Bargain Bride: The Billionaire’s Forced Wife

CHIARA ARRIVED AT THE old mansion of the Vitali, just a few minutes after Elisa told her that she was currently staying at that place. She bought some fruits and other foods with her, and some things that her husband told her to bring for his mother.

Victor was the designated driver as Luigi went to the prison with Ezio. Gabriel, the head of the security, was also with her as well as a couple of their body guards.

In that morning, Ezio tried to convince Chiara so that he will go with her and just visit Giovanni some other time. But Chiara knew that her husband just wanted to use that as an excuse so that he can be with her the whole day.

She doesn’t disagree with that, however, Chiara thought that it will be better for Ezio to visit Giovanni and interrogate him as soon as possible. She was worried that Kazimir might do something to Giovanni before they could even squeeze him for information.

Besides, Chiara hasn’t explained to Elisa that she told her son about what happened when he was unconscious, especially the part where Elisa helped them. She wanted to tell her slowly before letting them meet again, in order to avoid some awkwardness. They haven’t been in touch of each other for so long after all.

“Victor,” Chiara called for the driver while admiring the flowers she bought from Ms. Coppola in her hand. “Do you have any idea who Kazimir is?”

The assistant looked at her from the rearview mirror. “Kazimir? You mean Kazimir Colombo?” he asked.

Chiara nodded. “Yes. Do you know anything about him?”

“Luigi told me about him when I was just a new assistant,” he answered. “He was also a business rival of Signor Ezio, but all I know is that their rivalry is too deep that it resulted to a lot of retaliation, making them lose millions, or even billions.”

She remembered Ezio telling him the same thing. If Chiara was right, Victor must have been a new worker for the Vitali while their rivalry was ongoing. Perhaps, Victor doesn’t know a lot about Kazimir.

“I remembered that he was the dominator of the tech industry in Italy, but I wasn’t really interested in that so I can’t tell you much, signora,” he looked apologetic as he cannot give helpful response to her.

Chiara gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry. I know someone who might knew him well,” she answered, pertaining to Elisa.

After a few minutes, their car entered the old Vitali mansion. It still looked the same as the last time, the only difference is that the main door of the mansion now have a gray rough rug underneath.

“Chiara,” Elisa greeted her and helped her in entering. “You arrived quickly. Come in.”

She smiled and bowed at her mother-in-law before showing the things they bought, which were mainly carried by Victor. “Mamma, I bought some foods for you,” she spoke while pointing to the basket that Victor has in his hands.

“These were given by Ezio,” she added while giving Elisa the paperbag which contains his gifts for his mother. “My husband is sorry that he can’t come with me today. He had to visit Giovanni and get information from him. I hope you understand.”

Elisa looked shocked before her eyes went down to the paperbag. She slowly accepted it as her eyes became teary. “My son gave this to me?” she asked.

“Yes, Mamma. Ezio spent days on looking for a good gift for you,” Chiara smiled at her with assurance. “He promised to visit some other day. We just have a lot of things to cater right now.”

The old woman suddenly hugged the paperbag, as if it was something valuable and she doesn’t want to let it go. “Thank you, Chiara,” she replied as her voice cracked. “Come on. I prepared some foods for you.”

The entered the dining room and Chiara was greeted by several foods on the table. Victor put the other things down on the couch before giving the two women their privacy.

Chiara ate the foods with so much gusto. From time to time, Elisa would give her more food, stating that those were good for women who are trying to conceive a child.

Chiara smirked inside of her. For the past few days, she felt some changes in her body. She became more clingy to her husband, asking for attention every now and then. Sometimes, she would even ask him for various food and some bizarre requests.

She is still not sure if she’s pregnant, but she won’t be surprised if she really is. Considering that they made love several times a day, it is only acceptable for her to be pregnant.

Chiara decided to wait until her first day of menstruation. If she will have it, then there is a huge chance that she is really carrying a baby.

After finishing the food, Elisa invited Chiara to walk towards the backyard, which is an extension of the garden from the front yard.

“Thank you,” Chiara spoke out of nowherr while touching the pinkish flowers.

“For what?” Elisa asked her daughter-in-law as she can’t remember anything that she should be thankful for. “Is it because of the food?”

Chiara chuckled while touching her belly that is full of food. She looked like a pregnant woman now. “Silly. I’m thanking you for helping us in Ezio’s case and for working with the De Santis Law Firm.”

Elisa smiled at her before looking to the scenery of the garden. “It was nothing. That’s what I’m supposed to do, to protect my child,” she answered with a beaming expression. “Ezio might be a man now, but in my eyes, he is still my little baby boy.”

“Well, he is indeed a baby,” Chiara joked as she remembered how childish her husband could act sometimes. She can still remember everytime he will sulk in the corner of the room just because she didn’t greet him a good afternoon.

The two women wete engaged in a conversation, mainly about Ezio and catching up in their married life as well as the progress of their investigation and the case. And Chiara used this as an opportunity to open the topic she wanted.

“Mamma, I don’t want to ruin the mood, but I really want to ask something,” she spoke, preparing herself for the reaction Elisa might give she asked the question.

“Go on, piccola,” Elisa responded as she encouraged her to speak.

Chiara took a deep breath before asking. “We found out that someone is backing Giovanni up. That person is Kazimir Colombo,” she said and turned her head to Elisa. “Can you tell me something about him? Ezio mentioned that you were acquainted before.”

