Chapter 15Cristiano Annalisa turned away from me at the last second. She pulled back, and my lips landed on her cheek instead of where they were supposed to. My hands that had tried to cup her face were now hanging in the hair, confused as to why Annalisa had withdrawn when she had been leaning into the kiss just moments ago. Or, hadn't she? “Cristiano, I-I didn’t mean to… em—” she stammered, trying to explain herself even when it didn't matter anymore.“It’s fine.” To my surprise, my voice came out steadier than I felt. I dropped my hands on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You must be tired. Go upstairs and freshen up.”She nodded without saying anything else, avoiding eye contact like she was scared of something, but what? Did she think I’d be mad about her pulling away? No, I wasn't mad at her, but disappointed? Yes, absolutely. Most women are dying to throw themselves at me, but Annalisa was different and I liked her for it. This wasn’t the first time she had held
Chapter 16Annalisa Cristiano was impossible. There was no other word for it. Sure, I appreciated that he cared for me, but his way of showing it was completely over the top. A part of me wanted to scream at him for meddling with my life, while there was this other part that knew that, deep down, he had done it because he cared for me.I sighed, tossing my phone onto the bed as a yawn escaped my mouth. It was a new morning. Another day to face the world, and another day to try my best. I knew it was going to be difficult securing acting roles without an agency. That was why I had made up my mind to sign with one today. A real one—not Cristiano pulling strings in the background, not someone helping me just because of his influence that was backing me.This was about me and my talent. I had to prove to the world that I could stand on my own.Cristiano had agreed to drop me off. He had some meetings today as well, so it worked out. I made him promise not to get involved in today’s procee
Chapter 17AnnalisaInstead of heading home, I noticed the bodyguard wasn’t taking the usual route. “Where are you taking me?” I asked, not knowing whether to panic or not as he bypassed the turn I expected him to take.“Boss asked me to drop you off where he’ll be meeting you.”“But we didn’t discuss meeting at anyplace” I said, trying to rethink whether I had forgotten something I had talked about with Cristiano.“It seems like he’s planning a surprise or something along those lines for you.” he replied in that burly but steady voice. Surprise? Cristiano was planning a surprise? That's a first. “I hear you, but I never got your name though.” Trust me, I wasn't thinking that extreme. I asked for his name just in case he was working with an enemy. And if he wasn't, it's never too bad to be familiar with my bodyguard.“It’s Buddy.” He smiled, glanced at me for a moment through the rearview mirror before turning his attention back to the road.As we drove down the city, I felt a flutter
Chapter 18Cristiano“I don’t get why you’re making a big deal out of this, Lisa. She’s harmless,” I said, trailing behind her as we entered the living room. Annalisa had suddenly called me like thirty minutes to the time I promised I'll be there, insisting that she wanted to go home. But when I asked why, she barely answered, all she repeated was that she wanted to go home. During the ride back home, she avoided any conversation I tried to bring up as she kept staring out the window in silence. It was only when we got to the front door of the house she finally opened up, unable to hold the frustration within her anymore.“How could you not tell me she was your past, Cristiano? Damn, I was all over her!” she blurted out, pulling her hair with a look of annoyance on her face.“Like you said, baby girl. Daniella is my past, and you are my present.” I tried to move closer, closing the gap between us, but she just backed away, avoiding my touch, and putting a distance between. This only
Chapter 19Annalisa As much as I wanted to narrate how the heated moment with Cristiano had continued, it was a pity there was no continuation for it. We had gotten so into the kiss when Cristiano's phone rang, interrupting us from doing more. He ignored it at first, but the phone kept ringing persistently until eventually, he sighed and pulled away, apologizing before disappearing into his study. I had hoped that he would be quick, thinking we could continue from where we left off, but an hour passed, then two, then another, untill eventually I fell asleep while waiting for him on the couch, just like the other night.Now, I was waking up on my big bed, alone. A yawn escaped my mouth as I sat up, stretching my arms. I had no idea what i would be doing today, but I knew I wasn't going to chase anymore auditions, not after the last rejection. Maybe I deserved a bit more time off. I was just starting to imagine a week off when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I knew at once that it
Chapter 20AnnalisaAfter I finished signing the contract, there was this odd thought that crept into my mind. Did Cristiano have a hand in this? I didn't want to be ungrateful by doubting at this moment, but the more I thought about it, it seemed really possible. The role everyone played was too perfect like it had been planned. The same people who had avoided me yesterday, were overly nice today. Everything had happened so fast, don't blame me, that was enough to disbelieve.But, as much as I wanted to question it, there was a confidence built inside me that overshadowed every doubt. I had this feeling that maybe, just maybe, I had actually earned this opportunity on my own. I took a breath, allowing myself to feel the pride of it.The CEO, Mr. Bernardo shook my hand one last time, grinning with a warmth that seemed too genuine to be fake. “Congratulations, Mrs. Morano. We look forward to seeing what you bring to the screen.”“Thank you so much.” I replied, trying to keep my voice s
