MARIA'S POVMy bodyguard led me into the house. Ursula and Zia watched their favorite telenovela in the living room when I arrived. I tried. I tried to look like everything was fine, but seeing them, my resolve shattered. They ran to me when they saw how much I was shivering. They didn't say anything but only hugged me."I lost him," I struggled to say, but they did not understand me. I don't remember how, but the next thing I knew, I was immersed in the bathtub.Zia Benedetta turned on the warm water, letting it cleanse me. I don't know if she knew this, but it wasn't only my dirty body. My soul was in rot. I was in so much turmoil.Whenever the thought of how I was so close to reuniting with my brother resurfaced, I shuddered at my weakness in being unable to protect him. The image of his face caught in chaos appeared in my head. He looked so scared and clueless.He didn't recognize me, which was worrying initially, but it didn't trump my desire to save him. The tears fell from my e
Matteo walked into Perini Navi as a force of habit rather than enthusiastically. He had taken a break from work because of Vincenzo and his many shenanigans. However, he is doing much better now. Vincenzo's selfishness no longer annoyed him, and the thoughts of the sharp-tongued princess trumped it. Ursula.He tested her name in his mouth, and it came out nicely. The image of a furious woman flashed before his eyes, making him chuckle slightly. The mere thought of seeing her again made him smile. He almost wanted to try to run into her on purpose, coincidentally. He walked into the reception and contemplated between visiting Vincenzo's office and the workshop. He was going for the former when a loud noise stopped him. It was coming from the direction of the workshop. He strained his ears to hear, realizing he was the only one present at the reception. He followed the sound of the noise, which led him to the path of their workshop. Stepping out, he met a chaotic scene. Uniform men
Vincenzo led Matteo to the room where he kept Marco. At the room entrance were two hefty men, obviously to keep watch of the man. They bowed slightly as Vincenzo and Matteo approached the door and allowed them to enter. Matteo looked around, taking in the environment where what might be their most prized possession was being hosted. It was a large room with a bathroom and barely any furnishing: just a large bed and a table stand. The captive was looking out the window when they came in. Not even the sound of footsteps approaching was enough to get his attention."Well, that's him," Vincenzo pointed to the tall, skinny man. Matteo wished he would turn around to get a better view of him. Unfortunately, the man looked adamant about remaining in that position. "He's not much of a talker or a looker, I guess," Matteo replied Dryly, Vincenzo shrugged, short of words. "Why did you take me?" A strange voice suddenly asked. It took the duo a while to notice it was coming from Marco. Weir
Maria's POV"Aghhhh!" I screamed and smashed my phone on the wall. Damn, Vincenzo! I thought to myself. It wasn't just his words that made my toes curl in disgust, but also how he said them. He wanted to hurt me. Have they not hurt me enough? At what point does that family stop and say it's okay? 'Why do they keep hurting me!' I raged and began to smash everything in sight. Ursula must have heard from her room because she panicked into mine."What is going on, Maria?" She looked at me in fear."I am going to kill Vincenzo! I will do it with my bare hands," I replied."What is it again?" she stood before me, stopping me from damaging my mirror. "Wait, does this have something to do with social media's trending topic? Did you perhaps have something to do with that?" She asked. I could hear the panic in her voice. I wondered if she was disappointed in me."Yes, I did," I announced proudly. Her face fell, and she shook her head as if it were a dream. "Marie, I would slap some sense
Ursula felt suffocated, so she exited the house to get her head together. The only way Ursula knew how to do it was through shopping. Zia Benedetta was busy so she couldn't come with her. Maria locked herself in her room since the confrontation with the crazy Viola and refused to come out. Everything was getting too intense for her, and she just needed to press pause for a minute. She needs time to calm down her nerves, or else our next step might cause havoc.They drove past an ice cream shop, and she begged him to stop. It had been quite a while since she indulged herself in sweet treats. Ursula needs some sweetness to kill the bitterness of the sight of that wrench Viola Santoro.Another thing that caught her attention when she came down was the small building that sold the most interesting-looking food she had come across in her short stay in Milan. She made her mental note to taste that roadside food after her quick stop for some Ice cream."Common, let's go take some ice cream,
She couldn't react fast enough as he scooped the juices that clung to her mouth and licked it, his eyes never leaving hers. She didn't know if it was his boldness doing something so sensual in public without care if her driver or his mother was watching or how he was looking at her like he wanted to ravish her, but Ursula was well and truly undone. She desired to know who this bodacious man was. "Stop playing with food and attend to the customers," his mother scolded, coming out from the kitchen. The spell was broken, and his perfectly mischievous smile came in place. She wanted to ask for his name so badly since he knew hers already, but she didn't want his mother to look at her a certain way. The food was ready and handed to them. In no time, customers filled the stall. He became preoccupied and didn't even spare a glance at her. Ursula felt disappointment consume her, and she shook her head violently as if it were some physical force she could ward off. "Do you think we could
