Chapter 3 Young Antonio
My parents passed away in a plane crash.
Overnight, I became an orphan.
My relatives from the Parrish family started fighting over the money, and everyone turned against each other.
After the funeral, I took the warm milk my aunt gave me in the car. The next thing I knew, I was waking up on a hotel bed.
The bathroom faucet was running loudly.
Feeling weak all over, I struggled to get away, but I ended up falling to the floor.
A big–bellied, greasy man came out of the bathroom, grabbed me, and threw me onto the bed.
“Not everyone gets to have the Parrish family’s girl. I heard you’re still a virgin.”
As he talked, he took off his bathrobe, showing something gross, and lunged at me.
I was terrified out of my wits. There was no way I could fight back. All I felt was total hopelessness.
Thankfully, Antonio kicked the door open as the man was about to tear my clothes off.
My eyes lit up.
Chapter 3 Woung Antonio
He beat the man to a pulp.
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The man ratted out my uncle and aunt. They sold me out for a 1.5–million–dollar contract.
After that, when Antonio took over the Kaufman Group, the first thing he did was get revenge for me. He was willing to go all–in, even if it meant risking everything, to take control of the Parrish family and give it to me.
Later, when someone from the Parrish family came after him with a truck, he wrestled the steering wheel with all his might.
In the moment the car flipped, he shielded me with his body.
I remember he was bleeding all over, with bits of glass and metal stuck in his back. The first thing he said when he came to was, “How’s Grace?”
My memories were jumbled and broken, and the world felt like a big mess.
The young man who loved me so much, the one I deeply loved, got lost somewhere in time.
Rain was pounding on the window, making a loud noise.
My head was throbbing, and the night was dark.
I didn’t know how long it had been, but Antonio was sta ding by the door, changing his shoes.
He sounded hoarse and looked exhausted.
“Grace, why are you sleeping on the couch?
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Chapter 3 Young Antonio
“It’s the end of the year, and there’s so much going on at
work. I stayed up all night. Don’t wait up for me anymore. Go to bed early, okay?”
I didn’t feel like moving. As soon as I tried to, the dampness and chill hit me.
“I’ll carry you to bed,” Antonio said, rubbing his forehead and squatting down, his voice gentle.
The moment he put his arms around me, he freaked out.
“Grace, you’re burning up! Why are you so hot?
“Hey! Grace is sick! Why didn’t anyone notice? Quick, get the car ready. We’re going to the hospital!”
I squinted and looked around, rubbing my temples.
“Is it morning already? What took you so long to get home?
“I had a dream that you stopped loving me.”
The villa was in total chaos.
Antonio was flustered. He held me tight as he sat me in the car, his forehead pressed against mine, apologizing over and over, telling me not to worry or think too much.
I smelled that Blooming Bouquet again.
This time it was mixed with a faint, metallic scent.
Did he not wash up after sex, or did he deliberately dirty his clothes?
This disgusting man was no longer the guy I once knew!
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Chapter 3 Young Antonio
“Antonio, you smell weird… Like…”
I frowned.
Then I gave a bitter laugh.
“We agreed that if you don’t love me anymore, you have to
tell me.
“Also, let go of me.”
I pushed Antonio’s hands away.
He got scared and quickly cut me off.
“Don’t think nonsense! When you have a cold, your nose doesn’t work right. There’s no weird smell.
“The only person I love is you! I’ve liked you since I was 10. In this life and every life after, it’s always going to be you! I promise I won’t work late anymore. Don’t say stuff like that!”
I twitched my lips.
Really?
Antonio stayed in the hospital room with me for two days, taking care of me without even changing his clothes.
He had dark circles under his eyes and a scruffy beard.
Helena kept calling over and over.
Every time, Antonio would hang up the phone impatiently, or he’d frown and step outside to answer it, then came back in with a stern face.
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Chapter 3 Young Antonio
Even though the hallway was quiet and he tried to keep his voice down, I could still catch a few words of what he was
saying.
“Stop acting up!
“I told you. Grace is my line in the sand! If you dare to mess with her, I’ll ruin you completely!”
