Bargain Bride: The Billionaire’s Forced Wife

ALL OF THE STAFFS INSIDE THE Vitali mansion were careful not to trigger their signor. Just two days after Ezio was rushed to the hospital, the doctor gave him the permission to go home.

Actually, Elisa doesn’t want her son to leave so early, since his wound is deep and will take a long time to heal. She is also worried that going back to the mansion will bring back memories of his wife. But she can’t do anything because it was Ezio who is adamant to go home.

The bathroom that was filled with blood that day was cleaned, together with Chiara’s wedding dress that is now put back to its container. They didn’t move anything inside the house, but were careful enough not for Ezio to have sudden surge of memories.

“I’m hungry,” Ezio spoke when they arrived at the mansion. He sat down on the living room while staring at the pictures of him and Chiara on the wall.

The staffs hurriedly went to the kitchen to cook a delicious meal for their signor. It’s been almost a week since he requested for one, and those foods they gave to him ended up in trash because he ate nothing.

Elisa couldn’t help but smile upon seeing her son wanting to eat. It was such a small gesture, but it signifies improvement in his situation.

She walked towards the kitchen and volunteered to cook for him. On the other hand, Ezio was left in the living room together with a few staffs who were tasked to keep an eye on him all the time.

Using his right hand, he reached for the folder paper in his pocket and opened it. That message, that short motivational quote, gave him a reason to live.

Only one person used to send motivational quotes for him, and that is his wife. He strongly believed that his wife is still alive. Ezio dismissed the DNA test results that he received, and is focused on the contents of the paper.

“I’m sorry, cara. I’m too weak for you,” he muttered under his breath while staring at the paper. “I promise that it won’t happen again. I’ll be stronger for you.”

He stood up and told the male staff that he wanted to go to the room. They followed him inside and opened the door for him.

Ezio walked inside, straight to the drawer, before opening it to get his wallet. Inside of it, his favorite picture of Chiara rested. He put the paper inside and smiled.

“I’m right. My cara is alive. She won’t leave me,” he thought to himself.

Although he hasn’t seen her face to face, he strongly believed that it was Chiara who sent the message. Maybe, she heard about what he did and she wanted to cheer him up and give him a reason to live.

Afterwards, Ezio put the wallet in hus pocket and left the room. He went back to the living room and opened the newspaper that’s sitting on top of the table.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

He’s been slacking for the last week, and it’s time to get back to work. He has a lot to catch up.

Ezio wandered. “If my wife is still alive, why would she want us to see that she’s dead?” The DNA results is too much of an evidence to say that it’s her, hence it was the reason he faltered. Why did she do it?

But upon thinking deeper, Ezio realized that his wife has a plan. He doesn’t know what it is, but he will take a part and help her. His wife isn’t ordinary, and sometimes she can think of things that seemed extra, and that’s why he loves her so much.

After a few minutes of waiting, Ezio was called to eat. Various foods of his favorites were on the table. His stomach grumble loudly because of hunger. It’s been days since he had a decent meal after all. The hospital food is not to his liking, too.

The feeling was new to him. He was used on eating with his wife for the past years that eating alone became awkward in some sense. But he just needed to think of the letter he received, and his mood became lighter again.

Elisa was just watching her son eating, helping him from time to time since he can only use one hand for now. She was ecstatic that he was better than before, maybe he already come to his senses.

When Ezio finished eating, he said that he wanted to take a walk on their yard. His mother accompanied him.

It wasn’t a long walk. Ezio just looked at the flowers in the yard, pointing at one before saying. “Cara chose that flower specifically. She took of that and watered it everyday. She even talked to it sometimes,” he chuckled before walking again.

Elisa was worried that her son might have some episodes again, since he is starting to remember everything about Chiara. But looking at the smile on his face, she felt relieved.

Ezio stopped walking and took a rest on the pergola that he built for his wife. He leaned on the part where his wife used to sit before.

“Cara loved this area,” he said while his hand traced the part that’s Chiara’s favorite. “It isn’t too hot or too cold, and the cold air can reach her here. The sun isn’t directly hitting her face, too.”

Elisa nodded and smiled. “She really knew what she wanted, and what to choose,” she said.

The mother and son engaged in a conversation. It was light, but Elisa was careful on every word that she will say. The doctor specifically told her that Ezio might still be sensitive about his wife’s death, and that they must calculate everything they will say.

“Mamma, I’ll go back to the company tomorrow,” Ezio spoke while looking at the scenery. “I have to look for Kazimir and make him pay for everything.”

“Isn’t it too fast?” Elisa asked her son. “You just got out of the hospital. You should rest for a couple more days.”

