Luca and Elena's lips met in a fiery kiss, igniting a passion that had been simmering for days. Luca's hands found their way beneath Elena's top, caressing her breasts, until Elena drew back.
"I can't stay in the same room as you," she said, trying to catch her breath.
Luca chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Scared you won't be able to get your hands off me?" he teased.
Elena narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll sleep on the couch," she stated, trying to distance herself from the temptation.
"You can't," Luca said seriously.
"What?" Elena asked, confused.
"We can make a compromise that suits both of us," Luca proposed, and Elena eyed him suspiciously.
"And what is that?" she asked, unsure of where this was going.
"We can both stay on the bed, let's just divide it with a pillow. You on one side, and I'll stay far away from you," Luca suggested, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Elena hesitated, wondering whether she should trust him. "What if you try to...," she trailed off, not sure how to articulate her concern.
"Do what?" Luca asked, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Perform my marital role to you?"
"We're not even married yet!" Elena protested.
"We will be soon," Luca replied, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.
Elena watched him warily, unsure if she should believe him. Luca raised his hands to remove a strand of hair from her face, and Elena couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach at his touch.
"You can't deny that you want me as much as I want you," Luca said softly, and Elena felt her resolve weakening.
"You wish," she muttered, trying to resist his charm.
Luca's laughter followed her as she walked away, heading to the bathroom.
*
*
As the days went by, Elena and Luca's arrangement seemed to be working. They had managed to keep their hands off each other for two whole days, an impressive feat considering their undeniable attraction to one another. However, their willpower was put to the test on the third day after a Romano event.
Earlier that day, the Romano family had been celebrating their 70th anniversary. Elena had dressed in a stunning red flowing gown that Luca had bought for her.
These past few days, she had started feeling like a caged bird under the watchful eye of the powerful Italian family. She had become hyper-aware of her every move, always on the lookout to avoid running into Andrea.
To make things easier, Elena had been eating out every day. Luca was busy with work, and Andrea rarely showed up at the company, preferring to spend his time with friends. Elena had been able to avoid him so far, but the tension between them was palpable.
As she made her way to the foyer of the large Romano living room, Elena felt her heart racing.
"You're going to make everyone drop dead at the sight of you at the party," Luca whispered into Elena's ear, sending shivers down her spine. She felt her face flush but refused to give in to his charms.
"We're going to be late," she said, determined to keep their focus on the task at hand. She walked away, heading towards the waiting car, with Luca chuckling as he trailed after her.
The drive to the Romano estate was a quiet one. Elena was lost in her thoughts, trying to steel herself for what was to come. As they pulled up to the grand entrance, she could see the other guests milling about, dressed in their finest attire.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the car and made her way towards the entrance. The Romano family had spared no expense in their celebrations, with decorations and food that were fit for a king.
As they made their way into the party, Elena could feel the eyes of the other guests on her. She knew she looked stunning in the dress Luca had bought her, but she didn't want the attention. All she wanted was to blend in and avoid any unwanted interactions.
Luca and Elena walked arm in arm through the guest hall, adorned with ornate decorations and lavish furnishings. Elena couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the opulence of the event. She was there as Luca's fiancé, and it seemed like everyone in attendance was someone important or powerful.
As they made their way through the crowd, Luca introduced Elena to various guests. One of the men they met was a bald man in his fifties named Mr. Gonzalos, who was accompanied by two other men. Luca introduced Elena to them.
“Meet my fiancé, Elena Rossi,” Luca said.
“She's quite a catch, Luca,” Mr. Gonzalos stated, smiling at Elena.
Luca nodded his thanks, and then said, “Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to welcome other guests.”
As they walked away, Luca asked Elena, “Enjoying the party?”
“You bet,” Elena muttered.
“Same here. I can't concentrate with you looking like that, like a rosette begging me to eat it,” Luca said with a teasing smile, his eyes moving to the exposed part of her bosom. “All I can think about is a naked you on my bed, AMORA.”
Elena rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Luca. You really do get on my nerves without trying."
“You're blushing?” Luca teased.
“I'm not.”
“You are,” Luca said, amusement creasing his brow.
“Just shut up and go greet your guests.”
