“What do you mean? Don’t joke like that!” Gia finally managed to utter some words.“I’m not joking!” Aria retorted, her tone firm and confident.“Why would he do that?! That’s such an absurd thing to do…” Gia struggled to accept the reality unfolding before her.“And the friend Matteo stabbed back then was Dante.”“Who?!” Gia’s voice grew louder, her shock mounting. This new piece of information was even more startling than the last.“This is insane! Hold on a second!”Gia’s brain felt like it was about to explode. She couldn’t process the overwhelming complexity of everything she had just heard. She massaged her temples gently, trying to calm the pounding in her head.“This is madness... complete madness!” Gia repeated, unable to find any other words to say.“I’m not saying that Matteo stabbing him was justified. Matteo genuinely could have killed him. At that moment, he fully intended to kill Dante,” Aria explained.“Can you tell me the whole story? I can’t think straight anymore,”
"I... but..."Belle tried to protest again but couldn’t find the right words. Suddenly, she moved to swing the door shut to close it.Luckily, Aria acted quickly, blocking the door with a kick. "Don’t even try it. Explain now!" Aria demanded.Gia blinked rapidly, almost forgetting who Aria was. Aria had been a well-known fighter at school back then. Before his death, Aria’s father had been a police officer who had trained her in self-defense.That background made Aria resolute in standing her ground. Leone’s actions must have been genuinely vile to force Aria to surrender."Speak!" Aria barked.Her shout caught the attention of several neighbors. Two or three doors creaked open, revealing curious faces. But they quickly retreated upon realizing that Belle was the source of the commotion. They lost interest immediately, as Belle’s dramas were all too common.Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Belle swung the door wider, gesturing for them to enter. She didn’t want the neighbors watching
Dragged by Aria, Belle emerged from the front room. Her sudden appearance caught both Leone and Stella off guard. Stella’s furious sneer, sparked by Gia’s earlier insult, gradually faded into a frown.Belle walked timidly, frequently glancing at Leone. She seemed to be second-guessing her decision—whether or not to expose Leone’s schemes.“Just remember my promise,” Aria whispered in Belle’s ear. Belle, exactly knowing who Aria worked for, regained her composure.“Tell everyone what he offered you!” Gia demanded, pointing at Leone.“Belle, don’t do anything reckless. You know I never asked you to do anything like that.” Leone tried to sway Belle, but his uncertain gaze betrayed him.Gia raised her hand and touched her ear, drawing Belle’s attention to the absence of her earring. The subtle gesture reminded Belle of the reward she would receive, which she understood immediately.“He told me to pretend to sleep with that man to make you angry and leave him,” Belle announced, pointing fi
"Ensure they leave!" Matteo nodded, and the guard following him quickly ran after Stella and Leone, leaving only Dante behind."You should go! I’ll deal with you later,” Matteo said to Belle.“Don’t harm her! She’s helped me!” Gia quickly reminded him that Aria had already offered Belle protection.Matteo looked at Gia, who appeared very serious. “Dante, assign her a guard. I don’t want Leone seeking revenge on her,” he instructed.Dante nodded, then lifted his phone to make a call. Two minutes later, someone arrived to escort Belle out.“Raven’s still alive, isn’t he?” Gia, now standing steady, felt a slight sense of relief after hearing Matteo’s explanation. However, her worry returned when Matteo hesitated to answer.“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Gia asked again, her fear growing.“I didn’t kill him. He’s alive,” Matteo finally replied.Matteo nodded at Dante, who then left the room.“Rave!” Gia screamed upon seeing Dante half-dragging Raven, who limped with every step.Matteo ha
"Ensure they leave!" Matteo nodded, and the guard following him quickly ran after Stella and Leone, leaving only Dante behind."You should go! I’ll deal with you later,” Matteo said to Belle.“Don’t harm her! She’s helped me!” Gia quickly reminded him that Aria had already offered Belle protection.Matteo looked at Gia, who appeared very serious. “Dante, assign her a guard. I don’t want Leone seeking revenge on her,” he instructed.Dante nodded, then lifted his phone to make a call. Two minutes later, someone arrived to escort Belle out.“Raven’s still alive, isn’t he?” Gia, now standing steady, felt a slight sense of relief after hearing Matteo’s explanation. However, her worry returned when Matteo hesitated to answer.“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Gia asked again, her fear growing.“I didn’t kill him. He’s alive,” Matteo finally replied.Matteo nodded at Dante, who then left the room.“Rave!” Gia screamed upon seeing Dante half-dragging Raven, who limped with every step.Matteo ha
Gia hated waking up to the smell of hospital disinfectant filling her nose. That scent seemed to scream that something terrible had happened to her. The last thing she remembered was the sharp pain in her abdomen.Tears of fear welled up in Gia’s eyes as she opened them. She tried to move her hand to touch her stomach and check her condition, but something restrained her movement.“Haze?” Raven jolted awake the moment Gia’s hand twitched. He had been slumped over, asleep while holding her hand. Now, he sat up and leaned closer to her face.“You’re awake... You’re awake. Don’t scare me like that again…” Raven still seemed half-asleep but didn’t forget to gently cup Gia’s cheeks and bury his face in the side of her neck.“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he whispered.“How is Sötnos? How are they doing?” Gia’s voice trembled as she asked.Her tears couldn’t be held back any longer; fear consumed her. Losing Sötnos would shatter her life.“They’re fine. For now, they’re fine. But you
