The moment Emily Evans has always dreamed of has finally arrived. She wanted to marry a handsome man from a good family, who can treat her like a true princess. And who could be better than Joshua Henderson?From the moment she laid eyes on him, Emily knew she wanted him. And even though he was interested in her sister, it never bothered her… after all, she always got whatever she wanted. Everyone prefers her, of course, eventually Josh would too.Little by little, she managed to win him over. In Josh's eyes, as well as in society's, Emily is like an angel… so innocent and sweet that it's impossible not to fall over her.But just her perfect existence wasn't enough for Josh to take his eyes off Eleonor… that's why she had to be keener and give him her innocence. For Emily, virginity was an investment… and who else could deserve such a gem?Since then, they began to meet behind Eleonor's back. Still, Josh has always been reluctant to tell the whole truth. According to him, this would b
“Giovanni…” Eleonor's surprise disappears quickly, and she untangles herself from Emily's arm to go to her husband. “Honey, I told you didn't have to come…”She approaches him and says quietly, almost in a whisper, “Why are you here?”“I couldn't let my wife come alone, right?” Giovanni holds her tightly around the waist, pulling her body against his. “Besides… this is your precious sister's engagement party… I needed to give my regards.”Emily is shaking. She rubs her eyes, certain she's having a mirage. She even discreetly pinches her skin, trying to wake up from this nightmare. Because, of course, there's no way she's awake right now. Why is this man… are you saying this man is the mobster? This tall, strong man with an angular face, marked jaw and piercing eyes… Is this the man she was supposed to marry all along?The bold smile on his lips and the stubble… the black hair straightened out back only raise the masculine features of the face… It's such a surreal appearance that it s
“Giovanni…” Eleonor's surprise disappears quickly, and she untangles herself from Emily's arm to go to her husband. “Honey, I told you didn't have to come…”She approaches him and says quietly, almost in a whisper, “Why are you here?”“I couldn't let my wife come alone, right?” Giovanni holds her tightly around the waist, pulling her body against his. “Besides… this is your precious sister's engagement party… I needed to give my regards.”Emily is shaking. She rubs her eyes, certain she's having a mirage. She even discreetly pinches her skin, trying to wake up from this nightmare. Because, of course, there's no way she's awake right now. Why is this man… are you saying this man is the mobster? This tall, strong man with an angular face, marked jaw and piercing eyes… Is this the man she was supposed to marry all along?The bold smile on his lips and the stubble… the black hair straightened out back only raise the masculine features of the face… It's such a surreal appearance that it s
Giovanni's makes it clear that he's saying, in other words, that Josh should be worrying about his bride, not looking at Eleonor with such a pathetic expression.Sensing the mood, Eleonor changes the subject.“It's a relief… I thought that due to my sudden marriage, you might resent me…” Eleonor says, a little deflated. Of all people, the Henderson were the only ones who treated her sincerely, and didn't use twisted words and false flattery to humiliate her. Somehow, she felt like part of the family.Maybe it's silly that her former self, so hungry for affection, accepted Josh's feelings for something she didn't get at home… something his family could offer. But despite everything, they were never able to fill the hole that was in Eleonor's chest. And cruelly and ungratefully, she was also capable of forgetting the existence of this very kind couple, as she immersed herself in the new life. How couldn't she feel such guilt?“We can understand why we weren't invited to the ceremony… we
“I've been wondering… when is the wedding?” Eleonor asks with a kind smile, after sipping her juice. Her unexpected refusal of wine and champagne caught Giovanni's attention, but he kept quiet.Now that they were all at the table, talking, with a silly smile on their lips and without worries, Eleonor was able to look closely at the guests. In addition to the Henderson family, who are seated next to Eleonor and Giovanni, and from the Evans — who are naturally the hosts and therefore are at the head of the table, with James sitting in the most prominent position… On the table, there is also the Blake, Emily's maternal family, who didn't bother to send a single representative to Eleonor's wedding. In addition, other families with important business connections to the Evans are present, some who even treated Eleonor with contempt.“We haven't set a date yet…” Emily gives her sister a smile across the table and takes Josh's
“Oh, but now that I think of it… what are we going to do? Emily loves traditional weddings… It may not seem like it because she's shy about it, but she’s very sentimentalist…” Eleonor pretends to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. “Emmy, if I had known you were getting married, I would have kept my wedding dress, so you could wear it…”“What? What are you saying suddenly, sister?” Emily tries to hide her cranky tone, but her shaky voice doesn't go unnoticed by Josh.“Emmy, there's no need to be embarrassed, we're here in family, right?” Eleonor uses her sweetest, most sly tone. “You told me that your dream was to marry in the dress that someone important to you wore before…”“When did I say that?” Emily struggles to follow the same tone, but it comes off as just unnatural. In the eyes of others, she just seems like a shy girl who doesn't want her
Eleonor splashes water on her face, trying to compose herself. Just a few moments ago, she had been throwing up everything in her stomach. Now, looking in the mirror, she can see the paleness in her face that even makeup can't disguise. After feeling bad for so long and being so sensitive, she can no longer deny that something is wrong. There are only two options… either she's sick, or she's pregnant. Still, Eleonor can't pull up the courage to take the test, which is well hidden in her belongings. Her priority at the moment is focusing on her revenge. As water droplets trickle down her face, Eleonor's green eyes focus on the male figure through the mirror's reflection. The man, who's leaning against the wall, watches her carefully with some amusement. It's not a very familiar face, and she's certain that he wasn't sitting at the table. But Eleonor manages to recognize him, as it hasn't been that long since they first met. “What are you doing here?” Eleonor asks without taking her
“Can we go home?” Eleonor looks at Giovanni with tired eyes. Giovanni can see that she's on the edge just by looking at her face.“Of course, love.” Giovanni caresses her face and kisses her forehead, asking permission to say goodbye to the other guests, especially Mr. Henderson, who has been talking to him for a long time.Eleonor looks around, looking for Theodor Marchetti in the crowd, but he really is nowhere to be found. She sighs because, somehow, he actually managed to get into her mind and make her feel uneasy. Ever since poker night, she'd been thinking about it. This man is really dangerous and hard to read.“Oh… You don't look very well, daughter.” Erica approaches with a high-pitched voice, putting on the mask of a worried mother.“I'm fine, Mother… just a little tired. Do not worry.” Eleonor gives her a sweet smile, which doesn't falter even as Erica moves even closer — so close that she can see her mother's wrinkles.“If you're tired, why burden yourself? You can leave t
... 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