The story is slowly undergoing edits.
Althaia I let out a small groan, grabbing my head due to the pounding headache. I sat up and blinked a few times to adjust my eyes to the darkness in the room. It was Cara’s room. Before I could get confused about why I was here, everything rushed back to me. Blood. So much blood. And my uncle’s detached tongue on the floor. I almost gagged at the image. A beam of light filled the room as the door opened. “You’re awake.” Cara stepped in and handed me a bottle of water. “Are you okay?” She sat next to me on the bed and looked at me with worry. I shrugged. “He deserved it, Thaia. He’s lucky he’s still alive after talking like that.” She scoffed, her voice laced with disgust and not at all bothered. She was right. Her father deserved it, and more, particularly for how he has treated Cara over the years. But it was seeing the action unfold in front of me that had me black out. It was a friendly reminder of what kind of world I had stepped into and what these people were capable of.
Althaia “You promised me, Althaia!” Cara scowled. “I did no such thing!” I mirrored her expression. I was in Cara’s room, helping her pack her bags since she was going to stay with the Bellavia family to plan the wedding. Actually, she was packing while I was laying on the bed, just flipping through a random magazine I found. Since it was a good few hours between the residences, it was easier for her to stay there instead of constantly going back and forth. And now she was trying to make me go with her. “Yes, you did! Remember when we went out for brunch, and I told you I needed help planning the wedding? You told me you would be happy to help since you’re staying here for a while and have nothing to do, anyway.” She insisted. I stopped flipping through the magazine as I tried to remember when I had said that. “Are you actually trying to implant a fake memory into my mind?” I looked at her accusingly. “No.” She avoided looking at me. “Yes, you are, you sneaky little bitch!” I
Damiano I lit up a cigarette; the smoke filling my lungs as I inhaled deeply. The Service finished and everyone was slowly leaving the parking lot, but my eyes never once strayed away from her as they got ready to leave. My eyes slid down her body, resting on that perfect, round ass of hers. Even dressed modestly, the dress still clung to her curves beautifully, making me fantasize about tearing the dress off her and bending her over the hood of the car. I drew in a deep drag and released a thick cloud of smoke that lingered in the air. It was the only thing stopping me from succumbing to my lust. I glanced to the side; Lorenzo was raising a brow at me as he caught me checking her out. “In front of God’s house?” “Mind your own fucking business.” I snapped, and he gave me a slightly amused look. An old lady gasped and gave me a disgusted look at my language as she walked by. I gave her a stare until she looked away and got inside her car. I scoffed, and it only amused Lorenzo some
Althaia Do you think they are okay?” I asked our driver for the hundredth time, whose name I learned was Dario. The poor guy was stuck in the car with me and Cara. I kept asking questions and wouldn’t shut up. But he was actually nice and showed no annoyance towards me and kept reassuring me that no one got hurt and everyone was safe. But somehow his words were not comforting me the way I had hoped. “Althaia, please shut up and leave Dario alone. He said they are okay, so hush!” Cara scolded and I clamped my mouth shut. I kept checking my phone to see if I got any messages. I texted Michael a while ago to see if he had heard from my father, but I still had no reply. I sighed and leaned back in the seat, staring out the window, hoping to distract my mind. Michael I just talked to him, and he told me what happened. Shit, Althaia, are you okay? I breathed out a sigh of relief and texted him back. Althaia Thank God! Yes, we are okay and safe. We are on our way to the Bellavia's.
