W A R N I N G: CAN BE CRINGE
"Shhh...just a little bit more. If you can still walk, then we're not finished." He groaned, moving down to my breasts, I moaned loudly, lost in a sea of pleasure. God I would definitely asked my existence after this.
An...
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I had to summon every ounce of discipline to keep from staring at Angelica too hard. The moment she walked past me, her presence commanded the room, leaving a trace of perfume that invaded my senses. It was maddening-how just her scent alone could throw me off balance. I forced myself to look away, to maintain control, but in doing so, I likely appeared even more grumpy than usual. The tension in my shoulders was a reminder of how tightly wound I'd become.
As the Weber family started to trickle in, I prepared myself to endure the charade. The first to arrive was Ivan, the man responsible for forcing my father into marriage with Alessia's spoiled ass. Every time I saw him, I was reminded of the bitter resentment that simmered beneath the surface, a reminder of the legacy I was meant to carry. The moment he stepped through the door, the air grew thick with tension.
"You look handsome as ever," Catherine, Alessia's mother, cooed as she embraced her daughter. Alessia had just stormed out of the kitchen, looking like she was ready to murder someone. Her irritation was palpable, but the fact that Catherine immediately shifted to complimenting me only added to the absurdity of it all.
"You're still growing, Young Boss," Ivan said, extending his hand to me as Louis quietly took his leave. His voice was drenched in condescension, and it took every bit of self-restraint not to crush his hand in mine. Kevin, Alessia's pathetic brother, gave me a sheepish look, but I kept my face a blank slate, unchanging, deadpan. I wasn't about to give these bastards the satisfaction of knowing they could get to me.
"Ryan!" Alessia's voice cut through the air like a knife. Of course, she wouldn't hesitate to make a scene in front of her family.
"Non iniziare, Principessa," Ivan commanded, patting her head like she was some pampered little girl. Even with my limited grasp of Italian, I knew it meant "Don't start, Princess." The phrase grated on my nerves, a reminder that I was trapped in some twisted version of a daddy's girl show, and I wanted no part of it.
"But..." Alessia's protest was cut off the moment Catherine dangled a diamond necklace in front of her. The anger in her eyes evaporated in an instant, replaced by that sickening greed I'd grown accustomed to. Money-always the solution to every problem in this family.
As Alessia's eyes sparkled at the sight of the necklace, I found myself thinking about Angelica once more. Her beauty was different-untouched by the superficiality that plagued the Webers. Her presence was raw, unfiltered, like the wild elegance of a storm. She wasn't a woman who could be bought off with diamonds or soothed by empty compliments. There was strength in her, a quiet defiance that stirred something deep within me.
And yet, I couldn't allow myself to indulge in these thoughts. My role here was to remain stoic, cold-an immovable force in a world of weak men and spoiled princesses. But damn it, Angelica made it difficult to maintain that facade. The way she looked tonight, how her dress hugged her curves, the defiant gleam in her eyes-it was enough to unsettle even the most disciplined man.
But I wouldn't give in. Not now. Not ever.
The Webers were here, and I had a job to do: maintain control, keep the peace, and remind myself that in this world, there was no room for weakness. Angelica Valdez would not be my downfall, no matter how much my heart betrayed me. Fuck...the type of nonsense a teenage boy would think.
"So, any maids around?" Kevin asked casually, his eyes wandering with a sleazy curiosity that made my skin crawl. Alessia and Catherine were deep in conversation, prattling away in Italian, while I discussed business with Ivan. The topics ranged from the latest developments in Russia to the expansion plans for the company, a conversation that usually held my full attention. But Kevin's question had a way of slicing through the noise, drawing my focus like a magnet.
As if on cue, the second maid stepped forward to begin serving. Kevin's eyes practically lit up, and my jaw tightened. At least it wasn't Angelica. The maid's green eyes held a cold disgust, which she barely concealed as she served, making it clear she had no interest in whatever sick game Kevin was playing.
But then, like fate tempting me to lose control, Angelica walked into the room. I saw the shift in Kevin's demeanor immediately, his posture straightening, his gaze sharpening with a predatory gleam. He looked like he was about to bolt out of his seat, and if this had been a movie, I would've drawn my gun right then and there, ending his pathetic life in a single, swift motion.
Alessia, ever the vigilant hawk, snapped her attention to Angelica the moment she entered. Her expression darkened, and she couldn't resist making a snide comment.
"This is a serving place, not a seduction spot," Alessia sneered, her voice dripping with venom.
Catherine, ever the supportive mother, smiled, clearly ready to pile on more insults. Ivan's face stiffened, sensing the tension radiating from me, and he was about to intervene when I locked eyes with Kevin.
The room felt like it was closing in, the air thick with an impending threat that hung between us. I leaned forward slightly, my voice cold and measured, barely above a whisper, but laced with a calm menace that would make any man with half a brain tremble.
"Kevin," I began, my tone smooth, deceptively polite. "If you so much as glance at any of my maids again, I'll ensure you never see the inside of this house-or any other, for that matter-again. Consider this your only warning."
Kevin's face drained of color, his bravado faltering as he realized the weight of my words. He swallowed hard, nodding meekly, his earlier bravado evaporating in an instant.
Alessia, however, was less easily cowed. She glared at me, her mouth opening to spew another venomous retort. My eyes snapped to hers, a simple, chilling glare that would've silenced anyone else. But not her. She had never known when to back down, and I could see the defiance in her eyes, the stubbornness that threatened to push me over the edge.
She opened her mouth, ready to defy me once more, and I felt my temper flare dangerously close to snapping. My hand tightened around the armrest, the wood creaking under the pressure. The room was on the brink of chaos, and I was mere seconds away from unleashing a fury that would shatter any pretense of civility left between us.
But then Ivan, ever the peacemaker, intervened with a forced laugh, his hand gently guiding Alessia's attention back to the sparkling necklace in her hands. "Alessia, cara, focus on your gift. There's no need for all this drama, is there?"
Alessia hesitated, her eyes still locked on mine, but eventually, she relented, her gaze dropping back to the diamonds in her hands. The tension in the room eased slightly, but the storm within me raged on, barely contained. I forced myself to breathe, to focus on the bigger picture, but the urge to end it all right there simmered dangerously close to the surface.
Kevin remained silent, his eyes glued to the table, his earlier boldness completely shattered. I returned my attention to Ivan, picking up the conversation where we left off, but a part of me remained on high alert, ready to strike if needed.
Angelica had no idea the chaos she'd walked into, but as I watched her out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and frustration. She had no idea the power she wielded-over me, over this house, over everything. And I had no idea how much longer I could keep that power in check.
