“Any problem, my accountant?” Amelia rolled her eyes and flashed him a sweet smile, all the while groaning inwardly. “No, Matteo umm, boss.” He looked quite pleased with her address and squeezed in a chair beside his. “Here you go. You can use the spare laptop there. I’ll tell you what to do right away.” Amelia stood like a statue, wondering how she would squeeze in there. “Come on. Get moving, accountant.” She rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm. Why was he so excited? She squeezed in through the tiny space and collected the laptop he pointed at. Sitting with it on her chair, she waited for Matteo’s intervention. “What’s the password, boss?” Matteo chuckled and sat down beside her, leaning almost over her. With his arm resting at the back of her chair, she was almost in his embrace! This was what she had been dreading. Now all she could feel was her arm brushing against his chest and the heady smell of his aftershave tingling in her nose. It was the worst torture possible. “So this
Amelia wanted to correct him about their fake engagement, but his phone buzzed with an incoming call from a customer and he released her hand. Amelia went back to her work while he got to his. The rest of the time, she didn’t meet him since he and Freddie went away on a customer call. It was almost seven in the evening, and Amelia wrapped up her work for the day. In Matteo’s absence, she didn’t know if it was time to leave. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, and she frowned at the unknown number. Who could it be? Accepting the call, she held it to her ear. “Yes?” “Hey, Matteo here. I’ll be late tonight. I’m fixing a Porsche at a customer's place. Why don’t you go home?” Amelia felt relieved to be able to go home, but instantly frowned as a thought hit her.“Where did you get my number from?” She could hear Matteo’s chuckle at the other end and scowled. Was he mocking her? “I found your mobile phone lying around inviting me to give myself a missed call.” Amelia rolled her eye
Matteo parked his car and rushed into his shop, his face creased with worry. He found Bruce still there, just as he instructed. “Matteo, some men came over to get Rob Phantom, and he left with them a few minutes ago.”“Yes, I’m aware. Thanks for staying over, Bruce. You can leave if you’re done for the day.” He went towards the office, feeling bad for Amelia. She would be so tired, cramped up in the small office room all day. He opened the door, and she jumped up, startled out of her mind. “Hey, it’s me, Cara! Don’t be afraid. Phantom has left.” He went inside, but Amelia was too scared to hear a word he said. She rushed straight towards him and clung to him, holding onto his torso for dear life. She was a brave girl, but seeing Rob Phantom back for revenge, she had the eerie feeling that he had no plans to spare her tonight. Her sudden move surprised him but he wrapped his arms around her soft body as a strange feeling of belonging spread all over him. He wanted to protect her fr
“Matteo, I can handle this, please,” whispered Amelia, unable to take in the torture any longer. She knew she couldn’t resist him for long. “I don’t want you to. Let me help you, Emilia.” His voice was hoarse, laden with desire and it made her heart race. She quickly rinsed the last pan and handed it to him. “Umm, can you put a shirt on?” Matteo placed the pan down, his eyes sparkling with interest. “Why? Does it affect you so much?” Amelia shook her head vigorously, her body taut with awareness. She could feel him close behind her, slowly grinding his growing arousal against her, making her blush. “No, not at all!” She gasped, but his arm snaked around her waist, and he pulled her flush against his bare body. “You can’t lie to me, Emilia. I know you want me as much as I want you.” His lips grazed the soft skin below her ear, slowly, provocatively, trailing to her chin. Another gasp escaped her lips when he whirled her around to face him, his eyes searching hers. “Look into my ey
Amelia woke up in an eerily quiet apartment later. Where did Matteo go this early in the morning? Last night, she had heard him talking agitatedly over the phone in his native tongue. Was something wrong? Freshening up, she went into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee when her glance fell upon the ready breakfast and note Matteo had left for her. Memories of their brief encounter filled her mind. Would Matteo have kissed her if his phone didn’t interrupt them? Maybe! She picked up the note and read it. She sighed, realizing he had started the day already. After half an hour, she was at the shop, working on the laptop. There was an email from Matteo assigning her more work, and she busied herself with it for the rest of the time. A knock on the office door had her alert. “Yes, come in.” Bruce opened the door and peered inside. “Miss Amelia, your friends are here to meet you.” Amelia grimaced, knowing who it could be. Although she had no wish to see them, she couldn’t drive them ou
The next morning, Amelia again woke up to an eerily quiet apartment. She got ready and trudged to the kitchen to find a hot, steaming breakfast ready for her. So Matteo had come back at night. She was now convinced that he was avoiding her. She got ready and reached the shop to start her day. Just like the previous day, there was a work-related email from Matteo, although he was missing from the shop. It bothered her a lot, but this time she didn’t call him. She went home after a boring day to face another lonely night. Maybe she was misunderstanding him! Maybe he really was busy! She made dinner and retired to bed early after having hers. She didn’t call Matteo to ask him about his dinner plans. For almost a week, Amelia didn’t see Matteo. She had completed all the work he had given her. Therefore, there was no point in staying here anymore. After another dismal day, she returned to the apartment to pack her stuff and leave. This time she wouldn’t return! Zipping up everything, s
