𝐑𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐨 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟐

𝟎

My name is Eleonora Lilly Ritzo and I'm happily married to Zachary Ritzo.

That feels good to say.

My husband and I have been through hell and back—both together and separated. Being in the presence of one another only made it all better.

I walk through the revolving door to the building my husband and I own.

The belt loop on my pink leather skirt gets caught on the rail to the door. I roll my eyes and step away to undo it. I do that like every day of my life.

I stand still while I fix my skirt and matching blazer. When I lift my head, people are staring at me as they try to get in and out of the building.

Do I apologize? My husband owns the building, I can stand where I want.

But I was rude. Fuck it.

I walk to Evans, my wrinkled old desk lady who refuses to quit.

Well, her name is Angela, but when I met my husband he only referred to her as Evans.

I beam at the little old lady. "Give me a word."

Evans deserves to be spoken to like a human being, and not like she's our robot who works under us.

Every day that I see her, I ask her to give me a word to describe her day at work so far.

She signs papers and hands them to the people living in my building, only looking up at me when she responds. "Excellent, Mrs. Ritzo."

"No issues?" I stroll to the side of the desk and lower my voice, sparing a quick glance at the woman standing by the elevator. "And who is that? I don't remember them moving in here."

"No issues at all." She shook her head before giving me a reply. "And she's visiting apartment 24A."

She rubs her head as if to make a memory come back to her. When she remembers, she hits the desk. "Oh, but you do have a visitor!"

Hm. "Is Zach upstairs?"

She gives me a heartwarming smile that makes me feel all giddy. "He is."

She's always been fond of my relationship with her original boss.

I smile knowing my husband is upstairs and waiting for me. "Great! Kaden and Atlas?"

After Leo and Zora cut us off two years ago, we haven't tried to fix things with them since Zach yells at me anytime I suggest it.

Zach doesn't usually raise his voice at me. It's heartbreaking for both my sake and the sake of the brother-sister relationship they once had that all it takes is for me to suggest the rekindling of their relationship for him to raise his voice at me.

I try my hardest not to think about the fact Zora cut her flesh and goddamn blood off because he married me. I've thought of myself as a burden, liability, etcetera—but I never expected it to get so bad that my existence came between siblings.

Zora had this entitlement—which don't get me wrong, she's very entitled to it being that her brother always made promises that involved never giving anything to anyone besides her—but no one expected her to get upset when he did.

Evans scratches her head. "The boys left out a little bit ago."

A visitor and no one but Zach is home? I don't like that.

I clear my throat. Everything I know, I've learned it from Zach. That includes gaining his trust issues.

I run nervously a hand through my hair. "What was this person's...gender?"

She starts laughing. "You're so cute." She takes a step closer. "He was definitely male."

I grin at her heartily, my worries at ease.

I give her a soft wave as I turn and walk to the elevator.

When I step into the elevator, I smile at the brunette woman next to me.

She doesn't smile back. Instead, she squints at me. "You own this place, right?"

My ears flare as I feel a sense of distrust in me. "My husband does, yes."

"You're much prettier in person. Who is this Ritzo character? Is that really his name?"

Uh. That's none of her business.

People know who I am because I've made it into articles and stuff about being married to a don but still going in public with no issue.

What's going to happen? I have three bodyguards and my husband is Zachary Ritzo. Plus, I'm twenty-two. I think I can handle myself.

I change the subject from my husband's identity. "What floor do you get off on?"

Her face twists. She knows what I'm thinking.

"26," she says tensely.

I drop my shoulders in relief. "Okay."

I look down at my watch and cross my legs.

"You're very pretty," she tells me again.

I smile awkwardly. "Thank you."

She nods. "Mhm."

We reach the 26th floor and she steps off.

I repeatedly push the "close" button and wait to reach the top floor.

As the sliding doors begin to open, I begin to slide my purse off my arm. Before the doors even open fully, I hear a groan—a pained one.

The doors open and I stare at my husband, who is sitting against the back of the couch, his ankles tied as he has his hand on his abdomen.

I gasp and immediately put my purse back up onto my arm as I scurry into my house. "Zach!"

He throws his head back and grunts in clear pain. "Watch it, honey," he warns.

I look to the side and a blonde stands in my kitchen, a gun in his hand and pointed at me.

I don't curse much.

But, God fucking damn it.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

[ A/N ] : Chapter one will be out Thursday, April 18th! ( Word Count : 900 )