She tried to make her statements as light as possible. After all, Kazimir tried to violate Elisa before, and it still might have some effects on her until now. Bringing a topic connected to Kazimir is already a risk.

Elisa stiffened upon hearing that name. “He conspired with Giovanni?” she asked, obviously shocked by what she heard. “But, he disappeared a long time ago! Ezio made sure he wouldn’t have any wealth or power left. How could that happen?”

“We don’t have any idea,” Chiara answered while shaking her head. “Even Ezio was confused when he heard that. But he told me that Kazimir did the same thing before. You know, disappearing then coming back stronger. He could’ve done it again this time.”

Elisa was obviously startled. She started breathing heavily, feeling uncomfortable. “I didn’t really have interaction with Kazimir prior to the arranged engagement. Our first meet was during a dinner meeting between our families, but he seemed to know me before that,” she explained.

“I’m not oblivious to the fact the he is interested in me. After that dinner meeting, I heard that he told my parents that he wanted to speed up the engagement and marry me a week after that,” Elisa looked down and her hands trembled slightly. “I was supposed to tell my parents about my pregnancy that day. I was so scared. I thought they will tell me to get rid of my baby.”

She wiped the small tears from the corner of her eyes. “I told my secret boyfriend that time and Ezio’s father, Masimo, about the engagement and my pregnancy. He didn’t hesitate to bring me from Florence to Rome. He married me immediately,” there was a small smile on her lips.

“Kazimir was devastated that time and he tried to send his men to kill my husband. However, my husband was more intelligent and strategic than Kazimir. He is always a step ahead of him,” she added. “When I gave birth to Ezio, Kazimie suddenly disappeared and lied low for the time being, and we were peaceful, until he came back.”

Elisa shook her head. “I don’t know why he kept on chasing me. I already turned him away several times. Why can’t he understand that I don’t want him?”

“There are really stubborn people,” Chiara sighed as she felt pitiful and worried of Elisa. “The more you drive them away, the more they will come back and annoy you.”

Elisa composrd herself again. “I will help you in finding information about Kazimir’s whereabouts. I’m sure he is still in Italy. I’ll talk to his closest people about him,” she spoke.

“Please be careful,” Chiara reminded. “He might go after you.”

ON THE OTHER HAND, Isadora was trying to free herself from the grip of her grandfather’s men. She kicked their foot, hoping they will let her go, but they were too strong for her.

“Nonno! I don’t want to leave!” Isadora screamed as the men dragged her inside the private plane.

Lucio looked at her with no expression. “This is for your own sake, Isadora. I’m doing this to protect you,” he spoke. “The Vitalis were generous enough not to file a case against us. Just stay in Morroco for a year and you can go back here.”

Isadora doesn’t want to leave, mainly because Giovanni was still in prison and Kazimir’s men might go after him. No one will protect Giovanni in prison, unlike her who has her grandfather’s guards all the time.

“Just a year, right?” Isadora asked him. Lucio nodded.

She looked down, obviously getting to surrender. “Nonno, can you please look after Giovanni? You don’t need to bail him out,” she looked at him with pleading eyes. “Just make sure he is safe.”

“What did that man gave you for you to be head over heels for him?” Lucio clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Please, nonno. Just make sure that no one will harm him,” she pleaded once again.

Lucio had no choice but to agree on his granddaughter’s wish. Besides, there no harm in keeping that man safe. It’s not like he will pull him out of the prison.

After a few minutes, the plane took off from an airport in Italy, going to Morocco where Isadora will live her new life. Her heart ached at the fact that she will be away from Giovanni, living her life while her love is stuck in a prison.

But she cannot do anything right now. The cases against Giovanni were strong enough to make him pay for years. The only people who she believed can help them wouldn’t help them either. It’s just her and Giovanni now.

Suddenly, while she was busy on her own thoughts, the plane shook violently that Isadora fell from her seat. She tried to stand up, but the plane shook again like she was experiencing an earthquake.

“What’s happening?!” she shouted to the guards and maid with her.

They all looked like they don’t know what’s happening. One of the guards volunteered to check the pilot. However, when they opened thr cockpit, both the pilot and co-pilot where bleeding and unconscious.

The whole plane was in chaos. The guards tried to click auto-pilot, but the button doesn’t seem to work.

“Does anybody know how to fly a plane?” one of the guards screamed while trying to control the situation.

However, before someone could answer, the plane came rushing to the ground. Isadora screamdd while holding tightly on her seat. She closed her eyes, praying that she won’t be dead.

Suddenly, a loud crash was head in the middle of a forest. Pain shot through Isadora’s body as they fell down. She didn’t see what happened, but she felt her body being thrown away and her head hitting a hard surface.

She doesn’t know if she became unconscious for a while or not, but when she woke up, she saw a tall man grinning at her like he was crazy.

“You’re a beauty,” the man spoke. “Too bad our boss wants you dead. He doesn’t want any loud mouths after all.”

Without hesitation, the man stabbed Isadora with a broken part of the plane’s wing. The stab was so deep that it passed through Isadora’s body, targeting her heart.

Before darkness consumed her, the only thing in Isadora’s mind is that the man might be coming for Giovanni next. Kazimir wouldn’t really leave them alive.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .