Chapter 73AnnalisaThere was just something about waking up that hurt more than the actual heartbreak. Because for a few seconds, right before my brain fully registers reality, there was peace. A blissful nothingness. And then it hit me like a punch to the stomach. Like a slap to the face. Like a bullet straight through the heart.It had been a month since I left Cristiano’s house, and everything felt different. The air smelled different. The bed felt different. My heart beat differently—slower, heavier, like it was carrying a weight I didn’t know how to put down.On the surface, things were fine. I patched things up with Bianca, and we lived with Mom in the apartment I bought for her. She was doing well. Bianca apologized, and though we weren’t as close as before, I was grateful to have her back. My family became my lifeline, helping me recover from the traumatic experience, and keeping me afloat when I felt like I was drowning.But nothing—none of it—fixed what was inside me. The g
Chapter 74CristianoOne Month AgoAfter she left, I told myself I wouldn’t check on her. That I would let her go and do as she pleased.But that that lasted exactly a week until I couldn't take it anymore. I had my men tail her every step, watch her closely for me, then report back to me. Every night, I waited for a call from her, telling me she was breaking. That she was a mess without me. That she had no one else to turn to. But it never came.Instead, the reports bounced back at me, one by one.She was fine.No—Annalisa was more than fine.She got a new place with her family. A quiet neighborhood. Flowers on the fucking balcony like she had been waiting for peace her whole life.She went to work. She went out. She smiled.She didn’t call. Not once. Not even a single goddamn text. I kept expecting her to come back and beg, but a week passed. Then two. Then four.And she never did. She never called.I should have been happy. That was what I wanted, right? Then why the fuck did it f
Chapter 75AnnalisaI told myself I wouldn’t think about him today. It was a promise to myself, even. But I guess the universe always had other plans.Because the moment I woke up, he was everywhere. In the stupid scent of his cologne that still clung to the shirt he once left in my room after a good sex. I had kept it to myself, refusing to throw it away and now, as I found myself in it, I felt like crying. He was also in the way my bed suddenly felt too big and cold. In the silence of my new bedroom, so deafening that my heartbeat pounded in my ears.I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling deeply. One well has passed again. A whole-ass month plus one week. And I was not doing fine.Sure, I got up every day, showered, and ate. I did the whole “pretending to be normal” thing. But every time I laughed, it felt fake. Every time I smiled, it felt forced.And Cristiano? He hadn’t called. Not once. Not a damn text. It was funny how I still hoped he would even though I had clearly pushed him away
Chapter 76CristianoShe texted me.She fucking texted me.I blinked at my phone, rubbed my eyes, and stared at the screen again. Maybe I was still unconscious. Maybe the IV in my arm was messing with my head. Maybe—just maybe—this was some twisted dream or hallucination, and when I woke up, it would be gone.But it wasn’t. It was, in fact, real. Right there, in my messages, Annalisa had actually texted me first. And not just some casual, meaningless message. She said she missed me.Annalisa missed me.For a solid five seconds, I just sat there in the hospital bed, gripping my phone like it might disappear if I let go. My brain short-circuited, and every rational thought just left the damn building.This had to be a mistake, right? A slip-of-the-finger text? A moment of weakness she would instantly regret? Right?But if that were the case, then why did my heart feel like it had just been ripped out of my chest and put back together in the span of a single message?Because deep down, I
Chapter 77AnnalisaI told him yes!Of course, I wanted to see him. The moment those words left my lips, it felt as though my heart was about to burst out of my chest. Cristiano wanted to see me after everything; He still wanted to see me after what felt like the longest separation, after all the pain… and yes, I was finally going to see him again!But the moment I hung up the call, panic gripped me, blood rushing to my head as I began to question myself. What the hell was I doing? What if I got there and lost my nerve? What if I saw him, and everything came crashing down again? What if I saw pity in his eyes, and it broke me?Those thoughts brought a sad sensation to my belly, but I told myself no this time around. I didn't have the time to have spiraling thoughts.Because as soon as I shot up from the couch, Bree walked into the apartment, holding two cups of coffee. “I'm back with your favorite iced cappuccino!” she said, flashing her usual smirk.I barely let her finish before I
