The CEO's Little Untamable Girl

Confrontation

Several days had passed since Atenea and Valentino met. Although wedding preparations are underway, the couple barely cross paths. While Valentino immerses himself in work at the factory and occasionally visits Lily at her apartment, Atenea tries to adapt to her new life in the mansion.

Fortunately, she doesn't feel alone; her friend visits her regularly, they go shopping, she has a nanny and some subordinates at her disposal. Loneliness and bewilderment are becoming more bearable for her.

Valentino, at night, locks himself in his room, avoiding going down to the dining room to have dinner with his fiancée. In the mornings, he leaves without breakfast, creating a monotonous routine. However, Atenea, seemingly ignoring his presence, maintains contact with her family and friends, spending most of her time out. It seems that both avoid facing each other after their last encounter.

"I hope you've settled in well here, Atenea," Clodan comments, bringing the cup of coffee to his lips.

"I'm not complaining," she replies with a kind smile, "but I think his son doesn't like me. He avoids me all the time, and we're days away from getting married. What will people think of us? We have to give a good image now that the press has us as gossip fodder."

"You're absolutely right," he mentions, frowning. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience he's caused lately, and especially for what happened the last time with that woman. It must have been very unpleasant."

"Don't worry, she's his mistress after all..."

"What?" the man seemed dismayed. "Don't believe the things she says. They both had a relationship, but that's over."

"Oh, don't get me wrong," she hastened to reply. But for a moment, before telling him that she doesn't care at all that Valentino has another woman, she considers it. "You know what? When I got here, I didn't get a good welcome from your son, and even less from that woman named Lily. They were both very cruel."

"Really?" Mr. Clodan furrows his brow in bewilderment. "I'll talk to my son about this situation. And about that woman..."

"Don't worry about her," she interrupted, sketching a crooked smile. "I know perfectly well that you cast the line into the sea where there are plenty of big, fat fish, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"This marriage is simply for convenience, and you more than anyone benefit from this, since your factory is practically bankrupt," she drafts, catching her father-in-law's interest. "I also know that Lily, your son's mistress, is not beneficial to your family. So don't worry about her, it won't affect our contract at all."

"You're a very intelligent girl," the man smiled with smugness. "I'm glad to have you as my daughter-in-law, anyway, it doesn't hurt to put Valentino in his place, so leave it to me."

"As you wish," she returns that same smile of complicity as they both enjoy their coffee.

***

In the darkness of the night, Atenea was getting ready in her room to rest after having dinner alone in the dining room. Her father-in-law was absent on business, and her fiancé showed clear disinterest in seeing her.

While combing her long hair, she slipped into a white silk mini-nightgown, ready for bed. However, the doors to her room burst open before she could lie down. Although she was briefly startled, she sighed in annoyance upon identifying the intruder.

"Were you raised with wild cattle or what?" she spat expectantly. "Knock on the damn door before entering; this is my space."

"Listen well, you little brat!" he approached like an enraged bull, grabbing her arm forcefully. "This is my mansion, and you're just a useless nuisance," he roared with rage. "What did you say to my father? Keep your nose out of my business with Lily!"

"First of all, let me go," her gaze darkened and, seeing the man's persistence, she pulled away aggressively. "Who am I? Here I am your damn fiancée and future wife, the one who will save your miserable factory from ruin."

"Insolent!"

"Don't yell at me, you i***t!" she exclaimed in the same tone. "And I don't know what your father told you, I don't care," she stood in front of him like a furious doll.

"Now you want to play innocent? I know you talked to him about Lily, because he didn't hesitate to come and complain," he declared with disdain. "I told you to leave Lily alone; things were made clear from the moment you set foot in this mansion," he got closer to her, furious. "Listen well, I won't give you the place you're claiming, I won't give you and my father the satisfaction of leaving Lily."

"And I'm going to tell you something, to be so insignificant, you take up a lot of space, you imbecile."

"What?"

"You're driving me crazy, tired of your damn sermon all the time with that stupid woman."

"I won't allow you to talk about her like that!"

"You don't allow me anything!" Atenea retorted, annoyed. "Aren't you tired? Stop whining so much and playing the victim with your Lily, nothing bad is happening to her. You just complain and hurl your curses at me, knowing that you are the one who benefits most from this. And me? I have the bad luck of having to put up with someone as bitter and despotic as you, who is only after a woman's skirt." Valentino clenched his jaw, darkening his gaze. "Grow up, Rizzo, accept that you're going to marry me, because just like you, I can't stand you, I despise you, but still I'm not complaining."

"How dare you?" he grabbed her wrist forcefully, causing her to let out a whimper. "Listen, Atenea Volkova, let this be the last time you talk to me like that," he sentenced. "If I continue with this damn contract, it's not because I want to; I'd rather everything go to hell than have to be married to a woman I don't love. I thought everything would be easier if my fiancée were a manageable lady, not a woman as arrogant as you."

"Well, I have bad news for you, we'll be married for a year, and if you can't stand me, it's your problem, because I don't suffer for any trash that crosses my path, unlike you," she replied indifferently, receiving a cold look from her fiancé. "If you don't want to continue with this, talk to your father and cancel everything, because there's no shortage of suitors."

"You're so despicable," he let go of her abruptly, and she took several steps back from the push. "I hope you face the consequences of your rebelliousness and insolence."

He gave her one last look full of contempt before leaving the room with a bang. Atenea fell back on the bed, letting out all the air she had held in her lungs, and tried to calm down by running both hands over her face, processing everything that had just happened. She had had moments of peace when she wasn't with that bitter man, who apparently turned into a beast every time they touched on the subject of Lily, his beloved mistress.

The girl looked at her wrist, seeing the marks of Valentino's fingers that were drawn on her fair skin. She began to question whether this marriage was really a good idea, as he seemed to hate her with all his might; anyway, their first encounter hadn't exactly been friendly.

"Atenea, my girl," Soledad, Atenea's nanny, entered the room worried. "What just happened? The screams echoed throughout the mansion."

"Nothing, Nana," the girl fell back on the bed, still looking at her wrist before answering. "It's just that that animal I have as a fiancé is a total idiot."

"Did he do something to you?" the woman sat on the bed, beside her. "I was very worried; the screams could be heard downstairs."

"It's because of that woman, Nana, his mistress," she sighed and ran a hand over her face. "What's my fault that Clodan hates that woman and didn't take her as his daughter-in-law? That guy has no brain; he just wants to take out all his hatred on me by any means."

"My girl, I think it would be best to talk to your parents and cancel the wedding; this won't end well," the woman advised, and Atenea immediately raised her head, frowning as she looked at her.

"Do you think I'll give him that satisfaction, Nana?" she asked with bewilderment. "No one will impose rules on me, and even less will they clean the floor with me because of a mistress. I'm staying here, and I'm going to marry him even if he doesn't want to, I won't give them the satisfaction," her nanny sighed, knowing that with just a look full of determination, Atenea wouldn't back down. "I'm telling you, Nana, Valentino Rizzo will know who Atenea Volkova is, I swear."