___ROSALIA's POV___ My mouth felt extremely dry as my slumber broke. I looked to my side but Kevin was not there. I picked up the empty jar and headed towards the kitchen tiredly. It was almost 11 at the night but loud noises of laughter and music were coming from the hall. After filling the empty jar I was walking past the passage of the hall towards the stairs when I saw Kate and her friends were drinking and having fun. Eric was present there with the girls. That girl named Lana was also between them. I ignored them and kept going. "Rose!" Kate called me suddenly from there. When I neared her, Eric rapidly wrapped his arm around Kate's waist and kissed her on the cheeks looking at me. He does this always. Acts like Kate is the centre of his universe whenever I am around. As much as I detest him for hoaxing Kate, a little part of me also does not care anymore. "As you can see most of the maids are off duty already. Serve the drinks for us," Kate ordered, not even lookin
My tormentor is my savior... The creator of the dark and the light within. KEVIN's POV ------------- The dial of my watch read ten past one when I stopped the car just near the front gate. It was still raining lightly. I was busy dropping off the wet from my jacket when someone called me. "Hey, Kevin! Would you mind joining us?" That familiar girl .. her name... I couldn't recall at that moment. What could be better than enjoying a finely aged wine in such cold weather but all I wanted to do at that moment was to spoon my little kitten in my arms cosily and let myself melt into her warmth. "I'll pass," I said and continued walking towards the stairs. Rosalia must be in deep slumber by now. She had collapsed due to pain and exhaustion in the evening. I think I have gone a bit rough on her today. Anyway, she deserved it all for being dishonest with me. If my baby does something wrong, it is my responsibility to knock some sense into her head. And how the fuck she eve
ROSALIA's POV -----------------Embarrassing me in front of others never fails to please Kevin. Even the four years old child is eating his fill himself and I am being fed like a toddler. He just treats me like a whore inside the bedroom and his most precious thing outside it! How can the same person act so differently from time to time? It's messing with my mind weirdly. "Eat up," Kevin said while holding the medicine in front of my mouth patiently. It's not like I don't want to.. but it tastes bitter and I hate it. "Can I please skip it? .. I am feeling much better now" I requested softly. "Rosalia, Stop acting childish. If you fall sick this time I'll shift the hospital to our room but you are not going back there." He exhorted shoving the capsule inside my mouth forcefully. My whole body shuddered due to its bitter taste. "When is tomorrow's flight for Marseille?" Kate questioned Kevin from the opposite side of the table. "The trip has been cancelled," Kevin infor
I have a desire for every inch of you.The smell of your breath on my needing lips,The taste of you under the covers,andyour voice rummaging through every vein in my body. ◦•●口●•◦ ROSALIA's POV---------------- I inhaled and exhaled deeply while opening the chamber's door for the second time. The doctor gave me the envelope containing the report paper after I seated myself. I crossed my fingers. Dear god please.. please tell me it is some kind of food poisoning that has caused all these. My heartbeat quickened rapidly and my hands were shaking poorly when I began unfolding that report. "Congratulations! Your reports are positive and you are two weeks pregnant." The doctor announced with a bright smile on her face. No, please! Did I hear her right? Anguish got the best of me when my eyes also took a note of that word positive written on that paper. "But... but how?" I barely managed out of my flabbergasted self. "The thing is contraceptive pills are not always
ROSALIA's POV --------------- The only answer that came across my mind was no. I know he is not the person he is portraying himself to be now. He will change anytime and at the end of the day, will treat me like a whore, an object. My emotions were at their peak. I could not help but shed tears in my heartache undesiredly even though I was really tired of crying. "What's wrong?" Kevin gently asked while wiping them away. I wish I could tell him but I can not share my miseries with him when he is the cause of it. "Tomorrow is my mom's death anniversary. I want to visit her grave and the orphanage. Can I? Please!" My voice cracked. "Of course you can. You don't need to cry about such silly things." He carried me off to the bed with ease. "What did the doctor say?" He asked while getting me out of my dress diligently. "I accidentally took a medicine twice that's why felt sick" I was cautious enough to enter all of the patient's data wrong. He will never be able to fin
ROSALIA'S POV --------------- I quickly pulled up the cloth of my turtle neck top to hide that fresh stinging spot while moving downstairs. I turned towards the dining table when I heard the very familiar voice of Aaron calling my name. That means, he also returned from Marseille with Kevin last night. I rushed-ly got myself there to bid goodbye to my favourite person in this whole mansion. It would have been certainly impossible for me to survive this place and the people without this little boy's company. "Good morning! Pretty boy," I smiled, standing near him. "No, I am not pretty; I am handsome", He huffed at me being angry. I found it hard to not laugh. "Oh! How stupid of me to call a handsome young man pretty" I stooped down to his level. He giggled cutely listening to me. "Where are your mama and Eric?" I questioned. "I don't know. I did not see them there" He said. Odd! If they are not there, then where are they? Kevin is also flying back to Marseille today then
ROSALIA's POV---------------"Rose" my father's known voice steadied my quivering nerves. The cloud of my uncertainties cleared away. I have not been wronged. I'm finally free! I saw my dad coming down the stairs towards me. The light was dim but it did not obstacle me from detailing my father's face. He is in his early fifties now. Folds and ridges of ageing have embraced his face beautifully. That could be clearly seen when he came much closer. "How are you, child?" He asked as he used to do back in those days after coming back from the long trips. Frustrated, depressed, stressed, destroyed and broken that's all I had in my mind. "I am fine!" Only these three words I could find to answer back with a feeble smile. "Oh see! My little girl has grown up into an amazing young woman" Dad hugged me, and I hugged him back heartily. "You must be very tired. Let me take you to your room." He said concernedly and took me to a room that was at the corner of that ground floor.
