Is James Evans in the hospital? Eleonor could hardly understand those words exactly. She just got into a cab with Lisette and drove off to the address Giovanni had told her on the phone. Her heart was beating frantically in her chest, painfully and incomprehensibly. She doesn't know exactly how to feel… despite everything James has done, she can't control the fast beats of her bruised heart.Now that she's in the waiting room, she looks at her own impatient hands and fingers that fight with each other. Giovanni is talking to the doctor, both of them very serious. But Lisette remains beside Eleonor, stroking her friend's shoulder gently.When the conversation ends, Giovanni approaches the girls and Eleonor moves uncomfortably in her chair.“What happened?” Eleonor gathers the strength to say the words correctly, but her voice comes out weak.“I have been monitoring your family closely for the past few days, and I was warned of a strange movement. A few Marchetti men were seen entering
Beep, Beep — James' heartbeat is stable but lowly. He has tubes in his veins and an oxygen mask that hides his pale lips. His face is blanched, and he looks even more listless in that white-boring room.The smell of antiseptic nauseates Eleonor, but she tries her best to stay there for a bit longer.In the absolute silence, which is interrupted only by the systematic sound of the machines that keep him alive, Eleonor doesn't know what to say, think, or feel. She doesn't want to betray herself and feel sorry for James, but it's sad to see him like this, so helpless, so… weak. To be honest, even if Eleonor had listened to the words of Giovanni and the doctor, who explained James' condition in detail before she entered the room, she had not felt the impact of the news… She could only understand what all of this meant when saw him like that… This also made her realize how fragile people are, and how something as simple as a fall can leave life by a thin thread.Giovanni's phone sounds hi
The cab stops in front of the airport, which, as usual, is crowded with people coming and going, oblivious to problems that do not belong to them.Erica waits for the driver to remove her big suitcase from the trunk while she adjusts her scarf. Put together with her hat and glasses, she becomes almost unrecognizable. Erica isn't a celebrity, but she was on magazine covers when she was younger, and occasionally attended important high society events. Recently, thanks to the wedding disaster, her family has become the topic of the moment — especially Emily.Emily… even though she herself blew it by getting into bed with another man, she had the nerve to blame me. Didn't she dig her own grave?“There you go, ma'am.” The taxi driver says with an unfriendly expression, awaiting payment for the charge and tips.Normally, Erica would splurge on tipping, but her reputation is already in the mud and money is tight… why keep up appearances when she will soon be away from this place?Erica pulls
Eleonor looks at Erica tied to the chair, weak and with a cheerless expression. She's clearly showing her self-assurance, even in this kind of situation. This arrogance keeps Eleonor from feeling any empathy for the woman who raised her using physical and psychological torture. She walks over to the chair where Giovanni was sitting and pulls it forward. The sound of the metal scratching the floor causes Erica to flinch, as her senses are still too sharp. The chair thud makes the woman give a jolt and open her eyes, finding that Eleonor is now sitting less than three feet away. “Before you go forth for your new life, I would like to ask you a few questions.” Eleonor says with a voice as calm as her countenance. “I hope you'll be sincere in your words.” Erica gives a sarcastic smile, “I believe that… my feelings have been open all this… time.” “Yes, you're right about that. Your displeasure with my existence has always been something that I know well.” “So, what do you want… me to s
Theodor Marchetti's eyes are laid on his desk, but his attention is far beyond, further away, lost among thoughts and worries that, as he might try to deny it, have settled into the shadows of his mind. Inevitably, Douglas' words continue to hover like a dense fog, and he becomes unable to ignore them even in his sleep.Would you be able to lay your head down and sleep peacefully when your hands are full of innocent blood? Theodor was convinced that yes, this would be a burden that, although heavy, would be worth carrying. But chaining your soul to sin isn't as simple as it seems… Especially when you're no longer so sure that your ideal is worth the price of your peace.Lately, Theodor has been wavering… doubts arise in his head and make him confused, doubting truth and reality, accepting that maybe these things are just subjective, a matter of perspective. A few months ago, he was sure that any sacrifice would be worth it to revive LA FAMIGLIA, but now that several of his allies hav
Contrary to what's pictured in movies, TV shows and artworks, it's not raining at the funeral. In fact, the sky is so blue and clear that this could be a peaceful day if a man was not being buried. It appears that even the heavens won't mourn the loss of James Evans. Funny to think, The Evans family used to cherish appearances so much, but in the end, this society abandoned them, as most of his friends weren't at his final moments…The coffin goes down into the hole, six feet under, and some flowers are thrown to show him at least some sorrow. Eleonor holds a serious countenance as she throws a yellow chrysanthemum — this time, the flower is literally fulfilling its meaning. Her hands are shaking, but not one seems to notice.Emily is also with a stiff expression and has not shed a single tear since she last saw her father's face, or when the coffin began to go down. Different from what was expected, there was no overreaction or fake tears… It's as if Emily was completely stunned. Or