Chapter 21Cristiano A day before the present…I let out a grunt as I got to my study room, pulling out my phone, and checking the screen to see the five missed calls from Ricardo that had ruined my erotic moment with Annalisa. Few days ago, the Salvatore empire Don had asked to me partner with him to raid a military zone, in order to take possession of the armed equipment that they had. Apparently, the Salvatore didn't have enough men on their own to carry out the mission, so they wanted some of our men to back them. But now, just as I had predicted, they were probably about to go back on their words.I called Ricardo back, and he answered on the first ring. “Cristiano, you’re finally available.”“What’s going on, Ricardo? What couldn’t wait?” I asked, keeping my tone steady even though his own panicked voice kept me on edge.“It’s Salvatore’s men,” he replied in a very low voice. “They showed up at the dock tonight. They are saying we messed up the shipment, claiming we switched th
Chapter 22Annalisa In our haste, Cristiano shut the door behind him with the back of his leg. Before I could react, he was on me, pressing his lips against mine with a fierceness I didn't expect. Every part of him seemed impatient, as if he had been holding back for ages.Cristiano's teeth grazed over my lower lip as he playfully took control of the kiss. His tongue was inside my mouth, darting against mine as though he were playing a game of tag. I struggled to match his pace, finding it difficult to breathe in no time.“Cristiano…” I murmured against his mouth, needing just a second to catch my breath.He pulled back, releasing heavy pants from his mouth as he smiled softly. “I’m sorry, cara. I’ve waited for this moment for so long.” One of Cristiano's hands brushed across my cheek, and the other hand wrapped around my waist, drawing me closer until I could feel his hardness press against my tummy.I felt my face heat up, and I knew by now, a blush must have crept over my face. “I’
Chapter 54AnnalisaIf there was one thing about the internet, it was that it never forgets. Like, ‘never ever’ forgets. You could sneeze in public, and ten minutes later, there would be a skit remix of it going viral with the caption, “Bless you, queen.” So yeah, my little “I’m married” moment on the livestream? That had the world laughing their asses out.There were memes, reaction videos, articles, and even some random guy claiming to be my husband for clout. Let him just fear the return of Cristiano from wherever he zoned off to. And my DMs? They were a complete circus. People alternated between congratulating me and asking where Cristiano had been lately. The cherry on top was a tweet that said, “Giovanni got married in the group project and didn’t even get picked as a partner.” Hilarious. Truly.And now, my flu-ridden self was dragging through another day on set, my nose redder than a stop sign, on the verge of losing the very last iota of my patience. Every time I sneezed, my m
Chapter 53AnnalisaYou know that thing your brain does when it reminds you that you were a trash person for forgetting something important? Yeah, that was where I was at. I swore I wanted to be worried about Cristiano’s health. Like, I even mentally bookmarked the idea of texting or calling Ricardo—Cristiano’s right hand man and tech guy with a gun—but, you know, life happened. Or rather, Giovanni happened. And when Giovanni happened, he happened hard.Take today, for example. I was on set, trying to nail a scene where I was supposed to look effortlessly glamorous while fake-sipping coffee in a ridiculously overpriced designer dress, and suddenly—boom—there he was. Giovanni, with his stupidly perfect hair, his stupidly cocky smirk, and his stupidly loud cheer team.Yup, you heard that right. An effing cheer team!They burst into the studio like they were storming the gates of hell, holding this obnoxious banner that read: GO ANNALISA! THE STAR OF MY HEART! I could feel my soul leave
Chapter 52AnnalisaThe funniest thing about forbidden places was that they scream at you to explore them. And tonight? That scream was practically deafening. Stepping out of the elevator and onto Cristiano's forbidden floor, I felt like I was breaking into Area 51, except instead of aliens, I was probably about to uncover some deep, dark mafia secrets.The lights overhead shining from the ceiling were dim, casting the massive space in this moody black-and-white vibe that was so… Cristiano. Everything was perfect, simple, and cool, like a luxury penthouse straight out of a Pinterest board titled “Rich Villain Aesthetic.” There was no clutter, no personality really—just sharp lines, sleek surfaces, and black and white of everything.At the far end of the room, a small gym area sat tucked in the corner. There was a punching bag swinging slightly like it had recently been used, a treadmill that looked more like art than workout equipment, and a rack of weights neatly arranged by size. Ne
