The restaurant hummed with a soft, elegant ambiance that seemed to cocoon us from the outside world. Soft jazz played in the background, its mellow notes dancing around our intimate table. Roman had chosen a secluded corner, giving us the privacy I hadn't realized I needed after the day's emotional confrontation."We should do this more often," I said, taking a careful sip of my sparkling water. The crystal glass felt cool against my fingers, and I watched Roman's face – the way his eyes crinkled slightly when he smiled, the way the soft lighting caught the sheen in his dark hair.He raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "Go out to dinner? We do that quite frequently, my love."I rolled my eyes, the tension of earlier melting away with our familiar banter. "I mean just... be. Together. No work, no family drama, no complications. Just us."Roman's hand reached across the table, his fingers intertwining with mine. "Always," he said simply, and those one word carried more promise
"My... aunt?" The words felt foreign on my tongue, like speaking a language I'd never learned. My mind raced through memories of my mother, trying to recall if anyone had ever mentioned a sister of my mother's. But there was nothing – just empty spaces where family history should have been. But then again, my mother had led me to believe that her parents were dead and she was the only child. Alexander had told me that was a lie and that I had a few aunts and uncles but…I never imagined I would meet one. Much less one that looks so much like my mom. The woman took a step forward, and I instinctively backed up against the marble counter. She moved with a grace that seemed almost predatory, her designer dress whispering against the floor. Even her mannerisms were eerily similar to my mother's, down to the way she tilted her head slightly when she spoke. "Isabella," she said, her accent carrying hints of something Italian. "Your mother never mentioned me, did she? Of course not. Dian
I sat at my desk, absently clicking my pen against the stack of papers I should have been reviewing, my mind still caught in a loop of last night's events. The memory of Isabella's face – so eerily similar to my mother's – kept floating to the surface of my thoughts, making it impossible to focus on anything else.A soft knock on my door startled me from my reverie. Before I could respond, it swung open, and there he was – Alexander Guerrero, my brother, looking perfectly at ease in his usual black leather jacket and black jeans. Always acting like he was allergic to color. His presence in my office was as unexpected as a summer storm in winter."Surprise," he said, his lips curving into that familiar half-smile that always made him look like he knew something you didn't.I straightened in my chair, my pen falling forgotten to the desk. "Alexander? What are you... how long have you been in the country?" I asked with a narrowed gaze. I had sent the man a message last night, I didn't
I gathered my things, taking a moment to straighten the papers on my desk and slip my phone into my bag – a recent gift from Roman that still made me smile whenever I looked at it. To think we've both reached the point where he can openly give me gifts like these.And now there's a risk that I might lose everything because something tells me my mother's family won't be this gentle for long. The weight of my earlier conversation with Alexander lingered in the air, but I pushed it aside, determined to maintain some semblance of normalcy in my increasingly complicated life.Pausing at my secretary's desk on my way out, I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder. "Hey,” I called out softly, “ I'll be having lunch outside today. Call me if anything urgent comes up." I made sure to keep my voice steady, not wanting to betray any of the turmoil churning beneath my calm mask.Sarah looked up from her computer screen, her efficient manner as present as always. Her fingers paused over her
The bell chimed softly as I pushed open the diner's door, and the familiar scent of coffee and grilled food wrapped around me like a warm embrace. My heels clicked against the checkered floor as I made my way inside, my eyes immediately finding Vincent in the booth by the window. The afternoon sun streaming through the glass caught his profile, highlighting the gentle curve of his smile as he spotted me.But he wasn't alone.The woman sitting beside him made my stomach twist uncomfortably. She was probably in her mid-thirties, dressed in a crisp black blazer that screamed corporate efficiency, her dark hair pulled back in a severe bun that seemed to pull her features just a bit too tight. As I approached, her eyes met mine, and despite her polite smile, there was something cold there, something that made me want to take a step back.Vincent stood up immediately, his entire face lighting up in that way that always made me feel stupidly special, like I was the best part of his day. "Ame
