by A. Anders
Lucy blushed. “Whatcha cooking?”
“I’m making my fiancée breakfast. Eggs, bacon, and pancakes,” he said cheerfully.
“Smells delicious,” Lucy said before stepping behind him and wrapping her arms around his body. She loved holding him. Touching him made all of her worries disappear.
“Sit down, I’ll serve you breakfast,” he said placing the last of the bacon onto a big serving plate.
The two ate breakfast before returning to the bedroom for another session of sex. This time they didn’t worry about whose turn it was.
Cristiano lifted her up and supported her as they both fell onto the bed. With his lips locked onto hers, he entered her. Rising onto his knees he gripped her waist and arched her back. With him thrusting powerfully within her, she jiggled like a ragdoll. And cumming as quickly as she did, Cristiano collapsed onto her body exhausted before both drifted off for a quick nap.
Excited about her ring, when they were both again awoke, Lucy got dressed and kissed Cristiano goodbye. She had a lot of things to do before shopping for her diamond. She needed to redo her nails changing them to an appropriate ring shopping color. She had to do her hair. And she had to pick out the perfect engagement ring shopping outfit. The perfect outfit clearly wasn’t going to pick out itself.
Arriving home Lucy turned her phone back on. She had always turned it off when she was with Cristiano paranoid that someone might be able to track where she was. It wasn’t that she was ashamed to be with Cristiano. It was more that she wanted to avoid having a complicated conversation with her father.
Engaged, there was no avoiding the conversation now. Cristiano was about to become her husband. Eventually her father would have to be told that he had a son-in-law.
As if on cue, Lucy looked at her phone and found a message from her dad. Her exchange with her father hadn’t quite gone how she had described to Cristiano. She had told him that she wasn’t going to marry Peter but she wasn’t as firm as she could have been.
She had tried to imply that there was someone else in her life but her father had refused to hear it. Her father was a very powerful man. He wasn’t easy to say no to. Lucy wasn’t the first person to try and fail.
“Lucy, this is your father. Peter tells me that you stood him up at the Vanderbilt party. That is no way for a Hollingsworth to behave. You weren’t just representing yourself there, you were supposed to be a representative of our family.
“I expect you to send a formal written apology to the Vanderbilts and I expect you to call up Peter and apologize personally. If you want to keep your allowance then you must keep up with your obligations. Nothing in this world is free, my dear. Don’t forget that.
“Now, let’s put all of this unfortunate behavior behind us. I am inviting Peter over for dinner on Thursday. I expect you to be there and I expect you to be on your best behavior. You can call my assistant for the details. I’ll see you there.”
As great as she had felt moments ago, hearing her father’s voice changed everything. Lucy thought about how little of her life was hers to control. Sure, she got trips around the world and beautiful homes in every major city, but all of it came with a catch. She was chattel. She was a pawn that her father could use to maintain her family’s wealth.
Lucy decided it was time that she put an end to all of that but hesitated imagining what the fallout would be. Would her father cut her off? If he did, she would only have her trust fund to depend on. This was a trust fund that her grandfather had set up. It was her father who had turned their family fortune into billions. Her grandfather’s trust fund was barely enough to buy a house in the major city much less to live the rest of her life.
After thinking about how badly things could go, Lucy decided that Cristiano was worth the risk of disinheritance. Cristiano was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She was sure of that. She was also sure that her father wouldn’t like him. That didn’t matter, though because she did.
Having made her decision, Lucy considered what she should do next. She was engaged. Did she call her father with the news? Her other option was to wait until after she got the ring. What did a ring matter, though? Her father was too busy to meet with her before the meeting. It would have to be done over the phone and that didn’t require a ring.
Her heart thumped as she realized what she needed to do. As she stared at her phone her face flushed. Was she actually going to do this? She had to, she decided.
This was more than just about her engagement. This was about wrestling control of her life from her father’s grasp. Lucy paused when she realized that it was also about something else. The news was going to break her father’s heart. Her father really liked Peter Baron.
Peter had never loved her, though. Lucy was sure of that. From the first time they had been introduced, Peter had looked at her like all of the other ambitious guys at the company had. Lucy may as well have been a 18th-century spinster with a dowry. In those men’s eyes, Lucy was an acquisition needed to take over the world. Peter had always been the worst of them all.
During the times they had been alone, the two of them had barely spoken. When Peter did open his mouth, it was to brag about his time at Harvard or whatever yacht trip he had recently taken. Once Lucy had even made it clear that she didn’t want to marry him. He responded with such venom that he left no doubt that he didn’t care about her or what she wanted.
“Women were to do what their men told them to do,” was Peter’s response. Those weren’t his exact words but they may as well have been.
Lucy couldn’t believe it. Who the hell did this guy think he was? And what did her father see in him in the first place?
Lucy had had no intention of letting Peter get away with saying what he had. Since then she took every opportunity she could to destroy his life. Subtly placed comments and a joke or two were all that was really needed. It didn’t take Peter long to catch on with what she was doing. The battle became two-sided after that.
