Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
She took a deep breath, pulled out her key, and made her way inside. The moment she stepped through the doors, she knew she had finally come home.
“I’m going to kill her,” Massimo said.
“No, you can’t do that.” She couldn’t even believe she was arguing with him about this. “You warned me that killing people will cause a war like no other. I don’t want you to do that for me.”
“I would go to war for you, Elsie. I will not allow you to believe I don’t love you or that I don’t have feelings for you.”
“No, we’re going to have to do this another way. I love you, Massimo, and I know you love me, but I don’t need you to risk your life for me. Please don’t.”
She remembered the conversation. Massimo had been willing to go to war for her, and she was going to do this for him. This was home. Massimo was home. This felt right to her.
She didn’t go up to the bedroom but went straight to where Massimo told her to go, his office. She never went in his office, not unless he was there with her.
At the door of his office, she placed her hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath. She could do this. This was a piece of cake.
Turning the handle, she stepped inside, and then she walked up to Massimo’s desk. This is what he told her to do, and she began to rummage through his desk, trying to find nothing, but pretending to.
“Looking for this?” Isabella asked.
Elsie looked up to find Isabella in Massimo’s office, holding a key, but also with a gun pointed at her.
She tensed up. Massimo had said there was going to be a risk, and he didn’t know how far Isabella would go.
“Isabella, what are you doing here?” she asked.
“Oh, you know me, I’m attempting to tie up loose ends, and you see, I thought it was fun to torment you, but now I’m bored, and I think it is time for you to leave.”
“Leave?” Elsie asked. “That is exactly what I’m planning on doing. I just, I need to use the key to Massimo’s safe.” She had no idea if that was the key to his safe or not. The truth was, she didn’t even know if he kept a safe.
Isabella tutted. “Do you really think I am going to let you steal from Massimo, when I already have caught you stealing from my father?”
“Your father?” Elsie asked. “I’ve not stolen from your father.”
“Oh, have you not?” She pouted. “That must be my mistake, because everyone is going to assume you were stealing from my dad as well as Massimo. After all, it’s not going to be hard to convince them, you being labeled a gold-digging whore.”
“I am not after Massimo’s money, and I would never steal from anyone.”
“Yeah, but no one is going to know the truth, are they? They’re not going to know I’m the one stealing, and, well, I need Massimo, and you’re in the way.”
“Why do you need Massimo?” Elsie asked.
“That is no concern of yours.”
Elsie laughed. “Actually, seeing as he is my husband and chose me, I think it is only fair I find out what my competition intends to do. I mean, is this just about sex, or money, or his title? Or do you love him?”
Isabella snorted. “Love. You pathetic people, always thinking it has something to do with love. It is never about love. Look around you. Daddy is growing bored with paying for my life, and Massimo is not hurting for money. Besides, I get to boss everyone around. It will be a win-win for me, and I get to deal with you.”
She stared at Isabella, and for the first time in a long while, she hated another human being. Elsie had vowed to never let anyone matter to her to the point it would affect her feelings.
“Massimo will never choose you,” Elsie said. “You will never get the keys to this house, or the keys to his fortune, because he sees through you.” As she spoke, she moved closer. “You can try to kill me. You can try to frame me for stuff I’ve never done, but you won’t succeed. Do you want to know why?”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve looked hell in the face and fucking bounced back.”
Isabella had been so distracted, she didn’t see the punch Elsie landed to her face before it was too late. Elsie had vowed to never hurt another human being but the vile spilling from her lips was more than she could take.
She shoved the gun out of Isabella’s hand, and then before the other woman could react, just as Massimo said, he, Romero, as well as Franco stepped into Massimo’s office.
Isabella wasn’t expecting them, and Elsie rushed to Massimo’s side. He pulled her into his arms.