PROLOGUE

"Stop."

But I didn't dare to. From the moment I hear him plead for me to stop, I continued further unto my plan. Besides, my position is rather comfortable and beneficial for my part. I won't trade anything as pleasant because of a word.

"Elle, NOT TODAY..."

His words made me stop, staring at him for a moment. I can feel my lips quirking up into a smile.

"Elle. Not now..."

I stared back at him, disliking the way his eyebrows were furrowed. Now I have to deal with the snappy old Gabe again. I get off his desk and strut around his chair, earning another groan from him.

"Elle--"

"Okay, Okay. I'm going out now." I stated in a nonchalant tone, shrugging my shoulders. But before I completely went out, I gave him something to remember.

I lean down on his seat, a smile plastered on my face. I grabbed his cheek using both of my hands and kiss him. I pulled his lower lip with my teeth, hearing him groan, "El-"

"Elleana Cassidy!" Oops, almost full name. Oh, well. I still won't stop, Mr. West.

I grin. No one really knows Gabriel West as well as I do.

It was all a misunderstanding. People thought he was heartless and a git, I thought so too when I married him. It's not like we marry because we fell in love. It was all just a partnership - a partnership that has created a very powerful company, Greene-West Holdings Inc.

This dog's dinner has all started a year ago.

When my father called me from Paris to get my ass back here in New York right at that very moment, I know something's up. I am worried sick because he won't tell me the reason. I thought it was my mom or something that concerns my past but as I step down from the cab, I know, that the reason why I'm here has nothing to do with my family. Or even me.

It was for the freaking company.

The memory was so vivid that I have to smile every time I reminisce that day. The day that I and my husband met back at his father's office. We both have gone mad when they announce the agreement but we did nothing to stop it.

We are born to comply.

The craziest thing is that we even have to marry before the end of the month. Not to mention the fact that we had only two weeks to prepare, not enough time to plan for a very grand celebration.

The wedding was simple and closed to the paparazzi. It happened inside a chapel in Italy with only our relatives and close friends witnessing it but the privacy is not maintained. Soon, a couple of paparazzi came to our reception, spoiling our supposed to be the first dance.

Of course, a billion worth of marriage is breaking news! Two rival families joined as one is a century worth history.

It was that kind of cliché - the not so normal billionaire cliché.

But the fact that Gabriel had actually moved to his penthouse after the reception had finished was insane - for me at least. Not to mention the week-long honeymoon vacation spent by only me in Miami. Only me, swimming on the beach while he types away on that piece of metal they call 'laptop' somewhere inside his 'cave'.

Yet the assumption of us not going to have a chance on this marriage change the moment we got back to New York.

It was all because of that chocolate cake I gave him for his birthday. If I only knew that a chocolate cake was the key to our relationship, I would have acceded to making pastries and offer him all the chocolate cakes I can ever bake.

I did not expect that he will open up to me right after he had his first bite. I guess I'd never get the chance to possess his heart if I didn't choose to bake the blasted cake. it was an effort not wasted, indeed.

I was so engrossed in reminiscing about our past when I hadn't realized that I am now sitting on his lap, again. My hands raking his hair as I moan, grinding myself against his John Thomas.

"Elleana...oh Dio!" He groaned, crashing his head on my neck as he took a whiff.

I was about to start undressing him and let him do the DID to me as I am currently up for it when his phone rang. "MIO DIO!" He spat, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"West," he answered his eyes not leaving me as his lips flattened themselves into a line. A slight frown developed on them as he listened to the voice from the other side, his expression growing gloomy. I sat there, feeling awkward as I slip my blouse on and fix my skirt. Gabriel raised an eyebrow at my action and turns his attention back to the call.

I sigh, getting up from his lap only to sit on his desk. I watch him as he talks on the phone. He was speaking in Italian so fluent that I haven't had the chance to understand a single thing. I wish I have taken a liking to it rather than my French class, who knows that I will marry an Italian someday?

