Marianna's POV
Things are getting serious with Wayne. He wants me to move in with him. I'm excited by the thought of just forgetting everything I have gone through in this place. To start over will be great. To have a man in my life, a man who loves me is something I have been longing for. I just hope I can learn to love him to so as to repay the generosity he has shown me.But before I even imagine myself on a plane or in the amazing mansion Wayne described there are a few things to be set straight, like telling Helena Bale that I'm taking her grandson away. I arrived at her penthouse a few minutes ago. Nicko slept in her room and I can't go in there to get him. Castle says I have to wait.
"You look tired. Long night?" Castle broke the silence.
"Something like that." When I'm with Wayne we never get much sleep.
He kept reading the newspaper and I got lost in the luxurious be
Marianna's POVBoth Helena and Castle left early in the morning. They are the busiest pair of people. I was about to ask her how she intends to spend time with Nicko when she's not even around but then she introduced me to a nanny. She's a serious older woman who Nicko has taken a liking to. She's always hovering around making it impossible for me to plan an exit. Helena also has guards at all exits. Nicko is not getting out of this penthouse.Other than that, we are okay. It's not that I have a personal problem with Helena, it's that I don't want to leave my son behind when I go to London. It's a brief visit, a week or so give or take. It may be longer but I can't leave him."All dressed up. You look like a young man now!" I fixed his perfectly straight hair. I have straight hair too. Nate has curly hair. I think Nicko would have been super cute with curly hair."You know I could have done t
Helena's POV"That cup of tea must be exceptionally sweet this morning for you to smile like that."Castle has no idea how pleased I feel. From the moment Nathan met Nicko to the moment he kissed Marianna... especially when he kissed Marianna, I was just over the moon! I should not have watched but hell! It was deep! Seeing the three of them together gave me the perfect idea. It convinced me that they should be a family. There's no room for Wayne."Well, when a good plan comes together, I can't help but celebrate.""How did you get him here that fast?""You know I'm resourceful!""Clearly. What did you say to him though? Did you tell him you are on your death bed?"I rolled my eyes. "Nathan is capable of sensing the urgency in my voice. I asked him to come home and he did. What is the big deal?""The big deal is that you're s
Marianna's POV"I can't accept this." I gave her back the check. I don't think monetary compensation is necessary for everything I do for Nicko. He's alive, happy and healthy and that's enough payment for me.Helena received the envelop. She opened it and I saw an irritated look flash in her eyes. "Why not?""I think you are an amazing woman. I think you're very hard working and quite influential. I think... I believe you're the kind of woman people can look up to. I have no doubt in my mom that if you were in my shoes, you would have done exceptionally well. I know payment wouldn't be necessary ane you wouldn't accept it. I'm grateful that you got Nicko back and I respect you for the woman you are...""Where is this going? Get to the point." She snapped at me cutting me off.I disregarded that. "I think you're meddling and you should stop."She leaned
Marianna's POVI have been cooked up in my room all day. I like my room. It's quite comfortable. There's nothing personal about it but it's comfortable. Unlike the other couple of days when I got to roam free in the penthouse, Nate is around. I'm avoiding a conversation with him for now. So instead I have read an entire romance novel, I have made this ridiculous plan to go to college. Courtney talked me into it. She's in MIT studying mechanical engineering. It's her second year. I'm not that clever; not like Court. I want to ask Helena to give me some guidance. She's after all financially successful but after the confrontation she's not even looking at me. So there's that. I think I'll ask Castle. He is the friendliest person in this house after Nicko.Maybe I can be a nurse. Maybe a teacher. Maybe a secretary. I want something simple that gives me time with Nicko. I don't want to lose myself in a career and not pay att
Nathan's POV"You don't get it from him. Your father was a calm man. He never exploded under pressure. He kept it together. You get it from me. I sometimes lose my temper like that and I get physical fast."I paid attention to the city below. Everything is normal. It's the same everyday and I'm bored to death. I would rather be on the ship. I'm used to that, not this domestic lifestyle where I have nothing to do. I'm working towards being an Admiral like my father. In terms of my career I know where I'm going. In terms of being a father, I'm clueless. A husband perhaps but she doesn't want me and it hurts. She has a whole life I'm not part of.I am not proud of hurling her across the room like that but she provoked me. She was being sarcastic and rude. I'm not happy about yelling at her. I'm not proud of being around and never looking for them. I was a mess. I needed time. I felt she was better off without me
"Where is everyone?"Castle gave me a strange look. "You don't know?""Know what?"He let out a sigh. "A day like this two years ago is when Alexander was murdered. They are both miserable. I checked on Helena a little earlier and she's not okay. I tried to check on Nate but his door is locked. I have to go to work so it's up to you to take care of them. Be gentle even when they are total pains. Okay?""Okay." I agreed feeling infected with the sadness as well.After he left I went about my usual morning routine of feeding Nickolas, getting him bathed and dressed. I set him in front of the big TV."What do you want to watch today?""Toon!" He answered.The nanny introduced him to cartoons. It keeps him distracted. The more colorful and loud, the more he pays attention. I turned up the volume so that I can sneak away unnoticed.
Giovanni's POV"What happens if we hit another brick wall Don Giovanni?" The young boy who had been my little best friend asked. He has accompanied me for the last two years after I found him wandering the streets of Rome begging for food. I touched the top of his head giving him an assuring smile. "Will we have to go back to Roma? I don't want to go back. I don't want to live on the streets."I came down to his height. "I will never let you sleep on the street ever again. As long as there is breath in my lungs, I'll take care of you."Perhaps when I saved him it was a strong need to prove to myself that I'm not a failure. I have been looking for Maria for two years and this is the last clue on my list of crossed off places to find her. The last private investigator I have hired insisted on this place just when I was about to give up. He said it was a tip. Private investigators have taken advantage of me by b
Helena's POVI must speak to Castle. Something happened and it's big!I ran into Nate. Since our last conversation about him taking a desk job, we haven't been speaking to each other. His decisions bare beginning to upset me beyond what I can tolerate."I'll marry Marianna." I stopped to listen. "I'll marry her before the year ends." He informed me."Will you drag her down the aisle? Because there's a lot of friction between you two. A child is all you share Nathaniel. A marriage is so much more than a child."I observe them and it's not going as I had hoped. Marianna is nervous and scared around him. He's overly domineering and he doesn't even have to say a word. My son doesn't know how to love and I think it's my fault. He's as cold and as emotionally detached as I am. It takes patience to love people like us. Alexander was really patient wit