He joined in my laughter, and for a moment, it was almost like old times. Almost. As the laughter died down, I glanced around my small apartment, suddenly very aware of how out of place my father looked here. His custom-made suit probably cost more than three months of my rent. "Have you eaten?" h
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I'd made a mistake. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as my father's expression hardened, his eyes that were similar to mine turning to steel. "No?" he repeated, his voice dangerously soft. "I don't think you understand the situati
As the men filed out, my father turned back to me. His expression was unreadable, a look of frustration and disappointment in his eyes. And though I was used to it, it still stung like a fucking bitch. "I'll let you keep living your fantasy life for now, Jessica," he said, his voice low and contro
As exhaustion finally began to overtake me, one thought kept circling in my mind, What the fuck was I going to do? The next morning, I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. My head was pounding, my eyes were swollen from crying, and my body ached from sleeping with my legs hanging off the b
But her amnesia… “Deathly!” She admitted sheepishly, “After what happened with Roman…or at least what might've happened, I'm not sure how to face my father…” “You face him like a man,” I simply replied, “He's not shit compared to you, don't let him intimidate you anymore after all, now it's certa
The city streets felt different as I made my way home from my meeting with Uncle Sal. The familiar buildings and bustling sidewalks seemed charged with a new energy, or maybe that was just my frayed nerves. Uncle Sal had been... well, Uncle Sal. Cryptic, slightly menacing, but ultimately reassuring
A smirk played at the corners of his mouth, despite the pain. "Inviting a man you barely know into your apartment, Dr. Timothy? I'm shocked." Annoyance flared in me, pushing aside the guilt and the unwelcome flutter in my stomach at his proximity. "Fine," I snapped, standing up. "Find your own way
A shadow passed over his face, so quickly I almost missed it. "I had some family business to take care of," he said vaguely. "I was hoping to see you, actually. I owe you an apology for standing you up last week." "Oh," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "It's fine. Things come up, I understa
"I swear," she laughed, her voice filling the car with warmth, "if he could bubble-wrap me and the baby, he would." I couldn't help but smile, watching her face light up as she talked about her husband. "He's just nervous. First-time dad and all that." "Oh, speaking of nervous," she grinned, tur
AMELIA Morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of my bedroom, casting warm patches across my chilly sheets. I should have felt lighter, triumphant even. The family was finally under control, the threats neutralized, and the Guerrero name secure. Yet as I lay there, staring up at the ce
The color drained from their faces so quickly it was almost comical. Uncle Stefano actually tugged at his collar, while Uncle Paolo seemed to sink further into his chair. "Ricardo made his choice," Uncle Marco said, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity despite his obvious fear. "We are mere
AMELIA The meeting wasn't one I was looking forward to but it was something I had to get done. Something that I hoped would remind me of all the reasons why I was in Italy. All the reasons why I became a completely different person. I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, taking in ho
AMELIA TWO YEARS LATER… I was twenty-seven years old, younger than my mother was when she had me, and five years older than she was when my grandfather entrusted the Guerrero family's responsibility to her. Despite trying my best not to think about her, everything I did, everywhere I walked in It
"And sitting back and doing nothing is better?" My voice rose, a mixture of frustration and desperation. "I'm tired of being the victim. Tired of being passed around like a piece of property, like something to be traded and bartered." His blue eyes flashed. "I would never let that happen to you aga
AMELIA Why was I so hesitant? I had been sure of my choices, I had accepted that it was what I really wanted and what I needed. But sitting here, with his head on my shoulder and his eyes looking so distant, I couldn't bring myself to say a word. Nothing. “Amy?” “Hm?” Roman raised his hea
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
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 cau