Chapter-30
Annabelle Piccolo's POV
"Papa!" I gasp and go for him as he dangerously takes a step closer to Felisa. She is standing there wide eyed and with her mouth hanging open in shock. He stops as I stand in front of him. He looks at me and then back at her. He looks so angry. I have never seen him this angry. I am scared.
"I always thought you were just stubborn and wanted to be loved, but this?!" He spits. "You dropped so low that you can't even see what's right or wrong!" He yells. "You wanted to hurt me, then Lucas?" My eyes find Lucas's and he stands there just stoically staring at Felisa. The thought that he might have been hurt is like a knife to my heart.
The thought that my two favourite men, my powerhouse, could have been hurt... I just can't.
"You are so obsessed with your thoughts that you just don't see what others want! You just don't care!" Papa yells again. He moves past me and goes close to Felisa. She looks scared. "You don't even care for our daughter wishes!" He is in her face now. "Did you ever think about what Gemma would want?" She looks away. Her jaw clenches. "Look at me!" She turns her head quickly at father's command.
Lucas comes to stand beside me. He wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me possessively close. I look at him and he closes and opens his eyes in a way to assure me.
We did it. As weird as it is, I understand him.
We did.
"I have always ignored your wrongs thinking you might understand all of our patience, but you just-"
"Stop calling yourselves as victim!" She yells. "I have been the victim since this marriage started!" She points to herself.
"You will never change!"
"You never gave me the chance-" Felisa is cut off.
"Stop it!" We all hear a voice from the background. All of our heads turn and we see Gemma standing at the entrance of the kitchen with her eyes full of tears and her head in her hands. "Just stop it!" She lets out a sob and I move out of Lucas's hold to reach her.
If in this whole process, I am sad for anyone, if I feel thins enormous guilt for anyone, it's Gemma.
In just five minutes, she heard her mother admit to hurting her father and her best friend. She heard her mother admitting to manipulate Gemma and Lucas to get married. She heard her mother pain of not being loved and now she is watching her favourite people, the people she trusts the most fight with each other.
My heart lurches out for her. She looks so broken. Before any of us can reach her, she rushes out of the room.
"I will make you pay for this. For playing with our lives." He tells her with such determination before turning around and reaches me. He looks hurt as he meets my eyes... like he can't look at me... like he is guilty for not taking care of me. I shake my head at him. He looks at Lucas and me before going out of the kitchen to follow Gemma.
Now it's just me, Lucas, Lucas's parents and Felisa. Lucas's mother, Mrs. Alberto walks up to Felisa. Her face looks murderous.
"I always thought you just got bitter because of life, but this?!" She sounds really angry and disgusted by what her friend has done. "You plan to hurt my son?! He grew up in front of you for Godsake!" Felisa opens her mouth to say something but is cut off again. "I will never forgive you for this. Never!" Mr. Alberto is by his wife's side and holds her like Lucas has his hand over my waist.
"It is foolish of you to even think that you could hurt my son, The Duke." He sounds angry too. "You have gone far too deep this time. No one can save you now."
"You fucking bitch!" Felisa yells at me. "You did this." She angrily spits.
"You did this to yourself." Mrs. Alberto speaks before I can respond.
The reality of what she has done strikes her as she slumps on the kitchen counter behind her and looks down. She lost everything in a few moments.
"Next time you even think about laying a hand on her or even think about hurting her-Wait." Lucas starts and stops. "I will make it so that you wouldn't even think about hurting her." He promises. My heart flips at his protective and possessive words.
Six Months Later
"How are you even dating that Devil?" Nicole asks as she puts her file down and sighs. She just came back from his office. He has been working hard since the past few weeks as the Project of Alberto's and Piccolo's is about to start in a month.
"He is not a Devil to her remember?" Aria speaks as she quickly types on her laptop. She doesn't even looks at us as she speaks. "I wonder what it's like to have him speak sweetly." She wonders and I bite my lip for smiling wide. "Did he even ask for a date or is he just like 'Come date me?'" She asks. We never actually went on a date. She stops typing and turns to me. "Did he even take you on a date?"
"No." I shake my head.
We have been living together. Some days at my place and some days at his. Mostly at mine. It's like he moved in with me. He said he wanted me live where I am most comfortable. That was so sweet of him. He barges into my home like it's his and I have no problem with it. We have many movie nights. He cooks for me. I cozy up to him most of the time. He is such a sweet talker.
It amazes me every day how he keeps that side of him a secret. He treats like a gentleman and I try to show him how much I love him as much as possible. We come to the office together and leave together. My most favourite part of the day is when he rolls up his sleeves and works on making dinner for me. It never occurred to us both that we should go on a date.
"How can you not-What?" Aria sounds shocked. She stops typing and is looking at me. I shrug.
"How did you guys even date?" Nicole asks.
We never needed to I guess.
"How did you become his girlfriend?" Nicole asks. Am I even his girlfriend? I mean we are more than that. We never put any labels. We are just... Us. "Okay. Let me ask you this. Are you even his girlfriend?" Nicole asks and Aria looks at me questioningly.
"From what I saw last week, I am thinking they are more than that. I don't even want to stand anywhere five feet near to her." Alessandro speaks from the other end of the table. We are all in the conference room right now. We have a meeting with Lucas to discuss some business ideas and marketing ideas. Last week, I was speaking to Mr. Jake Green. We are currently working with him on a Project.