"Get down right now!” Matteo ordered sharply as he entered the room, followed by a long-haired woman in a doctor’s uniform. Raven stepped down, but not because of Matteo’s command—the doctor’s presence prompted him."Gia wanted this!” Raven countered triumphantly, defending his stance. Gia’s wishes were always his priority.Matteo approached Gia with questioning eyes, clearly seeking confirmation.Gia nodded. "I asked for it.”Matteo could only glare at Raven, who met his gaze equally. The tension between them wouldn’t be resolved so quickly."How are you feeling?” Matteo asked.“I’m fine,” Gia replied simply.Matteo didn’t press further. He stood silently, showing no signs or visible reactions. Yet somehow, Gia sensed his relief—perhaps in the brief flicker of his eyes.After bowing respectfully to Matteo, the doctor began examining Gia. Though doctors rarely show such deference to patients’ families, Matteo’s presence in Neive commanded such gestures. Raven, too, had been pampered b
“I want to know—did you really stab Dante because of me?” Gia’s question seemed to surprise not only Matteo but also Raven.“Who’s Dante?” Raven asked.“The man who dragged you yesterday!” Matteo answered, even though the question was directed at Gia. Raven clicked his tongue in irritation at Matteo’s response.“Is it true?" Gia repeated.“It’s true,” Matteo replied curtly."What did he say to make you that angry?" Gia wanted to know what kind of words had enraged Matteo so much.“I don’t remember exactly—something between calling you a whore and... somewhere along those lines,” Matteo answered lazily."Oh... I see."It seemed Dante had said something similar to what Stella often threw at Gia or her mother. It wasn’t new.“And you still kept him around... I was wrong,” Gia corrected herself. “Why is he still working for you after you stabbed him in the neck with a pencil?”Gia asked purely out of curiosity. It had no bearing on her future decisions—just pure interest."I don’t really u
"Yes. Just a few days ago,” Gia answered smoothly, without hesitation. Quite convincing.“And you?” Martha pointed at Matteo. “What happened to Dion?”Gia didn’t know who Dion was, but based on the context, he seemed to be Haakon’s usual bodyguard.“He’s sick. Resting,” Matteo answered coldly and briefly.The sunglasses hid almost all of his facial expressions. The other bodyguard glanced at Matteo. He surely knew it was a lie, but he didn’t interfere.“Really? I didn’t know he was sick. He seemed fine yesterday,” Martha said, looking surprised. She trusted Matteo but was puzzled by the sudden illness.“A severe flu,” Matteo added to clear Martha’s remaining doubts.“What about Natalie?”After hearing Matteo’s reasonable explanation, she turned back to Gia. This time, Gia knew that Natalie was the name of Mette’s usual assistant.“She had a sudden family emergency. They couldn’t be left alone. She left unexpectedly yesterday.”Gia inwardly groaned as she realized she had unintentional
Svvere laughed as he listened to Gia’s criticism.“It’s not pleasant at all. I hate it too,” Svvere said.“Does it have to be like this every year?” Gia questioned the gloomy tradition, secretly wishing Svvere didn’t have to go through it annually. It would be too sad if he did.Svvere nodded with exaggerated enthusiasm. “It’s annoying, isn’t it? But thankfully, Mamma replaced it with another party.”“What do you mean?”“When the formal party ends, Mamma hosts a second birthday party the next day. It’s more relaxed, with just cousins and a few close relatives attending.”“That’s wonderful!”Svvere nodded and smiled, knowing the additional party was meant to cheer him up. No wonder he grew up to be such a cheerful young man despite enduring such odd traditions. Mette had ensured that Svvere’s childhood was as normal as possible.Gia’s admiration for Mette grew a little more. At first, she had judged the family for holding such a stiff and formal birthday party.But while they adhered t
Gia hugged Al one more time before handing him over to Marlow. Sophie and Marlow would take care of them. Eventually, Marlow was summoned back to Geirangerfjord, leaving Sophie unable to handle them alone.Fortunately, Al and Frey no longer relied heavily on breast milk since they ate complementary foods. The frozen breast milk supply was also enough to last for a week.Frey immediately reached out his hand as soon as Gia freed hers. He always felt jealous whenever his older brother received more attention, whether from Gia or Raven.Sensing Gia’s unease, the little girl nestled her head against Gia’s neck and wrapped her arms around it in silence, offering comfort and reassurance.“I’ll be back soon, sweetheart. Wait a little longer. I’ll bring Daddy home,” Gia whispered.Frey missed Raven the most. He often cried and became fussy at night, his only way to express how much he missed his father. Gia understood the meaning behind those cries, which made her feel even more devastated.W