Ursula finished her story, and they all were in awe."Are you in love with him now?" Zia asked. Maria and Ursula looked at themselves and burst into laughter."Oh, common Zia, am I twelve?" She jested."Well, love at first sight does exist," Zia said, and Ursula caught on to that same dreamy voice she had used the other day at the cathedral."Zia, is there something you want to share?" Maria went along with the teasing. They both stared deeply at Zia with mischievous smiles playing on their faces."Stop it, you girls. We're talking about Ursula now," she blushed."Zia Benedetta, one day, we will force you to tell us about your secret lover," Ursula said and laughed."What about you, Maria? Have you ever been in love?" Zia asked."Love," she repeated like it was the strangest word she had ever heard. Just then, Maria's phone rang, successfully taking her out of a tricky spot."Who could be calling me at this time?" she complained. She hissed when she saw the ID pop on the screen."Who
Gisella's POVWaking up with the ray of light overwhelming me through my pink curtains, I turn over to see my parents standing right in front of me with worries glued to their faces. By this, I jumped up from the bed."Mama, Papà, what is the problem? Why are you two In my room so early in the morning? " I grimaced."We have to talk to you about something important, Principessa, and we hope you'll try to understand what we're about to tell you." my papà utters.I balanced myself correctly by resting my back on the wooden bed shelf. "OK, what is it? Tell me. I won't budge." I kept smiling even though my parents were serious about what they were about to tell me."Are you sure of it, my little Principessa? " my papà questioned me with a specific justification in his tone."I promise, okay, so throw it on me now. I'll manage." I winked at them playfully."Mia Cara, Gisella, I'm sorry to say, but we have arranged a marriage for you. " With face down, he kept quiet.I burst out with a fa
Ursula finished her story, and they all were in awe."Are you in love with him now?" Zia asked. Maria and Ursula looked at themselves and burst into laughter."Oh, common Zia, am I twelve?" She jested."Well, love at first sight does exist," Zia said, and Ursula caught on to that same dreamy voice she had used the other day at the cathedral."Zia, is there something you want to share?" Maria went along with the teasing. They both stared deeply at Zia with mischievous smiles playing on their faces."Stop it, you girls. We're talking about Ursula now," she blushed."Zia Benedetta, one day, we will force you to tell us about your secret lover," Ursula said and laughed."What about you, Maria? Have you ever been in love?" Zia asked."Love," she repeated like it was the strangest word she had ever heard. Just then, Maria's phone rang, successfully taking her out of a tricky spot."Who could be calling me at this time?" she complained. She hissed when she saw the ID pop on the screen."Who
She couldn't react fast enough as he scooped the juices that clung to her mouth and licked it, his eyes never leaving hers. She didn't know if it was his boldness doing something so sensual in public without care if her driver or his mother was watching or how he was looking at her like he wanted to ravish her, but Ursula was well and truly undone. She desired to know who this bodacious man was. "Stop playing with food and attend to the customers," his mother scolded, coming out from the kitchen. The spell was broken, and his perfectly mischievous smile came in place. She wanted to ask for his name so badly since he knew hers already, but she didn't want his mother to look at her a certain way. The food was ready and handed to them. In no time, customers filled the stall. He became preoccupied and didn't even spare a glance at her. Ursula felt disappointment consume her, and she shook her head violently as if it were some physical force she could ward off. "Do you think we could
Ursula felt suffocated, so she exited the house to get her head together. The only way Ursula knew how to do it was through shopping. Zia Benedetta was busy so she couldn't come with her. Maria locked herself in her room since the confrontation with the crazy Viola and refused to come out. Everything was getting too intense for her, and she just needed to press pause for a minute. She needs time to calm down her nerves, or else our next step might cause havoc.They drove past an ice cream shop, and she begged him to stop. It had been quite a while since she indulged herself in sweet treats. Ursula needs some sweetness to kill the bitterness of the sight of that wrench Viola Santoro.Another thing that caught her attention when she came down was the small building that sold the most interesting-looking food she had come across in her short stay in Milan. She made her mental note to taste that roadside food after her quick stop for some Ice cream."Common, let's go take some ice cream,
