Ruined By My Brother's Best Friend (by Silverwriter) novel Chapter 199

Summary for Chapter 199: Ruined By My Brother's Best Friend (by Silverwriter)

Read Arabella and Alvise novel Chapter 199

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ARABELLA’S POV

My cheeks warmed, and I looked away, the intensity of his stare becoming almost unbearable.

I felt like I was in a daze, and I had to wonder if I’d mistaken what he’d said… Did he really say he wanted to see me?

His words gave me the confidence to glance back at him and take a few steps forward, my eyes fixed on his until my feet touched his.

I shivered, almost flinching back as the contact felt overwhelming.

I was suddenly grateful for the darkness because it acted as a cover, saving me from the doubtful thoughts written all over my face.

“Why did you help me?” I asked, shifting my weight to one foot. I wanted to know why he’d helped me.

“Is that what you came here to ask me?”

It wasn’t. I knew it wasn’t.

I shook my head and whispered, “No.”

Alvise remained silent for a tense beat. “Then why did you come here?”

“I don’t know,” I said truthfully. “I… just wanted to see you.”

Long fingers grazed my palm, startling me, and in a split second, I was pulled into his lap.

Shaking, I wrapped my hands around his neck for support, getting lost in the intensity of his eyes… the only part of him I could properly see in that moment.

Alvise leaned back in what felt like an armchair and then scooped my legs up so I was straddling his lap.

I hovered over him, holding his gaze. “You came to see me?” he asked, his voice raspy and almost restrained, like he was holding something back.

I inhaled deeply, his scent making me dizzy. “Yes,” I whispered, my hands trailing into the thick strands of

his hair.

“A fucking problem.” Alvise hissed, his hands fisting the material of my shorts at the hem. “That’s what you

are.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but quickly shut it as his hands moved lower, stopping where the fabric of my shorts ended and grazing over the bare skin there.

His hands, sure and confident, settled against me, cupping my ass cheeks and I gasped, resting my head on his shoulder as the shock weakened me. “Alvise,” I breathed, my voice a silent plea. For what, I had no idea.

It felt wrong. All shades of wrong, considering he wasn’t mine, but my body seemed to have a mind of its

own.

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Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

It felt like I was finally alive, every brush of his fingers against my skin feeling like a spark of electricity.

What were you thinking?” Alvise whispered against my neck, making me bury my head into his shoulder. “Wearing this to my room?”

“N…nothing.”

His hands traveled higher, to my top, and painfully slowly, he let it slide to the skin beneath my breasts, but he didn’t move an inch higher.

I hummed, desperately wanting him to touch me there, but he didn’t.

“What did you say? Didn’t you plan this?”

I pulled back a little to look him in the eye. “I didn’t.”

He glanced down at my sleepwear and scoffed, his tongue sweeping over his teeth. “What a perfect

coincidence this is.”

Awareness dawned on me when I felt something poke my stomach, hard and throbbing.

Heat crept up to my cheeks, a stupid blush forming before I buried my head back in his neck and sniffed. trying to pretend like his erection digging into my torso wasn’t distracting.

Alvise ran his fingers over my hair, pulling the strands lightly to tilt my head back. He leaned in until our lips were close, barely a breath apart.

His eyes searched mine, and I did the same, sharing the same breath with him as my chest heaved up and down.

I played with the strands of his hair and pressed further into him, the heat between my legs unbearable as I sought any sort of friction.

Alvise closed the distance between our lips, but instead of kissing me, he trapped my lower lip between his lips and pulled slowly, almost sensually, before letting go and leaning back in the chair, putting more distance between us.

His eyes were hooded, the coldness almost gone from them, but then he looked away, almost lost in thought. When he looked back at me, I no longer recognized the man who had just touched me.

He was back to being composed, his eyes alone conveying it before his mouth did.

“Get up.”

I blinked, cold washing over me. “What?”

“I won’t touch you,” Alvise stated. “Let’s say I’m saving you from future regrets.”

My chest burned, my throat dry and choked. He was referring to the words I’d thrown at him in his office.

It was my mistake. My wrong, and in a bid not to ruin our lives, I’d decided to give in to Francesca’s demands and push him away forever.

It only made me realize I didn’t like my life without him in it, even as rare as his presence was.