“I think this works,” Sophie said, pulling out two suits—one in blue and the other in black. "Go ahead, try them on."Gia nodded obediently and took the two suits into the fitting room. She complied because she understood the necessity of it all. After checking herself in the mirror twice, Gia finally nodded. The suits Sophie had chosen fit her petite frame perfectly."How is it?" Sophie asked."I think they’re fine," Gia replied."Great! Now all we need is to find a party dress.” With quick movements, Sophie handed the two formal suits to the sales assistant for processing."Add these too," Sophie said, pointing to two more outfits she had picked earlier.Gia was already content with the first two suits, but Sophie thought two were far too few. There was no point in arguing with Sophie about the number of clothes. Gia had to comply, or things would drag on unnecessarily.After paying for the purchases, they moved to another boutique specializing in evening and cocktail dresses.Choos
While waiting for Haakon, they enjoyed lunch. Al and Frey needed extra attention during the meal. Mette happily took over Sophie’s role and helped feed Frey. Matteo, on the other hand, wasn’t exceptionally skilled at this.It was clear that Svvere adored Freya. As he sat beside his mother, watching her feed Frey, his eyes never left her. Several times, Gia noticed him gently stroking Frey’s head with affection.Svvere even tried feeding Frey himself, though his hands were clumsy. When he succeeded, he clapped his hands like he had just won a prestigious competition. Frey’s laughter matched Svvere’s excitement, filling the room with joy.Seeing this warmed Gia’s heart a little. She truly hoped that Haakon would provide the answer she was longing for.“She doesn’t want to anymore. You don’t need to force her,” Gia explained, noticing Svvere’s sad expression when Frey refused to open her mouth again.“Is she full?” Svvere asked.“And she’ll probably feel sleepy soon,” Gia replied, explai
Mette’s residence was just as Gia remembered it, though perhaps a bit livelier now that flowers were beginning to bloom in the garden in front of the house. The last time she visited was during autumn when the garden looked much barer.“He’s the prince of Norway?” Matteo still seemed unable to believe that Gia could be close to someone of such stature. He had underestimated Lindgren’s influence before.Gia nodded. “Haakon, Mette’s husband, is the heir to the throne of Norway.”“Let’s see how this unfolds,” Matteo ended the discussion as the car stopped.Al clung tightly to Gia as they got out of the car. The boy always seemed uncomfortable in unfamiliar environments. On the other hand, Frey didn’t seem to care—especially since he was fast asleep in Matteo’s arms.The staff welcomed Gia the first time she visited. Today was special. She saw Mette standing at the main door; naturally, Svvere was with her.“Gia!” Svvere shouted, running toward her. The noise disturbed Frey, but Matteo ca
“It’s colder here,” Gia murmured. She had gotten used to Italy’s climate and forgotten that Norway was several degrees cooler.Italy’s spring temperature hovered below twenty degrees Celsius, but Norway was likely below fifteen. Gia was thankful she had dressed Al and Frey warmly enough.Jasper greeted them on the runway with Max. Their group was quite large, so he had prepared two cars. Besides Matteo, Gia brought Sophie along, as she was the only one who could help her manage the twins. Marlow had stayed behind in Italy and would only join them if necessary.“Geirangerfjord.”Gia pronounced their destination fluently as the car started moving, recalling how patiently Raven had taught her to say the name correctly.A wave of nostalgia hit Gia. Although she had left this country over a year ago, her memories of Norway remained vivid.She remembered how chaotic her emotions were when she first came here. Yet this country was also where she and Raven had gotten married, and it held a sp
Gia’s hands trembled as she listened to the dial tone. The long-distance call only played monotonously, indicating that Caius wasn’t answering.“Is he ignoring you?” Matteo asked.Gia wanted to say yes, but she trusted Caius more than that. So she called again.“Maybe he’s busy,” Gia said, trying to comfort herself while giving Matteo an excuse.The second call nearly crushed Gia’s hope. It, too, was nothing but an endless ringing tone without an answer. But just as the call was about to end, she finally heard a response.“Gia.”“Caz…”“I can’t help you.”Before Gia could even State," her request, Caius cut her off. He had already heard about Raven and guessed why Gia was calling.“I’m not asking for much. I just want to meet your father.”Caius let out a dry, bitter laugh at Gia’s request. “He won’t even meet me, Gia. How could I possibly get you an audience with him? He’s furious because I sided with Raven and didn’t take Willow’s side. I could’ve initially reported your marriage to
Gia honestly forgot about it. The warmth and happiness that had enveloped her these past few months made her unwilling to recall such unpleasant memories.Her mind effortlessly sorted out the fact that Raven was a fugitive and buried it deep in the back of her head. She refused to let that thought disrupt her happiness. But now, that very fact struck her, shattering the beautiful picture of her life at an unexpected moment. It destroyed the perfect world she had tried so hard to maintain.Gia crouched, crossing her arms over her chest, squeezing her arms and shoulders to keep herself conscious.She couldn’t allow herself to faint. Gia kept hurting her own body to stay awake. The pain from her tight grip was enough to hold on to the fragments of her sanity, preventing it from being consumed by panic and fear for the future.“Gia, what’s wrong?” Aria asked when she saw Gia’s phone fall to the floor. She got up and approached her, clueless about what was happening.“What’s wrong? Don’t d