Althaia My heart fluttered as I stepped further into the room. His golden-brown eyes followed me as I slowly walked toward him. “You’re okay.” I breathed out in relief. I didn’t want to admit it to Cara, but I had been worried sick about Damiano. He risked his life for me. Damiano didn’t say anything, his face expressionless as he held his hand out for me to take. Without giving it a single thought, I went to him and placed my hand in his. I let out a small gasp when he suddenly took a hold of my hips and pulled me onto his lap in a straddle position. I placed my hands on his shoulders to steady myself when I almost crashed into him. “How are you?” He asked, and my body tingled when he caressed me. “I should be the one asking you. You’re the one who acted like a bulletproof vest for me.” I chuckled. He let out a genuine smile and my breath quickly got caught in my throat. It was a rare, beautiful sight that had my stomach fluttering uncontrollably. My body acted on its own and I
Althaia Planning a wedding was absolutely no joke. There were so many things that needed to be done and when I said to Cara that she owed me big time for spending hours looking at materials, cakes, colors, flowers, and whatnot, she simply said my reward was staying in this majestic manor. What a sucker. A week has already gone by since we were welcomed into the manor. And it has also been a week since I last saw him. Not that I was counting the days, and especially not because I was thinking about him every damn minute. Okay, so what if I was thinking about him? Not only did he save my life, but that man gave me some of the best orgasms with just his fingers. But seriously, who just comes to your room, pleasures you, then disappears into thin air? The Devil, obviously. And I was apparently crazy enough to let him touch me without giving it a single thought. Now, he was nowhere to be found for a week, and I didn’t know what that meant. I stopped in my tracks, getting distracted,
Althaia II walked down the last steps to the garden and looked at the scenery in front of me. It was set up beautifully, but then again, this manor was out of this world, and I wouldn’t have expected anything less. The garden was filled with round tables, each adorned with colorful flowers and large candles that cast a gentle glow. The small torches on the ground created a mesmerizing pattern as their orange and yellow flames danced in the air. Servers walked around, smiling and offering chilled champagne to the arriving guests. I grabbed a glass of champagne, giving a small smile to the guests, and went to find a secluded area in the back. I wanted to be a quiet presence and be there as moral support for Cara. I felt an emptiness in my chest, along with a lingering sense of hurt. I wished Michael were here. I missed that goofy blue-eyed man terribly. He could always put me in a better mood. “You’re looking a little sour tonight, aren’t you?” I looked up and met a man with short,
Althaia Arianna rolled her eyes in Rafaelle’s direction before casting a disapproving glance at Damiano. “Damiano, did you really have to punch him in front of all those people?” “He’s lucky he’s even alive.” Damiano calmly replied. “Is this how you welcome your cousin into your home?” Rafaelle huffed out and I dropped my jaw open. “So… you’re all… related...?” I pointed at each one of them. “We sure are, gorgeous.” Rafaelle winked, which earned him a punch in the stomach from Damiano. “Rafaelle, shut up! And Damiano, stop hitting him.” Arianna sighed in annoyance. “Don’t worry, I can take it.” Rafaelle wheezed out with his hands on his knees as he tried to compose himself. “You’re not together…?” I looked back and forth between the two of them, and the more I kept looking at them, the more I could see they were related. “That would be incest, love.” Rafaelle straightened up. Arianna was quick and hit Rafaelle in the head, sending his head flying forward before Damiano could
Althaia“Maybe we should have gotten me a change of clothes before coming here.” I said as I walked out to them while looking down at the tank top I had taken from Damiano, pretending to be fixing it. I was actually fixing it because my nipples were almost showing.Damiano looked up from his phone. His eyes slowly trailed down my body and his gaze stopped at my barely covered breasts. Whatever he was doing on his phone could wait as he carelessly tossed it on the couch.He gave me a lazy smirk and motioned for me to come closer to him. With a gentle yet firm grip, Damiano wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his body.“What’s the need for clothes when I plan to have you naked the entire time?” He said with a mischievous grin on his lips. I blushed, not expecting him to say something like this in front of them.As if remembering there were other people in our room, he looked at them with a blank look.“What are you still doing here? Get out.” He told them sharply.
Althaia I huffed and looked at the time. It was a quarter to four in the morning, and I was wide awake. Feeling horny. I turned to look at Damiano, who was sleeping peacefully next to me. I wanted him, but I didn't want to wake him up just to take care of my needs. He had a long day ahead of him, flying out to a meeting with Mr. Roberts, and other high-end restaurant owners. They saw the custom-designed wine bottles for Mr. Robert's restaurants, and how they attracted more customers. Customers loved the whole idea of taking a unique wine bottle home with them as a souvenir. Some even started to collect them. The sales went crazy and landed us a few more deals. I suggested that each restaurant have its distinct design as a trademark, but with Damiano's wine business name engraved. And he was going to meet them all and show them my sketch ideas. I would have gone with him, but since I was heavily pregnant, I couldn’t fly. Maybe it was because I knew he would be gone, and wouldn’t b
Five months later The sun was high up in the clear sky, shining over the crystal blue water in the most enchanting way. Calilo was always a beautiful island, but today, it was even more breathtaking. The beach was elegantly decorated and rows of chairs lined up endlessly on the bright green grass. A mirrored aisle had been set up in the middle with either side decorated so stunningly with Angel’s and Devil’s trumpet flowers. At the end of the aisle was a grand gazebo with pillars decorated with colorful flowers. A crowd of people was present, chatting and finding their seats. By the gazebo stood Damiano, overlooking the crowd of their friends and families. Everyone had flown out to make sure to witness this special day. Damiano had a small crease between his brows, shuffling around on his feet for the first time in his life as he kept fixing his tie, double-checking to make sure he at least looked decent enough on such a meaningful day. “Nervous, brother?” Lorenzo walked up to him
