In Love With My Bully-Chapter 90: Its Been a Nice Ride

Thank you to everyone for sticking with this story thus far. You are my MVPs. Thank you. If you have enjoyed the love story of Richard and Nita, kindly support this author who put her sweat into writing this. The Numero next generation comes in Volume 2.

Richard was being dramatic again.

"You’re supposed to be on bedrest, Nita!" he had argued earlier.

And like any reasonable adult, I did the mature thing.

I ignored him completely and walked out the door.

I went out to the office to go over some last minute details about the launch with Victor. We had barely been together for ten minutes when Victor suggested ice cream at my favorite place. I knew then Richard had called him, probably threatened him to make sure I didn’t do anything at the office.

"You know," I said as we sat down at the restaurant, "I liked it better when you and Richard were at each other’s throats. Now it’s like the two of you are teaming up against me."

Victor smirked. "We are still at each other’s throats, actually. But... he’s not as bad as I thought. And, dare I say it, he’s actually a good friend."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Shut up."

Just then, the waitress approached, a friendly smile on her face. "Hey! How are you guys doing? What can I get you today?"

"A bowl of ice cream and my usual spicy soup," I said confidently.

The waitress blinked. "Wait, I thought you stopped ordering that."

"I didn’t. I just made my ex-husband come get it for me."

Her eyes widened in recognition. "Ohhh, your ex-husband? Tall, dashing, arrogant, thinks he owns the world, shows up mostly at midnight?"

"Exactly." I laughed.

"Ooooh, I knew I liked you."

We both chuckled before she turned to Victor. "And you?"

Victor suddenly forgot how to human.

He stared at the menu, brow furrowed.

"Uh... well... I was thinking..."

I arched an eyebrow. What the hell was that?

Since when did Victor, smooth talker, king of negotiation—turn into a bumbling idiot?

The waitress, sensing his internal crisis, offered, "Burger and coffee?"

Victor nodded so fast I thought his neck might snap. "Uh... yes... thank you."

I watched as his shoulders deflated the second she walked away. But his eyes? His eyes followed her.

I gasped. No way.

"You like her!" I accused, smacking my palm against the table.

"What? No!" he protested, straightening up.

"Yes, you do! Oh my God, this is amazing!"

"It’s complicated."

I groaned. "Oh, stop it. Just ask her out! Why are you being such a baby?"

Victor sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don’t know, Benny. Maybe because I spent months in an unrequited love situation, and now I have no idea how to handle women anymore. Thank you very much."

"Excuses." I snorted.

The waitress returned with our orders, and Victor wouldn’t even look at her.

I stared at him. Then at her. Then at him again.

When she leaned over to place his plate on the table, I did what any good friend would do—I kicked him right in the shin.

"Ow!" Victor yelled, nearly knocking over his coffee.

The waitress blinked. "What? Did I spill something?"

Victor, recovering at the speed of a sloth, stammered, "N-No... just... migraine."

She smirked. "Migraine that makes you scream? That might be brain damage, my guy."

I snorted. I love her already.

Leaning in, I whispered, "You know, Victor here is the big boss of Verna Real Estate, and we’re launching it this weekend. Would you have time to come?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Is there free food?"

"Even better—free drinks."

She grinned. "Send me the invite."

"Perfect! I just need your name so I can add you to the guest list."

"Marina."

I beamed. "Nice. I’ll send my arrogant ex-husband over to deliver the invite. Right around midnight."

She cackled. "You want me to make him suffer a little bit more?"

"You know it, sister."

We high-fived while Victor sat there looking like I had just sold his soul to a street magician.

"Benny..." he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "What. Did. You. Do?"

"I got you a date."

"It’s not a date. She said free food."

I rolled my eyes. "Men."

*****

I stopped by the Numero Mansion on my way home. Things really were changing.

If Abby were still alive, she would have weaponized my pregnancy as an excuse to throw a grand party—something extravagant, with gold balloons, questionable food choices, and a guest list that included people we didn’t even know.

But now? Now I barely saw my own parents. Phone and video calls were all we had, and even those felt incomplete.

That woman would be sorely missed.

As I stepped inside, the familiar grand foyer felt too quiet. No loud voices, no chaos—just the faint sound of cartoons playing from the living room.

I found Chayara on the sofa, happily playing with her dolls. She looked so content, completely unbothered.

Her nanny, stationed close by looked up as I walked in.

"Where’s Dad?" I asked.

"He went out to the garden."

I should have guessed.

I made my way outside, and from a distance, I spotted him near Abby’s grave.

Or rather, Abby’s upgraded grave.

The man had remodeled it. There were new flowers, a stone pathway, and a very comfortable-looking bench under a shaded canopy.

Was he... planning on moving out here permanently?

I cleared my throat. "Hey, Dad..."

He looked up, eyes softening when he saw me. "Oh, baby. I’m so sorry. I haven’t had the time to check in on you and congratulate you."

"It’s okay," I teased, taking a seat next to him. "All your time is taken up by work, Chayara, and Abby."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I miss her like I never thought I would."

"I know. It would be crazy not to miss Abby. She was something else."

That made him laugh properly. "Richard has had a lot to say about you since he came back, and the more he talks, the more I realize that you and my wife are... eerily similar."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow.

