For the past week, Eleonor has been locked in the bedroom of the mansion in Denver. Just as Giovanni said that night, he has kept everyone from seeing her. Even her meals are taken in the room and brought in by himself. At first, she thought this was just a tantrum… a casual punishment. But as the days go by, and she finds herself in complete boredom, having her phone confiscated, and her social circle reduced to nothing, it has become a real torture. In some ways, every punishment brought it a small amount of pleasure. She ended up enjoying it, even a little. But there's no pleasure in fronting the ceiling, except imagining a thousand ways to repay Giovanni for everything he has done to her. Damn Reviello. She's on the eighth day of her imprisonment. Her body is immersed in the tub with hot water, lotions and rose petals sticking to her body. She thought it would be nice to relax and forget about her current circumstances, but her mind is an object of anguish itself. Worse than bei
Eleonor is lying in bed, staring at the ceiling with so much intent that she wouldn't be surprised if it made holes in it. Since the last meeting, Giovanni has not brought her dinner or breakfast for the next day. Apparently, this is a new way to punish her. Not that she really cares, since her stomach refuses to ingest anything.When Eleonor hears the door being unlocked and finally opened, she decides it's time to put her plan into action.Giovanni is leaning on the table, arms crossed. This is the first time she has seen him in a casual shirt, which looks surprisingly tight on his muscles. His disheveled hair and unshaven beard bring a dangerously sexy aura, especially the way his eyes shine penetratingly, how he locks his angled jaw when he's angry.There's no denying that he's incredibly handsome. And that makes her even more angry.“When will you let me out of here?” Eleonor asks, sitting up in bed.“Not anytime soon.” He tilts his head and gives a sarcastic smile. “What? My com
Eleonor can't stand to be locked in that room anymore. Two more days have passed since she confessed to being in love with Giovanni, and since then, he has been bringing meals in complete silence and withdrawing quickly. She could swear that he's becoming restless in her presence, and his face seemed slightly flushing too. However, this lack of breaches is only delaying the plan she has so carefully planned.That's why she has prepared herself for the next time Giovanni enters the room.When he finally arrives, Eleonor welcomes him with an almost transparent dress and no underwear. The way his eyes travel down her body and sighs deeply shows that it doesn't matter if he's angry, or giving her the cold shoulder… he simply can't ignore her. Even if he doesn't want to, his body reacts to her.“You really like playing with fire, don't you?” He sets the tray with delicious Italian dishes on the table, and approaches the bed with slow steps, without taking his eyes off her. “Are you trying
Giovanni is smoking a cigarette in silence. Eleonor is lying on his chest, with her legs wrapped around him. An intimate moment so rare that it wouldn't happen if they weren't both simply too tired. The sun has long since set, and the soft spring breeze coming in through the open balcony doors is refreshing to the bodies that are still slightly sweaty. “You know… I haven’t been in this house for two years.” He finally breaks the silence, letting out the smoke through his nose. “I don't like being here.” Two years? … I wonder if Giovanni was in Denver at the time of the wedding. The thought makes her uncomfortable, but she tries to push it away. “You were right… this used to be Charlotte's home.” He feels old memories flood his mind as he stares at the ceiling, thoughtfully. “Being here is like torture.” Eleonor closes her eyes, trying not to be shaken by those words. “Why are you here then?” “Because you are.” He brings the cigarette to his lips again to take a drag. His other han
She… did she hear right? Did he really say that he loves her?“Don't joke about something like that…” Her voice falters, shaky as her legs that, if not for Giovanni's embrace, would probably take her to the ground. “Those words…”“I love you so much I can barely stand it.” He prays, whispering close to her ear.“Stop…”“I love you…”“STOP!” Eleonor pushes him away, slightly surprised by the strength she has found to break the spell he has imposed on her heart. “Stop saying those things! They're not true, Giovanni! You don't love me!”Eleonor will not allow herself to be fooled again… Won't let foolish hope take over her heart like a plague, consuming and putting every inch of it under Giovanni's control. She cannot forget that she's the wrong bride, and that he didn't call her name that night. He called Emily's name so tenderly… and would never be able to call her real name that way. To her, it's simply pain. How could he say he loves her?“You… don't love me.” She moves closer again
The bird song awakens her from a deep sleep that no dream or memory has dared to disturb. Emerald eyes blink to adjust to the rooms' clarity. She rolls onto her side, feeling an intense pain in every corner of her body, that’s wearing a comfortable sweater that doesn't belong to her. She doesn't remember dressing in it last night. Actually, she doesn't remember much at all… it's as if a truck has run over her.Suddenly, she notices that the balcony door is open. Despite difficulty, she gets out of bed and walks as if drawn to there. And Giovanni is found there, shirtless, wearing just the pants of the same sweater she's wearing, with his hair disheveled and eyes so red that there's even dark circles under them. He's smoking what seems to be the eighth cigarette, lost in thought.And when he notices her approach, his eyes search her cautiously, inspecting the expression on her face carefully. “How are you feeling?”She opens her mouth to
The feeling of calm brought by the truth was just an illusion… because even though Giovanni had said all those things, he keeps her trapped in her room, chained to the boredom that has become her greatest enemy. Most of the time, she sits on the balcony, watching the property and wishing she were a bird that could fly away from this place. At least she has time to reorder her thoughts and accept that she's been manipulated all this time. There's a lot to think about. Her confessed feelings have not changed the situation and hearing that it's mutual hasn't eased the bitterness in her chest either… because despite everything, Giovanni has betrayed her with Yolanda and still holding her as a captive. At least her head isn't rolling on the floor and her blood isn't painting the carpet with red. Eleonor has given up on divorce. She wanted to get a divorce before Giovanni found out whom she really is, and since he knew from the beginning, there's no point in keeping this when it's been so
Eleonor was finally released from her punishment. Getting out of the bedroom and breathing in the fresh air really is priceless. That's why she decided to enjoy her first moments of freedom by the pool and feel the heat of the sun on her sweaty skin. Things that seemed so simple took on new meaning before her green eyes… a deeper and more invigorating meaning.“I'm so sorry things ended up this way…” Lisette sighs, hugging her friend tight. “If I'd known that Giovanni would lock you up, I wouldn't have suggested something like that. I didn't expect him to do this...”“Don't worry, I don't blame you.” Eleonor smiles sweetly. “I'm the one who wanted to go along with the idea and decided to get under his skin in the first place…”“So, what will we do now?” Lisette breaks the hug, looking at the blue sky without a single cloud. “The engagement party will be in seven days.”“I don't know.” Eleonor sighs deeply, staring at the diamond ring that's once again adorning her finger — which she h
... 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