The lunch with Vincent felt like navigating through a thick fog of my own thoughts. My mind kept drifting back to Maria – her fearful glances, the way her hands trembled, the undercurrent of tension that seemed to vibrate between her and Vincent. The diner around us became a blur of muted sounds and half-noticed details.Like the soft clink of our movements, the hiss of the espresso machine, the low murmur of conversations blending into an indistinct background noise.Maybe it was the Guerrero family that was beginning to turn me into a paranoid fool. Because why the fuck would I be suspicious of Vincent? I definitely saw wrong…why would Maria be afraid of him? Vincent's voice cut through my scattered thoughts, his fork pausing midway to his mouth. The crisp shirt he wore caught the afternoon light, casting soft shadows across the table. His eyes, usually warm and understanding, now studied me with a mix of concern and curiosity that made me feel simultaneously exposed and frustrate
ROMANThe warmth of Amelia's body against mine lingered like a ghostly imprint even after she'd fallen asleep. Her breathing had softened into that delicate rhythm that meant complete surrender to exhaustion – something that didn't happen often for her these days. Her face, usually tense with unspoken worries, had smoothed out, revealing a vulnerability that made my chest tighten with complex emotions that still baffled me.The intensity of what I felt for her sometimes had me floored. I never imagined I could feel this strongly for anyone, I never imagined I could love this fiercely. Not even Bertha… Nor the women before her came close to Amelia. Which was why I was desperate to keep her by my side. Happy, satisfied. Yet, so many things have been coming up and in all honesty, I'd never felt so incompetent in my entire life. I moved carefully, each movement calculated to not disturb her. The moonlight cascading through our bedroom windows caught the subtle curve of her belly, a s
ROMANThe first rays of morning light crept through our bedroom curtains, casting a soft golden glow across the bed. Amelia was still nestled against me, her breathing steady and peaceful. I found myself watching her, memorizing every detail – the way her dark lashes rested against her cheeks, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the subtle curve of her lips.My hand instinctively moved to her belly, holding her closer to my chest as I breathed in her scent. Her skin was soft, warm and smelled of vanilla, I couldn't get enough of it. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. That moment – when sleep still clouded her gaze, when she was most vulnerable – was my favorite. No walls. No masks. Just Amelia."Morning," she mumbled, her voice soft and gravelly with sleep.I pulled her closer, burying my face in her hair. "Morning, love."She stretched, her body pressing against mine as her fingers trailed down to my abdomen in a sensual motion that had me holding my breath, and I couldn't he
Hi! Its me Dchenemi but you already know that lol. I want to thank you for sticking with this book this far and answer a few questions. Firstly O would like to apologize for the lack of updates, I have ongoing exams and I'm unable to focus on writing while the pressure of getting good grades are breathing down on my neck ahah.Secondly, this arc of the book will be over and after that there'll be one last arc to round up everything and then The Forgotten Marriage will be done and Roman and Amelia's story will give way to other books in the Volkov's Series. Thirdly, daily updates will resume first of February without fail and I promise to give you a satisfying ending. Lastly, thank you for sticking around and coming this far, I hope you have a great week ahead and I'll see you in February. Best, Dchenemi. P.S. You can find me on FB @Divine Chenemi to learn more about the upcoming series or get a sneak peek at oncoming chapters or if you have suggestions or anything you wish to ta
AMELIA My mother had always told me I was destined for great things, and at some point in my life, I thought it was being a well-established painter or perhaps a tycoon like she wished to be. But now I realized what she truly meant. No matter how much she had tried to escape it, her past still caught up with her. Just like my grandfather had said, one could not fully leave such a life except through death, and now... I had become one of them. Due to the things I had said and done behind Isabella's back, she had sent me into those rooms to be abused by those men, but what I came out with was power—one that I couldn't ever tell Roman about. The things I had said... and done, just to convince those men... "Amelia, how could you do such a thing without consulting me?!" Alexander whisper-yelled. He stood a few steps away from me, practically trembling from the shock and rage of what I had just told him. I interlocked my fingers and let out a soft sigh, not fazed one bit by his agitatio
AMELIAI cried myself back to sleep, my body was far too exhausted to do anything else. When I came to, Roman wasn't in the bedroom with me. Our bedroom. I was back home. It felt surreal seeing the familiar walls, the sheets, the scents. Everything made my eyes prickle with tears and the irony wasn't lost on me. Not too long ago I had wished to be out of here for good with no reason to return yet, here I was…happy to be back within three walls. My limbs felt heavy, like they didn't belong to me and my head felt like it wasn't a part of my body. I still felt out of it…a strange feeling that spread to my chest. Like I was out of place, like I didn't belong. For some reason, I half expected Marcus would open that door and walk in, sit right next to me and continue the torture I've been in for the past two weeks. It was possible. What did Roman do with him? I sat up slowly, my whole body groaning in protest. My vision spun and it took a few seconds for me to get my head in order.
