BIANCA’S POVI woke up in small increments, feeling more anxious each time. I couldn’t shake off the worry that Luca was with those men, even though I knew he was supposed to be with Giovanni. After the sixth time, I sat up and tried to stand, but my legs didn’t cooperate with me.I was in Alessandro’s room—the black and white accents lit up in warm lights were a dead giveaway. It had been a while since I had seen this room, especially since Alessandro had made his main residence the Villa.“You’re not allowed to get up,” a baritone voice I was very familiar with sounded above me. I jerked and looked his way. Alessandro was sitting on the chair beside the bed, with his knuckle supporting his head. The dark circles under his eyes from before were worse, and his face was gaunt like he hadn’t slept at all in days. My heart ached on his behalf.I stretched my hand out to him, and he leaned in like he always did, shifting from the chair to the bed, instinctively getting closer. “Is Luca wi
RICARDO’S POVI hated being in Italy, I hated being a Moretti, and I hated being the man I was. Everything had been against me right from birth. My parents had me off doing rather questionable things at a very tender age, and that was why I arranged for their deaths.They were horrible people—cold-blooded murderers. No life was ever worth anything in their eyes, and I had known that their being around my brothers would inevitably scar them and turn the disgustingly innocent boys into the monsters their parents were.I never had a childhood, and I never really knew my brothers. I had spent most of my ‘childhood’ trapping my parents’ conquests and enemies so they’d be lured right into the hands of my father. The clearest version that would forever live rent-free in my head was that of a man and his daughter who had opposed them.I had been sent in to act like I was being abused, and the man, in all his kindness, rushed over to save me. They had kept him hostage and brought his little gi
ALESSANDRO’S POVWhen I woke up, Bianca wasn’t beside me. At first, I feared that something had happened to her, but I calmed down after remembering that the house was now extensively protected by Salvatore and three other guild members. Luca was with Gio and Laz, and they were in the villa, protected by the rest of the guild.I felt more at rest than I had in a few weeks. Ricardo had become a permanent thorn in my side, and his movements were suspicious. He didn’t seem to want the company as much as he wanted me to be with the Dobre girl; he had even said on multiple occasions that he’d stop opposing and terrorizing me at work if I agreed to leave Bianca.What could the Dobres have offered him that made him value my relationship with their daughter more than the position as the head of the conglomerate? It all seemed rather questionable, and I was often skeptical, but I didn’t know much about my brother beyond what he wanted me to know, so I could only speculate for a while.When I w
LINDA’S POVSome days later…The rumors of my fame were not exaggerated. I had to get Bianca and Darren to pick me up from the airport incognito, or I wouldn’t be able to get to the quaint, cozy villa in Turin that I’d rented and looked forward to for months.In fact, the only reason I was able to arrive in Italy without being accosted was that no one knew I was coming to Italy. To the best of everyone’s knowledge, I was in New York sipping mojitos while overlooking the cityscape.I had missed Italy fiercely; the best friends I had met and made there were all amazing and quick to help in a pinch, if not a bit reckless. So when I came out from the plane with my full mask, sunglasses, and face cap combo and saw a hot red Maybach parked at the terminal with what I suspected was Darren’s hand holding up a placard that said “Little Miss Linlin” from inside the car, I wasn’t surprised at all.I knew that Darren had convinced Bianca and the sweet woman was powerless to resist. Seriously, the
BIANCA'S POVI hated that I had to miss being the one to pick Linda up from the airport, but as the only people remotely close to Charlie, Darren and I had been forced to stay with her.I hadn’t even realized that Leo and Charlie had come back from their getaway. I’d endured very busy—stressful—days recently, and they barely crossed my mind.“Why would you do that, though? Hadn’t you had enough?” Darren raised an eyebrow at Charlie, who was resolutely looking away, shame evident in her body language—as she should.“Answer us, Charlie,” I demanded impatiently, angry and tired of her nonsense already. I hadn’t known this was the type of person she was, despite all the times we had hung out. What she did was extremely stupid.“It was a mistake,” she said in a small voice, ending in a gasp as Leo walked into the room. He eyed her tiredly and looked at us.“That’s all she’ll say. You guys should just let it rest,” he said, rubbing his eyes, every twitch of his muscles laced with visible an
LINDA’S POV I had heard of the excesses of Bianca’s boyfriend, but I did not expect the size and sheer might of his residence. I had no idea why I was actually at his residence. Giovanni had driven me there, silencing all my protests by enforcing the fact that Bianca and Darren wanted to meet me before I hid in Turin. I considered it extremely rude that they had told Giovanni I would hide. I just enjoyed being alone in cozy, remote places; it wasn’t hiding, it was enjoying peace. If anything, they needed to learn from me. Nothing about the Moretti Villa was peaceful or cozy. Giovanni had led me to the garden entrance. I couldn’t even marvel at the beautiful flowers because of the men. There were men in suits—a whole lot of them, taller than even me—lined up from the gate to the actual building, blocking—or at least narrowing—my view till all I could see was the door. “Why?” I asked Giovanni simply, too tired and confused to add more words for elaboration. “Some of the staf
