Six weeks had passed since Elizabeth left.
In her absence, Y/N's home had become a kind of war room, with Miranda, Damien, and Aubrey rallying together to find a way to shield Casa Falcone and Falcone Entertainment from Elizabeth's and Luca's grasps. They all knew this could be a battle—an all-out assault on everything Y/N had built.
Miranda was engrossed in legal paperwork, combing through clauses, estate plans, and old family wills, hoping for a loophole or any angle they could use to protect Y/N's legacy. Damien was busy calling in favors, reaching out to lawyers and judges he trusted, and ensuring that if this reached the courts, Y/N would be as fortified as possible. Aubrey, on the other hand, was managing the financial side, carefully untangling Y/N's assets from the Falcone estate so that, if things went south, Y/N wouldn't lose everything.
Y/N had done her best to explain Elizabeth's absence to the kids. Amelia seemed content, too young to question much, but Nate was struggling, often asking about his mom and looking lost whenever he didn't receive an answer that made sense to him. Y/N tried to reassure him, and she tried to give him a sense of stability, but every morning, Nate would run up to her and ask if his Mommy had called and asked about him.
Thankfully, Candice had turned into a constant presence. She was there to check on Y/N and the kids, bringing her sons, Anacãn and Ariel, over frequently so Nate and Amelia would have friends to play with.
The boys were always a welcome distraction, their laughter filling the halls, as they spent hours building blanket forts, racing through the house, and finding solace in each other's company. Candice, who had been through a divorce with Hermann when her boys were still toddlers, understood better than anyone just how complicated and painful everything could be.
One evening, after the kids had gone to bed, Candice and Y/N sat quietly in the kitchen, sipping tea and smoking.
Candice leaned back, looking at Y/N with a thoughtful expression.
"What happened between you and Lizzie?" she asked gently, breaking the silence. "You two were trying to fix things, right? I mean, it seemed like you were. She was spending time with the kids, doing her part to make things work... but then, out of nowhere, everything changed. You started spending time with Miranda, and eventually, Behati came back... and then you and I hooked up at the VS reunion... so what happened between you and Lizzie?"
Y/N took a slow drag, exhaling as she collected her thoughts. She hadn't really told anyone the full story. "Elizabeth...she grew tired of being stuck at home with nothing to do," Y/N began, her voice low. "She'd tell me that Nate was great, but Amelia was still difficult. Amy never felt comfortable with Lizzie. No matter how much we tried Amy would scream and kick every time Lizzie tried to pick her up or would talk to her... and then I stared being more busy with work and whenever I came home Lizzie and I would started fighting over every little thing."
Y/N sighed, taking another drag. "At some point, we made this agreement... to just go back to the way things were. To act like the perfect family in public, and in front of the kids for the kids' sake, but had separate lives. I knew that at some point we would have gotten divorced but then she got pregnant... Lizzie planned it... she wanted a kid that would love her from the get-go. She said that she wanted a girl... her baby girl."
Candice shook her head, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Her second chance at having the daughter she felt Amelia couldn't be."
Y/N nodded slowly, her jaw clenched. "Exactly..."
Candice took a deep breath, setting her cigarette down. "I'll never understand it," she murmured, her voice pained. "How you can just... walk away from your own child. Hermann did it to me, and left me when I was still pregnant with Ariel. And Elizabeth... she just ran to Luca and Monica, leaving Nate and Amelia without a second thought."
Y/N's eyes darkened, a flash of vulnerability breaking through her usual strength. "And me," she added quietly.
Candice laughed. "Well, you deserved it. You were a cheating piece of shit, who fucked anyone who so much smiled at you," she said, trying to lighten the mood with a smirk. "But hey, I'm one of the girls you cheated on your wife with, so I can't judge..."
They both chuckled, the heaviness easing just a little. After a moment, Y/N glanced over at Candice, studying her thoughtfully.
"Why don't you leave Chris?" she asked, surprising herself with the question. "I mean, he's... well, he's boring. He barely talks. I think in all the years I've known him, I might have had a full conversation with him maybe... six or seven times."
Candice sighed, rubbing her temples. "Chris is a nice guy. He really is. He took us in when I was struggling after my breakup with Hermann. I was a mess, and he was this perfect, stable guy. He's kind, he loves the boys, and he helps out whenever I need it. I'm not in love with him anymore, but..." She trailed off, biting her lip. "He's been in a tough spot lately. His family business went bankrupt two years ago... and it's a LOT of paperwork... and he's drowning in debt. We have this... agreement, I guess... I help him out, pay some stuff here and there and once his name is cleared, we'll go our separate ways."
Y/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "So he doesn't care that you're here with me?"
Candice gave a small shrug. " He's focused on his own issues, Elizabeth's issues... plus he knows that I am seeing someone... I've told him... he just doesn't know it's you."
Y/N grinned, a playful glint in her eye. "Oh, so you and I are... seeing each other, then?"
Candice smirked, nodding. "Yes. And, unlike Lizzie, I don't share. So, once you and Lizzie get through this mess, and once Chris and I are done... if you and I become something then you're mine. And mine alone."
Y/N laughed, genuinely amused. "Oh, really?"
Candice nodded, her eyes softening. She leaned closer, resting a hand on Y/N's arm. "Really. In fact, I have it all planned out...."
Y/N smiled "Tell me about it."
Candice smiled brightly "Once this is over, we're leaving New York. Just us, the kids... a fresh start, somewhere far from all this noise." Her voice was almost wistful, her gaze distant as she described her vision. "We'll get a farmhouse, raise the kids away from the drama, the power plays, all of it. We'll have our own family, our own life."
Y/N looked at her, caught off guard by the vividness of the dream Candice was describing. "What about everyone else? Miranda, Aubrey, Damien, Sofia"
Candice hesitated, glancing down at her empty cup. "I'd want Aubrey, Sofia, and Damien around us," she admitted, "They're family. They actually care about you. But Miranda... I don't want her anywhere near you."
Y/N frowned, surprised. "Why not?"
Candice's expression hardened. "Because she has a hold on you, that I don't particularly enjoy Y/N. She makes all your decisions for you, and you don't even realize it. Don't get me wrong—she's brilliant. But she doesn't care about you, not in the way you think. She cares about the status, the power... the 'Falcone' name. That's all you are to her—a golden ticket."
Y/N took in her words, silent for a moment. She looked at Candice thoughtfully. "And what am I to you?"
Candice shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "I don't know," she admitted honestly. "I know that I like you... a lot, even if you are a narcissistic asshole sometime... but even then you and I... we understand each other in a way I haven't felt with anyone else. But I can assure you one thing, I unlike Miranda and Behati... I don't want your money, your name, your status... I don't need any of that."
Y/N smiled, her eyes softening. "So I'm not your golden ticket?"
Candice laughed, shaking her head. "No, you're not. I have my own gold, that I worked hard for and I don't need to manipulate or steal it from anyone else."
Candice looked around making sure the kids weren't around before she leaned in and kissed Y/N's cheek " I like you for you, Y/N..."
YOU ARE READING
Billion Dollar Love Affair.
Hayran KurguWhat's the difference between love and lust?