Wholesome, yes?
Mirabella's PovAfter days of restlessly awaiting Matteo's return, I was finally informed that he had returned earlier this morning but it saddens me that he hasn't cared to come and see me.I had gotten impatient earlier and went to his office but the guards refused letting me in. They confirmed that Matteo gave strict orders not to let anyone in even if that person were to be me.So here I am, standing beneath the shower and letting the slightly warm water run down my body as I curse myself out for thinking that my sexual encounter with my husband would somehow better our relationship.I mean he did say he wanted to fuck me, but he never said anything about it being a continuous occurrence.I guess I expected too much.But as a human, and a woman with a lot of insecurities, I've degraded myself a lot. Even convinced myself that I'm not good enough for him. Maybe his moans and grunts and words of encouragement the other night had been due to the heat of the moment.How can a person l
Mirabella's PovIf someone had told me four months ago that I’d somehow find common ground with my husband and make my marriage work, I’d have slapped them across the face but it’s the reality.It’s fucking real and it’s amazing.My marriage has been running smoothly and I’ve become so happy with my life as it is. Matteo makes me extremely happy and he doesn’t even realize it.It’s not just the sex, it’s so much more. The gifts, the after care, the kind words, the soft gaze, the forehead kisses and the sex; it’s so fucking amazing. We might lie to each other and say that our relationship is nothing more than a husband and a wife consummating their marriage but we know deep down that it has become so much more.“Mirabella,” My personal maid—Garcia’s voice snaps me out of my fantasy world and my eyes widen at how much food I’ve consumed so far without even knowing it.“What Garcia,” I glare at her when I see the look in her eyes. The look that says she wants to say something but doesn’t
Mirabella's PovFew minutes after father left and my ears pick up on hushed whispers by a far corner. “Hello?” I begin approaching the part where the voices came from but there’s no answer.I ignore my head voice screaming at me not to go any further and continue taking calculated steps forward until I find about four men standing in a corner and making an exchange.I’d run but one of the men seems familiar and that relaxes me. “Lex? What are you doing out here?” His eyes widen and he gulps down on nothing, causing my brows to furrow at his sudden discomfort on seeing me.“What are you doing here ma’am? How do you recognize me?” His voice comes off nervous and I chuckle.“I’ve seen you around the house many times, especially with Pablo. Pablo speaks highly of you a whole lot.”The sudden silence that ensues sends cold shivers down my spine. I see fear in Lex’s eyes but in the other men’s eyes, I see danger. “You should not have come out here,” Lex’s voice comes out in a monotone and h
Matteo's PovI know, I always find a way to fuck things up.But it’s not that I love messing things up, it’s just my fears. I allow fear rule me and ruin things for me.It’s just out of my control.Earlier today, I had returned home a bit early and decided to go straight into my wife’s room. But on getting inside the room, I heard whimpering coming from the washroom and when I listened in properly, I discovered that Mirabella was crying.It broke my heart but I didn’t have it in me to walk into that washroom and ask her what her reason for crying was.You see, I’m not so good with all these emotions and all the baggages that comes with it.I’d left the room because I thought it wise to give her some privacy just in case she wouldn’t want me to see her in her time of weakness.I gave it a few more hours until it was the early hours of the night before walking back into our room. But she was still in the washroom and it concerned me how long she’d been crying for.“How do I tell him abo
Matteo's Pov“You’re sorry?” I stumble and every emotion there is and even the non existent ones flood me. “What does that mean?”“Let me speak to you privately. In my office.” I don’t even wait for him to finish before lunging for him with my fist ramming into his face over and over again.“Where the fuck is my wife!” I roar as my body vigorously tremble in rage.“My office now! Alone!” The doctor retorts as he storms away, leaving me with my raging emotions. Of course he can speak to me as he pleases because he has a good relationship with my family and he knows I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.I walk into the doctor’s office sheepishly with my eyes boring into his as I slump down on the seat he pointed out for me. “This is going to be a lot for you to take in but I want you to know that I am here for and with you if you need anything.” He mutters each word carefully.I offer him a tight nod as I wait for the worst. “Your wife,” he clears his throat. Eyes moving around rap
Matteo's PovMy eyes are sunken into my skull, my lips parched, my skin and body malnourished, and my hair a mess.Sweat trickles down my forehead and I swallow my spit in an attempt to wet my uncomfortably dried throat. My eyes dart around and every sound coming from anyone is filtered out as I lose myself while solely focusing on my father's coffin as it lowers into the ground.My mother is an obvious mess but she's holding her head high as expected of her but mostly for Julia. If she breaks, what would my sweet little sister do?I gasp as I'm being forced to return back to reality when a firm arm grips my shoulder. "Did you hear me?" Augusto asks with his brows creased together."Hardly," I straighten my back as I run my fingers through my disheveled hair."The nurse taking care of Mirabella called to inform that her fingers twitched and the electrocardiograph machine was picking up on a stronger and a more stable heartbeat. So, I'm hurrying off to the hospital. Would you like to c
