Dante's POVMy gaze darts outside the car window, watching the rain pattering and the droplets sliding down the glass as I ignore the fear consuming my insides.I left the office before the rain began so I could return to my parent's mansion to see Mom or Dad.But, on second thought, I decided to see Anita instead. Mom will never tell me what’s going on. Dad must have sworn to secrecy, never to tell me either, and it’s breaking me.Curiosity is killing me.My mother is dying, and I didn’t even notice something strange? Is this how much I’ve distanced myself from my family?What exactly is happening? Where is it hurting? Why did Anita use the word “dying” instead of “sick”? Is it something incurable?Mother doesn’t even look sick. She looks as healthy as always. She even looks more beautiful recently, and the thought of it almost makes me tear up.My mother can't die. No.I will do everything in my power to make sure she survives this, but first, I need to know the source of the ailmen
Sophia's POVThe thunder rumbles continuously, jolting me out of bed in panic. This is the third time tonight. The endless crashing of the thunder keeps me on edge.I can’t stand being alone in this cold room anymore.Back home, when it stormed and thundered, I would always run to my parents' room. If I didn't want to disturb them, I would take comfort in Liam’s presence.That idiot.Right now, I can't stand him. How could he betray me like that with Brenda, just because she seduced him?Twice. He let her do that to him, and now he expects me to forgive him? As if I would forget all that. Would he even be calling me now if I hadn't married someone like Dante? Would he have tried to meet me?Even though my heart still races for him, I know the best way to erase all those memories is to make new ones with someone else. It's going to be hard, but I'm determined to do it. I’ll try to move on. He’s not worth it.I rush out of my bedroom and decide to call for help. I can't sleep here alon
Dante's POVI felt a shiver run through me as she spoke. I never thought I'd see her here, in my room of all places. This was the last thing I expected.The pounding headache, the weight of my worries, and the gloomy weather outside weren't making anything easier.I walked into the room with my eyes closed, hoping everything would return to normal, like before. Back when life felt simple, when I could always turn to Mom for guidance and everything would somehow work itself out. Most of my problems were tied to my business, and she'd always be there, ready to help.There were times I even went to Dad for advice, but I'd usually end up getting help through Mom. She's been my support, my mentor. A woman with a heart of gold.So, why is Sophia here? I wondered to myself, shaking off my thoughts as she waved a hand in front of me to snap me back to reality.The headache, no doubt, was from the stress and the constant thinking. I was supposed to take a break, maybe even go on vacation with
Sophia's POVDante is good-looking but dumb.When I said we should grant his mother's wish, I didn’t mean having sex, but the horrified look on his face said it all. That was his own interpretation of my statement.I lived with Liam, yet I never had sex with him because I wasn’t ready. What then would make me have sex with Dante, whom I’m not even attracted to?Nothing."I’m not talking about sex, silly," I rushed forward toward him.He sighed with relief and finally nodded."Why would you even think of that? You’re not even my type," I blurted out before I could stop myself. He didn’t respond, and I bit my lip, regretting saying that. "Besides, it’s against the contract…""You’re not my type either," he brushed past me to the bathroom. I thought he was going to take a bath, but a second later, he came out with a wet face.Well, now we’re even. He’s not my type, and I’m not his type."Won’t you ask me what I meant?" I followed him as he walked to the bed.He slouched onto the bed. "Wh
Liam's POVWhen she isn’t out after five minutes, I sigh—not out of surprise, though. Sophia has redefined the concept of tardiness worldwide.She’s never on time for anything. Not even our wedding.Why would today be any different?That woman is a walking paradox. I used to believe I had a certain effect on women, but Sophia? She’s the exception.I never thought I could keep my temper in check around anyone, but Sophia somehow makes me the most patient man alive.How can I stay arrogant when she leaves no room for it? How can I remain stubborn when she out-stubborns me to the point of exhaustion?At this point, I’m just letting her have her way. I’ve got too much on my plate to make her another one of my problems.My mother is my priority now.Sophia promised to talk to her for me.Without asking, she went ahead and called my mom to arrange for us to have dinner tonight.I still can’t figure out how she managed it. But then again, my mom likes her. Everyone in my family does—except me
Sophia's POVFor the first time in years, I feel genuine sympathy for someone who isn’t Liam, Clara, or my parents.My entire world has always revolved around those people—my parents, my ex-boyfriend, and my best friend. They mean everything to me, and I’ve loved them selflessly, without hesitation.I’d do anything to make them happy, as long as it brought me joy too. Seeing their smiles makes my heart flutter, so I’ve always gone out of my way to ensure it.But today, I find myself wishing things were different—wishing Mrs. Lorenzo wasn’t sick. Dante doesn’t seem like himself. It’s as if his true self has been locked away, leaving behind a shell of a man.He nodded at everything I said earlier, but his faraway look betrayed him. I’m good at reading people—not just their words but their actions, too.My mother calls me a psychic.Maybe she’s right. It’s something I enjoy doing, though. Thankfully, Dante and I didn’t argue today. It feels like we’ve been married for a hundred years, and
