Page 120 of Fight Me Little Pearl

“It’s okay.” Valentino nods. “You can leave.”

When Vance shuts the door, Valentino looks at me. “This is my place of work. You can’t simply barge into my office after I’vegiven clear orders to your family and my staff that you are not to step inside here.”

My throat closes up at the harsh tone with which he scolds me. This is not the Valentino I know.

“The only reason I didn’t let Vance throw you out is because you used to be my wife and his boss. Now you’re neither. I want you to leave with your respect intact. And you should go now before I change my mind.”

I take a step back, scared and confused. I don’t recognize this man sitting in front of me, so I don’t know how to deal with him. My mouth falls open.

“For how long will you punish me?”

“Excuse me?” He frowns.

“For how long will you punish me?” I ask, my voice is trembling with pain. “I’m hurting. I need you.”

He looks away from me for a moment, and when his gaze returns to mine again, it’s even harsher than before.

He laughs darkly.

“If you think appealing to my emotions will get you anywhere, you’ve failed. That man is gone. The man who fell over himself at the sight of you is gone. He’s never coming back. I don’t care if you’re hurting; get your comfort elsewhere. We’re done. How many times do I have to say it before it clicks, hmm?”

“I lost my baby?—”

“Because you disobeyed your husband and went to see your boyfriend!” he cuts in. “Don’t forget that part.”

“I was going to tell him to leave me alone. I never loved Thomas. I never did!” I cry. “Valentino, I love you.”

There’s no reaction to my words. Not even a flicker. He shakes his head.

“Empty words,” he scoffs. “That ship sailed weeks ago, Francesca. Move on. I have. This is what you wanted, and I’ve given it to you, make the most of it. Now, you don’t have tosneak around to see Thomas. You can marry him if you like. As a goodwill gesture, I’ll send a financial gift, a college fund for your children, seeing that he will be poor for the rest of his life.”

His words cut through my chest, and I have to look down to the floor so he does not see how much he has hurt me. Valentino is not playing around, and his unforgiving, inflexible expression tells me he means everything he says. He doesn’t even hate me. He feels nothing. Before he couldn’t bring himself to call Thomas by name. He would always call him the freckled maggot or the maggot. Even that is gone.

Fresh heartbreak numbs my system, and suddenly, I wish I had never come here. Nonna Isadora is wrong. It’s too late.

He looks at me like I’m a beggar sitting on the sidewalk. A pitiful creature that needs his charity. I turn away, unable to bear his indifference any longer, and race for the door, but my foot catches on one of the legs of the office chair, and I lose my balance.

Great! Just great! My humiliation will be complete when I end up face down on his floor. I brace myself for the impact, but I never reach the floor. Strong, hard arms seize me and raise me up. Away from hurt.

My eyes fly open, connecting with Valentino’s. At this moment, the cold is gone, replaced by a concern so intense it heats my skin. Relief makes me relax in his arms. I am also strengthened by the change in his expression.

“Valentino…”

Chapter Fifty-Three

FRANCESCA

As if realizing that his expression is unguarded, he immediately wipes it from his face. He stands me upright and pulls away so quickly it is as if I have burned him. But I hold on to him and try to drag him back to me.

“Francesca, don’t—” His voice is harsh.

Once I told him I didn’t want him and he showed me that I was lying. Now it is his turn. He says he doesn’t want me, but he is lying. I’ll show him. I stand on the tip of my toes and claim his lips. He freezes in shock, and I pull slightly away, my eyes roaming his face.

“Why do you insist on punishing us?” I whisper. “We’re happier together.”

“I don’t want you,” he grates.

I press another kiss to his lips, and his hand grabs my waist, but he does not push me away.

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