Molly’s POV“Gianni…” I began, but he cut me off, his words cutting through me like daggers.“Don’t. This is how you let people walk all over you. The world isn’t ruled by kindness,” Gianni said coldly, and in that moment, I feared there was no hope left for him.The darkness seemed to have consumed the man who was once my world, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was that darkness that drove him to disappear without a trace.Get them out of my sight," he ordered, his anger directed solely at me.I had no regrets for intervening in whatever he had planned. Melody and the other attendants were forcefully removed from the shop, their pleas falling on deaf ears."I think they're lucky," a shopper remarked, and I furrowed my brow in confusion.The attendants had just lost their jobs, and yet they were considered fortunate. It wasn't until one of them whispered to the other,"They would have been reported missing." I overheard her hushed words and realized the gravity of the situation.F
Nora’s words kept echoing in my mind even after she had left. “Beware of Don’s secretary.” I wanted to inquire further, but it was impossible without revealing that we were discussing Gianni’s secretary.I could only hope to encounter her again to uncover the details of what she was trying to convey.Gianni graciously opened the car door for me, and I couldn’t help but notice that certain gestures from our past, like him holding the door for me and carrying my bag while shopping, remained unchanged.“Thank you,” I expressed as I settled into the car, taken aback by the expressions on the faces of his bodyguards and secretary.Sir, are you going somewhere?" she asked as he opened the door and prepared to sit down.I was relieved when Molly mentioned that she was Don's secretary, but I couldn't help but notice her awkward demeanor.However, I decided it wasn't my place to dwell on it. "Yes, I'll see you at the office tomorrow. I've already signed everything. Is there anything else?" Gi
Giovanni’s POVI was greatly upset because I never let people like Melody and her friend off the hook.It bothered me that my employee was being mean to a woman who had once saved my life, an ex-girlfriend whom I had promised to help.Despite my determination to declare them missing, Molly somehow prevented me from doing so. I was acting in her best interest, so if she didn’t want it, there wasn’t much I could do about it.Upon returning home, I was surprised to find out that she had Roger in mind.Marie was already aware of my strict rules regarding children's toys, as I wanted to ensure Roger's intellectual development surpassed mine.In the underworld, dangers lurked, and age or innocence did not matter to those who sought to harm us. We lived each day prepared for any threat that may come our way.I provided Roger with books to enhance his cognitive abilities, even though he was only four years old. Roger was exceptionally bright, reading and comprehending fluently by the age of t
After overhearing the father and son conversation, I deduced that Roger's previous nannies never stayed at this house.What a waste of such a vast space, reminiscent of Wesley's new mansion. Gianni's residence was still grander and more opulent than that.I noticed some women in uniforms, unmistakably maids, who seemed taken aback by the little boy's outburst.Standing behind the door as Roger shouted for me to leave, I remained resolute, fearing that if he had his way this time, I might miss the opportunity to get to know him."I just want to say hi," I ventured, not anticipating his kindness but also not bracing myself for his harsh words."I hate you," he bellowed from inside. I forced a smile, catching an inscrutable expression on Gianni's face. It was evident he was inclined to intervene, but I was not ready to give up just yet."I understand you hate me, but you don't know me. Why don't we give each other a chance to get acquainted? If you still dislike me after a month, I will l
Molly’s POV“What are you up to, Molly?” He asked in a serious tone but for some reason, I was not afraid of him.I folded my arms and glared at Gianni, explaining the situation vividly to him.“If you handle getting him ready for preschool every morning, then I won’t have a job, right?” In other words, I would rather stay elsewhere than free-load in his mansion.I noticed the conflicting look in his eyes and continued, “How did he even get ready this morning, and don’t you travel at all?”Someone like him would indeed travel a couple of times so who takes care of Roger when he’s away?“When Dad’s not around, I do everything myself. No one must help me except him,” Roger said defiantly, I was beginning to wonder if he was a toddler or an adult.The commanding way he spoke mirrored his father but he was too young to have that attitude.“You&rsquo
Molly’s POVFear overtook me when I saw the things crawling in my room, a shrill scream tore from my throat as I heard the sound of laughter.No doubt it was the little brat, but it soon stopped, replaced by the sound of heavy footsteps.I couldn’t believe that Roger loved the very things I hated. How could someone his age love snakes and spiders?I felt sweat drenching me everywhere I could think of and was frozen in bed, scared of the two snakes crawling on the floor and the two spiders on the bed.“Molly, are you alright?”Relief washed over me when I heard Gianni’s voice as he rushed to my side and carried me off the bed.Without thinking twice, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and even when he set me down a safe distance away, I refused to let go, except when I realized I was holding onto his naked body.His muscles were thick but also very comfortable. Gianni was not like this before. “Sorry,” I said and finally let go, hugging my shivering form.Gianni wanted to say something