Dante's POVWe left the mansion without speaking to Mother. She didn’t even glance at me but was all smiles with Sophia.I thought having Sophia talk to her for me would help. I believed it might soften her and make it easier to approach her again.I need to talk to her—desperately. I need to assure her that everything will be okay. But how can I help her if she won’t talk to me? We need to discuss her feelings, her fears. I have to convince her to keep up the treatment.She can’t give up. She’s the one who taught me never to give up. How could she abandon the fight when she still has a chance?What puzzles me more is that Father isn’t saying anything. When I brought it up after dinner—when Mother and Sophia had left—he simply ignored me.Should I visit him tomorrow? It stings that Anita, who’s hardly ever home, seems to know more than I do. She hinted at something but wouldn’t explain, leaving me even more confused.Didn’t she say Father knew about it? If he does, why is he so indiff
Dante’s POVSophia remains a mystery I can’t seem to solve. One moment, she’s loud and argumentative, making my blood boil, and the next, she’s indifferent, acting as if nothing in the world matters.I can’t figure out if she truly loved her ex. She doesn’t seem like someone who can love deeply or someone who’s heartbroken.What do I know about love anyway? Except for one thing—my mother.She taught me what love really means. True, pure love is always unconditional. She made me see that there are many types of love, each coming from different places. Lust and attraction can lead you to the door of love, but they can also be easily confused with it.For most of my life, all I’ve felt for women was lust. They satisfied my desires, nothing more.There was a time when partying was my life. Those were the reckless years—when I was the rebel, the irresponsible teenager. Back then, all I wanted was to explore the things my mother warned me about and those she never mentioned.I spent my night
Dante's POVFor reasons I can’t explain, my heart keeps racing, and wild imaginations flood my mind about what might have happened—or what could happen.This man isn't safe. He isn’t well either.Something is wrong.I keep questioning whether my father is responsible for him collapsing unconscious after I left his room—or if this is all just desperation taking its toll.I’ve been trying to call Sophia all morning. The phone rings, but she doesn’t answer. It’s making me uneasy.Eventually, I called my mom to ask about Sophia, and she said she hadn’t seen her either. That was all I needed to hit the edge of panic.Fear gripped me. My emotions threatened to burst out of my chest as the possibility of something bad happening to her sank in.Mrs. Adams is nowhere to be found, either, which only makes things more confusing.When Sophia finally picked up her phone, her voice sounded calm—like nothing was wrong. I hoped she would show up at the hospital soon.Her father is still in the emerge
Sophia's POVLiam is blackmailing me into having lunch with him because I accidentally bumped into his car. I’ve already spent two hours with him, and it's almost noon.Determined to annoy me, he told me to take his car to the mechanic. Fortunately, I found some notes in Dante's car, and after getting the car fixed, Liam demanded that we have lunch together.I know I shouldn't be agreeing to have lunch with my ex-boyfriend. I’m supposed to despise him, especially after everything he did to hurt Dante, but Liam feels like a stranger now. I guess my curiosity got the best of me."You still look beautiful," he says, making me pull the straw away from my mouth as I stare at him.I didn’t have breakfast before heading out, and by the time we were done with his car, my stomach was already rumbling, which is why he suggested we grab lunch nearby.With a smug grin, I respond, "Just like Clara."He turns away, muttering under his breath. "Clara is nowhere near as beautiful as you, Sophia. You
Dante’s POVJohn honks the horn again, the sound growing more irritating with each second. I’m about to lose my patience when I wave for him to stop. I get out of the car and look around, my arms crossed.Aren’t they home?I walk toward the gate, relieved to see it’s not locked. I push it open, confirming my suspicion. I glance back at John, who shakes his head.Apparently, they no longer have guards or even a gateman. They should’ve at least locked the gate.I signal for John to wait outside while I open the gate and step inside. The place is a mess. The flowers are wilting, probably because the gardener’s been let go. The courtyard looks neglected, and I can’t help but wonder if this is part of Sophia’s worries for her parents.I push aside the disarray and head for the front door, hands tucked in my pockets.This is the third time I’ve come here. The first time, John honked the horn for several minutes, hoping someone would answer the door, but there was no response.The second tim
