The silence left by the ended call stretched taut in the spacious, dimly lit room. Valeria, who had been standing unnoticed near the doorway, moved forward, her steps soft on the plush carpet. The shadows cast by the low light of the bedside lamp played across her face, reflecting a mixture of concern and confusion.
Gabriel, who had been staring at the now-dark screen of his phone, looked up, slightly startled. His features, usually composed and unreadable, betrayed a moment of surprise as he noticed Valeria approaching.
"Why were you speaking to Bella like that?" Valeria’s voice was calm but carried an underlying note of disapproval. "I thought you two had made peace. Why provoke her further?"
Gabriel sighed, setting his phone down on the nightstand. He rubbed
The bedroom was steeped in darkness, save for the slivers of moonlight slipping through the curtains, casting ghostly patterns on the floor. The world outside was silent, the quiet of the night seeping into the space, making it almost sacred. In the king-sized bed, Bella lay sound asleep, her breathing steady and deep, the blankets rising and falling gently with each breath. Beside her, Eros pretended to sleep, his body still and his breathing measured, but his eyes were open, fixed on the ceiling above.Eros’s mind was a tumult of thoughts and emotions, the stillness of his body a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding within. He staredinto the darkness above, the shadows seeming to morph as his thoughts twisted and turned. Every few moments, his gaze drifted to Bella's peaceful form, the sight both comforting and unnerving. H
[Chapter 95]—---------------------------------------------------------------------------- —------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Chapter 99]—---------------------------------------------------------------------------Valeria quietly entered her room, the soft click of the door closing behind her echoing in the stillness of the night. The events of the evening weighed heavily on her mind, the weight of the world seeming to press down on her shoulders. But as she glanced towards the crib where her son, Lucas, slept soundly, a gentle smile tugged at the corners of her lips.There, by Lucas's side, Martha, the elderly nanny, lay fast asleep in a nearby armch
In the family kitchen, where Valeria, Liam, and Gabriel were seated around the table, savouring their breakfast together. Liam asked while glancing over his newspaper. “Lily, have you made any plans about when you're going to venture out to explore the cities?”Valeria spoke while sipping her tea. “I've been thinking about it, Dad. Maybe next month. I want to finalise a few things before I set off. Moreover, Lucas is still little.”Gabriel was forking a piece of pancake. “You sure you don't want some company? I can take some time off work. Martha is with Lucas and dad is with him too.”Valeria answered while smiling. “Thanks, Gabe, but I think I need to do this on my own. It's kind of a personal journey
Eros tightened his grip on her hand, his gaze filled with urgency. "Please, Bella," he implored, "you need to calm down. We'll talk about it later, but right now, I need to get you out of here."Reluctantly, Bella nodded, allowing Eros to lead her towards the grand entrance of the house. The cool air greeted them as they stepped outside, the soft whisper of the breeze a soothing contrast to the turmoil raging within Bella's heart.As they walked through the garden, Eros kept a steady pace, his presence a reassuring anchor for Bella amidst the chaos of her emotions. He listened as she poured out her frustrations, her words tumbling out in a rush of pent-up feelings."I just don't understand, Eros," Bella confessed, her voice trembling with emoti
But even as she clung to the hope of Markos's return, doubts crept into her heart, fueled by the events of the evening. She couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that lingered in the air, the sense that everything she believed in was slowly crumbling around her.As she lay on her bed, lost in her thoughts, Valeria made a silent vow to herself. She would hold onto her love for Markos with all her strength, trusting in their bond to see them through even the darkest of times. And until the day he returned to her arms, she would wait, her heart filled with unwavering faith and love.With a heavy heart and tears streaming down her cheeks, Valeria closed the door of her room with a resounding slam. The sound echoed in the empty space, a tangible manifestation of her inner turmoil. Leaning against the door, she felt
His father regarded him with a measured gaze, his expression unreadable. "And what exactly did she do to provoke such animosity from you, Gabriel?"Gabriel hesitated, the weight of his father's scrutiny bearing down on him. He knew he couldn't reveal the true extent of his feelings, the jealousy and resentment that simmered beneath the surface. Instead, he chose his words carefully, masking his true emotions behind a facade of righteous indignation."It's nothing specific, Father," Gabriel replied, his tone clipped. "Just...small disagreements that have escalated over time. I assure you, I have no personal vendetta against Bella. Not anymore.”But his father's piercing gaze seemed to see through his facade, a silent challenge in his eyes.
Gabriel felt a wave of gratitude wash over him at his sister's words. Taking a seat beside her, he reached out and gently took her hand in his own. "Thank you, Valeria," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I appreciate your understanding. I'll do better, I promise."After his conversation with his father, Gabriel felt a weight lifting from his shoulders as he embraced the idea of a break. Determined to clear his mind before his trip to Europe, he decided to take the first step towards making amends for his recent behavior.With a resolute stride, Gabriel made his way to his sister Valeria's room. He paused outside her door, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. Raising his hand, he hesitated for a moment before gently rapping his knuckles against the polished wood.
