"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
FIVE YEARS AGO"Is that your house?" Gia pointed to the building in front of her, mouth agape.She knew Lonan was one of the sons of the Lindgren family, a European conglomerate with wealth so immense it had more than ten zeros. But seeing it first hand made Gia's knees suddenly weak. The Lonan she knew, the one who was always relaxed and down-to-earth, showed no signs of belonging to a place that looked more like a castle.If Lonan hadn't said it was his home, Gia would have guessed that the magnificent building was the Swedish king's palace or maybe the prime minister’s residence. The vast yard was bustling with rows of luxury cars belonging to the other party guests."Come on..."Lonan got out of the car ahead of her, then opened her door, extending his hand sweetly in front of Gia."Are you sure I should go in? Lonan, I feel like I don’t belong here." Gia, in a panic, checked the dress she was wearing. The gown was stunning; she almost cried when she saw it earlier that day.The
Caius didn't feel guilty and instead laughed at the innocent attitude displayed before him."Are you really Raven's girlfriend? He usually chooses women who are more mature. A kiss on the hand shouldn't surprise you."Gia felt warmth rising as she began to grow angry. "I'm not Raven's girlfriend!" she snapped."Oh? But..." Caius looked toward the room Gia had pointed out earlier. He misunderstood, assuming the 'boyfriend' Gia mentioned was Raven."Lonan? You're Lonan's girlfriend? Hmm... You’re more suited for Lonan. He’s always liked petite, innocent girls."Whoever Caius was, Gia hated him. She might be petite, but she was a grown woman, 24 years old. Yet Caius had guessed accurately, as Gia could indeed be considered innocent when it came to romance.At the age of twenty-four, Gia remained a virgin—not by choice, as her commitment to her studies and work left little time for relaxation.Even with Lonan, things hadn't gone further; they had only kissed and been affectionate. This wa
"Hold on a second. Breathe slowly..." Gia bent her patient's right leg, holding it for ten seconds before switching to the left leg."How is it, Beth? Does it still hurt?"Gia asked with a broad smile. Beth had made a lot of progress. She still couldn’t stand, but her leg movements were much smoother."No, it doesn’t. You’re an amazing therapist, Gia. Thank you." Beth lovingly stroked Gia’s cheek. She had been Gia’s patient for nearly three years. It was natural for them to be close despite their age difference—Gia was twenty-nine, while Beth was nearly seventy."Is Mr. Norad coming soon?" Gia pushed Beth's wheelchair out of the therapy room, heading toward the hospital waiting area."Yes. He's getting coffee in the cafeteria," Beth replied, glancing at a message from her husband on her phone, which she was holding at arm's length because she had forgotten her reading glasses."Why do you still call him Mr. Norad? He told you to call him Luke. You can call me Beth, so why not him?" B
"That's right. He's currently blind and paralyzed. In the process of recovery, too. A small blood clot in his head, caused by the impact during the accident, is affecting the nerves that control his vision."Gia once more seemed taken aback."Actually, surgery could quickly restore his eyesight. But the clot's location is extremely precarious. Even the slightest mistake could result in permanent blindness. The doctors are trying to dissolve the clot with medication. Hopefully, it works. But, like physical therapy, the results might take months to show."This explanation brought Gia a sense of relief. If Raven was blind, then he wouldn’t know who she was."Did you already send my details to Mr. Lindgren?" Gia asked carefully."Why would I? Raven doesn't have the right to choose who I send. He just has to accept whoever I send. I only need to send a photo and your name to his secretary to set up the payroll contract. Why?" Stefan asked, frowning in confusion."It's nothing. Just curious
"Oh… Dr. Stefan said yesterday that the Lindgren Mansion looked like a castle. And this isn’t a castle.” Gia was relieved she didn’t stutter as she spoke such a long lie. It showed just how strong her intention was to hide her identity.“Dr. Stefan seems like a unique person. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to meet him yet." Jasper accepted the excuse.“Better that you two don’t meet!” Gia thought. Her lie would be easily exposed if that happened.“Come on… Mr. Lindgren is waiting on the second floor.” Jasper climbed the stairs ahead of her once they were inside.Gia’s heartbeat echoed in her ears as she climbed the stairs. She’d mentally prepared herself for this meeting long before, rehearsing an introduction to sound natural yet distant. But it felt useless. The words she had memorized seemed to scatter with each beat of her heart.Jasper led her to a spacious, luxurious office. But it was a different kind of luxury than what Gia had seen at the Lindgren Mansion. The
Gia checked her outfit once more, making sure everything was perfect. Her dark blue uniform, consisting of her shirt and pants, was immaculate. So were her hair and shoes. Her actions felt a bit silly, as it was clear Raven wouldn’t notice any of it. Plus, while on duty at the house, she wasn’t required to wear a uniform. But by wearing it, Gia wanted to emphasize that she was here in a professional capacity.The elevator in front of her buzzed, indicating that Raven had come down. This lift was specifically built to allow Raven to move easily between floors in this house.This luxurious house had three floors. Raven’s room was on the top floor. The entire third floor was his. The second floor housed the library, guest rooms, study, and rooms for Sophie, Jasper, and other staff members. Gia also occupied one of the rooms on the second floor. The ground floor contained the living room, relaxation room, dining room, and kitchen. Sophie explained all of this during dinner last night. T
But thats only because his leg loosing his tense. With precise skill, Gia's fingers explored his muscles, gently pressing into the tight to locate the nerve points.“That’s... nice,” Raven moan again.There was nothing wrong with Raven’s nerves, so he could fully feel Gia’s touch.“Quiet!” Unknowingly, Gia reprimanded him, her tone a touch harsh. It wasn't his fault but Gia felt like she was starting to lose her sanity if Raven kept moaning.Raven straightened up, surprised at her sharp tone. But Gia, having refocused, paid no attention to his reaction.Gia lifted Raven’s foot parallel to the water, bending his sole outward briefly. She repeated the motion several times to help his leg muscles get accustomed to movement. The second part of the session went more smoothly, as Raven had learned to keep quiet.Perhaps it was only Gia's own heart that lacked peace. With their position, she was 'forced' to look in Raven's direction, unable to avert her gaze.Gia tried to keep her eyes lower
"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