I set my phone down on the dining table while Niana’s number flashed on it. Talking to her was a death sentence I wasn’t willing to get. What were people thinking of us? Ara was enough of a torture for now. I lifted my eyes, only to find hers centred on me. She had been sitting like this in front o
MARIELLA “I can explain, Papa,” I said, walking toward him and trying to calm him with my smile. But it didn’t work, as his brows only pressed deeper. “You will. But after we go home.” “You can’t do this, Papa.” Ara’s voice was pitchy and loud. “Eros isn’t home. If you take his wife in his absenc
“You said this is a family matter?” Adonis’s gaze shuffled between me and Papa, and he went on. “I’m involved in this because it is my damn family. And you’re not taking my sister-in-law anywhere.” This was the first time he had mentioned this out loud, that too, with so much pride. Papa’s eyes wi
“She’s yours? For a year?” I had never seen Danilo this angry and understood why people preferred staying on his good side. “And then what? You toss her away like some used toy?” I brushed his shoulder and clenched them, a gesture I hated but loved doing on my opponents. It was a way of showing how
Giving him a terse nod, I strolled back into my room, loosening my tie and taking my blazer off. My mind was exhausted because of the drama that I had caused. I was the architect of my misery. “Eros,” Ella’s voice reached my ears, and I sat down at the edge of the bed, facing the enormous fireplace
EROS The restaurant wasn’t the fanciest, but I went along with it because Ella liked it. Her smile didn’t make me regret the decision, at least. I watched her as she took another sushi into her mouth, skilfully holding her chopstick, and pouted her lips to chew through the mouthful and laughed. It
The start we’d had was rough and downright awful, but arranged marriages would work if both the partners were careful and open enough. I watched her with my head slanted toward her. She took a deep huff as if making her mind up for something and then turned to me. Her eyes rounded slightly, meeting
She halted abruptly and sat up with her brows pulled together. “Don’t you like it?” I checked her expressions. So fucking innocent. “I fucking loved it,” I said. “Now come on top of me. Ride me.” She nodded, taking her lower lip between her teeth, and lifted her dress up to her stomach. The small
I walked toward Ella’s bed and sat down beside her. She pulled herself up with much difficulty and looked down at our daughter. “She’s so small,” I said, my eyes filling with tears. The wait, the pain and everything were worth this—this joy and the deep love I felt in my heart. I met Ella’s gaze a
[FOUR YEARS LATER] EROS I was panicking more than Ella was. But I couldn’t take her screams, let alone look at her. She was covered in sweat from head to toe and her entire body was shuddering. This was partially my fault, I could say. She buried her head back on the pillow and let out another lo
Even in my absence, I had been sure that Mariella was okay. She was upset, which was understandable, but she was safe. Adonis had ensured it. I hurried into my wing and up to my room, unable to control the burdening feeling in my chest. I needed to let out all that I had been holding inside, to tel
Both Mom and Adonis scanned the room. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t have a good feeling about this. Ella was running away. Or perhaps hiding something from me. I sincerely wished it was the prior. Adonis took a deep breath and spoke. “Ma, I need to speak to Eros.” I was dumbfounded. I widened my
EROS With all the men guarding me, I felt like a child being carried to the principal’s office. Every fucking one of them had a brooding look on their face. And I had been seeing them every day for the past two months. No more. I was finally returning home. To my family. To my wife. I wondered ho
As I pushed the door, I noticed the girl sitting on the ground, holding a grey shirt to her chest. Eros’s shirt. Had she been holding onto him in this manner? Crying herself to sleep holding that one shirt? Consoling herself that he was alright? “Mariella?” Her eyes widened and snapped toward me.
ADONIS I couldn’t stand the sight of people who pretended as though my world hadn’t completely changed. Many people greeted me as I walked out to the main wing. Danilo, his wife and younger daughter. Terenzio and Fabiola. Niana Galasso and the idiot who got Danilo’s daughter pregnant. My wife and
“My sister has a habit of meddling in other people’s matters. I’m sorry for that.” She probably didn’t know who I was, either. Her expressions suddenly fell, and she said with an apologetic look on her face, “I’m sorry if I sound rude, but my coming here wasn’t really a coincidence.” I frowned. “I h
Eros leaned down and whispered something into his niece’s ears that made Alessia smile bigger. Letting go of his hands, she motioned toward her father. Eros, the matchmaker, was back in the room. He wanted nothing more than what I did and that was to see this little family of ours be happy and one