and he began to sooth my shaking form as I sobbed and screamed into his chest until my sobs were mere sniffles. After I was calm enough to breathe, I turned towards my father and the woman both staring at me with evident concern in their eyes. ¡°How¡± I whispered holding back another round of tears. ¡°Honey, it¡¯s aplicated story but I want you to know our intentions were never to hurt you¡± the woman responded and I closed my eyes at the sound of the voice I dreamt of hearing onest time before she left me. ¡°You left me thinking that I had lost the one person I felt I could depend on with everything. You left a seventeen year old girl thinking she lost her mother and I had to face the world on my own. You made me believe that there was something wrong with me since everyone I loved either left me or betrayed me. Do you know the pain I dealt with thinking that my own mother killed herself because of the pain my father caused her and now to find out it was all fake¡± I screamed out the pain I felt all those years. ¡°Amelia, let your mother exin why she did what she did before you go jumping to conclusion¡± my father butts in causing Ivan to huff behind me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mr. Stone, was there something you needed to say¡± my father asks straightening up as all the attention is now turned to Ivan. ¡°You have absolutely no right to demand she listen to you guys after what you just threw on her. She lived over 5 years thinking her mothermitted suicide and her father chose his business over her only to find out that her mother is actually alive and was living with her father the entire time¡± he replied with a voice conveying so much anger and hatred for the two people in front of us. ¡°Excuse me sir but I don¡¯t think my decisions for my family have anything to do with the likes of you¡± my mother butted in making him chuckle coldly. ¡°It is very much my business when it is affecting the woman I love¡± he bit back causing her to gasp at his deration. ¡°Absolutely not, no way in hell will my daughter be with a man so monstrous and evil. I will not allow it¡± she snapped angrily causing me to click my teeth in annoyance. ¡°You lost every right to dictate who I¡¯m with the minute you decided to fake your death and get back together with the very man who drove you to that point. In my eyes, you two are the real monsters, not him¡± I defended Ivan looking up at him to see him smiling back at me with pride. ¡°Now you listen here you ungrateful little girl-¡± my father began before I cut him off while getting up to face them. ¡°No father you listen, for whatever reason you two decided to leave me, I don¡¯t want to know. I only ask that you remain as though today never happened, scratch that pretend that I never happened and continue to live your lives. You¡¯ve caused me enough pain as it is and you owe it to me to stay out of my life, for good this time¡± I concluded taking in their panicked expression at my parting wish. ¡°Amelia, we¡¯re you¡¯re parents¡± my mom reminded me as she struggled to keep from bursting into tears. ¡°Were my parents, but to the world, I¡¯m an orphan¡± I replied distantly which effectively broke the dam and I watched as my mom cried into my fathers arms as he red at me with hatred. Thinking I¡¯ve said enough, I make my way to the door with Ivan before my father¡¯s voice brings us to a halt. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of nonsense this pathetic excuse of a man fed you, but I promise you Amelia you will reunite with your family one way or another and when you do, I will tear Ivan Stones to shreds¡± he barks, the Spanish ent very evident in his angered promise. ¡°I look forward to the day you attempt to break us apart and trust me when I say you will be the one torn to shreds bastardo¡± Ivan promises in an even deadlier voice watching the slight fear in my father¡¯s eyes. Ivan escorted me out of the room as I tried my hardest not to sob in such a public ce. When we got into the elevator, Ivan studied my expression seeming ready to embrace my body if I were to burst into tears. ¡°Mia cara, are you alright¡± he asked concerned etched onto his face as he awaited my answer. ¡°I haven¡¯t punched anyone yet nor have I screamed like a crazy person so I think I¡¯ll manage¡± I replied cracking a smile only to receive a serious expression causing me to run my fingers through my hair in frustrations. ¡°Do you expect me to be? I mean, how does one react to finding out that her mother faked her own death and has been with the man who abandoned our family when I was a child¡± I exined surprised at how calm I was after the initial shock had passed. We walked out of the elevator once it reached the first floor and out of the building as we began walking down the sidewalk absentmindedly. ¡°I want you to know,¡± he starts stopping us in the middle of the sidewalk before continuing ¡°that I¡¯m here for you no matter whether or not you want me to be. We¡¯re gonna get through this together because of how incredible strong you are and I have faith that once the smoke clears, you¡¯ll rise from the ashes even stronger than before¡± he deres, pulling me into aforting embrace that allows me to relish in the warmth and stability Ivan brought me. Pulling away slightly, I look up at him with such admiration and relief before leaning up, only stopping inches before his lips. ¡°I love you¡± I whisper before pushing my lips onto his into a soft and slow kiss that reminded me of how much I missed his lips. ¡°I will always love you Amelia¡± Ivan whispers back before grasping my face as we continued to kiss in the middle of sidewalk,pletely lost in one another. 49 Amelia¡¯s pov. The rest of the day was spent with Ivan trying his very best to keep my mind off of my quite dysfunctional family. Currently, we were walking down the busy streets of New York as I munched silently on a pretzel Ivan had bought me at a random stand. Although I appreciated his efforts, I couldn¡¯t escape the curiosity and hurt I felt with how quickly my life had fallen apart. First with Ivan then my family, I felt as if the world was punishing me for some horrendous sin I hadmitted unknowingly. Even though Ivan and I weren¡¯t together currently, I relished in the fact that he was there for me when all I wanted to do was wallow away in self pity. ¡°Are you listening to me Amelia?¡± Ivan questioned as we strolled down a random park that we had stumbled upon as we were talking. ¡°Of course I was¡± I replied pretending to have been listening intently to whatever he was talking about. ¡°So you agree that we should push aside our problems and elope to some random country¡± Ivan asked with such seriousness that I was confused on whether he was joking or not. ¡°Um, I guess that¡¯s one way to deal with our problems¡± I shrugged truly hoping that he was joking even though running away from my problems didn¡¯t seem all that bad at the moment. Secondster Ivan lets out a throatyugh that made my insides flutter in happiness but my cheeks heat up with embarrassment at my stupid remark. ¡°You have yet to fail me with your randomness mia cara¡± Ivan says causing my cheeks to heat up even further which I tried to hide behind my pretzel. For a second I was able to let go of my baggage and just feel content being in the presence of the one person who meant the world to me. All to soon it began to get dark which meant our day wasing to an end. In a way I was relieved because of the amount of tears I cried and all the new problems that arose all from visiting my father. ¡°Do you want me to drop you off at your house or do you wanna sleep over at mine?¡± Ivan asked, his expression showing his hopefulness that I would sleep over. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to cope if I were alone tonight¡± I answered truthfully knowing I would remain restless unless my mind was preupied. His lips turned upward in a grin at my answer which made me smile shyly in return. ¡°Give me a second to call my chauffeur mia cara¡± he exined giving me a kiss on the forehead before walking further up the block for privacy. As I waited, I took in my surroundings when all of a sudden a hooded figure bumped into me, sending me tumbling back. He reached out and steadied me before leaning in towards my ear and whispering something that made my heart quicken. ¡°You¡¯re father will be expecting you to meet him at his office tomorrow morning alone, unless you¡¯d like for their to be consequences.¡± His baritone voice carried through the wind as he spoke. The whole exchange happened so quickly I was sure Ivan hadn¡¯t noticed. Before I could respond, the figure was already walking down the block into the dark night. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should tell Ivan what had happened because I didn¡¯t want to burden him with even more of my problems. On top of this, I didn¡¯t think my father would harm me so long as I followed his directions.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°The car will be around in a couple minutes¡± Ivan informed me and I nodded still shaken from the encounter. Ivan looks at me curiously and I shrug it off and tell him it was fine. The car ride to Ivan house was eerily quiet, both of us having too much on our minds to converse. I hadn¡¯t noticed we had arrived to Ivan¡¯s house until he shook me from my thoughts. Jolting in surprise, I followed Ivan out of his car and towards his house. When we entered, I quietly took off my shoes and plopped face down onto the couch. I know it might¡¯ve seemed childish but I screamed into the pillow like they did in the movies and found it relieved some anxiety. Finally sitting up, I turned to Ivan and noticed a slightly amused expression as he took in what I had just done. ¡°Mind exining what that was¡± he asked taking a seat beside me. I took this as a chance to ce my legs across hisp which he weed by rubbing them. ¡°I never understood why characters in the movies screamed into pillows until now. Turns out, screaming at the top of your lungs really eases your emotions¡± I exined as I enjoyed hispany. ¡°Well its also a great way to get people to assume you¡¯re insane¡± he joked and I rolled my eyes. ¡°I prefer the term mentally creative¡± I admitted causing Ivan to burst into fits ofughter. I joined him momentster and weughed andughed until our stomachs ached. I knew for a fact that I looked like a total mess, but in that moment it didn¡¯t matter. We sobered up a few momentster and just stared at each other no doubt both of us looking crazy. Ivan continued to stare at me and I subconsciously fixed my appearance suddenly feeling insecure. He grabbed my hands and pulled me closer to him before giving me a quick peck. ¡°It amazes me how even though your whole life is falling apart, you still manage to remain optimistic, it¡¯s probably my favorite quality about you other than your obvious beauty¡± Ivan admitted seriously which resulted in my heart swelling in appreciation. