ELOISE .I couldn't pretend anymore that I wasn't disturbed by the groaning sound of pain coming from Eloise's room. it was also almost as if she was muffling a cry silently, like she was suppressing it enough for anyone not to notice. I waited another beat before I opened the door with a quiet creak. I flicked the corridor light on The sound didn't go away. I thought about it but I don't remember saying anything to hurt her feelings .was I too cold towards her? I stopped outside her room and rapped my knuckles against the door in case Eloise was indecent. But I got no answer. I hesitated for a moment, my hand resting on the doorframe. “Eloise?” I called softly, careful not to alarm her. Still, no answer.Pushing the door open a fraction wider, I stepped inside. I've never entered there since she moved in.. The room was bathed in the soft amber glow of her bedside lamp. Apart from the furnitures that I'd fixed on the room, there was a library or I could jus
LUCIANOI've known Eloise for months and this is the first time I've seen her this weak and vulnerable. I excused myself and returned about thirty minutes later to still find her in the same curled up position.. “Feel better?” The words came out strangely for me because she wasn't looking like she was. “Mmhmm.” she nodded and at the same time winced and clutched her pillow closer to her abdomen, her face screwed with pain. Fuck it. Even the medicine hasn't reduced the cramps. I literally have no idea how Katherine managed her cramps or Laura. Or it probably isn't the same for all women.. Looking at Eloise, it was obvious she was going though terrible Pains and I wouldn't totally mind her passing it to me or sharing it with her if that was possible I walked around the room and scanned the amenities lined up on the marble counter , I could’ve sworn I saw—aha. I picked up the tiny bottle of olive oil and returned to Eloise side. She had kept it in a co
ELOISEI squinted at the bedside clock. 12:00 PM? Seriously?A thick fog of grogginess clung to me as I tried to move, but something—no, someone's arm was pressing against my waist. I froze, confusion clouding my thoughts. I couldn’t remember the last time I woke up with a guy in my bed. Actually, I could. It was five years ago. But this was different.The arm around me was solid, warm, and strangely comforting, as if it could shield me from whatever danger I could encounter . He smelled... incredible. A soft sigh slipped from my lips as I snuggled closer to the warm body, not quite ready to face reality. I kept my eyes closed, curling into the warmth. The arm tightened around me, pulling me closer still until back pressed flush against a solid haired chest, and I could feel his breath stir the hairs on my neck. I melted, but then—Wait.Who was this? What happened last night?I could barely get my brain to work, my thoughts sluggish and hazy. I shifted a little, touching somet
ELOISEDamon hadn't called, texted or bugged me. He finally probably understand everything now. That it was all over between us. Now I have to figure it how to get my house back. I'd use my period as an excuse for not Cooking..I only managed to wash the kids up while Luciano did all the cooking and tidying up.. he hated take out and I have noticed that he loves making food himself.. Like it was some destressing exercise. "Your number was not going through and we were all really worried that something has happened to you" Felicia said the moment I sat in my officeTwo days of being away from reality was absolutely Worth it. " I had other things to sort out" I replied and continued staring at the file that has picked my interest. There wasn't even the slightest increase in the earnings. I stayed until 6pm so I could pick my things that Yanet had sent from the states. The sun had already dipped below the horizon by the time I loaded the last box into my tr
ELOISE "What's wrong with you Eloise. Are you okay" Luciano questioned the moment he saw me put ony shade" Nothing. Can't I go to work in style?" I lied walking hurriedly outside. ,,He gave me a furrowed gaze like he could swear l esse lying. " El. Ummm ... I ... Well you look good in it I'm just curious that you came back tired yesterday, ignored every damn person and went ahead to sleep_" "Mmm... About that. I was just really exhausted. I'm sorry I got you worried. " ,"Worried my ass " he muttered, I feel like the last thing Luciano would ever admit to was caring for me. He might not really love me though but right from the moment we met. He cared. He worried. "Hey Eloise" Luciano's dark eyes stared to my soul. I would have loved to get rid of my shade to see his beautiful eyes more clearly and naturally but he was damn going to freak out if he sees the bruise I had in my eyes. "What happened Mr. Luciano " his face frowned and he shifted like he was slig
LUCIANO "After the sudden death of Mr. Martin Harrington, the gallery has been I'm a sudden financial rut . It has even caused loan sharks to create a scene aswell and now the gallery has defused to pay it's workers well enough " I scoffed silently as I watched the news . The Media really have no better talent in minding Thier business.. "The problem isn't actually the gallery, the incompetence of the new director who failed to recognize and provide a solution is the problem " "She hid her assets and focused on shopping more luxury items" I'd suggest that this press would be given Eloise's position in a year let see if they could achieve what she was able to in few months. That is, it they won't give in to pressure and it off. I was fucking pissed and almost turned off the television but they decided to go more specific. I was also curious about her yesterday. "Yesterday around 7-8pm while she was returning from one of her shopping spree, she was robbed