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My stomach twisted painfully as regret settled in my chest. He’d stood by me when he was supposed to hate me, even if he did it in his own quiet way.

I couldn’t count the number of times he’d saved my life and taken care of me, all while supposedly being upset with me.

I’d lost him, and I would never get him back. It would never work between us, but the least I could do was. tell him the truth… I couldn’t leave him believing something that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

Francesca would never leave me alone. Whether I was with Alvise or not, she was out to run my life, and she had almost succeeded this last time.

I could either live in fear forever or die in peace now.

I chose now. I was done being alive but acting lifeless.

A tear slipped from my eyes, my throat heavy with unsaid words as I watched him.

What would our lives have looked like if Francesca had never been in it? The thought made me break into a sob. “Alvise…” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. “I never regretted it.”

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10:58 Mon, Sep 14

Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

My Truth

ARABELLA’S POV

Silence engulfed the room, accompanied only by my sobs and sniffles.

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Alvise was eerily still, not moving an inch, his muscles so tight beneath my touch that I could feel him flinch.

He stared at me, his eyes boring into mine, his jaw hard, but he didn’t utter a word. There was no reaction from him. None.

“Stand.” Alvise commanded, his cold voice cutting through the silence and making me jump a little.

I furrowed my brows, watching him as he narrowed his eyes and glanced at his wristwatch.

“You heard me, Arabella,” Alvise added. “So do it now.”

I stood from his lap and took a step back to give him the distance he wanted. My heart ached as I watched him get to his feet and try to walk away.

“Wait,” I pleaded. “Please, listen to me…”

“So you can say what?” he retorted, turning around to glare at me. “I’m not interested in listening to whatever you have to say.”

He walked to the nightstand and grabbed his car keys. “I don’t have the time for this.”

“Are you leaving?” I rushed toward him, my body shaking at the thought of him leaving me here. “Please, don’t go…”

Alvise tilted his head to the side. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

I nodded, my fingers trembling. “No, I don’t… but please, hear me out, Alvise. I messed up, I know, but…”

“Save it. I have better things to do than waste my time talking about something that happened over four fucking years ago.”

His words felt like a blade slashing through my heart, making me wince. But I wasn’t ready to give up. I didn’t care if he chose to still keep his distance after listening to me. I just wanted him to hear it.

“I know… but I just need a few minutes of your time.”

A dark look crossed his face. “Did you do the same?” he asked. “Did you hear me out when I tried to speak to you?”

I clamped my mouth shut.

He was right. I didn’t. He knew it, and I knew it too.

Alvise turned on his heel and walked out, leaving me standing in my misery. Alone and guilty.

Tears pooled in my eyes, and I clutched my chest, hoping to ease the pain that had settled there and was

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Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

making my head throb.

ouldn’t miss this chance with him. I couldn’t let it slip away all over again.

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Without waiting another second, I ran out of the room, almost falling face-first onto the floor because of how weak my legs were.

I ran down the stairs, panicking and hoping he hadn’t left yet. Pulling the front door open, I released a breath of relief when I saw him just getting into his car.

I ran like my life depended on it until I was frantically patting against his window, begging for him to let me speak to him.

He glanced at me, but looked away, his expression proof of how badly he wanted to get away from here From me.

Alvise inserted his key, about to start the engine, but then he flicked his gaze toward me again. I watched confused, as his eyes traveled from my face, down to my top, and then narrowed.

Frowning, I looked down at myself, wondering why he looked displeased. It was still the same sleepwear, but the top had shifted out of place, almost revealing a nipple.

Shocked and embarrassed, I closed my eyes and cringed inwardly before adjusting my top.

Alvise mumbled something under his breath before he got out of the car and glanced down at my bare feet. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

It had rained, and the ground was still damp, but I didn’t care about that. Not now.

“I needed to have a conversation with…”

“So you came outside barefoot and wearing this fucking…” He glared at my sleepwear and then transferred the glare to my face. “Go back inside.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“No?” He scoffed. “My men are outside, probably already eye-fucking you in this excuse of a piece of clothing, and you’re telling me no?”

I finally glanced around, taking note of my surroundings. There were guards, so many guards outside the cottage, almost forming some sort of protective circle around it.

