Alessa SullivanI spent the week with Mattia, as he was theoretically off work, though he spent most of his time in his office, working on that acquisition with Sudan. Now it's Saturday, and I'm anxious about the party I'll have to attend with him later, even though Giulia has encouraged me and keeps saying that everything will be fine.I still feel a bit insecure, especially because I know that when we arrive in the hall, everyone's eyes will be on me, not because of my beauty, but because they'll all notice the significant age difference between us.I had prepared our coffee while Mattia had been up since dawn, monitoring the European stock markets, attempting to partner with a major oil exporter.I'm not Italian, but over the past week, I’ve learned to cook various Italian dishes, and if I may say so myself, I’m doing quite well, especially since my Italian seems to be gaining some weight.As I finish pouring the juice into the pitcher to serve us, I look towards his office and wal
Alessa SullivanSeeing it from that angle, I accept the girls' advice and decide to wear the black one instead of the red. My makeup is very understated and natural; the makeup artist kept saying it was a sin to cover my face with makeup, which I took as a compliment.With my makeup and hair done, I thank the team that came to get me ready and find myself still glancing back and forth between the two dresses, still a bit undecided. The black isn't the stunning look that Mattia had requested.I'm still pondering over the dresses when the scent of my Italian fills the room, and I feel his bare chest against my back, comforting me as he runs his hands over my stomach."Are you undecided?" I nod and hold his hands on my stomach."I find the red dazzling, but the black has something that makes me feel more comfortable, I can't quite explain," he says, kissing my neck."Then I'll wear it tonight," I say, feeling a bit more confident.Mattia sits in the armchair and watches me put on my stoc
Mattia de LucaThe barrage of questions we received as we stepped out of the car made me anxious, although I had already accepted that Alessa was my wife, I still hadn't had the chance to make a decent proposal. But as soon as the opportunity arises, I will make the proposal she deserves and turn her into my Lady de Luca. My daughter had already approved of my relationship with my ragazza, so there's no reason not to propose to keep her by my side.As we entered, all eyes turned our way, as if there were a spotlight above us. I held Alessa's hand firmly and led her toward the leaders of my party.“I want to introduce you to some people,” I said with a smile.We walked through the hall, receiving some looks that made me uncomfortable, especially those filled with lust and desire for Alessa. Do I need to go caveman to make them realize she's my woman?Not far from the leaders of my committee, the Secretary-General of the UN was there, accompanied by his wife. I smiled at the opportunity
Alessa SullivanGiulia was right; this dinner was important for Mattia, even though he spent most of the time by my side, he managed to establish good alliances with other electoral committees. I spent the evening receiving numerous desirous and covetous looks, which bothered me a lot. However, managing Mattia with his possessive temperament left me feeling somewhat inflated with ego. I liked seeing him hover around me and mark his territory, yet there was this one idiot who made me feel like just any prostitute, not the woman that I am...But all the magic I felt throughout the evening evaporated when he went to talk to Antonio, the man who calls the shots at the Humanitarian Organization. I get into the car with him driving calmly. My patience was on edge, just waiting for him to say something—anything, even a single phrase. In the anger I was feeling, I would have exploded if he had uttered just one word.We were nearing the building and Mattia remained silent. I looked out the win
Alessa SullivanHis hands gently caress my back, and I look up at his masculine face, realizing how much I will miss this passionate Italian, who has transformed me into a woman.Your wife!I don't want to stay in the water too long; I want to lie next to you, soaking in your scent on my skin.“We need to change these sheets,” I say, amused by the mess we've made.We tidy everything up so we can lie down and enjoy my last few hours with you, and so we can argue a bit more comfortably too.“Now we're going to argue,” I hear him say, just as he opens his arms for me to lie in them.“I don't want to argue; I want to enjoy my last night...” He turns towards me.“It's not your last night; you're just going to a war, and I'll do everything to keep you safe,” he says.I turn towards him, swing my leg over his, and gently caress his face, knowing and understanding what he's trying to do, even though it's hard.“Mattia, I'm alone...”“Not anymore...” I interrupt him, needing to get it out.“Le
Alessa SullivanThe flight to Kiev proved to be exhausting and filled with anxiety and nervousness, not only for me, but for most of the soldiers and volunteers with me at that moment.Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was besieged by Russian troops. In an initial agreement in an attempt to achieve peace for both peoples suffering from the greed of the Russian government, they managed to create a humanitarian aid corridor, offering help and treatment for the wounded.It was cold as I stepped out of the aircraft, observing much of the city engulfed in flames or black smoke rising, some buildings destroyed. I tightened my heavy coat and watched the snow fall beside me. With my backpack on my back and my small luggage in hand, I pulled out my phone to let Mattia and Giulia know I had arrived safely.To my dismay, my phone had died, so I would have to wait until we reached where we would be housed to rest and plug in my phone. Carmen approached me and guided me towards some tents with the Red
