When we got home, Luca carried Leon to his room, took off his shoes, and tucked him into bed. Watching him drift off, I couldn’t help but feel love and sadness. It was hard to put into words, but I knew that, somehow, I was giving him the world, even though I wasn’t sure of my own place.Just as Luca turned to leave, I stopped him. The words came out before I could second-guess myself. “What about the tutors you mentioned? Leon hasn’t been to school yet, and I haven’t heard anything.”Luca paused his hand on the door. “Don’t worry. Everything’s under control. People are being verified, and by next week, you’ll have the timetable for everything. Just trust that they’re getting everything sorted out for Leon.”I nodded, even though I wasn’t entirely convinced. At least they were doing what they promised. For now, I should be grateful for that.It was getting late, and I figured Maria must be in her room next door to Leon by now. I didn’t want to disturb her, especially not when she nee
I was eager to feel him inside me. I wanted him to fill me. I wanted him everywhere. I especially wanted him somewhere that was calling out to him. Somewhere that needed him more than anything right now. I wanted him to fuck me. My hands went towards him as I started touching his chest, the firm muscle beneath my fingertips a stark contrast to my own trembling flesh. Planning to make my way towards his defined abs and go down there towards his member to touch him, to ignite the fire that was already burning within me. But just as my hands went towards him, he immediately caught my hands, his grip like steel, and put them in a grip on one of his hands. A little too rough for my liking, the sudden constraint sending a jolt of unease through me. Then he stopped what he was doing, the whirlwind of passion abruptly ceasing. The two of us were now breathing heavily, the air thick with unspoken desires and a tension that crackled between us. He looked into my eyes, his gaze piercing, and
His grip tightened.With each struggle, with each desperate attempt to push him away, his fingers pressed deeper into my throat. My lungs burned, my vision blurred, and I realized—I was going to die.Here. Like this. Beneath him. Panic seized me.I couldn’t die. I couldn’t.Leon—he needed me. I had to stay alive for him.What would happen to him if I was gone?What would Asher do to him if I wasn’t here to protect him?Tears spilt from my eyes as I started to beg."Asher, please… please let me go. Please, I’m begging you." My voice was weak, hoarse, barely a whisper. "Please, don’t do this. I’m sorry."My vision started to fade. The edges of the room darkened, my body growing weaker by the second. My limbs felt heavy and useless. The fight was slipping out of me.And then—He let go.I gasped, sucking in air so violently that my lungs screamed in pain. My body convulsed as I coughed, trying to get oxygen back, my tears hot and endless. My hands clutched my throat as I struggled to bre
I’m just so tired today. So I decided to put Leon to bed early. I don’t know why I’m so tired. Maybe it’s because I had been waiting till very late at night, thinking that Asher was just gonna show up. Which is very stupid, considering we all know that he hasn’t shown up. I have just been prolonging my suffering. I’ve also been nervous, and on edge, thinking about what Asher's thinking, and how he’ll show up, so it hasn’t helped. I look so tired. I have dark circles under my eyes. Makeup may have helped, but now I’m just too tired to dress up. I’m too tired to do anything. I’m just gonna take this night to sleep. And if Asher wants to show up, then he can damn well show up. But today I’m tired, and I’m not going to entertain his mind games. I’m not going to let him keep playing me. I take a quick shower and immediately put on a t-shirt and just go to bed. And the moment my head hits the pillow, as I start getting comfortable, I hear the door open. It doesn’t just open. There is a
Asher practically told me to make lasagna. Lasagna! Do you know how long that takes? I know it's his favourite food but still.....it was the middle of the night!First, there was the soffrito, all those tiny diced vegetables. Then, the Bolognese. Hours of simmering ground meat, red wine, and tomatoes. While that was happening, I had to make the béchamel, whisking milk and butter until my arm ached.Finally, the layering. Pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, béchamel, over and over again r. Then, into the oven for nearly an hour, until it was bubbling and golden.I swear it took me a good three hours, maybe more. Hours of cooking, as I was pulled from my sleep! But, I have to admit, the smell was enough to make my mouth water.While the lasagna was in the oven, I took the time to blend him fresh juice. I know how he loved drinking fresh juice, especially apple juice. So I took some crisp, red apples and I made him apple juice. I took the dish out, the bubbling cheese still sizzling,
I loved Asher Romano. What was there not to love about him?You should see him—the way he smiles, the way his eyes sparkle when he talks about something that excites him. So sexy. You should see him when he’s annoyed, there’s this look on his face—so sexy.Asher gets angry too. They say he has a temper. Since he’s the heir and destined to inherit the throne one day, they always tell him to take it down a notch. But he tells me that sometimes, he just can’t control himself. And when he’s angry, his eyes burn with fire. His jaw clenches, his teeth grind, and his fists tighten. You should see him..... So hot.I was a fool for him.I’ve been in love with Asher practically my whole life. It started when we were young. He’s five years older than me, so people used to make fun of my little crush, A lot of girls had a crush on Asher Romano, girls from good families, who actually had a chance with him.... No one thought I could actually have him, actually be with the heir. After all, he was