Heat crept up to my cheeks as I took in their attire. They were all dressed in suits, just like their boss, making me the only one with barely any clothes on.

I turned back to see the irritated look on Alvise’s face and decided to use it to my advantage. “I’ll go inside if you agree to talk to me.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Hardly… let’s call it a negotiation.”

He scraped his tongue over his teeth and looked at his men one last time. His gaze came back to me, angrier and more annoyed. “Get in the fucking car.”

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I breathed out in relief and rounded the car, getting into the passenger seat. I watched through the side mirror as he walked to his guards and said something to them.

Almost immediately, half of them turned back to face the house.

I opened my mouth and left it hanging, shocked.

He was insane.

By the time Alvise returned to the car, I was fidgeting, my fingers bearing the brunt of my anxiety as I twisted them around each other.

“First of all… I want to say I’m sorry,” I rasped. “I should have never said what I said to you at the office. was all a lie.”

Alvise sat still, his eyes facing forward and his finger tapping against the steering wheel. I swallowed and continued, “I never hated that it happened. I mean, I came there myself…”

“Which is what I don’t understand,” he cut in, his tone harsh. “You came to my apartment yourself and you…” He rubbed his hand over his lip, breathing out before his tone dropped low. “And then you leave before I can wake up and never pick up when I call?”

I closed my eyes, the way his tone was calm yet cold reminding me of how badly I’d messed up.

“Was it some sort of game for you?” Alvise continued. “You thought I’d chase you to the ends of the earth after that night?”

I shook my head. “No… that’s not why I…”

He finally looked at me, his blue eyes dark with fury. “Then tell me fucking why.”

I dropped my gaze to the floor. “I… I was threatened.”

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Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

The Blackmail

ANABELLA’S POV

“You were threatened?” Alvise demanded impatiently. “What do you mean?”

There was a turmoil within me. This was a truth I never thought I’d say out loud, one I’d take to my grave. I almost wanted to back out, but… I would be a coward to do so.

“Arabella?” Alvise called, “I’m going to need you to answer me.”

I turned back to him but avoided eye contact, my heart beating out of my chest. “I left the room early in the morning because I was a little shy… and I didn’t know what you would think of me when you woke up My voice shook with each word. “It was just a lot of feelings at once, so I wanted to leave before you woke up and gather myself enough to face you again.”

I rubbed my hands together and leaned back in the leather seat, the surge of memories making me weak I could feel Alvise’s full attention on me, and that was what made me continue. “When I got out of your apartment… a woman was waiting outside,” I said, refusing to say who it was because it was too late. Francesca and Archie’s wedding was already fast approaching. Saying her name would only ruin my brother’s life, and I couldn’t stand that.

My revenge wasn’t more important than him. And if that wasn’t reason enough, I was sure Francesca wouldn’t take the truth being revealed lightly. She would release those pictures, and all the pain I’d had to endure for years wouldn’t matter anymore. It just wouldn’t make a difference.

With Alvise’s gaze still fixed on my face, I snapped out of my thoughts and resumed talking. “She confronted me and accused me of taking what was hers. I couldn’t understand it.” I closed my eyes, pushing back the scenes from surfacing. “She warned me never to show my face to you again or speak to you. I thought it was ridiculous and outrightly told her no, but then she…” I couldn’t stop the tears as they fell. “She showed me pictures, Alvise… pictures of…”

“Pictures of what?” he asked quietly.

“Us having sex.” I choked out. “I don’t know how she got them or if we’d left the door open… I… there were pictures of me going into your apartment, and also everything else. I was shocked and scared…” My lips trembled. “The woman capitalized on that fear and threatened to send the pictures to blogs, my parents, my brother,” I sobbed, “and also your family. She knew a scandal like that would stir up trouble, and so she told me the ball was left in my court.”

I buried my hands in my face and tipped my head back, trying to send back the rest of the tears, but for some reason, they just kept coming. “My parents already thought I wasn’t capable of being away from them… I didn’t want them to see pictures of me having sex… it was explicit… and then Archie… he’d have seen those pictures and never been the same, Alvise. I didn’t know what your family was like. I still don’t know. But I know you are public figures, and there would be people out there looking to destroy you. I just… I didn’t want to be the one to ruin your life.”

