𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓 | #𝟏 ✔️

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

"It's okay, Aurelia, that's just how Mrs. Morelli is. Sooner or later, she'll soften up to you whether you both reveal it or not!" Sofia attempts to reassure me but I only feel more and more guilt.

I groan, laying on my stomach and taking a pillow which I scream into. My voice is muffled and when I think I've let all of it out, I pull away to see Salem silently judging me.

"Look, Sofia, I'm sure it was different from you since you were just his secretary. But for me, I'm not just his secretary! I'm also the bastard's fiancée and girlfriend of three years."

At this point, I'm full on ranting. I mean, how could I not?

Rainer fucking Morelli is using me. He's using me and I'm letting him and I'm starting to wonder, part by part of my body, why.

To him, all of this may be fake.

Our relationship. Us. Equals fake.

Our careers. Equals nada.

And our fucking contract.

It's either, he's taking it dead serious or he's using it as an excuse to be possessive of a woman he can't have.

He can't have, but here he is, the main topic of our discussion.

"Rainer's a confusing man, Aurelia. And as his secretary/fiancée/submissive.. I assumed you'd know."

I do know.

I know very well yet I still decided to fall for him.

His tan skin, his sweet smile, he's so good to me and I'm trying to find a reason why he's not right.

Maybe it's our dynamic? Workplace relationships never end well. Or maybe it's us? I wasn't a very firm believer of the whole 'right person, wrong time' thing until this moment.

Salem and Sofia's voices become muffled as thoughts and thoughts of questions prowl through my head. About Rainer. About myself. About our whole agreement and why I had even agreed to it.

"This could cost me my whole damn life." I say.

"No shit, Ari!" Salem scolds, "We came here so you could get away from your father and if Camilla reveals your relationship, it could ruin your whole career."

I tilt my head up to look at her, tears are welling in my eyes and I'm holding back the urge to break down in front of them. She sighs, motioning for me to come to her with the curl of her fingers and I immediately sink into her arms.

The second my cheek comes into contact with her stomach, I'm bursting into tears. I let out small whimpers, my tears soaking into the fabric of her white shirt as I slowly gave into my vulnerable side.

Moments like this aren't new to Salem, she's used to it and knows how to handle it, though for some reason I can tell something is different. Not exactly in a bad way, though.

Maybe it's Sofia? I don't open up to others in front of new people often.

Or maybe it's the topic.

"I don't cry over men!" I sob out, my voice muffled before I sniffle, the tears never stopping.

I don't cry over men. So why am I right now?

────

My tears have now transformed into hateful words. I wonder what stage of depression this is.

"I fucking hate her." I snarl.

Salem backs me up with "The audacity of her to call you poor! As if you don't wear a million dollar necklace and earrings every day." And scoffs.