He drove away towards some unknown destination while Amelia watched the vibrant nightlife of the bustling city. He headed towards Brooklyn Bridge and she smiled at the connection. The bridge had been a part of her life with Matteo. She was planning to check out the iconic bridge when she faced the accident that changed her life forever. It was near the bridge that she found Matteo’s body shop. Her first sightseeing tour of the city was at the bridge and its nearby attractions. Now her first date seemed to be the bridge again. “Are we headed towards the Brooklyn Bridge?” She turned to see him smile. “You’ve crossed the Bridge by car. Last time you experienced the Manhattan side, mostly. This time we’re going to DUMBO.” “Where?” Was he kidding her? Matteo gave her an amused look, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “DUMBO stands for Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It’s an iconic tourist spot now with lots of things to do. You’ll see.” Amelia couldn’t wait to check
His fingers tangled into her thick hair while Amelia’s breath hitched with anticipation. But his lips touched her forehead in a tender kiss, melting her heart into a puddle. He withdrew and watched her with an expression of quiet intensity as he drew her slowly into his arms. Amelia couldn’t look away, feeling the heat radiating off him through the thin material of his shirt. It felt like a dream. She closed her eyes, turning her face up, inviting him to kiss her, to fill up the vacuum, the incompleteness she had been feeling earlier. Now she realized the reason behind it. She needed him, his kisses, his embrace, his caresses. All of him. His warm fingers tightened his hold on her nape, angling her head gently to meet his hungry lips. They grazed against her sweet, plump ones teasingly until a moan escaped her. Taking advantage, he thrust his probing tongue deep inside her mouth, deepening the kiss to dizzying heights. After hungering for her all day, Matteo groaned into her sweet
A Month Later“Emilia, start packing up. We’re going to Sicily next week. Marcello just called to announce his wedding.”Amelia gaped at her husband in shock. “When is the wedding? I don’t have a dress to wear!” “Mama will arrange for a seamstress for you. The wedding is three weeks later but I have to help her out.”“Okay, Mila and I will start packing up. Have you informed Marie's school?” “I will today.” Amelia wondered why he looked so excited today. Was it because of Marcello’s wedding? “Will we celebrate our wedding anniversary there, or will we celebrate it here before we leave?” She needed to know to make the preparations. Matteo smiled, his eyes glinting with secrecy. What was he hiding from her? “We’ll celebrate it there. I’ve invited your siblings and their families. Even Brooklyn is coming over with hers.” “Oh, are you making any gala plans? I’m not prepared at all!” she protested helplessly, but he just winked and left. What did it mean? For the next few days, Ameli
After Six Months“Mmmmamaa!” said Aurelio and Mariella clapped with delight. “Mama, Leo said his first word. I taught him!” Amelia smiled at her firstborn with pride. She has been an angel in their lives, helping them in every way just like a grown-up would. “Yes, good job, Marie! I’m proud of you,” said Matteo, watching her interact with the little ones in the nursery. He had just come home after dropping his Mama and Marcello at the airport. His Mama had helped them for the last six months, although Marcello had returned two days after the twins were born. He just came over to escort their Mama back home. “Papàaaap,” said Armano, and Mariella’s little heart swelled with pride. “Yay! Even Armie has learned his first word!” Amelia fed the twins and tucked them for the night, but they didn’t at all look sleepy. “Marie, have you completed your home assignments?” Amelia asked as she went to the dining room. “Yes, Mama.” “Fine, have your dinner and sleep. Mila, please, can you hel
Amelia could feel the contractions rocking her body after every few minutes. Matteo stayed by her side all the time, stroking her hair, and holding onto her hands with concern. It relieved her a lot this time, unlike the last time when she was all alone. Matteo’s family had arrived much later, and she had missed him like a sore thumb then. “Nurse, when will you take her to the birthing room?” asked Matteo agitatedly. “There’s time. It’s still early labor! When the contractions increase in frequency and last longer, we will take her to the birthing room.”Unable to see her in pain, Matteo called his Mama.“Can you come over, Mama? I’m feeling so lost with Emilia in labor pain.”“Are you in the hospital? Where’s Mariella?” asked his Mama in a state of panic. “Yes, Amelia started her contractions and we are in the labor room. Mariella is at my friend’s house.” “Why didn’t you inform me before?” said his clueless Mama. “The delivery date was two weeks later. I thought of informing yo
