*nervous chuckle* Hey guys.

I know I know. I haven't updated in a while and blah blah blah but in my defense, I had writer's block. This chapter was one of the small ideas I had to bring this story out so like it.

Or I will kill you.

It's a sextuple update btw. You're welcome.

38

I walked out of my room and made my way down to the kitchen. It had been two weeks since my little breakdown, two weeks since I started staying at this penthouse, two weeks since I got shot and two weeks since I saw Vittore.

I hated to admit I missed him. Just a little but I was avoiding him. I had no idea why I just was. I didn't feel like talking to anyone but Maddox kept coming over and trying to start a conversation. I'd mostly ignore him because I wasn't in the mood. He was acting weirdly clingy and I didn't like it. Alexa had also shown up on occasion and unlike the red head, she kept quiet and only talked to me if she wanted to.

I regret saying this but she did seem less bitchy which was good for my mental and physical well being. Her's too. I was in the mood to punch whoever disturbed me.

I felt like I was doing a walk of shame, getting out of my room for the first time in the past two days. I'd been living in there on snacks and juice but I was craving something home cooked and I didn't feel like cooking alone so I went in the elevator and down to Faye's floor to be with her.

It would be good to change the scenery. I knew every inch of the penthouse and I honestly was tired of it. I got off at Faye's floor and there were so many doors and I had no idea where I was supposed to be going. a maid was pushing a cart down the hall and I stopped her.

"Hey, I'm looking for Faye Cefalo," I said and the maid looked confused for a second until it clicked in her mind.

"Room 1112 miss."

I thanked the maid and continued down the hall until I reached her room, knocking politely. I played with the end of my white tee as I waited. I'd paired them with dark blue sweats and decided to go barefoot because most of the shoes provided didn't fit me. Plus I was just visiting Faye. I'm sure she was in the same state.

The door was opened and I was right. The only difference was her sweats were grey. She smiled at me.

"Hello darling. How are you?" she asked.

"i'm fine Faye," I answered simply.

"Most the clothes didn't fit either I reckon," she stated with a laugh and I nodded as she ushered me inside. Her place was smaller than the penthouse but the studio apartment was still bigger than most. "What's up?"

"Uh... I was just kinda home alone and I was wondering if you wanted to spend some time together but if you're busy-"

"Oh no Dalia. I literally have a lot of free time. Like the rest of my life since I don't do much anymore," Faye said and her words were sad in a way.

"Cool. What do you want to make?" I asked.

"What should you be eating?" she retaliated, giving me a stern look.

"I can eat anything at the moment. I'm fine-"

"I asked what you're supposed to be eating Dalia not your whole life story," Faye said with a roll of her eyes, walking into her kitchen and opening her large fridge. I sighed.

"Red meats and green vegetables mostly," I answered finally and Faye cheered, pulling out a packet from the fridge.

"Beef stew?" she asked and I nodded. That sounded great.

"Ok so I was going to bake a cake for the sake of it but... we should bake some buns instead, for the stew and maybe even make some spinach salad."

I blinked at the woman who was all too excited to start cooking and a small smile formed on my face.

"That sounds like a full course meal," I said and walked over to her, just noticing all the flour on the counter and the ingredients she was mixing.

"I know. If there's one thing I'll never get tired of, it's cooking. Enough dilly dally. Turn on the oven so it can warm up. We'll do the buns, put them in, clean up then begin with the stew and end with the salad," Faye rumbled and I begun doing my tasks.

Faye was really a control freak when it came to her ingredients. She wanted her things precise and failure to make it so, she would mentally cut your head off like she was doing now as I mixed the dough.

"Faye I got it," I said to her as she hovered, barely giving me any room. When we had done cookies that one time, she was more chill but now, its like she wants to jump on me and just do everything herself.

"I know I know," she mumbled backing away. There was a knock on the door and she went to answer it and Alexa's unmistakable voice filtered through the apartment as I grabbed a baking tray to place the dough on.

Faye came back to the kitchen with Alexa on her heels.

"Dalia I'm sure you know Alexa right?" Faye asked, helping me with the trays.

"Unfortunately," I muttered and Alexa leaned against one of the counters. She seemed relaxed until she saw me here.

"You're bruise is gone," I stated seeing as how her face seemed clearer. She didn't put on any make-up at all and she actually looked very pretty.

"You're limp is gone," Alexa retaliated.

"Why are you here?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know.

"Oh Alexa visits all the time darling. She is great company," Faye said.

"Highly doubt that," I said under my breath.

"I actually came to talk to Faye and not you Dalia," Alexa snapped and I was surprised for a second.

She knew my name? She'd never said it before. I was sure.

"Well your sorry ass found me here, busy if you couldn't tell," I said and smiled ever so sweetly. Alexa smiled back.

"Why you little-"

"Girls!" Faye snapped. "This is not the time to fight ok? I just want us to cook something. Together. As a team, so please, push the fighting to some other time."

The tray with the buns' dough was taken from my grasp and I saw Faye put it in the oven.

"Alexa grab some vegetables and start cutting. Dalia, get the meat and some spices for seasoning."

I followed Faye's instructions and opened a drawer which was full of spices. Faye only picked out three different kinds but I opened all of them, smelling one by one and setting aside the ones I'd hope we'd use.

I went back to Faye who was almost done when I set the six new different spices I'd gotten on the counter. She looked at them then at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Those are too many," she said shaking her head and I rolled my eyes.

"Spices can never be too many. Trust me. I've cooked stew before," I mumbled, vaguely remembering cooking with my mother and sister. It all seemed like a dream. Faye let me dow what I wanted and in the midst of cooking, Alexa got a call.

She glanced at me then walked down the hall to a secluded room and answered it. I wondered who she was talking to but dismissed the thought quickly. I didn't care. She came back after a while, her face blank of emotion like she was trying to hide something.

Her phone pinged once again and this time when she looked, a frown settled on her features.

"Vittore wants to see you," she said, turning in my direction.

"Me? Why?" I had easily avoided him for two weeks and to be honest, I was scared about what his whole reaction to that would be.

"No idea. He's in his pent house," Alexa said tucking her phone back. I huffed and turned to Faye who gave me an encouraging smile.

"Go on. I'll still be here when you get back," she said, patting my cheek. I nodded and left her apartment.

I lazily walked to the elevator, getting it and taking it to the penthouse. I didn't see Vittore anywhere so I walked over to the study where I hoped he would be. I pushed the door open, not bothering to knock because I knew he was expecting me and there he was, dressed more casually than I'd ever seen him.

The white tee he had on strained against his muscular frame and clashed with his pitch black hair. His dark eyes rose to meet mine and he motioned for me to take a seat on one of the chairs and I did.

"Alexa said you wanted to see me?" I asked, wanting him to cut to the chase. Vittore slid a stack of papers to me and when I looked at them, my whole body froze.

"It's the new contract I wanted you to sign," Vittore said casually but there was nothing calm about this situation.

My hands shook ever so slightly as I picked up the stacks of papers and flipped through the contract. The only open spaces were the ones that I needed to sign.

"You can't be bloody serious," I said under my breath, looking between him and the papers. I turned to the top page again, looking at the big bold black letters that would change my fate.

"A marriage contract?"

(A/N) Oh my gahd. I've been waiting for a way to bring this in lmfao. Hehehehe. Its happening people! Its happening!!!