Chapter 41CristianoI sat on the cold floor outside Annalisa’s bedroom door, my head resting against the wall, feeling guilt eat me up. The crash of shattered plates from earlier and Annalisa's whispers from the sting of my actions still echoed in my mind, louder than any words she had thrown at me. I had crossed a line, even though it wasn’t my intention to hurt her like that. The image of her teary, devastated face burned behind my eyelids and I hated myself.I sighed heavily, rubbing my palms over my face. What the hell is wrong with me? I wanted to protect her, to guide her—never to break her like this. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was only my frustration over her movie role that had pushed me to the edge, or an entire reason else.I knocked again, soft but insistent on her door. “Babygirl… please open up,” I whispered, my voice thick with regret. “I promise it’ll never happen again. I’m really sorry, cara.”There was no response, only the faint sound of her sobs breaking thro
Chapter 42AnnalisaFor two days, Cristiano and I had been dancing around the aftermath of our argument, pretending as if nothing had happened. Our relationship wasn’t perfect during these two days—it was far from it, infact—but at least we weren’t screaming at each other anymore. The tension was still there, simmering just below the surface, but I held on to the hope that we could get through this. That maybe, just maybe, we would figure out how to coexist without breaking each other further.Today had been exhausting. My body ached from the endless takes and late-night shoots, and all I could think about as Buddy pulled into the driveway was a long, warm bubble bath and maybe even collapsing into bed without a single word to Cristiano. We hadn’t spoken much today, which, frankly, was a relief. I didn’t have the energy for another confrontation.Stepping into the house, I noticed the eerie darkness. Not a single light was on, which was unusual for this time of night.“Grace?” I call
Chapter 43AnnalisaThe silence after Cristiano walked out on me was deafening; I realized that we had been the only source of noise in the entire estate. I stood in the doorway for what felt like forever, the distant roar of his car’s engine now long gone, leaving me staring blankly at nothing but darkness. The cold night air blew intensely at my skin, giving me goosebumps, but the emotions swirling inside me made me too numb to move. What exactly had just happened?I tried to piece the argument back together in my mind, analyzing every word, every glance, every raised voice. Was it my fault? Had I been too harsh? A part of me wanted to scream that it wasn’t my fault—that Cristiano had pushed too far, insisting on something I had already made clear that I wasn’t ready for. But another part of me, the quieter and more self-doubting side, whispered that maybe I could have handled it better.The faint chirping sound of crickets filled the silence, snapping me out of my daze. And then,
Chapter 44AnnalisaIt was still surprising to me how the days after Cristiano’s disappearance stretched endlessly. At first, I had stayed hopeful, keeping my phone nearby, hoping for a call or even a text. But as the hours turned into days, and then the days turned nearly into a week, my hope withered away. He neither responded to my messages nor my calls. Eventually, I took the silence he gave me as a kind of answer from him.I stopped checking the driveway. Stopped looking out the window every time a car passed by, thinking it might be him. I stopped replaying our argument in my head, and finally stopped wondering what would have become of us if I had I said things differently. Instead, I did what could be only done at that moment—I threw myself into my work.When I finally got back to Bree, and informed her of my free schedule, she had been thrilled about my availability. The scripts she had been bothering me about for days suddenly became my lifeline. Sometimes, I would think it
Chapter 45Annalisa“Allow me,” The moment the blonde guy handed over his card, I should’ve known better. There was something about the smoothness in his smile, the way his eyes locked on mine just a second too long, like he knew something I didn’t. But I couldn’t just leave the bar without paying, right? It wasn’t like I had asked him to cover it, but I also didn’t have my card on me. No way was I going to let this guy think I wasn’t good for the bill.“Thank you,” I said, my voice coming out a little tighter than I wanted. “But you didn’t have to do that. Can you write down your account number here?” I reached into my bag, pulling out a small notepad and pen, trying to act casual. "I'll wire the money to you as soon as possible."He laughed so hard as if he found something funny that I wasn’t getting. “Oh, I paid because I really wanted to,” he said, his tone almost dripping with something I couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t kindness, that was for sure. “You're the rising actress Anna
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
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 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 60Cristiano “Even a machine breaks down if you push it too hard.”Dr. Moretti’s voice followed behind me, ringing in my ears, sharp and unwelcome, as I staggered outside. I didn’t have time for this—I didn’t have time for him. The moment I stepped outside, my mind was already on the battlefield and worst case scenarios. The only thing that mattered was getting to Annalisa. Everything else—my exhaustion, the dull throbbing in my skull, the fact that I hadn’t eaten in over twenty-four hours—was irrelevant.But then, a firm grip on my arm pulled me back. Ricardo had been the one who grabbed my arm.“Wait.”I glared at him, ready to snap, but he held up a crisp white handkerchief. “You’re bleeding.”I frowned. “What?”Ricardo gestured to my face. I swiped the handkerchief under my nose and pulled it back to see it soaked with a red, dark and fresh blood.Fuck.Before I could process it, a second wave hit. The world around me blurred, colors melting together, and for a terrifyin
