Falling for the Beast: A modern fairytale romance Read online

  Quickly I ran out of the bedroom and made my way back to the main foyer. I walked beyond the numerous paintings and other displays until I finally came upon the one piece that I knew was designed specifically for the key I had in hand: the silver chest with fairies etched on it.

  Fortunately, it was still in its place and without hesitation I inserted the key and turned. The chest unlocked with a decisive click. Not wanting to waste time I opened the lid and found a very surprising bit of content. There was a red rose and a series of parchments inside.

  The rose wasn’t real but it was definitely made to seem like the genuine article. It felt real, it was big and as heavy as an authentic rose but it was much sturdier than the real thing. I did notice that several of its petals had been torn or clipped off.

  Although the symbolism of the rose was lost to me I still wanted to get in and discover more about these letters. I quickly took them out of the box and began to read through them. It was then that I realized they were written around twenty years ago.

  “Dear Mr. Rousseau,” read the oldest of the letters. “It has come to my attention that you insulted my mother in public, in front of your guests and your household. Although I am appalled and dismayed at your display of arrogance and greed I must say I did not expect much from you to begin with. Your father was a gangster and he was not even a particularly good one. It should come as no surprise that you are just as wicked and stupid as he.”

  As I read through I discovered this letter was made and sent my Marjolaine Durand. These were the very letters that sent Adam on his quest for power in the first place.

  I dug in some more and discovered that the other letters were all hate-mail from other rich billionaires and businessmen. Most of them were, at the time, far above Adam’s station. They were successful in their own right and were all hating on him for how he treated Madame Durand. It was shocking to realize how many of these were now working for Adam. I would know because I see their names every time I get back to work on the different mobile apps.

  Some of them were no longer in the business. Others had retired, three had died during the course of two decades and another had filed for bankruptcy. It looked like Adam had slowly, bit by bit, taken over all of their domains in the business world. He now had the biggest share of stocks from all of their clients and many of these businessmen either owed him money or were repaying their debts by working for him.

  If I were to be completely honest with myself I would have to admit that this discovery was a little disappointing. I was hoping to find more information about Adam’s past and his history since those were well-guarded secrets. Despite my own dismay, I did treasure this find because it now showed me just how far and how deep Adam’s determination to succeed and distance himself from his mistakes actually went.

  He was a man of conviction. He was a man who would never forget the slights he made and would do anything to make things right, even if he was to be hated by the world for whatever it was he did a long time ago.

  I then carefully put everything back into the chest and arranged the items in the same way they were when I first opened it. Once I was sure everything was set I locked the chest and quietly crept back into my room. Fortunately, I didn’t run into Adam and I placed the key right back where I found it in the bathroom.

  Afterwards I got back in bed and pondered about what I discovered. In no time at all, however, my mind drifted off and I quickly fell asleep. When I came to it was already eight o’clock in the morning and Lumiere was knocking on the door to see if I wanted breakfast served.

  “O-oh I’ll be right there,” I called out. “Is Adam awake yet?”

  “Yes, Madame Verdandi,” Lumiere answered from the other side. “Would you prefer your breakfast in bed or would you like to join him in the main dining hall?”

  I sat up from my bed and called out, “I’ll join him. Please tell him I’ll be right down after I wash myself and get dressed.”

  “All right, Madame Verdandi,” Lumiere replied before he then moved on to his next task.

  I did wash myself and put on some better clothes. This time around I put on a cute pink tee-shirt that really hugged my body, accentuating my tits, and a pair of ripped jeans. I didn’t mind wearing something too tight since it meant I’d get to keep Adam’s eyes on me.

  Several minutes later and I finally walked out and headed to the dining room. There I found Adam seated, his food at the ready, but he was busy swiping his finger on his phone. When I arrived I had to tap on the table for him to realize I was there.

  “H-hello,” I greeted softly and cleared my throat. I did my best seductive hair flip so he would notice my bust and the tears in my jeans.

