LOGINDamian’s POVThe tedious ritual of escorting Adriana Montrosso through Florence's upscale shopping district had already tested my patience to its breaking point. For the past two hours, I'd endured her incessant chatter about fabric choices, jewelry selections, and the social significance of every detail for tonight's gala."The emerald necklace or the diamonds, Damian?" she asked for the third time, holding up two exquisite pieces that probably cost more than most people's annual salaries. "I want to look absolutely perfect tonight. After all, everyone will be watching us.""Either is fine," I replied curtly, checking my watch with deliberate obviousness. "We have other appointments to keep.""Oh, but this is so important," she purred, moving closer with that calculated grace that had probably charmed lesser men but left me cold. "Tonight marks the beginning of so many wonderful possibilities. Grandfather says you've been working too hard, that you need someone to help you appreciate
“You’re back already?” I asked Christian while I tried to read the look on his face. He seemed pissed.“Do you think this is normal?”I flinched and stared at him while he sat on the couch as if he had been waiting for me for hours.“Emmanuella, do you mind going upstairs for some bit?” Christian asked her as she immediately obeyed. I was in disbelief by his words but waited until Emmanuella was upstairs.“What?” I asked him, my ears must have deceived me. He was the one who had been lying to me, so how was I in the wrong?“This thing of yours, not picking up your phone, sneaking out— where were you? Let’s start with that.” He stood up from the couch and I immediately thought of Beau calling me a prisoner. Sneaking out the house? He was one to talk.“Excuse me?” I snickered, still trying to process his words but he appeared to be serious. “So I am not a prisoner, but you let people follow me outside and decide when it’s time for me to come home— is that it?”“I know you’ve been fuckin
All I ever wanted was a family, and that’s why I took a step back. Christian betrayed me, but I was not ready to let go of that small hope I had in building a family. I was not ready to let go of Christian. “I can’t.” I breathed.“So you’ll continue to live your life as a prisoner?” Beau asked with a disappointed look on his face.Chills left my body upon hearing those words. Prisoner? Did it not go a bit too far? Yes, Christian ordering everyone to report my every move was a bit annoying, him lying to me was unacceptable, but other than that it seemed fine— I’m sure there had to be an explanation for all of this. Everything Christian had done had always been in the baby’s best interest.He lied to me, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t fix this mistake.We had fixed our issues before, and we could do it again.“I’m not a prisoner.” I chuckled in disbelief— but the look on his face told me that he did not find this as funny as I did. “Once you’re in— you’re never fully getting out, you
It was the day after I had found out about the baby picture and no matter how much I’d call or text Vincenzo he would not answer.I was getting anxious since Christian wasn’t here— and even considered asking Olivia, Vincenzo’s address because I could not take it anymore.“Are you sure you’re not going to eat anything?” Emmanuella who had returned asked and I shook my head while I kept staring at my phone. The last person I had texted was Beau, and I hoped he would reply.“No, I’m good thanks,” I reassured her. “Yes, but how about the baby?” She asked, and pushed the plate towards my direction— forcing me to eat. Not in the mood to talk to her anymore, I had accepted the plate and started eating.“Emmanuella, you’ve been in this family for a long time, right?” I asked her as she nodded her head. “Yes, why?”“Do you know the Alfonzo’s?” I asked her. Emmanuella sat down on the opposite side of me. “Yes, of course, I know them— they’ve been a family friend for ages. It all started with Ch
Christian“It was Isobel Sala and your brother Enzo,” Carlo spoke.“They told me to spread the rumor and threatened me that I should never speak of the truth if I want my family to be safe— they threatened my wife, followed my son to school.” He cried.“Your brother told me to destroy you in every way possible, a-a-and Isobel told me this should end with Fabio putting a bullet through Serena’s head.”Christian was confused by the names he had spoken, and looked at the man to find a small hint of a lie, but couldn’t find anything. Johnny and Luca were just as flustered as he was by those two names. From all people it had to be their own cousin and the one, they trusted the most.“Fabio must already know by now, I’m so sorry.” Carlo cried.“See, that was not that hard.” Christian got up from the floor and was frozen by the news he had gotten. “Please don’t let them hurt me, please,” Carlo asked and grabbed his leg, but Christian’s mind was numb with total shock and disbelief.He slowly
Christian“Nevada sure is beautiful, I would like to live here.” Johnny sighed and stared out of the window. “I bet you do.” Christian chuckled. They were headed to one of the Lamberti casinos.“The women are beautiful too— you know what, I should live here.” Luca continued while Christian tried to listen to his cousin’s rant, but his focus was elsewhere.Taking off work to spend time with Serena was something he felt which he had owed her, but he quickly realized that everyone felt a bit too free and would not try their best if he was not there to keep an eye on everything.When Lucio told Christian that someone had found out Serena’s identity and might have told Fabio Garcia, he had wanted to travel to Las Vegas that very moment— but seeing Matteo Alfonzo standing in their living room made him even more anxious.He did not want to lie to Serena or Matteo, but Lucio had made it clear that it was for the best.Even Johnny and Luca were unaware of the real reason why they had to get ri
Aria's POVI woke to an ache that seemed to penetrate every fiber of my being.The unfamiliar room came into focus slowly—elegant furniture, expensive fabrics, the kind of luxury I'd only glimpsed in magazines.The room was empty. Damian was nowhere to be seen.But the memories crashed over me like
Damian's POVThe expensive Turkish cigarette burned slowly between my fingers as I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the lights of Florence twinkle in the distance. The Montrosso estate's guest room had provided the perfect sanctuary for what had just transpired, far enough from the g
Aria's POVThe mirror reflected everything—my naked, trembling body pressed against Damian's fully clothed form, his hand around my throat, the way my eyes had gone wide and desperate as his fingers worked inside me."Clean them," he had commanded, and I'd obeyed without question, my tongue working
Damian's POVThe cold shower had done nothing to help her. If anything, she looked worse.Her soaked uniform had become a second skin, the fabric clinging to every line and curve of her body with unforgiving precision. The white shirt, once professional and modest, now revealed the gentle slope of