He was flirting with me throughout the meeting and I was trying really hard to not laugh. Everyone in the room can feel the anger radiating from Lucas. I bite my lip, but accidentally laughed at one of his jokes. That seemed to break Lucas's patience.
"You could either walk out of this office with a good project in your hands or you would be carried out of here on a stretcher if you don't stop flirting with my girl." He warns and the room falls dead silent. I look at Lucas wide eyed. He raises his brow. "William, move got and sit beside him." He commands the man beside him. "She will sit here." He informs and I feel embarrassed.
How can he command me like that in front of everyone? I don't move and that causes Lucas to lose control.
"Meeting is over." He declares and walks up to me all controlling, demanding, devilish and sexy before lifting me off the chair and throwing me over his shoulder in front of nearly 20 staff members before spanking my ass hard. "Stop flirting with other men!" With that, he walks out of the room with me wiggling over his shoulder to get down.
It became an office talk. It still is.
That's how it has been since six months. Him being possessive and me trying to keep up with him.
"Are you like his lover then?" Aria asks brining me back.
"We just never put a tag on our relationship." I don't know what to say. We both know that we are going to marry. We are just... We are what, Anna? What are you doing then if you both want to marry each other? My thoughts confuse me.
"And if we have to." We are startled by the voice. It's Lucas's. My eyes widen and we turn around. He walks to me. "She is going to be my wife." He speaks as he stares into my eyes. "Your future Duchess." He turns his eyes to Nicole and Aria. I blush deep.
Oh no! I want to dig a hide myself!
"Let's go." He holds out his hand. I grab my things and as I put my hand in his, at that moment, happiness took me over. This is more than what I have dreamed. Nicole and Aria are smiling in awe as we walk out of the office. We are all done for the day. His hand moved to my waist as we go to the lift.
Once we are in the lift, he pushes the button for the parking and swiftly turns me to him in a few seconds. I gasp and my heart starts racing like it's the first time we are kissing. He dips his head on my neck and his fingers curl in my hair. He kisses my neck and the lift dings.
"Fuck! I missed this." He lets go and before I can speak, he walks us out and rushes to the car still holding my hand. I struggle to keep up with him in my heels.
"Lucas, please. I can't run in my heels." I complain and he stops to look at me and then to my heels. In one swift motion, he picks me up bridal style and walks to the car.
"I am trying to control myself so much right now. With the thoughts in my head right now... Fuck! I want to take you right here in the car." He says as he reaches the car. I blush again and hide my face in his chest. I help him open the door and sets me in. He kisses my cheek before closing the door. I bite my lip to stop myself from grinning. I am still crushing on him like a school girl.
Once he is in the car, he starts the car and we are on the road soon. The Paparazzi is right outside the office building waiting to catch a glimpse every day and Lucas never fails in giving them a show. He just drives past them today and I frown. Is he angry?
"I am too hot for you to give them a show today." He informs like he knows what I am thinking. "We are going home and I am going to get you naked." He switched the gear and it's so sexy to see him just do simple things.
"But we planned to go to visit Gemma and Papa today." The car comes to a screeching halt and he curses. "When will I have you all to myself?" He asks before turning the car around.
These past six months have really been hard on one person and that's Gemma. Papa divorced Felisa. She had to sign the papers. She had no choice. I thought Gemma would be angry at me. She was angry at everyone for a few weeks after the incident. Papa was with her every day. It was hard for her to accept everything that has happened, but she understood the situation.
I made sure Papa was taking the right pills this time. His health got better gradually. He visits me frequently and every time he did, Lucas is there. It's not like me and Lucas were ever apart more than 5 hours. Papa is slowly glowing. He seems more relaxed and free. He looks happy. He looks less stressed.
Gemma is doing better too. She stopped talking to her mother. I am sure that is the bigger punishment for Felisa. Papa wanted to sue her, but he let her go for the sake of Gemma.
Me and Gemma have gotten closer. She is speaking to me more freely now and I can't explain how happy I am about it. Papa is elated when he saw us both gushing over things. I am spending more time with her and she is the one who bought these heels for me telling me that Lucas would like them and he did the last time I wore them.
"Gemma is turning you into a Little Devil." Lucas speaks bringing me out of my thoughts.
"No. She is not." I deny.
"She is making you do things that drive me crazy." He says and I smile. She gave me a few tips here and there.
"Maybe a little." I mumble and he smiles.
The car stops as we reach the mansion and Lucas opens the door for me. I lift my head and find him staring at me.
"What?" I ask him as I get out.
"Did I tell you I love you?" He asks and my breath knocks out of me. I go to him as he closes the door and kiss him on the lips.
"I love you too." He is about to kiss me when Melody comes.
"Oh good you are here. Gemma is in her room." She informs and we both walk in. He is holding my hand.
As we reach Gemma's room, we find it wide open. Once we reach, I gasp at what I see. Lucas beside me is looking at them with no emotion.
Gemma is kissing Marcus. Or maybe Marcus is kissing Gemma. They both do not realise we are here. Lucas pulls me out, but I catch a glimpse of Marcus lifting her up and throwing her on the bed. Okay, that's enough. There is only one thought that runs in my mind as Lucas guides me out of there.
If only Felisa sees this, I wonder what she would say
A/N:
Hey my cute dumplings!
So much has happened. Annabelle fought for her love. Her love made her braver and stronger. Tell me what you think.
Please VOTE and COMMENT.