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CHARLOTTEI wasn’t feeling any better the next day, and I knew I had to get medication, but I neither had the energy to move from one place to another, nor could I bring myself to pick up my phone to call for help. I lay in bed for over twenty minutes, wondering why my body had chosen this moment to give in to illness.“I guess we can’t have it all,” I muttered, trying to sit up, but my limbs ached as I tried to move them. I sighed and looked around the room. Sonia would be over soon, and I knew she’d want to get a nurse, but for some reason, I didn’t want her to.I couldn’t quite wrap my head around why, but somewhere at the back of my mind, I felt I had neglected something regarding my health. I wanted to be the first to find out what it was before anyone else. I forced myself to sit up despite the pain in my joints, exhaling slowly. The room began to spin as I rested my back against the wall and tried to relax.I heard my phone ringing and started looking around for it, only to rea
CHARLOTTEWhen I opened my eyes, the sun cast a warm glow on the windowsill, and the curtains were closed. I sighed and placed a palm against my forehead to check my temperature. It felt considerably better than the last time I checked; the headache had also stopped. As I looked around the room, I realized that someone had tidied up the place. It wasn’t particularly messy the previous day, but it was easy to tell that someone had picked up items that had been in odd places and put them where they belonged.Another sign of this was my phone, which had been placed on the bedside table. I tried to sit up, panicking at the thought of my body aching if I moved, but I managed it anyway. When I realized the pain wasn’t as bad as I’d anticipated, I sighed in relief and leaned back to rest. As I sat in the quiet room, the silence allowed the thoughts I had buried deep down to rise to the surface, and I realized that, in the midst of everything that had been happening, I was lucky to have Sonia
CHARLOTTE“You should rest a bit; you’ll need…” she started, reaching for the bowl. I readily handed it to her and shifted my weight, trying to find a more comfortable spot.“I think I’ve had enough time to rest,” I interrupted. “I’m tired of lying in bed. I need to…” I continued, but she held up a finger.“The only thing you need to do is stay in bed; you’re not strong enough for any other activity,” she interjected, and I shrugged.“Well, we had a deal. I do what I want today, and afterward, you can call the doctor,” I reminded her. She started to say something, then stopped.“All right,” she said instead. “What would you like to do?”“I need to get to the supermarket,” I started and smiled weakly as she stared at me with a confused expression. “Then a walk around the city would be nice,” I finished, and she chuckled.“Going to the supermarket, yes. No walks. You can barely sit up; I’m not letting you drag your weak body from one corner of Los Angeles to the other,” she replied in a
ROGERIOIt would be easier to categorize whatever I was feeling at this point under having “cold feet” regarding the wedding, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. Since my conversation with Maria and other interactions with Elena, I have been subconsciously comparing my experience with both women.Being with Charlotte was undoubtedly a marriage of convenience; there was a spark somewhere in the beginning of the relationship. At least she liked to think it was something tangible at the time, but as much as I didn’t want to admit it, being with Elena was different. It felt unreal. Every time we spoke, every time she complained about the marriage preparations, I wondered if there was an angle to it.Since the divorce, my life had become a cycle of asking questions I didn’t have the answers to. Marrying Elena had always been the plan, if she hadn’t left when she did. Our relationship would’ve blossomed or withered; either way, I wouldn’t be at this crossroads, wondering if it was better to
CHARLOTTEConvinced and slightly relieved that I had nothing to hide from Sonia, I let her call the doctor the next day. He ran a few tests, sent some samples to the lab, and assured me that he could tell I was doing better than the last time we had seen each other. He concluded that what I was feeling was probably linked to mental stress. Sonia and I passed a knowing look between us when he mentioned that.I toyed with the idea of telling him that two people had died because they tried to help me, and I still wasn’t sure how to process that. Instead, I asked what I could do to alleviate the stress. He suggested relaxing or doing things that made me feel happy. Sonia started to say something, but I spoke before she did. “Does that include dates? I have someone I need to see this weekend,” I said slowly and heaved a sigh as my throat felt sore.“Yes, you should feel a lot better then. If you don’t, we’ll have to get you to the hospital, maybe see a therapist?” he answered and turned to
CHARLOTTEThe weekend arrived faster than I’d envisioned, but for the first time, I didn’t feel anxious about meeting Thiago. If anything, I was happy to be out of the house, and the activity we had planned seemed like a great distraction from everything that had been happening. Sonia had spent most of the week in the apartment, making sure I had something to eat and that I was well-rested.When the nurse arrived, she was impressed by how much had changed compared to the reports she’d read. My headaches were gone, and while I still felt a dull pain in my joints, I knew it would be gone soon. Today we were going shopping for a new dress since Thiago and I were going to an exhibition tomorrow, and he was already on his way to Los Angeles.“Can’t I just stay home and wear something from my wardrobe?” I asked as Sonia stood behind me, debating what to do with my hair.She shook her head. “I’m sure the clothes you have in your closet are great, but no… You’ll want something new for this, a
