Bargain Bride: The Billionaire’s Forced Wife

EZIO WENT to his office with a smile that day. Well, at first, it was shocking for those who are working for him. They are used on seeing their boss on a poker or neutral face. He smiles once in a blue moon.

However, it looked normal today since it’s been happening for weeks. Their boss will arrive smiling, do his tasks with motivation, and came home excited.

“I really hope signor Ezio is like that everyday,” one of the male workers said while printing something on the machine.

The other man nodded. “I do hope, too. He didn’t shout at us for weeks even when we messed up. Can you believe that?”

“And,” a female worker entered the conversation. “Signor Ezio hasn’t fired anyone for weeks! That’s new!”

“Yup,” the first man nodded. “A week in this company won’t pass without him firing someone.”

The three workers were about to do more of the conversation when Ezio’s assistant, Luigi, looked at their direction.

They gave him a formal smile before bowing and walking back to their working area.

“Signor,” Luigi spoke as they entered the elevator. “I have a report regarding Giovanni Giordano.”

Ezio’s face tightened when he heard that name. Just the name of that bastard is enough to ruin his day.

“Tell me,” he spoke.

His assistant opened a folder before speaking. “Our investigators found out that Mr. Giovanni had private and separate meetings with the owners of Le ali di Davide and I gioielli di Maria. They found out that Mr. Giovanni bribed them to pull out from your mall’s branches and transfer to him instead.”

Ezio looked unbothered upon hearing that. “Did they accept it?”

“Unfortunately, signor,” Luigi answered while flipping the page. “Yes.”

Luigi gave two papers to Ezio. “Those papers contain the letter of withdrawal from the two companies. They submitted it yesterday, signor.”

“The investigators also reported that they are going to have their contract signing with Mr. Giovanni within this day,” Luigi added. “What are we going to do, signor?”

Ezio took a deep breath before sitting on his swivel chair. “Let those companies transfer if they want,” he said.

“Aren’t we gonna do anything, signor?” Luigi asked. It is very weird for his boss not to retaliate in this situation. He has been working for him for years, and he never misses giving back to his enemies.

Ezio just smiled while typing on his phone. “Those are just small companies. They can’t do much damage to us,” he said.

“But I can do damage to that Giovanni,” he added before putting his phone down. He looked at his assistant and Luigi already knew that his boss is thinking of something wicked.

“Find which companies in his malls has the highest income and percentage on his business. Bribe them, too,” he spoke with a grin.

“But what if they don’t agree, signor?” Luigi asked.

Ezio still has the smug expression in his face. “Simple. Use their weakness to make them do my bidding. Don’t leave their building without them conforming to what I want.”

His assistant smiled. “Copy that, signor,” he said before reading his boss’ schedule for that day.

After some minutes of discussing the schedule and other matters for that day, Luigi spoke again. “Your meeting with Mr. Gonzales, Mr. Araneta, Mr. Ajello, and Mr. Candreva will start within ten minutes, signor. I just received a message from the faculty that they are already waiting on the conference room.”

Ezio stood up before giving some reminders to his assistant. He walked to the conference room for his first meeting that day.

“He’s finally here!” a man spoke when Ezio entered the room.

Ezio sat on the middle seat before looking at the faces of the men inside. “Greetings, my investors,” he said with a teasing smile.

“My investors, my ass,” Ermes Araneta, the man with dark brown hair with highlights spoke. “I really hate it when you act with formality.”

“Yup,” Rocco Candreva, the man playing a 8-ball pool game in his phone answered. “It gives chills to my bones.”

Ezio just chuckled at them. “I’m thinking of building another branch for Luminosa,” he said, starting their meeting.

Kelleon Gonzales seemed interested on what he said. “Still in Italy? Or overseas?” he asked.

“Overseas,” Ezio responded. “Luminosa already has branches on 90% of the cities and provinces in Italy. I want to expand on other countries.”

Kelleon nodded. “I’m suggesting you put one on Spain. My wife and Mama love shopping in Luminosa,” he said. “They even left the country without telling me just to go shopping. And mind you, my wife’s pregnant!”

The man watching Rocco playing, Fiore Ajello, laughed at Kelleon. “Damn, man. Your wife is on another level.”

Kelleon narrowed his eyes on him. “It’s my mother who pulled her to go shopping, but yes, my wife is in another level.”

“Another love-sick fool,” Rocco sang, teasing his friend.

“I’m fine with Spain,” Ermes said while shrugging. “I saw the statistics and a large percentage of foreign visits in Luminosa came from Spain. We can also build one on USA and France.”