Giovanni’s POVI didn’t expect Molly to clean Roger’s shoes, but she did. It was something I always did for Roger, but the way he asked Molly to do it was wrong.I expected her to refuse, but she explained her side of the story, making it seem like nothing.I don’t want her to be a pushover like she always allowed herself to be. Instead, I want her to become strong, confident, and resilient. That would be the only way for her to stand up to those who bullied her.Training her to fit that description was not difficult for me, but I didn’t want to do that for a married woman.Call me selfish, but that is what it is. I hurt her in the past, and I’m ready to make amends, but her ex-husband is now happy with her sister.All I wanted was to declare them missing, but Molly was too kind. My declaring the two men who almost took advantage of her missing is still a matter I haven’t been able to explain to her.I don’t know how she will take their death, so I had to toughen her to face my world a
Molly’s POVI felt embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping, but I doubted that Roger would apologize to me. From the look of things, his hostility was not just towards me, so I figured I wasn’t wrong.The boy had a misanthropic disorder, so I would have to work a little harder at making him understand things from my perspective.“I won’t apologize, but I won’t do it again,” he said, glaring at me, but his father did not seem to be on par with his decision. “Then you don’t get your spiders back.”I saw Roger’s eyes turn red and realized that love could not be forced. “You can give him back his spiders. Not doing it again is enough for me,” I said, regretting it soon after when I saw a smirk form at the corner of his lips.Did the boy trick me? Perhaps his father knew him better. “Great, I’m calling the animal control agency now.”“No, please don’t,” Roger cried. I was helpless and pulled Gianni to the side. Gosh, why did he have to still be in his boxers?“Gianni, please, he’s still yo
Hank’s POVI desired Nora so much that when she expressed a desire for intimacy, I took the opportunity to propose to her, and she accepted.My joy was overwhelming, and as we spent the night together, I couldn't help but envision her in a wedding gown. I was eager to solidify our relationship quickly, but I didn't want to appear desperate, so I decided to wait a week or two before discussing marriage.Having Nora in my life made everything worthwhile, even leaving my lucrative job. It allowed us the freedom to spend time together whenever we pleased. I looked forward to supporting her business and seeing it flourish beyond her dreams.However, our peaceful morning was unexpectedly disrupted by Octavia."Hank, Vanni has blacklisted me, and I'm in trouble. Cage and his gang are after me. He deceived me. I'm hiding in my basement because I'm injured. He nearly killed me, Hank," Octavia pleaded as I reassured her, "Stay put, I'm on my way."I could track Octavia using her GPS as long as
Nora’s POVThere was nothing creepier than watching Hank take down Carter. I had thought Carter would put up a fight, but it turns out he's only good at harming fragile women like me.Even after it was all over, I found it hard to accept that I had almost died.What if Hank hadn't received my message and tried to call me? I had resisted when he first asked me to move in with him or find another apartment, but not anymore.Clearly, experiences like this were why Molly had toughened up so much. One can't always rely on a savior, so I need to toughen up if I want to be with a man like Hank.No matter what, there would always be dangers surrounding him. When I reached his house, I showered again out of anxiety, hoping the water would wash away my fears.It helped, but seeing Hank in just shorts, his chest exposed and his damp hair, as if he had just showered, a different kind of anxiety took hold of me.Men often walked around shirtless, and it was clear that Hank was the type to sleep in
Hank’s POVAfter Nora refused to vacate her apartment, I discreetly kept an eye on her ever since I spotted Carter in the elevator.Despite the events at Molly and Gio’s wedding, where I respected Nora’s desire to take things slow, I refrained from inviting her to my place and instead ensured her safety in her own apartment.I had been monitoring Carter and confirmed his departure on the day we went to the Island, causing my surveillance on Nora to lapse.As I neared my house, I almost ignored the message beep from my phone but a strong feeling compelled me to check, suspecting it was Nora.However, the call abruptly ended after two rings, signaling a problem.Instinctively, I made a U-turn, realizing that Carter’s sudden presence and the phone going dead were red flags.I didn’t anticipate Carter causing trouble without a contract, ruling out the possibility of him being hired to target Nora. It dawned on me that his actions might be driven by his feelings for her.Upon reaching Nora