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him into me, needing the reassurance I got from being in his embrace. Our lips fought passionately as we stripped each other bare, relishing the feeling we gave each other. Ivan pulled away momentarily to pull out protection from his pants pocket causing me to giggle cheekily. He captured my lips into his once more and kissed me as if I¡¯d disappear any minute. Once we finished, weid beside each other, attempting to catch our breathes as we reyed our intimate encounter. All too soon, my stomach growled embarrassingly loud as I remembered I hadn¡¯t eaten much today because of all the drama. I felt Ivan¡¯s chest rumble as I tried to hide my intense blush into his chest. ¡°We better get you some food before the monster inside here eats you whole¡± Ivan teased getting up to grab his pants that ended up on the coffee table. Ignoring hisment, I remained in the same position, admiring Ivan¡¯s back muscles as he walked to the kitchen. Somehow I ended up dozing off on the couch while Ivan was cooking and woke up to the entire house smelling like heaven. Sitting up abruptly, I grabbed the nearest article of clothing which happened to be Ivan¡¯s button up and shrugged it on, clumsily buttoning the shirt. I followed the scent of food and took a seat at the ind as I impatiently waited for the food. Momentster, a te of hot stir fry was ced in front of me and without a second thought I dug in. I don¡¯t know if it was because of how hungry I was or how great of a cook Ivan was, but I found myself moaning in satisfaction. I looked up to see Ivan watching me weirdly as his te remained in front of him untouched. ¡°You know, sometimes I wonder if you¡¯re only with me for my cooking¡± Ivan questioned, finally taking a bite out of his food. ¡°You¡¯re not as dense as they say you are, although it did take you a second to figure that out¡± I responded, focusing my attention back to him now that my hunger has diminished. ¡°You should really hire a chef since you love food so much¡± he further teased. ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re not my chef¡± I faked astonishment. ¡°I mean, how many chefs make love to you before cooking you a meal¡± he yed along although there was some seriousness in his eyes. 50 ¡°There was this one chef I had named Chad who really knew how to please a girl, too bad he moved to Ohio before the real fun could begin¡± I responded apuding myself at my sudden boldness. ¡°I need Chad¡¯s address so that I can remind him that you¡¯re mine¡± Ivan snapped ¡°Actually, I¡¯m mine¡± I replied gleefully. ¡°Amelia¡± Ivan warned making me giggle at his sudden mood change. ¡°Has anyone ever told you your moods change faster than a pregnant woman¡± I asked him still wanting to push his buttons further. In the blink of an eye, I was caged between the counter and Ivan as he gripped my hips tightly. ¡°Easy there tiger¡± I giggled enjoying his possessiveness over me. He groaned loudly and I finally decided to drop the teasing. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the death of me mia cara¡± Ivan muttered swaying us back and forth. ¡°But you love me right?¡± I pouted wanting to hear him tell say it. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss which wiped the pout off my face. ¡°That I do¡± he responded sincerely which stered a huge smile on my face. After a bit of bickering and a lot of kissing, we finally decided to call it a night. As we snuggled closer to one another, I remembered the encounter I had with the mystery man on the street. Even though, arge part of me wanted to never speak to my parents again, there was still the small piece that just wanted to be reunited with both her parents. With that thought in mind, I dozed off content and at peace, despite the significant amount of drama that was introduced to my life, Amelia¡¯s pov. Thanking the cab driver I stepped out only to be greeted by my fathers building. Coming here alone probably wasn¡¯t the smartest thing in the world but I didn¡¯t feel like dragging Ivan through my problems once more, though his presence would do wonders with calming my nerves. I left Ivan a note but silently prayed I was back before he had awoken or else I would never hear the end of it. Taking a deep breath, I marched into the building with my head held high andpletely disregarded the receptionist as I strolled through the lobby and straight to the elevators. I was thankful I was alone in the elevator to get my nerves in check but of course with my luck someone stopped the elevator from closing and stepped in beside me. Ignoring the stranger, I took the time to rehearse what I was going to say to my father once I saw him. ¡°I knew you¡¯d make the right decision love¡± the stranger said startling me from his baritone voice. Confused, I took a moment to survey this guy¡¯s appearance not recognizing his face but the voice sounded familiar. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do I know you¡± I asked eager to find out the identity of the mystery man. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t expect you to know who I am but I was almost certain my voice would give it away¡± he chirped with a slight grin. I took a moment to rack my brain on how I knew this guy when suddenly it clicked. I immediately threw a punch to the mystery man¡¯s arm aiming to wound him but his expression said otherwise. ¡°You¡¯re the asshole who snuck up on me to say and I quote ¡®¡±You¡¯re father will be expecting you to meet him at his office tomorrow morning alone, unless you¡¯d like for their to be consequences''¡± I mocked in my terrible attempt at a British ent which I didn¡¯t realize he had until now. The guy bursted into fits ofughter clearly amused at my horrible ent. ¡°Well, I never knew I sounded that awful to you Americans¡± he spoke sobering up fromughing. ¡°You don¡¯t sound bad it¡¯s just I¡¯m not the greatest with ents¡± I stated, my cheeks tinted red from blushing. ¡°I do however want to apologize for scaring you yesterday, your father asked me to give you the message but I felt the hoody and scary voice was very necessary in building up tension¡± he ranted causing me to giggle at his thought process. ¡°It worked¡­¡± ¡°Philip Wagner at your service mdy¡± he introduced himself dramatically. ¡°Well Mr. Wagner, although you are quite the interesting fellow, I must be getting to the meeting with my father or I hear their will be consequences¡± I say quoting his words from yesterday as I step out of the elevator. ¡°Well Amelia, I do hope to see you around¡± he says with a smile and wink. Smiling back, I nod before walking towards my father¡¯s office the nerves returning once more. Knocking softly, I slowly open the door and take in the appearance of my father. His dark hair having sprinkles of grey hairs and his eyes a pool of brown which was a contrast from the green eyes I got from my mother. ¡°Hello, father¡± I greeted making sure my voice was void of all emotions. I could tell by his facial expression that myck of emotion didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°Please sit¡± he ordered as I carelessly through myself into one of the main chairs in his office. His office was no joke and if I were anyone, it would¡¯ve impressed me greatly.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°You called me down here to exin yourself so go ahead¡± I snapped angered at his silence. His eyes zed in anger at my rude tone but he began to speak anyway. ¡°As you know, I left you and your mother to further pave this business into what it is today. At the time of when your mother gave birth to you, we were very far from financially stable and I couldn¡¯t look your mother in the eye without being disappointed at myself for not supporting my family. Please know that my decision to leave was never because I wasn¡¯t happy with you guys but because I wanted you to have a business to takeover when you came of age and for me to be able to support my family in all ways possible.¡± He exined as I watched his nerves begin to arise. ¡°Did mom know about this and are you guys together?¡± I asked still confused as to why she faked her death. ¡°Not until a few years ago, if I had told her why I left then she would try to stop me and I couldn¡¯t have that. As for our marriage, we tried to make it work on multiple asions but I guess the time apart really broke our rtionship¡± he exined. ¡°Why are you just now reaching out to me and if mom knew before she faked her own death then why did she?¡± I bombarded him with questions still trying toprehend what he was saying. ¡°I kept track of you all these years but I felt as though had a reached out when you were younger, you¡¯d be thinking like a teenager and not an adult. As for why your mother did what she did, I assume is because the way she chose to financially support you was high-risk¡± he spoke being very scarce with the details. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she here¡± I asked wanting to hear her side of what he said. ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t want to see you knowing who you were associating herself with¡± ¡°Why should she have a say on who I interact with considering she herself clearly didn¡¯t have a good judge of character¡± I snapped as I watched how my words effected my father. The sh of hurt in his eyes made me regret my words for a second but that went away when I thought about all the pain he caused me. ¡°Amelia, you¡¯re a grown woman and you need to understand that the man that you¡¯re with doesn¡¯te from a good family line¡± he tried to reason but I couldn¡¯t ept the nonsense he was spewing. ¡°Clearly it¡¯s better than my family line and if we don¡¯t have anything to discuss, I will be taking my leave¡± I bit back making a move to get up. ¡°Listen to me you ungrateful child, you will listen to what your mother and I say or I swear you¡¯ll be dead to us¡± he threatened as he stood up and marched towards me. ¡°Quite the temper I see, father¡± I taunted my voice colder than I was expecting. I watched as his face began to redden and if he were a cartoon character, he¡¯d have already exploded from the amount of rage he was disying. ¡°Get out of my office¡± he shouted just inches away from my face. 51 ¡°dly¡± I replied, spinning around and rushing out of the office. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking when I thoughting here was a good idea. The elevator ride down to the lobby remained silent as I tried to keep myselfposed and not seconds away from ripping someone¡¯s head off.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Getting off, I walked with my head down and shoulders slumped not watching where my feet were guiding me when all of a sudden, I rammed into something. I waited for the pain to hit me as I fell on the floor but thankfully the thing I ran into had arms that steadied me. ¡°Mia cara, you should really watch where you¡¯re walking¡± a deep voice teased with a slight hint of anger. ¡°I have a perfectly logical exnation as to why I¡¯m here right now¡± I quickly spit out trying to save myself. ¡°And what night this exnation be¡± he asked, his eyes not giving away what was going on in his head. I began walking knowing fully well that my exnation would be best given privately in case things got too out of hand. ¡°Wonderful weather we¡¯re having¡± I pathetically spit out trying to ease his anger and change the subject. ¡°Amelia if you think the weather is going to save you, you are mistaken¡± he replied as he ushered me into his already waiting limo. Once inside, I took a moment to gather the key points I wanted to get across in this imaginary exnation that would hopefully work. Taking a breath, I turned my body towards Ivan and watched as his bodynguage conveyed his impatience. ¡°Before you yell at me foring down here after the events that unfolded yesterday, I¡¯d like to remind you that he is my father and no matter how much of me hates him for leaving me, I small part of me wanted to hear her father out. Obviously I should have told you but I felt like I already burdened you enough with my family drama and I wanted to do this on my own¡± I exined, hoping my answer was enough of an exnation. ¡°Amelia, I don¡¯t know how many times I have to tell you that I love you and I want to share you problems with you. Never for a second believe that you¡¯re a burden or some charity case¡± he responded, his voice getting slightly louder towards the end. ¡°Noted¡± I simply replied. ¡°I was hoping for a little more than a one worded response¡± he responded. ¡°Aww is the widdle chunky monkey not pleased with my widdle answer¡± I mocked in a baby voice trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Don¡¯t mock me¡± he growled causing me tough at his child-like behavior. A question popped into my head moments after. ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be at my dad¡¯s building when all the note said was that I¡¯d be out¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I saw the weird exchange you had with that stranger yesterday? I¡¯m slightly disappointed that you chose toe here without my knowing.¡±he heatedly remarked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t personal, I just needed to do this on my own¡± I whispered ¡°It wasn¡¯t personal?! Do you even hear yourself right now? It was only yesterday we left this ce with you a sobbing mess and not even 24 hourster you came back to speak to the very man who walked out on you when you were a kid. How can you even bring yourself to do this alone when you know how much pain they¡¯ve caused you¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m a grown woman and I can¡¯t expect to constantly have to trouble you with my issues. I didn¡¯t tell you because I knew how you¡¯d react and I honestly didn¡¯t feel like dragging you with me yet again to listen to some half assed excuse as to why my so called father walked out of my life but rest assured, I don¡¯t intend toe back here now can we please talk about something else¡± I muttered thest of it in frustration. ¡°Mia cara, I¡¯m sorry you didn¡¯t get the oue you were hoping for with you parents.¡± He apologized sliding closer to pull me into his chest. Sighing heavily, I took a long whiff of his intoxicating scent allowing it to hang over me like a warm nket, grateful that he dropped the subject. ¡°I¡¯m in love with your scent¡± He let out a chuckle. ¡°Such an originalpliment.¡±Jerking away, I shot him an annoyed re at his apparent amusement. ¡°You¡¯re suppose to say you love my scent as well¡± ¡°I love the smell of you so much that I often find myself daydreaming about the next time I get to have a whiff¡± ¡°Asshole¡± I muttered as I watched him attempt to hold in hisughter before he let it out. I continued to be annoyed as he keptughing but eventually I couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re the only person who can make meugh this much? I should thank you for making me feel youthful¡± he said, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve fulfilled my one true goal in life then¡± We pulled into the parking lot of Ivan¡¯s building just in time for a meeting he had with an interior designer for a new project Ivan was working on. Because he had a lot of other tasks to get done, he wanted me to go in his ce. We stepped into his office to prep before the meeting and smooth out any final details. ¡°After the meeting, I¡¯ll need you to book us a flight to Madrid for Friday¡± he instructed and I nodded before realizing what he said. ¡°Why do we need to go to Spain?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an important charity event being held by a family friend and I promised him I¡¯d go because my parents won¡¯t be able to attend in my ce. I was hoping you¡¯d be my date¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to go to Spain, it¡¯s been on my bucket list since I was like sixteen along with a handful of other ces.¡± I rambled my excitement getting the better of me. ¡°I¡¯ll happily apany you on this trip around the world once my schedule clears up¡± he promised. My heart almost burst from the amount of love I felt at his proposal of traveling the world. He literally was too good to be that sometimes I question how I got so lucky. ¡°You should get going, the meeting will start in a half hour and I know you¡¯ll want some time to prepare yourself.¡± He reminded me making my nerves rush back to me in an instant. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that me going to a meeting in your ce for a project you¡¯ve invested in is a good idea¡± I mumbled nervously. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s a good opportunity for you to catch a glimpse of what it¡¯s like being apart of a meeting where you have to voice your own thoughts and there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that you¡¯ll impress her.¡± ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t like how I present the information or what if I do something stupid or what if-¡± My rambling is cut off by his mouth attacking mine as I melted into his embrace. Kissing him made me forget about what I was worrying about as I kissed him back with just as much intensity. ¡°You talk to much¡± he said against my lips as his hand wandered down to the end of my dress but before he could get any further I pushed him away. ¡°I don¡¯t think me beingte to my first meeting alone is a good n.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you at least fix this for me before you go¡± he whined pointing down at his private area which was pushing its way through his pants. ¡°That should help¡± I replied throwing him the lotion bottle that was lying on his coffee table. ¡°Amelia have mercy¡± he groaned as he caught the lotion bottle. Giggling I grabbed my things before rushing out of his office before I changed my mind on helping him with his issue. Making my way to the conference room, I was slightly surprised when I saw a woman already seated. Scurrying in, I scolded myself at not making a good impression and having her wait for me. ¡°Good afternoon. My name is Amelia Winters and I¡¯m Ivan Stone¡¯s assistant.¡± I introduced myself stretching my hand out to shake hers. I took a moment to take in her appearance, she was a rather tall woman, mid-thirties with gorgeous red hair and stunning green eyes. I felt slightly intimidated by her physique but my insecurities were washed away once she threw me a warm smile. ¡°Oh it¡¯s wonderful to meet you Amelia, I¡¯m Katherine Witherspoon but you can call me Katie¡± she beamed, her smiling making my nerves instantly diminish. 52 ¡°Well how about we get this show on the road then though I do apologize for my tardiness¡± ¡°No worries, I have a habit of showing up extremely because it makes me feel morefortable and prepared¡± she dismissed my apology before continuing ¡°I do hope Mr. Stone had you brought up to speed on this project we¡¯re working on together¡± ¡°He briefly exined his vision for this investment as well as gave me some ideas he wanted me to talk with you about in regards to the designing.¡± Ivan recently invested in a hotel that was going out of business that he wished to renovate because he believed the location of the property was good for business and would help him reach new clients considering the property was in Manhattan which he hadn¡¯t had many properties in. ¡°Of course and I did bring the rough sketches of his initial n for the property but I was hoping to get a third opinion on them to make sure they¡¯re good to go. Plus I do believe having a woman¡¯s opinion other than my own would help with making it seem more approachable because respectfully Mr. Stone¡¯s decor ideas are a little dark but polished nheless¡± Giggling I nodded eagerly as we began to shuffle threw the numerous sketches she had and brainstormed more ideas to add to them. ¡°You know, I honestly am not surprised that you¡¯re here with him¡± I said addressing the fact that Simone was attempting to straighten out her appearance, slightly embarrassed. ¡°You two know each other¡± Alejandro uttered in confusion as he fixed his posture to appear more authoritative. ¡°I was always a firm believer on giving your toys to the less fortunate when they¡¯ve outlived their purpose, you¡¯re wee by the way¡± I answered giving a slight hint on Simone and I¡¯s rtionship. ¡°To be honest with you Ivan, your new y thing is aplete downgrade on what you had in the past. What was the unfortunate soul¡¯s name again? Annabelle? Annalise?¡± she bit back her eyes firey with jealous. ¡°Her name is Amelia and she is a better person than all three of usbined¡± I snarled taking steps forward utterly offended at her rude outburst. ¡°That may be the only thing you and I will ever agree on, now why exactly did you barge into my office unannounced?¡± Alejandro asked, the curiosity and slight annoyance visible on his face. Before giving him an answer, I shifted my gaze to Simone and signalled for her to take her exit which she obeyed. ¡°Whenever you get bored of that child, I¡¯m only a phone call away baby¡± Simone purred as she strutted out of the office, her heels clicking down the hall until it was nothing more than a faint whisper. Shaking my head, I brought my attention back to Amelia¡¯s father and took a seat before shedding light on my true intentions for being here. ¡°Your childish game of attempting to intimidate me with empty threats is getting a bit old. If you¡¯re going for the whole big bad father figure thing, the least you could do is show your face instead of leaving meaningless sheets of paper with my receptionist¡± I exined, surprised at how collected I sounded despite my every intention being to rip him a new one. ¡°Oh please, do you really think I have the time or the energy to be wasting writing you notes much less paying you a visit¡± he questioned clearly amused at my usations. ¡°I mean what else could you possibly be doing in your free time other than screwing around with a woman young enough to be your daughter¡± ¡°Let me make this clear to you boy, I hate you. The only thing keeping me from destroying your life is my little girl being hopelessly in love with you but let¡¯s face it, it¡¯s only a matter of time before she realizes how much better she could do¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself Alejandro. You don¡¯t have the means nor the money to even scrape away an ounce of my sess and as far as your daughter¡¯s concerned, she doesn¡¯t even see you as a father so I suggest you stop attempting to pick up the pieces of your failed rtionship with her and move on with your life and leave us alone.¡± I snarled, throwing my chair back in anger. Not wanting to waste anymore of my day, I stormed out of the office the same way I came in. Pushing the door to the stairwell, I opted to walk down the stairs instead of getting stuck in the elevator with the strange fellow from earlier plus it helped cool my anger a bit. Making it back to the lobby, I smugly nodded at the guard from earlier before continuing towards the door but sadly, I was stopped in my tracks by a voice shouting my name. ¡°Ivan Stone, Ivan Stone¡± the voice yelled as I turned to confront the owner who was none other than Mr. Philip Wagner. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think you¡¯re following me around¡± I muttered only slightly joking. ¡°Though I¡¯m sure that would be a wonderful experience, I came to ask you a question¡± he answered, the joyful smile still stered on his face. A few moments passed without him saying anything resulting in me raising an eyebrow, silently telling him to get on with it. ¡°I¡¯m hosting this karaoke night at the Karaoke Crave and was hoping you and Amelia could make an appearance.¡± He asked, the excitement noticeable on his face. ¡°Karaoke isn¡¯t really my scene but I do appreciate-¡± i began to dismiss his offer before getting cut off. ¡°Come ond, when¡¯s thest time you took Amelia out for date night?