AMELIAA FEW DAYS LATER… Isabella had kept her word. After the meeting with Mr. Rossi and a few others who Isabella failed to mention, she didn't send me back to the building I was locked up in. She gave me two flight tickets and told me to make a choice, one sent me back home and the other…was to Sicily. To the heart of all our family's operations. She gave me a choice, once she knew would make my mind heavy with thoughts. An opportunity at power. But I already had my own plans…one I intended to execute once I was out of her grasp. I was supposed to be boarding a plane going back home before Marcus got to me, probably angry that Isabella didn't keep her end of whatever it was their bargain was. I suspected it was me. I barely remembered what happened after that, I was pumped full of whatever it was Marcus spent the last few days injecting me with. I could barely keep my eyes open, I couldn't walk and my thoughts were muddled even as panic gripped me. Fear that I had been doub
AMELIAOver a week had passed since I'd first woken in this goddamn bedroom, though time had begun to lose all meaning. The hope I'd initially clung to – that Roman would find me, that someone would notice my absence and come to my rescue – had slowly withered away like flowers left too long without water. I'd spent countless hours staring out at the skyline, watching the sun rise and set over ancient buildings that had witnessed centuries of human suffering. Now they were witnessing mine.My heart ached each time I saw people pass by, moving freely without knowing just how grateful they should be that they could. Marcus hadn't kissed a day of his visits, his constant torture and each day that passed brought me closer to the day he would finally act on his obvious urges that he's been talking about. He's going to start hurting me, not just mentally but physically. The got of it alone got him off. I'd seen him massage his dick a few times with his eyes on me, fantasizing of a day
ROMAN The mining complex loomed before us in the early morning light, a hulking mass of concrete and rusted metal that seemed to devour the shadows around it. I crouched behind a piece of machinery, my body coiled tight with anticipation as I watched the guards make their rounds through my scope. "Three on the perimeter, two at each entrance," Nikolai's voice came through my earpiece, soft but crystal clear. Even from his position in the command vehicle half a mile away, he somehow knew exactly what was happening. "They're rotating every fifteen minutes, clockwork precision. Military training, just like our informant said." "How many inside?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Heat signatures show twelve moving bodies on the main level, four in the lower sections." There was a pause, then, "One signature in the deepest part of the complex. Isolated. That's her, Roman." My fingers tightened on my rifle. "You're sure?" "The body temperature is slightly elevated, consistent
ROMAN My finger tightened instinctively on the trigger as I studied my cousin, but something in his relaxed posture made me hesitate. He moved with an uncanny grace as he stepped closer, his cane barely touching the ground, more an accessory than a necessity. When he removed his sunglasses, I understood why – behind them, white orbs stared unseeingly ahead, yet somehow I felt more seen than I had in years. "The great Roman Volkov," Nikolai mused, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Always so quick to reach for your weapon. Some things never change, cousin." He moved past me with the confidence of someone who could see every obstacle, his cane making soft taps against the marble floor. "Though I must say, your taste in interior design has improved significantly." He spoke like we were close, but I'd only met the man once when I was younger…two years younger than me, a strange child that had no innocence left in him. There was an attack that left both his eyes damaged beyond repai
ROMAN FOUR DAYS AGO… The sketch in my hand trembled as realization crashed over me like a wave of ice water. Those familiar features, that seemingly warm smile that had never quite reached his eyes – Vincent. Pierce! Our fucking neighbor?! The man who had wormed his way into our lives after her accident despite being our neighbor for years. He got so close to Amelia…the way he looked at her, the way he tried to get closer every fucking time. How could I have been so blind? How could I have been so stupid?! My grip tightened until the paper crumpled between my fingers, fury coursing through my veins like molten lead. "Dimitri," I barked, my voice cutting through the tension-filled air of the cabin. "Watch her. If she so much as breathes wrong, handle it." My eyes locked onto Bertha's terrified face, watching as the blood drained from her cheeks. "You helped him get close to my wife again. Remember that when you're lying awake tonight." I rose to my feet, “For every scratc
AMELIAFive days. One hundred and twenty hours of being trapped in this prison, each minute stretching into an eternity of helpless desperation. The room, with its elegant Italian furniture and sweeping views of Rome, had become my personal hell. They had taken off the covers from the furniture, told me it was once my mother's bedroom. I was in Guerrero manor, a family house in a fucking skyscraper. The highest room, a place my mother probably sought solace and now it was my cell. I'd tried every door, every window, even searched for hidden passages like some character in a gothic novel, but found nothing. The doors were sealed tight, the windows reinforced with something that wouldn't break no matter how hard I struck them. Even the beautiful crystal vase I'd hurled in desperation had merely bounced off, leaving not so much as a scratch.From my perch high above the city, I watched life continue below with a sense of surreal detachment. People moved through the streets like tiny d