“But-”
“And here is the Latest Romano Couple,” a voice interrupted their bickering.
Luca and Elena turned to see who had spoken. It was a tall man in a suit, with a wide grin on his face.
“Rio?” Luca called with a supieses look.
“Am I late for the party?” He asked with a raised brow.
“Nah. You’re just in time.” Luca replied smiling.
“Let me introduce you to my fiancé, Elena.”
“Ah, Elena, the lucky woman,” Rio said, extending his hand to shake Elena's.
“It's nice to meet you,” Elena said, smiling politely.
“The pleasure is mine,” Rio said. “Luca, I must say, you have truly outdone yourself with this event. It's magnificent and so is your bride.”
Luca grinned, clearly pleased. “Oh.”
Rio’s gaze shifted to Elena, the way he stared at her made her feel a pang of discomfort.
Rio's gaze shifted to Elena, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort. The way he stared at her was unsettling.
Just then, the MC on stage interrupted their conversation, calling Luca up to give his speech. "Excuse me, I'll be right back," Luca said, turning to Rio. "Keep her company," he added, gesturing towards Elena.
Elena felt a knot form in her stomach as Luca left them alone with each other. She didn't want to be alone with Rio, but there was nothing she could do about it.
As they watched Luca ascend the stage and begin his speech, Rio turned to Elena. "Isn't he great?" he asked, referring to Luca.
"Erm, yeah," Elena replied, not sure what Rio was getting at.
"He's the only thing I care about in the world," Rio said, his voice low and intense. "He's my obsession."
Elena's confusion showed on her face as she turned to Rio. "What?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rio turned to look at Elena with a raised brow. “Ah…Luca. He has been my only friend since childhood. And I…” He started his last statement with a cocky smile. “…have been his confidant, his only one.” He completed, as if trying to claim ownership of something. Elena nodded knowingly. “You both make a great duo.” She forced a smile while Rio narrowed his eyes at her and turned to look at Luca, who was shining on stage while giving his speech. “Yeah, I know, right. But he still married you,” he said. “We aren’t married yet,” Elena corrected. “You will be. Soon. To my distaste,” Rio added unknowingly. Then he realized what he had said and quickly forced a smile. “I mean, it feels like my best friend will be taken away from me.” He said. “Something like that,” he added while Elena chuckled nervously. She couldn’t figure out what game Rio was playing. As her phone rang, she checked her caller ID, it was her spy at Romano group. They had an agreement not to call each other except on ce
Elena let out a sigh and wriggled out of Luca's grip. "I'm tired. I had a long day," she said as she walked up to the bed and laid down in her usual position. Luca stood there for a moment, brushing his hands through his hair in frustration before heading into the bathroom to wash up.As soon as Elena was sure he was out of the room, she turned onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Is it worth it?" she muttered, her mind wandering back to the memory of her and Luca's first meeting. His intense gaze and the way he touched her cheeks flooded her thoughts, causing her heart to race."It must have been lonely for him," she muttered again, turning her gaze in the direction of the bathroom before quickly looking away. Elena wanted to do something for someone, for Luca, even though he was the son of her enemy."He doesn't love you, Elena. He's just obsessed with your body," she berated herself, biting her lip as she tried to give herself a reason not to give up on her revenge. "Even i
Rio watched as Luca smiled sheepishly, oblivious to his friend's presence. The smile on Luca's face was one Rio had never seen before. It was the smile of a high school kid in love. Rio swallowed, preparing to ask the question he dreaded."Are you in love with her?" Rio asked, finally gathering the courage to confront his friend.Luca's dazed expression turned into a scowl as he turned to face Rio."Do you love Elena? Or is she just a pawn in your games?" Rio asked slowly, carefully choosing his words."Love?" Luca chuckled, raising an eyebrow in amusement."So?" Rio pestered, anxious for an answer."Maybe," Luca said, a mischievous glint in his eye.Rio sighed, frustrated by his friend's lack of commitment."Maybe not," Luca added quickly.Rio watched him intently, waiting for an explanation."Well, the thing is that I've never been in love before, and I don't know what it means to be in love," Luca said innocently.Rio shook his head in disbelief. "Who would believe this grown, fine