¡± he continued, hellbent on getting a yes from me. ¡°If I say ok will you leave me alone¡± I asked defeatedly not wanting to hear the word karaoke again. ¡°Awesome! It¡¯s tomorrow night at 8pm and don¡¯t forget to bring Amelia¡± he eximed handing me a flyer before rushing off to god knows where. Finally making it to my driver, I hopped in and closed my eyes thankful for the peace which was aplete contrast from today¡¯s series of events. Amelia¡¯s pov.N?velDrama.Org owns this. After a few hours of going back and forth on decoration ideas, we finally reached a consensus on what theme to base the dinner around. We decided on a greek inspired event, the main colors being white and gold with olive green ents to give a pop of color and disy the captivating nts blooming in Spain this time of year. 53 ¡°Thank the heavens we finally finished, if i had to stare at one more decoryment I think I might¡¯vebusted¡± Katie remarked throwing her hands in the air for emphasis. Giggling at her over dramatic gestures, I nodded in agreement as I gathered all of my things into my folders. Almost on cue, Ivan popped his head in sending me a cheeky grin. ¡°I heard giggling and assumed it was safe toe in, Lord knows I¡¯ve learned my lesson on not interrupting Katherine while she¡¯s in her zone¡± he said causing Katie tough in response. ¡°There was a easter event Ivan wanted me to n which he sprung on me three days before might I add and had the audacity to disrupt my creative juices. So I took it upon myself to chew his head off for fifteen minutes straight until I finally was able to calm down¡± she exined making me erupt in fits ofughter as I imagined the scene in my head. ¡°Youugh now but you do not want to be on the receiving end of her wrath¡± Ivan defended himself before ushering me towards him. ¡°You¡¯re attending this charity event with me right¡± I asked Katie once i reached the door. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my time to see my creatione to life. I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world¡± Katie answered before continuing ¡°I assume you will be attending as Ivan¡¯s date correct¡±she asked wiggling her eyebrows with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m not even going to bother with an answer to that, have a good rest of your day Katherine¡± Ivan spoke, not giving me time to wave goodbye before I was pulled out the door and towards his office. Once in his office, he pulled me into his embrace and nuzzled his head in my neck as we stood together in silence. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t enjoy being in your arms or anything but is there something wrong¡± I asked. ¡°I met with your father today or more like barged into his office and told him to stop forcing his way into your life. You have no idea how hard it was to keep from beating him to a pulp for all that he¡¯s put you through¡± he exined his head remaining in my hair. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that Ivan-¡± ¡°I know but I felt pathetic sitting around watching how his reappearance in your life has affected you so I figured I¡¯d step in.¡± My heart fluttered at his confession as a stupid smile grazed my face as I stayed in his arms content. ¡°Do you happen to know a Philip Wagner by any chance¡± Ivan asked ¡°I met a guy by that name yesterday in the elevator at my father¡¯s building, why¡± ¡°I had the pleasure of getting stuck with him in the elevator as he pestered me about nonsense, then proceeded to ask me if I¡¯d bring you to a karaoke night he was hosting tomorrow night¡± ¡°I love karaoke¡± I eximed in excitement, bouncing in my heels before adding ¡°we should definitely go, I could invite Sierra and Connor also¡± ¡°The only reason why I shall go is so that I can see you shake that sexy little bottom of yours and belt cheesy songs like a goof¡± he admitted, giving my bottom a light p. ¡°We¡¯re so singing a duet together¡± ¡°Over my dead body¡± he whispered, bringing himself closer to me. ¡°That can be arranged, my love¡± I teased, grabbing his face and kissing him. Amelia¡¯s pov. The boys had told us they¡¯d be outside at around 7:30 to pick us up but it was currently a quarter til 6 and Sierra and I were sprawled on top of the mess that was now my closet, hopelessly looking for an outfit. ¡°How the hell do I have this many clothing items and can¡¯t decide on a single outfit¡± Sierra muttered exasperated.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Sierra, you do know this is my closet right¡± I asked sitting up only to find her face down in a pile of tops. ¡°That exins why I don¡¯t remember buying any of this¡± she replied, her voice muffled by the clothing. Laughing at her forgetfulness, I got up and shuffled threw the heap to reach the dresses and pulled one out that I believed what look good on Sierra. Tossing it on her head, I waited patiently as she got up to examine the dress. The dress was a peach colored, ribbed t-shirt dress and had a knot on the bottom, before she could say anything, I grabbed a pair of knee high grey suede boots to go with the dress. Nodding in approval, she strutted dramatically towards the bathroom, leaving me to contemte outfit ideas on my own. I grabbed a cream vest to wear as well as a basic white shirt and paired it with some jeans to go with it. Because it was a casual night, I didn¡¯t want to be over the top with my outfit knowing fully well that my drunken singing would be dramatic enough. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen you in this dress¡± Sierra asked as she stepped out of the bathroom in her outfit and made her way towards the vanity to start her makeup. ¡°I never knew I had it before today¡± I answered making a mental note to go through and organize my closet. I quickly shrugged out of my lounge wear and into the outfit I chose, thankful that I was blessed with curly hair which eliminated having to style my hair. ¡°Can I ask a question¡± Sierra asked not taking her attention away from her makeup. ¡°You already did but I guess I shall allow another¡± I joked watching as she red at my reflection in the mirror. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that your father was back in your life?¡± My eyes widened at her question and I watched as she set down the brush to turn her attention to me. I had been meaning to let Sierra know what was happening but I never got around to it considering I had met with my father yet again yesterday. ¡°Connor stumbled across a note meant for Ivan that had information about you in it. It didn¡¯t take long for him to tell me and once I read the note, everything kinda fell into ce.¡± She exined as I furrowed my eyebrows at the mention of the letters addressed to Ivan about my family. ¡°How did Connor find the notes¡± ¡°He was going through his mail when he found it, I¡¯m guessing whoever put it there did it on ident. After he showed me the note, he put it back in the correct mailbox¡± she assured. I took a moment toprehend what she was telling, slightly baffled that Ivan kept these letters from me. ¡°Well, everything was happening so fast and my life was slowly unraveling that I wasn¡¯t sure what to believe anymore. I didn¡¯t want to tell anyone because I felt that if I verbalized what was uring in my life, the reality of it all would set in and I was too scared to face that¡± I exined, feeling awful that Sierra found the news out for herself. ¡°It¡¯s whatever, I just feel like ever since you and Ivan began dating, our friendship has taken a backseat in terms of who you¡¯re prioritizing which I don¡¯t hate you for cause he¡¯s a fine specimen and I¡¯d never be heard from again if I were in your shoes but could we go back to how we were before¡± she rambled, ending it with a slight smile. My heart filled with guilt as I took in the truth behind what she had said. Ever since I took this job, my main focus had been Ivan and making sure his needs were meant, even though initially he was a pain. Rushing over to her, I jumped on top of her and enveloped her in a hug, murmuring how sorry I was for theck of effort on my part. ¡°If it were any other person I¡¯d totally be offended but I shall let it slide since he is like one of the biggest CEO¡¯s in the country¡± she joked and Iughed with her before getting up. ¡°Shall we get our karaoke on¡± I asked 54 ¡°Let the battle of the worst singingmence¡± she announced, looping her arm with mine and trudging towards the living room. As expected, the boys were waiting outside in one car which seemed strange to me considering Connor imed to not like Ivan. I walked towards the passenger seat and slid in as Sierra sat in the back with Connor. ¡°I thought you were scared of him¡± I immediately asked Connor turning my attention to the back seat, a re already stered on his face. ¡°I changed my mind, I like him better than you¡± he teases, sticking his tongue out. I rolled my eyes at his child-like antics and directed my attention towards Ivan. There was a faint smile on his face from Connor¡¯s response but he appeared to be tense which was visible by how tightly he was gripping the steering wheel. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to crush the steering wheel with your hands, it¡¯s not working¡± I joked trying to avert his attention to me. His grip immediately loosened as his tenseposure melted and I watched as the smirk grew on his face. ¡°I really thought I could do it¡± he yed along. ¡°Maybe if you recite a chant at the same time, you¡¯ll have better luck¡± Connor said, leaning in towards the front of the car, his response causing Ivan to chuckle. I reached my hand back towards his hair and ruffled it, to which he jerked back while attempting to fix the damage. ¡°Jesus woman, I spent a half hour on this¡± he eximed dramatically. ¡°That was a waste of your time considering Sierra will ruin it within 10 minutes¡± I bit back which earned me a p on the back of the head from Sierra. ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started on you and Ivan here, you guys literally undress each other with your eyes whenever you get the chance. Not to mention you always seem toe out of his office, disheveled. Or so I¡¯m told¡± she snapped back, Connor roaring withughter at her response. ¡°He literally works me to the bone with the amount of work he has me doing, of course I¡¯d be a mess¡± I justified, my cheeks slowly turning pink. ¡°Your bones aren¡¯t the only part of you he works¡± Sierra mumbled just loud enough for us to all hear it. Connor took a moment to process what she said before bursting into fits ofughter along with Sierra, both looking likeplete idiots. My face heated up at what she said but I couldn¡¯t help butugh along, Ivan joining in shortly after. Reaching the karaoke bar, we began walking to the entrance, the excitement oozing out of Sierra and I. An employee guided us to an excluded room which no doubt was where we¡¯d find Philip and whoever else he invited. As expected, the room was filled with people dancing, drinking, shouting into the microphones on stage and even making out in the darker parts of the space. ¡°I already want to go home¡± Ivan huffed, lookingpletely out of ce in the bar. Just by taking a quick nce, you could tell that he was an authoritative figure just by the way he carried himself and the power he exuded. ¡°Sucks for you because Amelia is going to get her karaoke on whether you stay or not¡± Sierra responded, pulling me away towards the stage.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get something to drink first¡± I asked ¡°One song first¡± she answered, turning her attention to the dj to tell him what song to y. She not so politely took the microphones out of a couple¡¯s hands which would¡¯ve gotten her into trouble had they not been so drunk. She handed me a mic and all too soon a melody I was far too familiar with filled the room which caused a couple people to p as they recognized the song. A/N: I don¡¯t know why but ¡°A Thousand Miles¡± by Vanessa Carlton is the first song that came to mind so we shall go with it. Throughout the song, Sierra and I were dancing, jumping and screaming the lyrics so much that I¡¯m surprised none of us got injured. The song came to an end and we both bowed before making our way to the bar where the boys were enjoying a drink. ¡°Thank god the torture is finally over¡± Connor grumbled as he threw back a shot. ¡°That song is a ssic¡± ¡°Yeah a ssic piece of trash¡± Connor bit back causing Sierra to smack him yful on the chest. I chuckled as the two continued to bicker, the attraction between them so evident that I was mentally high-fiving myself for putting them together. Before I could react, Ivan¡¯s hand snuck around my waist and pulled me back into him making me shriek in surprise. ¡°You know, it was quite amusing watching you prance around like that knowing you hadn¡¯t had a drop of alcohol yet¡± he whispered in my ear eliciting a shiver from me. ¡°That song is too catchy to not dance to¡± I replied with a smile, turning to face him. He was also sporting a simr grin as he leaned down to rest his head against mine. ¡°How about next time you dance for me in a more private environment¡± ¡°You would like that wouldn¡¯t you¡± I smirked, a voice shouting my name grabbing my attention. I watched as Philip waved his arms at me frantically, ushering me to go to him. I looked back at Ivan who gave me a nod, reluctantly releasing his grip around my waist. Not wanting to go alone, I grabbed Sierra¡¯s wrist and pulled her with me towards Philip. ¡°C*ckblock¡± Connor shouted after us, Sierra mumbling in agreement beside me. Once we reached Philip and his group of friends, he immediately pulled me into a hug. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too¡± I said, awkwardly patting his back as he continued to hug me. ¡°Who¡¯s this lovelydy¡± he asked after releasing me and focusing his gaze on Sierra. ¡°This is my friend-¡± ¡°Sierra Kelly¡± she interrupted, reaching her hand towards Philip. I watched as he took her hand and nted a kiss on it, giving her a small smile to which she return. I cleared my throat snapping both of their attention out of their daze and back to reality. ¡°Ah yes, I¡¯m d you lot could make it out tonight, it¡¯s greatly appreciated¡± he thanked. ¡°Oh it was no problem really, we love karaoke and you gave us a reason to hang out so we should be thanking you¡± Sierra rambled. I raised my eyebrow in her direction slightly confused on her flirtatious behavior considering she was unavable. ¡°Well if you enjoy karaoke so much how about you sing a duet with me¡± he asked stretching his hand out as an invitation. Sierra giggled like a school girl before taking his hand and I watched as they both made their way to the stage. I took this as the time to go back to Ivan and finally ask him about the mysterious letters. Getting back to where we were seated, I was somewhat disappointed to see Ivan¡¯s seat empty but sat down regardless. ¡°Lover boy was approached by some guy and they went outside to get some privacy¡± Connor answered my question as he took a sip of his drink. I watched him closely as he observed the scene on stage, his jaw clenching in irritation. ¡°How can she act like that knowing fully well I¡¯m right here¡± he finally snapped. ¡°She¡¯s just having fun, there¡¯s nothing to be worried about¡± I reassured him, my words not sounding remotely convincing to my own ears. He closed his eyes and took big breaths in an attempt to calm himself or an attempt to get rid of the sight before him. I reached my hand forward to rub his shoulder, assuring him that everything was going to be fine as he opened his eyes and shed me a quick smile. All of a sudden, the doors bursted open and in came in Ivan wearing a blood stained shirt. Without even a thought, I immediately rushed towards him moderately worried. ¡°What¡¯s happened¡± I asked, the concern evident on my face. ¡°It¡¯s Alejandro, he¡¯s-he¡¯s been hurt¡± he stuttered, clearly distressed from whatever urred moments prior. I rushed out the door just in time to seem my father being rolled into the ambnce on a stretcher. I charged towards the paramedics trying to get a glimpse of his injuries. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am but you can¡¯te any closer, this man needs medical attention¡± an paramedic told me. ¡°I¡¯m his daughter¡± I sputtered without hesitation, hopping in beside him. I took in his condition,ing to tears at the sight before me, heid on the stretcherpletely unconscious with a ck eye and a busted lip. There was also a gash on his stomach that looked to have derived from being stabbed. ¡°We¡¯ll meet you at the hospital¡± Ivan shouted just before the ambnce doors shut, and the tears finally began streaming down my face. I grabbed onto one of his hands tofort myself during the ride towards the ambnce. ¡°Please not again, I can¡¯t loose you a second time¡± I whisperedpletely broken and hopeless. 55 Ivan¡¯s pov. (before incident) I sat at one of the bar stoolspletely bored out of my mind, taking slow sips of my drink to keep me preupied. Connor sat beside me, awkwardly shifting in his seat every few moments and ying on his phone to avoid making small talk. ¡°If you have a question just ask me already¡± I finally said, tired of his mouth constantly opening and closing like a fish. ¡°How are you so sure I had a question to ask¡± he inquired crossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯ve spent thest few minutes opening and closing your mouth as if you have something to say but are too scared to say them. As your boss, I¡¯m giving you permission to say whatever is on your mind¡± I taunted with a slight smirk. ¡°You¡¯re a bit of a prick aren¡¯t you¡± he joked. ¡°Being a sessful CEO of a thriving business will do that to you¡± I answered the smirk on my face growing at his unimpressed expression. He shook his head and the atmosphere enveloped us into afortable silence for a few moments until I spotted Alejandro walk into the bar. I observed him as his eyes scanned the crowd beforending on me as he began to make his way over to where I was sitting. ¡°Twice in one day, you better stop before I start to think you like me¡± I said once he was close enough to hear me. He rolled his eyes at my response before tilting his head towards the entrance, signalling for me to follow him. With a deep sigh, I got up from my seat and watched as Connor followed suit, his eyes silently asking if I was good. Giving him a curt nod as to silently assure him that I was fine before ushering Alejandro to go as I trailed a few steps behind him. Once we made it outside, he surveyed the area before focusing his gaze on me, his expression appearing to be slightly paranoid.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I might have an idea of who¡¯s been sending you all of those letters¡± he began, pausing to see if he had my attention. I raised my eyebrow in an effort to get him to continue but before he could say anything else, a few men in ck hoodies invaded our space. ¡°Is there something we can help you with¡± I asked the one who was standing in the middle, straightening up once I got a glimpse at what seemed to be a knife. In the blink of an eye, the men lunged at us, as we brawled in the middle of the sidewalk. The one with the knife had his eyes on Alejandro as the other two began caging me against the brick wall. I immediately threw a punch at the one closest to me catching him off guard as he stumbled a few steps back. The other one swung at me sloppily making it easy to dodge it and get him into a headlock. I didn¡¯t loosen my grip around his neck an inch when the other charged at me. Once he was close enough, I swung my leg out aiming for his leg as the one in my arms began to slump effectively loosing consciousness. The one who I just kicked let out an idiotic growl before charging at me once more as I side stepped and pushed him into the brick wall as hard as I could thankfully knocking him out. I slouched over the catch my breath before hearing a pained groan behind me. Whipping around, I watched as Alejandro stumbled back clutching his gut, as his shirt reddened with blood. The guy responsible for the wound turned his attention towards me as he began walking towards me. ¡°Ivan Stone, killing you will give me so much credibility.¡± He taunted, a cocky smirk etched on his face. ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to try stronzo¡± I taunted watching as he attempted to size me up. Like his friends, he charged at me with the same knife he used to stab Alejandro, aiming for my gut as well. When he was close enough, I dodged his jabs and right hooked him when i got an opening following it by a left hook. Staggering back, he clutched his jaw as blood gushed from his mouth andunching forward once morezily waving the knife around. Annoyed at his consistent messy attacks, I swung my fist back as hard as I could and rammed it to the side of his head, effectively knocking him out. I hunched over to catch my breath before remembering Alejandro was wounded, his groans rippling through the serenity of the night. I rushed to his side, gently taking his suit jacket off to hold against his gut to stop the bleeding as I frantically whipping out my phone to dial the police and ambnce simultaneously. ¡°Hello, I need an ambnce, my friend has been stabbed outside of the Karaoke Crave¡± I shouted into the phone as I nced down at Alejandro, his eyes slightly drooping. ¡°Do not die on me you stubborn son of a b*tch¡± I warned him, softly pping his face to keep his eyes open. His eyes widened a fraction as he continued to slip in and out of consciousness. I hung up on the operator after hearing that an ambnce was dispatched to our area and left Alejandro¡¯s side momentarily to unmask the men who had attacked us. I took off the hood fo the man closest to me and used my phone to get a picture of his face, doing the same with the others. Once I hear the sirens approaching our location, I rushed back into the bar hectically searching for Amelia,unching towards her once my eyes met with hers. I watched as her eyes scanned my distraught appearance, concern etched on her face, as she began walking in my direction meeting me halfway. ¡°It¡¯s Alejandro, he¡¯s-he¡¯s been hurt¡± Amelia¡¯s pov. I sat numb in the waiting room as the hospital buzzed hectically with nurses and doctors running around to different rooms. My face most definitely looked horrendous, if the past hour of crying relentlessly was any indication, my makeup was ruined. It had been about an hour or so since Alejandro was rushed into surgery and the entire time I silently prayed that a miracle ured and that he¡¯d be ok. Connor and Sierra sat with me in the waiting room, Sierra tracing random shapes into my back as a way to reassure me that she was here if I needed her. Connor awkwardly sat across from her, shing me a small smile whenever our eyes connected but he was absolutely clueless as to what was going on. I haven¡¯t seen Ivan since the karaoke bar when he bursted through the doors to inform me of what had ured moments prior. I was slightly disappointed when he wasn¡¯t with Sierra and Connor, their only response was to shrug at his whereabouts. My heart was relieved that he wasn¡¯t seriously injured in the street brawl both of them had partaken in but it yearned to be in his embrace during this stressful situation. A nurse stepped out of the room my father was ced in, her expression not revealing what his condition was or whether the surgery was even sessful. ¡°He¡¯s going to pull through, the surgery went without anyplications and the knife just barely missed his vital organs¡± she informed us, as we all let out a sigh of relief at the news. ¡°How long will he need to be in recovery¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ll need to keep him here for 48 hours to monitor his condition but after that he should remain at home until the wound is fully healed. We¡¯ll send him home with some ointment to keep the wound protected from any bacteria and some ibuprofen for the pain¡± she responded, briefly giving me instructions on how to care for him in the meantime. ¡°Can I see him¡± I asked needing to see him personally to fully appease the worrying I had been doing since he was stabbed. She nodded in response with a smile as she ushered us into the room, closing the door once we were all in the room. Stepping into the room, my ears were immediately assaulted with the constant beeping of the heart monitor that disyed the steady heartbeat of my father. My eyes greedily trailed over his sleeping figure, looking for any signs of his previous injuries, thankfully he appeared to be in a better condition that when we first got here. 56 I quietly tiptoed to the bedside and took a seat in the chair, intertwining my fingers with his as I rested my head against the edge of his bed. I began humming the tune of a song, my mind reying the events of tonight and how everything went sideways towards the end. A strangled cough followed my a groan brought me out of my daydreaming as I snapped my head towards my father. ¡°What happened¡± he groggily asked. ¡°You were jumped my a few men and was stabbed by one of them¡± I filled him in, sitting forward in my seat. ¡°Do you remember who those guys were?