CHAPTER 80For days, Amelia had ignored Alessandro.She avoided his calls, refused to answer his messages, and made sure to stay out of his way whenever he was around. She wasn’t ready to hear whatever excuse he had for keeping his engagement from her. She needed time to process everything—to figure out what she really wanted.But Alessandro wasn’t giving up.Mike had told her multiple times that Alessandro wanted to speak to her, but she always shut him down before he could say anything more. She knew Alessandro was furious about the silent treatment, but she didn’t care. She was angry, too. She had every right to. This morning was no different. Amelia sat in the living room, staring blankly at her phone, contemplating whether she should just pack up and leave when the front door opened.A woman stepped in like she owned the place.She was tall, strikingly beautiful, and dressed in an expensive coat that screamed elegance and wealth. Her dark eyes swept across the room until they la
CHAPTER 81Alessandro had never been the type of man to chase after someone.People came to him. People feared him. People listened when he spoke.But Amelia was different.For days, she had ignored him. She refused to speak to him, refused to give him a chance to explain, and it was driving him insane. He had never felt this helplessness in his life.So, tonight, he decided that enough was enough.He knocked on her door firmly, his heart pounding in a way that made him feel ridiculous. “Amelia, please.” His voice was low, pleading. “I need to talk to you.”Silence.He exhaled sharply, pressing his forehead against the door. "Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll stay here all night if I have to.”Still, no answer.Alessandro wasn’t bluffing. If she didn’t open the door, he would actually sleep on the floor outside her room.A few minutes passed before the door creaked open just a little. Amelia peeked out, her expression unreadable. “You’re being ridiculous,” she whispered.Alessandro
CHAPTER 82. Alessandro sat at the reserved table in an exclusive, dimly lit restaurant, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, but he had already made up his mind. This had to end. Isabelle had to let him go. He would be careful with his words, but he wouldn’t back down.When the restaurant door swung open, Alessandro immediately recognized Isabelle’s presence before even seeing her. She had an aura of control, of dominance. She walked in like she owned the place, her designer heels clicking sharply against the floor. Dressed in a fitted red dress that hugged her body in all the right places, she smirked as she spotted him. “Alessandro,” she greeted, her voice dripping with fake sweetness as she took a seat across from him. “I was almost worried you wouldn’t show.”Alessandro didn’t respond to the teasing in her tone. Instead, he cut straight to the point. “We need to end this engagement, Isabelle.”Her smirk fa
CHAPTER 83Isabelle’s heels clicked against the polished marble floors of her family’s grand estate as she walked in, her fury barely contained. She had stormed out of the restaurant, furious at Alessandro for daring to think he could dictate the terms of their engagement.Although she had expected that he would play this kind of game with her considering the research she had done regarding who this Amelia girl was. However, hearing it from him today only infuriated her the more. She wasn't in love with Alessandro before. When he had come to her father's place to seek help years ago, she had only seen him as a young boy who wouldn't last long in this field. But then, all of a sudden, her father made a condition that he was going to marry her after getting engaged. Isabelle, thinking it was all a joke that wouldn't even come to pass, assured Alessandro that she was going to cut off the engagement later as her father wouldn't be able to go ahead and do anything else to her if she was
CHAPTER 84AMELIA'S POVI smiled as I watched my sister on the screen, her voice filling my quiet room with an energy I had missed. “…and then, Amelia, you won’t believe it! My professor actually said my paper was the best in class. Can you imagine? Me? The best in class?!”I chuckled, shaking my head. “Of course, I can imagine it. You’ve always been smart, Val.”She beamed. “Come on, don't call me that. It makes me feel shy."I shook my head, enjoying the teasing. "I can call you by any name that I want, darling. Momma gave you that name in her journal." "Blessed be the day you came across the name. I even thought you'd forgotten about it." "I have the sharpest memories, darling." "Of course." She rolled her eyes sarcastically while I sighed. "Anyway, it feels so good to hear it from someone else. I worked my ass off for that paper.” She let out a sigh and leaned back on her bed. The background of her dorm room looked slightly messy, with clothes tossed on t
CHAPTER 85.AMELIA'S POV “No.” I shook my head, my voice firm. “Absolutely not.” “Amelia—” “Are you insane?” I cut him off, standing up. “You want me to go back to him? Are you even listening to yourself right now, Alessandro? You could have just said that you wanted to get engaged to Isabelle instead of telling me to do such a thing.” "Amelia..." He tried to hold my hand but I decided to step back as I continued my words of anger towards him. "What do you even mean by I have to go back to Luca? As what? I wasn't even dating him, so in which manner am I going back to him? Make it make sense! We are nothing but friends, which I have managed to keep that way, so what the hell are you even saying?" "Amelia!" He half yelled and my eyes widened. But then his voice turned soft afterward, "Can you please listen to me without jumping to conclusions? You could have just easily asked me why I said that instead of responding this way."Okay, he was right about that. I clear