ROSALIA'S POV -------------- So, the first thing I attempted to do after entering the room was to grab my passport. I opened the closet where I had carefully kept my passport but it was not there. I searched thrice .. my passport was not there in the closet. I checked under the mattress, in the other drawers and in every corner of that room. I did not even leave the bathroom cabinets but my passport was nowhere to be seen. Panic hugged over my senses immediately. I hastily reached through the stairs, directly towards Dad's bedroom. He could inquire the maids if they had seen my passport. "e se fosse scappata?" I heard Luca blurting frustratedly when I was about to knock on that bedroom's door. (What if she escaped?) "Mi dispiace davvero, signore" Alice's voice also could be heard from outside. (I am really sorry, sir) The environment inside there sounded heated even though I could not understand the meanings. Sounded like Alice was getting scolded. With no intention to eavesd
Three years later ___________ REX AND REYNA • • • 'IMPACT' Top 10 Under 30 Most Influential Women of the Year - ROSALIA KNIGHT Rose admired her picture on the glossy magazine cover, her fingers grazing over the newly launched diamond label she had worked tirelessly to establish. The name "Rosalia Knight", printed in bold, elegant letters under the headline, brought a satisfied smile to her lips. She still remembered the first time she had discovered her face in an entertainment column. It had felt surreal, even intrusive. But now... Now, she was a force to be reckoned with. She had carved her own empire, standing tall not only as Kevin Knight's wife but as Rosalia Knight - an influential entrepreneur and a mother of three. Unable to contain her excitement, she ordered the driver to hurry back home. She couldn't wait to brag about her recent ventures in front of her husband. The moment Rose stepped into the grand Knight Mansion, she was greeted by the sound of t
• • • A week passed by and Rose was at home steadily recovering from her postpartum. Her happiness knew no bounds with her babies safe and sound, cherishing beautifully in her arms. She had been deeply concerned about their health due to the premature delivery, but the doctor had assured her that they were perfectly healthy. The anxiety that had clouded her heart during those initial days had slowly dissipated, replaced by immense relief and gratitude. Despite the joy, a shadow of sorrow lingered in her heart. Rose had previously decided to give Maria the honour of naming her babies, acknowledging her invaluable support during the most critical moment of her life. But fate had been merciless. With Maria's tragic passing, the decision had slipped from her grasp. However, she chose to honour another tradition. One that Maria herself had informed her about during her pregnancy. According to the family's old customs, the first born boy and the first born girl would inherit the m
▪⬞▪ Like a fragile bird trapped in a storm, she felt the weight of his presence suffocating her every hope of escape. ▪⬞▪ The Knight family's middle aged consigliere produced some paper and put it on the front table. Two of the maids were standing at a far distance to provide if something was needed. A few men were standing outside the room and Miliani, shaking like a little leaf, was forcefully made to sit beside Daniel. Till then Miliani was fearing if he would force her to marry someone among the men present there but when the fretful realisation gnawed on her that she was about to be wedlocked by the man she could not hold herself stable in front of, it was too overwhelming and intimidating for her to take in. Daniel with his beautiful cursive writing signed the papers almost immediately, he was just a small step away from ascending to the pinnacle of his authority. Should he be bothered by this girl's reluctance and snivels? .. never. He strived hard, fought for year
• • "Is it necessary to play by the rules?" Daniel queried being serious; he relied on Kevin's wisdom for the endeavours he was striving to get even though he craved to behead the Romanos all at once, not caring about any consequences. "It's for the best," Kevin suggested confidently. With Tristian Romano being dead and no one else in his bloodline alive, it empowered the Knights to take control over their territory officially. As their mother, the daughter of one of the founder members, was a Romano by blood which attached them with the authority to acquire the empty position. But the situation was quite risky and perilous, all surrounded by their enemies but Daniel could not care less. He wanted to eliminate the other Romano families and take control over the whole of their territory but Kevin wanted him to cautiously play by their rule first then eventually ascend to the position, he aspires to. Daniel's eyes flashed with resolve as he gave Kevin a curt nod signalling his