As Valeria closed the door behind Gabriel, a sense of unease settled over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their father's decision than met the eye. Pacing the room, her thoughts swirled with questions, her brow furrowed in frustration."Why isn't Dad doing anything to settle the matter with Bella?" Valeria muttered to herself, her voice tinged with concern. "Sending Gabriel away won't solve anything. If anything, it'll only make things worse."As she pondered the situation, a sense of determination welled up inside her. She couldn't sit idly by while their family was torn apart by conflict. Taking a deep breath, she made a silent vow to herself to uncover the truth and set things right.With resolv
As Gabriel stepped out of the car at the airport, a sense of unease pricked at the edges of his consciousness. He glanced around, taking in the bustling activity of the terminal, but everything seemed ordinary at first glance.As he walked towards the entrance, two men suddenly appeared from his periphery, one on each side. Their movements were swift
As Liam reached Valeria and his hands come up to gently grasp Valeria’s shoulders, causing her to turn towards him. Her eyes, wide and questioning, lock onto his. Soon after Valeria felt his grip becoming rough around her shoulder.Liam spoke to her coldly, his voice a low whisper. “Valeria, you need to come with me. Now. You are misunderstanding things.”Valeria spoke, confused and anxious. “Dad? What’s—what’s happening?” Without another word, Liam presses a discreet button on his watch. Within seconds, two guards appear at his side, their faces stern. Valeria’s confusion deepens, and a flicker of fear passes through her eyes.Liam spoke to the guards, without breaking eye contact with Valeria. Take Ms. Valeria up
As Valeria closed the door behind Gabriel, a sense of unease settled over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their father's decision than met the eye. Pacing the room, her thoughts swirled with questions, her brow furrowed in frustration."Why isn't Dad doing anything to settle the matter with Bella?" Valeria muttered to herself, her voice tinged with concern. "Sending Gabriel away won't solve anything. If anything, it'll only make things worse."As she pondered the situation, a sense of determination welled up inside her. She couldn't sit idly by while their family was torn apart by conflict. Taking a deep breath, she made a silent vow to herself to uncover the truth and set things right.With resolv
Gabriel felt a wave of gratitude wash over him at his sister's words. Taking a seat beside her, he reached out and gently took her hand in his own. "Thank you, Valeria," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I appreciate your understanding. I'll do better, I promise."After his conversation with his father, Gabriel felt a weight lifting from his shoulders as he embraced the idea of a break. Determined to clear his mind before his trip to Europe, he decided to take the first step towards making amends for his recent behavior.With a resolute stride, Gabriel made his way to his sister Valeria's room. He paused outside her door, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. Raising his hand, he hesitated for a moment before gently rapping his knuckles against the polished wood.
His father regarded him with a measured gaze, his expression unreadable. "And what exactly did she do to provoke such animosity from you, Gabriel?"Gabriel hesitated, the weight of his father's scrutiny bearing down on him. He knew he couldn't reveal the true extent of his feelings, the jealousy and resentment that simmered beneath the surface. Instead, he chose his words carefully, masking his true emotions behind a facade of righteous indignation."It's nothing specific, Father," Gabriel replied, his tone clipped. "Just...small disagreements that have escalated over time. I assure you, I have no personal vendetta against Bella. Not anymore.”But his father's piercing gaze seemed to see through his facade, a silent challenge in his eyes.
But even as she clung to the hope of Markos's return, doubts crept into her heart, fueled by the events of the evening. She couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that lingered in the air, the sense that everything she believed in was slowly crumbling around her.As she lay on her bed, lost in her thoughts, Valeria made a silent vow to herself. She would hold onto her love for Markos with all her strength, trusting in their bond to see them through even the darkest of times. And until the day he returned to her arms, she would wait, her heart filled with unwavering faith and love.With a heavy heart and tears streaming down her cheeks, Valeria closed the door of her room with a resounding slam. The sound echoed in the empty space, a tangible manifestation of her inner turmoil. Leaning against the door, she felt
Eros tightened his grip on her hand, his gaze filled with urgency. "Please, Bella," he implored, "you need to calm down. We'll talk about it later, but right now, I need to get you out of here."Reluctantly, Bella nodded, allowing Eros to lead her towards the grand entrance of the house. The cool air greeted them as they stepped outside, the soft whisper of the breeze a soothing contrast to the turmoil raging within Bella's heart.As they walked through the garden, Eros kept a steady pace, his presence a reassuring anchor for Bella amidst the chaos of her emotions. He listened as she poured out her frustrations, her words tumbling out in a rush of pent-up feelings."I just don't understand, Eros," Bella confessed, her voice trembling with emoti
In the family kitchen, where Valeria, Liam, and Gabriel were seated around the table, savouring their breakfast together. Liam asked while glancing over his newspaper. “Lily, have you made any plans about when you're going to venture out to explore the cities?”Valeria spoke while sipping her tea. “I've been thinking about it, Dad. Maybe next month. I want to finalise a few things before I set off. Moreover, Lucas is still little.”Gabriel was forking a piece of pancake. “You sure you don't want some company? I can take some time off work. Martha is with Lucas and dad is with him too.”Valeria answered while smiling. “Thanks, Gabe, but I think I need to do this on my own. It's kind of a personal journey
[Chapter 95]—---------------------------------------------------------------------------- —------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Chapter 99]—---------------------------------------------------------------------------Valeria quietly entered her room, the soft click of the door closing behind her echoing in the stillness of the night. The events of the evening weighed heavily on her mind, the weight of the world seeming to press down on her shoulders. But as she glanced towards the crib where her son, Lucas, slept soundly, a gentle smile tugged at the corners of her lips.There, by Lucas's side, Martha, the elderly nanny, lay fast asleep in a nearby armch