ELOISE I moved slowly away from Luciano to answer my phone and his eyes kept fixed on my mouth like he was going read every single word I say.. "I was worried when I heard the news so I came right over" "Alex? Where are you?" I stuttered. "You had another guest so I was waiting. I guess I din't need to worry" he said like he was a little disappointed. "No. You can come in Alex. he's just..." "Don't worry about it." he paused for a while. "Hey, pookie, I know you are not okay. what can I do for you? You want me to ruin that newscaster's career or shut down the news channel?" Now this sounded more like the old Alex I knew. The one who would do every thing possible within his mean to pay an eye for an eye . " I will take care of it Alex. besides I'm not a baby any more, so you need not to worry about me" I assured. "Fine" he grunted " I will make sure to catch the asshole that did this to you and trust me, he won't live to talk about what I will do to him " I swallowe
ELOISEI moved slowly away from Luciano to answer my phone and his eyes kept fixed on my mouth like he was going read every single word I say.. "I was worried when I heard the news so I came right over" "Alex? Where are you?" I stuttered. "You had another guest so I was waiting. I guess I din't need to worry" he said like he was a little disappointed. "No. You can come Alex.." "Hey, pookie, what can I do for you? You want me to ruin that newscaster's career or shut down the news channel?" Now this sounded more like the old Alex I knew. The one who would do every thing possible within his mean to pay an eye for an eye ." I will take care of it Alex. besides I'm not s baby any more do you need not to worry about me" I assured.. "Fine" he grunted " I will make sure to catch the asshole they did this to you and trust me, he won't live to what I will do to him "I swallowed hard, my grip tightening on the phone. Alex’s protectiveness was something I’d grown us
LUCIANO"I don't know why she's here but it's definitely unlike her. She never visited you before" James said trembling on his feet. "Well let her in ofcourse" Eloise was probably trying to get to know more about herself. She was always busy running her museum and I am always the one visiting to help out and strategize but today she came and I am glad she found time to visit. "I wasn't expecting you El" I said with a smile ushering her to seat at the cushion while I abandoned my work to join her. However instead of reciprocated smile, I got a slap on my cheek instead and I could only scoff. "Did you know about this?" She asked and hands her tabs over to me. " If you were going to lie to me, to deceive me just because of money, you could have atleast had a rethink. I almost died but all you and your family care about is purchasing every piece of land around the museum "I got really annoyed but I won't blame her. She was at her most vulnerable state that she could easily be decei
ELOISELuciano wouldn't have sex with me and it still bothers me. Does he chest on me or something? I'm sure I know men enough to realize that they never keep their stuff under their pants. I didn't want to lose my husband to the hands of a random slut . Even though I insisted that we stay in the same room, he sleeps on the couch and leaves the king sized bed for him But tonight I won't let him. I'm a human too and I'm sure he is! I was about to break the king silence before luckily he spoke up. "It's unlike you to insist on sharing the same room with me. I guess the accident really messed with your head" Luciano said with a chuckle as he lay on the couch close to the television. " No. I just feel a married couple should share a bed. I don't know how shitty my personality have been while we are married but I do appreciate that you saved me from my ex-husband. That asshole would have manipulated his way into my life again" I said . I already heard from the news about all that hap
LUCIANO.“Had Eloise been drinking on the night that she lost control of the car?” Lazio asked. I and Alex sat in an Irish pub a few blocks from my office.. Alex was on his second scotch and water. “Nope. For some reasons she had sworn not to take alcohol anymore " “What about Florence?” he asked, wondering about the woman who no one seemed to know. Eloise's employee. “No one knows what she’d been doing but there was a little alcohol in her bloodstream. Not much.” From the booth where we sat, my gaze followed a couple of guys who were throwing darts near the back of the bar."Eloise and she were close?” “As close as Eloise gets I suppose, but from work I think she's the one that relates more with Eloise” Alex swirled his drink. Ice cubes danced in the weak light. “El, didn’t have a lot of friends.”That surprised Lazio “She sure as hell got a lot of cards and flowers in the hospital”“It’s expected. We’re pretty high-profile around here.” I yanked at the knot of my tie .C