Chapter 59CristianoThe private jet touched down in Milan just as the sun was setting into its bed. The moment the wheels hit the tarmac, I was already unbuckling my seatbelt. The flight from Germany had been short, but it felt like an eternity knowing that Annalisa was out there—missing, possibly terrified, and in the hands of a man who didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as her.But the second my feet hit the tarred floor, it was though the world tilted. My vision blurred and a sickening wave of dizziness rolling over me like a bad hangover from hell. I clenched my jaw, forcing my body to stay upright. No, I couldn't feel sick today. Not now. Not when Annalisa was out there, trapped with that bastard. A firm grip landed on my arm and I didn't need too look before I knew it was Ricardo. His brows were furrowed when my eyes managed to meet his sharp that were filled with concern. “Are you good?” I yanked my arm away. “Ask me that again, and I’ll have you buried next to Giovanni
Chapter 58AnnalisaIf hell had a Yelp page, this place would have a solid five-star rating. Seriously, I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. My whole body ached as if I had just finished a full exercise session, and my stomach growled louder than a thunder on a rainy day. And the food? Don’t even get me started on that. Giovanni’s version of “princess treatment” was a plate of two limp slices of bread, smeared with something that might have been margarine—or glue. I didn't know. It was hard to tell.I sat on the cold, concrete floor of what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Every creak and groan of the metal walls made my anxiety spike. Giovanni’s men weren’t the chatty type, and my assigned babysitter—a bulky guy with all the charisma of a dead houseplant—hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I woke up here after being injected with a sleeping dose for trying to run away.I needed to escape again. Just like yesterday.“Hey,” I called out to my Dead Houseplant Guard, who barely bli
Chapter 57CristianoThere was nothing else that could compete with sitting in an uncomfortable hospital gown that barely covered my ass to remind me of how utterly pathetic life could be. Honestly, I would rather be dodging bullets than sitting here under the harsh fluorescent lights while some German doctor with an unpronounceable name stared at my MRI scan like it was the freaking Mona Lisa painting.“Mr. Cristiano,” Dr. Reinhardt finally said, his voice thick with a German accent but his words cold and professional. “The results are not encouraging.”No shit, doc. Tell me something I don’t already know.Apparently, my Glioblastoma—a fancy word for “you’re screwed”—was in its final stage. Glioblastoma wasn't just any cancer; it was like the mafia boss of brain tumors. Rapid growth, impossible to kill, and absolutely ruthless. Headaches, seizures, mood swings—I had it all. So, I shouldn't be blamed for my personality changes in the past.And guess what? All those treatments, those
Chapter 56AnnalisaYou know that saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”? Well, in my case, life didn’t just hand me lemons—it chucked them at my head, one by one, while laughing maniacally in the background.I should have seen this coming, honestly. When your husband’s job description included words like “underworld” and “hitman” and you were married before your 27th birthday, it was not like you were signing up for a rom-com. But no one told you how to handle it when a psychopath with too much gel in his hair decides you were his consolation prize.Giovanni. Freaking Giovanni.He was sitting across from me on a mahogany desk, his Rolex watch glinting under the overhead light, smirking like he owned the place. Oh, wait. He practically did.From the look of the empty shelves and dusty floors, I knew this must be one of the abandoned warehouses Giovanni had. They had blindfolded me on the way, so I had no idea where exactly we were.“Annalisa,” Giovanni started, his voice
Chapter 55CristianoThere was something funny about lying in an MRI machine, listening to its robotic hums and clicks, while you were trying not to panic about what some genius doctor was going to say about your brain. Like, do they practice that ominous sigh that comes before revealing a sad truth about your condition in med school? You know, that sigh—the kind that makes you think, Great, just tell me how screwed I am already.But none of that mattered right now. All I could think about was her smile. That ridiculous, sunshine-on-a-rainy-day smile. Lisa. My Lisa.Her smile burned into my brain like a melting candle on the palm of my hand. It hurts at first, but then it becomes oddly comforting. Ha, what a joke. She probably wasn't even thinking about me right now.God, I hated this.*****FlashbackThat day was supposed to be a regular Thursday. You know, school, boring classes and trying not to punch anyone in the face. But then, my life hit a plot twist I never saw coming.The da
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