Chapter 17 Yes , I lie . But you will have to call him direct , as it was made in his personal calendar and not with his PA . She frowns and glances to her fellow worker . Thats not how .. Tell him Violet Coleman is here to see him , I cut her off . Im sorry . Call him , I snap , I begin to feel my pulse as adrenaline surges through me . Tell him Violet Coleman is here to see him , I repeat . She exchanges glances with the girl sitting next to her . She picks up the phone and dials a number . As I wait , I bite my bottom lip so hard that I think I taste blood . Yes , hello , Mr. This is Violet from reception . She listens for a moment . I have a Violet Coleman here ; she says she has an appointment to see you today . Her eyes flick up to me as she listens . I hold my breath as I listen . Yes , sir . She nods . Thank you . She puts the phone down . I stare at her as I wait . Im sorry , Mr. Ferrara is booked out back to back today . He cant see you . He sends his apologies . Oh … The ground moves beneath me as my every fear comes to fruition . nostrils flare as I try to hold it together . He said that ? The Perfect Husbands Secret 3 23.5 % apter She nods , and its obvious that she knows this visit was of a personal nature . Let me look through his calendar and Ill try to find you another appointment . She brings up the computer and glances over to her co worker . Umm , unfortunately , he doesnt have an opening until August . She winces as if she cares . Im sorry . I nod and step back from the desk . Ive never been so humiliated in my life . Not as sorry as hes going to be . For nothing . I turn , and with my heart breaking in my chest , I march toward the front doors , the stupid tears building like a tidal wave . And now I know , thats it . Its really over forever , he doesnt want to see me . There goes my happy ending . I push through the glass doors and into the cold New York air . My heart is hurting . Did that really just happen ? Oh my god , oh my god . Oh my fucking god . I look up and down the street , I need to get out of here . A barrage of familiar feelings comes flooding back and I suddenly remember why I chose to leave . I need to get as far away from this man as quickly as I can . This man , this place , is toxic . I need to go home . I march out to the street and put my arm up for a cab , one instantly pulls up and I dive into the back seat . The Perfect Husbands Secret 23.6 % apter 1 The driver takes one look at my face . Are you okay , miss ? cant act tough any longer , and I screw up my face in tears , the lump in my throat hurts as I try to hold it together . Not really . I wipe my eyes in a dramatic fashion . But I will be . No matter what the conditions , this baby will never be enough for him . He will always despise the fact that it isnt Italian , that he didnt choose to have it . Imagine growing up knowing that your own father hates you . I screw up my face in tears . The car weaves in and out of the New York traffic and I put my hand over my stomach and make a vow . I failed to protect myself from him , but I will always protect you . I cry as I take my diamond bracelet off . I will never put this back on again . Its physically hard to take off because I cant see through my tears . This was my most prized possession and now hes ruined it forever . This is the last pain he will ever cause . He will never get the chance to hurt my baby like he has me . Thats it , Im done . Gabriel And youll see on page fourteen of the proposal . I point to the graph on the whiteboard with a pen . The fifteen people sitting around the board table all flick to page fourteen . را As you can see , the trend is emerging as … The intercom buzzes . The Perfect Husbands Secret 23.7 % A apter 森 Lexhale heavily . Yes , I snap , annoyed , why is she interrupting me ? Yes , hello Mr. This is Violet from reception . Yes , Violet , what is it ? I have a Violet Coleman here ; she says she has an appointment to see you today . What ? Ahhh … I look around the room as thirty eyes watch me . I see … Umm … I take the lid off the pen in my hand as I think . I cant stop this meeting midway through , people have flown in internationally to attend . Ive got people with me all day and then a function straight from work tonight with my family . Fuck … Im booked back to back today , Violet ; can you reschedule her to come back ? Tomorrow , perhaps ? Yes , sir , she replies . Send my apologies . Thank you . I scratch my head in frustration , damn it . I want to see her . With all eyes on me , I try to bring my mind back to the meeting . Shes here . I pause as I try to collect my thoughts , … trends . Shes here . The Perfect Husbands Secret 23.7 % apt refocus my thoughts and carry on with the meeting as I try my hardest to keep a straight face . She came back . Tomorrow I get to see her . The round dinner table is filled with family members . Its my brother Alessios birthday . The table chatters on in Italian as my mind wanders off on a tangent . Ive been with a lot of women , many … most , actually , dont speak Italian and its never mattered before because I knew it wasnt going anywhere . Their ancestry didnt matter to me . A But if I were ever to want something more with a woman who didnt , how would that look ? Tonight , for example … Would Violet be sitting there , not understanding anything that anyone is saying , would I have to translate or would she just refuse to come at all ? I mean , sure , anyone can learn Italian , but that doesnt change who you are at the core . My future dreams depend on having a family thats filled with generational traditions , trips to Italy with my siblings and their children and the cousins growing up together and playing the games that we did as children . A closeness and familiarity . I envision my life in an American household and how different it would be from the one I have always known and wanted for myself . If I chose that life , I know for certain that my wife and children would always be on the outside . They would never truly be accepted by their extended family . Dream girl or dream life . 3 The Perfect Husbands Secret 23.8 % s either or , it cant be both . One life is Italian with my family , the other is with Violet . I couldnt bear it if they rejected her …. and they would . I sip my scotch and slosh it around my mouth before swallowing , the thought is depressing . Alessio leans in close so that only I can hear him . Lets go to Atticus . This place is boring as fuck , and I need some ass . Im heading home . He screws up his face . Why ? Because I want to . What the hell is wrong with you lately ? Just because Im not fucking every woman with a pulse does not mean there is something wrong with me . Youre getting soft , he mutters dryly as he sips his drink . I roll my eyes , but his comment hits home . Hes right . What the hell is wrong with me lately , I havent been out in weeks . Ive lost interest in everything ; everyone just seems so … average . I down the last of my drink . I put my hand on his shoulder as I walk past him . Have a good night . I kiss my mother and sister as I say my goodbyes and I walk out of the restaurant and onto the street where my car is waiting . The Perfect Husbands Secret 23.9 % apter Good evening . Mark smiles . I get into the back seat and we whiz through the streets of New York as I stare out the window . At least I get to see her tomorrow . The sun slowly sets behind the buildings and I pick up my phone and check it for the hundredth time today . Its nearly five , where is she ? I call down to reception . Hello , this is Gabriel Ferrara . Oh , the young girls voice stammers . Ferrara , hello . May I speak to Violet ? Yes , speaking . What time did Violet Coleman say she would be back today ? Ahhh . She has no idea what Im talking about . The woman who came to see me yesterday . Oh right , the lady you were too busy to see . I roll my eyes at her sarcasm . I was in a board meeting and I asked you to reschedule . When is she coming back ? She didnt reschedule . I frown as I rise to stand . What do you mean ? I snap . … She hesitates as if scared to go on . Spit it out . 24.0 % The Perfect Husbands Secret apter She left , sir . She didnt want another appointment , seeing the first was weeks away . She seemed upset . I hang up and immediately dial Violets number . I pace back and forth as ♡ ( 0 ) Title: Assigned A Billionaire Husband By The Nation In CrushReel's ongoing romance novel, "Assigned A Billionaire Husband By The Nation," a young woman finds herself without a home after a heart-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of four years. 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