Luna's Rejected Vengeful Mate
Luna’s Rejected Vengeful Mate Chapter 23

Isola, Italy

I rushed out of the hotel, unable to hold back my tears. I should never have decided to lose my virginity to a fuc.king stranger just because Paolo broke up with me after I told him I didn’t want to have s*x with him. He accused me of being an iceberg, cold and asexual. My ex-boyfriend revealed that he was with me because of the glamour of dating “Luigi e Marone’s” most prominent corporate advocate. He worked for the prosecutor’s office.

It wasn’t enough that Natalia had gone in the blink of an eye, leaving me alone in a house full of memories of her; I had to deal with Paolo’s mean behaviour.

The a*s.hole called me an iceberg! Who? Me!

I was a warm-hearted person, the soul of our law firm. Whenever things got bad for any of us, I was the one to lift the office spirit and make everyone feel better.

So, I decided to lose my virginity to the first d**k.head that courted me, making his intentions known from the beginning. And that jerk, Massimo, did that. The moment our eyes locked, I knew what he wanted from me. The shots I’d had before coming face to face with him helped a lot, and so did his appearance.

At six feet two, he had a bulky figure. His toned torso was emphasised by his tight black shirt and his muscled thighs by his jeans. He had short dark wavy hair and a face that reminded me of a Greek God, dark almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, high cheekbones and the most alluring and sexy full lips I ever saw in a man. When he smiled at me, a perfectly straight set of white teeth completed his appearance. Yes, he was the one!

When he proposed that we leave the club, I decided to accept and complete my mission.

I never expected that having se.x for the first time would be such an unforgettable experience-I felt like a stranger in my own body. Massimo brought a new Lisa to the surface, a passionate female and not the iceberg Paolo had described.

And then, it all collapsed. I wasn’t expecting k****s and hugs-he was a total stranger to me after all, wasn’t he? But the way he humiliated me when he realised we had taken no precautions, I never expected that.

I felt so dirty, so cheap, and all I wanted to do was get out of there.

Rousing my courage, I replied that I was on the pill and rudely asked Massimo to leave me alone to get dressed, which he did without a second thought.

And now here I was, crying in the taxi that was driving me home. Ignoring the worried looks the taxi driver gave me, I poured my heart out and cried about everything, my humiliation just now, Natalia leaving, Paolo’s cruel words.

When the taxi stopped in front of my house, I paid the fee and rushed out, seeking the safety of my home, where no one could harm me.

I rushed to the bathroom, took my dress and undies off, and threw them in the bin. I would never wear that again-it was proof of the humiliation I suffered.

Under the torrent of water, I scrubbed my body so hard, trying to erase all evidence of Massimo on me-I felt dirty and cheap.

Half an hour later, still crying and wrapped in a towel, I entered Natalia’s room and lay on her bed. I missed her so much-she would know what to say if she was with me, and she’d make me feel better.

She wasn’t, though, and I didn’t know if I would ever get to see her again.

I had to stop crying and get some sleep. I had an important meeting with one of the clients Fabrizio had assigned me after Natalia left. She was supposed to take them, but given that she was far away, I took the workload.

I wanted to make an excellent impression-the client was one of the wealthiest associates of our law firm and a very demanding one.

I closed my eyes and, exhausted, drifted into a dreamless slumber.

I woke up the next morning feeling better. A new day had begun, and I was not going to allow the previous night’s disaster to spoil it. What had happened would stay in the past, and I would never see that jerk again. All I had to do was stop at a pharmacy on my way to work and get the damn morning-after pill. I heard the girls at the office mention they’d used it after a night of passion.

I took my time to get ready-I wanted to impress today and boost my ego, and I needed it. I wore my black office suit and a white shirt that hugged my body in all the right places, and I knew that the form-fitting trousers flattered my long legs and firm butt.

I tied my long curly hair up, leaving a few strands waving freely around my face. My makeup was subtle but accentuated my big bright eyes and fleshy lips.

I checked my watch. f**k I was running late-I would have to leave the pharmacy business till after I finished work. I left the house hurriedly and drove my mini-cooper to work. Good thing there wasn’t much traffic.

I arrived at the office in time to prepare for my appointment with Azzarello’s Design Manager. Fabrizio had explained how demanding the son was since he took leadership of the company. He had brought in many more associates, and he wanted the contracts to benefit both sides, trying to gain the trust of his new partners.

A fair businessman he was, and he was only thirty-one years old. Fabrizio had praised his abilities many times, mentioning that he was his best friend’s son. I couldn’t wait to meet the guy who earned my boss’s admiration at such a young age.