Giovanni brings the cigarette to his lips, swallowing deeply before releasing the smoke into the closed room. His nostrils burn slightly, but he doesn't care. The clock shows that it's fifteen minutes before a new day begins, and he should already be in bed, cuddled up with his wife, enjoying the fact that this mess is finally over.But instead, he's dragging in the silence of the dawn, mulling over thoughts, waiting for the sunrise to clear up all the doubts that are consuming his chest, bringing an utmost emptiness into Giovanni's soul. And all because of the call received a few hours ago…A call from Thomas Marchetti.He should have known something was wrong, since he specifically told Thomas to leave town because of the possibility of Gioacchino's involvement. And that meant that any contact between them was ceased completely. But still, he called Giovanni.ㅤ— A few hours ago.Giovanni answered his phone with a frowning expression, “Didn't I say you should be careful?”“I am bein
Giovanni is sitting on the edge of the bed, drinking what looks like his fourth shot of scotch. Eleonor enters the room without noticing the somber expression on Giovanni's face, who doesn't flinch even when she stops in front of the mirror to remove her jewelry. When the smell of alcohol strongly invades her nostrils, she looks through the reflection and notices that Giovanni has his head down, drinking in complete silence. She turns to him, feeling a strange chill settle in her chest… a feeling of unease that makes her hold her breath. And only when her green eyes look into him, she notices that there's something open on top of the mattress, next to Giovanni… Realizing what it is, Eleonor back up herself on the furniture, so that her legs won't wobble, and she doesn't fall to the floor. That's her echo. Her baby girl’s echo. Eleonor closes her eyes, sighing deeply… How did he find out? What will I say? Why does he look so… miserable? Eleonor knows the answer to that last doub
... For everyone who followed this far. Well… it's finally over. I don't really know how to feel. I'm happy and, at the same time, sad. I already miss Giovanni and Eleonor. It was my first book this big… and I really tried, I did my best to make it perfect, to make the ending satisfying. And looking back on those 240k+ words, those chapters, those four months of writing… It was all worth it, and I know I'll miss it. At least, I'm happy to have given a good ending to this couple that conquered me. And I hope they conquered you too. Giovanni and Eleonor almost created a life of their own. I left the script and let the flow go the way they would like, and I'm happy with the result. I hope that in the future, I can tell a little more about the stories of other remarkable characters. But this is about Eleonor and Giovanni, and the family they've created despite all the odds. And I like to want to thank you all very much. Each of you is precious to me, and I hope you enjoyed my book.
Giovanni is holding the handle of his weapon firmly, walking through the house with sneaky steps, looking around cautiously. Silence hangs over the room, and only the sound of his breathing can be heard. His hand is sweating, but he continues to move forward, with his eyes on the hallway ahead of him. He holds his breath and moves forward, throwing his body beyond the wall, aiming at the air — but there's no one there. However, he hears a noise behind him, and when he turns around, it's too late… He's being shot… By water. A thin giggle makes his face relax as he raises his hands in surrender, feeling a jet being shot again into his belly, “Oh, no… you hit Papà!” Giovanni lays his hand on his stomach, pretending to be hit by a delirious ache, as he sinks to his knees. The giggling increases, and the little girl throws herself into her father's arms, who catches her with extreme ease. “Are you okay, Papà?” She asks with a little smile. “Yeah! That wouldn't be enough to bring me
WARNING — ADULT CONTENT ㅤ ㅤ Eleonor stands on the balcony, looking out over the horizon, where the sky and the sea meet, making almost an infinite blue. The beauty of Cancun never fails to impress her, but right now, it seems more beautiful than ever. She feels firm arms surround her by the waist, from behind, leaning her back against a wall of muscle. The warmth of Giovanni's body spreads to her chest, so cozy that it makes her close her eyes. And the kiss he gives on the top of her blond hair makes her feel at home, even though they're geographically far from their house. Really, home is whatever Giovanni is. “What are you thinking?” He asks, murmuring between the blond strands, making her snuggle into his arms. “Just that we've been through a lot…” She says, still with her eyes closed. “Now that it's all at peace… it feels like a dream. And sometimes I'm afraid that it really is that, just a dream… and that any moment I'll wake up in a cold, lonely place, without you, without
