“Do you like the smell?” Raven held a fresh truffle under Gia’s nose.The truffle had a strong aroma, but Gia no longer felt nauseous. Her stomach had grown more tolerant of strong smells.The nausea she had experienced had diminished significantly. Though she still couldn’t eat fruits, she no longer minded being in the same room with them.“Are you going to buy it?” Gia asked. The truffle was incredibly expensive, and she knew it was one of the priciest ingredients in the world.“Of course! It’s hard to find fresh truffles like this outside their season. I’ll buy a few.”Raven’s idea of “a few” differed from most people’s. He spent thousands of euros on a small bag of truffles.The finest white truffles indeed came from Italy. This year, only a few wild truffles had been found in Neive, causing their price to skyrocket. Raven seemed to be the last customer because the seller hung a “sold out” sign as they left the shop.“Let’s take it slow,” Raven said, guiding Gia down the steps as
“Why are there so many cars?” Gia wondered aloud as they returned to the Ranallo residence. Several cars were parked in the yard, three or four neatly lined up.“Maybe Matteo’s business,” Raven replied nonchalantly.“He doesn’t handle his legal or illegal business here at home anymore since we moved in,” Gia countered.Aria had said that before. Since Gia began living in the house, Matteo has significantly reduced his work activities there. No business—legal or otherwise—is discussed in the residence anymore. The usual affairs involving Aria or the more “extraordinary” dealings involving Dante are no longer part of the household’s daily life.Gia’s presence made him restrain himself. Matteo didn’t want to mix her life with anything illegal.“Let’s get inside. You’re probably tired. We’ve been out for hours,” Raven said.Gia agreed. The sun was already beginning to set; they had been out since morning.Yet her curiosity heightened again as they entered the house. There was no crowd ins
“Thank you,” said Raven without thinking, directing it to the servants who had just finished cleaning the pavilion from the party’s remains. He closed the door as soon as they all left.“Tired?” he asked Gia, who was lounging on the sofa, stretching out her legs to relax.Gia nodded. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she wasn’t ready to sleep yet. The excitement and energy from the party still lingered in her body.“Why couldn’t Sophie make it?” Gia had asked this earlier, but Raven’s answer had been drowned out by Dante’s loud laughter as he tried to charm Rose.“They’re on vacation,” Raven replied. “I told them to take some time off, and they’re probably in Japan right now. I’m not sure. Sophie wanted to come, but since I only told her yesterday, they couldn’t book the right flight. She sent a long message congratulating you. I’ll send you the video later.”Raven seemed annoyed as he explained. Sophie had scolded him endlessly for failing to inform her about the event earlier. Gia smiled,
The lingerie didn’t hide its wearer’s body; almost everything was made from transparent fabric. Given the exceptionally wide area around the stomach, it was clearly designed specifically for pregnant women.“What is this?” Raven was confused. “Are they trying to torture me?”Gia immediately knew who was behind this gift idea and vowed to kill Vero the moment they met. Reluctantly, Gia had to explain everything to Raven.Sitting up nervously, Gia straightened her posture while Raven stared at her with his piercing gaze.To Raven, the gift felt like a form of torment because Aria’s words were true—Raven hadn’t touched Gia for more than three months. Now, the tightly repressed desire within him surged uncontrollably at the sight of the lingerie and the so-called toy included with it.Unable to stop, Raven pictured how Gia’s body would look in the lingerie. Naturally, it was an enticing image to him. Gia’s body had always been irresistible, no matter its shape.“Are you just going to stay
“Why did you choose him?!” Raven wanted to shout but couldn’t bring himself to do it to Gia.Raven clenched his right fist at his side while pointing his left hand at Matteo, who stood arrogantly in front of the pavilion door.Matteo felt victorious because Gia had chosen him to accompany her for today’s yoga session."You’re busy, Rave. I chose Matteo because you’re busy,” Gia explained patiently.“I’m not busy!” Raven retorted immediately.Standing at the door near Matteo, Jasper shook his head in disagreement. He had been waiting for Raven as well.Raven was incredibly busy. He was cramming his work schedule so that he wouldn’t have to worry about unfinished tasks when the expected due date, about two weeks from now, arrived.Jasper had meticulously organized the schedule, but the downside was that Raven had to work extra hard now to avoid future setbacks.“You are busy! So today, I’ll be with Matteo. I’ll be fine, Rave. Don’t you trust him?" Gia asked."Of course not. Matteo nearl
Their journey ended on the outskirts of Neive, in a hilltop residential complex. It was an exclusive location, with no neighbors in sight, resembling the kind of hideout Raven always preferred.At a glance, the house perched on the hill blended seamlessly with its surroundings. The soothing green walls and dominant wood tones made the house look serene and inviting.And let’s not even mention the surrounding environment. Standing atop the hill guaranteed its occupants breathtaking views of lush greenery and a stunning valley stretching before them. The view alone could easily double the house’s value.“Where are we? Whose house is this?” Gia bombarded Matteo with questions, her eyes roaming the house’s details. So far, she hadn’t found any flaws worth criticizing.“Let’s go inside,” Matteo said.“This is your house?”Matteo’s short answer didn’t stop Gia from probing further. But his response became even more elusive when he merely shrugged.Gia felt an urge to grab Matteo by the coll
“What does that even mean? He’s so stupid!" Gia complained.Commenting on movie absurdity was probably one of Gia’s bad habits. Rose had reprimanded her countless times, but it never worked. Gia would curse in frustration whenever the movie she watched didn’t go how she wanted. Naturally, her outbursts annoyed anyone watching with her.“You shouldn’t call people stupid,” Matteo scolded.The two of them spent a relaxing morning in the pavilion, watching a movie with popcorn. Since Raven hadn’t returned yet, it was Matteo’s turn to keep Gia company.“Stupid isn’t a curse word. I’m just calling it as it is. It’s not an insult.”Her absurd response was just a way to justify herself. Raven would have laughed at her defense, but since Matteo was with her instead, he only nodded understanding before returning to the TV. His focus didn’t last long, though. Slowly, his gaze turned vacant as his thoughts drifted elsewhere, leaving his body behind.“You don’t seem to be enjoying this,” Gia said,
After the panic that left Raven’s mind blank, they spent the rest of the trip in a calmer state.The journey to the hospital was relatively uneventful. Matteo drove while Raven sat in the backseat with Gia. Throughout the ride, Raven never let go of Gia’s hand.Gia’s grip left red marks on Raven’s hand as she squeezed tightly every time a contraction hit. The contractions grew more frequent as time went on.Matteo carefully pulled up to the emergency room entrance, where Vero was waiting with a wheelchair. Matteo had called her before they left.“They must be eager to see the world,” Vero said as Gia stepped out of the car.“I was hoping they’d inherit some patience,” Gia replied.Raven forced a smile despite his pale face. He was far calmer now. “I was hoping for the same. I don’t want them to end up like me,” he added.Vero chuckled as she helped Gia into the wheelchair and pushed her inside.Gia held her breath again as another wave of pain struck. Raven extended his hand and clasp
"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