Mattia de LucaSeeing Alessa leave left me anxious and much tenser than I imagined I would be watching her depart. Giulia holds my hand as we watch the plane take off.We didn't stay there for long; the weather was starting to cool, and I didn't want to linger there any longer. I have to keep my wife safe. I need to get in touch with António.I'm sure Alessa will be furious, but I want to hear from her as soon as that Hercules lands. And if I'm right, she won't have battery to call me, since there's no way to plug in the phone in that military plane.“Let's go, I still need to schedule a lunch for today,” I say to Giulia.“Dad, she'll be angry!” she exclaims.“I hope so, mì piccola...”We leave the base; I drop my daughter off at my apartment—she had left her car there. I couldn't take too long. Fabrízia had managed to secure a meeting with the secretary at a restaurant.“This weekend, I'll be heading to George; I bought an apartment for myself,” I tell her as I park the car in front
Alessa SullivanI had a terrible night. Throughout the early hours, there were many bombings. Sirens in the distance informed us that more victims would be arriving, trying to find refuge from this senseless war.Long before dawn, we were already wearing gloves, stitching up victims who kept arriving at the Red Cross tent.I was exhausted, and it wasn’t even ten in the morning yet. I decided to take a break and call Giulia and then Mattia.“Good morning, my humanitarian friend, how are things?”I made a video call, chose a spot a bit further away, and sat down under a tree that was beginning to lose its brown leaves to the winter that must be quite harsh in this part of the planet.I looked into the distance and saw buildings ablaze, black smoke rising, and many sirens blaring in the background. I hugged my leg, resting my cheek on my knee, and stayed silent while Giulia looked for a spot to give me her full attention.“Is it really that bad?”Her question, even though redundant, is u
Carolina AlcântaraWith the situation under control, I head up to my room, change into something more comfortable, and prepare for what I have in mind. Before leaving, I go back to the closet to find my phone, which I had dropped earlier.I scroll through my contacts, searching for the person I need to call right now. I find Henrique’s number, but to my surprise, it’s Charles who answers.“Good morning, Madame Switzerland!” he greets me calmly.“Good morning, Charles. I need help, and I know you can assist me,” I reply, hearing him laugh.I wasn’t in a friendly mood at that moment, I was furious. That idiot had entered my house, put my babies at risk, and now all I wanted was to end him.“There’s a property not too far from here; it should take just about an hour by car,” he says.I thank him, and just as I’m about to leave the room, Hassan enters. His expression is worried. I watch as he closes the door and walks toward me. I nestle into his arms and feel his comforting presence.I t
Carolina AlcântaraSeeing my children was just what I needed at that moment. It gave me a sliver of hope that everything inside me might settle, having my children by my side to enjoy the arrival of a new brother or sister.Even seeing Bruno for those few minutes and telling him about the pregnancy brought out the anger I feel toward him. But when he said he demanded to be involved in the pregnancy, that’s when I got irritated.“Demand?”Bruno has no right to demand anything. What happened will always be considered a betrayal, no matter if he claims he was under the influence. I need to talk to my mother and mother-in-law to figure out a way to keep him safe from Fritz.I end the call just as I see Hassan entering my closet, letting out a relieved sigh when he sees me sitting on the floor amidst my scattered clothes.I watch as he slides down the doorframe, his eyes locked on mine, smiling. I may not be head over heels for this charming and seductive Arab, but it’s undeniable that he’
Bruno AlcântaraI drive the car as far as I can, taking us away from everyone. I need to release my anger, and I don’t want anyone around.We arrive at the cabin at the top of the hill, and I get out of the car and kneel down, letting the tears come out. Juliana approaches and simply hugs me, hoping to calm me down a little.“I drank, I was drugged, and I slept with someone else thinking it was Carol. She showed up just in time…”I confess to my sister and see her horrified face.I know I’m wrong, and I won’t justify my mistake. I deserve whatever Carol is doing to me.I had promised her that I would never drink again to the point of losing my senses.I let my damn insecurity speak louder, didn’t trust my wife’s feelings, and accused her of allowing Carrillo to make a move on her. That’s where it all started.“She wanted to form an alliance. I know my wife is beautiful, and sometimes she uses her charm to get what she needs,” I tell my sister.We’ve been sitting on the grass in front