Maria's POV"Aghhhh!" I screamed and smashed my phone on the wall. Damn, Vincenzo! I thought to myself. It wasn't just his words that made my toes curl in disgust, but also how he said them. He wanted to hurt me. Have they not hurt me enough? At what point does that family stop and say it's okay? 'Why do they keep hurting me!' I raged and began to smash everything in sight. Ursula must have heard from her room because she panicked into mine."What is going on, Maria?" She looked at me in fear."I am going to kill Vincenzo! I will do it with my bare hands," I replied."What is it again?" she stood before me, stopping me from damaging my mirror. "Wait, does this have something to do with social media's trending topic? Did you perhaps have something to do with that?" She asked. I could hear the panic in her voice. I wondered if she was disappointed in me."Yes, I did," I announced proudly. Her face fell, and she shook her head as if it were a dream. "Marie, I would slap some sense
Vincenzo led Matteo to the room where he kept Marco. At the room entrance were two hefty men, obviously to keep watch of the man. They bowed slightly as Vincenzo and Matteo approached the door and allowed them to enter. Matteo looked around, taking in the environment where what might be their most prized possession was being hosted. It was a large room with a bathroom and barely any furnishing: just a large bed and a table stand. The captive was looking out the window when they came in. Not even the sound of footsteps approaching was enough to get his attention."Well, that's him," Vincenzo pointed to the tall, skinny man. Matteo wished he would turn around to get a better view of him. Unfortunately, the man looked adamant about remaining in that position. "He's not much of a talker or a looker, I guess," Matteo replied Dryly, Vincenzo shrugged, short of words. "Why did you take me?" A strange voice suddenly asked. It took the duo a while to notice it was coming from Marco. Weir
Matteo walked into Perini Navi as a force of habit rather than enthusiastically. He had taken a break from work because of Vincenzo and his many shenanigans. However, he is doing much better now. Vincenzo's selfishness no longer annoyed him, and the thoughts of the sharp-tongued princess trumped it. Ursula.He tested her name in his mouth, and it came out nicely. The image of a furious woman flashed before his eyes, making him chuckle slightly. The mere thought of seeing her again made him smile. He almost wanted to try to run into her on purpose, coincidentally. He walked into the reception and contemplated between visiting Vincenzo's office and the workshop. He was going for the former when a loud noise stopped him. It was coming from the direction of the workshop. He strained his ears to hear, realizing he was the only one present at the reception. He followed the sound of the noise, which led him to the path of their workshop. Stepping out, he met a chaotic scene. Uniform men
MARIA'S POVMy bodyguard led me into the house. Ursula and Zia watched their favorite telenovela in the living room when I arrived. I tried. I tried to look like everything was fine, but seeing them, my resolve shattered. They ran to me when they saw how much I was shivering. They didn't say anything but only hugged me."I lost him," I struggled to say, but they did not understand me. I don't remember how, but the next thing I knew, I was immersed in the bathtub.Zia Benedetta turned on the warm water, letting it cleanse me. I don't know if she knew this, but it wasn't only my dirty body. My soul was in rot. I was in so much turmoil.Whenever the thought of how I was so close to reuniting with my brother resurfaced, I shuddered at my weakness in being unable to protect him. The image of his face caught in chaos appeared in my head. He looked so scared and clueless.He didn't recognize me, which was worrying initially, but it didn't trump my desire to save him. The tears fell from my e
It was good while it lasted, but now Maria was over it. She wanted to go straight to what she came here to do. She took the last bite from her plate and waited for the table to be cleared before she cleared her throat and asked the question on her mind."Why am I here?" she directed to no one."You're here-""Now that you've asked, I'll say it plainly," Vincenzo interrupted his mother.He was bored of whatever game Maria was playing. He also could not stand the sight of Roy for one more minute. He believed it was in their best interest to get to the crux of the matter before he lost control."I want my prototype back," he said."What do you mean by that? What does your prototype have to do with me?" she asked, feigning confusion."I know you took it, Maria. Just drop your silly act and return it to me," he warned dangerously."That's some serious accusation you're throwing around, Vincenzo Santoro. I hope you have proof to back up this ridiculous claim if I sue," she said casually, si
Vincenzo and his family ordered a table at the restaurant. It was one of the best restaurants in Milan, and it belonged to them. His mother had carefully planned this venue so that they could have an advantage. She didn't want them to be cut off guard."We've not been to this restaurant in ages, and suddenly, Mum chooses this place for dinner?" Vincenzo whispered to his father."You know how your mother is. She probably has her reasons for making us come here. Just follow her lead, and everything should go on smoothly."His dad said reasonably.He was always on the quiet side. He thought things through and was never ready to pass judgment. Vincenzo was glad he took his wisdom from his dad. It was just a pity he never quite forgave himself for the role his foolishness played in losing the love of his life.He got his impatience and quick temper, however, from his mother. He wanted things to be done as soon as he asked. He had no room to occupy failures of any form. Maybe that was why i