  Adam looked up and looked straight at my tits. Bingo! I got him right where I wanted him. I smiled a wicked, naughty smile at him and then made my way to sit beside him. With each step I took I swayed my hips, making him stare even more. By the time I was down on my seat I was sure that his cock was rock-hard between his legs.

  “Hey, good morning,” I greeted in a low and sultry tone.

  “W-wow, good morning,” he stuttered as he greeted. He looked at me from head to toe, put away his phone and then said, “You look really good this morning. Had a nice sleep?”

  I nodded and gave back a grin, “Well, I was a little busy but it all turned out all right in the end. How about you? What did you do last night?”

  Adam chuckled and then told me, “Well, I was fantasizing about you. You know I can’t get enough of you. Then here you come wearing this really hot shirt and jeans… you’re making me want to fuck you right here on this table.”

  “Now, now, relax dear,” I told him as I placed my hand on his. “There’s plenty of time for that. I do have something I want to talk to you about before I head over to my dad’s place. I was going to keep this a secret but after sleeping on it I figured I didn’t want to keep any secrets from you.”

  Adam then looked at me with curiously and then asked, “What do you mean? What secret?”

  I then pointed over to the hallway leading to the main foyer, “Over there. I found the key to the chest tucked away in my bathroom. I guess it was yours when you were way younger but I took it and I opened the chest. I found your rose and the letters from the businessmen and Marjolaine Durand.”

  He looked genuinely shocked but after sipping his coffee he found his reserve and then asked, “Well… What do you make of it? After reading all those hate messages and more you’re opinion regarding me must have changed.”

  “It did,” I confirmed. I saw the bright light fade from his eyes and I quickly followed up my statement with, “It changed it positively. I think I’ve finally understood just how severe that experience hurt you. It’s changed the course of your life for the next two decades. How could I ever look down negatively at you?”

  Adam looked back at me in surprise and said, “Y-you’re sure about that? Those were really demeaning letters. Most people would agree with what they had to say.”

  “Oh, I agree with what they said but those words applied to you two decades ago,” I explained. “You’re not that man anymore. Those words made you into a better, stronger person.”

  “You really think so?”

  I nodded in agreement, “I know so. I’ve been with you for months now. At first – if I’m to be completely honest with you – I was totally scared of you when we first met. You seemed like this horrifying alpha wolf ready to smash my head in with your fangs. Now though you’re this hardworking, independent and very wise man who knows what’s right and wrong. You know how to be firm but fair, menacing but not overbearing.”

  “Thank you for the kind words,” he told me. He then gestured for the food and said, “Let’s have breakfast and then I’ll drive you down to your father’s place.”

  “Can’t,” I interrupted. “You have a big board meeting within the hour and the drive from here to my dad’s house takes a good thirty minutes with normal traf
fic. I appreciate the offer though, it’s really sweet. You also have a meeting with that shoe company client since they’re going public soon. By noon time you’ll be free but by then I’ll be with my dad playing mini-golf.”

  “You will be back, though, right?” he asked just to make sure. “I don’t think I could face tomorrow if you were not a part of it. I’ve grown quite accustomed to my life with you by my side.”

  I nodded at him and swore, “I will come back. Staying here has changed me as well and all for the better, I suppose. I cannot really imagine my life moving forward with you and the others being a part of my life. And besides, I still have a lot of work to finish.”

  Adam smiled and gestured for us to eat. We did so but a little hurriedly as I had to leave early to avoid traffic downtown. Once we were ready he saw me off to the garage where my car was still kept and maintained. I then got in, waved farewell, and drove off the property.

  The Fool and the Hero

  It took a while to get over to my father’s old rickety house. It was older than I was and on the other side of the city. Traffic was a bitch and I had to go through some detours just to get moving a bit. By the time I got there it was nearly noon time.

