We did not get Luciano but his empire was taken down. It was sure that the whole city would be rocking by morning. Police officers, ambulances and all. We got back home around 4:30 AM and I headed straight to my room without speaking with anyone. Even Elyse tried to talk to me the moment we were back, I guess she had been up, waiting for us. "Not now, Elyse. Let's talk later, please." I said to her and headed to the first floor. As I got into the room, I locked the door and sat on the floor, running my fingers through my hair. Then I found my way to the bathroom to wash up. Wash off the stink of Luciano from me. I was angry, deep down. My blood was boiling so much and I needed to just cool down before I could open my mouth to talk to anyone. I was under the water for close to an hour. Not feeling satisfied, I filled the bathtub with water, poured foamy soap and just laid inside it. I closed my eyes and let myself absorb the chilliness.I did not know for how long I was there but
It was about three weeks later, a month since Luciano and gone missing but Idrio did not give up on looking for him. Life has gotten so much better and we were all doing just fine.That morning, I woke up feeling sicker than the day before. I joined the family for breakfast after washing up and after we were done, I followed Idrio to his study, claiming to want to see him.He kissed me playfully when we got into his study room. "You wanted to see me...huh?" "Yes, Idrio. I would like to step out with Ray today." I said and he raised his brows, looking confused."Where to?" "No idea, yet. I just want to get some peep into the outside and I mentioned Ray because you would definitely have him go with me.""I will just go with you." He offered, turning around to look for his car key probably but I stopped him. "There's a whole lot for you to do, that I know very well. I will be fine, as long as Ray is with me." He was so reluctant to agree to that and that was not his fault actually. L
Elyse looked like she could practically jump out the window as she glued herself to the window. It was so obvious that she hardly sees anything outside the four walls of that tall and huge mansion.As Romano drove the car deeper into the hearts of the city, even I found myself reminiscing on the days I spent in the city. Nick would kill for an opportunity like this but I made sure to keep him busy with Desideria and that’s the only reason he doesn’t know I’m out of the house.The car zoomed past Sky Villa’s cafe and bar and I felt a sense of longing for the place where I worked off my butt at. Alex must be so worried about my suddenly disappearing and leaving work without any notice. The man might act like he’s the hardest person there is but he’s the world’s softest ball. I felt bad for suddenly leaving without giving him time to get someone else to work my shifts but I just hope he understands. Once everything is settled and I am finally out of Luciano’s clutches, I will make it u
I can’t believe I’m doing this.I can’t believe I’m heeding to a teenager and sneaking off with her like a rebellious teen. But I had no choice. With the little time I’ve being with Elyse, I know what she can do and the things she can’t do. Elyse doesn’t make empty threats and she will surely find her way to Don’s club with or without my help. But I thought it best to go with her. I don’t know my way around clubs too but it’s better to keep an eye on her.We walked out of the dressing room after I finally agreed to go with her to the club. I wasn’t sure of her plan to escape without Romano yet but she seemed to have it all planned out. It was then that I realized she has it planned long before we even came here at all. It was why she asked to go with me to the store. And now there’s nothing I can do about it.“Once again Elyse, we’ll be back in front of the store after an hour, okay? No more, no less”I said as we stood outside of the dressing room while she looked around to see if
The men I saw in the shadows were Luciano’s men. The silver seal on their suit pockets was a dead give-away. The club lights hit the seal just in time for it to shine and reveal their identities. I was wrong about Luciano not daring to come here. I should have known better than that and I should have thought twice about it before I let myself get dragged by Elyse down here when I know Luciano is probably turning the city upside down, looking for me. Me stepping out to save Elyse from the drunk man must have been what caught their attention.But I had no time to worry about that. I have to think fast and look for a way to get Elyse and I safely out of here and back to the store. And the only thing we both could do right then was too run. I grabbed Elyse’s hands and yelled to her“Run”She didn’t argue, she must have noticed how agitated I was.Once we took off, the men followed us on our trail and weaving their way through the suffocating crowd. Them running after us proved my thou
Darkness. Pitch black one.And then silence, pin-drop silence.I saw nothing. Heard nothing and felt nothing. It feels like I am in a void. Somewhere in-between being alive and being dead. In the middle of life and death. Life because I could feel myself breath. My breathing was the only thing that broke the silence in my head. Death because I felt nothing. Not my legs, not my hands and certainly not any other part of my body. Not even my heart. I don’t feel it hammering against my chestYet, my breathing-the only thing I could hear-was labored and heavy. Like I ran miles. Like I was barely trying to keep myself alive and breathing. Like it takes more than the usual way for me to breath. And like my life was hanging by a single rope.But I was certain none of that happened even if my memory was vague.I don’t remember a thing about why I’m in this void. Why I can’t move my body or control any muscle of mine. Why I can’t even feel my own heart beat. My memories were in shambles. They
Luciano never dishes out empty threats. Yes, he might not act upon them in that instant or if things change, but I have known him and suffered under him, long enough for me to know that he never dishes out empty threats. He makes sure to see every single one of them through.And that must be why my the smirk froze on my face. That must be why my breathing hitched at his words that came out as every bit of a threat as he has always dished out to me. My heart missed a beat at the sound of the word death. I felt myself tense but I tried to hide the fact that his words got to me.Too late though, because the smirk on his face turned into a full blown smile that gave a wicked glint to his eyes.“What are you talking about?” I dared to ask“You heard me and gosh you should have seen your face. You’re a very beautiful woman Claire but not when the color drains from your face” He said. I struggled with the locks that held me down to the bed. But it was a lost cause.“What the fuck are you t
“Stop!!!!!!!”I screamed so loud that I thought even I would go deaf. But the sound of my hear beating with terror and in fear against my chest proved to be more deafening than the sound of my loud scream.Everything fell silent at first.The beeping sound of the remote control had stopped and Luciano stopped talking too. I realized my eyes was tightly closed as if I was waiting to hear the explosion from miles away.I opened my eyes slowly and looked around.Luciano was still there. Watching me with the remote control still in his hands. His face held amusement and I couldn’t decipher what he was thinking or what was running through his head.And then, he smirked. The bastard fucking smirked after the emotional damage he just made me go through.Did he kill him? Did he really blow him up? God. I don’t even want to imagine that. Is Don really gone. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it but I just heard him count down right now and there was nothing I could do to stop him
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