Five years AgoAsher then announced, but he wasn’t just talking to me—he was talking to the crowd.“All right, sweetheart. What’s your name?”“Ariella.”“Ariella? What’s your family name?”“My father’s Antonio... Antonio Costa.”“I don’t think I know them.” He said it like he was trying to work his head around it like he couldn’t place us. He wasn’t going to get it. My family was so low in rank, we wouldn’t have even crossed his mind.“When’s this prom thing again?”“Next month. The 14th.”“Okay, I’ll be there. Don’t worry. I’m a good date. I’ll bring the flowers and all that shit.”And with that, he walked into the toilet, leaving me there.My eyes were wide, and the people around me? Their eyes were wide too. Most of us went to the same school and knew the same people, and everyone was in shock.Was that real?My friend Francesca came towards me, her eyes nearly popping out of her head "Was that real? pinch me."“I don’t know,” I said, pulling her away from the scene. I didn’t wa
Five years AgoThat must have been, the end for us. I tried calling him. He never picked up.And so, I did what everybody said—I moved on.It was just a prom date. He just took me because, maybe, he probably felt sorry for me or whatever. I didn’t know his reasons. But that didn’t mean we were ever getting close, and it definitely didn’t mean we were getting married any day soon.So, I tried to forget him.Of course, there was still news about him. Stories about his arguments with his father, because supposedly, he blamed his father for his mother’s death. And then, there was the talk of him coming back every now and then.When I turned 18, he was 21.I had just turned 18, and a lot of our friends—had either been proposed or already had arranged marriages. I didn’t have any prospects yet. I didn’t know if I even wanted any.~~~~We were at my cousin’s wedding. She was 19, and this was my first wedding. My mother told me I needed to attend so I could be prepared, and maybe someone migh
I don’t know where I got the courage to answer him, but I did."If I know why you’re here,” I said, “you also know why. We both know why I wasn’t picking up calls, and we both know why you’re here. There, case solved.”“You think you’re smart like that, huh?”I smiled, even though I was nervous and scared. “I kind of, um...” I answered back with a smile.He let go of my chin as he took a step back, then started roaming around my room—touching things, peeking into my dresser, looking at my pictures. I got all red when he picked up the picture that was beside my bed—a picture of him. A picture I kissed before I went to sleep. A secret I was going to take to my grave.He looked at the picture, then gave me a look that made me go even redder—if that was possible—before his eyes turned back to the photo.“Handsome. Who is he?”“Just a guy,” I answered.He raised an eyebrow with a restrained smile.“Like... I have this huge crush on,” I said.He sighed as he came and sat beside me.Then he
Five Years Ago His hand was on my throat—not squeezing, not choking. Just there. But it was trembling. He was trembling. His whole body had gone rigid, his eyes burning with something raw and dark. I had never seen him like this. "Don’t ever say that again," he growled. A cold chill ran down my spine. I nodded quickly, my breath hitching. But it wasn’t enough for him. "I want to hear it," he demanded. My lips parted, but nothing came out. He didn’t move, didn’t blink. The air between us felt suffocating. "I… I’ll never say it again," I finally whispered. Asher inhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling like he was trying to steady himself. Slowly, his hand dropped from my throat. He sat back in his seat, dragging a hand down his face, eyes shutting tight. I swallowed, my fingers brushing my neck. He hadn’t hurt me, not really. His palm had been warm, firm—but compared to his, my hand looked small. Fragile. I stayed frozen in place as he restarted the car, driving toward
Asher exhaled sharply, his entire body tensing beneath me. "For fuck’s sake," he cursed, shoving me off his lap so suddenly I nearly stumbled back into my seat.Before I could react, he was already out of the car.I watched in shock as he ran a hand through his hair, pacing in the dim glow of the car lights. He cursed under his breath, his hands clenching into fists before he spun on his heel stalked toward the trees and disappeared into the darkness.I sat there, frozen.Confused. Scared.And then suddenly, tears started spilling down my cheeks.I don't know how long he was gone or how long I cried Before I even realized it, he was opening the car door.I hadn’t seen him pass by, hadn’t heard his footsteps. But there he was—pulling me into his arms, holding me close as I shook with silent sobs. His hand moved over my back, soothing me."Stop crying, please," he murmured against my hair. "Just stop. I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you, Ariella. I swear, I’m not mad at you."I clung to his