  However, I noticed that there was another vehicle, a jeep, parked right outside. This one was big, green and had a bunch of nonsense stickers on the back bumper. I parked opposite it and cautiously knocked on the front door.

  “Dad, it’s me!” I yelled out. “Dad, open the door!”

  The door opened but to my surprise it wasn’t my father. Instead, it was Aiden. He was wearing a pair of dark green cargo shorts, sneakers and literally nothing else. He was shirtless, showing off his muscles and his six-pack abs in broad daylight and here in my father’s house.

  “Aiden?” I asked in confusion as I stepped inside. “What the fuck are you doing here in my dad’s place?”

  I didn’t wait for him to answer and headed straight for the living room. I found my father there, seated on a recliner, trying to shift through a bunch of papers. It took him a few good moments before he realized I was there.

  “Oh, hello baby,” he greeted. “Could you please show that man out the door?”

  Aiden followed me to the living room and he grabbed my arm, “So where have you been?”

  “Don’t touch me,” I snarled and snapped my arm away from him. “Just the hell do you think you’re doing here? Why were you bugging my father?”

  “I was looking for you,” Aiden explained. “I’ve been trying to call you for weeks. When you wouldn’t answer I went to your apartment and saw you no longer lived there. I then checked your work and they said you quit weeks ago.”

  I nodded and shot back, “That’s all true and also none of your business.”

  Aiden was taken aback but he quickly retorted, “Excuse me, what do you mean it’s none of my business? As your future husband, I think it is.”

  I was going to vomit. I looked at him with disgust and asked, “Why do you think I’ll marry you? Are you out of your fucking mind?”

  “You will because I’m me,” Aiden then explained. “Who wouldn’t want to marry the hottest man on the planet? Come on, you and me can bump in the night and make a few munchkins, eh? Just tell your old man here that everything’s good and settled and we can talk wedding plans.”

  He was so damn full of himself. I was beyond angry at this point and if I could shove a stick up his ass I would.

  My father, who had been quiet all this time, looked up at me and asked, “I-I just want him to leave. He might cause trouble. We’re already in a lot of trouble as it is with Mr. Rousseau.”

  “Mr. Verdandi, you’re telling me you two have a thing with Mr. Rousseau?” Aiden asked. He was being dumber than usual. “What kind of trouble is this? Is this why my smoking-hot Bella has been gone for so long?”

  I was going to slap him. I was really going to if he didn’t shut the hell up any time soon.

  “Our business with Mr. Rousseau is none of your business,” I snapped.

  “No, it’s my business as well,” he insisted. He then pointed a finger at my father and asked, “Explain all this, old man! I demand it as your future son-in-law!”

  My father looked at me and then back at Aiden. He was so confused and so uncertain. I had never seen my father so dizzy with events whirling around him. Even at his age he was often so sharp and alert. It was then that my eyes caught the papers he was holding and realized they were from Adam’s stock firm.

  I grabbed the papers, completely ignoring Aiden, and studied them for a second. As it turned out, Adam had been paying my father and his company three times more than what he should have. Over the past eleven weeks my father’s company had received a grand total of over seven million dollars in cash.

  “D-dad, did he really send all this money?” I asked.

  My father nodded, “He d-did. I’ve been going through it over and over again but the numbers all check out. I was going to call and thank him when this man here suddenly stormed in and came looking for you.”

  I then turned back to Aiden, “Get the fuck out of here. You shouldn’t even be here. One, this is my father’s house, not mine. Two, you’re being rude. Three, I don’t want to see you. I never want to see you.”

  Aiden pointed his finger at me and nearly drilled it at my face, “Baby, you’re just playing hard-to-get, I know it. Trust me, I can fix this. I’ll just drop by Mr. Rousseau’s house and show that motherfucker that being rich ain’t got nothing on my beautiful face and muscles. I’ll rescue you from him, take him down and then you and I can get married.”

  My jaw literally dropped at how dumb he was.