Chapter 51AnnalisaSeriously, what in the world was my mom thinking? “Forgive your sister,” she said, not in those exact words but her eyes did. Ha! Over my dead, unrecognizable, burnt-to-ashes body. Forgive Bianca? The same sister who drugged me and practically pushed me into the bed of a random stranger like I was part of some weird human auction service? Yeah, sure, let me just grab my Nobel Peace Prize while I was at it.I sat there fuming in the back seat of my blacked-out SUV, the vents blasting AC on my face, but somehow, I was still burning up. How could my mom even think I would forgive Bianca? My blood sister—the one person who was supposed to protect me, have my back, be my only friend, and, I don’t know, not ruin my life—literally set me up like I meant nothing to her. And for what? So she could run back to Giovanni, the guy who couldn’t keep it in his pants long enough to remember her name?God, the audacity of that woman. If betrayal had a face, it would be Bianca’s smu
Chapter 50AnnalisaIf bad decisions had a scent, it would be whatever cologne Aunt Catherine was wearing when she opened her apartment door. I perceived a mixture of vanilla, desperation, and "I’m a single mother trying my best," and it hit me like a punch to the face as I stood there in my oversized hoodie, clutching a Starbucks coffee cup like it was the only thing holding me together.“You came,” she said, looking more shocked than pleased.“Yeah, don’t get too excited,” I replied, stepping inside before she could invite me. I wasn’t here for her warm hugs or her recycled wisdom. I was here for my mom.The apartment smelled like lemon-scented floor cleaner and freshly baked bread, and I hated how cozy it felt. Cozy meant safe. Cozy meant “you can trust me,” and Catherine had never been that for me. Not when I was a kid, and certainly not now.My mom sat on the couch, wearing one of her old knitted sweaters and looking so small I almost didn’t recognize her. She glanced up, her eye
Chapter 49AnnalisaIt started with a shot. Not a vaccine—I wish. A vodka shot, courtesy of Bree, who shoved the glass into my hand with the energy of a woman who thought alcohol could solve all the world’s problems."Down it!" she cheered, her perfectly manicured nails waving me on like a race starter. The crowd around us cheered their approval, some holding their phones up to record what I was sure would end up on Instagram by morning.I hesitated, staring at the clear liquid like it might come alive and bite me. “I don’t know if I’m drunk enough to get drunk yet.”Bree rolled her eyes, her grin widening. “That’s the point, dummy. Now drink!”So, I did. It burned going down—so hot and sharp, like swallowing a tiny sun. My throat felt like they were on fire, but before I could even finish wincing, Bree was thrusting another glass into my hand."To Annalisa," she declared, raising her own glass high. "The star, the legend, the only person I know who can look this hot after dodging Gio
Chapter 48AnnalisaMac and cheese for dinner? Classy, I know. But don’t judge me—comfort food fixes everything, or so they say. But, spoiler: it doesn’t. It’s just cheese and carbs pretending to be therapy.After scraping the last cheesy bits from my plate, I ditched the dishes for later. I mean, who actually has the energy to become an adult after the day I’d had? Not me. Instead, I dragged myself to the bathroom, craving the only thing that might save me from losing it all—a hot shower.Stepping under the stream of water, I let it wash away the day, the drama, the existential crisis that seemed to be my new normal. The steam blurred the edges of everything, and for a moment, I felt... lighter. Safer. Until my thoughts betrayed me.‘Cristiano.’His name hit me like a wave, knocking the air from my lungs. It started as a flicker, a memory of his smile—sharp enough to disarm but soft enough to melt you. Then it was his voice, the way he used to scold me for not eating enough food, his
Chapter 47AnnalisaThe next day arrived so quickly, almost like an unexpected slap in the face. Because I wasn’t ready. My mood was trash, my patience felt like they didn't exist, and my energy? Let’s just say it took everything I had not to throw my alarm clock across the room. But life doesn’t wait for meltdowns, and apparently, neither do contracts. So there I was, dragging my tired self to the building where my next big acting role awaited me. Yay, career moves. Boo, life falling apart.I kept my shades on and my face blank as Bree and Buddy, my “support system,” flanked me like bodyguards. Except, I wasn’t feeling supported. I was feeling... off. The Giovanni situation from last night still clung to me like a bad smell on a fabric, and the fact that Cristiano was still MIA? Yeah, that wasn’t helping.“Wait for me at the car,” I told them after we had wrapped up the paperwork. My voice sounded flat, even to my own ears. Bree raised a brow but didn’t argue. Buddy gave me a little
Chapter 46 Annalisa I pushed Giovanni away. I pushed him slightly harder than I meant to, but I couldn’t help it. The confusion was messing with my head and the anger that boiled up in me was so hot that all I could think was ‘this can’t happen’. I stepped back, wiping away the remnants of my tears, trying to gather whatever little bit of control I had left.“We can’t be friends, Giovanni,” I said, my voice a little shakier than I wanted it to be. “We can’t.”His face dropped, and for a second, I almost felt bad for him. But no. I couldn’t go back to my past. Not after everything. He called after me as I turned away, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of turning back. The door slammed shut behind me, and I heard him say something from the other side.“You think I’m going to give up on us? You think this is over? Annalisa, I’m going to prove to you that I’m ready. I’m ready for us again. I swear.”“There's no ‘us’, Giovanni…” I whispered to myself in a shaky breath.His words h