◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ She said give or take 15 minutes. Yet still no sign of her. Did we have to wait for another half an hour? I scrunched up my nose at the sterile scent around us, mostly the smell of rubbing alcohol. I sat with my left ankle on my right knee, feeling the nerves kicking in as Adreana and I waited in this small white-walled consultation room. After performing the transvaginal scan she suggested last time, Dr. Moretti assured us that Adreana's test results would be available in 15 minutes, then left the room with her clipboard. The doctor must be busy with another phone call. Her desk clock said it was almost seven in the evening. We'd probably be done with everything before eight. I glanced at my companion. Her fingers drummed nervously on her thigh. She'd been avoiding my eyes from the moment we walked into this room. Adreana scrolled through her news feed, pretending to be busy with her phone, which I understood. Nothing about these doctor visits were relaxing. I sa
Grand Luxoria HotelFlorence, Italy ◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ The hotel room felt stuffy, the air heavy with unspoken words, the tension around us palpable. Adreana and I sat on opposite sides of the bed. The ceiling lights were off, but we switched on the bedside lamps from the moment we decided to have a quiet dinner alone in here. Tossing my tablet beside my thigh, I shifted uncomfortably against her pillow, unable to look her in the eye. We just had dinner. The room still faintly smelled of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. We barely spoke during our private meal, but I couldn't blame her for not wanting to talk to me. It was a relief that she even agreed to have dinner with me. "You okay?" I cleared my throat, my voice only a bit louder than a mumble. "I'm fine." Wearing an oversized shirt and black leggings, Adreana resumed typing something on her laptop, working on backlogs again. The faint noises of her fingertips hitting the keys and the clicks of her mouse filled the awkward sil
◇ MYKAELA ◇ The night was still. The soft glow of the yellow bedside lamp cast a warm, inviting atmosphere all over Lorenzio's bedroom. I preferred to study in his guest room where I could spend hours and hours reading in total peace and quiet. But tonight, I would stay in here until he fell asleep. I wanted to keep an eye on him in case Rafa or Leandro called him again. I sat beside his desk, alone and surrounded by thick textbooks and my recent notes, consumed by the intricate details of my professor's chosen specialization this week. The rhythmic tick of the clock on the wall echoed in my ears as I stared at the paperbacks splayed before me. For about four hours now, I'd been trying my best to concentrate and check off some items on my to-do list. But the other side of my brain kept distracting me, constantly imagining the impending storm that could sweep through my life in the next few weeks. Or months. I wouldn't know for sure. As an adult, I only met Ilya once. I didn't know
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆I flumped down in my chair and glanced around the quiet patio beside the backdoor to my kitchen, a glass of red wine in hand, squinting at the sun as it dipped below the horizon.Beside me, my cousin unbuttoned the top part of his shirt and sat back in his chair, savoring his own wine. "Good stuff?" Ricchar mumbled, breaking the comfortable silence."This one's not too bad.""Yeah. Just don't tell Cloe.""Duh..." I glanced around. The soft glow of the evening enveloped us, casting long shadows that danced across my backyard. I hadn't been here in months. I kinda missed it. The peace and quiet. The remoteness. The total privacy. "Don't want your hormonal wife to spank me, too.""Stronzo." Ricchar chuckled.I looked behind. Next to my dimly lit kitchen, Alessio seemed engrossed in his first Hacking 101 class with Niccolo, both of them wearing dark t-shirts and sitting at my rarely used dining table."Heard anything about your Pappa lately?" Ricchar asked when th
◆ LORENZIO ◆I glanced around my sleek, high-rise office and leaned against the glass windows. I watched the cityscape below. The view used to be my sanctuary, but today it only deepened my sense of isolation.Mykaela being gone and hours away only reminded me of that utter clusterfuck I orchestrated, just minutes after I let the daftest idea take over me and my common sense the other night.Now she probably thought I'd officially gone bonkers. Just like my brother. Then again I brought that cock-up upon myself. No one's fault but mine.I couldn't blame her for leaving me with a hastily written note and a heavy heart. Of course she would say no. Well, she didn't actually say "no", but the look of shock and restrained panic on her face was already engraved in my mind.I took off my mask and hurled it in the bin, walking away from the large glass windows. I let out a long sigh, nearly shivering from the cool air coming from the A/C unit. I grabbed the remote and turned it off.T
Brichese, Brescia ◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ My brain didn't want to rest. The moon cast eerie shadows across the room as I lay in bed, sleep eluding me once again. The night was still, the whole house stayed peaceful, and I was in the comfort of my own home with three guys I could trust with my life. But a blizzard of agitated thoughts wouldn’t leave me alone. I blamed Kel’s brother. That cocky, intrusive son of a bitch’s intuition better be more than that. What he said better be accurate. Or at least that part when he indirectly suggested that my father could still be here in Italy. My father's unexpected disappearance had left us with a gnawing anxiety that wouldn’t go away. Pretty much impossible to quell at times. Mamma, Ricchar, and Niccolo especially. I might finally put an end to it soon. After another fitful half-hour of tossing and turning beside my snoring cousin, I checked the time again before slipping out of bed, leaving Ricchar alone on the covers. I grabbed my phone to
◇ MYKAELA ◇ Eight more hours. Just eight more to go. Then I'd be back in my room, enjoying the peace and quiet and the comfort of my bed. I'd been racing through my morning ER rotations, the hospital bustling with activity as always. The beeping of machines, the distant chatter of nurses, the constant influx of patients in the emergency room—I was already getting used to it. All part of our daily routine this week. But this morning felt different. I couldn't shake the unease keeping me up at night. Today, my anxiety bothered me more than usual, my heart pounding harder than it should. I wanted to blame the lack of proper sleep and our demanding workload. But my thoughts kept circling back to those cryptic messages Dr. Chen sent the other night, and the texts Lorenzio sent yesterday. "Miss Nielsen." I whirled at the familiar voice that came from behind me. "Yes?" Dr. Casey Ashford, one of the attending physicians on duty, stood beside a hospital bed with his stethoscope dangling
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ Today was our wedding day. Adreana and I managed to find a decent white dress and a brand new tux last night. Like my outfit, hers looked rather simple. Not too pricey or attention-seeking, which we both preferred. I already saw her in the dress before I bought it, so I knew what to expect. In half an hour, we should be right outside the courthouse, ready to get the show going, fully prepared to exchange vows in front of everyone. Mamma's friends, my two uncles, some of our employees, and my cousins would be arriving at The Palazzo soon, which was 15 minutes away from the courthouse. After easing my mother through a mini anxiety attack, I told Mamma's bodyguards to escort her into my car. They just left with Niccolo. The hotel staff and the other bodyguards were waiting in the lobby. Time to fetch my bride. Adreana must be getting impatient in the hotel room Mamma booked for them. It was their dressing room for today. Gripping my phone, I adjusted my tie as I cros