When Eleonor saw the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore for the first time, she never imagined that four years later she would be getting married there.And in the bride's dressing room, she's looking in the mirror, admiring the dress that, this time, was her own choice. A gown that's tight to the body, with floral lace and delicate diamonds along the cloth, which trails along the floor in a long tail. Her hair is loose, with waves falling over her shoulders, with the sides pinned up with diamond-studded clips. The veil that comes off the back of her hair is also long and covers her bare arms and back. A comfortable dress that makes her feel like the most beautiful and beloved woman in the world.Knocks on the door catch her attention, and a painful sense of déjà vu comes over her, but then, when she sees Lisette entering with a bright smile, this feeling just disappears. The bride's eyes water, causing Lisette's beautiful brown eyes to get wet as well.“We can't cry yet… the makeup…” L
“What are you up to?” Eleonor asks with a chuckle, walking with difficulty, unsure of which direction her feet are going. This is because Giovanni has blindfolded her eyes with a black cloth, which leaves her without total vision. “I told you, it's a surprise…” Giovanni says softly, close to her ear, as he guides her along the path with his hand on her waist. This mere gesture causes a shiver to run up her spine. “Is it something naughty?” She asks with a mischievous smile, and his low laugh sends more shivers up her skin. “What do you think of me?” His hands grow firmer on her waist, and suddenly, they stop. Eleonor holds her breath because having one of her senses removed makes all the sensations even more intense. Giovanni's breathing so close to her neck makes a heat appear between her legs. Perhaps because being blindfolded also reminds her of when Giovanni came after her in America. Delicately, his hand undoes the noose and the blindfold falls to the ground. The image unfold
Eleonor is screaming at the top of her lungs, gripping the sheet tightly, throwing her head back. Sweat drips down her temples and wets her hair, which has returned to its natural color. Her golden strands are spread across the pillow, clinging to her face and body. The contractions started a few minutes ago and are getting stronger. She feels her belly twist, a pain that makes howls escape from deep in her throat, as if they were coming straight out of her soul. “That's it… keep pushing…” The nurse says, wiping Eleonor's sweaty forehead, who nods and pushes even harder. Her eyes' water… The pain is intense! She feels as if she's going to be turned inside out. But still, Eleonor keeps pushing… until she runs out of strength. Her spread legs tremble. No, her whole-body trembles. “You need to keep pushing, dear…” Eleonor cries, allowing sobs to escape through her lips. All she wants the most is to see Giovanni… She wants him there. “I can’t...” “Yes dear... You can do it; you ne
“Congratulations on the discharge, boss!” Marco says with a smile, but faced with Giovanni's serious expression, he shuts up, wilting his smile.“He's grumpy, don't mind that...” Lisette whispers to Marco, and they suppress their smile as they notice Giovanni's sharp eyes on them.“Would you two behave yourselves? We're about to start the meeting with the Marchetti.” Giovanni scolds seriously, with his arms crossed. Under his shirt, his wound is still bandaged.“Why? We're one big family now, aren't we?” Lisette gives a mischievous smile, which makes Giovanni's expression twitch in guilt.“You're going to make me miserable for the rest of my life, don't you?” Giovanni sighs remorsefully. “Honestly, I feel sorry for Thomas.... It won't be easy to share the same roof with a little devil.... Ouch!” He complains as he feels a punch from Lisette directly on his bruise, which makes him squirm. “Are you crazy? You want to open my fucking stitches?”“If you kept your mouth shut, that wouldn't
Fog.Giovanni is trapped in a dense curtain of fog, unable to see beyond his own bloodied hands…And even though his legs continue to walk through the dark vastness, the fog never seems to end. As if walking in circles, somehow, he always ends up in the same place.… Giovanni…Eleonor's sweet voice calls him, and he continues to search for her, feeling despair growing in his chest because, no matter how hard he runs, no matter how hard he tries, he's unable to reach her.(…) Where are you? Why didn't you come to me that day? You let me freeze… I almost died…Giovanni shakes his head, losing the strength in his legs, making him fall to his knees over what he notices to be a pond of blood… no, not a pond… He's sinking… his body is sinking in a red ocean. He opens his mouth and fills his lungs before his head is submerged.(…) You're killing me, Giovanni… You've killed me three times…He stretches out his hands, trying to reach the surface, but his body just sinks deeper and deeper into
Even at gunpoint, Gioacchino doesn't hesitate, as if he has nerves of steel. Maybe it's because this isn't the first time that such resentful eyes stared at him, ready to take his life. And of course, this won't be the last, either.“Let me ask you something…” Gioacchino puts a discreet smile on his lips, and his eyes twinkle fervently, “How did you manage to fool me? I, personally, chose the Wedding Celebrant…”“Three times what you offered, a new passport for his entire family and a new life on a paradisiacal island…. Who would deny it? Of course, not that he would be in a position to refuse with a gun pointed at his children.”Gioacchino laughs, suddenly proud. Indeed, he has raised Giovanni very well…“Since we're being honest… why don't you talk about how you killed my mother, Charlotte?” Giovanni asks between teeth, trying to hold the emotions that threaten to explode out of his body.“Oh, you know about that? I guess your little wife has a loose tongue.” Gioacchino shrugs. “Aft