CHAPTER 86THIRD PERSON'S POV Amelia stood outside Luca’s penthouse, her suitcase resting heavily beside her. Her shoulders slumped under the weight of exhaustion—physical, emotional, and psychological. The plan was set in motion, but it didn’t make the act of deceiving Luca any easier. "God help me." She muttered and wiped at her cheeks, smudging tears that weren’t entirely fake and took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.Luca opened the door within seconds, his sharp features softening at the sight of her. His brows furrowed as his gaze scanned her messy hair, the dark circles beneath her eyes, and her trembling lips. "Amelia?” His voice was low, almost disbelieving. “What are you doing here? What happened? Why are you like this?" Without giving him the chance to hesitate, she threw herself into his arms. Her body shook with carefully crafted sobs. “You were right, Luca,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Everything you said about Alessandro… it’s true.”Luca’s
CHAPTER 87Amelia's heart slammed against her ribs. No… not already.She froze mid-step, the weight of the accusation dragging her breath short. This couldn’t be happening. Not yet. She hadn’t even made it through a full day with Luca. Had she found her out?Her palms grew slick with sweat, and her eyes darted around for any way to spin this, any lie that could salvage the situation.But then… silence.Her eyes cautiously shifted toward the source of the voice, her pulse thudding against her throat. But lucky her!Luca wasn’t even looking at her. His back was turned, phone pressed against his ear. He was talking to someone else.The breath she didn’t realize she was holding slipped out in a quiet exhale. God, get a grip, Amelia.Her overactive imagination was going to ruin her before the mission even began.Swallowing the lump in her throat, she composed herself and crossed the room, careful not to draw attention to her sudden relief. Luca ended the call and turned to face her with a
CHAPTER 101Amelia’s pulse quickened as Vincent arched a brow at her. She had rushed down the stairs in a flurry, her mind tangled in knots over Luca’s sudden curiosity about their so-called engagement and wanting a solution or an answer. He was walking ahead as if he was going to face the battle himself, so why this sudden stop?He was staring at her, almost like she was some kind of his own property. Now, standing in front of Vincent, she felt trapped between the walls of deceit they had built around her. "What happened? Why aren't you... moving?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.Vincent exhaled a cloud of smoke, his cigarette dangling loosely between his fingers. He studied Amelia with a cold amusement, then shrugged. “I changed my mind." "Huh?" "Hmm. Tell him whatever you need to. Just make it believable.” "Just because he lost his memories doesn't mean he is dumb." She argued back. "Anything would work, trust me. As long as it's you, he is likel
CHAPTER 100Luca was finally discharged from the hospital and brought back to the grand family mansion where Vincent and Isabelle resided. The atmosphere inside the mansion was thick with tension even before Amelia stepped through the door. Everywhere screamed Mafia — it was twice the coldness she felt when she first visited Alessandro months ago. There were men stationed around, black cars and jeeps packed everywhere. It felt as if she wouldn't be allowed to step outside this place once she was in. It was another new world on its own. The moment she stepped into the house while ignoring the way Luca had clung to her, Isabelle’s sharp gaze landed on her like a blade. "You — What are you doing here?” Isabelle’s voice was a sneer, her arms crossed tightly. Her cold eyes swept over Amelia, filled with disdain. “Are you seriously trying to kill two birds with one stone? First my fiance, now my brother? You’re quite ambitious, aren’t you?”Amelia felt a pang in her chest, but before
Chapter 99Vincent strode into the hospital room, his polished shoes clicking softly against the tiled floor. His sharp gaze swept over his son lying on the bed, eyes closed, appearing as though he were still in a deep state of recovery. But Vincent knew better.Luca’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of the door, and he turned his head slightly to acknowledge his father’s presence.“How are you feeling?” Vincent asked, his voice smooth but carrying an undercurrent of something unreadable.Luca groaned, pressing a hand to his head. “Like I actually got hit by a truck.”Vincent chuckled lightly, the corners of his lips curling. “Well, technically, you did. Just not as hard as it could have been.”Luca shot him an unimpressed look but remained silent.Just then, the door creaked open again, interrupting their discussion. Vincent cleared his throat and had his firm face back on.Amelia stepped in. She had been sitting beside Luca for hours, but now she looked up at Vincent expectantly.“
