[ANASTASIA'S POINT OF VIEW]When I left the balcony, I didn't seek Enzo nor go to the dinner table. I went directly to Khione's room.I strode into the bedroom; I found her beside her window, looking out while taking a whiff of her cigar penned between her fingers. I went to stand next to her."Sienna is here," I began.She turned to face me, her green eyes not hiding the surprise in them. "Sienna?" she inquired. "How can you be certain she is here when you have never seen her before?""I saw her photo in Enzo's flat before. And Rue said it's her,”Khione snorted. “Rue is stuffed with crap. She might be attempting to snag you by the shirt. She has the ability to make people act their worst.” She exhaled once more into her cigar.I sighed, almost reaching out to grab the cigar from her finger to take a drag. "I would like to know what happened between them; Enzo and Sienna. Why is she such a touchy subject?"“It’s a sensitive topic indeed.” She extinguished the cigar and threw it out t
[ANASTASIA'S POINT OF VIEW]As soon as we entered our bedroom, I grabbed hold of his wrist. When he turned to face me, I stood on my toes and firmly pressed my lips against his. I hummed in the kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck, realizing I hadn't done this in a while, and I did not realize how much I craved it until he started kissing me back, his palms rising to cup my face. I moved my body closer to his, wanting his warmth and longing for more.I broke the kiss and left a trail of kisses on his neck. Enzo vibrated with laughter. I withdrew and stared up at him with a pout. “What?”His lips stretched in a smile that nearly turned me into a puddle. It was adorable and endearing. He stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Aren't you cute when you are eager?”I peered at him closely. At the dinner table earlier, he appeared tense and agitated; now, however, he appeared relaxed, charming, and more appetizing. My cheeks began to flush at the thought that had just suddenly crossed my mi
[ANASTASIA’S POINT OF VIEW]The beach was more enjoyable than I had anticipated. Walking along the beach and discovering clams, cockles, mussels, oysters, and scallops was a new experience for me, though I avoided the water like the plague. I once went fishing with Enzo, and it was a memory I would like to keep forever, but as they say, all good things must come to an end.The Mezzesalmas were outside when I stepped into the kitchen to get a bottle of water, My throat was parched from the glaring sun outside.I popped open the freezer, reached for the first bottle of water I came across, and downed the entire thing down my throat. Then, from behind me, I heard a recognizable voice.“Aren't you a pretty little thing?”I was choking on my water and hacking up a lung at the unexpected voice. Then a hand was rubbing down my back. I recoiled, and when I lifted my head, I was struck by the blue eyes of Galileo. A smirk appeared at the corner of his lips as I took a step back.“Are you scare
(ENZO'S POINT OF VIEW)I saw red as I stood in Father's room. My hands were clenched so tightly and my jaw was as hard as a rock that I could barely contain my rage.I looked over at Galileo, his face covered in bruises, and he was trying to support his broken arm, the same arm he used to pull the trigger, but it was not enough. The pain on his face wasn't enough; I wanted to afflict more. He deserved more. Almost losing control, Father walked into the room with long, angry strides. He approached us, his jaw clenched, and his blue eyes darting between Galileo and I."I thought it was just pulling guns at each other. Now you pull the trigger?!" His rage voice echoed throughout the room. Galileo rolled his eyes. "It was not anything major, Fa-.""Shut up, Galileo!" Father cut him off and took a step forward to stand in front of him. "Do you realize the implications of what you just did?"Galileo's jaw tightened. "I nearly killed your favorite adopted son, so I understand the implicati
[ANASTASIA'S POINT OF VIEW]I was led into a room with poor lighting. I spun around in the room. It was an office. Four guards with glum expressions stood at each corner, and a man in a black suit with his back to me was seated behind the large table in front of me. I strained my neck to see his face, but a palm wrapped around my wrist, and I was sharply reeling my head to make out Rue's face in the dim lighting.“Don't touch me.” I mouthed, drawing my hand back, and she rolled her eyes."You are not allowed to get any closer," she equally mouthed, and I rolled my eyes. It wasn't the first time I encountered the man who wrote my bloody script. The one who pulled the strings and played the chess. Even if he didn't show his face to me, I already knew who he was.I murmur, "I know," in return.“Anastasia Martin. We meet again." The man behind the chair started without swiveling in his seat, and I didn't expect him to."I would rather go with Anastasia alone. The Martins are not my biolog
(KHIONE’S POINT OF VIEW] The sound of the music, the roar of the crowd as they watched me move my body on the pole, the applause, and the futilely lustful looks were my only escape from my reality. The stage was my only escape from the burdens on my chest. I moved to the sensual music in the background, lost in the adrenaline rush, and for the first time in a long time, I did not want this night to end; however, it ended sooner than I had anticipated. “KHIONE!” Over the music, the sound of my name came loud and clear. It was like the music stopped when it didn't, as I stopped moving on the stage. My gaze was drawn to my little sister, who was standing in the midst of the drunken crowd, tears in her eyes, biting her lips to keep from crying. My eyes widened. “Mia.” What the fuck was she doing here, and how did she find me here? “Khione.” She called again, and the tears she had been holding back fell down her cheeks. And behind her were two security guards, each grabbing her a
[KHIONE’S POINT OF VIEW]Mom was gone, and the twins had witnessed her suicide. She did not consider that if she was going to take her life, it would be best if her kids were not there, but she was cruel and did not care how those little girls would feel. But it wasnt surprising since she never cared.She was cruel, but life was even more so.I stood at the window of the room that was once mine before I moved out to the Mezzesalmas, a cigarette between my lips, staring into space and wondering why life was unscrupulous to me. I laughed at the thought. This was most likely karma for what I did to Giovanni. I was supposed to suffer my entire life in order to learn my lesson, but have not I already suffered enough? Have not I had my fill of humiliation? Another laugh escaped me, and I took a long drag on my cigar while running my hand through my hair."You know, laughing to oneself is a sign of mental illness." It was like he appeared out of thin air, and when I reeled my head back,
[ANASATSIA’S POINT OF VIEW]Have you ever felt that you need to do something before everything goes completely south? That was what I felt when I approached Enzo.My plans, however, had a dual meaning. I stood in front of Enzo, he stared at me with an amused expression I had come to love. The longer I stared, the more I realized how flawless this man was, but they wanted to break him; they wanted that craziness to unleash, and I was sent to do it in the cruelest way.They felt Sienna breaking his heart wasn't enough. And this was going to be my ultimate step, and at the same time, this was going to be the last time I would stand this close and have him fully to myself.I wanted everything one last time."Is there something you need?" He inquired."You are always asking that. Is there something you need?" His blue eyes twinkled a little. "You can't give me what I need."Those words pang in my heart. "How can you be so certain?"A small smile stretched across his lips as he reached ou