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
Thank you for selecting my story. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Copyright © Rituparna Darolia. All rights reserved. No part of this novel may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.This book is a sequel to the book, Chased By Nikolas Ardolf. It deals with Amelia and Matteo's heart-stopping romance. It can be read as a stand-alone book.Story SummaryAn unknown city. A car accident! A roguishly handsome mechanic! It’s too much for twenty-two-year-old Amelia Mitchell to handle. With eyes like amber whiskey, he tempts her innocent heart, makes her fall head over heels in love with him. However, soon she
Amelia Mitchell steered the car with all her might to avoid the speeding motorcyclist from the opposite lane but lost her grip. “Watch out, Amy!” yelled her best friend, Lizzy, but it was too late. The forward collision mitigation system of the expensive Bentley she was driving issued a warning to her. Panicking, she applied the brakes but couldn’t avoid hitting the rear end of the car in front that had suddenly screeched to a halt at the signal.“Crap! Now what? Uncle Denver will be furious. This one’s his favorite car!” wailed Rebecca in a state of panic. They had sneaked out with his car while he was away on a work trip to Washington, DC. Shocked and traumatized, Amelia gripped the steering wheel, watching the front hood pop up from the brunt of the collision. The signal was about to change and she looked helplessly at her friends. It was by God’s grace that they suffered no injuries, but the notorious traffic on such a busy New York road could be fatal when in motion. They neede
“Sure! After you’re able to fix the car!” Amelia tried to keep her voice confident and casual, although she was far from feeling so. She wasn’t a teenager who would react to the flirtatious guy with his panty-dropping good looks. She was a grown woman of twenty-two and it was time she acted like one. “I’ll get it done right away! Only for you, signorina!” Her heart skipped a beat at his flirty tone, yet she held his gaze boldly, trying to look unaffected. He smirked and looked away, instructing a man to drive the car into a stall and examine the damage. She handed him the keys, her fingers brushing against his rough palm. A tremor of electric charge shot up her body and she placed her hand inside her pocket immediately, as if stung.“Freddie, here!” Matteo said to his man, tossing the car keys over to him. The man caught them and went over to the Bentley, steering it straight inside the shop. “Please come inside, Emilia!” said Matteo, with a sly grin that made her breath get stuck
Matteo’s parting shot echoed inside Amelia’s head, and a warm flush crept up her neck. He really knew how much affected she was with him!Amelia sat in his office, thankful to rest her tired limbs. There wasn’t much she could do outside at the stall and she had no wish to witness Rebecca’s desperate ploys to grab Matteo’s attention. She knew she didn’t stand a chance against Rebecca, who never failed to win over a guy she fancied. With her perfect combination of good looks and sass, Rebecca excited guys too much to turn her down. Amelia’s stomach grumbled for food, but after offering everything she had in her wallet, she couldn’t even afford a sandwich for herself. She could hear Becca’s chirpy laughter outside. It ignited a strong feeling of jealousy within her she couldn’t ignore. Maybe Becca conquered Matteo’s flirty heart after all! The curiosity was too strong to ignore, and she got up to find out for herself. As she stepped out, she saw Matteo lending a helping hand to Freddie
“What? You’re kidding me, right? I thought you just invited me to lunch.” Amelia glanced at the exit, wanting to make a beeline for the door. His abduction plans made her panic! Does he have a woman-abducting fetish? She jumped when the elevator came to a stop in front of her and the doors slid open. “Joking, Emilia. I’m just inviting you to lunch.” His warm touch on her elbow to push her forward made her jump. Was he a wolf in sheep's clothing - a criminal in disguise? Was she making the worst mistake of her life? She swallowed hard as he led her inside the elevator and the doors closed, taking them upstairs to some unknown place. Would he keep her imprisoned all her life? There was no one in the elevator and she could feel his stare pinned upon her. It was totally unnerving to her, and all she wanted to do was scream in frustration. The door opened on the sixth floor and he led her down a clean, airy, well-lit corridor towards a corner apartment. Fishing out the keys, he unlocked
“Why have you locked the damn door? What did you hope for? To have me on your sofa?” Amelia could have continued, but stopped when he just got up and walked towards her. The amused sparkle in his eyes and his raised eyebrow made her immediately on high alert. The man was lethal and now he was inching towards her! She looked all around her for a weapon. No, she wouldn’t be his next victim! Or would she? It wouldn’t take him much to have her melt in his arms! He stopped inches away from her while his eyes held her gaze. Amelia forgot to breathe! “Don’t you dare touch me!” she hissed, but she could feel herself drowning in his whiskey-hued eyes. He smiled and reached out to turn the knob in the other direction. “You were doing it all wrong, Emilia!” The door opened wide, and Amelia wanted to disappear into a hole and never emerge. Why did such things happen to her? She walked out in a daze, eager to get away from the dangerous temptation, leaning against his door and watching her go
“I don’t believe you, Matteo! She doesn’t look your type at all! How can you move on so fast?” cried the woman called Cadence, her face red with anger. “Excuse me? I am his type, and we are planning to get married next month. Do you have a problem with that?” Amelia came to the rescue while it was Matteo’s turn to gape at her. The woman snickered with disbelief and gave her a once-over. “Do you want me to buy that crap? I don’t see a ring on your finger.” “I’ll wear it after Matteo talks to my parents,” she lied, refusing to glance at an amused Matteo. “Whatever! Be ready to face my dad, Matteo,” she threatened, climbing into her car and driving away in a state of fury. Amelia watched her go with a victorious grin on her face, not realizing what she had called upon herself. Feeling Matteo’s jaw-dropped gaze upon her, she finally turned to look at him. Her face flushed with embarrassment realizing what she had done. “What?” she asked, as he continued to stare at her. His lips cur
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.