Married to the Wrong CEO

Chapter 91: First Fight

Dante came back later than usual that night but it didn’t matter much to Dora who had already decided to wait up all night if she had to.

The house had long gone quiet, the kind of silence that pressed against her ears and made every passing second feel heavier than the last.

Having changed to her night pajamas as she waited on the ground floor for him to arrive.

The fabric was soft against her skin, yet it did nothing to calm the restless tension coiled tightly in her chest as she sat and waited.

Watching him walk in through the front door as he slowly took off the dark cream suit he wore which looked even better on him than even the dark ones did.

The overhead lights caught the sharp lines of his shoulders, the expensive fabric folding neatly as though even his clothes knew how to obey.

A glance towards her as he walked forward, an almost questioning one as he stepped closer.

His eyes lingered only briefly, but it was enough to make her breath hitch.

"You want to talk?" He asked her even as he walked right past almost like he expected her to follow. Clearly she wouldn’t be there if she didn’t want to speak.

His voice was calm, unreadable, as if he already knew the answer.

"Yes!" She responded with her heart racing in her chest as she followed him not sure if the plan she had cooked up was the best but it wasn’t like she had any other thing in her head.

Her footsteps echoed softly behind his, each one a reminder that once this conversation began, there would be no turning back.

"We’ll talk in my study then!" He said as he continued to head in that direction and Dora closely followed him.

The hallway seemed longer than usual, the distance stretching with every anxious thought swirling in her mind.

Her bump was hard to the touch but still barely showing at all even as she habitually lowered her fingers to touch her belly. A habit it seemed she wouldn’t soon outgrow.

The small, unconscious motion grounded her, even if only slightly, as if reminding herself that she was not alone.

It didn’t take long for them to get to the study where his assistant Fabio whom she had not seen since the wedding walked in behind them to place a briefcase on the table before taking his leave.

The room smelled faintly of leather and polished wood, an unmistakable reminder of Dante’s world.

"I’ll see you tomorrow boss!" He said barely sparing a glance at Dora who also mostly ignored him.

The brief exchange made her feel invisible, like an outsider standing in a place she did not belong.

She had nothing to do with Dante’s business which meant that there was no reason for Fabio and her to have any contact whatsoever.

And yet, in that moment, she felt painfully aware that everything in this room revolved around power and money—things she desperately needed.

The door had just closed when Dante turned towards her to speak to her as he leaned against the huge table without making any move to take a seat.

His posture was relaxed, but there was an unmistakable edge to him that made her stomach tighten.

"Must be pretty serious if you went as far as to wait in front of the door," he told her even as Dora summoned all the courage she could and slowly began to speak.

Her fingers curled into the fabric of her pajamas, knuckles turning pale. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"I need to borrow money," she told him having already planned the entire thing out in. Her head.

The words felt heavy as they left her mouth, irreversible.

She would ask him to borrow her money and if she couldn’t pay she would offer to work for him instead. It’s not like he would carve out her organs just so she could pay back. She at least knew that he wasn’t that kind of person.

At least, she hoped she knew him well enough.

"...it’s quite a huge sum but I can slowly pay back!" She told him worried when instead of shoving any expression he simply asked her how much she wanted to borrow.

The lack of reaction unsettled her more than anger would have.

"How much?"

His voice was flat, controlled.

A deep breath after she replied. "500 million!" She told him expecting to see him chuckle at her request or even show a mocking look on his face.

Her heart slammed violently against her ribs as she waited.

But instead he simply focused his gaze steadily on her even if his eyes looked a bit colder.

The air between them seemed to freeze.

He didn’t speak for a while and the longer he refused to speak the more Dora felt her heart race and leap in her chest as she felt his gaze become even more intense with each second that ticked until he finally spoke.

Each second stretched painfully, her thoughts spiraling.

Getting on his feet as he walked around her as he spoke, in a way that prevented her from seeing his face.

The sound of his footsteps circled her like a warning.

"Our contract, it’s still in place?" He asked her his tone light even as she hurriedly nodded her head before she realized that he couldnnt see her face as she quickly opened her mouth to speak.

Panic flickered briefly in her chest.

"Of course!" She responded even as she heard him speak.

Her voice came out faster than intended.

"Are you sure?" He spoke agakn but this time his tone was much colder as he fixed an icy gaze on her.

The warmth she once associated with him was completely gone.

"I would never go back ion my word!" She assured him with a genuine expression on her face as she tried to convince him that she knew what she signed up for. Which was why she was here looking bf r other ways to get what she wanted.

Her eyes shone with sincerity, even desperation.

"You’ll have the baby as planned but instead of the ten million I promised you, I’ll give you 200 million!" He said even as he stepped closer to her from behind still speaking.

Her breath caught at the sudden change.

"The very moment you deliver the baby will be separated from you and you will leave the country!" He said his voice deep in a way that sent a shiver of fear down her spine.

Her hands trembled slightly at her sides.

"When you tell me that you’ve arrived I’ll send another 200 million!" He continued even as all Dora could hear in her ears was the loud thumping of her own heart as she heard him continue to speak.

The numbers blurred together, meaningless compared to his words.

Unable to help but turn around to look at him and see eyes that might as well have belonged to a stranger.

There was no softness there, no familiarity.