Still, though, he continued on with her father’s sham of a possible marriage. Maybe he was doing it to not lose any face at work. Lucy had no explanation for it but she found it pathetic. There was no way that she would ever marry a man like Peter. In fact, she wished she could see the look on Peter’s face when he found out that she was already engaged.
What would Peter think when he saw her fiancé and realized that Cristiano was twice the man he would ever be? That was the thought that inspired Lucy to make the call to her father.
“Dad?” she said when he answered the phone.
“Sweetheart, how are you?”
“Engaged,” She said apprehensively.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I’m engaged, dad.”
“You and Peter?”
“For the final time, no, dad. I told you I was seeing someone else. That’s where I was last night. That’s why I didn’t go to the party.”
“You’re saying that you’re engaged to a man that I’ve never met?”
Lucy thought back to the day she had met Cristiano. He had been one of the bartenders at a catered party at their house.
“Actually, you have met him,” she admitted starting to sweat.
“I have? Who is he?”
Lucy considered what she was about to tell her father, one of the richest men in the world. How could she admit that she was about to marry a cater waiter? She could barely believe it herself.
“It doesn’t matter. We’re engaged and you’ll meet him soon.”
“This is absurd. What about Peter?”
“Dad, if you love him so much, why don’t you marry him?”
“Don’t be facetious, Dear. It doesn’t become a Hollingsworth.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I love Cristiano and I want you to love him too. I know that’s going to be a lot to ask, but I want you to try. Can you do that for me, Dad?”
“If he is a man worthy of my little girl, then he will get my blessing. But if he is not, you c
an’t expect me to welcome some degenerate into our home.”
“He is not some degenerate.”
“Then tell me, what does he do?”
Lucy felt heat pulsing from her chest. In her circles, this was the question that would determine the rest of her social life. Every friend that she had ever had was maniacally obsessed with what people did. The wrong answer to that question would cause whispers to start as soon and any head was turned. Twelve-year-old junior high girls were thought to be vicious, but the torment of the worst queen bee couldn’t hold a candle to the treatment that followed the wrong answer to that question.
“He’s an artist,” Lucy said trying to be as vague as possible.
Lucy thought about her response. Was it really a lie? Cristiano could have been an artist. As far as Lucy knew, Cristiano could be a world-famous painter traveling the continent looking for inspiration. Lucy didn’t know. His art skills weren’t something that came up during their many love making sessions.
But as much as Lucy told herself that that could be the case, Lucy quickly realized the truth. The truth was that she had betrayed the man that she loved at the first opportunity that she got. Her heart hurt thinking about it. Lying was the only way she was going to get through this conversation, though. Personal details could be cleared up later, but it was impossible to make a second first impression.
“An artist? You want to waste your life with an artist? Who am I supposed to pass our company along to? You certainly don’t expect me to give it to an artist.”
“I don’t care, Dad. I’m not going to marry someone just because you need someone to give the company too. I am not a prized cow.”
“Of course you aren’t, Dear. But our company has been in the family for three generations. I wanted to pass it along to my kids like my father did to me.”
“And then you were cursed with me,” Lucy said admitting what she had always thought to be true.
“I have always been proud of you, Dear. It’s just that you don’t apply yourself. You could be this company’s greatest CEO but all you care about is wasting money on trips and doing God knows what with artists.
“This company needs an heir. If it won’t be you, then at least give me a son-in-law who can keep you in the lifestyle that you have become so accustomed.”
Lucy’s heart broke hearing her father’s request. Although self-centered, it wasn’t completely unreasonable. None of it mattered, though. Cristiano was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. And as long as he would have her, that was exactly what Lucy planned to do.
“Dad, I can’t live my life based on what’s right for the company. I need to be happy. You want me to be happy, don’t you?”
Lucy’s father paused. “I do, Sweetheart. But we all have obligations. And if you can’t live up to your obligations, then you can’t reap the rewards. If you want to marry this artist, you can but you will be cut off. No one gets anything in his life for free, not even a Hollingsworth. Are you really willing to give up all of your traveling and trips to the spa for this artist?”
“If that’s what’s necessary, then yes.”
“Then, you’re cut off. Last month’s allowance was your last.”
“What am I going to do for money?” Lucy asked nervously.
“Well, you could always get a job. I know a company that’s hiring.”
Lucy paused hoping that her father was joking. She quickly realized that he wasn’t.
“Oh, and by the way,” he said continuing, “congratulations on your engagement.” With that, he hung up the phone.
Stunned, Lucy lowered the phone from her face. She couldn’t have imagined the conversation going worse. Her father had cut her off. She couldn’t believe it. How had it gotten to that?
Lucy tried to shake the conversation out of her head by reminding herself that the most amazing man she had ever met had asked her to marry him. Together they would figure things out. He loved her and always acted as though he would do anything for her. As long as she had his love, all things were possible.