Chapter 78AnnalisaI needed this.I needed him.The moment Cristiano's lips crashed against mine, it felt like the world stopped spinning. Like every ache, every lonely night, every whispered “I miss you” into my pillow didn’t matter anymore—because he was here, and I was in his arms, and God, I had forgotten what it felt like to breathe without him.His kiss wasn’t just a kiss. It was desperately filled with all the things we couldn’t say. Apologies. Longing. Love and whatnots. His hands slid up my sides, his fingers pressing into my skin like he was afraid I would disappear.I didn’t care that we were in a hospital room. I didn’t care that he was recovering, or that I could still hear the faint beeping of machines outside the door.All I cared about was him.His warmth. His touch. The way he tasted like mint and something only Cristiano could taste like.“Hubby,” I gasped against his lips, my hands fisting his hospital shirt.“What did you just call me?” Cristiano smiled, pulling o
Chapter 79CristianoI swear, I thought I was done for.For a solid month,I had imagined what it would be like if I ever got to hold her again. If I could kiss her, touch her, remind her that no matter what happened, she was mine. Every night in my cold bed at my mansion, I dreamed of it. I replayed memories of us like a damn movie I never wanted to end.And now, it was real. She was here now.Annalisa was in my arms again, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was actually permitted to breathe now.I stared at her, taking in every little detail of her beauty. Her soft brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her flushed cheeks, the way her lips were still slightly swollen from our kiss. She was fucking beautiful. A walking temptation. And right now, she was mine again, even if the universe had tried to pull us apart.I tilted her chin up, my thumb brushing against her cheek. “You don’t know how much I needed this,” I murmured.Her lips parted slightly, her breath shaky
Chapter 80AnnalisaHospitals smelled like antiseptic, like sterile hopelessness.I never liked them.The bright white lights, the hushed whispers, the way every breath felt like it could be your last…it made my skin itch like a bug was crawling on me. But now, standing in the middle of the corridor, staring at the red light above the operating room door, I had never hated a place more.Cristiano was in there.My husband, the only man who had ever truly owned my heart, was lying on a table while surgeons cut into his skull, fighting to keep him alive.I wasn’t a woman of faith. I never had been. But right now, I was making bargains with every god I had ever heard of. If they let him live, I would do anything. I would be a better person, I would truly forgive my family, I would—I would just do whatever it took as long as he came back to me.I wrapped my arms around myself, staring at the door like my desperation could somehow make the surgery go faster. My heart pounded so hard it made
EPILOGUEGiovanni's Story Before every villain, there was always a hero.Once upon a time, I was that hero.I was the man with loyalty, with honor, with a love so deep it could burn the fucking world down. Daniella was my world. She was mine. Until Cristiano Morano decided she wasn’t.He was my brother in arms, the man I trusted with my life. And yet, one drunken night was all it took for him to betray me. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t even think about how I would feel. He just took her like she was a slut. And Daniella? She chose him.That was the day I buried my soul six feet under and became something else.Revenge became my heartbeat. My every breath. My reason for waking up each morning. It started with his uncle—Armando, the man who dared to stand in my way when I reported Cristiano to him. A bullet between the eyes took care of that. Of course, I made sure someone else took the fall. That was the easy part.Then there was Annalisa.The woman he couldn’t resist growing up.I wa
Chapter 97- GRAND FINALE Cristiano“You are staring at me again.”Annalisa’s voice was soft, teasing, but I didn’t miss the way her fingers traced small circles over the curve of her belly. Like she was just as mesmerized as I was.I smirked, leaning against the armrest of the couch, my gaze drinking her in. “Can you blame me? You look like a literal goddess right now.”She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitched, betraying her. “I look like a woman who has been eating way too many croissants.”I shook my head, shifting closer until our knees touched. “Nah, you look like my wife carrying our baby. That’s hot as hell.”She let out a short laugh, shaking her head at me, but I saw the way her eyes softened.God, she was beautiful.The soft glow of the chandelier cast a golden hue over her skin, making her look almost unreal, like something out of a dream I never thought I deserved. But she was here. She was real. And for the first time in my life, I felt… whole. Like every