I wiped my tears and looked out the window, not strong enough to make eye contact with him. “Like I said, I came here by myself. That means I chose to come to you. So, I couldn’t stand the thought of everything you worked hard for being reduced to nothing because of a silly girl that li…” I caught myself before revealing my feelings for him. “Decided to come see you in the middle of the night.”

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I clamped my mouth shut to stop myself from speaking any further, afraid I would slip out a detail that would travel back to Francesca or reveal anything about the way I felt for him.

A dick, heavy silence settled over the car, not a single word being uttered between us.

I closed my eyes, opened them and breathed in and out, calming the wreck that had formed inside me.

I didn’t know how he’d react, but I felt lighter, like a burden had finally been eased off my shoulders.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I stilled, barely breathing as I turned to look at Alvise. His cold eyes were fixed on me, his jaw hard, a muscle twitching there.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I tried again. “I…”

“Why didn’t you fucking tell me any of this? You had the chance to speak to me and you.

“She said I could never speak to you…”

“And you chose to listen to her?”

I sniffed, shaking my head. “I was scared…”

“But you’re speaking to me now, Arabella, are you not? When I came back from Russia, we spoke, right? So tell me, how the fuck did it take you this long to speak to me?” Alvise demanded, his tone so sharp it seemed to echo inside the car.

“I’m sorry…” I cried, unable to say anything else.

“I don’t need your apology!” he stated firmly. “I called you twenty-three fucking times! You never answered, and you blocked me.” He rasped, “when I tried to contact you using other contacts, you ignored them. I tried to find out what was up with you.” He ran his hands through his hair and breathed out an amused breath. “I thought I hurt you that night… during sex because…”

Because I was a virgin and I’d given my virginity to him. But he’d been surprisingly gentle through it all. He didn’t hurt me, not even once in that moment.

“You never hurt me, Alvise.” I assured him softly.

He was eerily calm. “That doesn’t matter now,” he announced, pulling his phone from his pants and glancing at it before slipping it back. “I have a question, and I want you to give me an immediate answer.”

I straightened, panicking. “What… question?”

His eyes clashed with mine, hard and angry. “Who the fuck is the woman that threatened you?”

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Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

His Thirst For Revenge

ARABELLA’S POV

No.. I couldn’t tell him it was Francesca.

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My stomach dipped, and my throat felt dry. What was I going to say? That the woman who had ruined the last four years of my life was the same woman who was about to become my brother’s wife?

“I… I can’t tell you who it was,” I said, breaking eye contact.

“You can’t or you won’t?” Alvise demanded, leaning forward, his fingers gripping my chin and guiding my face back toward him.

His hands on my skin made it tingle, but this time, it was from fear. The look in his eyes, the determination burning behind them, made me feel scared.

He wanted to know the truth. Only the truth.

Alvise raised a brow. “Do you think you could hide it from me again? That I would wait another four years for you to reveal the name?”

My eyes flashed with fear. “No, Alvise… if you find her, she’ll release the photos…”

“Fuck the damn photos! Maybe if you had some fucking faith in me, you would have told me immediately you got that flimsy threat.” He snapped angrily. “Do you think anyone could threaten me?”

I sighed, desperate for him to understand how deranged Francesca was, “She’s… crazy, Alvise. You can’t believe the amount of psychotic things she has done…”

“Because you let her.”

I shrugged off his touch, his words slashing through my heart. “Let her? Do you think I wanted all this to happen?”

“I wouldn’t know.” He mused, his tone colder now. “Maybe you just wanted something that would back up your desire to forget that night after all.”

“You don’t know anything about how I felt that night!” I stated, my voice rising. “Nothing!”

“But I know enough to know you refused to be honest, Someone out there had pictures of us being intimate… nude pictures of you!” he said, like that was the only part that truly riled him up. “And you left them in their hands for years. What did you think? That she wouldn’t continuously use them to threaten you?”

I snapped my eyes to the floor. That was exactly what Francesca was doing now, threatening me and asking for one thing after another, never satisfied.

“You’ve been blackmailed for years now!” he gritted, looking outside the car window. “I can only imagine the kind of things you’ve been made to do.”

Bile rose to my throat, and I desperately wanted to throw up. Memories of Francesca’s harassment and the way I had been forced to live my life walking on eggshells overwhelmed me.

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