The next morning, Matteo received the biggest shock of his life! Lucas’s blog post and his social media post went viral overnight. His shop became the go-to place for people with expensive cars to repair. The space in front of his shop was teeming with cars left behind by the customers. The men were struggling with work. Matteo employed extra hands to help. He became a star mechanic overnight! “Mama, look! Papà is on TV!” squealed Mariella as she browsed through the channels. Amelia emerged from the kitchen and sat down to watch the talk show. Her eyes popped out to see her husband with Lucas Donnelly! They discussed cars and the cars he designed, repaired, and remodeled at affordable prices. Tears pricked at Amelia’s eyes while her heart swelled with pride for him. He had gone through a lot and truly deserved some happiness now. “What’s your inspiration, Mr. Ricci? Apart from your love for cars,” asked the host.“This shop is a dream project of mine, but I don’t give up only becau
With so much work to do, Matteo didn’t get a moment's respite to go home. Freddie and his team worked on the Ferrari, since their fate depended on it. They had to please Lucas Donnelly. It was, after all, his favorite car! It was late when Matteo returned home to find Amelia fast asleep with Mariella. He felt worried about her since she always waited up for him. He had to talk to her and convince her to see the doctor. The next morning he sat down to breakfast, but Amelia wasn’t present at the table with them. Mariella gave him a sad look as she ate her breakfast alone. “What happened to your Mama, Marie?” “She’s sick, Papà. Last night she threw up her dinner. Even today she threw up twice already. Can you make her better? I hate it when she’s sick!” “Don’t worry. Have your breakfast. I’ll check up with your Mama.” He went into their bedroom to see his Emilia lying down. “Emilia? What happened to you? I’ll take you to the doctor right away,” he insisted. “Who will drop Marie at
Matteo went to see his lawyer to take an update on his health. Mr. Berkeley had stood by him in his time of need, and he was indebted to the man. He wasn’t in great shape and Matteo found him resting on his bed, which was odd. He was the most hardworking person on earth and in all these years, Matteo had always found him in his office, working. “Matteo! I’m so glad to see you, son!” he said, getting up to embrace him.“I’m happy to be back too, Mr. Berkeley. How are you now? Freddie told me about your health issues.” “I’m much better now. I’m sorry I let you down. We didn’t have another option before us. The mafia Don would have burned the entire shop down or killed all of us if we didn’t pay.” “I understand Mr. Berkeley. I’ll figure it out somehow.” He spent some time with the lawyer and then returned home to help Amelia. It was evening and she would be worried about him. “Matteo! What happened? Did you find out anything? Is the shop still there? Marie and I were about to go dow
The customer care representative showed him the figures in their database. Matteo realized the money was withdrawn from the Brooklyn, New York, branch of the bank. It was too hefty a sum to withdraw from an ATM. What was going on? He had given Mr. Berkeley the sole authority to handle his account. It was alright that he shared it with his wife, but why did he confiscate so much money for himself?“Thank you for your cooperation. I’m not carrying money right now. I’ll deposit it later on.” They left the bank in a state of shock. “We have to go to New York right away, Emilia. I don’t know what’s going on. Apart from you, only one person had access to my account. That was Mr. Berkeley. How could he confiscate my hard-earned money?” Amelia looked at him with concern, wondering if he believed her. “You know, I withdrew very little, Matteo. I can show you all the ATM slips.” “I wouldn’t have minded if you used the money in my absence for your and Mariella’s needs. But it was a hefty sum
The next day, Evita visited them with her son, Riccardo. Not once did she mention Rafael during the entire time she stayed in their house. Amelia felt bad for her. She was quite nice and didn’t deserve a man like Rafael who destroyed her life. “You should move on, my dear. You can’t live alone all your life,” said Matteo’s Mama. “I’m working in a multinational company now as a PA to the CEO. I’ve moved on, Aunt Bianca.” “I meant it on a personal front. Rafael didn’t marry you despite everything. I think you should marry a nice young man and settle down.” “I am marrying my boss next month, Aunt Bianca. He loves me and Riccardo. No one has ever loved me the way he does. I’m glad I met someone like him,” said Evita, and they felt relieved that she found the happiness she deserved. “What’s his name?” asked Marco with avid interest. “Leonardo Bernardi.” “Ah, Leo? He’s a gem of a guy!” said Marco with a satisfied grin. “Do you know him?” asked Evita with surprise. “Yes, he’s Viola’
“Why not? Don’t you want to start Synergist?” asked Amelia in surprise. “Not yet. I want to concentrate on my children. I have three,” said Genelia proudly. “I too have three. I’ll bring them the next time we meet,” said Brooklyn. Matteo, Marco, Marcello, and their Mama joined them soon. “You can keep Dad’s money, Amy. I will shift to South Africa near Brandon’s place soon. I’ve applied for a senior position in a prestigious hospital there,” said Ryan. “Are you both sure? I’ll divide the money and transfer your shares to you.” Viola brought the girls into the room and Amelia introduced them to her guests. “So, when are you shifting to Sicily?” asked Carlos. “In a couple of days. We still haven’t booked the flight tickets,” said Marco. “I could drop you on our way back home. I have my private jet. We’re returning to Napa Valley, California, a day later,” said Nikolas. “That would be great, Nikolas. I don’t want to stay here for so many days. We’ll go with you,” said their Mama.