"Alia!" Cherry exclaid, rushing over to draw her into a hug.
Alia could only stand there like a block of wood, stunned by Cherry’s overt friendliness. If she was in her shoes, Alia doubted that she would react so welcoming to a woman her partner was apparently engaged to.
Guilt welled up within her. Cherry was a manager that actually tried her best to help Alia, even with the limited ti she knew her, only for Alia to stab her in the back.
"Cherry, I have to explain," Alia said hurriedly. She wanted to co clean with everything, but then Matteo’s warning rang in her mind. She chanced a quick look at him, and caught his impassive reaction.
What if Cherry got upset and then decided to go to the tabloids with the truth of their relationship? It would undo all of Matteo’s past efforts!
"What about?" Cherry asked, cocking her head curiously. She looked at Matteo. "What did you do with her, you ass?"
Alia’s eyes bulged out at her cavalier way of addressing Matteo. Cherry must have been furious!
"Read the tabloids and you’ll know," was Matteo’s equally cavalier reply. Alia wanted to shake her boss.
How could he not sense Cherry’s unhappiness? Even if Cherry was nothing more than a booty call to him, he should at least have the decency to break things off with her properly.
Was he expecting Alia to do the job for him? A frown crossed Alia’s face. That was pretty despicable. Her boss was a terrible man!
"I read them, why else do you think I’m here? I wanted to hear it from you. What are you doing with Alia?" Cherry demanded.
"I’m marrying her," Matteo said easily. "The tabloids are right."
Cherry’s mouth fell open in shock, and Alia had to say sothing. It wasn’t right for her to swan in and take Cherry’s place just like that. She deserved a proper apology and explanation, and she certainly wasn’t going to get it from Matteo.
"Did you already have a crush on her while she was working at Paragon Luxe?" Cherry asked. "Was that why you offered her such a high salary? You two didn’t seem to even be dating back then."
Matteo’s eye twitched.
"I’m sorry," Alia apologized, bowing quickly. "I didn’t an for this to happen. I wasn’t trying to get in the way of your relationship."
Cherry froze. "My... relationship?" She turned around, as though expecting soone else in the room with her. "You’re referring to ?"
"Yes?" Alia said, feeling slightly confused and increasingly horrified. Dear god, maybe this was too big a blow for Cherry to endure. She should have tried to mince her words and ease her into it!
"You bastard, what did you tell her about us!" To Alia’s utter surprise, Cherry stomped on Matteo’s foot, causing him to wince in pain. "What relationship is she talking about?"
Oh. So she was a friend? A booty call? Alia was getting more befuddled by the second.
"I won’t stop you if you want to continue relations with him," Alia added quickly. "I don’t want to get in your way."
"Continue... relations," Cherry repeated dumbly, as though she was in a daze. She stared at Matteo and pointed at Alia. "Explain. Now."
"She thinks we are involved," Matteo explained, and the look of visceral disgust that crossed Cherry’s face was so strong that Alia took a step back.
"Dear god, no, over my dead body. Over your dead body, Matteo!" Cherry gave a full-body shudder, shaking her head furiously. "I would never sleep with him! This idiot here is my cousin!"
What. On. Earth.
"I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth," Cherry said, and Alia realized she had spoken out loud earlier. "Our family tree is a complete ss, and he’s probably the only one of my relatives I can stomach hanging out with for any long period of ti."
"Such high praise," Matteo said drolly, nearly rolling his eyes. "You weren’t so harsh when you wanted to stay with back then."
"Well I needed a roof over my head, and it wasn’t as though you were using your lovely little penthouse, was it?" Cherry retorted, her hands on her waist. "You should be thanking for decorating your house instead! Now Alia wouldn’t have to live in a verifiable pigsty of a bachelor pad. I’m telling you, wash your damn dishes and keep the toilet seat down!"
"I keep my house clean," Matteo turned to Alia, his tone strangely insistent, almost pleading. "Don’t listen to her. I do all of my chores."
Alia could only nod, her mind reeling with the revelations. Cherry was Matteo’s cousin! Was that the reason why Matteo hired her to replace Nigel?
Co to think of it, if she was his cousin, why would she not be able to afford housing of her own? Surely any relative of Matteo’s wealthy family would have money to spare.
But she couldn’t ask such a question without sounding insensitive. Yet, she didn’t want to kick Cherry out if she needed a place to stay too.
Also, it would be good to have soone else in the house with her and Matteo. She didn’t know how she would be able to spend ti with only him for company.
"You can still stay in the penthouse!" Alia said, trying not to sound too desperately eager. "There’s more than enough room."
"Definitely not," the suggestion was promptly shut down by Matteo, whose face was stony.
"Why not?" Alia asked.
"Yes, Matteo, why not, pray tell?" Cherry asked, only her tone was more mischievous than curious. "Am I cockblocking you on your road to love?"
"Yes, you are," ca Matteo’s effortless reply. "Move out by next week."
Alia spluttered, waving her hands frantically. "It’s nothing like that! There’s nothing to block! You don’t have to move out, especially if you have no place to stay!"
She couldn’t even ntion the word ’cock’ in conjunction with Matteo. That would be breaking too many barriers between them.
"See, Matteo, your new fiancée wants to stay," Cherry drawled smugly. "Are you going to disappoint her?"
"I’ll pay you to move out," Matteo said flatly. "Your presence threatens the success of my marriage."
Reviews
All reviews (0)