Sophia’s POVDante’s ex-girlfriend was the third woman I saw alongside Liam and Clara the other day, the one from the nightmare. I couldn’t place her at the time, but today, I recognize her more clearly. Her face, the way she carried herself—it’s all too familiar. That’s not what’s bothering me, though. What confuses me is why she’s there with Liam and Clara, and why she keeps appearing in my dreams. Who is she to Liam? Does she know Clara too?Summoning the strength to get out of bed, I do so, replaying what happened last night at the restaurant. It nearly ended in disaster because of Liam and that woman showing up, which set Dante off. I still don’t understand why Dante was so angry with Liam or why that woman was with him.I’m left wondering about everything—why Dante hasn’t made an effort to clear up my confusion. Is he waiting for me to demand answers? Why did he ignore my question when I asked who she was last night? Is he ashamed to admit she’s his ex? What exactly went down be
Dante's POVSophia's hands wrap tightly around my waist, holding me back from throwing another punch at Liam.I can't explain the anger that surges through me when I see him, but something about the way Sophia is here, her presence, only makes everything worse.A wave of warmth flows through me at the feel of her touch. It calms me, and for a moment, all I can do is stare at her hands, wishing they'd stay like this forever."Liam, stop!" Sophia's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. Liam is rushing toward me, but she shoves him back, causing him to fall on his backside. "What is wrong with you?!" she yells at him, her voice a mix of fury and frustration.I wonder about the kind of relationship they had, but honestly, it's none of my business.I drop my hands and take both of Sophia's in mine, spinning around to face her. A sudden knot forms in my stomach when I see the fear in her eyes. I’ve never seen her like this—not even when she was attacked.Without thinking, I pull her into a hug
Sophia's POVThis must be one of his girlfriends—another woman he might try to make his sex partner.She’s a model type, with long legs and a curvy shape. I have long legs too, and I’m curvy, but her outfit is on another level. It reminds me how I’ve been neglecting the perks of being married to a billionaire.Her jewelry is from one of New York’s top stores, and that handbag? Definitely a designer piece.I had completely forgotten about Liam until he cleared his throat, pulling my attention back to him. I was surprised to see him, but not as shocked as seeing him with yet another woman.I always expect to see him with Clara now and then. I keep hoping they’re together, somehow making my breakup worthwhile, but from the looks of it, they aren’t.Either Clara has already dumped him, or he never loved her the way he loved me.That pain strikes again—the same old ache in my heart. It’s like something inside of me dies every time I see his face, ever since he betrayed me.I thought I was
Dante’s POVShe’s something else, I swear.I thought for sure she’d get jealous when I asked that question—maybe even throw a tantrum. But she’s not doing anything like that, and I feel... unsatisfied.I can’t explain it. Just the other day, I was pumped about the idea of us getting closer, but now, after asking for her permission, the excitement has completely faded.What’s going on with me?I watch as her eyes widen in surprise. Honestly, I’m just as taken aback. I didn’t mean to ask her that—it just slipped out, but something deep inside me made me say it.Something I shouldn’t have said. Something that feels wrong.“What?!” she asks, repeating herself for what seems like the tenth time.I shrug, just as confused as she is. I don’t know why I said that either.Then, I chuckle, trying to defuse the tension, and see her roll her eyes at me before letting out a long sigh. “You’re kidding, right?”I shrug again, this time with no idea what I’m doing.She hisses out of frustration, and
Sophia's POVThere stands Christine Moore.My favorite guitarist.My mouth drops open in disbelief, and I quickly glance over at Dante, who is smiling proudly. Before I even realize it, I'm running into his arms.We’re already out of the car, but I can’t believe my eyes. I needed to step out quickly to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.Christine stands before me, looking effortlessly handsome in a black cotton jacket and a white-purple shirt. He pairs it with blue-purple trousers and a brown leather belt.His matching black sneakers complete the look. His short wavy black hair perfectly complements his outfit, and as he slides the guitar across his body, I can barely breathe.I realize I’m still in Dante’s arms, and I quickly pull away with a nervous laugh.I have no idea how Dante knew about my obsession with Christine’s music, but whatever he did to make this happen, I’m grateful.I’ve always admired Christine from a distance, watching him on TV. Back when my father’s business wa
Dante's POVSophia has been avoiding me for over a week now, ever since I told her I didn’t approve of her telling my mother that she was pregnant without my consent.My mother has been thrilled by the news, and now, everyone knows that Sophia is pregnant.Every time I try to resolve things between us, I find her curled up in bed, leaving the couch for me to sleep on.I had the maids bring in another bed for the room I’m staying in now. I’m not on the couch anymore, but I really wish I could sleep beside her again.Guilt is something I’ve felt more since Sophia came into my life. I don’t know how she manages to make me feel this way, but she does.I feel bad for what I said to her, which led to her being upset with me. I really want to apologize, but I don't know how to start.She’s just trying to help.Casually, I walk out of her room and close the door behind me when I bump into someone. It’s Sophia, and she raises an eyebrow at me.“What were you doing in my room?” she asks, scrunc