Althaia Ellie was already at the clinic, waiting for us when we arrived. The closer we got to the examination room, the more anxious I got. I was dreading it more than ever. To get that confirmation that it was another miscarriage. That another life was lost in me. I felt suffocated. Damiano, Antonio, and Giovanni were just as worried. No one bothered to mask their emotions as they were concerned for my well-being and what was going to happen. “So, what are we dealing with?” Ellie asked once she closed the door to give us some privacy while Antonio and Giovanni waited outside. “I took a pregnancy test, it was positive but… I’m bleeding and cramping.” I swallowed hard as Ellie listened carefully to me. Damiano stayed close to me, holding me as if I would collapse at any moment. What I loved about Ellie was that even though she knew us, she was still being professional and not letting us see if she was concerned as she listened to me. “Okay, we will do a blood test and do a transv
Althaia My eyes welled as I could feel the pain, and my heart ached for them both. The fact that my mother was going to tell them, maybe even holding onto the hope that they could finally be together. But no. For her own protection, mine even, she had to accept that was how her life was going to be. And I couldn’t even imagine what Alexei must be feeling now. To know he was close to being told he was going to have a child with the woman he loved. But his own mother stood in his way and took the truth with her to the grave. Nestor looked completely taken aback as he looked at my mother and followed Alexei once he came to his senses. I was sure Alexei needed some time to think it all through. I didn’t say anything, giving my mother some time to gather herself. I looked at Damiano, he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, already looking at me. I couldn’t tell if he was truly interested in the story or not as he wore a straight face. Then I knew he wasn’t interested wh
Althaia As soon as Alexei drew out his gun, Damiano pulled me behind him and he and his men pulled out their guns as well, finger on the trigger and ready to fire. But then Nestor quickly pushed Alexei away when a knife flew right in between them, missing Alexei’s head by a hair. Surprised and confused, everyone turned to look in the direction where the knife came from. My mother had her brows pinched with her gaze locked on Alexei, ready with another knife in her hand. “Did you forget how she loved to do that to you?” Nestor sighed at Alexei. But he was too focused on my mother with a furious gaze. “Seems like her aim is off.” He sneered. “It’s not off, it was simply a warning. I got you once, and I can do it again.” My mother spoke calmly but had a whole different demeanor to her. My jaw was on the floor as I looked at them back and forth in pure shock. This whole damn thing had me completely dumbfounded. Wasn’t Alexei the one who had demanded to see her, and almost started a
AlthaiaI didn’t think it was possible to feel more miserable than this. But I kept being dragged down into an endless, dark hole while drowning in fear and pure devastation.I was exhausted.Exhausted from everything that happened and exhausted from every single piece of information thrown at me. I still haven’t even processed the fact that Gaetano wasn’t my father. And then everything else followed as if trying to give me a heart attack by exposing the brutal truth to me.That my entire life has been a fucking lie.Twenty-five years old and I was suddenly having an identity crisis that appeared out of the blue. For so many years where it has just been me and my mother, living life together. But it turned out I didn’t even know who she truly was.My mother, who I thought I witnessed die, was somewhere in this safe-house.Well, and alive.I thought I was hallucinating when I saw her. Or maybe I was seeing a ghost. Or maybe I ended up in hell and this was my punishment. To be tormented
Damiano“No. Stay here.” I stopped Jacinta when she tried to go after Althaia. I knew she would be shocked and in denial but I wasn’t prepared for this kind of reaction and run away.I gritted my teeth, walking as fast as I could in the direction she ran off. This fucking gunshot wound was limiting me too much.I stepped outside to the garden, watching her leaning against a tree to catch her breath.“Althaia.” I frowned, looking at the state she was in.“Stop! Just.. please stop. Don’t come any closer.” She closed her eyes, trying her best to control her breathing. I clenched my fists in frustration. Frustrated with me that I was the cause of this. I stood still, watching her cry and gasp for air. And I would rather get shot a hundred times more than see her like this.“How… How could you do this to me?!” Althaia shouted at me with so much anger than I had ever seen from her. Her innocent, green eyes turned into ones with a rage-filled storm.And betrayal.“I did what I believed was t
DamianoAlthaia was shocked.Shocked to the point her body gave up under her and collapsed to the ground. I grabbed her and pulled her into me, gritting my teeth as I ignored my own pain when I saw the state she was in. I didn’t give two shits about Alexei at this moment, only worrying about her. She looked numb, lost, as she tried to comprehend what I just said. For once, Alexei kept quiet and had his men stand by as he looked at Althaia.His daughter.He hadn’t expressed what he thought of the situation. About him having a daughter. But he was pissed at her mother for keeping away and not telling him. Twenty-five years had he lived on with his life without knowing he had a child out in the world. And to make it worse for him, his daughter thought Gaetano was her father.An Italian man who married his woman“Come on, breathe, Althaia… There you go… Breathe.” She gasped for air and I felt how her entire body was shaking against mine. I held her tightly, even though I was struggling to