Stay tuned to see just how does the world of Love and Mira combine into one big mess...
Vincenzo lowers his gun slowly, the tension in his shoulders slowly ebbing away. But he doesn’t look at me yet. He’s still scanning the street, making sure the threat is gone, ensuring there’s no one else lurking in the shadows. Tamara was right, what happened this morning was connected to Vincenzo. Perhaps that man wasn't one of his, and it wasn't him who sent him to me, but he was responsible. I have no idea who the other man is and what war are they in... all I do know is that I want no part in it. He finally turns and takes a step toward me, his gaze lingering on my face like he's searching for something. Maybe fear. I don't know. But I don’t back away, even if every instinct inside me screams to flee, to run as far from this man as possible. Again, not because I'm scared, but simply because he brings complications I do not want. "You are quite the fighter." He says as he looks down at my hand. I didn't realize it at first but my keys also scratched my skin, leaving an open wound
"Because you saved my life." I blink, trying to process what he just said. It’s not the answer I was expecting. I lean forward slightly, my eyes narrowing as I study him, searching for any hint of a joke or a lie. "You’re serious?" I ask, my voice tinged with disbelief. "It's clear to me that you don't remember me... but I recognized you at the party, your eyes have been embedded in my head for years." I lean back, trying to see if putting some space between us would somehow inlight me on what he was talking about. "Vincenzo, what are you talking about?" I ask to which he proceeds to drag his hand through his hair until he reaches the hairband and lets down his hair. He separates his hair and turns his head towards me. “This scar,” he says, touching the side of his head, “is from when my head got bashed, blood poured down my face... I could bearly see where I was running in the dark alley. My leg has scars from the bullet, I was bleeding out, running from my enemy, waiting for
Love's POV These seem to be the best days of my life. I love and I'm being loved like never before. Christian adores me, showers me with his attention, and makes me feel like I'm the center of the world. All would be well... if only I could shed myself of my lies. Grace doesn't even mention it, she pretends like it doesn't exist and I worry that her promise of helping me out might be out of her hands. After all, it is a big thing to ask. Sebastian is happy, perhaps more than I have ever seen him to be. He learned how to hope again, the doctor gave him a good chance of recovery with the surgery the only thing that stands in the way is me. He wants me to have the surgery I do not need and I dont know what is going to happen. But right now, as I sit on my couch and call my mother on a video call for her birthday I have to push all those thoughts aside. "Happy birthday, mom!" I say as soon as she answers the call. She sits in front of a window and I can see it already dark there. Aft
Mira’s words hang heavy in the air. She is not wrong? The weight of her statement lands on me like a ton of bricks.“What do you mean by that?” My voice screeched as I looked at her. I'm pretty sure all color was now drained from my face."It is so beyond complicated I wouldn't know where to start." She says as she walks around the kitchen island and pours herself a glass of water."At the beginning, Mira. That is where you start." After what feels like an eternity, she exhales slowly, setting the glass down with a soft clink. "Alright," she says, her voice strained, as if speaking the words will somehow make it all real."The man who came to the clinic today did indeed come there because of Vincenzo... but he wasn't working for him, pretty sure I just saved his enemy." Enemy. That seemed like a word that belonged in a dialog for the military, or the big screen, or even a book, but being said out loud in real-life conversation was beyond crazy."I dont know the details, nor do I care
"Angel, are you ok?" Christian voice shakes me out of my thoughts as I sit on his terrasse, the deep smell of coffee surrounding me. "Yeah...yes I'm fine." Which was a lie, I kept thinking about Mira, about Vincenzo, about all I knew and the things I ignored. "I'm waiting for Sebastian... while you mister should be at work, no?" "I should yes." He says as he leans over me, supporting his hand on the back of my chair as he kisses me. "I forgot some papers, plus it gives me the opportunity to kiss you." He says with a dashing smile of his. "Well, that is always a plus," I say as I smile back. I love how everything around him is so easy, and runs so smoothly, with him there is truly no care in the world."Do you have plans this evening?" I never have any plans. It is sad. "I do not. Why?" I ask. "Well, it just so happens that Mom and Sebastian are going away to our house in the Hamptons and I was thinking of picking you up and having an intimate night here." The word intimate spoke
Christian's POVLove left with my Mother and Seb and I had to come back to work. Today was an important meeting to settle our transporter for the gold if we wanted the shipment to arrive on time for production. It took some time to look over possible firms, Aiden isn't happy until he makes a thorough investigation and that is exactly why he is my right hand and my best friend. It doesn't matter all the money he has and his own obligations with his family companies he makes sure not to leave me alone, the same way I do it for him, whenever he needs me."Mr.Callahan, the meeting is about to start. The representatives are already seated." My assistant says as she enters my office."Is Aiden there," I ask."I'm sorry but I think he is not in the building, his card wasn't registered yet. Do you want me to hold the meeting for a few minutes... stall a bit?" She asks as she looks down at her tablet."No need, Im comeing." I stand up, straightening my suit as I head toward the conference room.