He nodded, amused. "She had her ways of giving me hell too, you know. But as I got older, she started to take pity on me."

"She trained me to be a Numero wife," I said dramatically.

"And she did well. But, my dear, you have to let the pain go. That’s what’s holding you back now, isn’t it?"

I exhaled, my fingers tracing patterns on my lap. Was it?

I thought about the hurt. The Gwen era—when he was still sleeping with her. When he told me she was pregnant. The accusations after his memory loss, when he thought I had married him for money.

The pain was like a bad ex—it refused to leave, no matter how many times I tried to block its number.

"We only live once, my darling," he continued gently. "You should always do what makes you happy, even if it’s just for a short time—as long as you’re not harming anyone."

"Richard is a stupid boy," he admitted. "But he loves you so much, he loses most of his brain cells when he’s thinking about you and what’s best for you."

I groaned. "I wish he’d stop thinking for me! He makes decisions that affect both of us, and I don’t get a say. Like Queen’s pregnancy, like him leaving—"

"Again," Dad cut in, completely unbothered, "loss of brain cells."

I side-eyed him. "That’s your son you’re talking about."

He shrugged. "And I’ve known him longer than you have."

I sighed, leaning back on the bench, and for a moment, it was peaceful.

Then, he casually threw in:

"By the way, now that you guys are living together again... please use protection."

I choked on air. "Excuse me?!"

"I don’t think we want you pregnant again right after this one pops out."

"Dad, that’s not whats happening..." I protested.

He just smiled knowingly. "Give it time, darling. Give it time."

*****

By the time I got home, Richard was already losing his mind.

His phone was clutched in his hand, his face twisted with frustration, probably dialing my number for the hundredth time.

Which I had deliberately ignored.

Because, let’s be honest, letting him suffer a little was the only real entertainment I had these days.

The moment I walked in, he shot up from the couch like a man who had been possessed. His mouth opened, his face red, and I could see the curse words forming in his brain.

But then he glanced at Queen, who was sitting in the living room with her nanny, and tried to swallow them.

Tried and failed.

"What the f— Nita?!"

I smirked. "Really? What the ffff? What are you? two?"

His jaw clenched. "What else am I supposed to say? Queen is here!"

I turned to the nanny. "Take her to the nursery, please."

As soon as the nanny and Queen disappeared down the hall, I folded my arms and smirked. "Okay, now you can swear all you want."

Richard wrinkled his nose. "The urge is gone now."

"Good." I flopped onto the sofa, stretching my legs dramatically. "I had a very productive day."

"Oh, did you?" he asked suspiciously, crossing his arms.

"Yes," I said, ticking things off on my fingers. "I finished my presentation with Victor. I got him a date. And I spent some time with your dad and Abby."

Richard blinked. "You got Victor a date?"

"Uh-huh," I said proudly.

"With the girl at the restaurant?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You knew?"

He shrugged. "I noticed... but I wasn’t sure. I mean, I didn’t know if he was still hopelessly in love with you."

I sighed dramatically. "Well, I got her name and invited her to the launch."

Richard shook his head, still looking mildly disturbed by that information. "That’s great, but—could you please just try to take it easy? You could have at least let someone drive you."

I exhaled loudly. "Richard, I wanted to piss you off."

"Well, congratulations," he deadpanned. "You’re really good at it. You think I don’t know that?"

I chuckled, but then my laughter died down, and something heavier settled between us.

"Richard... I don’t want to hurt again," I whispered. "I cannot hurt again."

His expression changed in an instant. He knelt beside me, his warm hands wrapping around mine.

"I know," he said softly. "I know that everything I did to protect you was the wrong way to go about it." His fingers tightened slightly. "When I saw you in that accident, something inside me snapped, Nita. I would give my life for you, and that was when I got my memories back. Seeing you that way, it broke me. Seeing you in pain kills me. And knowing that you’re in danger? I can’t handle it."

I swallowed.

"I blamed myself," he continued. "And instead of trusting us, I used the guilt to hurt what we have."

I bit my lip as he moved closer, one hand settling gently over my belly. His voice was steady, but there was something raw in his eyes.

"Like I said," he whispered, "I am never leaving your side. Even if I have to resign as CEO of the company, if that’s what it takes."

I snorted. "You, resign? Please."

He smiled. "I’m serious."

I tilted my head. "Fine. But I have conditions."

His lips twitched. "Anything."

"I get to have a job."

"Done." He was already grinning, knowing exactly where this was going. I was taking us back to where it all began. The contract.

"I get a couple of days to myself each month."

"Done." He raised an eyebrow. "Anything else? A private island, perhaps?"

I smirked. "Actually, I do want something else."

"Name it."

I leaned forward, my nose brushing against his. "I want a small wedding. In the garden at the mansion. Where Abby can see."

His breath hitched slightly, and then he smiled—the kind of smile that made my heart squeeze.

"Done."

And then he closed the distance between us, his lips covering mine, claiming me completely.

I was supposed to be his.

I was meant to be his.

I was destined to be his.

Mrs. Benita Numero.

In Volume two: we follow the story of who gets the Numero Empire. A story of three ladies battling for their birth rights and love.