CHARLOTTEI stared at the clock on the wall as a smile danced at the corner of my lips. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel anxious about meeting Thiago. The urge to crawl into a hole and disappear didn’t envelop me. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this new development, but I knew I would have a great evening. I supported my body on the bed with my elbows and glanced around the room until my eyes settled on the dress sealed in a cloth bag.Sonia had hung the bag in a way that would keep the dress crease-free and ready for when I wanted to use it. I sighed as the aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the room and closed my eyes for a moment. She had also turned herself into my designated chef, occasionally coming into the apartment to make breakfast, bring lunch she ordered, or give the housekeeper orders. During this time, she had also found a way to keep me from drinking. To be fair, I hadn’t considered drinking in a while, which should be a sign of the progress I’ve ma
CHARLOTTESpending the evening at the exhibition turned out to be much better than I’d anticipated. The art pieces on display were beautiful, and Thiago’s cousin had a welcoming personality that made everyone feel comfortable. The stares had lessened once the event started, and I went from feeling left out to genuinely enjoying myself. A few minutes later, someone walked up to the podium and announced there would be an auction for some of the pieces soon, but first, we needed to follow a guide waiting to lead us on a short tour in a different room.Thiago stood from his chair and offered his hand as the other guests filed out of the room. We were the last to exit, and as we stepped out, his cousin slipped behind us and lightly touched my shoulder. “I see why Thiago has been grinning all evening,” she said calmly. I turned to meet her gaze. “You look stunning,” she added, and I smiled.“Thank you,” I replied, glancing at Thiago, who seemed to be beaming with pride. “You look beautiful,
Dear Readers,We’ve reached the end of this story, and I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for each and every one of you. From the first chapter to the last, your support, comments, encouragement, and even your wild theories have made this journey unforgettable. Writing this book was an adventure, but sharing it with you was the real magic.Your patience, love, and engagement mean the world to me. Whether you’ve been here from the very start or just joined along the way, thank you for believing in these characters and their journey.But while one story ends… another is just beginning.🔥 Introducing my new book: S.I.X: The Mafia’s Kryptonite 🔥A story of power. Romance. Loyalty. Blood. In the world of the Mafia, trust is a luxury, and betrayal comes at a deadly cost.🔫 He was the legend. The nightmare. The one name whispered in fear—S.I.X.For ten years, SIX ruled the underworld as a ruthless enforcer for the La Fratellanza Mafia. But now, he’s desperate to leave. There’s just
EPILOGUEFive years had passed since Charlotte and Rogerio decided to give their relationship a second chance. They had committed to the process, putting in the work, and it had blossomed into something beautiful.Their marriage had grown stronger, filled with mutual respect, understanding, and a shared vision for the future.Together, they built a family, welcoming two children, a boy and a girl, into their lives. They vowed to raise them with love, patience, and the wisdom gained from their own past mistakes, ensuring they grew up to be better people than they had ever been.Determined to create lasting memories, they prioritized family time, going on trips, attending couple’s therapy, working on their businesses as a team, and making sure they were present in each other’s lives.Over time, both of them had changed in ways neither had expected, shaped by experience, love, and the desire to be better versions of themselves.Rogerio had learned to treat people with more empathy, to be
CHARLOTTEElena’s trial had concluded, and she had been sentenced to life imprisonment in a maximum-security prison. I wasn’t sure if the verdict truly satisfied me, but knowing she would be locked away for a very long time, unable to pose a threat to me or anyone else, filled me with reassurance.I decided to visit Thiago, who had returned to Milan to support his friend during the trial. I sent him a text asking if we could have dinner together; there were things I needed to discuss with him and I wanted his honest opinion. He readily agreed, and the next day, I boarded a plane to Milan.The entire flight, I couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that this would be the last time I set foot in this city for a very long time.As soon as I arrived, I went straight to the estate to speak with the staff. I was still undecided about selling the villa, but if they were willing to stay and take care of the place in my absence, I would consider keeping it. When I spoke to the chef about this, he