•••All his sins, all his misdeeds circled his mind pushing his soul to the verge of damnation. Kevin's breathing grew heavier at that moment. He braced himself for acceding his eternal doom, but a firm determination was flooding through his entire being; he was definitely not surrendering his life in vain, not so easily, not before stoning the security and safety of his love, his Rose. In a heartbeat, Kevin brought out the small pistol that he tactfully hid down in his pants, pushing it halfway into the side of his shoe predicting the extreme adversity that might occur any moment. Three bullets got fired together. From a distant vantage point, Daniel fired without hesitation or a careful aim. The shot struck Tristian's hands, causing him to flinch in his determined aim and Tristian's bullet went astray, driving itself into Kevin's upper leg. At that exact moment, Kevin's own shot found its inevitable mark, piercing straight into Tristian Romano's heart. Tristian grunted ou
Kevin’s world tilted on its axis. He had suspected betrayal, but hearing it from Kate’s own lips was a dagger to the heart. Tristian’s small, evil laughter echoed in the room, a sound devoid of any humanity. He wanted to take advantage of Kevin's most vulnerable moment and Kate served in his favour well. Kevin’s heart pounded with a fierce mixture of fear, rage, and a desperate determination. The day’s harrowing events had driven him to the edge, and the sight of Tristian in his home, holding his family hostage like the Romanos did in the past and his own sister shaping all these behind his back pushed him over. He wanted to reach out and throttle Tristian, to make him pay for every ounce of pain he and his family had inflicted on Kevin and his family. But with Kate standing between them, the path to vengeance was blocked. For the first time ever in his life, Kevin felt his fingers shaking on the trigger. "Kate, you know, you don’t have to do this," Kevin implored, his voice raw w
• • • Rose had just given birth to their twins under the most harrowing circumstances and now, the ominous sound of a gunshot shattered the fragile peace that had barely settled over their mind and home. Kevin was all alert on his senses standing in the hallways, his intuition battling with unpredictability and determination that something was terribly wrong for sure. He glanced back toward the bedroom where Rose and their newborns were resting, safe for now. The decision gnawed at him, should he stay and protect his family or investigate the threat that lurked within their mansion, their safe boundary? Being unable to put the damn network into any work, he frustratedly threw his phone off and after a moment of agonizing hesitation, he resolved to ensure the safety of his loved ones by confronting the danger head-on. Kevin hurried downstairs to his study on the first floor. He opened a concealed drawer, revealing a sleek, black handgun. The cold metal felt reassuring in his
• • • Rose was not due in a month but the sudden panic attack induced her labour. All the while, Kevin stayed by Rose's side, not leaving her even for a second and urging her constantly to breathe through the contractions. "You are doing great, baby. Just keep breathing for me," He hushed softly near her ear. Rose tried to focus on Kevin's voice, but the shooting pain was overwhelming. Each contraction felt like a wave crashing over her, leaving her gasping for breath. She clenched Kevin's hand, barely holding onto her consciousness. "It hurts...," she cried out of sheer helplessness, tears were streaming down her cheeks, strands of hair sticking onto her face, "...so much." "You can, Rose," Kevin said firmly, though his own heart was breaking to see her in such excruciating agony. "You're going to be the strongest mother I know. Just keep breathing, okay? We're going to get through this," he tried to coo her, boosting her courage. Maria and Agatha worked quickly,
A thousand thorns were pierced on her belly at once, that's what it felt like for Rose when she could not stop herself from dropping onto her bare knees. Rose swept on the floor on her side with a cry of agony at the gruesome sight of her kitten's lifeless body, the blood scrawled word BITCH got washed away painting her forearms with the fresh warm blood of her feline baby. Relentless waves of panic tied a burning knot inside her stomach forcing her to curl into a small ball. All the muscles of her distressed body contracted altogether. Rose shot her eyes closed, haphazardly gasping for some air and just as she was about to collapse, a sharp, searing pain shot through her abdomen causing her to shriek with all her might due to the spasm. Rose sensed the popping feeling of water gushing down her inner thighs. Miliani, rushing back with a glass of milk, screamed, calling Rose in alarm, watching her lathering on the floor. Dropping the glass out of instinct, she sprinted to Rose