The Rich Life

23

ADAM POV

Adam Dervishi. The name had several meanings to different people. Billionaire. Grandson. Brother. Lover. But there was one definition everyone could agree on: Monster. So I embraced my monstrosity for all it was worth. Fuck reputation. Fuck everyone's opinions. The only opinion I would listen to isn't here. The only person I would save my tattered reputation for would never come back. Even Halima couldn't stop the angry publications talking about my insufferable, intolerable behaviour. Good. Let them.

It was the new year when I decided to crawl back to Zajmi industries. Three hedonistic months where I did whatever I want. I decided to end it once and for all when news of fucking Karamat Malik came. I was thankful in a way. It brought me back to reality, that life was moving on without me and the idea of that just pissed me off further. And so did the fucking paperwork on my desk. Anthony was somewhere. I don't know where. The only reason I'm bothering with work is because of her. Hard work was everything to her. So I'm doing it for her.

Francesca was bringing in the cups of coffee and phone calls without talking much. That incident with Caesar obviously scared her, she was subdued. I reassured her and god, I ended up in the same position as I always did. I never learn, do I? Why am I so fucked up? Why do I keep doing this? Is this a mental issue? Getting so fucking drunk to fog my mind and then using sex to numb the feelings I feel. First, the death of my parents, Nene blaming me for everything, to numb out Maribelle's miscarriages, to paralyze the emotions I felt about Amara's life stories and the love she gave me because I hated feeling so weak, at the mercy of her love. To distract the fact I'm so fucking miserable inside all of the damn time.

And there were a few months of lucidity, in between Tokyo and the engagement, when Amara had been enough for me and shielded me from all of that sadness and all of those self-loathing moments. Then I started again. A never-ending cycle.

FRANCESCA POV

I woke up the next morning with an instantaneous feeling of regret and nausea. I remembered the fragments of last night, the sex and the way I felt. I felt a delicious thrill in my body at the thought of maybe, maybe we could be a couple and I could get a happily ever after. Adam had chosen me again

"Amara?" Adam asked groggily. To describe me as upset was an understatement. I was about to cry, so close to spilling a fucking waterfall. I bit my lip, trying to redirect the pain somewhere else.

"Its Francesca" I whisper, my lip trembling. I'm his type. That's what everyone says, which is why he went for me. But he wants Amara. And I'm not her. I wish I was her though, at this moment. I wished I was her more than anything in the world then maybe Adam would love me.

"Fuck. Last night. Oh my God. What did I do?" He was suddenly looking around for his clothes, picking up his boxers from the floor, getting dressed.

"We got drunk. We had sex," I said quietly, blinking away the blurry vision. He cursed under his breath.

"I hoped this didn't mean anything to you. Its just a one night stand. Fuck. It wasn't supposed to happen again," He said emotionless, as he pulled on his jacket. Again? Is this what heartbreak feels like? I didn't expect it to hurt this much. The lump in my throat was bitter and poisonous. I was going to be sick.

"No. It meant nothing," I said, hiding my face under the cover. Trying to cover up my lie.

"I'm sorry, I can't love you. I could never feel the same way. I love Amara and I'll always be there for her, at her side. I can't ever stop. I'm going to reject everyone because, in the end, it will be her. It will always be her," He said. Each word cut leaving a scar. He said it so bluntly. Anger and jealousy grew like a parasite in me.