CHARLOTTEMy vision blurred as I struggled to open my eyes. The weight of the world seemed to rest on my shoulders, and my body ached terribly. I blinked in confusion and exhaled slowly before looking around. Gradually, my vision cleared, and I looked at the window. It was still shut, preventing me from seeing outside. I yearned to reach for the blinds and open them, but my body had a different plan. It wanted to stay right where it was. My joints ached at the slightest movement, and I decided to stay put for a while. In my seated position, I remembered Maria and chuckled, imagining her reaction if she could see me now.She’d alternate between worried and distraught, but at least I wouldn’t feel as lonely as I did, sitting in this apartment under such bizarre circumstances. I tried to focus on other things, but I didn’t have the luxury of having different experiences. Everything that had happened up until now had led to this point, so it was all I had to think about. I sighed, realizi
CHARLOTTE“Hi, Charlotte,” Thiago’s voice echoed through the speaker as soon as I picked up the phone. “How’re you doing?” He added, and I closed my eyes as my head started to throb harder. I moved the phone away from my ears for a bit. The sound of his voice directly streaming into my ears worsened the headache, so I put the call on the speaker and dropped the phone on the bed. I closed my eyes for a moment and exhaled.“I feel like crap,” I wanted to say, but decided against it. He didn’t need to know that, and I had no intention of giving anyone, especially him, any reason to fuss over me. I couldn’t tell him I had spent the entire day raiding the minibar, either. He’d seen the bottle of wine earlier, and that was enough; now wasn’t the time to make it a topic. “Hi, Thiago. I’ve been through worse,” I said instead, and he chuckled in response.“That’s one way to put it. Great to see you still have your sense of humor intact,” he replied, and I smiled wistfully.“It’s probably the o
CHARLOTTEStepping into the bathtub and feeling the cold water on my skin wasn’t as refreshing as I’d hoped, but at least it got the job done. I was thankful for that. My head still throbbed a little, and my stomach occasionally growled, but I felt much better than when I first opened my eyes. I wanted to keep my promise of waiting for Thiago, so I spent less time in the tub than I would have liked. I could tell he was worried from how quickly his tone changed when he heard me emptying my guts, and that propelled me to prove that there was nothing to worry about.I walked out of the bathroom and headed for the wardrobe. I had finally found the will to move my boxes from the living room and put them in there. I wasn’t sure if my decision to stay here was wise given the circumstances, but it felt silly to leave them in the same position for so long.One thing I was sure I wasn’t going to do was unpack—not tonight, at least. The outcome of this... meeting? Date? “Whatever it is,” I mutte
CHARLOTTE“No drivers or guards? That’s new,” I said as we entered the car. He chuckled, started the ignition, put the car in reverse, and began driving.“Sometimes... well, most of the time, I like to drive myself around. It gives me the feeling of autonomy I barely have, and I thought you’d want to meet Thiago instead of Signor Mooze,” he said, and I smiled wistfully.“So, Thiago drives himself around? Quite fitting for someone who’s barely recognized by anyone here,” I replied. He smiled, switched gears as the car turned to face the gate, and stepped on the accelerator.“That’s what makes it fun,” he uttered as we sped past the entrance. “The guards are there for security. If I’m being honest, I think they still follow me around when I drive alone, but this gives me some sense of privacy. I drove myself all the time while I was away; I don’t want that to change now that I’m here.”“Well, you’re leading a different life here. You were just another rich student on campus; I presume i
CHARLOTTEThe moments that followed from the minute we alighted from the car throughout the entire conversation aligned with the sound of the waves beating against the sand and seemed like a slow-burn movie that stirred mixed feelings within me. As we walked towards the beach, I was happy that it was empty. I hadn’t thought about it earlier, but I realized that if I had a choice in the matter, I’d want to be here alone, like the last time. But since I was here with Thiago, it felt like I was with more than enough people.However, it was empty for a different reason: it had been closed up. I overheard the guard telling Thiago that something had happened and that they had to restrict access to the beach. They weren’t letting cars through the entrance nor wanted people on the beach, but a few seconds later, a smile had morphed on the chief security officer’s face, and I could tell he had heard enough about the Mooze family to make an exception. I remembered the incident and laughed.“Wha
CHARLOTTETwo hours later, we had packed the empty boxes and tossed them in a nearby bin. We walked towards the car, got in, and slowly made our way out of the parking area. When we arrived at the entrance, the guards bid us farewell, and Thiago handed one of them his card with instructions to call him the next morning.“He’s going to sleep a happy man, knowing he will be rewarded for letting us in,” I commented, and Thiago nodded.“Well, he could get in trouble for it. It seems only right that he receives some sort of compensation from me, at least,” he replied, keeping his eyes on the road.“Fair enough. This was a great night, thanks, Thiago,” I answered. He turned his gaze to me and then smiled.“I’m glad to hear that. How are you feeling now?” he inquired.“I’ve been through worse,” I said, and turned towards the window to stare out of it as we got closer to the city. The traffic we encountered earlier had reduced drastically. The roads were clear, and it felt like we were glidin
CHARLOTTEWe arrived at the gates a few minutes later. The guards took one look at the license plate, and the gate swung open in seconds. As the car slowed to a halt in front of the entrance, Thiago offered to help me carry the bags up to the penthouse.“I can handle it,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just food, and we aren’t trudging up a hill this time. I’m taking the elevator. And you need to get home and catch some sleep. You look exhausted.”“I feel exhausted, but in a good way. Thank you for agreeing to do this,” he said, smiling wistfully. “I might be gone for a few days, weeks even, depending on the situation,” he added, turning off the ignition.“The situation?” I asked, confused.“Before I came over this morning, I received a call from the office. They are investigating the incident at The Hilton, and the culprit is a relentless menace. He has his eyes set on my family’s fortune, and they feel like I need to lay low for a few days. That’s why I came over today; I wasn’t sur
CHARLOTTE“You’re staring at the car like you’re never going to see him again,” a voice said from behind me. Startled, I turned around to see who it was and locked gazes with Sonia, who was leaning against the door that led to the reception area.“Hi Sonia, I didn’t hear you coming,” I said and started walking towards the entrance, carrying the bags with extra care.“Yeah, I figured. I’ve been standing here for a few seconds, but you seemed lost in thought and I didn’t want to distract you. Need some help with the bags?” she asked as her eyes moved from my face and rested on the items I was holding.“Nah, I can manage. I think,” I answered, and I stopped in my tracks when I got to where she was standing. “Is he going to be safe?”She nodded and shifted her weight to a different foot. “As safe as a Mooze can be. He has people who would do anything to make sure he’s safe and sound.”“You’re one of those people, aren’t you?” I asked, and she nodded in response. “How does it feel to be sa
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 jus
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