A sharp edge slices through me, sharper than the anger I’m trying to keep in check. My mind flashes to Love, her smile, her warmth, everything she represents to me. She’s not just some pawn in this game, she’s everything. And for him to drag her into this... my chest tightens with a simmering fury. I push forward almost making Aiden stumble back as I look at Vincenzo dead in his different colored eyes that aren't cold but are filled with fire."You stay away from Love. Dont name her, dont even think about her." Vincenzo doesn’t flinch as my fists are clenched, but I force myself to remain still, to keep control...just barely, just enough.He tilts his head, his lips curling into that signature smirk that always seems to make my blood boil. "Oh, Christian..." he murmurs, his voice oozing with malice. "You shouldn't show your week spot so openly, not if you want to stay in the game." His words hit like a slap to the face, but I don’t back down. I’m past playing nice with this bastard."
Love's POV"Dont forget the sexy pajama set, although I think Christian will be fine with you sleeping naked... covered in sweat and glued to his skin," Mira says as she stands by my bedroom door and overexposes her words with body mimics. "Mira, stop it. I don't even know if I should go there," I say as I sit on my bed. I don't know how much longer I will be able to keep pretending." I don't want to keep pretending."Love, come on. Relax and go, enjoy your time with him. Be happy." She says. But what she wants is for me to leave, she doesn't want me here, and I do not want to leave her alone. Especially now that she got bad news at work and will be stuck here thinking about it alone."How about you join us and we all do something together, perhaps it would be good for you and Christian to get to know each other better.""Yeah no, I won't be a third wheel. Besides I have to go take Charlie for a walk but first I need to buy a new leash because he chewed through the one we had." And sh
He didn’t respond. Then, footsteps. Slow, deliberate. He moved closer, and my breath hitched in my throat even though I tried not to let it show. I turned my face slightly toward where I thought he was standing, listening for the soft rustle of his suit, the shift in the air. I didn't need my eyes to feel the gravity of him near me. "You wore a mask, every single day. Lied, to our faces... and you say it was for our own good. You are no better than the bastard I had for a father." His voice was closer now, a whisper laced with venom. "But I am not him." "Perhaps you are even worse. He at least didn't pretend to love us, at least not in the end." Christian says, anger blooming inside of him. "I love you, Christian. More than I ever thought was possible." I say trying to reach him but he pushes back at me, my back against the wall. "Shut up, you lie so well I might believe you for a second." “If I wanted to keep lying, I wouldn’t have told you the truth, I wouldn't still be here
Four weeks later...The last night in the dark...I am on the edge.I can't take this darkness anymore. I keep telling myself it's soon going to be over, that at least I will be able to act freely, even walk into the world alone free of pretenses. I want my parents to see that the lie is over, and I want Bash to get over everything soon, even if that means that whatever this is I have with Christian comes to an end.We have been living in this penthouse for three weeks now, and every second for me has been hell. His indifference at times is worse than his hate, at least hating me meant he still had me somewhere in his soul, in silence alongside this darkness that was eating at me.If it weren't for Mira I would be completely alone, she is the only good thing here. She told me to take off the bandages while Christian was at work but I just couldn't. He was far too unpredictable, popping in and out at different times as if trying to surprise me by doing something wrong and I didn't feel
Hearing the voices of people I love around me made me feel peace, so much so that I never wanted them to leave. In front of them, Christian was the man, the husband I always thought he would be. He was loving, kind, and caring. I never wanted it to end.But all that is good has its end, so did this.My friends were about to leave, at least Grace and Bash would be around. At least not until Christian makes us move again.Tamara and Bash were aside, talking. It is nice to hear that the friendship between them is blooming, hopefully into something bigger and better. Grace pulled Christian away to the office for a moment leaving me alone with Mira."Love, call me crazy but something here doesn't feel right. Are you sure you are as happy as you say you are?" I knew she would sense something, and despite promising Christian I would say anything I needed to let go with someone, and who better than Mira? I need someone on my side, someone to stand in my corner... make me feel less alone."Mira
"People are still talking about the wedding. It's the talk of every event since." Grace says as we sit at the table. Christian is right next to me, holding my hand, his thumb tracing the side of my knuckle. It feels nice. Too nice. "And no one thinks you are pregnant anymore, so now they believe it's true love." Bash comments. "Good, because it is. As true as it gets," Christian says as he kisses my cheek. I smile. It is so hard to be in this darkness. The voices around me keep surprising me. Every movement strikes a nerve within me, and I have to pretend to be relaxed. "Why didn't you tell us about doing the surgery?" Bash asks. "We wanted you to see firsthand that the surgery you will go under would work because she will be taking off the bandages just before you go under. That will give you all the training you need to go there without a doubt in your mind that this will work." Christian’s words are calm like he’s presenting a plan instead of revealing something deeply personal.
