When our eyes met briefly over the counter, my heart did that familiar skip that I'd never quite gotten used to. I couldn't look away from her if I tried, drinking in every detail – the way she tucked her blond locks behind her ear, the slight furrow of concentration between her brows, the elegant l
AMELIA A week had passed since my grandfather's unexpected visit, and I found myself settling into a strange sort of normalcy. The kind that felt both comforting and dangerous– like walking on a bridge made of glass. Beautiful, but with the constant awareness that it could shatter at any moment. T
JESSICA The steady beeping of monitors faded into background noise as I stripped off my surgical gloves, satisfaction warming my chest even as my bones ached from the exhaustion from being up for countless hours. Another successful surgery, another life saved. That's what I lived for now – not t
"That was one time!" she protested, but she was laughing too. "Okay, maybe twice if you count the Christmas party incident. And the baby shower thing... Fine, point taken!" Our laughter was interrupted by a throat clearing. We both turned to see Dr. Morrison, the hospital's chief of medicine, stan
I forced my face into what I hoped was a professionally neutral smile, pretending I didn't recognize the name that had haunted my childhood nightmares. "Good afternoon, Mr. Guerrero. I'm Dr. Jessica Timothy, and I'll be overseeing your cardiac care." I gave him a slight nod as I spoke in the softest
The needle slid into his vein smoothly, and I watched the dark red blood flow into the collection tube. Keep it steady, I coached myself. Keep it professional. But my mouth had gone dry, and I could feel cold sweat gathering at the base of my spine. "You're Antonio Timothy's daughter." He stated. I
A chill ran down my back as he spoke. He knows about my relationship with Amelia. Wait…he knows about Amelia? Suddenly all of my mother's warnings began ringing in my head and I was sure he could see it in my expression. He laughed again, but this time it turned into a coughing fit that had hi
There it was. The catch. I can't have such a powerful man helping me without having to give anything in return. My eyes narrowed as I stayed silent, waiting for the man to say what he wanted to, heart pounding like it was about to jump straight out of my chest. “I need you to keep an eye on Roma
"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