The lab coat was a couple of sizes too big, but it didn’t matter. It was all the camouflage I needed. One of the burn ward nurses hadn’t shown up for duty tonight—her car had been disabled, her cell phone stolen—and the other two were run ragged as the hospital searched for staff to fill the void. By the time they managed that, I’d be finished. The lights were too bright for my liking, but there wasn’t much I could do about that. I shoved a pair of tortoise-rimmed glasses onto my nose. Slipping into my role of intern easily, I walked with confidence. The name tag on my lapel and picture were of Charles Steve. I figured no one would notice that the image on the card didn’t match my face as I strode with the authority of someone who knew what they were doing. That I belonged. What a joke. I’d never belonged anywhere. Had always been on the outside looking in. Well now I wasn’t only looking, I was fucking pounding on the window. Near the burn ward, I lingered in an alcove, then
ELOISE I remember this place. The car sped up a narrow, winding street to the summit of Pian dei Giullari and my heart leaped as I caught my first glimpse of the house mounted at the most prestigious point on the ridge. Yes, yes, yes! I’d been here before—I was sure of it. Since leaving the hospital, I’d been in a foul mood, but some of that was dissipating as fragments of memory—tickles of my past—flashed behind my eyes. There was a ring… I glanced down at my left hand, frowning. Not the diamonds glittering there, but a simpler band I recalled. And there were other things, walking in a building filled with different paintings. I was a curator after all. so I was told. Less than thirty minutes ago, when I’d been driven out of the hospital, trepidation had settled deep inside me. Even as Alex helped me to calm, , I couldn’t shake the unease curling in my gut. he’d driven us away, past the lush greenery of Golden Gate Park, through the gingerbread Victorians of Ha
Eloise’s POv Five days later, I was finally getting ready to be released. Dr. Sage had run every test imaginable, seemed satisfied with the results, and now I was just waiting for the paperwork and a ride. The door to my hospital room creaked open, and a man poked his head inside. “Mrs. Eloise?” he asked. “I’m Detective Lazio, Firenze Provincia Police Department.” My heart plummeted. He stepped inside, dressed in dark slacks with a jacket tossed over a casual shirt. He would be full of questions. Questions I had no answers for. My head was clearer now, but the glimpses I had into my past were like the flame of a lighter running out of fuel—images would spark and sputter, flicker and die, leaving me with nothing. He flashed his badge, and my stomach twisted. “Sorry to bother you here at the hospital,” Lazio apologized. He had a hound-dog face, deep brown eyes, and a solemn, concerned expression. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but I wasn’t buying it. I remembered Lau
DAMON Panic clawed at my throat, suffocating me. I paced the length of the warehouse, my fingers digging into my scalp as I tried to silence the chaos in my head. The room smelled of gunpowder and damp concrete, the flickering overhead lights casting shadows that seemed to grow. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Luciano wasn’t supposed to get this far. He was supposed to be dead. I should have killed him a long time ago! I raked my hands through my hair, my breaths coming in sharp, uneven gasps. "Calm down Damon" "Mother, don't tell me to calm down . You have no idea what's going to on.. if Luciano decides to crush me after all this, it won't take more than 24 hours " " Glad you know that well enough before you started your obsession with your ex wife , whom is now his wife. stay clear of those people, I warned. For your sake, I will pray that his grandfather never gets involved because if he does, your name will change to Damon doom and GED will change from being b
ELOISE The silence in the house was unbearable. I tried all I could to stay calm but it was nearly impossible. "should I read you some smut romance? " Laura asked. "you use to love them and they did a great deal in calming you down whenever you had needed it. " Laura please... are you my best friend or what? can't you see this isn't what I need right now? I red to pee aswell " "Yes I'm your best friend and no I can't see. how would I know if the things you use to love suddenly changes overnight and you don't love them anymore including people. I will take you to the bathroom " Laura sounded like she was really pissed off. she took me to the bathroom and watched as I peed.. what the hell happened to privacy? I asked but she managed to take me to the bed when I was done and gave me the privacy I was dying for. according to her though. I sat on the edge of the bed, my arms wrapped around myself, trying to drown out the thoughts swirling in my mind. The moment Luciano had stor
Luciano’s POVThe air inside the SUV was thick with tension as we sped toward the abandoned estate. The rhythmic hum of the tires against the road did nothing to quiet the storm raging inside me. My fingers curled tightly around the leather of my seat, my jaw clenched so hard it ached. Every passing second felt like a blade scraping against my skin. My children were out there, scared, alone, and in the hands of a man who had long overstayed his welcome in this world. Damon thought he could take them from me. That I would kneel. That I would break. He was about to learn how wrong he was. Alex sat beside me, double-checking his weapons. His usual cocky smirk was gone, replaced by a sharp, lethal focus. “Scouts say there are at least six men on guard,” he muttered, not looking up. “But they’re sloppy. They’re not expecting an ambush.” I nodded, my mind already running through the attack plan. “We go in fast, silent. No unnecessary casualties.” I exhaled slowly. “But if anyone t