LEONARDO'S POV"You know, Sasha, I'm thinking of making her mine."Sasha crossed her heart. "Ridicolo! Matteo Russo would never agree to another alliance!" I leaned in, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "Ah, but you haven't seen the full extent of my charm. I can be quite convincing."She harumphed. "You can't charm a cranky old man."What's the harm in trying?Other than risking a bullet through my heart.As the priest droned on about repentance and salvation, my mind couldn't help but wander back to the captivating Russo. Her presence disrupted the solemnity of the church, injecting a dose of vibrant energy. My eyesight remained fixated on her, like a moth drawn to the flame.Sasha shot me another scowl, probably sensing the thoughts running through my mind. But hey, a man can appreciate art, right? And in my book, Rosalina was a masterpiece.As the choir sang hymns, I continued my subtle game of eye contact with Rosalina. The pink and white dress clung to her in all t
LEONARDO'S POV"No." No?Anger rumbled like distant thunder, gradually getting louder until it exploded in a deafening roar. Grabbing her elbow, I dragged her down the aisle, our footsteps resonating through the sacred quietness of the church, followed by Sasha's gasp. "Leonardo!" "Let go of me!" Rosalina tried to tear away from me, but my grip only constricted around her, cutting off her protests.Let go? NEVER. If I was going to end up in hell, I would drag her with me.The hefty wooden doors creaked open, revealing the blinding sunlight outside. As we stepped into the brightness of the courtyard, the cool breeze and the distant sounds of the city greeted us."You're hurting me!" My steps faltered, the reality of my actions sinking in. The chill breeze that had once seemed refreshing now carried the bitter bite of remorse. Slowly, I released her frail elbow, my fingers uncurling as I let her go. Rosalina stumbled back, rubbing her arm where my grip had left an unintentional mark
My ballet instructor Madam Marisha used to say, that love is a beautifully tragic dance, where every step is a delicate balance between ecstasy and the agony of a thousand heartbreaks.I debauched in the ecstasy that love granted me, it was blinding, passionate, kind...It was everything I missed in life. But I wasn't ready for the heartbreak, a sudden pirouette that spun me into the dark abyss, where the music of love abruptly changed its tune, and the once graceful movements became a chaotic choreography of misery, leaving me stumbling on a stage of shattered promises.This... pain of separation. It resonated with the one I had eighteen years ago when I was five. When my life took the most tragic turn. ***ROSALINA'S POV(5 years old) "Who is he?!"The vicious roar rattled my little body with fear, freezing my sock-clad feet that stood just outside my parent's bedroom door. Cold perspiration prodded out of my pale skin like little poison syringes of dead. With my breath caught i
ROSALINA'S POVThe sunlight dripped like honey through the stained-glass window, painting dappled patterns on the flour-dusted countertop. I kneaded the dough with a rhythmic vengeance, frustration simmering alongside the rising yeast."Honestly, Rose, you threw away a diamond!" Isabella's voice, sharp as a stiletto, pierced through my self-pitying haze. "Leo finally came around, finally ready to settle down, and you… you let him go?!"I gave the dough a particularly vicious punch, its soft groan mirroring my own. "It's not that simple, Izzy. He's a playboy. Remember what happened to Selena?"Izzy scoffed, her perfectly manicured cherry nails clacking against the ceramic mug she sipped from. "That was college, Rose! People change. And Leo… he adores you. You're the whole package, brains, beauty, and that firecracker spirit he finds so irresistible."I winced at the word "irresistible." It always sent a shiver down my spine, a delicious yet dangerous warning. Leo's charm was a hurrican
ROSALINA'S POVMy calves throbbed like they were hosting a rave for angry bees, and every plié felt like my spine was auditioning for Cirque du Soleil's crack team of contortionists. Mr. Bannet's latest tirade echoed in my head, a symphony of hissy fits disguised as constructive criticism. "Where the hell is your mind, Rosalina?! Stop acting like an idiot and concentrate!" Ugh, the man could turn a compliment into a character assassination faster than you could say "plié jeté."I swear to GOD, ever since he found out about me dating Leonardo, he had been far more disgruntled with my performance than he should have. Nitpicking every little flaw he could find with the eyes of an eagle prying on its prey. It was like jealousy took up permanent residence in his beady eyes. Suddenly, the music screeched to a halt. A collective gasp rippled through the audience, sharper than a dropped tiara. My gaze whiplashed to the stage, and my breath hitched like it was caught in a grand jeté gone wr
Liora's mom, a vision of frosty fury in diamonds and Chanel, stared me down as if I'd just eaten her poodle the second I stepped out of the hospital room. "I'd like to have a word with you, come with me," She commanded. At first, I wanted to refuse, but then, I owed Liora so much and this was her mother, whether Liora liked her or not. It would be rude of me to refuse. She led me past sterile corridors and hushed whispers, her heels clicking a staccato rhythm against the polished floor. The opulent VIP waiting room felt like a world apart from the fluorescent bleakness of the rest of the hospital. Plush leather sofas swallowed you whole, and a crystal chandelier dripped light onto polished marble coffee tables laden with silver trays of gourmet finger food.Ignoring the spread, she headed straight for a secluded corner where a single armchair sat like a velvet throne. Her diamond-laden fingers tapped a restless rhythm on its armrest, a stark disparity to her steely glare as she ges
LEONARDO'S POV"You were shot?!" BANG!The items on Enzo's desk went flying as soon as my palm contacted the table. Enzo, however, looks as unbothered as if this were any mundane day in his life. But I suspected it was getting less and less mundane with Lily around. But that was not the point. "Yes, and I survived because Luca shot the bastard before he could drill another bullet into my chest," Enzo said calmly, his hands clasped together on his desk. "Hah..." I chuckled derisively. Made sense why Luca would suddenly start flaunting his 'new' Maserati on social media. I wondered why would Enzo give away his most-priced possession to that dumb fuck. "I saved your life more than one time, Enzo. And even then you never let me lay a finger on your Maserati." I taunted. "I know you're a generous one, but not generous enough to give away your Maserati to that idiot.""Are you complaining?" He asked, narrowing his razor-edged eyes. "More like making an observation." He smirked. "I see
ROSALINA'S POVI finished the en pointe sequence, my heart hammering a frantic tattoo against my ribs. Applause, polite and restrained, pattered on me, but I barely registered it. My perfect arabesque, the culmination of months of sweat and sacrifice, felt worthless.Even Mrs. Petrova thought the same. "What a shame it is that Liora broke her leg, isn't it? Such a talented girl." Mrs. Petrova's voice, dripping pity, was the knife that cut the final string of my forbearance. "You stole her role!" -poisoned thorns twisting in my gut. Each graceful movement, each flawless pirouette, felt like a betrayal. I wasn't dancing anymore; I was drowning in a sea of guilt and doubt.Was I, the understudy, the opportunist, who snatched the crown from the rightful princess? My legs, once instruments of grace, felt heavy as lead as I stumbled out of the stage. Tears welled up, the pain of getting crushed under the weight of accusations and expectations becoming unbearable. I needed air, escape. "