Elena ran as fast as she could, her heart pounding with fear as she heard the sound of footsteps pounding the pavement behind her. She didn't know who the man chasing her was or why he was after her, but she knew she had to keep running if she wanted to stay alive.The streets were dark and empty, the only sounds the echoing of her own footsteps and the ragged breaths she was taking as she tried to keep up her pace. She was wearing high heels, and they made it difficult for her to run fast, but she was determined not to let the man catch her.She turned a corner, and her heart leaped with hope as she saw the lights of a convenience store up ahead. Maybe she could run inside and call for help. But as she got closer, she saw that the store was closed and dark. Her hope turned to despair as she realized she was still alone and being chased.Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm, and she stumbled, almost falling to the ground. The man had caught up to her, and he was much stronger than s
Luca stepped into the grand mansion, the opulent décor reminding him of how far he had come. He was relieved to finally be in the safety of his room, but as he reached for the doorknob, his phone rang. The Caller ID displayed Rio's name."Hey man," Rio greeted him from the other end."Hey," Luca replied, his voice lacking its usual enthusiasm.Rio sensed something was wrong. "What is it, Luca? You don't sound good."Luca took a deep breath before revealing the terrible news. "Someone attacked Elena last night. She's been admitted to the hospital.""What?" Rio exclaimed. "Did you catch the attacker yet?"Luca shook his head, even though Rio couldn't see him. "No, I'll head to the police station later to file a complaint. Talk to you later, Rio. I need to be with Elena now." Luca hung up and let out a heavy sigh.The thought of losing Elena made him shudder. Last night had been a nightmare. He had planned to surprise her by visiting her studio and taking her out to dinner, but instead,
Elena forced herself off the bed and got to the phone on the couch before Luca. She grabbed it and turned it off quickly as the ringing stopped. She turned to look up at a surprised Luca.“What…..” he asked with a shocked expression.Then he realized Elena stood up from the bed…” I told you to fucking stay put!” He berated while Elena gave a sheepish smile. He eyed her and carried her in a bridal style and placed her back on the bed.“Luca, I’m fine. I can walk on my own,” Elena protested.“I don’t care. You could have hurt yourself,” he replied.Elena still held onto the phone like her life depended on it.Luca stood and looked down at her while Elena tried her best to avoid his gaze.“What was that about?” He asked. Elena looked at him pretending she didn’t know what he was pointing at.“Why did you rush like that to pick the phone?” He asked while Elena bit her lips.“Ugh….I didn’t want you doing things for me. It feels weird.” She chuckled nervously. From the look on Luca’s face,
Elena's phone rang, and she picked it up with a heavy heart. It was Ryan on the other end, his voice laced with concern. "What happened, Elena?" he asked.Elena let out a deep sigh before answering. "I got into an accident recently. Someone tried to kill me, Ryan," she said, her voice shaking with fear.Ryan was incredulous. "Jeez! And you're just telling me?! What are we? Strangers? How could you…"Elena cut him off. "It's fine now. I'm recovering," she said, hoping to calm him down.But Ryan wasn't having it. "Do you think someone knows our plan and is trying to kill you?" he asked after a long pause.Elena didn't think so. "The police are yet to catch the attacker. Plus, Luca promised he's going to get to the bottom of it all. I trust him," she said, trying to reassure Ryan.Ryan was furious. "What? You trust him now? What the fuck, Elena!" he yelled.Elena sighed again, feeling the weight of Ryan's anger. "He's not a bad person. Maybe his family is, but not him, Ryan."Ryan didn't
Elena looked at Luca for a moment, about to say something, but he spoke first. "Let it be," he said, causing Elena's eyes to widen in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused."Forget it," Luca replied. "The only thing that matters is that you agreed to marry me." He finished cleaning her up and took the bowl of water away, leaving Elena in disbelief."Are you a clown or are you just blindly in love with me, Luca?" Elena asked absentmindedly. Her revenge plot was becoming more difficult every day. There were so many unexpected twists that she hadn't planned for. She sighed and draped a robe over her naked body.Luca walked out of the bathroom and approached her. "You should go to bed," he said, as Elena nodded and laid back, watching Luca as he looked down at her.He sat beside her and took her hands. "Let's get married, Elena," he said."Sure," Elena replied, smiling. Luca returned the smile with a big grin. "Screw the revenge," Elena thought. She wanted this man. She wanted