Chapter 98Amelia stared at Vincent, her brows furrowing at his sudden request."May I also request that Alessandro not be aware of this?"The words hung in the air like an unspoken warning. Amelia’s chest tightened.“Huh?” she blurted out, her confusion evident.She then shook her head, showing that she didn't get it. "What is that supposed to mean?"Vincent’s sharp gaze didn’t waver. Instead, he exhaled, as if he had anticipated her reaction. “It’s important,” he said, lowering his voice. “You have to understand, Alessandro knowing this will only complicate things. Right now, Luca is vulnerable, and we don’t need any interference.”Amelia crossed her arms. “Interference?” she repeated, her tone laced with suspicion. “Why would Alessandro care about this? Why should I even hide it from him?”Vincent tilted his head, scrutinizing her before he finally sighed. “I know who you are, Amelia.”Amelia’s heart skipped a beat.Vincent continued, his voice calm but firm. “I know you and A
CHAPTER 97Amelia’s eyes widened.“Are you out of your mind?” she whispered.Alessandro tilted his head, "What do you mean?" "Did you even listen to what you just said?" "Yes, I said we should go back quickly and get your things away from Luca's apartment."Amelia stared at Alessandro in disbelief, his words ringing in her ears."Did you just say that?" Her voice was sharp, edged with shock and frustration.Alessandro exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair, the gesture betraying his growing irritation. "Yes, I did. Why are you pretending not to understand?" "I am not pretending not to understand. I actually find it surprising that you seem like you can't read the room at all. Luca just had an accident..." "So what? Come on, Amelia. You know that Luca is not your responsibility, Amelia. He never was. You should come with me and let the hospital staff do their job. He has his father here with him, right?"Amelia scoffed, her arms crossing over her chest. "Are you e
CHAPTER 96The waiting room was suffocating. The silence, thick with unspoken words, felt heavier than the sterile air filling the hospital corridors. Amelia shifted in her seat, fingers clenching the hem of her sweater as she counted the seconds, the minutes.She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when one of Vincent’s bodyguards approached him, whispering something urgent into his ear.Vincent’s expression darkened instantly.“What did you just say?” His voice, calm yet deadly, sent a ripple of tension through the room.The bodyguard hesitated before repeating, “Sir, Miss Isabelle is in a dangerous place.”Amelia stiffened. Isabelle?Vincent's hand curled into a fist. For the first time since arriving, there was a crack in his composure. His lips pressed into a hard line, the kind of expression a man wore right before issuing a death sentence.“She is in danger? And you all are still here?! Where exactly?” His voice was sharper now.“She was caught in an altercation, but I got the
CHAPTER 95.Amelia rushed out of the cab after managing to pay the driver. Her face was flushed and she was finding it hard to breathe stably. She tried calling Mia on her way down to the hospital to give her the news but she wasn't answering. But regardless she knew that she needed to be there for him. The hospital was a battlefield of urgency. Why at this moment though? It was almost as if it was the end of the world and people were trying to run around for survival kits. "Did all bad incidents for the month happen today?" She couldn't help but wonder as she kind of sorted her way. Amelia pushed her way through the crowded hallways, her breath coming in short gasps. The air smelled of antiseptic, blood, and something metallic—fear, maybe. Nurses and doctors rushed in all directions, pushing gurneys with bloodied patients, calling out for supplies, and barking orders.She tried speaking to a nurse in scrubs, who barely spared her a glance before disappearing behind a set of
CHAPTER 94Amelia had barely woken up when her phone buzzed beside her on the bed. Still groggy, she grabbed it, squinting at the caller ID. Alessandro.Her fingers brushed through her eyes before answering. "Hello?” "Amelia.” Alessandro’s voice was urgent, his tone leaving no room for pleasantries. “You need to leave today.”Amelia sat up, her heart skipping a beat. “What? Why? You didn't tell me that there would be a change of plan.” "I am sorry. That was my fault. I also wasn't expecting the sudden change. Mike will come and pick you up by 6 pm today. I’ve arranged a place for you—somewhere safe. No one will find you there.”She swallowed, the sudden shift unsettling her. “Why now? What’s going on?”Alessandro exhaled sharply. “Things are escalating. I can’t risk you being here when it all comes crashing down.”The seriousness in his voice made her stomach tighten. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t good. "You're making me scared, Alessandro." "I am sorry." "So,
CHAPTER 93Luca stepped into his father’s study, his every move controlled and calculated. He had spent years perfecting the art of keeping his emotions in check, but the moment he locked eyes with Vincent, the anger simmering beneath his skin threatened to rise. "Can we get to the root of the issue?" "That's rude. Not even a good morning?" Vincent chuckled dryly but Luca was having none of it. "Morning — because there is nothing good about the morning," Luca answered and Vincent nodded, agreeing with what his son had said. Vincent leaned back in his chair, the very image of ease, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You are right. There is nothing good about the morning. Regardless, to me, you’re eager. It's not as if you are going to be this eager to agree with my wishes; if that had been the case, I wouldn't have minded,” he noted, tilting his head slightly. “I expected you to at least have breakfast before storming into my study.”Luca’s jaw clenched. “I’m not here for pl