Mirabella's Pov"Is Matteo coming?""No. I don't think he is.""Why do I smell him then?"Pablo crouches down, carefully picking me up, placing me in the wheelchair. "Don't worry about Matteo, hmm? He's not here."One month. It has been one month since I was brought into this hospital. I was in a coma for the first two weeks and after another two weeks of being poked with needles non stop, I'm finally allowed to go home.Finally!My world came crumbling around me after the doctor had informed me that I lost my baby. It was even more unbearable after the memories of that night came crashing down on me.Although I'm unable to remember the events of that night in detail, the pain is still there. The scars on my skin, the loss of my baby, everything I've been through is all the proof I need that indeed, that night happened.The doctor confirmed that it's okay that I don't remember everything in detail as it is a trauma response but I still dream about it. The punches, the slaps, my scream
Mirabella's PovI exhale a breath through my mouth as I come awake from an exhausting slumber. My eyes part open but remain in a narrowed slit as I gulp down my saliva to wet my throat.My head is engulfed in a pang of pain as I attempt recalling the events of last night. "Matteo?" A whooshed whisper escapes my pained throat and I wince."Mrs. Denaro? I'm Beth, your nurse." She quickly checks my pulse and with a sigh of relief, she asks, "How do you feel?""Where's Matteo?" I throw a question right back at her, stammering and wincing through each word."Mr. Denaro is not here at the moment ma'am." She answers politely."Please call me Mirabella." The nurse—Beth—offers me a tight nod in agreement. "Did he come to see me? My husband I mean."Her eyes light, her lips stretching into an ear to ear grin, "of course!" She excitedly squeal with a tiny jump.Oh.This one's a sucker for romance."He didn't leave your side even for a second." I look at her with narrowed eyes, confused as to why
Alejandro’s PovThis anxiety—I’ve never felt anything like it before. My nerves are all over the place, my skin trembling. I kiss Mariana again for the millionth time in a handful of hours.She smiles at me. The smile is distant, almost like it doesn’t reach her eyes. I smile back and pull her closer, holding her as tight as I can, fearful that this might be the last chance I get at holding her this close to me.And no, this has nothing to do with her winning the fight or dying in that cage because as long as I breathe, Mariana will walk out of that cage alive and well.But I’m afraid of the responsibilities that come with the position she’ll occupy. I’m afraid that she might forget our love and become intoxicated with power.All of this might just happen in a few hours.“The way you’re holding me, Alejandro, one might think I’m about to die from a terminal disease.”She says.Is she trying to make a joke? Does this seem like a joke to her?I open my mouth to speak but a knock on the
Mariana’s Pov“I will fight in her place. . .”The world around me goes completely silent the moment Alejandro blurts those words. When I planned to use him as my human shield in chaotic times like this, I didn’t expect to fall for him so ridiculously hard that I’m unable to imagine him getting hurt for my sake.Love is a strange and terrifying thing. I never imagined feeling it this deeply, this intensely. Not for Alejandro. Not for a man who was supposed to be my shield, my weapon. And now, the very thought of him stepping into that cage for me… it’s unbearable.The second reason?It’s pride. It’s survival. These men already think I’m weak. They see me as nothing but a woman—Radimr’s wife and mother of his son. If Alejandro steps into that cage in my stead, I will be proving them right, I will become that which they think I am.Weak.Unworthy.And then, everything I’ve clawed my way toward will crumble before my eyes. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen. So, no. Aleja
Mariana’s PovOne word.Fuckers.No, let’s make it two words.Misogynistic fuckers.They’ve kept me in here for hours, scrutinizing me, digging into my soul in their fruitless attempt at finding the truth of what truly happened to my husband.Alejandro too is seated here as a high ranking made man and a member of this family. Surprisingly, my father, mother and brother are here too. Not inside the parliament room, but they’re right outside the door, waiting for when the chaos escalates so they can stand in for me.It warms my heart.“Let’s go through it again,” one of the elders says, “what did you say happen to your husband? Tell us that story again, in detail.”“I. . .” I open my mouth to speak but Alejandro’s thick, aggravated voice resounds, cutting me short. “I believe she has told that story more times than we all can count.”“Yes, we know that,” another elder says, his russian accent thick. “But we need to hear it again.”“Why?” Alejandro asks, “why are you poking a woman wh
