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Two days later, Anna and Lisa's birthday came by in a flash. It was a success as well, despite Colson's constant fear and worry. The girls genuinely enjoyed themselves and the party and funny enough, so did Roman. I watched intently as he smiled at every action the girls took, every compliment they gave him…heck I didn't even expect him to be there. But then Colson said he hasn't missed their birthdays since they were born…and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Unfortunately I couldn't stay till the end, despite how much I wanted to. As I bade goodbye to the girls and apologized to Colson, I tried to avoid the confused and suspicious gaze Roman was sending my way. I didn't want to ruin his mood by telling him where I was going, so I lied that I had a routine check up at the hospital. Then I left. It wasn't until I stepped into my car and told the driver where I was going, before I realized that my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. Some genuine and mostly no
AMELIA FIVE YEARS AGO… I felt the impact. I knew I did. My body left the road and for a few seconds I couldn't feel anything, no pain, no anger, just quiet. Then I felt my body slam back down on the road, I landed on my stomach and the explosive pain immediately overwhelmed me. Strangely enough, I didn't black out. I was there, wailing…confused, regretful and crying for help with what little strength I had left. I watched as the truck sped off, leaving me all alone, broken and bleeding in the middle of that abandoned road. I crawled to the edge of the road, dragging my broken body as I reached for my phone. There it was, lit up, screen cracked but still functional. I called the ambulance and the second I told them I was dying, everything went black. The next thing I remembered was the numbing feeling of something moving around in me. A person's hands perhaps? All too soon it was over and I felt like they'd taken out all of my organs, it was a strange feeling. I felt
ROMAN“If it isn't my favorite brother-in-law,” Alexander's irritating voice drawled from the other instantly making regret picking his call. “Alexander, if there's anything you have to say, just say it,” I muttered, looking being me for the nth time since I reached the back garden, trying to make sure none of the girls or guests followed me. “Well, how did my sister end up with a man as unromantic as you?” He tutted, chuckling like he found the situation all too amusing. Alexander was my friend, but that was a long time ago before I realized he was a power hungry snake with next to no morals, now the only reason I kept him alive was because of Amelia. But every time I hear his voice, I'm reminded of the reason why I shot the fucker and why I never wanted anything else to do with him. “Come on now, pakhan,”“Don't call me that!” I snapped, unable to hide the pure irritation in my tone. “Alright, alright…” He blew out a breath, “Do you have people watching her at all times? Things
ROMANI didn't find Amelia in the living room or kitchen when I got home. It stirred up a strange feeling inside me, something that felt like I was excited to see her and also dreading the idea of feeling that excitement. We've literally spent the past three days together and have only been separated for a few hours yet here I was like a fool, missing her. ‘You love her, don't you?’That question seemed to echo in my head over and over again no matter how much I tried to brush it off. As I made my way upstairs, I silently wondered if she was okay. It was so quiet. Everyone had been given the day off, so it was just the two of us. Why did that… I swallowed, pushing down the thoughts that threatened to assail my mind. Scratch that, they were already there. Memories of Amelia beneath me, naked…wet and so fucking–I Inhaled sharply and mentally face palmed. Here I was in front of the master bedroom and I could feel myself going hard. “Fucking idiot!”The moon was already up, the
AMELIA I should have stopped him. No. I didn't want to stop him. I wanted it just as much as he claimed. Just as much as his body showed. His arm went tighter around my waist as he let out a shaky breath past my lips, his fingers entangling themselves in my hair as his hot tongue explored every crevice of my mouth. He pulled my face closer, like we didn't need air. I understood the urgency in his actions because I felt the same way. I felt eager to go deeper into his embrace, to feel him closer…his kiss, his mouth…everything about him in that moment seemed to drive me crazy. His cock was harder, pushing into me with every little movement and I shamelessly rocked against him…wanting more, craving more. Everything else was forgotten. It was the effect of his words, everything he admitted to me…it mass me realize just how much I wanted this man and how fucking afraid I was to lose him. He was more than just a friend to me…admitting it to myself only served to increase my fear.
AMELIA Sure, I knew he wouldn't drop it…no matter how much I tried to distract him. It left me thinking up an excuse, a fake story I can tell to explain my accidental slip up. I was just so overwhelmed…I shouldn't have said those words, not to him…what if he learns of it? Would he still look at me the same way? Would he still declare these words with the same fervor? “Roman…” I moaned, eyes going wide as I felt his finger slide slowly into my wet core, so slow that I felt I would die from the anticipation. My walls immediately clenched around his fingers, a shaky breath left my lips. He pressed his lips against mine, fingers leaving my core and grabbing my ass tightly. I struggled to catch my breath as he smacked my butt cheeks, hard. Then he groaned, lifting my feet from the ground before I could string along a proper thought. The sting from his hit only served to heighten my arousal. His lips never left mine, not once. My back was against the soft mattress in t
“Are you asleep?” I was momentarily startled by Roman's question. I had thought he was asleep as I felt his chest rise and fall steadily behind me. He had gone quiet and led me to believe that we wouldn't have to talk. It was my fault for hoping I would have more time to mentally prepare myself for the conversation he wanted to have. “No…” I muttered after a few seconds had passed. “I can't sleep,” I confessed quietly. Countless thoughts were swirling through my mind in that moment. Firstly, I was naked, so was Roman, and I was in his arms, his chest pressed so closely against my back that I could feel each thump of his heart. I could feel his hot breath in my hair. I could smell his sweat and masculine scent on my skin. And yet, despite it all. I was so fucking comfortable and, at the same time, unable to relax. Maybe he could feel it. How tense I was. “Are you ready to talk?” “I think I need another shower,” I immediately cut in, making a move to sit up. He held
ALEXANDER The ancient hinges creaked ominously as I pushed open the heavy oak doors to my grandfather's bedroom, a sound that had haunted my childhood nightmares whenever I'd been called in for a scolding. The familiar scent hit me first – a complex mixture of Cuban cigars, aged leather, and the subtle undertone of the lavender oil the maids used to polish the antique furniture. It was a scent I'd come to associate with power, with family, with the weight of expectations that came with being a Guerrero. But all of this grandeur paled in comparison to the man sitting in the imposing leather armchair by the window. My grandfather – Il re ombra, the King of the underground world – looked smaller than I remembered from just two weeks ago. The sight of him made my heart clench painfully in my chest. The harsh Sicily sunlight that bathed the room in golden hues did him no favors, casting deep shadows across his gaunt face and highlighting the hollow spaces where his strength used to res
BERTHAI stood frozen in the doorway, my heart hammering against my ribs as I stared up at Roman. The corridor light cast shadows across his face, making his expression even more unreadable. My fingers gripped the doorframe for support, suddenly feeling like my legs might give out beneath me.“Roman,” I breathed out shakily, I managed to force a smile but I could tell it looked more like a wince. "W-why are you here?" I managed to ask, hating how my voice trembled. He should have been with Amelia right now, shouldn't he? Amelia had just lost their baby, after all.I hear he hasn't left her side in the past few weeks so, why is he here? What could he possibly want with me? A niggling viuce at the back of my mind had an idea, but I easily dismissed it. No. He couldn't be here for that! The thought made something twist uncomfortably in my stomach as I unconsciously placed a protective hand over my own swollen belly.Roman's lips curved into what might have been a smile, but it didn
BERTHAI stared at my reflection in the large vanity mirror, my fingers trembling with barely contained rage as I adjusted the diamond pendant around my neck. The weight of it felt suffocating, much like everything else in this oppressive fucking mansion. The warm golden light from the lamps above should have made me look radiant, but all I could see was the storm brewing in my dark eyes.Here in this mansion, I felt like a dolled up trinket, just kept here to look pretty, to bear a child that Yaakov can fully mold as he wants.The gala invitation lay mockingly on the corner of my vanity, its gold-embossed lettering catching the light. "Mr. and Mrs. Wellington," it read, as if I was supposed to feel honored to be attending as Yaakov Wellington's wife. I sneered at my reflection, watching as the expression twisted my carefully made-up features. The deep burgundy lipstick I'd chosen suddenly seemed too harsh against my pale skin, but it matched my mood perfectly.I had cut my hair short
AMELIAThe hours crawled by with excruciating slowness. Jessica and I sat in the living room, remnants of our lunch spread across the coffee table, neither of us having much appetite. The black car hadn't returned, but I kept glancing out the window anyway, expecting—or dreading—to see it again.I knew something was going on, deep down I knew that the little peace we'd managed to enjoy these past few weeks was already over. I knew it the second I woke up in that hospital. I knew it the second I was told I lost my baby. "You should try to eat something," Jessica said, pushing a container of pasta toward me, looking rather cautious. She's been that way for a while, like she's unsure of what to say, scared that a word might trigger me or something like that. I shook my head. "I can't. My stomach's in knots." I admitted with full honesty. My heart felt heavy and there was the sense of impending doom that I kept trying to push down. Roman and I were…not okay, that much I knew. Eating a