Nora’s POVGio, were they responsible for the threatening note?" Hank inquired. Gio nodded. "Yes, they targeted Molly and Roger. When they couldn't reach her due to the tight security, they exploited her health condition."He smiled bitterly and continued, "During our first antenatal visit after our honeymoon, Molly mentioned seeing this boy, but I dismissed it as a hallucination. They have been monitoring her for a long time without success."Now everything made sense, but why did they use Wade? "What about the boy? Why send him?" I asked, and Gio looked saddened."They manipulated him, poisoning his mind. Before I killed Wesley's father for murdering his wife, he hinted that there were more threats coming. I suspect his other two children," he explained.If this young boy could have murderous intentions towards Roger, then his siblings could be even more dangerous. They needed to be located.Gio gazed at Wade with concern evident in his eyes and voice. "I assure you, we will protect
Nora’s POVAfter the wedding, I finally understood why Molly loved Roger so much. He was disciplined, intelligent, and resilient.Inspired by him, I started training alongside himself and Hank every morning until Molly and Gio returned from their honey mon.Roger's dedication to learning also improved my relationship with Hank.For the first time, I felt like a mother figure, caring for a child who was independent and mature beyond his years.Molly then suggested another concert, and I eagerly agreed, putting my business on hold.The final day of the concert took a somber turn when Molly collapsed, but I stepped in to handle the situation, inadvertently gaining some unwanted attention.Despite the incident, Molly's connection with her fans deepened as they showed their support by gathering outside the hospital. Gio, as I now referred to him, helped manage the situation and dispersed the crowd.Although it felt strange to call him Gio, I knew I would eventually get used to it.Each day
Molly’s POVThe honeymoon was the best thing that ever happened in my life. The food, the ambiance, Gianni’s gentleness, all brought about a relaxation in me that inspired me to write some new songs.Even though I knew Gianni might not agree, I still asked him, “Gianni, do you mind if I host one last concert until after our baby is born?”“No, Molly, we can’t risk it,” he refused. I knew he was right, but I insisted, “I intend to be away from the limelight for at least two years after giving birth. Are you still going to say no?”His silence was heavy, but he eventually agreed with conditions. “There will be a doctor on call 24/7, but you won’t hold a double concert.”I embraced him eagerly, and we made love again. His sexuality had undergone a dramatic transformation in the sense that, though he still lasted outrageously long, he didn’t have to be so wild to reach his release.I still missed those wild moments, but the baby always came first. “I miss Roger,” I said during our fifth d
Giovanni’s POVWhy is she here?" I asked Hank after Nora left, her face flushed with embarrassment. Their on-and-off relationship was causing me stress."She's giving me a chance, but she wants to take things slow," Hank revealed, sparking my excitement. "Last night things seemed to be escalating, but today everything is falling into place."Then a thought struck me, so I inquired, "What if Octavia changes her mind? I know it won't be long, especially since I mentioned the money in front of Cage."As much as I wanted both women to be happy, I didn't want any conflicts between them because of my best friend."Gio, do you even have to ask? The moment Octavia put me in a position where I had to beg to be chosen, she was never mine to begin with. Nora only dated once, and I'm the only man she made a move on. I'm not an option for her, but the one she truly desires."His words stirred up emotions in me. Hank, who was always as reserved as I am, had once said he couldn't settle down, and I
Molly’s PovI woke up to the delicious smell of breakfast with Roger, and it felt perfect. Gianni was in the shower, but we were so hungry that we started eating without him.Gianni joined us later and remarked, "You two are awake." I hummed in response and continued eating as he looked at me longingly."Don't eat too fast. You're pregnant," he revealed, causing me to freeze instantly. The cutlery slipped from my hand. "Pregnant?"Roger seemed excited, and I wondered if he already knew. Then, I remembered chatting with Nora and waking up in bed."You seem surprised," Gianni observed with amusement. I asked him, "How did I get here? I remember chatting with Nora."He smiled at Roger, who began to recount everything. "Mom, I was swimming with Uncle Hank when I saw you faint."The realization dawned on me, and I exclaimed, "I never thought I'd be able to get pregnant." For the first time in my twenty-six years of living, I am finally pregnant."Well, you are," Gianni admitted. I knew he
Nora’s PovThe tension in the air was palpable, but the other guests seemed unfazed, indicating they were aware of what was happening.They left the dining room one by one, only to quickly return to their rooms as a heavy downpour began outside, contrasting with the tense atmosphere indoors.I struggled to accept the truth. "It can't be true. You're not an assassin, are you?" I had always suspected he was involved in something, but being an assassin was beyond what I had imagined.The world of the mafia was not something I wanted to be a part of, given all that I had witnessed and heard."He's not," Don asserted, but Cage interjected, "He's lying to protect his friend, but it's true. He was hired to kill my boss once, and I was there. That's how I know him."Just as I was contemplating the possibility of a future with him, this revelation shook me. Despite my desire to give him a chance, being involved with a hitman was not something I had ever considered. Could he have changed?Don p