“Rio,” Rossi said. “There’s a commotion in the hospital he was admitted in. He is on the rooftop with Elena. Luca should have received a call by now. He keeps asking for him.” Rex turned to look at Luca who stared anxiously at him. “I’m with Luca right now. We’ll head there right away.” Rex said and hung up.“What…”“Your crazy Boyfriend has her.” Rex seethed.“What?”“There’s no time. Let’s leave.” Rex said as he walked out of the house, trailed after by Luca.As they entered Rex’s car, Luca was still oblivious to what was happening.“Aren’t you wrong? Rio is in a psychiatric hospital.”“And he has my sister. He is threatening to kill her.”“What?” Luca's eyes shone in surprise. How is that….”“I don’t fucking know!” Rex snapped as he faced the road and hit the accelerator. Luca stared at him and looked at the road ahead. What the fuck is happening?When they got to the hospital, there was greeted by the crowd in front of the hospital as Rio stood at the edge of the rooftop, with a
Rex paced around the living room frantically. It was late in the night and there was no sign of Elena. He has been trying to reach her since they left King’s Hotel. After the argument with Rossi, it was as of Elena had disappeared into thin air. She wasn’t even in the motel she has been hiding all this while. He dialed his father….they had both exchanged contacts earlier, both promising to give each other updates on how things would proceed.“I can’t seem to find her,” Rex said immediately after he heard the beep.Rex could hear him sigh from the receiver’s side. “Where she’s staying?”“Not there. And she isn’t picking up my calls. The call doesn’t seem to go through no matter how many times I try.” Rex said in frustration. “Does Levante have her?”“I will ask my people to track her. She’ll be fine, Rex.” Rossi said.Rex hung up but the gut feeling that his sister was in danger was overwhelming. He couldn’t just sit and wait without doing anything. What if Elena was in danger? A tho
Luca moved instinctively towards her and drew her into his embrace. Elena's lips curved into a smile as she snuggled close to him. “What happened with Rio wasn’t your fault.” She said.“I know. I know. But I can’t seem to stop blaming myself.” He murmured in her hair. Elena rubbed his back like a child that needs consoling.“Let’s get married. And leave this place.” Luca said as Elena’s body stilled in his arms. She didn’t expect things to be going this way.She freed herself from him and looked at him. “Really?”Luca smiled at her. “And it’s not because of the child. I haven’t felt attracted to anyone the way I am to you since Angelo’s mother died. I’ve only loved her.” He said as Elena forced a smile. She hated the fact that she couldn’t tell him the truth yet. It wasn’t the time. When everything’s settled, they would have the whole time in the world. She promised herself.“For now…” Luca stared lovingly at her as he removed the strand of hair that was covering her face. “Let’s help
“What development?” Elena asked.“Someone with the same goal as us contacted me.”“What?” Elena raised a brow. “What do you mean?”“I don’t know. He wants to stay anonymous till the day we meet.” Rex said, frustration evident in his voice.“Does that make sense? Do you want to meet up with some stranger? Because of what?” Elena asked with a sarcastic look.“I don’t care. I lost Victoria. I don’t want to lose you too. As far as I know, Levante thinks you’re dead. We need to strike now. When they least expect.” Rex said with determination.“Do what you want.” Elena stood up and picked up her cell phone on the bed. “I’m going to meet the father of my unborn child.” “What? By this time? Why are so stubborn? What if Levante sees you?”“I don’t care. I might as well tell Luca the truth about them. He would stop caring about that Rio.” Elena hissed and headed for the door.The evening breeze was gentle but Elena couldn’t help but feel chilly as she stood by the roadside, looking for a cab t
