MeganI am still considering if I should take Katalina's advice and table my feelings to Lorenzo as I make us dinner.I texted Lorenzo earlier, inquiring if he can make it early to dinner tonight. He did say that he will arrange his schedule and try to make it on time,but that's not a guarantee. In his line of work, you never know when an emergency strikes and you have to work over time. I stir the mushroom soup absent mindedly as my thoughts drift to the conversation I had with Katalina. She's right, confronting our feelings for each other is the best thing. At least for me. If this is all but a contract marriage to Lorenzo,I'm sure as hell I will be broken. But that will also be my exit door. I know that I can't keep doing this anymore. I don't want to keep hurting myself over something that will never amount to anything.When the doorbell rings, I plaster a smile and make my way to the door. I don't know why Lorenzo would choose to ring the door but oh well, I am happy that he
Lorenzo I have been dealing with Katrina's tantrums since she came back two weeks ago. When she arrived in town,she called me requesting that we meet up. What I wasn't expecting was her confessing that she still has feelings for me and that she wants us to get back together. Of course I said no. Five years ago,I was nothing but an underling to the old man. That's when she chose to leave and cut short our relationship. Although I never promised to marry her she knew that she was the one for me. When she chose that bastard of me I was shattered. I didn't know how to continue living but somehow I managed to pull myself up. I worked hard,proved my worth to the old man until he trusted me enough to handle the family business. Coming back and requesting we get back together was the most illogical request I have ever heard. She hasn't stopped bugging me. As much as I want to ignore her, I know that deep down I can't do it. After all, she once meant something to me. Last night was not sup
Shophia povI sit across from the lady who introduced herself as Katrina a month ago as she puffs on her cigarette. The lady gives the air of elegance in sophistication but I also witnessed how cruel she can be. “Are you sure about what you are talking about?" she asks and I nod. I can't help but snort inwardly. “The old geezer said it himself. That bitch is finally divorcing Lorenzo. They will be moving out of the city anytime soon.”I add gleefully. An evil glint passes through Katrina's eyes. “She's dreaming about leaving this place alive. Does she think I will give her a chance to come back in the future and steal Lorenzo away from me?” My eyes widen at her declaration. “Are you saying. ..”I leave the word unspoken and she nods. “I am going to get rid of her, that's the only way I can be assured that Lorenzo will be mined forever.” she declares and I shiver from the intensity of her hatred to Megan. When she came looking for me one month ago, she offered to help me win Javi
MeganAfter driving around for minutes, the car finally comes to a stop. After realising that I was being kidnapped, I tried using my phone to call for help. Of course, the stupid driver stopped the car, took my phone, gave me a good beating before tying me up and gagging me. Now I am pushed out of the car by two masked men who are armed. As much as I try to think,my mind can't come up with a person who would want to kidnap me. I haven't seen Javier lately so Harriet has no reason to do this. Does this have something to do with the threats I have been receiving about leaving Lorenzo alone? When two men push me inside what looks like an abandoned factory,my eyes scan the surroundings and that's when I see her. The lady whom Lorenzo has been flaunting all over. I am pushed ahead, landing before her. I hiss in pain from my knees being scraped by the hard floor. Slowly, I lift my face to look at her. The first thing I notice is that she is more beautiful than the pictures show. Her b
Megan POV I have never been as angry and anxious as I have been these past few minutes. Katrina has been telling me how useless I am to Lorenzo. It's like she has been on a mission to make me feel worthless and,damn girl! I am almost falling for it.It doesn't help that Sophia is mocking me too. Saying that no matter what,I can never be enough to a man, that every man in my life ends up leaving me, discarding me.“Let's see how important you are to your so-called husband.”Sophia greens at me as she adjusts the voice changer she is wearing on her face. “ It's funny how you think you are special and end up discarded like some trash." She taunts,adding salt to my already festering wound.“You better not say a word or I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your face.” One of the men threatens me. I chuckle bitterly. Why would I need to say a word to Lorenzo? It's not like he's going to choose me over his beloved Katrina. I am not going to beg him to save me. I better save that energy for
Lorenzo I am pacing around my office.I don't know what else to do. I swear if this continues I am going to lose my damn mind. Actually,I think I have lost it already.It has been a week since Megan disappeared or should I say she was kidnapped. A week of turning the city upside down in search of her. But she seems to have disappeared out of the face of earth. That assumption scares the hell out of me.I had just landed from my business trip when I received a disturbing call. Everytime I try to recall, I wish I could erase the memory from my mind. It was a hard thing seeing Megan tied in a chair and beaten into a pup. Whoever kidnapped her made sure to do his research because alongside Megan was Katrina. Two women, both important in my life but in a different way. I could not save one and abandoned the other. That's why while I went to fetch Katrina, I delegated my men to go and rescue Megan. One would ask why I chose to save Katrina instead of Megan. I've been asking myself the sa
Lorenzo I slump on my chair, defeated. Gino's accusations flood my mind. But, are they really accusations? I'm guilty of everything he said. I abandoned Megan when she needed me the most. I treated her dishonestly. Avoiding her after messing around with Katrina was not the best thing to do. I should have talked to her, told her the truth and begged for her forgiveness.Megan was really hurt by my actions. See that's why she chose to just divorce me. When I arrived home that night after failing to rescue her,I found a copy of signed divorce papers on our bed. She left most of the stuff in the house. The things that I bought for her, she didn't carry anything. To stop my men from telling me about her actions, she drugged them. I still find it hard to believe that they could be outsmarted by a woman. Then again,someone driven by desperation can do anything. That's Megan, she was desperate to get away from me. When that bastard asked me to choose between the two,I saw how she pleaded w
Lorenzo They say that time flies fast but the past six months feels like six decades. Six months and I have done nothing but grief the disappearance of Megan. That day after my confrontation with Javier and Red declaring that I didn't deserve Megan, I ended up drinking myself into a stupor. Of course,Gino and Hugo carried me home. The following morning, I headed to my father's house and confronted him about Javier's accusation. The old man denied having anything to do with her kidnapping and the fire that day. After that I went to speak with Mr Clark. The disappointed look and hatred burning in his eyes have been a constant nightmare for the past six months. Just like everyone else did, he accused me of being the reason his daughter was no more. I've lived with guilt for the past six months and done everything to relieve that guilt. Nothing seems to work though, and I am still stuck in the past. A past I wish that I have the power to change but wishes are not horses. I can only li
LORENZO’S POVA month later.The Chicago airport buzzes with life—travelers rushing past, flight announcements echoing overhead, and the occasional wail of an impatient child. I stand near the arrival gate, hands in my pockets, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.It’s been a long week. No, a long month.After I regained my strength, I took off to Chicago to check on my business and for that one month, I had a lot to deal with.Thankful, everything went as planned.But today, things change, no work today. I was here for my two most precious people in the whole world, who I could give anything for.I check my watch for what must be the tenth time in the last five minutes as I wait, my sunglasses on.I want to feel annoyed but I can't with the thought of my two women coming.Megan’s flight has landed nearly half an hour ago, but customs can take forever. I exhale sharply, glancing toward the exit where passengers are trickling through.Then I see them.Elena is the first to sp
LORENZO’S POVIt has been almost two weeks since I came home with Megan, her house and I don't regret coming here. If I must be honest, then this was the best decision ever.I have a lot of time to spend with my cute little doll and Megan and today, we are out to a park after out little doll force us to take her there.Fortunately, I have been gaining my strength or else I would have turned into a laughing thing to my intelligent doll.If someone had told me that out of all the things I’d faced—ruthless enemies, gunfights, betrayals—the most difficult challenge would be a tiny, four-year-old girl with my blood in her veins who is now standing in front of me, her hands on her waist and ready for a challenge, I would have laughed. Hard.The park is livelier than I expected today. Well, maybe it is as I don't come this other side. Children run in every direction, their laughter blending with the chirping of birds perched on tall, leafy trees. The scent of fresh-cut grass mingles with
LORENZO'S POVI stare into her eyes, unable to look away as emotions rush in like a tide I can’t control.If someone had told me there would come a time when I couldn't mask my emotions because of love, I would have laughed in their face and thought them a fool.But here I am, stripped bare, completely exposed—because of this woman who owns my damn heart. Only God knows how much I care for her and our little angel.I owe her everything for giving me something so pure, so untouched by the darkness I live in.She blushes under my intense gaze, shifting slightly in her seat. "You should stop staring."A slow smirk spreads across my face, widening as the color deepens on her cheeks. The sight of it makes me want to get out of this damn hospital bed, take her somewhere private, and show her exactly how much I want her. Need her. Crave her."And you should stop blushing," I counter, my voice low, teasing.Her blush intensifies, and I swear she looks edible—like something only I should be al