Love's POVI think I understand Bash now better than ever. Being trapped in the dark was horrible. No wonder he felt the way he did. Even when I knew well that this would last only four weeks, walking around with my eyes bandaged up was hard. even harder than I imagined it would be.But one thing was good... as long as I couldn't see I wouldn't have to look at the hatred that grew inside Christian's eyes. This situation goes from bad to worse. The silence between us felt like it was splitting me in two. I could feel Christian beside me, his presence so tense, so tightly wound. I couldn’t see his face, but I didn’t need to. I could feel the sharp edge of his anger cutting through the air between us. The hatred I’d seen in his eyes before, that dark, simmering look, now felt like a constant companion. He didn’t even have to say anything. I could feel it in the way he handled me, the way he spoke, the way he didn’t speak.But I liked the fact we were back home. Perhaps that way I won't fe
"How long is this going to take? We have a plane to catch." That's not true. It's not like my private plane would go somewhere without me, but I wanted out of this doctor's office as soon as possible."I thought you were returning in a month. If it's supposed we just did the surgery she wouldn't be recovered by now. The world won't believe it." The good doctor says as Love glances up at me."Plans change. Tell her what to do to fake it, she's good at that." I was on edge. Playing nice was so hard and I needed all the willpower I had to do this charade infront of my family, not him."We would need to bandage her eyes... keep her like that for about three to four weeks. And even after that she would need to use sunglasses outside for a period of time... pretend to adjust." Somehow that sounded perfect in my head. She would, even for a short four weeks be forced to walk around blind. She would get to taste her lie on her own skin. "She can do it," I say as I glance at her. "In fact, wrap
Christian's POV I hate her. But somehow I hate myself more for still loving her. I hate how I still want her, and I hate even more the thought of another man having her. The image of the doctor's hand on her filled my chest with rage. She was mine. In every way possible, she was mine. Mine to torture, mine to punish, mine to hate. I wanted to break her. I wanted to watch her unravel beneath me until she knew, without a doubt, who she belonged to. My own torment, my own suffering, would be her punishment. But would it be enough? Would it ever be enough? I have never wanted anyone as much as he wanted her, but with every passing day, the love I thought I had for her had twisted into something darker. The same shade of dark I once felt for my lying father. He was the first and only lesson I need to understand how much a lie can destroy a life. He lied to my mother, he betrayed another woman. He would lie and leave us, his family, to be with someone else. A woman who probably just wa
I didn’t know how I felt anymore. I still loved him, but a part of me was starting to fear him. The love that once felt so pure, so effortless, was now tangled in a web of control and lies. Every interaction, every word exchanged between us, left me more uncertain. The warmth I once felt in his touch had turned into something that made my bones feel frozen.I wanted to reach out, to say something that would make him hear me, make him understand the pain that I was going through. But every time I opened my mouth, the words felt wrong, twisted by the fear of saying the wrong thing, of pushing him further away. Every time I tried to speak, I felt like I was walking on a tightrope, the fear of falling into his wrath too great.After spending a week and a half not leaving the villa, he finally decided to leave. Here he would just casually reach for my hand as we walked but he did not talk much. At a spot with a beautiful view, he asked a stranger to take a photo of us, and he hugged and eve
Christian kept his word. To the outside world, we were this perfect, happy newlywed couple. So in love, so eager to start our honeymoon. But behind the facade, everything was different. Every touch, every word, every look felt hollow. His arms around me were nothing more than a carefully constructed performance, a show for the people around us. As we walked through the airport, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the eyes on us. The casual paparazzi snapped their pictures, capturing our smiles, our closeness, and the image of a perfect couple. But it was all just that, a picture. A snapshot of a life that didn’t belong to us.Christian kept his distance from the photographers, his presence almost protective. He would always make sure no one got too close, his hand gripping my arm just a little tighter whenever the flashes started. In that moment, I felt both protected and imprisoned, wrapped in a cocoon of control that had nothing to do with love and everything to do with appearanc