Elyse was trying very hard to engage me, get me to laugh and all but my mind was totally fixed somewhere else. I did not have time for all these. Why did Don Dada suddenly step out with his SIC after I told him what Luciano did to me. "Big sis, are you here?" Elyse called my attention and I got jolted out of my thoughts. "I am sorry, it's just...I am caught up with a lot of things." "I understand. You must be worried about my brother. Idrio does not get involved in fist fights, he's not that petty. He would probably just pull a string and have Luciano's business stocks fall a bit." She said and I scrunched my brows."How did you...know about that?""I overheard you two speaking. I was going to come call you down because I was getting impatient and I met you guys speaking. What kind of accident could you have gotten into to hurt your head like this? I did not believe your lie." She explained then I apologized to her for lying."It's fine. I have once been abused so I know how this
"I need to get this done as soon as possible. He is getting out of hand already." I said to Don Dada. He had told me to sit down on one of the chairs opposite him in the study so we could discuss the real business."I prefer getting things done meticulously, Claire. And that is what I am doing." He countered my statement, implying that he did not want to rush things. Fine, I understood that he was a Mafia and they tend to see to the end of someone once they are on their case. But I did not care! I just wanted Luciano to die. His businesses and organizations had nothing to do with me, and now Don Dada was insisting we do it his own way."I know already, Idrio. I already know about the Black Box you were going to tell me that night before I got a panic attack." I dropped the bomb. Of course he was quite shocked. "How...did you know about it?" He asked."I just...found out some way." I replied, not wanting to mention Zachary.Don Dada did not seem satisfied with my response but he did
"There are some issues with your heart, and...the doctor says you will be needing a transplant." My heart sank the moment I heard that. How is that even possible? I went on to argue about it, I was not going to believe that."It's impossible. They are lying Don Dada, I am very fine and healthy. I might have not paid so much attention to my health over the years but I swear, I am very much healthy." I argued, not even realizing that I was already crying. It was a hard reality for me to accept. How could I have a bad heart? How did that even happen? He pulled me to himself and wrapped his big arms around me. "I promise to get you a new heart, Mio. You will be fine." He said but that did not make me feel any better.It was just a panic disorder they said I had, how did it progress into a heart issue? Oh Jesus! After bawling for a good while, I stopped crying. His shirt was soaked with my tears before my face on his chest the whole time. He did not let me go.I was sitting at the edge
Elyse was practically close to tears when she found out that I would be staying with them for a while. Her expression was just something I could not understand. Why was she so into me?Did she really lack company that much? "Is there anything you would like to pick from your place?" Don Dada asked after we broke the news to Elyse. "Hm...nothing much, just a few clothes." I replied to him."You can always get new sets of clothes. You and Elyse can go shopping tomorrow, for other things you will be needing too." Don Dada did not even sound like he was suggesting, he was making an assertion.Elyse got the order and nodded. "We will get to that tomorrow." She turned to me, "Can you spend the night in my room today?""No!" Don Dada chipped in firmly and I got amused."Why? I have always wanted a sister to sleep together." Elyse whined and ignoring what Don Dada had said, I replied to her. "I will stay in your room for the night."Her face beamed with a smile as she said a 'thank you' and
I slept late but still woke up quite early. My mind was not settled for some reasons and it was only natural. I was so encumbered with a lot of things and how to go about them that it was killing me.I was in the bathroom when I heard my phone ring."You have a call, sister." I heard Elyse say. I felt like I could already guess who was calling me but Elyse called it out loud. "The ID is 'devil'. Hm? Is that supposed to be a nickname?" I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a white towel to wrap it around myself then I walked out of the washroom. She handed over the phone to me and left the room, I guess she had some things to do outside."Luciano." I said as soon as I placed the phone on my ear."I see you have not been sleeping at the house, you slut." He said I could imagine the enraging expression on his face."What do you want?" I asked him, raising my shoulders a bit. Don Dada was right, I should have done this long ago but I guess the courage was not there. I lacked boldness
"Some things came up so I could not get in touch with you. That is why I am here." I replied to him."Alright then, you mind talking over a cup of tea?""There is no time for that, Zach. I would rather we talk now." I said, making it so clear that it was a pressing issue.Then we sat on a two-seater sofa and started our conversation. "I won't be staying home for a while, and Luciano has just found out that I am hiding.""You are? How? Why?" He raised his brows.How would I explain to him that I had some issues with my heart and would not last long?"I am sorry but I can't explain them right now but it just has to be done, I will explain everything to you later. For now, we need to discuss what we are journeying with." I said."So, what's the plan?" He inquired and I nodded. "Good. To some extent, I have had Luciano provoked so I would need you to distract him. Propose to him a fake business deal, you will have to get him to make a huge investment in that fake business, then you wrap u