ROGERIOI had been visiting Maria’s grave every week since my memory returned. Mostly out of guilt. I felt responsible for what had happened to her in more ways than one. If I had listened, if I had stopped Elena before she spiraled, none of this would have happened.Maria would still be alive, and perhaps, Charlotte would still be here too. But it was too late for “maybes” and “could-haves.”I hadn’t returned to the office yet. There was nothing there that my grandfather and mother couldn’t handle, and I needed to be alone. This place, the cemetery, seemed like the perfect escape.It had become a ritual. Each day, I knelt by Maria’s tombstone, remembering our time at the estate. She had been the mother figure mine never was, and losing her had affected me more than I could have imagined. I hated myself for it. As I sat there, lost in grief, I heard a branch snap behind me.I turned, expecting Thiago or one of the guards checking in on me. But when I saw who it was, every nerve in my
CHAPTER 148 CHARLOTTEThings in L.A. had been going smoothly, but my heart was still in Milan. The case remained unresolved, making a return seem like a foolish idea, yet each passing day filled me with the temptation to board a flight and see things for myself.The air here carried a tension of its own as the reveal Thiago and I had planned drew closer. I wanted to delay it further, but there was no point, it was better to get it over with once and for all.School was the only thing holding together any shred of sanity I had left, and I didn’t take it for granted.I allowed myself to grieve Maria and heal at my own pace, though the days dragged on, making it feel like there was no coming back from such a loss.While I tried to focus on the silver linings, I still felt alone, even with Thiago’s unwavering support. I hated how lost I felt deep down. Two weeks later, I decided to damn the consequences and visit Milan. What was the worst that could happen?If things went terribly wrong,
ROGERIOWe had returned to Milan, and the police dropped by the house to question me about the accident, the trip, and a million other things, but Thiago wouldn’t let them past the gates after the first interview.In his words, I needed time to recuperate, and this was true. I had gone from feeling much better to being disoriented.I couldn’t tell if it was the barrage of questions or the flashing lights from the press trying to get pictures of me when I came out of the apartment, but I certainly needed a break from everything. Things were moving too fast, and to top it off, I was having occasional headaches.My memory was still hazy, but I would occasionally remember things, only for some parts to remain out of reach, leaving me struggling to recall.It was a continuous struggle between trying to stay in the present and drifting into fragments of the past, but I tried to maintain some composure and hoped that things went as planned.My mom and grandfather occasionally came to visit,
CHARLOTTEAfter carefully processing the information I had uncovered, I decided to return to Milan to warn Rogerio about Elena. I chose not to inform Thiago, knowing he would try to stop me.Besides, he had told me it was my prerogative to do what I felt was right, and I fully intended to do just that.Upon arriving in Milan, I went straight to the detective I had previously hired. Though he had mixed feelings about my return, he remained in charge of Maria’s case, which made things easier.I laid out everything I had learned about Elena’s involvement in the attacks and her plans for Rogerio. When I refused to disclose my source, he assured me that they would treat it as an anonymous tip to protect my safety while they investigated further.I asked if I could speak to Rogerio directly, only to learn that he had already left the city, with his last known destination being Mykonos. The realization hit me, he had been following me.That only reinforced my suspicions. If Elena knew he was
ELENARealizing that I had made such a grave mistake kept me on edge. I hadn’t heard anything implicating from the media or Rogerio, but I was still nervous.I had stayed away from the public eye and ensured that my return to the city hadn’t made any headlines. It was enough that the topic had shifted from my disastrous wedding to the attack on the Thuthai estate and Maria’s death.The news hadn’t mentioned anything about Charlotte, and I started to wonder if Rogerio had brought her up just to rattle my nerves.“Well, if that was his plan, then he succeeded,” I muttered to myself, wondering if I had gone too far in ordering the men to attack his vehicle.I hadn’t wanted anything serious to happen to him, just enough to make him come back home and give up his search for his ex-wife. But the silence from his end over the past few days was starting to bother me.I didn’t want to show up at his mother’s estate uninvited; she must be irritated with all the chaos surrounding her family, and
ROGERIOThe sun’s rays beat against my face and I put out an arm to block it, then looked around. The last thing I remember was getting off the plane and the car somersaulting several times in the air.I didn’t know where I was or what exactly had brought me here. I got up from the ground and tried to brush the sand off my clothes when I realized that I was injured in a few places, but it was nothing serious.The car, however, lay turned on its back, tires rolling in the air, which smelled of petrol and something else. I looked at the car and realized that there were people trapped inside. I wasn’t sure how I had gotten out, but I had to help them out too.I tried to move and realized that I had sprained my ankle. I didn’t realize how terrible it was earlier because my body was still recovering from the shock.As I tried to move my limbs, my body let me know that it had gone through much more than I could reckon. I couldn’t move as quickly as I wanted to, and I wondered if I would be