Ezio just gave a small smile and answered. “Don’t worry, Mamma. I won’t tire myself out. Besides, Luigi is there to help me,” he responded. “I have to be hands on in this investigation. I cannot fail my cara.”

“I’m glad that you’re finally moving, mi figlio,” his mother spoke. She took a deep breath before opening a connected topic. “I want to help you, too.”

Ezio turned his head to his mother. “How, Mamma?” he asked, nervous about what his mother will say.

“I will talk to Kazimir and stay with him,” she answered.

That sentence alone was enough to shook Ezio out. He didn’t expect that his mother will say those things. He was obviously moved by her words, thinking that it was a huge sacrifice.

“Mamma, that’s dangerous. What if he will hurt you?” he asked with furrowed eyebrows, obviously making a disagreement on his mother’s words.

Elisa immediately answered. “No. He won’t hurt me. As long as I will stay with him, he won’t do anything to me,” she explained. “I can use that to get information from him.”

Ezio looked down and contemplated her words. “I’m worried, Mamma. What if I will lose you?” he asked. “I don’t know what to do if that will happen, Mamma.”

Elisa caressed her son’s back, comforting him. “You won’t lose me. I’m sure of that,” she spoke. “Kazimir wanted me, and I’ll give it to him. Once he lowered his defenses, we will attack him.”

“Can you lower his defenses?” Ezio asked his mother. Although he knew that Kazimir dotes his mother too much, he has some doubts that he will succumb to his mother. Kazimir is a calculated man like him after all.

Elisa smirked and proudly answered, “Of course. I was able to charm him without even doing anything. What more do you think will happen once I do something to seduce him?”

Ezio covered his ears using his right hand, while the other ear is still uncovered, trying not to listen to his mother’s words.

When he was younger, his father used to tell him about how his mother used her charm to seduce him. It was too much for Ezio. He can’t imagine his mother doing such thing, let alone do it to his rival.

Elisa laughed for a moment before assuring her son. “I’m the ace against Kazimir that you have, and we have to use our resources. I’ll make sure to give you a positive result,” she slowly tapped his back. “Trust your Mamma. I know what to do to make that bastard fall to his knees.”

WHEN DANTE AND LUIGI arrived in the mansion, Elisa bid her goodbye and said that she needed to go home. She entered her car to the backseat, where another woman with the same body built as her is sitting.

The woman was wearing the same clothes as Elisa. If a person won’t look closely, he might think that they are the same person. Elisa’s face just looked more refined and mature than the other woman.

“You know what to do. Act like me and stay on the mansion unless I tell you to leave. Do you understand?” Elisa spoke to the woman.

The woman nodded. In just a few days, she was trained go act and pretend to be Elisa. It will be her job until Elisa succeeds. The payment for this job is also more than decent, so she can’t afford to fail.

The car stopped in the old mansion of the Vitali, and the women who is dressed like Elisa get off the car. She already did this for the past days, and it felt like a piece of cake for her.

When they saw the woman entered the house, Elisa ordered the driver to go straight to her condominium. She changed her closed in the closed partition, looking like a different person.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive. Elisa left the car with a mask and an umbrella over her head. She went straight to her unit, while observing her surroundings if someone is following her.

The moment Elisa entered the unit, a woman greeted her. “You’re late today,” she spoke.

Elisa just chuckled and told the woman about what happened for the whole day. They talked over a dinner that the woman made.

“I told you not to tire yourself out. It’s bad for you now that you’re sensitive,” Elisa scold the woman while putting nutritious foods on the woman’s plate.

The woman just chuckled and caressed her belly. “I’m bored, so I cooked. I also cleaned earlier,” she answered. “By the way, did he agree to it?”

Elisa nodded with a smile. “I was able to convince him,” she answered. “He will go back to work tomorrow and lead the investigation.”

“As expected,” the woman answered before munching a piece of grape. “I’m happy that he’s doing well now.”

“Do you really need to make it hard for him?” Elisa asked with a worried voice. “He almost lost himself because of what happened. Can’t we continue the plan without the act?”

The woman shook her head. “This act is not just for Ezio, but also for Kazimir. Once he found out the truth, Kazimir will surely go after us, or worst, after Ezio,” she explained. “Besides, once Ezio found out the truth, I’m sure he won’t just sit there. He will surely look for me.”

“If this temporary pain will give us eternal happiness in the future, then I would face this pain for now,” she added while caressing her ring.

Elisa admired how logical the woman thinks. “Well, what’s important is that he is improving.”

“The main will start the moment you lived with Kazimir,” the woman commented. “Make sure to put on a good show.”

Elisa chuckled and raised her glass. “I will. I’m a good actress after all.”

The women had a toaste of the juice their holding. After having a sip on it, Chiara spoke. “Goodluck.”