We were in the room for a while so he explained how things worked. Without putting extra effort, he literally explained how every machine and tool in there worked, including tasers, lipstick bombs and accessory trackers.In there were the CCTV monitors too.We left for his study when we were done. I told him everything I had said to Zachary concerning creating a fake business idea and making Luciano invest big in it. "I will join in the project, too. Tell him to add my name on the list of investors, that would push Luciano to make the investment without delay. I am pretty sure he would want to compete with me also, by investing more than me. So we have to push him to the very edge." Don Dada said to me and I nodded, feeling grateful for that beautiful idea."Luciano has a sister, do you know that?" He asked and I nodded. It was part of the information I had gathered before now.Apparently, his sister was trashy as she traveled around the world, messing around and squandering money on
Eating dinner at the dining table was so awkward as to be precise! Don Dada and I were not on perfect terms so it was awfully quiet there, just the sound of cutlery against the plates."What is going on? I am not comfortable, are you guys fighting?" Elyse inquired. She looked and felt better then. "Table manners, Elyse." Don Dada said calmly but affirmatively, shutting her up."No! I refuse to be shut up. Something happened between you two, right? What happened sis?" She turned to me and I rubbed her hands gently over the table. "It's nothing, Elyse." I replied to her.Then, Don Dada stood up abruptly from the dining table and left for the first floor. "Idrio! Brother!" Elyse shouted but he refused to stop or listen. "Did anything annoying happen? He rarely gets this angry." Elyse asked me again and I was really short of words. "It's something little. He will be fine, just eat up." I assured her.When we were done eating, we retired to our beds. My heart remained heavy as I lai
Romano's POV "And what the fuck is wrong with me going to my wife's party and kissing her?" Don bellowed.It was the next day, he wouldn't let me come into the room all through the night. I knew he had sneaked into that party and Claire was right."What is risky about showing my identity?""Because the news might get to a certain person who put you in this condition and you're not in the exact position to exert the revenge you want on him." I barked also.He was silent, for some while, before he finally opened his door. "Tell me all about this certain person? Is he a threat to my marriage?""Don, if you had enough rest like you were told, you probably would have remembered my now. Brad specifically said your memory would come in days, but you're stressing too much and making things worse."He paced the room for a minute and then turned back to me. "You're fucking my sister" he bellowed angrily, and that caught me unaware.He grabbed me by the trousers, almost squeezing my scrotum. "Do
Claire's PovDon!It was Don. No one else kissed like that, no one else gripped me in such a way. His scent, no one else had it. I was hallucinating, right? Don was dead. It has been months. I needed to get this off my mind. But no, I couldn't. Even if I wanted to, tonight wasn't the right time because I felt his body, his build, only one had that.I had just taken Davidson to the toilet and dropped him off with his Nanny when I was heading back inside for the birthday party. It was time I announced Don's death to his friends, but now my mind had been changed.I ran towards Romano when I saw him coming with Elyse. "Don" I panted. Elyse came over to my side, easing my breathing."What happened?" Romano asked."I saw Don. I met…I…it was Don…he kissed me. I recognize his smell, he's…Don""Claire, be calm," Elyse said. "You said you kissed who?" She asked with a little frown on her face like she couldn't believe what I said and was concluding I had made out with someone else."I promise
Don's Pov"You cannot go!" Romano yelled. He had been doing a lot of yelling lately and I didn't like it. "Don, look" his voice was back to normal and calm now. "No one can see you like this. I already informed you, your memory first before stepping out of here" he said."Why don't you just tell me what happened? I trust you.""Brad asked me not to. You need to remember yourself. You know all the details, the anger would be fueled in you if you remember yourself."What anger? Why did I need to be angry? Did something bad happen? He wouldn't tell me."It is my wife's birthday today. There is a party and you asked me not to go. I am not hurt anymore, I am healing from the wounds, what else is making me stay back? Claire would be delighted to see me!"All my efforts in convincing Romano proved futile. In minutes, he had dashed out of the house for Claire's party. I shared this treatment and hated that I couldn't see any of my family. I needed to remember something. To fucking remember w