  “N-no, do not even think about going to the Rousseau Manor,” I tried to stop him. “Nothing good is going to come out of this. Aiden, don’t be a fucking idiot!”

  He turned around and was about to slap me when my father suddenly rose up and grabbed Aiden’s hand. The handsome fool pushed my father back to his seat and then looked at me, “Let me be the hero, Bella. I will fight for you and for your old man.”

  With that he turned around and grabbed his protein drink from the table. I didn’t even notice it was there until he took the time to get it. He then walked out the door and left as if it was nobody’s business. What an arrogant prick.

  “Dad, he’s going to cause a lot of trouble,” I told my father. “If he goes over to bug Mr. Rousseau all hell could break loose.”

  “I know sweetie,” he said. “We have to do something.”

  “We can’t call the cops because we can’t really have him arrested,” I explained. “But if we don’t stop him then Mr. Rousseau might get mad at us, he’ll probably kill Aiden and if he doesn’t Aiden is going to get mad at us too or worse.”

  There was nothing good that could come out of this. I had to stop Aiden from heading over to the Rousseau Manor before it was too late. And here I thought I could spend a free vacation at my father’s.

  “Do you think he’s going there right now?” I asked.

  My dad shook his head, “That boy? No, he’s too caught up in himself for that. He’s probably going to the gym and show-off his body for a bit. Why don’t you sit down and relax for a bit. I’m sure we can settle all of this on our own later.”

  “Okay but let me text Adam,” I told my father as I sat down on the couch. I just couldn’t sit and wait for Aiden to get us all in some kind of mess. I then sent Adam a warning via text. “Adam, someone’s going to visit you and cause trouble. His name’s Aiden. He’s a narcissistic model and nothing more. Please don’t hurt him but do get rid of him.”

  He didn’t reply. I didn’t know if he was just busy or if he couldn’t find the words to send back. Was he mad at Aiden or just mad at me? Ugh, I should have pulled Aiden back just to drill into his head the fact that I had no interest in him whatsoever.

  My father got up and made us both some coffee. It felt really good to taste his brewed coffee after spending so
much time in Adam’s house. Sure, I did love a good strong cappuccino but my dad really could make some good old brewed coffee.

  “Mmm, this is really good,” I told him with my eyes shut. I soaked in the aroma and then said, “Dad, thank you.”

  “For what?” he asked as he sat back down and drank.

  “For letting me meet Adam,” I told him. “You could have stopped me that day, you know? You could have convinced me to stay out of your business.”

  “I did try to stop you,” he reminded me. “You just didn’t listen. So, it’s Adam now huh, no longer Mr. Rousseau?”

  Oh shit, he kind of figured it out. I shrugged with a sheepish smile and said, “Well, it’s kind of complicated.”

  “I could only guess that you two would get together seeing as you work with him on a regular basis,” my dad said.

  He was kind of right but of course I wasn’t going to tell him that my relationship with Adam really kicked off with him taking my virginity. I just looked back at my dad and tried to hide my shame with a display of smiles and giggles.

  “Are you sure this is the right thing?” he asked me. “Mr. Rousseau isn’t exactly what I would call the ideal man. He’s got a dark past nobody knows about, he’s too rich to mingle with anyone but other rich peers and there are rumors he’s connected to the mob.”

  “Dad, he’s none of those things,” I refuted those claims. “He doesn’t talk to people about his past because he doesn’t want to be defined by what is done but by what he’s doing. He doesn’t just mingle with the rich – just yesterday he went with me to a hobby shop and we played some tabletop games. Also, that thing about him and the mob, totally not true. His dad was with the mob but he himself is not.”

  My dad didn’t buy it, “Baby, you might just be blinded with infatuation.”

  “Dad, even if I was infatuated it doesn’t take a genius to see Adam isn’t as bad as people think. People just judge him because of how scary he can be when the truth is he’s a really kind and geeky guy. You know he has a big man-cave filled with old movies and video games?”