“Pretty girl? Don't you think you're being too rude to your hostess and the wife of the owner of this place?” Marco crosses his arms, not hiding his dissatisfaction. Eleonor gives a humorless laugh and assures Marco that everything is fine. Anyway, they're just extras… just numbers so as the game wouldn’t be too boring. She can't even be bothered because in her eyes, they're just flies. Her attention is focused only on James Evans and Sebastian Guntbert, her true opponents. “We can start?” The Dealer asks and, upon Eleonor's confirmation, he begins to deal two cards face down to each player. Texas Hold'em rules are pretty simple. To put it as easily as possible, each match is made up of four rounds. The first one is when the Dealer delivers the two cards, and the players decide, based on these two, whether or not they will participate in the game. And to ensure that all players presents are obliged to play at least one of the matches, one player will be forced to call the BIG BLIND
More matches passed. Eleonor continued acting carelessly, laughing like a fool when she ended up losing with ridiculous hands. The second game was won by Bash, with Two Pair. The pot wasn't amazing in the same way, only raising two hundred thousand dollars, but it didn't cause James a big loss, as he folded early on.The third match again went to James. Eleonor made a point of raising the bet to the maximum, even disputing with the Unknown Guy to see who raised the most. This benefited James, as he had again a Three of a Kind, that beat Unknown's Two Pair and Eleonor's and Bash's One Pair.The fourth game went to the Unknown Guy, who didn't win much from the pot, as the bad hand went to all players. The curious thing is that he didn't seem happy or frustrated with the outcome of the matches, but he always increased when Eleonor did… almost as if her movements were exposed, as clear as day.The fifth game went to Bobby, who, as predicted, didn't stand out in the room. Thereafter, he an
The last card is yet to come, and Eleonor bet all the chips. Is a Three of a Kind really enough? She feels an intense nausea, a chill that's shaking her whole body. And she even seals her lips tight, fearing that some sigh might give her away.The last card…The Dealer places the last card on the table. 3 of SPADES.A FULL HOUSE!Eleonor is about to faint!Bash shows his cards with an expression of disgust. 9 of HEARTS and J of HEARTS — just One Pair of nines.As expected, he was just bluffing… no, one can't even call that a bluff. He was willing to sacrifice four million dollars for his pride, Eleonor thinks, feeling her blood run cold.Then, she shows her cards… and reveals to everyone the FULL HOUSE. Three 10, and a pair of 3. With that, Eleonor entirely ignores Bash's and Marco's surprised expressions, focusing only on James' expression, which is completely defeated.The man's trembling hands reveal the cards. A pair of 10 and a pair of 5… Two pars.Eleonor doesn't mind looking a
Surprise is clear on everyone's faces, but Eleonor doesn't really care, after all… this is something necessary. Even though her stomach is in knots, and she's probably going to throw up the little she’s eaten that day, she needs to keep herself steady, with an unemotional expression and empty eyes. That will solve that problem, won't it? She's the one who must fix it. That way, Giovanni won't be able to say that he took actions that hurt and destroyed her just to protect her. Even when the guard presses the man's hand with extreme ease at the table where they were playing poker a few moments ago, Eleonor doesn't blink. Even though the man is screaming and begging, asking for forgiveness and saying he would give up the money… she doesn't hesitate. “Broke the right thumb.” She orders and, as if she were just ordering ordinary things, like closing the windows or changing the sheets and watering the flowers… the first finger is broken and displaced in an abnormal way. The man's painfu
The whole truth? Eleonor holds her breath, trying not to look affected by those words. She crosses her arms and asks him with an uninterested tone, “What's there for me to know, other than what I've already experienced in my own skin?”“I know you resent me, Eleonor.” James didn't have the heart to face her, so he kept his eyes attached to the floor, “Of course, I don't expect you to forgive me. I just want to say that none of this is your fault…”“Nothing is my fault, of course.” Her voice falters as her heart begins to pound desperately and anxiety settles in every part of her body. “Even if my only sin was being born, even that was beyond my power. I didn't ask to be born, Father. Nor did I ask to have a miserable life in this family…”James finally looks up at her, and his eyes are resentful… no, he's looking at her with pity. Doesn't it seem too late to regret your negligence?“The last thing I would want is for my daughters to have a forced marriage like I did. In the end, I was
Giovanni is watching the computer screen with a stern expression. In the silence and darkness of the room, he listened to the entire conversation with incredible bitterness. He could hear every word.And doesn't it all finally make sense?Eleonor said she didn't know who owned that property because she just doesn't remember being there.So, she was the one to blame for all Emily's suffering this whole time?Giovanni closes his eyes and removes the phone from his ear, unable to continue listening to Eleonor's sobs… He's trying to control the urge to go to that damn VIP room and hug her because he feels completely useless when the woman he loves is crying alone in that heartbreaking way. He also shuts down the computer… there's no reason to keep torturing himself like this.But somehow, something doesn't feel right.If Eleonor was responsible for the puppy incident and causing Emily such pain and suffering, why did she always seem so happy when talking about her sister? Why had she neve
“Look at me…” Giovanni orders.Despite the darkness of the room, moonlight penetrates the window and briefly illuminates the table where Eleonor sits, cornered by Giovanni's big, strong body.“You didn't think I'd forgive you so easily, did you? I won't give you what you want this time… I won't fall for that trick again.”She flutters her eyelashes innocently, which brings a smile to his lips.“Where do you intend to aim this time, love? On the other shoulder? Please tell me beforehand, so I can get undressed and not ruin another fine shirt.”“Should I have bought another one as a proper apology?” Eleonor begins to slowly unbutton his shirt. “Since that one is probably in the trash.”“In the trash? No, I would never throw away such a genuine display of affection from my wife.” He says with a smug smile on his lips. “But I would appreciate it if you took some new lessons.”Eleonor laughs softly but feels suddenly shy when she notices that he's looking at her affectionately, with a smil
The long night pass by. Giovanni is sitting on the balcony, smoking a cigarette in the silence of the night. His mind is distant, thoughtful. The truth is, he's so mad he's had to recur to nicotine… Otherwise, he'd probably have that bastard and that damn Erica Evans heads ripped over his feet. It never crossed his mind that Eleonor would be so mistreated by her family. He knew that Emily faced difficulties, but he never imagined that Eleonor suffered even worse things… perhaps his vision was corrupted because of the rumors of Eleonor's terrible personality. He places his hand over her face, letting the cigarette burn between his fingers. How could those rumors be true? Since the beginning, she's been doing her best, hasn't she? Come to think of it, hadn't he felt truly surprised when he first saw her? The way she was able to stand up for herself… The mix of ferocity and sweetness caught his attention almost immediately. This was not the image he had carried in his mind. And as time
... 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