Alejandro’s PovDon’t sleep tonight.I’ve thought about those words in every way possible, imagined every possible scenario that’ll make Mariana ask me to stay awake tonight, and yet, I’ve found none.Or maybe I haven’t thought about it as deeply as I should.I wanted to hold her, to ask her more, but the presence of her husband made that impossible. And now, hours have ticked by, and I’m still unable to get my answers.Wait—is tonight the night? Is her plan unfolding tonight?Truth is, I don’t even know what her plan is, but I strongly suspect it has everything to do with ending Radimr. So, if she’s asked me to stay awake tonight, it might mean she needs me close.I pull open my room’s door and step out into the hallway. The manor is too quiet. Everyone is asleep, and those who aren’t are standing guard outside of the house.My stomach twists with a warning that chaos is brewing tonight, but I push it aside and start walking. I make a turn towards the stairs and start moving up the s
Mariana’s PovTime flies when happiness fills your days.It’s been two months since I gave birth to my Angel. Two months since my heart swelled with love so pure and overwhelming, I thought I might drown in it.I love my son.I love him for coming into my life and unraveling a part of me I never knew existed. For being my light in the darkness.But most of all, I love him for arriving exactly when I needed him—as though sent by the universe itself to give me a way out.Because today, after weeks of persuasion, my husband has finally done what I’ve been waiting for. He has presented my son to the elders of his family, naming him as his successor should anything happen to him.It’s tradition, a ritual of power. To the outside world, it’s a declaration of legacy. To me, it’s the final piece of the puzzle.I know Angel is too young to be entangled in this messy, bloody business, but I had to secure his place in this world before setting my plans into motion.Plans that have been months in
Alejandro’s PovThis is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. For the first time, it feels like I have a complete family—no, I know I have a complete family.In the last three months, the universe has granted me a gift I never expected: uninterrupted time with the woman I love and the child she carries. Our son. Every morning, I wake up beside her, wrapped in the warmth of her presence. I feel my son’s first kick as the sun rises, and his tiny, eager movements as the night falls. I’ve stayed awake with them, laughed with them, cried with them, fallen sick with them, and loved them. I’ve been a father and a lover in every way that matters.Why? Because Radimr’s travels somehow stretched from days into weeks, and weeks into months.“Something else has come up, and I’ll need to stay another week. . .” That’s been his excuse for three months.On the phone, Mariana plays the part of the concerned wife. She sighs and murmurs her disappointment, as though his absence truly pains her. But
Mariana’s PovWhen my eyes open, I’m met with the most beautiful sight I’ve seen in days. Alejandro, sleeping peacefully, his lashes fluttering, arms still wrapped around me.Wow!How did we fall asleep?I lean in and smack a kiss on his lips, causing him to stir a bit, groaning, his arms tightening firmer around me. I kiss him again, this time longer.It doesn’t take seconds before his mouth parts, his lips fusing with mine. I moan just as a groan vibrates throughout his body.His eyes flutter open, just a tiny slit, the lazy gaze holding mine. It’s like realization dawns on him and he retrieves his lips from mine in a swift motion. “Mariana. . .” He whispers groggily.“Make love to me,” I declare.His brows pull into a furrow, lips formed into a pout. “I. . .” He starts and I cut him off.“Please,” I hush, my lips ghosting over his.His resolve falters. And he’s staring at me with adoration as well as restraint.Then there’s the feral desire burning in his eyes. In mine too. The ris
Mariana’s PovTime seems to slow down when things aren’t really going your way.Maybe I pushed too hard, too far the other night. Far enough that Alejandro has been completely ignoring me for days now. Far enough that Radimr has become ware of me, always staring at me with suspicious eyes. Far enough that the maids in this house seem to avoid me as often as they can.To simply put, I’ve been living an isolated life for the past seven days.Just me, and my heavy fucking stomach. It’s dreadful just as much as it is comforting.I’m pulled out of the daze when a towering figure stands in front of me and wraps his hand around me. “Don’t look so sad, I’m just going to be away for just a few weeks, my love,” Radimr whispers as he hugs me. I thin my lips into a smile. “I’ll miss you.”His smile is radiant when he replies, “I’ll miss you too. Please don’t over work yourself. . .or get to upset while I’m gone. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my son.” Stupid fucker.I scoff. “I’m a big g
Mariana’s Pov“Look at that,” Alejandro says, his voice low, the smirk on his lips sharp enough to cut. “How easy it is to lure you out here and break your heart into a million pieces.”The words land like a blow. He doesn’t even try to soften them. And I know exactly what he means. When he came into my room, kneeling by my bed, whispering the words I had been desperate to hear for months, he knew. He knew I was awake, knew I’d hear every word and cling to the hope they offered.It wasn’t an accident. He said them to draw me here. To break me just as much as I’ve broken him.Petty bastard.But it’s not the cruelty of his intention that stings the most—it’s how he chose to do it. By humiliating me in front of someone else. Bringing her into a room that should have been our sanctuary, our safe haven.My lips tremble as I force out the question. “What is that supposed to mean?”Alejandro steps forward, his movements slow and deliberate, his smirk twisting with mockery. “What are you doin