She would never regret her decision to choose Cristiano over her inheritance. And Lucy went about the rest of the morning focused on what was important, mainly the shade of nail polish that best matched a 14-carat white diamond engagement ring.
Touching base with Cristiano at a little after noon. Their plan was for Cristiano to meet her at her place at three. From there they would go ring shopping. When at 2:45 an unknown number appeared on her phone, she had no reason to expect the worst.
“Hello?” Lucy answered.
“Hello. Yes, this is Cedar Sinai hospital calling for Lucy Hollingsworth.”
The blood suddenly drained from Lucy’s face hearing those words.
“This is Lucy,” she hesitantly admitted.
“Yes. Do you know a Cristiano Rivero?”
“Yes, Cristiano. He is my fiancé. What is this about?”
“I’m calling from the emergency room. I’m sorry to tell you that your fiancé has been in an accident.”
The room seemed to dip and sway around her as she struggled to remain on her feet.
“Is he alright?”
“You should probably come to the hospital.”
“I will. But please, tell me. Is my fiancé alright?”
“Ms. Hollingsworth, what I can tell you is that Mr. Rivero has seemed to have lost his memory. He doesn’t remember who he is and when you arrive you shouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t recognize you either.”
Unable to hear anymore, Lucy fell. Missing the couch she landed hard on the floor. What had she just heard? Cristiano might not recognize her? That couldn’t be true. She had to go to him.
Scrambling to her feet Lucy grabbed her keys and rushed out the door. Hurrying to her car she could think about nothing except going to him. What she didn’t know, however, was that her life was about to change forever.
Lucy
Chapter 2
Lucy rushed into the hospital scanning the room for the reception desk. The place was busy. Anxious people lined the walls as nurses helped patients back and forth through the swinging door.
“I’m looking for Cristiano Rivero,” Lucy said to the sturdily build woman behind the desk.
“And you are?”
Lucy hesitated before answering. “I’m his fiancée.”
For a moment, Lucy wasn’t sure she had the right to call him that. After all, they had been engaged for less than twenty-four hours.
“Please take a seat. Someone will be right with you.”
“But I’m told that he lost his memory. I need to get back to him now.”
“We will get to you as quickly as we can. Can you please have a seat?”
“But, you don’t understand…”
“I said have a seat!” the woman said sternly.
Lucy’s mouth dropped open shocked by how the woman had spoken to her. Didn’t she know who her family was? Her family could buy this hospital and then fire her just out of spite.
Lucy reveled in the thought of it until she remembered that her father had just cut her off. It was then that she looked around for an open seat and went to sit down.
Feeling like just another face in the crowd, her conversation with her father suddenly became very real. What did it mean that she was disinherited? Was the only life she had ever known truly over? Would she no longer be able to get reservations at restaurants? Could she even afford to go out to eat now that she was cut off?
The gravity of the situation was beginning to weigh on her when the woman behind the desk called her name.
“Yes, that’s me,” she said hurrying back to the sturdy woman.
“I will need you to fill out these forms,” the woman said handing a clipboard to Lucy.
“What’s this?”
“You said you were his fiancée, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well…” The woman said as if she had already said everything she needed to.
Lucy took t
he clipboard unsure of what was going on. Heading back to her seat she looked at all the forms. There were questions she knew the answer to like his name. But there were others she didn’t.
Certainly she knew how to get to his apartment but what was his actual address? Not knowing, she wrote down her own. The form then asked for his family’s information and his medical history. That was something that Lucy didn’t know.
At Lucy’s request, theirs was almost entirely a sexual relationship. She had always felt it best to gloss over certain details. Their sexual arrangement was very hot. Why ruin it by talking too much about the minutia of life?
As Lucy moved on to the second page she couldn’t answer, the reality of the situation began to set in. She had just gotten engaged to a man that she certainly loved but knew nothing about. How much did she even about him past the details of his naked body?
She could probably describe his mannerisms and attitude, but she didn’t know where he went to college. Did he even go to college? Did he finish high school? Lucy had no idea about any of this and she had just given up her entire life for him.
It was then that Lucy considered resting the clipboard down and quickly leaving the hospital.
“Ms. Hollingsworth?” The woman behind the desk called.
Looking up Lucy caught her eyes. There was no way that she could leave now. Regaining her courage, she stood up and returned to the desk.
“I didn’t know a few of the answers,” Lucy admitted embarrassed.
“The most important part is the insurance. Were you able to fill that out?”
Lucy thought about her own insurance. It wasn’t something that she knew much about. She remembered her father telling her something about being under his coverage because she was twenty-five. But did it cover someone like a fiancé?
Lucy was beginning to realize that there was a lot that she did know about a lot of things. What had she done getting engaged? She fought back the urge to cry as everything overwhelmed her.
The woman behind the desk watched as Lucy’s round face twisted into tears. “Don’t worry about that,” the woman said trying to comfort her. “That’s not something a girl tends to know until marriage.”
