Mafia Billionaire’s Forlorn Wife
Chapter 30

“HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY TO THE LOVELIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD!”

I giggle seeing Leo standing in front of my gym as I tighten my grip on the duffle bag strap on my shoulder as I shake my head before walking into his open arms as he wraps me in a tight bear hug.

“Aww, thank you so much, Grinch.” I squeal as he practically squeezes me in his arms and I cannot help the giggle that escapes my lips at the fact that he is more excited about my birthday than I am.

“Come on, we’re going to your favourite boba place.” He says slinging his arm around my neck as he starts guiding me through the semi crowded street while we make our way to the Bubble Butterfly which is the world’s most aesthetically pleasing boba parlour located just next block from us.

It is one of my favourite places to visit before joining the office.

“So, what are you planning for today?” Leo asks looking down at me while wiggling his brows.

I chuckle, shaking my head I say, “nothing as such. I’ll probably just spend the night at home reading the new book I just got.” I tell him while trying to keep a large smile on my lips because I realise just how sad and lonely my words actually sound. “I’m not planning a big thing anyway.” I shrug.

Leo gives me a look that says that he looks right through me, “that is complete and utter bullshit, I don’t care if you’re not planning anything. You’re my best friend and we’re going out tonight.”

I g***n as we finally reach Butterfly Bubbles and he opens the door for me, “no, I’m so not in the mood to go out drinking and partying tonight. I guess I’m just too old for that s**t now. I mean, I’m getting close to thirty now.”

Leo rolls his eyes, “come on, you have two years to go before you turn thirty. Live a little.” I try to protest but he places a finger on my lips, “now, you want matcha or taro?”

I pout, “matcha.” I mutter grumbling as I turn around and walk to take the empty table by the French styled window as I sit down in the plush cloud seat while Leo brings our orders.

I take this time to check my phone for any updates on my meeting with the Shangri La executives that is coming up this week, but instead, I end up finding something that has my eyes widening and my heart racing wildly in anxiousness.

Every blog, every instagram gossip website, and a lot of news outlets are currently running their biggest, most sizzling story of the week and apparently that story has my name in shining letters in the headlines.

Is it trouble in paradise for the Mikhailov’s?

Is it no longer ‘Una Bella Vita’ for Bella?

A Scorn Wife’s Address.

I cannot believe the things they are saying online about me, all my social’s are blowing up with people commenting mean and hateful things on the last picture that I posted of myself.

How can someone be so cruel and vindictive?

She’s just a liar! Rhys is so hot and gorgeous, why would he ever do something like that?

She’s just jealous that she’s not @ameliaclark.

What a w***e.

Guys, maybe we should think about her mental health and leave her alone? Maybe Rhys Mikhailov is actually a terrible husband, contrary to people’s beliefs. Maybe he’s not a prince charming.

My eyes are wide and I absolutely cannot believe what’s happening. All of the articles are suggesting that I have made these outrageous statements about my marriage when in reality I haven’t even talked about these things to anyone aside from—

My eyes widen just when Leo comes to the table and my gaze hardens on his face as I clench my grip around the phone in my hand.

A conversation I had with Leo two days ago flitters through my mind when we were sitting right here during the evening—

|Flashback|

“Okay, what are we going to do about this executive meeting that Shangri La wants?” Leo asks, sipping on the boba tea while I chew the bite of lemon madeleine that I have just taken.

I shrug, using my index finger to push away a loose strand of my hair from my vision, “it’s nothing, they just want to go over some last minute specifications before we actually start the heavy lifting on the project. I’ll take a lead on that one, it’ll go by smoothly.” I tell him and he huffs a breath of relief and nods his head.

Out of the two of us, Leo is the shy and quiet one who favours the creative side of things more than the business side.

But that lets me indulge in my corporate boardroom fantasies so it’s an equation that works greatly for both of us.

“Did your i***t husband find out about who attacked you that night?” He asks lowering his voice after looking around to make sure that no one is listening into our conversation.

I sigh, “even if he did, he hasn’t told me.” And then I roll my eyes, grumbling, “not that he ever tells me anything.”

Leo gives me a sympathetic look, “I hate seeing how unhappy you are in this marriage, Bella.” He whispers, reaching out to place his hand on mine.

I shake my head, biting the inside of my cheek I try not to think too much about this, “he doesn’t want to be with me, Grinch. I don’t know how much longer I can keep holding on.” I mumble, knowing well enough that my married life is not what a married life should look like.

“Have you been thinking about leaving him?” He asks softly, knowing how sensitive of a topic this is for me.

I look down at my almost finished glass of boba tea, ashamed that I am even thinking about doing something like this as I utter out, “if he keeps walking on the same path, then yeah, I might not have another choice.”

Leo swears under his breath before he leans closer to me, putting his elbows on the table, “how are things…physically? You told me that is somewhere you both still connect, right? Maybe you can use that connection to remind him of how much he loves you?”

I shake my head helplessly, “the night of the attack…” I take in a shuddering breath just thinking about that horrific night, “I thought that I saw a glimpse of the man I fell in love with. I was so shaken up and hurt that Rhys stayed with me till I fell asleep peacefully. And even before that, he spent hours waiting for me outside Words and Whiskers until I was done because he thought that I wouldn’t be safe by myself.” My voice gets heavy and I start looking out the window in order to not show Leo my tears, “I thought that night that Rhys was changing for the better. But my hope was crushed when he just disappeared the very next morning. I haven’t seen him in three days. He comes home late at night and leaves early in the mornings. Vernon told me it’s his work but I know that he’s avoiding me.”

“What about that b***h of a friend of his?” Leo asks with a sour expression on his lips.

My scowl instantly deepens just thinking about Amelia, “she’s just waiting to get her grubby paws on him. And he’s is naive and foolish to her advances that he doesn’t do s**t about it either.” But that is when a thought rattles me, “or maybe he knows exactly what she’s doing and he lets her continue because in truth, he wants her and not me.”

Leo’s eyes widen too, “no!” He gasps, “I don’t think that’s true.” He says shaking his head, pulling back slightly in recoil.

I huff, “whatever it is, Lee, the truth is, that she gets more of his attention and love than I do and I am not going to wait around forever. If he doesn’t realise what he’s missing out on then I would have no other option but to just leave him.”

Leo raises his glass in my direction, “here here! I support you in whatever you do!” He says with a cheeky grin that makes me laugh and we shake off the conversation before talking about lighter things than my sordid love life.

|End of Flashback|

“What’s wrong?” Leo asks as he sits down but the wheels of my mind are turning at full speed as I realise that whatever I had said that day in front of him is currently streaming in all these articles.

My entire conversation that happened right in this tea shop, two days ago, is currently the talk of the town and I have no means of finding out how it got there.

I just turn my phone screen towards Leo and the moment he grasps what has happened, he looks at me with a horrified lookc, “Bella, I swear to god I haven’t ratted you out to anyone—”

I scrunch my brows, “what?” I interrupt him, not understanding why he suddenly feels the need to clear that with me, “why are you explaining anything?” I ask in genuine confusion.

He looks taken aback, “well, clearly this news is from our conversation. But I wasn’t the mole, I—”

I roll my eyes at him, “of course I know that you aren’t the mole!” I say with a shake of my head, “but we need to find out how this story leaked into the press.”

“Wait, you don’t doubt me?” He gapes at me with wide, heartfelt eyes.

I give him a look of all seriousness, “of course not, Grinch. You’re my best friend!” I tell him with a smile.

But at the moment, my heart is racing with fear of what Rhys is going to do when he finds out about this.

Good god, why do such things happen to me?