“I fucked Martino.” She said dryly as Rex's eyes flickered at her for a while and averted his gaze quickly as if trying to hide something. “I fucked him,” Victoria replied as Rex shifted his gaze to her face again. “Okay.” He shrugged. “It’s all for the plan, right.” He asked, desperation hidden in his voice.Victoria cupped her face in frustration. “I love him, Rex.” Rex's hands stiffened in his pocket. He parted his lips but nothing came out. “Say something, damn it!” She fired as Rex chuckled.“Say what?” He asked, trying to fight the emotion that was burning within him.“Curse me. Call me a filthy bitch. I can take it all. But I do love him, Rex.”“And us?” Rex asked as if that has been the question in his mind.Victoria closed her eyes for a while and opened it. “I don’t know.” She shook her head as Rex’s heart sank.“I don’t know, man. I need space.” She said as tears streamed from her eye. As she turned to leave, Rex caught her arm again.“Our plans?”“Are you kidding me ri
Martino sat down in the visiting room while Levante paced around in front of him. He didn’t dare to talk. After he received his call at the hospital earlier. His urgent tone signaled to Martino that Levante was, even more, crazier than his son. “PTSD ugh?” He stopped moving as he regarded Martino. Martino paused, nothing ever gets past this man. More reason why he should be more cautious.“The doctor hasn’t made any diagnosis yet. He’s still under observation.” Martino replied, careful with his words in order not to infuriate him any further.Levante nodded. “Will he be admitted to some psychiatrist hospital?”“Like I said…”“I bloody heard you the first time, Martino!” Levante fired as Martino bowed his head. That’s more like it. This was his true character. Not the unusually quiet type that was unpredictable.“I’m sorry boss.”“Did the doctor say what caused his trauma?”“I…”“I could get that information in a matter of seconds. Think before you lie.” Levante hissed.Then why did y
“What?” Luca asked, surprised. “This is crazy, Rio.” He added quickly when he noticed his surprised look wasn’t helping matters.“Yeah! I’m crazy about you, Luca!” Rio sobbed as Luca pressed his lips in exasperation.“Those times in the past…” he started slowly and his grip on the injection was less. “I would always watch your back. Dad said it was my duty. It was our duty to watch out for the Romanos.” He scoffed with a bitter smile as Luca watched him. He hated seeing him like this. He couldn’t do anything and it added to his frustration. “I misunderstood man.” He added.“You were the best thing that happened to me,” Luca said.“Were?” Rio raised a brow.“Rio…”“Those times when you would always stay alone. Angry you couldn’t approach other girls, I wished you would just look at me. Even for once.” Rio said.“I didn’t….” Luca brushed his hand through his hair. “I didn’t know, Rio.”“Well, Now you know!” He snapped.“Yes. I do. And I appreciate you….your love.”“No, you don’t,” Rio s
“Victoria….I…” Martino started to say but the words got hung up in the air.“Martino?” Victoria called when he didn’t say anything afterward.“Anything I do in the future, just know I love you. I love you so much, Victoria.” Martino said and hung up. He swung around and marched back to the cottage. He narrowed his eyes at Elena. “I’m not going to kill you. A certain person is betting on me. So I wouldn’t want to break her trust.” Elena watched him. Was it Victoria?“Then what?” She asked with a frown.“Let’s make a deal….” “Deal?”“You already know by now that Rio wants you dead. And I can’t seem to understand why you said he tried to kill you in the past…” Martino gave her a wary look. But Elena didn’t reply. There was no use hiding it. Or was there? He is going to spare her. She should keep her mouth shut till the end.“Your deal…” she said.“Stay away from Luca. Go far away from him. Out of the country….I don’t care. Because if I see you anywhere around him, I’ll be the first to
“How are you feeling, Rio.” Levante ignored his initial statement.“It’s not your concern. You’ve always wanted to do my bidding right? Then take her out? I don’t want to see her ever again!” A silence ensued for a while then Levante spoke up. “Did she try to hurt you?”“Is that more important to you?”“Answer the damn question, boy. I pay my enemies back in full.” Levante spoke harshly as Rio sighed.“Not directly.”“What do you mean?”“Luca slept with her.” He said and paused but his father didn’t say a word. “I got overwhelmed with the thought and crashed on a poll.”“I can’t believe this,” Levante muttered under his breath.“Well?” Rio asked.“Focus on recovering. I’ll take care of the rest.” Levante said and hung up.“That isn’t a bloody answer,” Rio muttered as he put down the phone. He lay there in silence as he took time to eventually review his decision. He had called his dad on impulse. He was angry. Especially after that talk with Luca. His rage knew no bounds. He just cou