The argument replayed in my mind like a broken record, each harsh word cutting deeper with each repetition. ‘All you see is your own pain.’ The accusation stung particularly sharp because it was untrue. I'd spent weeks trying to understand Roman's pain, making excuses for his absence, convincing myself that his distance was just his way of coping. And now he had the audacity to throw that in my face? That son of a– My phone felt heavy in my pocket. I could call Jessica, or Alexander—they'd be here in minutes. But what would I say? That my husband, the man who'd been my rock through everything, had just revealed a side of himself I'd never seen before? That he was keeping secrets about who had poisoned me? Instead, I did something I hadn't dared since being discharged; I walked upstairs to the nursery door. My hand trembled as it touched the doorknob. We'd painted it white just two weeks ago, discussing whether we should add some kind of decorative element. Roman had wanted to pai
AMELIAHome was supposed to feel like a sanctuary. Instead, the walls seemed to close in around me, each room holding memories that felt more like wounds. The nursery door remained firmly shut—neither of us had the courage to face what lay behind it.I for one knew that I would break down into tiny pieces if I saw what was behind that door. I had already given instructions for the room to be emptied, without my knowledge, of course. I didn't want to see them. The crib. The stuffed animals, the onesies. Fiona had left or rather…fired. I had a feeling she had something to do with the poisoning seeing as Roman was being kind of secretive about why she left or why he fired her. He never really gave me a straight answer, not even when he hired an older woman to fill in as both housekeeper and maid for the meantime. Roman had been adamant about me staying home. "You need to rest," he'd say, his tone leaving no room for argument. But rest felt impossible when my mind wouldn't stop spinnin
The night air was cool against my skin as I stepped out of the hospital, fishing my phone out of my purse to order another Uber. The parking lot was mostly empty, illuminated by scattered streetlights that created pools of yellow light in the darkness. The sound of rapid footsteps behind me made my heart jump, but before I could turn around, I heard his voice."Greece!"Just one word. My name. But the way Colson said it made something inside me twist. I turned to find him slightly out of breath, as if he'd run to catch up with me. The sight of him – powerful, composed Colson – actually running after someone was so unexpected that for a moment, I could only stare."What are you doing here?" I asked, hating how my voice betrayed my awareness of him. Even in the dim light, he was devastating – the shadows playing across his features only emphasized the sharp angles of his face, the intensity of his gaze."It's too dark for you to be out alone," he said, his tone still carrying that profe
GREECE“Why…” I inhaled deeply, “...are you here?” I asked softly. I didn't know he was back from Mexico. But then again, we haven't kept any contact since I left. He couldn't be here for me, right? "Wellington Corp has a meeting with the university board today," Colson said, his voice carrying that familiar professional tone that I'd almost forgotten existed. "With Roman at the hospital with Amelia, I'm handling the meeting with the dean."The words hit me like a splash of cold water, washing away whatever foolish notions I'd been entertaining. Of course. He wasn't here for me. He was here for business, just like always. The realization stung more than it should have, but I refused to let it show on my face."It's nice to see you again," I managed to say, proud of how steady my voice sounded despite the chaos in my chest. But even as I spoke, my traitorous eyes kept drifting to his lips, remembering how they'd felt against mine that night in Mexico. The warmth, the intensity, the
GREECEThe lecture hall felt suffocating despite its size. Professor Williams droned on about corporate law, but my mind was elsewhere, wandering back to memories of Mexico City – memories I couldn't seem to shake no matter how hard I tried. It had been a month since I'd returned, since Colson had practically forced me onto that plane, and yet everything still felt fresh. Raw.The scent of his cologne. The intensity of his gaze. The way his hands felt when they caught me from falling. The almost-kiss on the balcony that still haunted my dreams."Miss Stavros?" Professor Williams's voice cut through my reverie. "Care to share your thoughts on the Jensen case?"I straightened in my seat, forcing myself to focus on the present. "The Jensen case highlighted the importance of fiduciary duty in corporate governance," I began, drawing on whatever information I could remember from last night's reading. "The board's decision to..."As I continued my response, I couldn't help but notice how dif
The days that followed blurred together like watercolors in the rain. I felt disconnected from my body, as if I were floating somewhere above myself, tethered only by the thinnest of threads to the physical world below. The hospital room became my entire universe—a bubble where time moved differently, where every breath felt like an effort against the crushing weight of loss.I used to think I was a strong person, I used to think if I could have survived this far, after everything…then I could handle anything. But this? This pain? It was something I wouldn't wish even my worst enemy. Jessica was my constant companion, her presence both comforting and guilt-inducing. She'd pull up a chair beside my bed, her white coat wrinkled from long hours, dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion."You need to get back to work," I told her one afternoon, my voice still carrying that hollow quality I couldn't seem to shake. "Your patients need you more than I do."She looked up from h