Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Cristiano 

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 My hands that had tried to cup her face were now hanging in the hair, confused as to why Annalisa had withdrawn when she had been leaning into the kiss just moments ago.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 back when things were about to get... interesting. But I wasn’t going to rush her. No, that wasn’t my style. I would wait. I would be patient. Eventually, she would come to me on her own. And once that happened, she would beg for it, and I would give her everything she needed.

But for now, there were other important things that needed to be taken care of. 

The thought of those idiots making her cry had been disturbing me since the moment I held her in my arms, and her tears soaked my shirt. I didn't ask her for more details because I didn’t need to. Whoever they were, they had made my wife cry—and for that, they would pay. Annalisa might think she can handle things on her own, but she was wrong. Ever since she signed that contract, she became my responsibility. Her career was part of her life, and her life was his concern. Whether she wanted it or not, it was my duty to protect her. If anyone thought they could mess with what belonged to me, they had no idea who they were dealing with. 

I pulled out my phone, scanning the living room to ensure no one was around before dialing Ricardo’s number.

“I have work for you,” I said in a low voice.

“Yes, boss,” Ricardo answered.

“A few people made my woman cry today. I’ll send you the location where it happened. Find out who they are and destroy them.” I made sure the coldness was evident in my voice. “And when I say destroy, I don’t want them to ever rise again in this industry. Ruin their reputations so thoroughly that they’ll never even dream of stepping foot in front of a camera again. Understood?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Ricardo responded, “Understood, boss. You can count on me.”

“You have until midnight.”

“Trust me on this, boss, It'll be done.” He assured me.

Once I ended the call, I slipped back the phone into my pocket. I knew Ricardo wouldn't fail me, he was good at his job, and by tomorrow, those idiots would regret ever crossing paths with my wife. She didn't want me to get involved, sure, but there was no way I was going to sit back and do nothing. Hell, no. It wasn't about what she wanted sometimes, it was about what she needed. And right now, she needed someone like me to make sure she never got disrespected again.

****

Dinner was quiet, but I couldn’t stop myself from glancing at Annalisa every few minutes. She looked so fragile, yet there was a strength in her that I couldn’t help but admire. Annalisa sat across me, picking at her risotto without much interest. I let out a silent sigh. She was still thinking about those fools, wasn’t she? Her mood was just too dull for his liking.

Without a word, I reached across the table and added more food to her plate.

“You keep adding to my plate,” she complained, a frown settling between her eyebrows. “You’ve barely eaten three spoons yourself. If you keep this up, I’m going to get fat.”

I couldn't help but smirk at her protest. I pushed some risotto back on her plate, despite her efforts to return it. “But that’s what I want. You’re too skinny.” As stunning as she was, she looked like she would break at the slightest pressure, and I couldn't afford that. 

“This is the ideal body type for a successful celebrity, Cristiano.” she muttered, rolling her eyes as she tried to avoid the conversation.

I set my fork down, giving her a hard look. “So, you’re going to starve yourself because you want to be popular?” I asked in a stern voice, and she looked up, taken aback by my sudden seriousness. 

“It’s not that serious. Why do you always have to scold me about everything?” she mumbled, clearly annoyed.

My heart softened immediately as I realized that perhaps my tone was a little too strong. “I’m sorry if it sounded like scolding, babygirl,” I said gently, reaching over to lift her chin with my hand, forcing her to meet my gaze. “All I’m saying is, you need to take care of yourself, alright? Can you do that for me?”

She nodded slowly, and I let my hand move from her face to run it through her hair. “Good girl,” I reached for the serving spoon again, adding more food to her plate. “Now, eat some more.”

“You should eat too,” she muttered quietly, though I could see a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.

I nodded but didn’t take another bite. “Watching you eat alone fills me up,” I joked, though there was a little truth behind my words. I enjoyed seeing her oil stained lips move from her chewing her food. 

She was about to say something when her phone buzzed on the table, interrupting the moment. Annalisa reached for it, and as soon as she swiped the screen open, her eyes widened in shock. She quickly turned the phone to show me.

“Did you... did you have something to do with this?” she asked, her voice trembling as she stared at the article on her phone.

I glanced at the screen, reading the headline with little interest. It was an exposé accusing a few young actresses of sleeping with higher-ups to secure roles. Their names were listed, along with details that would ruin their reputations beyond repair. Ricardo had worked fast.

“You’re welcome,” I replied with a carefree shrug, turning my attention back to my plate.

Her mouth dropped open in shock. “Cristiano, you can’t just—”

“I told you, I would handle it. And I did.” I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms. “They made you cry, Annalisa. That was their mistake. Now they’ll pay for it.”

Annalisa’s mouth opened, but no words came out. She didn't look exactly pleased, but she wasn’t angry either. Perhaps it was because, deep down, she knew I was only doing what was necessary to protect her.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms as I watched her process everything. “You don’t have to thank me, babygirl,” I said softly. “They had it coming. They'll never bother you again. I promise.”

Annalisa stared at me for a long moment before shaking her head. There was a small smile on her lips despite her refusal. 

“You’re impossible, Cristiano.”

“I did that because you are my wife. No one messes with my wife and gets away with it. Whether you like it or not, that’s the way it’s going to be.”