¡± ¡°I was too busy trying not to get stabbed to get a good look at any of their faces but I¡¯m sure Ivan can identify them¡± I shifted my body to face him as I began. ¡°What did they want with them two of you anyway?¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming they followed me to keep me from revealing the identity of the person sending the letters to Ivan and once they saw that I was with him they decided to get rid of the both of us, thankfully they failed¡± he exined, sliding up into a seated position with a bit of a struggle. ¡°Mind sharing this mystery person¡¯s name with me¡± I inquired slightly hopeful to get some answers even if they weren¡¯t from Ivan himself. ¡°You saw what happened tonight, do you really think I¡¯d put you in harms way like that¡± ¡°I¡¯m a grown adult, I can handle it¡± ¡°Well I won¡¯t be able to handle loosing you for real this time so it¡¯s gonna be a no for now¡± he told me, his expression pained at the sheer thought of loosing me forever. I huffed in annoyance, crossing my arms to show my disappointment, augh bubbling from his chest at my child-like behavior. A knock sounded from the door, followed by Ivan peaking his head in asking for permission to enter the room. ¡°No¡± I said at the same time as my father invited him in. I whipped my head to my father, ring at him as he sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. Ivan ignored my answer and came in, shutting the door behind him as he turned his attention to me. I observed as he grazed his eyes up and down my body to assure himself that I was fine, I let out a humorless chuckle at his actions. ¡°If you truly cared about my well being, you wouldn¡¯t have left me during the one time I needed you the most¡± I angrily spat watching as my words visibly pierced him, his expression portraying the hurt he felt. His expression showed how sorry he was but right now I wasn¡¯t in exactly in a forgiving mood, so I turned away from him. ¡°I was at the precinct giving a statement on what happened and giving them the photos I took of the guys that attacked us since they were gone before any police arrived at the scene¡± he exined trying to get me to understand the reason behind his absence. ¡°Are they content with the information you gave them or will I have to give a statement as well¡± my father¡¯s voice breaking the apparent tension between us. ¡°They want you to give one as well since you were also present during the attack but they agreed to wait until tomorrow to stop by and get it to give you some time to rest¡± They continued to talk about the incident very vaguely and I assumed it had something to do with the fact that I was there. Getting fed up with their secrecy, I got out of my seat and walked out of the room ignoring their voices calling my name. My eyes began to fill up with tears once more as I took a stroll through the halls of the hospital, my steps faltering as I heard muffled voices around the corner. I slowly inched forward to get a quick peak around the corner, my heart stopping at what I saw. My heart stopped as I took in the sight, pulling my head back and gripping the wall for support. I used my mouth to muffle the sobsing out of my mouth as I stumbled to get back to my father and Ivan to tell them who I saw. Bursting through the doors, I immediately let the sobs break out as I mustered enough courage to speak the next words ¡°It¡¯s my mother isn¡¯t it, the one who¡¯s been sending the notes and the one who sent the men after you¡± I watched threw teary eyes as they both nodded simultaneously, staggering back as if the confirmation blew a hole threw my chest. I slid down the wall and began sobbing uncontrobly into my knees as the sheer impact of what she had down weighed me down. ¡°If it¡¯s anyfort, she¡¯s going to pay for what she did by spending the rest of her life in jail¡± my fatherforted. ¡°Let her burn in hell for all I care¡± I angrily snapped, using the back of my arm to wipe the tears from my face. The room filled with a tense silence as the three of us silently contemted the new revtion. Every few moments or so, I could feel Ivan¡¯s gaze at me but whenever I tried making eye contact with him, he¡¯d avert his gaze. It went on like this for a while longer, him sneaking nces at me while I tried to catch him in the act until a thought peaked my interest. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how important this is but I saw her in the hallway talking to a man not too long ago¡± ¡°I highly doubt she¡¯s bold enough to try something else in a hospital but I should alert the police¡± Ivan spoke, as he pulled out his phone to make the call. Once he was connected with someone, he stepped out into the hall to continue the call in private. I let out a long sigh, the events of the day slowly taking its toll on my mind as I leaned my head against the wall to stay awake. The mere thought of my mother, the woman who raised me after my father walked out on us and the woman who made sure I didn¡¯t sumb to the darkness, spending who knows how long in jail made me want to hurl into the nearest bucket. I ran through every memory I could remember of my childhood to figure out where exactly the needle snapped and she lost her marbles but I came up nk. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy trying to figure out when she became like this because I¡¯ve known her since we were in college and I still can¡¯t find an answer.¡± My father paused to shift his body to face me before continuing. ¡°Part of me thinks that this was who she was all along and it only took so long for me to see her for who she really was but the other part of me, the one still in love with her has hope that their is another reason that we don¡¯t know yet¡± I reyed what he had said in my head for the next few minutes trying to convince myself to stay hopeful but that was cut short when the door was opened once more. I paid no attention to who it was thinking it was Ivan, until the person stood in my line of sight only to reveal that it was her, my mother. ¡°What the hell are you doing in here¡± I spat heatedly, rushing to stand in between her and my father.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Oh mija, is that anyway to speak to your mother¡± she questioned in a motherly voice, trying to hide her true intentions from us. I observed her tensely, trying to piece together some information just by her stance and her facial expressions but I came up empty. ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me what you¡¯re doing here then at least tell me why you sent men to attack Ivan and Alejandro¡± I countered still seeking some sort of clue as to what her stake in all of this was. ¡°Well to bepletely honest, I never nned for it to get this far but your father and ytoy are too damn stubborn to listen to reason.¡± She began, taking a seat in the chair closest to her as she examined her nail polish. ¡°I sent numerous warnings to both your father and Ivan to do as I say unless they wanted to pay the consequences but just like you, they¡¯re stubborn to a fault¡± ¡°What did you warn them about¡± I urged inching closer to her. ¡°I told Ivan countless times to stay away from you and my family but that man doesn¡¯t know when to let go. Your eagerness for me to tell you this must only mean that he kept it from you so I guess he¡¯s destroying his rtionship without my assistance. After all, what is a rtionship without trust andmunication?¡± she mocked, the end of her speech geared towards Alejandro. 57 ¡°And Alejandro?¡± ¡°I told him that he needed to give me the money he owes me for all the crap he¡¯s put me through during our marriage. He refused the first time and then stopped responding so I sent in a little reinforcements¡± and almost on cue, the door opened to reveal Simone much to my confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, what does she have anything to do with this¡± I questioned, the information she was giving me still not making any sense. ¡°Oh darling, how much I¡¯ve missed you¡± Simone mocked me as she strutted towards the hospital bed my dad was lying on. Again, I positioned myself in front of my dad so that Simone couldn¡¯t do whatever she was nning to do to him. ¡°Protecting daddy dearest are we?¡± ¡°No¡± I answered, rolling my shoulders back before continuing. ¡°But at the moment he seems to be the lesser evil out of the three of you¡± ¡°And the dumber one as well I suppose¡± my mom interjected, not taking her focus off her manicured fingernails. I scoffed at her nonchnce, getting her attention in doing so as she got up and took a few steps towards Simone so that they were side by side. ¡°When your father refused to pay up, I sent Simone in to persuade him to give into my demands which worked perfectly in my opinion¡± she smirked at her achievement. ¡°Or so you think¡± my father finally spoke with a cough. ¡°You don¡¯t think I actually fell for your pathetic little n did you?¡± ¡°Of course you did, while you were too busy shagging Simone, she was able to transfer the money into an ount of mine behind your back¡± my mom exined. ¡°Or maybe I knew from the start who Simone was and set the whole thing up to get you to confess your n to have one of your minions seduce me to get my money and how you were the one who orchestrated the attack on Ivan and I. Honestly, I¡¯m a little disappointed that you¡¯d think that n of yours would work¡± He exined,ughing at their expense towards the end. ¡°Even if you take this to the authorities, its your word against mine and who¡¯s gonna believe the man iming histe wife came back to attack him¡± she snapped back thinking she was in the clear but the device in my hand quickly wiped the cockiness out of her expression. ¡°No, it¡¯s your word against you, way to incriminate yourself mother¡± Almost on cue, the door bursts open and in came in 3 police officers along with Ivan who was holding his phone in his hand as I ended the call. They immediately put the two of them in handcuffs, dragging them out as they screamed in protest over the police reading them their rights. The scene in front of me left a bitter taste in my mouth and an even bigger hole in my chest. I wasn¡¯t able toprehend losing my mother again but at the same time, the woman currently being dragged away was no mother to me. She had intentionally put my loved ones in danger and that was something I couldn¡¯t get past. ¡°It¡¯s finally over¡± Ivan muttered throwing himself in the nearest chair in exhaustion. His words did little tofort me in the fact that I could finally live my life without fearing anyone. I turned to my father, his expression portraying the hurt and betrayal he was currently feeling. Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms around him and gently rubbed his back as he weeped in my embrace. His pained sobs brought me to tears as well as we let out all of the pain and anger we felt at the world. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave again¡± I begged not being able to go through losing both parents in one day. He released me just enough to look me in the eyes before speaking ¡°I won¡¯t ever leave you again, I promise you that¡± Relieved, I hugged him tightly once more, as I felt his chest rumble in response. Letting go, I got up and made my way towards Ivan, yearning to straighten things out between us. Once in arms distance of him, I stopped and watched as his eyes traveled up my body before settling on my eyes. ¡°Hi¡± I shyly whispered, his smile indicating his amusement at my response. ¡°Hello mia cara¡± ¡°Can we talk in private?