Claire’s POV I sat in front of my mirror, doing my routine skin care as usual. A pregnant woman still had to look pretty and peng. Tomorrow is my birthday, by the way. Intermittently, I caressed my bump, feeling how rounded and big it was. I also couldn't wait for my baby boy to get here. My EDD was due anytime soon. I just hope it doesn't happen tomorrow. Just as I reached out to grab a pimple popper from the vanity table, my phone on the bed rang. That should be the baker. We had agreed that she should deliver the cake today so that there would be no unnecessary delay tomorrow. Only my hair stylist and makeup artist were going to come tomorrow as early as possible. By the way, the dress I was going to wear tomorrow was also ready. I couldn't wait. Before I could push the stool backwards and fetch my phone, the ringing was already exhausted. Fortunately, whoever the caller was called again and I picked up on the second ring. It was Davidson. “Hellooooo, Claire!” Her cheerful voic
Romano's POV I was back with Brad and we both watched and listened, waiting for Don to start talking. It seemed kind of difficult at first because it looked like he was putting a strain on his ability to remember but eventually, he began to talk. Brad stood nearby, concern written all over his face. “Take your time, Don. We’re here for you” He encouraged, his voice reassuring. I nodded in agreement, eager to hear him speak already, so we would know how far his recovery had gone. Don’s eyes closed for a while, then fluttered open some moments after. “I remember, Claire. She was my wife. I remember her scent. It was like….fresh flowers, maybe lilacs, or even lilies” He recalled. My heart swelled with emotion. He was indeed getting better. “Okay, what else do you remember?” I pressed, hoping to hasten his ability to respond He closed his eyes, trying to struggle. But Brad calmed him. "It's okay. Perhaps you remember something about a lodge?" He asked.He was stretching his memory
Don’s POV Darkness, light, darkness, and then light again. My eyes flickered open as I saw the ceiling of where I was. This wasn't anything like…Wait…The banging in my head and a buzz ringing in my ears and I had to lay back. There was an oxygen tank beside, it wasn't just that, a lot of other medical equipment followed.This wasn't our honeymoon, was it? I tried to search my memory for how I got here. The thing I could remember was a group of men attacking us on our way to the helicopter on the rooftop.Claire and I had planned to go for our honeymoon and, I was… attacked, shot in the arm. Claire had been bleedingI slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in the view of the room I was in. Everything was a blur. I had no idea where I was or how I got there. My mind was a complete blank.I tried to sit up, but dizziness washed over me again, forcing me back onto the pillow. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.As I lay on the bed, feeling lifeless, I started to
Claire's POV "Why are you here?" I asked when I opened the door to my room. "How did you get in here Salvatore? How did you find me?"His eyes, were softer this time. "Somehow, I found you, Claire."My heart raced when he began to unbutton his shirt. "I was a fool to be upset with you. You did all you could to stay away from me and I have no judgements. I was wrong, Claire, I was."As he spiked, all I wanted to know was how he found me in the penthouse. Or was this the penthouse? As I turned back to look at where we were, the room changed - into Salvatore's room.I was confused… but Salvatore's voice brought me back. "I know you want me Claire" he had pulled his short this time. "And I want you too" he approached me, trailing his hand on my body.I was wearing my light nightwear. "Don't be scared, Claire* he said.In a swift move, Salvatore cocked my head to the angle he wanted and kissed me hard. Hard and rough. His tongue devoured mine, seeking authority. Surprisingly, I kissed ba
Claire's POV I knew Elyse suggesting that we should go to Romanthe's house to discuss a baby shower was a ploy to see her man.Getting to his entrance, I caught both of them giving each other a familiar look and a blush on Romano's face. His gaze met mine and I raised my eyebrows, not believing Romano could blush.He ushered us in without hesitation and offered us a glass of juice."So, what's the plan for the baby shower?" Romano asked."We were thinking of renting a multi-purpose hall," I said. "But then we thought, maybe it would be better to have it, at your house, Romano," I said, according to Elyse's idea."My house? Why's that?" Romano asked."Well, it's a family celebration, and we thought it would be more intimate and cozy at your house," Elyse said. "Plus, it's a lot safer than a public hall.""That makes sense," Romano said. "My house it is, then." Was he responding only because Elyse wanted it to?"Great," I said. "We can set up the backyard or the living room or whatever
Claire's POV"I'm so excited for the baby shower," Elyse said, looking up at me with a smile. "We need to start planning the details. What's your theme? Have you thought about games and food?"Elyse and I were resting on the couch in the penthouse, enjoying a lazy afternoon together. We'd just finished lunch, and Elyse couldn't get over her excitement about the baby shower I was planning.I laughed. "Slow down, Elyse. I've barely had time to think about it. But I do know I want something simple and intimate. Maybe just close friends and family."I was almost due…oh, I could feel this baby coming and I was excited at the thought of going into labor and birthing Don's son.Elyse nodded. "That sounds perfect. And I've already started thinking about baby names. I have a few favorites for a boy."I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What are they?"Elyse grinned "Well, I think 'Atticus' is a great name. Or maybe 'Ethan'?"I chuckled. "Those are both nice names. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. W