LORENZO'S POVI was in a dream.I knew because Megan and Elena were with me—alive, warm, and laughing.Snowflakes danced in the air, landing on my skin like whispers of a forgotten life. The world was bright, crisp, and full of laughter, the kind I hadn’t heard in a long time.“Daddy! Look! I can fly!” Elena’s voice rang out, high and thrilled, as she sped past me on her skis, arms spread wide like tiny wings. Her dark curls peeked from beneath her beanie, her cheeks flushed with excitement.“Be careful, darling, or even your father won’t be able to save you from me when you're done!” Megan teased, panting beside me, her gloved fingers brushing mine as she adjusted her scarf.“I will, Mama!” Elena’s giggles carried over the snow, pure and free.I didn’t want to wake up.Because in my waking world, they weren’t there.The ache in my chest was a familiar, gnawing thing. How had I made it this far without them? How had I learned to breathe in a world where Megan’s touch and Elena’s laugh
MEGAN'S POVI watch helplessly as Rael beats Lorenzo, turning him black and blue. Blood pours from his body, and he’s stopped moving. The pain swirling in my chest is unbearable."Please stop!" I shout, but the more I scream, the harder Rael strikes, and the harder Elena cries.The water is now at the level of her stomach, and her voice is faint. She’s trembling, fighting the rising fear. Elena has always been strong, but I can see the fear in her eyes, and I don’t know what to say to make her feel better. She’s watching her father whom she only saw in pictures be beaten as if he were nothing more than a fly.Rael’s cruelty knows no bounds. He’s using a poisoned dagger to cut Lorenzo, knowing that just one cut would be enough to make the poison spread. Lorenzo—the man I love, the one who would move mountains to get to me. The man who would do anything to make me stay by his side, even if it meant making me sign a contract. And now, he’s dying in front of me."Didn't you say that you w
LORENZO'S POVThe sight of Megan tied to a pole and my little daughter floating in a small tank, slowly filling with water, was the first thing my eyes landed on as we defeated the last group of thugs preventing us from reaching them.“Save mama, save me!” Elena cried, and my heart almost stopped.Megan didn't say anything, but I could see the tears and the dejection in her eyes. She avoided looking at me, and that hurt even more.But who was this man, and why had he taken my wife and child?“Who are you?” I asked, trying to concentrate.If I wanted to save them, I needed to think straight and not be distracted.“Oh, you don’t know me? Not surprising, though, because I made sure to keep a low profile until I was strong enough to take you on. Six years, Lorenzo! I’ve waited for this day for six years!” He said, and again, I couldn’t place his face.I took a step forward, but he immediately pointed his gun at Megan.“One more step, and this bullet goes through her heart,” he said, and I
MEGAN’S POVI felt a knot of fear tighten in my stomach when the man smiled after hearing the gunshots. At such a moment, I expected him to be shaken, maybe even worried, but instead, he grinned, as if everything was going according to his plan."What's happening? Where are you taking me?" I shouted, struggling to resist, but he only chuckled and gave me a look that sent chills down my spine.It was a look of superiority, like a parent watching a child, a toddler, who thought they could get away with something they had no business doing. It was condescending, and in that moment, I felt small—like a fish trapped in a tank. His tank. I could see the way he looked at me, knowing I was struggling, knowing I was going to die. And there was nothing I could do to change it. All my feeble attempts at resistance would amount to nothing.I was afraid. Terrified. Not for myself, but for Elena. I didn't want to die, not without knowing she would be okay."Please, Mr. Gambino," I begged, my voice
MEGAN’S POVEverything in me hurts.The right side of my face, where that brute hit me, is swollen, and it feels like he dislocated my jaw. My throat burns from shouting, and my heart aches with fear. What have they done to my baby?“Elena? Give me back my baby!” I shout again, slamming my hands against the door. The pain in my hands is unbearable now, from repeating the motion over and over. But still, there’s no response.It’s as if no one on the other side cares about what I’m saying.I don’t know how long it’s been since that man left, but no one has come in. The silence around me is suffocating.I sink down onto the cold floor, and the tears flow without my control. Why would anyone kidnap me? Is it because of Lorenzo again? But the first time this happened, I was alone. Now, I have Elena with me. What if they hurt her?“Please, God, if you really exist, and you can hear me, please save my baby. Don’t let them hurt her. Please keep her safe, Lord. I promise, if you do, I will don
LORENZO’S POV“It’s all your fault.” Angelo shouts immediately we are back at our temporary meeting place. Angelo’s voice is raw with anger, shaking with the force of his rage. His fists clench at his sides, his eyes burning into me with unfiltered hatred. “Six years ago, she almost died, and now we’re here again. I blame you for all of this!” He shouts, a glare fixed on his face. I don’t argue. I don’t even lift my head.Because he’s right.Megan is in this mess because of me.If it weren’t for the fact that—My phone vibrates in my hand, a sharp intrusion into the suffocating silence between us. I glance at the screen.Hugo.I answer immediately. “Hugo?”“Boss, we lost the trail.” His voice is tight, frustrated. “It’s like they’re toying with us. We also found another note.”A notification chimes before he can finish, and I already know what it is. My stomach twists as I open the image.Same paper. Same handwriting.Lorenzo,Loving it so far?How does it feel?A taunt. A reminder.