¡± ¡°If you needed privacy all you had to do was ask me to close my eyes Amelia¡± my father teased from behind me, I whipped around to see him covering his eyes with his hands like a child. Giggling in response, I turned back around and grabbed Ivans hand to lead him out of the room, much to my father¡¯s disapproval. We walked down the hallway to a secluded area before stopping, as I leaned against the wall with Ivan a few inches away from me. ¡°So..¡± I stalled ¡°So?¡± He asked, his tone hinting at his nervousness. ¡°What do we do now that everything is finally over¡± ¡°I mean I guess we can finally continue with our lives and take the next step of our rtionship¡± he began before I blurted out what was really on my mind. ¡°Why did you hide the letters from me and why weren¡¯t you there for me when I needed you¡± I watched impatiently as his mouth opened and close while he tried to find an answer. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could be of much use to you if the people who did this were still out there so I made the decision to hunt them down. As for the letters, you were already so overwhelmed with your family situation, I didn¡¯t want to add more onto your te especially when I didn¡¯t think it was a big deal¡± he rambled trying to exin his perspective. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have kept things from me in the first ce Ivan, I had a right to know and you took that away from me.¡± And I understand that, believe me I do. Its just, I felt helpless watching your pained expression whenever you thought of them and how much they hurt you, so I wasnt gonna add onto that list with the letters, Im sorry he apologized sincerely. I am going to forgive you only because I so badly want to get on with the rest of my life, I mean I think Ive had enough drama tost me a lifetime but if you even think of hiding things from me again, Im done with you I promised watching as my response immediately broke a smile out on his face as I followed suit. He clutched onto my waist as he peppered my face with kisses to show his appreciation. Now, kiss me you fool I ordered My pleasure he said, leaning in and capturing my mouth in a passionate kiss. My heart fluttered at the familiar feeling only his kisses brought me and how much I had missed it. We broke apart at the sound of an awkward cough, a older nurse ring at us at our outward disy of affection. My cheeks heated up as I hid my face in Ivans chest much to his pleasure as he chuckled at my embarrassment. Let¡¯s get out of here mia cara he spoke, intertwined our fingers as we marched down the hallway to bid my father a farewell so that we could finally retire for the night. We walked back into the room to be weed with the sight of my father sleeping peacefully, the heart rate monitor an indication of his slumber. I quietly tiptoed to the edge of his bed to ce a gentle kiss on his forehead before walking back out into the hallway. Ready Ivan asked stretching his hand out.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Where did Sierra and Connor go I questioned, only now realizing their absence. I told them to go home after I arrived seeing as your father was ok and they had no reason to be here for the rest he exined as we made our way to the lobby of the hospital. I need to call Sierra once we get home I said making a mental note to fill her in on the chaos I had just experienced. With that thought in mind, I got into Ivans car very ready to retreat to our room and sleep for as long as needed after the emotional rollercoaster I had just endured. I leaned my head against the cool window, closing my eyes as the serene environment and the cars movement lulled me to sleep. Amelia¡¯s pov. It has been almost 2 months since the whole ordeal with my mother, as she was now in a cell where she would spend the rest of her life. Apparently, she had been knee deep in the mafia for the better part of my life and that on top of what she had done to my father was enough to grant her life in prison. 58 After the trial, it took a little bit for me to get back into work and my life before this all began. Ivan and I have been doing better since that night in the hospital, our rtionship seemingly stronger because of the drama which I was thankful for. As for my father, weve been slowly rebuilding our rtionship, seeing each other once or twice a week as he insisted he take me out to lunch and catch up on what he missed out on in my life. I knew this was his way of making amends for leaving me at a young age and honestly Im just thankful to have him back in my life again. ¡°Amelia are you ready¡± a voice snapped me out of my thoughts as I took in the sight of Ivan throwing himself onto one of the chairs. ¡°Ready for what exactly¡± I questioned getting up to sit beside him on the couch, throwing my legs over hisp in fatigue. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you dont remember¡± he teased. ¡°Is their a meeting Im not aware of?¡± ¡°No silly, I just wanted to take you out for lunch and Im kind of insulted that you immediately thought of a meeting instead of an anniversary or something¡± He babbled, gliding his hands up and down my legs. ¡°I mean, you are kinda my boss and I do apany you to most of your meetings so Im not entirely sure on what you were so offended by.¡± ¡°Never mind that, just get your fine arse out the door before I make you¡± he threatened much to my amusement as I walked out the door with him behind me. It was a wonderful day in New York, the weather finally warming up as we entered spring, the snow almostpletely melted, leaving behind massive puddles. It took about ten minutes for us to reach the destination, the car pulling up to a familiar looking restaurant. ¡°What is the meaning of this¡± I questioned with a grin on my face. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise¡± he teased, getting out to open the door for me. ¡°You and your damn surprises¡± I muttered getting out of the car, intertwining our fingers as we made our way into the restaurant. The waitress checked us in before guiding us to the table we sat at on our first date. I shook my head at him as I slid into my seat and began examining the dishes on the menu, already knowing what I was gonna get before opening it. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable, you know that.¡± ¡°Unbelievably sexy? Yes I did know that but thanks formenting on it¡± he joked as I giggled at his cockiness. ¡°You know, cockiness is a major turn off.¡± ¡°I am not cocky, I just exude confidence and some people are astonished by it.¡± ¡°Whatever¡± I dismissed him as the waiter came to take our orders. ¡°I¡¯ll have the salmon and asparagus and a ss of champagne¡± I ordered, closing my menu and turning my attention to Ivan as he ordered the same thing as when we first came here for our date. ¡°Is there a reason for all of this¡± I asked still wondering why we were here. ¡°Is a man not allowed to take his girl out and spoil her¡± he questioned, his tone showing his slight disapproval of my questioning. ¡°It¡¯s not that at all, its just, were at the same restaurant as the day we first began our rtionship and I just find it odd¡± I exined, cing my hand on his to soothe him. ¡°This is one of my favorite restaurants and we haven¡¯t been here in a while so why not¡± he deflected the question. I observed as his eyes flickered around the restaurant, subtly trying to get me to drop my curiosity. We sat infortable silence as we waited for our food to arrive, thankfully it didn¡¯t take too long which was probably because of how empty the restaurant was. The food like the first time was exceptional, I tried my hardest to not devour my whole dish at once but it proved to be quite difficult. Ivan chuckled at my futile attempts to savor the food, as he took a gulp of champagne to wash down his pasta. ¡°Everything alright so far¡± the waitress asked, a polite smile on her face.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The food is wonderful like usual, thank you¡± Ivan answered, giving her a curt nod as she walked away. I took thest bite of my salmon, slightly upset that it was finished, but I let out a delighted sigh as I began sipping on my champagne. ¡°Are you gonna order dessert or shall I¡± Ivan asked, looking through a separate menu which I assumed had the dessert options on it. ¡°Surprise me¡± I responded, closing my eyes in content. ¡°How does a creme brulee sound?¡± ¡°Marvelous¡± I answered as he ced the order to the waitress while she cleared our table. ¡°Remember how you told me you wanted to travel the world in this very restaurant¡± Ivan asked, my attention turned to him as I sat up. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°Well, I was thinking we should go now since the business is at its peak, I don¡¯t have to be there at all times and my father agreed to check in on thepany for a couple months while we travelled¡± he exined, his expression disying his hopefulness. ¡°Are you sure your business will manage during your absence? I mean you are the CEO and you being gone for that long might give yourpetitors advantage to exceed you¡± I asked not wanting to be the cause for hispany¡¯s demise. ¡°Mia cara, I can still manage the business without being there, I just need someone to check in from time to time to make sure everything is running smoothly and my father offered to do that since he was a businessman during his time as well. Are you having second thoughts?¡± ¡°Not at all, just want to make sure everything will be fine in your absence¡± I assured him, my excitement increasing at the idea of finally getting to travel and with Ivan. Our desserts arrived shortly after, I immediately dug in, wanting to feel the creaminess of the creme brulee on my tongue. I moaned as my taste buds weed the sweetness of the dessert as well as the warmth of it. The creme brulee went well with the champagne which I assume Ivan did on purpose seeing as he ordered the bottle. Unlike the salmon, I savored the taste of the creme brulee knowing I wouldn¡¯t be having something this rich for a long time. ¡°Are you ready to go¡± Ivan asked once we finished our desserts and champagne. I nodded with a smile as he grabbed my hand and escorted me to the front to pay. I began to pull out my wallet earning a groan from Ivan at my eagerness to help pay for the meal. ¡°Mia cara, I thought we left this back on our first date¡± he nagged me for pulling out my wallet much to my amusement. ¡°I will never let you pay for a meal without putting up a fight¡± I teased handing my card to the waitress before he had time to react. Without missing a beat, he snatched my card from her and reced it with his before sticking his tongue out at me. ¡°Very mature¡± I responded once the waitress handed him his card and the receipt as we made our way out of the restaurant. He opened the passenger door for me as I got in, Ivan rushing to the driver side to begin our quest back to work. ¡°This was nice¡± Iplimented as pulled away from the curb and the view of the restaurant getting smaller in the mirrors. ¡°Oh but it¡¯s not over yet my love¡± he answered giving me a quick wink before turning his attention on the road. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion but knew that was the most I¡¯d be getting until we reached our destination so I sat back and enjoyed the ride. I hadn¡¯t realized I had fallen asleep until Ivan was stood over me trying to wake me up. I took a moment to survey my surroundings even though my vision was slightly blurred and realized we were in some sort of clearing. ¡°Mia cara, I¡¯m gonna need you to put this blindfold on now¡± Ivan instructed handing me a blindfold as I reluctantly put it over my eyes. ¡°Just a friendly reminder if you kill me, I¡¯lle back and haunt your ass¡± I warned as he began to lead me to the mystery location. My steps were hesitant as we continued walking, Ivan assuring me we were nearing the location every few minutes until we had finally arrived. ¡°You can remove the blindfold now¡± he told me, as I slowly did as he asked, shielding my eyes from the ring sun as they adjusted to the lighting. I took in my surroundings, seeing my frineds and my father standing in the clearing, the ce being lit up withnterns as well as rose petals scattered on the ground in a heart formation. Confused, I stepped forward towards them before turning around to be met with Ivan down on one knee. ¡°Mia cara, since the first day you walked into my office for the interview, I knew that I¡¯d be spending the rest of my life with you. I was immediately drawn in by your willingness to stand up to me regardless of whether or not I was your boss. As we began to get closer, it only solidified my desire to be with you as you have shown me a brighter life filled withughter, happiness and light which I didn¡¯t think was possible for me. You¡¯re the light at the end of my tunnel, the angel in my world of darkness and my one true love. Amelia Winters, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?¡± Ivan proposed, taking me byplete surprise. My hands found their way to my mouth as I began crying tears of joy at his deration of love for me. My heart seemed to be pounding so loud I thought it would fly out of my chest at Ivan¡¯s question. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll marry you¡± I answered, getting down on my knees to kiss him, my family pping and whistling behind us. I pulled away enough to rest my forehead against his as I stared into his eyes that were filled with pure adoration. ¡°Wee to your new life Amelia Stone¡± Ivan eximed emphasizing hisst name as he slid the ring on my finger. I giggled in response, leaning in once more to capture his lips in yet another passionate kiss. 59 PROLOGUE ? Amelia¡¯s pov. I sat in front of the vanity observing my glowing features in the mirror, polished with a thinyer of makeup. If you had told me a year ago that taking the job at Stone Industries would lead to my marriage, I¡¯d probablyugh in your face at how bizarre it sounded. Sitting here now though, it felt like I was destined to meet the love of my life at that interview and I was so thankful that I had because I couldn¡¯t imagine my life without Ivan. ¡°Amelia, are you listening¡± Sierra asked, effectively snapping me out of my daydreaming. I had asked Sierra to be my maid of honor almost immediately after I said yes to the proposal and now here she was helping me with my hair. ¡°Something about the wedding I assume¡± I answered sheepishly much to her disapproval. ¡°Obviously¡± she retorted before continuing ¡°Once the bridesmaids and grooms are on stage, the music will begin and that¡¯s your cue toe in with your father.¡± ¡°Sierra, I was at the rehearsal dinner, I know when I¡¯m suppose to walk in¡± I assured her with a smile. ¡°You can never be too sure¡± her answer was as she sluggishly walked away in embarrassment. Giggling at her childish behavior, I returned my gaze to the mirror, taking in the hairstyle which ended up being a loose braid beginning at the top of my head and leading down to the low bun with curly strands framing my face and small flowers surrounding the bun. The hairstyle was quite simple seeing as the dress was suppose to be the center of attention as it was. It was a beautiful long-sleeved white gown, the top halfpletelyce with small areas of sheer material and the bottom was a in white material that went to the floor. A knock came from the door as my father peeked his head in ¡°Mija, the ceremony is starting¡± he informed me as I took one final look before getting up and making my way out to my father. My stomach began fluttering as the nerves slowly krept up into my heart at the thought of seeing Ivan. My father noticing, wrapped his arms around my frame, whispering reassurance into my ear much to my appreciation. Once I wasposed, we began making our way to the church, the parking lot filled with cars disying how many people would be in the church. We made it to the doors just as the music began to fill the room signalling it was time for my entrance. With one more breathe and a quick squeeze from my dad, we slowly walked down the aisle as everyone turned their attention to us. Immediately, my attention found Ivan as he took in my appearance in pure happiness and adoration. I blushed at all the attention I was receiving but that all diminished once Ivan took my hand and I was stood in front of him. The ceremony began with the priest saying a few words before he signalled for us to begin giving our vows. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I could even begin to exin to you all how Amelia makes me feel and because I don¡¯t want to keep you here for ages, I¡¯ll keep it short. Mia cara, you are honestly the best thing that could¡¯ve ever happened to me and there¡¯s absolutely nothing I wouldn¡¯t do for you. You bring meaning to my otherwise dull life and you have given me a new purpose. I adore every single thing about you and your amazingly kind heart. It never seizes to amaze me how no matter what life throws your way, you can still remain positive and hopeful. I promise to remain by your side as long as you will let me and will continue to love you no matter what.¡± Ivan finished shing me an award winning grin. ¡°Ivan, although my first impression of you was not the best¡± I began earning a few chuckles from the audience. ¡°You soon changed my mind once I got to know who the real Ivan Stone was, underneath all of the sess and hard exterior. Behind all of it, you have one of the biggest hearts and that¡¯s the main reason I fell for you. With all the chaos that we¡¯ve endured over the course of thest year, you were the one thing giving me the strength I needed to make it out without breaking. I can¡¯t even begin to express how much I love you because I don¡¯t think there are enough words to exin the feeling I get whenever you look at me or when you touch me. I promise to return that love to the best of my ability as we begin this new chapter in our lives and as we grow old together. I love you to the moon and back princessa¡± I ended, tears brimming my eyes at my love for the man standing before me. Ivan wiped a tear from his eyes as he cleared his throat as we exchanged rings. (exchange marriage vows: to love and to hold till death do us part..) ¡°With the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride¡± the priest finished as we leaned in and captured each others lips in a sweet kiss. The entire church was engulfed in apuds as we pulled apart with grins stered on our faces. ¡°Amelia Stone has a nice ring to it doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ivan said with a heartwarming grin on his face. Giggling at his cheekiness, I intertwined our fingers and began making our way back to my father who was wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°You better stop crying before I join and Sierra has my head for ruining my makeup¡± I jokingly warned releasing Ivan¡¯s hand to engulf him in a hug. I felt his chest rumble inughter as we spent a few moments in each others embrace. ¡°You and I may have had our differences in the past but seeing the way you treat my daughter and prioritize her needs above anything else gives me hope in building a friendship with you in the future. You have my blessings but if she sheds a tear,¡± he paused before continuing with a straight face ¡°I¡¯ll skin you alive you hear me cabron?¡± ¡°The only tears she¡¯ll be shedding is of joy if I have anything to do with it¡± Ivan promised, pulling me away from my father and into his embrace. We began mingling with the guests who remarked on our rtionship and blessed our marriage. At some point my father left us to go take a seat iming he was too old for all of this standing. Ivan¡¯s parents came up to congratte us on finally tying the knot even though it didn¡¯t take very long before Ivan had proposed. ¡°So when are we getting grandkids¡± Ivan¡¯s mother questioned eagerly much to my surprise. ¡°Honey, they just got married, give them time to settle in¡± his father answered before I could die of embarrassment. ¡°Well they need to get going before it¡¯s toote, I mean they¡¯re not getting any younger¡± she retorted. ¡°Gee thanks mom, I thought I looked quite good for my age¡± Ivan muttered sarcastically causing us tough. ¡°You¡¯re painstakingly handsome, princessa¡± Iforted as he shook his head at the nickname. ¡°At a girl Amelia, seduce him into giving me grandkids¡± she encouraged as her husband dragged her away from us. ¡°I love her but sometimes she gives me headaches¡± Ivan whispered in my ear causing me to giggle. ¡°Hey paws off her untilter when you guys are alone¡± a familiar voice interrupted, we pulled apart to find the owner of the voice. ¡°Jake, you made it¡± Ivan grinned pulling him into a bro hug thingy. I began racking my brain for who he was before realizing he was Ivan¡¯s best friend who he introduced to me the night of the g. ¡°Did you honestly believe I would miss seeing my best friend get married?¡± Jake retorted as they pulled apart before he focused his gaze on me. ¡°Amelia it¡¯s so nice to see you again although if you don¡¯t remember me, I don¡¯t me you since this idiot never called me toe down to see you guys since the g.¡± ¡°Of course I remember you, how could I forget the man who had to put up with his guy before I came along¡± I teased, giving Jake a short hug. ¡°You know you guys love me¡± Ivan said with a cocky smirk. ¡°Did you hear something?¡± Jake asked ¡°Not at all¡± I replied ying along. ¡°Very mature guys¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Their it is again¡± Jake said feigning a look of fear. Momentster, we bursted into fits ofughter at our stupidity and Ivan¡¯s unamused expressions. ¡°Enough with the babbling, go dance¡± Sierra eximed from behind us, interrupting our banter to ushering us towards the dance floor as Photograph by Ed Sheeran came on. I shyly looked into Ivan¡¯s eyes as he stretched his hand out for me to take before we began swaying slowly to the music. The noise around us diminished and the background faded as we continued dancing, not once breaking eye contact. I watched as Ivan¡¯s eyes welled with tears of happiness, not once letting them flow down his face. I slowly rested my head on Ivan¡¯s shoulder tofort him and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment and allowing him to guide us across the dance floor. All too soon, the song came to an end and we were brought back to reality of everyone pping before joining us on the floor as another song came on. We continued dancing andughing as we were whisked around to dance with different people, as the night progressed. A few hourster, after eating, cutting the cake, pictures and more dancing we were finally in the limo riding back to our home. We sat in afortable silence, a mutual understanding of how tired each of us were and how eager we were to hit the lights. We finally reached our destination, getting out of the vehicle to walk hand in hand into the house. Immediately upon entering, I kicked my heels off and without missing a beat, Ivan threw me over his shoulder much to my surprise. He carried me to the room with a newfound energy as I giggled in amusement. I was thrown onto the plush bed as he got on top of me and began peppering me with kisses. ¡°Where did all this energye from¡± I asked in betweenughter. ¡°I always have energy when ites to making love to you my love¡± he replied huskily as he continued his attack on my neck and exposed skin. I ran my fingers threw his hair, tugging at the ends as he let out a groan of approval. ¡°This will be the first time I make love to you as your husband¡± Ivan whispered pulling back to look me in the eyes. ¡°Make me yours, Mr. Stone¡± I told him, my heart full with the love I had for the man above me. ¡°My pleasure, mia cara.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!