Hearing his business friends’ suggestions, Ezio stood up. “Everyone who is agree on building a branch in Spain, raise your hand and say ‘aye’!”

“Aye!” all the men inside the conference room shouted in unison while raising their hands up in the air. Ermes even wiggled his arms.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“And that’s all for today, my men,” Ezio spoke. “I’ll send you updates after some days.”

The business friends walked out of the conference room as if they talked about a very serious matter. Everyone is in their poker face while walking.

Suddenly, a faculty member walked towards Ezio. “Good noon, signor,” she greeted. “Signora Chiara is waiting for you in your office.”

Hearing that makes Ezio excited. “When did she arrive? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Just some minutes ago, signor,” the woman answered. “I told signora that you have an ongoing meeting and she insisted to just wait for you.”

Ezio nodded and dismissed the woman. The woman turned her back and walked. But before she could do five steps, Rocco spoke.

“Nice ass, baby,” he said and followed it with a whistle.

The woman looked at him with a glare. In the woman’s head, she wants to give a middle finger to the man. She just stopped herself because her boss in around. All she can do is glare before walking away.

“Don’t tease my workers like that. I’ll punch you the next time you do that,” Ezio spoke.

“Hey!” Rocco said defensively. “I was just admiring her ass. I see nothing wrong about that.”

“But all of us do,” Ermes tapped Rocco’s shoulder.

Kelleon turned to Ezio. “We’re leaving now, man. Thanks for the very comprehensive meeting.”

Ezio just laughed at them before his friends leave, giving him and his beloved the privacy they need. He excitedly walked towards his office. He even wished he could teleport to his wife that time because he really want to see her, even if they just hugged each other a few hours ago.

“Cara,” he greeted her when he entered his office.

Chiara’s face lit up when she saw him. She got up and ran towards his husband. “Ezio.”

They hugged each other for a couple of minutes, feeling each other’s warmth and comfort. When Ezio looked on his table, he saw a tupperware sitting on it.

“What’s that?” he asked while pointing at the tupperware.

Chiara smiled at him. “It’s caprese sandwich and potato focaccia bread,” she replied. “I made them for you.”

Ezio’s heart was filled with happiness that he almost forgot how to breathe. “You cook for me?”

She nodded. “I saw the recipe online and I tried it,” she pouted her lips. “I made several tried before achieving a good taste.”

“You really did? You tried cooking good food for me?” Ezio can’t hide his happiness and blushing ears hearing his wife saying that.

“Uh-hm,” she hummed while nodding. “It’s my first time cooking for you, and I don’t want to give you sometime you wouldn’t like.”

He cupped Chiara’s face and gave her a gentle kiss in the forehead. “I will love everything you will give me, cara.”

Chiara giggled and hugged him before pulling him towards the table. “Sit here and let me feed you.”

Ezio just watched and stared at his wife preparing the food for him. He can’t help but smile as Chiara put the foods in his plate. His smile even grew wider when she take a spoon of it and feed him.

“It tastes delicious, cara,” he complimented her cooking. “Let me cook for you next time.”

“Really?” Chiara looked excited like s child. “I want to see your cooking skills.”

Ezio puffed his chest proudly. “I am the best cook in Italy. You’ll forget your name once you tasted my food.”

Chiara laughed at her husband’s confidence. She was about to feed him again when the office’s door opened and Luigi came rushing inside.

“Apologies for the interruption, signor, signora,” he greeted while catching his breath.

Ezio’s eyebrows furrowed. “What happened?”

Luigi stood straight first before responding. “There’s been an emergency in your oil company in Dubai, signor. A portion of it was caught in a fire.”

Chiara panicked when she heard that. “Did already put it out?”

Luigi nodded. “Yes, signora. However, there are some damages not just to the part of the warehouse but also on the houses and buildings near. They are still investigating how the fire started.”

Ezio nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll fix it.”

He looked at his wife before touching her hands. “Cara, I need to go to Dubai and check what happened. I’ll be gone for a few days.”

Chiara suddenly felt sad. She was looking forwards staying at home with her husband because it’s weekend, yet an emergency occured. But she can’t put her feelings first. The damage to his company must be huge and her husband needs to prioritize that.

“Don’t worry. I’ll wait for you,” she responded. “Just don’t forget to update me, okay? You can call me if needed.”

Ezio smiled and hugged his wife. “I’ll finish the work as fast as I could so that I can get home to you immediately,” he kissed her forehead. “I will miss you.”

“I will miss you, too, Ezio,” Chiara replied before burying her face on his chest.

The couple hugged each other for minutes, feeling each other’s embrace, because they know that the days they are away from their beloved will surely be hellish. Days without seeing each other will be a heartache.