RICARDO’S POVLuca chattered incessantly about every little thing and nothing at the same time, as children enjoyed doing. He talked about how the Lira was magical and how he had the most magical nap ever, and that helped me understand what exactly had happened.Somehow, he had stumbled into this place and fallen asleep. Then, when he woke up, he didn’t know the difference between afternoon and evening because of the trees that had formed extra thick canopies covering the sky. That meant he didn’t realize just how late it was and how he should have gone home already.“Do you know that something that studies dinosaurs is a palle-onto-logist?”“Do you mean paleontologist?” I corrected, and the boy nodded into my shoulder.We had reached the hole now, and I had to drop him so he could squeeze through. He didn’t even need to squeeze; he just slipped through like he was lubricated. Oh, to be a child able to slip through the smallest crevices.After I squeezed through, I held out my hand, b
BIANCA’S POV“Where did you go?!” I tried my hardest not to yell at my baby. He was looking plump and well-rested, so at least it seemed like he hadn’t suffered the whole day he’d been awake. In fact, there were telltale markings of his drool and the imprint of his hand on his face, like he had been sleeping.“The gardens. I was there all day with the faeries,” he pouted, and I knew I was not getting anything out of him again. I didn’t know when he started thinking he could keep secrets from his mother, but he felt like he was a big boy now, and who was I to query my big boy?“Next time you go out with the faeries, notify me or your mother first, okay?” Alessandro said, the boy still tightly in his grasp. Luca was grinning like a mischievous imp, and I shook my head. He took after his father. I couldn’t believe I had nearly turned the whole villa upside down. I had even called in people who hadn’t been in the villa in days, like Linda, Darren, and even Charlie.“Okay, Daddy. See, I go
BIANCA’S POV “You,” I pointed to Alessandro, “come with me,” I said and left for our room. “Ooh, someone’s getting kinky, that’s our cue to leave, my love,” I heard Darren say. Just because I wanted to see Giovanni’s face, I rushed back down silently. As expected, his face was aflame, and he had a silly smile on his face, despite the fact that they were already officially dating. I wondered offhandedly if I ever smiled like that at Alessandro because I remembered clearly that he often did the same. “Ugh! You fall in love once, and I can’t have any peace anymore,” Linda deadpanned, getting up and cleaning off her purse. “I’ll be in my home; I refuse to be stabbed in the eyes any longer with romantic nonsense.” If not for the smile in her voice, I would have thought she was being serious. She was so obsessed with being on her own that it wouldn’t have been out of pocket if she actually said it seriously. I couldn’t remember what the last person Linda dated even looked like; that was
LINDA’S POVI slipped into my car and began to drive home. It was late, and I hated driving late. It was traumatizing and scary for no reason, so I tried to avoid driving late as much as possible. It was dark, and I couldn’t really see much of anything, so I was driving slowly. As I got to the interstate leading directly into Turin, I regretted not staying in the room Bianca had offered me.There were men with what I discerned to be knives at the edge of the road, hiding and waiting for me to casually drive by so they could plunder me. I had just bought this heavy-duty car. I quite liked it, and as such, it was understandable that I didn’t want to part with it yet.I squinted into the darkness. I had relatively good eyesight, and there were two cars sitting in the fog, blocking my way if I tried to run. Judging by common sense, there would be cars at the back too to stop me from retreating. The men were still hiding, not knowing that I had seen them.I smirked. They probably hadn’t ex
LINDA’S POVMy heart pounded as I gripped the wheel, trying to steady my breathing. The blond man sauntered toward my jeep, his movements calm and deliberate, like a predator confident in its prey. He wasn’t carrying a weapon—not visibly, at least—but the men pouring out of the other jeeps were armed to the teeth. Their demeanor wasn’t like the bumbling idiots I’d just demolished. No, these men moved like professionals. Coordinated. Deadly.I was so fucked.“Talented?” I called out, masking my panic with a sweet, innocent smile. “Oh, you’re too kind. But, uh, I don’t think I’m really cut out for…whatever this is.” I gestured vaguely at their convoy, doing my best impression of someone who wasn’t absolutely losing her mind. “You know how it is. Early mornings, long hours. Not really my thing.”The blond man stopped a few feet away from my car, tilting his head like he was studying an exotic animal at the zoo. His playful smile widened, but his eyes stayed sharp. “Not your thing. You su
LINDA’S POVThe jeep ride to my doom felt longer than it should have. My wrists were bound so tightly that my fingers were going numb, and every pothole on the road seemed to be designed to jar me alone.They had pulled out tight ropes from the backseat and wrapped me like a criminal on trial for the murder of children the moment they tossed me inside. My heart was pumping blood in overdrive, and I would be collapsing from a heart attack sooner than I could be threatened if they didn’t hurry up.Blondie sat still, silent and relaxed, as if transporting bound captives to their mob boss was his version of a relaxing drive. Then again, he was probably used to this kind of thing.Meanwhile, Yuri, the human equivalent of a sledgehammer, sat beside me calmly, his lips twitching upward like he was daring me to try something stupid. I wasn’t dumb enough to. Not because I didn’t want to escape, but because the odds of me headbutting my way to freedom were slim. His skull looked like it could c
LINDA’S POV“You know me?” I asked. I could only hope whoever had hired them hadn’t asked them to kill me. There was no way I could escape from the warehouse alive as it was.“Stop talking to the boss directly!” one of the men behind him growled at me, loudly. My ringing ears chose to pick up on that sound directly, and it reverberated in my skull. It wasn’t my fault! How was I supposed to know mafioso etiquette? Perhaps that was what Yuri had been trying to achieve by hitting me so hard.“Oh no, the woman that paid for her life is a rather dear friend to the big boss. That makes Miss Collins a good friend too,” the boss said, his tone very polite and light, like he was simply making observations on a golf course.So the person after me was a woman. Well, that certainly narrowed the list down to one person. I never liked to make enemies of women—not when hot-tempered, irritating men were right there. Unfortunately, there was one woman who had succeeded in being my mortal enemy, engagi
LINDA’S POVThe figure stepped fully into the dim light, his white shirt immaculate despite the dusty, grimy warehouse. How had he kept a white shirt inconspicuous? His hair was dark, roughed up in a way that made him look like a vampire that had just risen from his coffin, and his sharp jawline was set with an almost casual disdain. His eyes swept over the room, taking in the cowering men, the scattered weapons, and finally, me.It was Ricardo.I didn’t know whether to be relieved or terrified. Sure, he wasn’t here to tear me limb from limb—probably—but the terror he had already wracked on my soul didn’t really inspire comfort. And now, here he was, sauntering in like the king of hell had just taken a leisurely stroll into my own personal disaster.I could only hope he still didn’t want me dead because his menacing aura was crushing me, and I was sure I couldn’t take him even in a fair fight naturally, not to talk of when he was exuding this kind of presence.“Dante,” the Boss stamme
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