LOGINZayden’s POVThe whole villa was chaotic. Men ran from all angles, securing every possible escape route.The place was on full lockdown until I had Marco squirming and pleading for mercy at my feet. I sat on a wooden chair in a secluded room far from the main house. I looked at my watch. It’s been over forty minutes since Nico had left to look for Marco, yet he hadn’t returned.Suddenly the doors burst open…Nico and two other men held Marco by both hands. He was tossing and shoving, looking dishevelled. Like he tried to escape but was caught and beaten down.“Let me go!” He yelled. “Get your hands off me.” What’s going on? I’ve done nothing.”Nico pushed him to the chair opposite me, binding both his hands by the side of the chair.He looked up at me. “Boss…what is happening? These men came to attack me. I’ve done nothing. Please just tell me what is going on.”I stared at him. Observing quietly. Not saying a word yet.“Marco,” I said finally.His eyes turned softer. “What is it?”I
Zayden’s POV"Zayden," Nico said gently.I didn't respond."Zayden, what is it?" He asked me. "You look like you've seen a ghost."I looked up from the file in my hand. "Lock the villa down.""What?" Tomás said."I said lock the fucking villa down. No one leaves. No one comes in." I ordered."Okay, okay." Tomás raised his hand. "But can you at least tell us what's going on?"I threw the file to him."Giovanni Russo. Does he look familiar?"Tomás and Nico looked at the image at the same time.Tomás shook his head. But Nico hesitated for a bit, then looked up at me."This is Marco. The new security who went through Enzo." Nico said."Exactly." I breathed. "How did one of Hiram's men waltz his way into my home and no one even checked twice to see where he came from?"Neither of them could answer me."And now he's parading the environment. Talking to my wife. Who knows what else he's done?"They remained silent.I looked at Tomás again."I said lock down the villa. Why the hell are you st
Zayden’s POVI waited for my wife.The night stretched on, long and empty. I sat in my study, staring at the door, listening for footsteps that never came.She didn't show up.I told myself I didn't care. That it was better this way. I told myself I had made my point — she needed to learn that she couldn't come to me only when it suited her.But the truth was simpler. I was disappointed.I stood and walked to the window. The garden was dark below, the fountain still and silent. I could see her bedroom window from here. It was dark. She was alone, probably crying, probably hating me.I had sent her away. I had humiliated her. And deep down I knew she meant it when she said she wanted me.I ran a hand through my hair. I stood up, restless. I needed to see her even if it was just to remind myself why I was doing all of this.I left the study and made my way through the house and stopped in front of her door.I knocked once. No answer.I knocked again—still nothing.I opened the door slo
Bella’s POVI closed the bedroom door behind me and stepped into the hallway.For the first time since marrying Zayden, I knew exactly where I was going.Every step toward his study felt impossibly heavy, yet somehow lighter than carrying the weight of everything I’d left unsaid.I was done pretending.Done lying to myself.Done convincing myself that every look, every touch, every gentle moment between us meant nothing.I was going to tell him the truth.I barely made it halfway down the corridor before a calm voice stopped me.“Isabella.”I turned.Emerald Romano stood at the end of the hall, elegant as ever in a cream silk dress. Not a strand of her silver-blonde hair was out of place. She regarded me with the same unreadable expression she always wore.“Going somewhere?” she asked.I swallowed. I didn’t want to tell her I was going to see her son. “I was… just taking a walk.”She tilted her head like she could tell I was lying. “Perfect.” She said, “I was about to do the same. Wal
Zayden’s POVMy office was quiet now. I had told Noemi she could help me with Hiram, but apparently that wasn’t enough for her to leave.I had my face buried in between some documents. But I could feel her eyes boring into me. And I knew there was something she was itching to say. “You can say what you want, you know?” I said, without looking up at her.She exhaled as if finally letting something off her chest. “What’s your relationship with Bella like?”The question caught me off guard. I paused before finally answering. “It’s…cordial.”She raised a brow. “That’s one way to put it.”“Well, what would you have me say, Noemi?”“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I just didn’t expect you to be just cordial with your wife.”I leaned back in my chair. “Bella and I weren’t exactly a love match.”“But that doesn’t mean you’re not in love with her now,” Noemi said. That made me pause. “Noemi please.”"I'm serious." She leaned forward. "I saw the way you looked at her at dinner. And I saw the pa
Zayden’s POV I closed the door and stood there. The silence pressed in around me, heavy and suffocating. I could still hear her footsteps fading down the hallway — slow, unsteady, broken. Each one felt like a defeat. I leaned my forehead against the wood and closed my eyes. I could still taste her on my tongue. Sweet. Salt. Something darker underneath. She had been so wet, so ready, so desperate. The way she had pushed back against my face, the way she had sobbed my name— It was everything I had wanted. Everything I had been waiting for. And yet, I had sent her away. I pushed off the door and walked to the window, my body still aching, my dick still hard and straining against my sweatpants. The city sprawled below me, dark and indifferent. It never slept and right now — neither could I. Because all I could think about was her. She had looked at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. Her voice had cracked on her pleading words. Her body had trembled beneath my ha
Bella’s POV The flight back to Venice dragged like a death sentence, but I didn’t sleep. I kept picturing my mother’s arms around me the second we landed. She was the only one who never obeyed Dad’s order to cut me off completely. Secret bank transfers. Burner phones at 2 a.m. just to hear
Bella’s POVI couldn't even cry in peace. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face. The way he had looked at me after I slapped him. The way his cheek had reddened beneath my palm. The way his voice had dropped when he said "I've had enough."I touched my lips.I could still feel him there. The
Bella’s POV The loud pounding on my windshield cut through my sleep like a gunshot. My eyes flew open, my heart slamming against my ribs. For a second I didn’t even know where I was—just the cold glass, the smell of my own breath, and the ache in my neck from sleeping upright. “You can’t park h
Bella’s POV I wasn’t supposed to be home this early. The diner had been dead all afternoon, just two truckers nursing cold coffee and a drunk who kept calling me “sweet cheeks.” My manager shrugged and told me to clock out at six. Fine by me. My feet were killing me, my head was splitting, and al