Five Years Ago That night, I cried until my body ached. My mind kept racing, searching for a way out. How do I stop this?I couldn’t tell Asher. If I did, my parents would die. My father, my family—so many innocent lives were on the line. I loved my dad. I couldn’t be the reason he gets killed.So what do I do? What do I do?I spent the whole night searching. Google, TikTok, Instagram—I went through everything, looking for ideas, stories, and anything that could help me. But no one had a guide on how to escape an arranged mafia marriage to your boyfriend’s father.By the time morning came, I hadn’t slept at all. But I had an idea.I forced myself to act normal when Asher called me. I laughed, joked, and pretended nothing was wrong. I told him about a little diner outside the city—one of my favourite places. I loved their pancakes, and the cook was the sweetest old man.Asher was surprised I wanted to go all the way there, it was far from the city but it wasn’t anything suspicious. So
Five Years Ago"I'm sorry, honey, but you're going to marry the Don." The world around me blurs. "You mean Asher's father?" My voice was barely a whisper. "You mean the father of the man I have been spending all this time with? The man you allowed me to date? The man I’ve fallen in love with? The man who loves me? The man I want to spend my life with? That man's father?" Neither of them spoke. I took a step back, shaking my head. "Is that what you're saying?" My mother exhaled as if she was explaining something to a child. "Ariella, listen, this is good for our family. We’re moving up the ranks. Your father will gain power. Our family will gain respect. Your children will be royalty." "Shut up, Mom!" I snapped, my voice cracking. She gasped as if I had slapped her. Okay, maybe I had—just not physically. I turned to my father. "Does Asher know?" He wouldn't look at me. "Does Asher know I'm supposed to marry his father?" My hands were trembling. "Did you at least have the dece
Five years AgoAs we waited for the outcome, my mother and I sat together in silence. Then she spoke, her voice laced with curiosity."It’s strange," she murmured. "The Don coming to our home? Even if you were the one getting married, it should have been your father who went to his house. This… this is a sign of great respect toward our family."I glanced at her, surprised. My mother and I had always had a complicated relationship—a love-hate dynamic, a result of the fact that she had always wanted a son. Instead, she got me. That disappointment lingered in her, always somewhere beneath her words, her glances, and the way she treated me.But ever since talks of my engagement to the Don’s son began, something shifted inside her.For the first time in my life, she actually paid attention to me.She started giving me approval, she even acted interested in my life. It was little things like helping me pick out dresses for my dates with Asher. She would sit beside me, actually interested i
Five years AgoThat must have been, the end for us. I tried calling him. He never picked up.And so, I did what everybody said—I moved on.It was just a prom date. He just took me because, maybe, he probably felt sorry for me or whatever. I didn’t know his reasons. But that didn’t mean we were ever getting close, and it definitely didn’t mean we were getting married any day soon.So, I tried to forget him.Of course, there was still news about him. Stories about his arguments with his father, because supposedly, he blamed his father for his mother’s death. And then, there was the talk of him coming back every now and then.When I turned 18, he was 21.I had just turned 18, and a lot of our friends—had either been proposed or already had arranged marriages. I didn’t have any prospects yet. I didn’t know if I even wanted any.~~~~We were at my cousin’s wedding. She was 19, and this was my first wedding. My mother told me I needed to attend so I could be prepared, and maybe someone migh
Five years AgoAsher then announced, but he wasn’t just talking to me—he was talking to the crowd.“All right, sweetheart. What’s your name?”“Ariella.”“Ariella? What’s your family name?”“My father’s Antonio... Antonio Costa.”“I don’t think I know them.” He said it like he was trying to work his head around it like he couldn’t place us. He wasn’t going to get it. My family was so low in rank, we wouldn’t have even crossed his mind.“When’s this prom thing again?”“Next month. The 14th.”“Okay, I’ll be there. Don’t worry. I’m a good date. I’ll bring the flowers and all that shit.”And with that, he walked into the toilet, leaving me there.My eyes were wide, and the people around me? Their eyes were wide too. Most of us went to the same school and knew the same people, and everyone was in shock.Was that real?My friend Francesca came towards me, her eyes nearly popping out of her head "Was that real? pinch me."“I don’t know,” I said, pulling her away from the scene. I didn’t wa
I loved Asher Romano. What was there not to love about him?You should see him—the way he smiles, the way his eyes sparkle when he talks about something that excites him. So sexy. You should see him when he’s annoyed, there’s this look on his face—so sexy.Asher gets angry too. They say he has a temper. Since he’s the heir and destined to inherit the throne one day, they always tell him to take it down a notch. But he tells me that sometimes, he just can’t control himself. And when he’s angry, his eyes burn with fire. His jaw clenches, his teeth grind, and his fists tighten. You should see him..... So hot.I was a fool for him.I’ve been in love with Asher practically my whole life. It started when we were young. He’s five years older than me, so people used to make fun of my little crush, A lot of girls had a crush on Asher Romano, girls from good families, who actually had a chance with him.... No one thought I could actually have him, actually be with the heir. After all, he was