Chapter 1 Ride it like Patricia.

Their skins grazed sweatily against each other.

And Patricia fell to the bed, placing her arms across his strong chest. She heaved a deep breath, falling right next to him, pulling up the bedsheets around her chest. Her wrists held up her hair and Pat had a smile on her face. "Hey" Leonardo's voice was deep and decadent as he turned to her.

She scoffed, still breathing heavily from minutes before.

"You feel better?" Patricia bit into her index finger and Leonardo inched closer to her, brushing against her nose. "Of course" He whispered, realizing how much of a bad day he'd come home that night with. And how Patricia was the first person he usually called.

Her slender figure shadowed the crimson hue from the wavering candles on the wall and she let out a chuckle. "You're probably stressed because of tonight" There was a crack in her voice and she felt his chest rise and fall.

"I am too" She added, without even waiting for his response.

"Today's the big day" It really was, at least for the people of New York City. It was the Annual Carter Conference, one of the largest held at the center of the city and in attendance would be the mayor himself, David Carter and his sons Ivan and Leonard-the latter who was right next to her.

Since David had won the elections, it was also tonight that he was to pass the baton to his eldest son Leonard as the CEO of Carter Corporations. And alas, it was also the day destined for him to announce a wife, a deal he made with his father.

He faced the ceiling with a hand behind his neck and she drew circles across his sweaty chest. "I can't wait for tonight" Patricia whispered, confident that when the time came, Leo wouldn't hesitate to ask her to marry him. It was a dream, at the largest conference in the city and in front of a multitude of crowd-she would say yes there and there and jump into his arms.

And after close to six years of being together, she would finally seal the deal and get married. A dream indeed, because Leonard felt the roughness in his throat the moment she said those words.

He turned to look at her. "I can't either." A smirk crept to his lip.

Morning came by faster than usual, it was quite the opposite for Patricia who'd spent the entire night anxiously planning her future that was about to begin that night. When the sun came up, however and during the one hour sleep that she finally got, she realized Leonard was gone from the bed.

Probably to work, or maybe a bachelor's party at least.

She sprung from beneath the velvety duvet with the largest grin on her face. And slipping her legs through her knickers, she made her way to his table, on which there was Verragio diamond ring.

She squealed, throwing her head over her shoulders before she opened the box he'd left capriciously around. She slipped it out and put her finger through. "It fits" Came an exciting yell as she faced the mirror, role playing the whole event that would lead her to finally saying yes to him in front of everyone.

"I can't believe we're finally doing this" Patricia said as she reached the last of the stairs. Amanda was there, Leonard's mother and they'd gotten along since well, the first day she met her. "I can't believe he's finally going to pop the question" Pat filled her lungs with air and Amanda only let out a soft chuckle.

"After six years, ma. Six years i waited and now it's finally happening" She brushed past her shoulders, rubbing her smooth cheeks. "You get the biggest reward tonight hun" Her soon-to-be mother-in-law said and she scoffed. "It's about him tonight" Pat muttered. "He's taking over the family empire tonight-"

"Not in a fancy dress it wouldn't" Amanda looked at her.

"I'm proud of the woman you've become and i can't picture any other woman for my son than you" She was right, even Leo often said that Patricia was the perfect woman, it was why they'd lasted so long after his promiscuous past.

She'd somehow changed him, offering him the best sex and best advices when it was due. And for herself, she'd imagined no life with anyone but him. Taking a deep breath, Patricia realized it was finally happening-the night that was bound to change her life.

"And you'd make a fantastic daughter, and even more of a wife and a mother" Her cheeks were flustered with color and tears soon stung the back of her eye. Growing up, Pat had always had Amanda since losing her parents in a car crash. But looking in her eyes that moment, she finally saw the pride of a mother.

She'd taken her for nothing less.

And a scoff escaped her pale lips.

"I'm getting married tonight." But little did she know.

To be continued...