I am almost ready to give myself to him completely but, I guess now is not a perfect time. I was taken aback when he stood, ending the call before looking down at me, his eyes wild with emotions.

Fear, anger, loss, and guilt.

"What happened, Gabe? Tell me, Bello..." I tried to grab his arm but he pulled away, raking his hands on his hair. "It's Papa..." He stated, his voice breaking before he ran out of the door.

"Gabriel," I ran down the stairs, following his steps but his strides are longer than mine

"Gabe!" We were out of the house now. He swiftly entered the garage, the lights switching on their own accord as he goes farther, taking his keys and clicking a button, to unlock his car.

"Gabe..." He abruptly stopped and stare back at me before he made a move to open the car door. "Gabriel," I latch myself on him as though my life depended on it. We stand there, looking at each other with so many words unspoken between the two of us. Gabriel shakes his head before he kisses my forehead and says "Ti Amo..."

I know then, that everything will change.

•

"We've done all that we could, but we cannot save him."

"There's too much blood lost."

"We found him in his office, already dead."

"The gun is nowhere in sight."

"The company needs you..."

"You are the appointed heir, you cannot escape this, Gabriel."

"We need to process the documents as fast as possible."

"The company depends on you now,"

•

I was lying down on our bed, sheets tangled on my feet, mourning someone that hasn't really left me. I silently cried, holding tight to the sheets as I folded myself in a fetal position. The dusk has settled and slowly, the night begins to capture my surroundings as though it were a thin blanket being draped over the land. I sniffled and sigh.

I am almost there.

I've never seen this coming and I never expected this after all that had happened from a couple of months ago. I thought everything was going alright, that everything I have worked for and cultivated over the months will finally bear fruit. I've never imagined that something like this will change everything; that this kind of happening would alter the current "US".

I thought that everything is perfect.

I thought he finally accepted me, that he is willing to risk the chances and be with me. I thought that we are going to have a chance in this relationship but, I'm wrong. So wrong, I haven't seen this coming.

Now, Gabriel's beyond my reach; a billion miles away. He's so cold, so rude. He doesn't care, nor would he even care what happens to me. He's now back to being an insensitive jerk like he was a year ago. He had shut himself off not only from me but to the world, also.

He's back to that shell of a man he once was.

Gone is the one I have fallen the most. Gone is he, to the deepest of the earth. I know that he's not going to come back, but I'm still hoping. I am waiting for him to fight and resurrect - give me his smiles, those smoldering looks that feel as though he is holding me. he'll cuddle me in, peppering kisses and he'll hug me to death. Too much wishful thinking it is for I know that it's not likely to happen.

We've had so many fights these days that I thought about giving up. It has been five months now since his father's passing. It shattered me to think that he blames me for it. He thought that it was my family who plotted the murder of his father. I thought it will change when we already found who the killer was but as the days passed, he chose to forget my presence. He dwells more on his grief and neglects the fact that he has a wife to lean upon.

I'm nothing in his eyes.

Sometimes, in a mere second, his cold mask is gone and he'll smile at me, but as fast as it came, is as fast as it fades. He'll give me that poker face again and let me suffer into oblivion. I don't understand why he blamed me for it. I didn't do anything wrong for him to suspect me and if it is his only excuse to make me guilty and leave him, that will never happen.

I really missed him and even though he's so cold to me, I still love him.

I lost track of seconds, hours turning to days, days transitioning to nights. Those memories we've had from the past few months faded in the background and my lips trembled as I tried so hard to hold unto them.

I twisted my body and stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts running. He always made me feel alone and empty every time he leaves. I frown. it would have been nice to have some company.

a small smile tug at my lips and the feeling it brought me is so bizarre for I haven't felt this happy before. He won't like the idea of it but I decided right then and there that I want something he doesn't want.

I'm determined to have my way. I would do it one way or another.

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