LINDA’S POVTossing and turning in discomfort, I stood up from my bed and padded over to the kitchen. It was the second night I would be spending in this villa. Last night had me sleeping like a baby, but for some reason, I couldn’t sleep in peace tonight.Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I had flown down here and suffered psychological trauma at the hands of the tall, scary Moretti. It could even be the exhausting discussion I’d had with Bianca about staying the fuck away from that terrifying man. I didn’t want her dead before Luca turned sixty, and the murderous intent he exuded was a surefire way to ensure a gruesome death.She had barely listened. Her stubbornness was the only thing I disliked about Bianca—she seemed to think she was an indestructible tank. I hadn’t met her boyfriend yet, but the fact that the burly men he had stationed to protect her were on edge because of the tall man was a bad sign.At least she had Darren; the man had smartly nodded to me beh
RICARDO’S POVI hated the ditzy celebrity. I viciously abhorred anyone who could see past my facade, and I couldn’t even be blamed for it. After all, I had spent the best years of my life suffering torment to build up said facade. Anyone who could look beneath those layers I’d spent decades building and sense what I was doing underneath was someone I had a vendetta against. It was a blunt hit to my ego.Unfortunately for her, I couldn’t afford to keep anyone who thought I was even remotely dangerous alive to spread the news. The Dobres had no idea what exactly had been done to me.To them, I was always Ricardo, the least charismatic, dumb, defective kid of the Morettis, their loyal fucking friend, and I intended to keep it that way in case all my counterplans fell through and I needed to wipe out their clan alone. That would only be successful as long as their guards were down around me; otherwise, I’d lose my license to exist a little faster than I had planned.The guild members were
To all the incredible readers who have joined me on this journey, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of this adventure. Your unwavering support, love, and enthusiasm have made every word worth writing, and I can’t express how grateful I am for each one of you who picked up EX-WIFE REVENGE: HE WANTS ME BACK! and followed along as the story unfolded. When I first began writing this story, I never imagined how deeply it would resonate with so many of you. EX-WIFE REVENGE: HE WANTS ME BACK! was born from the themes of love, betrayal, growth, and healing. It became a journey of rediscovering one’s worth after heartbreak, and how, sometimes, the greatest revenge is simply living life on your terms, stronger than before. I’ll forever have a soft spot for Bianca, Alessandro, Richardo, and, of course, Luca, my baby, whose strength, vulnerability, and complexities grew with every page. And, of course, I didn’t forget my two gays—Darren and Giovanni. Gosh, I love them! Ever
RICARDO’S POVThe man I was a year ago would probably hate me now—or at least laugh at how far I’d fallen.Standing in the warm kitchen of the villa, with the scent of fresh herbs and garlic wafting through the air, I stirred the pot of sauce absentmindedly. Linda was sitting at the island, flipping through some magazines and occasionally humming to herself. She looked up every now and then to check on me, smile always at the ready.“I still can’t believe you cook,” Linda said, her voice lilting with playful disbelief as she rested her chin on her palm. She sat at the island like it was her throne, watching me work.“You’ve known for months,” I replied without looking up, though I couldn’t stop the slight twitch of a smile tugging at my lips.“Knowing and believing are two different things,” she said dramatically as if the mere thought of me wielding a spatula were too much to process. “I mean, come on. You, Ricardo Moretti, slayer of gangsters, protector of secrets, simmering marinar
THIRD PERSON POVLinda stared at the bouquet in her hands, utterly baffled. Roses, hydrangeas, and something that looked suspiciously like a baby's breath. It was the kind of bouquet people bought when they were trying to make a statement. The most ridiculous part was that her fans hadn’t been the ones to send it to her.She glanced up at him, her brooding, possibly homicidal boyfriend — he had become less homicidal, she had to give that to him — standing there like he hadn’t just handed her the boldest floral arrangement she’d ever seen.“You bought me flowers?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.His sharp, dark eyes flicked to her, then away, as though he were scanning the room for an escape route. His usual cool, unshakable demeanor had cracked just enough to reveal the faintest hint of discomfort. “Yes.”Linda squinted at him, holding the bouquet to her chest like he might snatch it away. “Are you dying?”“No.”“Did you do something terrible and now you’re trying to soften