Bruno AlcântaraThe days have been passing, and with each one, it feels worse than the last. Lying in our bed and not feeling the scent of my wife drives me crazy. I no longer know what to tell our children; they’re starting to believe I’m lying to them.Finally, my Goddess answers the call. Her voice sounds different; there’s no more irritation, but something else there that I can’t identify. Maybe she called Fritz and told him what happened.I watch as she talks to our children and nieces and nephews, who came to spend the weekend at our house. Matheus is the saddest; our boy is only four years old and is as attached to his mother as my little popcorn is.“When are you coming back, mommy?” he insists on asking.He’s asked this question several times, and she just avoided it, which made me believe she has no intention of coming back to this house, not with me here.“Once mommy can solve a problem with daddy, my champ.”She says it with a soft voice, but I can hear a hint of pain in h
Carolina AlcântaraI can take some time away from all this madness, enjoy my pregnancy alongside this man who seems to be starting to get involved with me. With a betrayed woman, insecure at the moment, practically using him as an escape from my reality.“Are you ready?” I look at the man, wearing only a towel around his waist.“I think so.” I feel my cheeks burning.“How long has it been since you felt this shy, Carol?” A smile spreads across my lips.As I ponder his question, I reflect on it. I’ve been with Bruno for over ten years. We've gone through so many situations together that embarrassment and awkwardness have become long-forgotten feelings.Hassan is something new. I still feel self-conscious about all the marks on my body. I was significantly overweight at one point, which left its traces. On top of that, living so long in the mafia taught me to train, change my eating habits, and most importantly, learn how to defend myself. Because of this, I lost a lot of fat and gained
Carolina AlcântaraThis is enough to make me cry even more, to truly let out my last tears for that traitor. Hassan doesn’t deserve the burden of caring for a woman who still doesn’t know how to handle her shattered feelings."I’m sorry you have to see me like this…" I don’t finish my sentence.Another sob escapes, and my crying takes over again. But this time, Hassan embraces me, and I hear his sobs blending with mine. Yet, it’s different—I can see in his face that there’s joy."Why are you laughing?" I ask, wiping my face."Because you’re pregnant, my Sayidati, and by Allah, I want to be by your side," he says.At that moment, I forget what happened, who I am, and the consequences of everything that might come. I swing my leg over Hassan’s hips and place his hands on my belly."I need to ask you something. Think about it carefully, with love," I say.The thought is dangerous, but I know I can find support if I speak to the right people and hide it from those I must. His hands gently
Carolina AlcântaraWe left the office in silence, holding hands, as Hassan seemed determined to take care of everything that was happening to me. At that moment, I was…Shocked…Surprised…In disbelief…But I was…Amazed…And enchanted by the thought of carrying the life of two more people inside me, even though I didn't care who the father was.Even though I am who I am in the mafia and chose to enter to keep my daughter Laís and my family safe, I have the choice to put the life of my children’s father at risk. Bruno could be killed for his betrayal.This is a thought that has been tormenting me for the last few days, which is why I am avoiding talking to Bruno. I need to think calmly and decide what to do.I am surprised by how my life is turning out. Not just this pregnancy, but now I have this Arab by my side, and Hassan is right, we need to be careful with our feelings, not that I regret having fun with him. But we can hurt each other deeply.Hassan is being cautious, and even th
Hassan Al-MakkiI cannot forget that she is married, and even though she says she’s going to separate, I see in her eyes that Carolina still loves the man who betrayed her. I believe that, once she calms down a bit more, they’ll talk and work things out.Probably breaking my heart and crushing the feelings that are creeping around the edges. Even though I know there might be a possibility.That’s why I need to be careful not to fall in love and end up suffering like a stray dog left behind. I place my phone in her hand and let her read the message I just received.Her gaze shifts to the screen, and I see her take a deep breath. I notice when the screen goes dark and she returns the phone to my hand.“Tell him I asked you to take me to a café, that I’m still upset and haven’t been talking much,” she says. I nod.I turn the phone and send the message, relaying her request.Hassan: Mr. Alcântara, I haven’t seen her talk much. She’s been quiet. Today she asked me to take her to a café. I’
Hassan Al-MakkiHer other hand brushes through my beard, and our lips meet in a slow, delightful kiss. I quicken the pace of my fingers, and her head tilts back. I notice when she spreads her legs wider, though that ridiculous fabric prevents me from giving her a better orgasm."I promise I'll make you come better as soon as I find out if there's a bidhara inside you," I say. She squeezes her eyes shut, her climax making her look stunning."Hassan, I need..." she begins, but I know exactly what she needs."Let's go, then!" I say, withdrawing my finger from between her legs and bringing it to my mouth to taste her.Her hand reaches for the bulge in my pants, and I watch her lick her lips."Do you want this?" I ask, feeling her press against me."Get in the car, and you'll find out," she replies. I glance at her briefly and head to my seat in the car.Looking at Carolina, her smile is like that of a cat that just ate a canary. I drive out of the garage and head to the address she entere