I sat at my desk, got the file with the client’s details, and highlighted the points I needed to discuss with him. We would have our first meeting in Fabrizio’s office, as Fabrizio told me when he showed up at my door. My boss wanted to be present the first time I met our client and discussed business with him. Not that he didn’t trust me-he told me that he didn’t trust Azzarello with such a beauty as me.

That made me laugh and lightened my mood- Fabrizio was a master at getting rid of our anxieties and bad moods.

I had everything ready and waited for my boss to call me. So, when my phone rang, I knew it was time for me to go. Holding the client’s file, I ordered the coffee and headed to his office.

I entered the room and stepped in, facing my boss. Smiling at him, I placed the coffee tray on the table and turned to serve our client.

I froze.

The man sitting on the couch was none other than Massimo, the jerk from the night before.

“Elisa, my child, this is Massimo Azzarello, your new client,” Fabrizio’s voice brought me back to my senses. Plastering a smile on my face, I introduced myself coldly.

“Nice to meet you, sir-I am Elisa Robustelli, and I will be your advocate from today onwards.”

I could not hide my disgust; I knew he saw it in my eyes.

Averting my gaze from Massimo, I took the file and sat opposite him in the armchair. Crossing my legs, I opened the file and looked over some details I wanted to discuss with him.

“So, Mr Azzarello, Fabrizio told me that you wish to add a few more clauses to the latest contract you have signed with your associates in the United States. Is that correct?”

No reply.

I waited for a while, then I lifted my head and looked at him impassively.

“Mr Azzarello?”

He was looking at me speechless and with a glint in his eyes. I stared back emotionally.

“Should I repeat my question?” my voice came out steady and firm, despite my irrational heart throbbing in my chest and my stomach being tied in knots since I laid my eyes on him.

“No, I am fine, thank you.” he cleared his throat and sat straight, facing me. To avoid his gaze, I looked into my papers again.

“So?”

“Yes, I would like to add a few more clauses favouring my associate. We had a minor problem a few months ago, and I do not wish our firm’s credibility to be affected because of that unfortunate incident.”

Wow! He was professional, indeed. His voice was firm and carried decisiveness.

“You do realise if you add these clauses, your firm will have a fifteen to twenty per cent loss, don’t you?” I had done the math and came to that conclusion.

“Yes, Miss Robustelli, I know. Still, I will add these clauses to build a strong business relationship based on trust with our associates.”

“What if we set a timeline on the contract for these clauses to come into effect? If we set a three-year validity period, they will trust you and gain the extra profit they lost last month. Then we should split that profit between you and them-a sixty per cent share for you and the rest for them. All the other terms on the contract will stay untouched.”

There it was. I had just made my proposal, which I had pondered many days before presenting to my future client. I knew their associate had suffered losses due to a mistake Azzarello’s subordinates in the United States had made.

Silence-there was complete silence in the room, and that worried me.

I looked up and saw Fabrizio smiling at me, content.

Massimo, on the other hand, was looking at me with a hint of admiration on his face.

“Mr Azzarello?” I asked, hiding my worry under my poker expression.

“That seems to be an excellent plan, Miss Robustelli. I never thought of that option. So, yes, let’s proceed. You can prepare a draft contract, and I will look at it before proceeding, so I will not be leaving today. How long is it going to take you to have it ready?”

His voice was dangerously smooth and hoarse when he answered.

“That won’t be necessary, sir. I will have it ready by the time I go to court.”

Looking at my watch, I continued,

“And that would be in two hours. So, there is no need for you to change your plans.” Rallying my courage, I replied firmly.

“Wow, Uncle, your lawyer is trying to get rid of me. Have you noticed?” his mocking voice came in reply, and Fabrizzio laughed.

“Why would I want that, sir? It’s not as if I know you that well, right? To me, it makes no difference whether you stay or not. You will have your draft ready in a while. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to before going to court. I believe this meeting is over.”

With that, I left the office, leaving the door open. I could hear Fabrizio laughing and teasing that jerk Massimo.

“I told you that Elisa was a tough one, boy. She did not fall for your good looks. And don’t try anything funny; I warn you-she will leave you halfway and ditch your cases. And I will not blame her or excuse you to your father for losing such a good lawyer. I am too old to deal with your crazy requirements.”

I rushed to my office, not wanting to hear Massimo’s reply.

I sat in my chair and closed my eyes in distress. What the f**k was I going to do? How could I deal with Massimo professionally after what had happened between us?

“Mio Dio dovrei farlo? Aiutami per favore.” (My God what am I going to do? Please help me.)

A rogue tear escaped my eye and ran down my face.