RICARDO’S POVThe soft hum of the phone ringing cut through the tension in the air. I was elbow-deep in chaos, surrounded by the thick stench of gunpowder and the distant, muffled screams of men who were just realizing that their time was up.My team and I had spent the last few hours cleaning up the mess of corrupt gangsters who thought they could cross me. The usual mix of quick punches, fast moves, and lethal precision had done the job, but as always, it was the aftermath that lingered.I swiped my phone from the back pocket of my jeans, not even checking the ID. The ringtone was familiar enough; she had forced Rises the Moon on me herself, so I knew who it was. My lips involuntarily quirked as I lifted the phone to my ear.“Go for Ricardo,” I said coolly, stepping over the body of a man who’d decided to fight rather than run. “What’s up?”“Hey, you!” Her voice came through the phone, a little cracked but still unmistakable; the reception in the shitty warehouse couldn’t keep me fr
BIANCA’S POVI adjusted my blazer, glancing at Darren with a calm expression as we approached the visitor’s room. I’d been prepared for this moment, mentally rehearsing every word I’d say, ever since the beautiful day of his and the Dobres' downfall. Darren walked beside me – sauntered really – with the countenance of someone ready to kill a man. I would have liked to complain, but his protective presence was a comforting reminder that I wasn’t facing this alone.When we entered, Matteo was already there, sitting stiffly in one of the chairs. His once-pristine suit looked worn, almost threadbare, and there was a shadow of desperation in his eyes that hadn’t been there when he was the man I’d once known. The air of arrogance he used to carry was gone, replaced by something much smaller, much weaker.“Matteo,” I greeted evenly, my voice giving away nothing. I didn’t sit; he wasn’t worthy of being in a room where I was also seated in. Instead, I stood tall, my gaze unwavering as I let hi
BIANCA’S POV Three months later, I was halfway through drafting an email when the door to my office cracked open. “Mommy, can I come in?” Luca’s voice rang out, all sweetness and patience that I knew wouldn’t last long. I looked up from my desk to see my six-year-old poking his head around the door, his brown curls slightly mussed from running around. Behind him, Alessandro leaned casually against the doorframe, his usual composed demeanor tempered by the amused smile playing at his lips. “Are you alone?” I teased, arching a brow. “Or are you bringing trouble with you?” Luca giggled and stepped in, revealing Lazarro trailing behind him. The ten-year-old was holding a bag that looked suspiciously like it contained illegal items, but he was a ten-year-old, how much trouble could he bring along? “Trouble is relative,” Alessandro quipped, stepping into the room and pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “And you’re the king of it,” I shot back with a smirk. Luca climbed onto my lap
ALESSANDRO’S POV“Looks like the future’s here,” Bianca murmured in reference to what the patriarch had said before, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. Her gaze was fixed on the Dobre patriarch, whose previously smug composure now seemed on the verge of crumbling.I tilted my head slightly and slipped a hand around her to bring her closer, unable to resist. “What a shame it’s not the one they envisioned.”Darren sauntered over with a large smile on his face, and I could relate to him. He had been wanting to release the information about Matteo for such a long time, and I was certain it felt like a balm on his wearied soul to finally enact revenge against the scum.“Showtime,” he said, just loud enough for us to hear. The crowd was awash with murmurs and people whispering loudly, clearly intending to target the Dobres and make sure they heard their speculations. Lumari was confused, Samuel was furious, and Toria was trying to play the good wife. The negative energy in the room had
ALESSANDRO’S POVI leaned against the marble pillar, my fingers drumming idly on the rim of my untouched champagne glass. The evening was a disaster. Not the catastrophic, bloody kind of disaster I was used to handling, but the sort of slow-burn chaos that made me wish I’d missed the whole spectacle in the first place.And of course, it all started with Giovanni.My younger brother’s camera crew was bustling around the room, shoving microphones and lenses into the faces of people who, mere minutes ago, had been dignified power players. Now, they were giddy fans jostling for selfies and sound bites, trying to get their good sides.Larisa was hanging on to my arm for dear life like I was going to fade away into dust if she didn’t, and irritation clawed up my throat. If Bianca had been beside me instead of this bitch, I would have been able to enjoy the look on the Dobre patriarch’s face as his revered gala became a celebrity meet-and-greet. I only had to wait a little; she was in the ro
LIMARI’S POVThe conversation had become a tangled mess of pleasantries, small talk, and carefully crafted smiles. It was all just so… predictable. I could feel the eyes on me, but not in the way I wanted. Tonight was supposed to be mine—mine to shine, mine to be the center of attention. I had worked hard for this, after all. I was the newest Dobre, the woman Samuel had chosen, the one who would help bring the family into the new age. I wasn’t just attending this gala; I was the gala.And yet, despite everything, my heart still thudded uneasily in my chest. The sensation wasn’t from Samuel, who stood tall beside me, a constant presence as calm as ever. No, the feeling came from Ricardo, Ricardo of all people, who, of course, had shown up looking effortlessly handsome, as though he hadn’t even tried. And, worse yet, he was with… her.Linda Collins.She stood beside him, the actress and writer who had quietly slipped into the crowd as though she owned it. People had already begun to rec