Eleonor wakes up in the morning, feeling pain all over her body, as if a truck had run her over. Yet, the pain in her heart managed to be even more excruciating. She cried as she had never cried before in the first few hours that followed. As the dawn came, her rational side came out, and she realized that there was no reason to feel so miserable. Doesn't she hate Reviello with all her might? Yes, that's how it should be. She shouldn't feel the loss of her heart by him. It's beyond doubt that he's a heartless man.Even though she has decided that she will pull herself together in the morning and move on with her shards, she doesn't feel like getting out of bed. She feels like her legs are too heavy to back up her body. And her head aches like she's the one who had drank last night and caused chaos in the room and in her mind. She feels pathetic. Seeing the broken objects and the fallen pictures on the floor is a painful reminder that everything that happened last night was real, not j
Giovanni is leaning on the edge of the balcony, smoking the fourth cigarette in that morning. He's watching the blue sky and the almost-burning sun that greets this not-very-inviting day.Marco is sitting on one of the sofas and looking at the ceiling. Since he woke up to find a boss who was very bad-tempered and hungover on the other side of his door, he has chosen to keep quiet and be understanding. Giovanni finds the silence in the room comforting, given the chaos inside his head.Marco asked for room service, but Giovanni only wanted a few cups of strong coffee and cigarettes. Since then, the boss has been looking at the horizon, thinking about things that Marco bets that's involving Mrs. Reviello.“Marco?” Giovanni finally calls out to him.The man gets up hurriedly and approaches the balcony, with an evident sleepy expression. “Yes, boss?”“I would like you to keep an eye on my wife.” He says, holding the cigarette between his fingers. “I'm not sure if we can relax and act as if
After spending the morning at the spa, Eleonor feels refreshed. This resort is surely one of the wonders of the world because nothing could change her mood or make her feel better after such a bad night. But fortunately, she has discovered that hot tub baths, acupuncture, and relaxing massages can cure anything. She's smiling now, which is a big change from the sad expression she had before.Lisette, who is keen to distract her friend and keep her from thinking about the previous night's discussion, decided to end the day at a beach bar, which, although not part of the resort's facilities, is very close by.Even though the sun has already set, the weather is still pleasant. The nights in Cancun are colorful and lively. Especially on that part of the beach. The bar chosen looks like a kiosk, and besides using beach decorations, it has several neon signs. The establishment has many tables outside, on the beach sand, and inside, which has also a bar and a band playing popular music.The
Eleonor returns to the bar, feeling the eyes of the woman (who offered herself to Giovanni) on her, but she doesn't care. And doesn't even look up when he passes her and goes back to the table. She leans on the counter and calls out to the bartender for another shot of tequila. Lisette watches Giovanni sits down at the table, and the tanned brunette rubs herself against him again. She rolls her eyes and looks annoyed. “One for me too.” The man puts the glasses on the counter the same way he did before. Eleonor slammed the small glass brutally on the wood after turning the clear shot over. She turns the sangria in one go, to alleviate the taste that didn't seem so bad anymore — perhaps the taste of anger is influencing her palate. Lisette looks at her in surprise and does the same. As the sangria goes down her throat, and she sucks on the lemon, faces her friend and says: “Don't let him blow your evening, Elle.” “Blow it? No, I'm going to have the best night ever.” “That sounds ext
Giovanni thought he was the most important piece on the board. He was used to having his orders obeyed, and this never bored him. After all, that was all he knew. He wasn't told to have feelings, so he learned to hide them. But twelve years ago, he found his soul again. And two years ago, he had a feeling that he was going to ruin himself, but he ignored it because he was sure that nothing could shake him. A few minutes ago, he discovered that it's possible to break a heart, even if you believe you don't have one. Yes, it's a game. But he felt like he was falling into a deep, dark abyss when he saw her smile so sincerely at another man, touch him and laugh as if there were no worries in the world. A deep sadness mixed with an uncontrollable anger that commands the nerves in his body and the muscles in his legs. That makes him get up and go to her, even though his brain screams that he should keep his distance. He's never felt like this before. Never felt like his emotions were overfl
“Donna, the boss requires your presence.”“Good morning to you too, Marco.” She says with a fake smile, looking at the man outside her room. She's propping up on the door, and her hand is holding on the knob like it's a floater amid the ocean. By Marco's expression, she can get a brief idea of how Reviello’s mood is in that morning.The truth is that after that disastrous walk on the beach, they didn't meet. He didn't return to the resort, at least not to the room. She already tortured herself enough, thinking that he may have returned to that woman's flirt. And she realizes that she's indeed jealous — what enrages her even more because that also means she's really falling in love.“Don't make things hard for me, Donna…” Marco says quite anxiously. “He's not in a good mood.”“I can imagine it.” Eleonor sighs, and finally gets out of the room.They walk to a restaurant inside the resort's facilities. It's a nice place, right before the beach. The cozy wooden furniture makes her a bit l
Eleonor didn't want to submit to Reviello's whims, especially after he practically spit on her heart. However, what is her pride compared to the lives of the people she loves? She wasn't sure if he would be soulless enough to hurt his childhood friend and the woman who raised him as if he were her own son. But she knew he wouldn't hesitate to raise his gun to the Evans. So, there was no other choice. That is why she's sitting on the bed, feeding him with fruits. She feels pathetic, but that was the first thing she was told to do. He told her to feed him and laid down on her lap. This is beyond absurd! She rolls her eyes and tries not to shout as she holds a small grape to his lips. When it slides inside his mouth, he runs his tongue over her fingertip, causing a discreet tickle. “What about the chocolate?” He opens his eyes, staring at her chin that seems perfectly drawn at that angle. She stares at him with an unfriendly expression and says, “I hate you.” “Stop whining, love.”
Eleonor is looking at herself in the mirror. Even when she was wearing Emily's clothes to attend appointments in her place, she had never looked so gorgeous. Marco delivered a box that was said to be a gift from Reviello. She was afraid to open it because the last gift was the hand of a man who touched her, but since the note said: Wear only what I've sent you, she got up and opened it. A beautiful, perfectly folded red dress and a set of gold and ruby jewelry were inside it. Another box was also delivered, this time with very tall red shoes. She doesn't understand Giovanni's obsession with the color and thinks there may be a morbid reason. He asked her to wear a red dress for their first dinner at the mansion in Florence, but she defied him and wore another color. But this time, there's no escape. The dress manages to be even more beautiful on the body. The top and waist of this dress are tight, as the skirt is loose and ends with a
... 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