Chapter 96Annalisa“You know, if you keep staring at him like that, you might as well put up a neon sign that says ‘I have unresolved issues with this man.’”Grace snapped her head toward me, her eyes narrowing when she realized I was referring to her. “Ma’am?”“Drop the formalities, please since you'll soon no longer be our housekeeper.” I smirked, folding my arms as I leaned back in my seat. “And yes, you heard me right.”The wedding was over, and the guests were slowly trickling out, leaving behind the soft hum of conversations and the scent of roses still hanging in the air. The fairy lights twinkled above us, casting a warm glow over the entire setup, but none of that was as interesting as the way Grace kept stealing glances at Ricardo.I mean, she wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it. One second, she would sip her drink, the next, her gaze would flicker toward him like a damn magnet. And the tension? Whew. You could cut it with a butter knife.Grace let out a deep sigh, slu
Chapter 95Annalisa“You do realize you’re talking to your stomach, right?”I blinked and turned my head to see Grace smirking at me, her arms crossed as she leaned against the back of the white wedding chair.“I wasn’t talking to my stomach,” I lied, quickly dropping my hand from my slightly rounded belly.Grace raised an eyebrow. “Mhm. Sure, ma'am. You totally weren’t whispering, ‘Are you going to behave today, little one?’ like some possessed mother-to-be.”I huffed, crossing my arms. “First of all, I was only exhibiting good behavior. And second, I am a mother-to-be. So, yeah, I talk to my baby. Got a problem with that?”Grace grinned, plopping down into the seat beside me. “Not at all, ma'am. It’s actually kinda cute. Like, disturbingly cute.”I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. The wedding was about to start, and Buddy and Bree’s guests had all settled into their seats. I smoothed out the silky blue dress draped over my growing bump, adjusting
Chapter 94Cristiano“You keep staring at me like you're in a dream.” Annalisa’s voice was soft, teasing me, but I could hear the nervous emotions beneath it. She stood in front of the window, wrapped in nothing but the white silk robe that matched the sheets on our honeymoon bed. The street lights outside cast a soft glow against her skin, and for a second, I really did wonder if this was real.I leaned back against the pillows, my shirt unbuttoned, my tie long gone. “Maybe I am.”She turned, raising an eyebrow. “So you think you’re dreaming?”I smirked. “I’m pretty sure I died back there when you walked down the aisle. This is just heaven.”She rolled her eyes, but I caught the way her lips twitched, fighting back a smile. She stepped closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her fingers played with the fabric of my sleeve, tracing slow patterns.“We went through so much as a couple,” she whispered.The tone in her voice hit me like a punch to the gut. Because she was right. Every da
Chapter 93Annalisa“Breathe, Annalisa. Just breathe.” I whispered the words to myself, staring at my reflection in the grand mirror.The dress—my dress—was a masterpiece. Snow-white satin hugged my body perfectly, the delicate lace trailing down like poetry. My veil cascaded over my shoulders, soft and weightless, and my makeup was flawless. I looked like a bride. I was a bride.So why did my heart feel like it was trying to punch its way out of my chest?My hands trembled as I gripped the dressing table, trying to steady myself. This was happening. This was real. In a few minutes, I would walk down that aisle, and Cristiano would be there, waiting for me.“Annaliisa, are you good?” Bree peeked in, holding a glass of champagne. “Because you kinda look like you might pass out.”I exhaled shakily. “I’m fine.”She arched her brow, sizing me up with her eyes. “Yeah, no. Try again.”“I said I’m fine.”Bree wasn’t buying it. She walked over, set the champagne down, and placed both hands on
Chapter 92AnnalisaThey said the quietest moments were the loudest. When the world is still, when nothing is happening, that is when your mind decides to scream the loudest.That was exactly how I felt when I woke up that morning.My eyes opened to the soft golden glow of morning sunlight streaming through the sheer curtains, the warmth kissing my bare skin. For a moment, I just stared at the ceiling, my mind blank. I then shifted slightly, feeling the warmth of another body beside me, and that was when it hit me. I was naked.Naked and tangled up in soft sheets that smelled like him.Oh. My. God.Memories of last night came rushing back—Cristiano’s lips on mine, his hands roaming my body, the way he whispered my name like it was the only word that mattered. The way he had touched me like I was something precious, held me like I was something he never wanted to lose. The way he made love to me like we had all the time in the world. It wasn’t just intimacy—it was a celebration. A pas
Chapter 91Annalisa“You’re wearing this. No arguments, Annalisa.”Bree plopped a sleek black box onto my bed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.I blinked at her. “Uh… what?”She crossed her arms. “Don’t act dumb. Open it.”With a sigh, I lifted the lid and—wow. Inside was a stunning red dress, the fabric smooth and luxurious beneath my fingers. A pair of matching heels sat beside it, looking way too expensive for a casual night out.I frowned. “Bree… What the hell is this?”She grinned. “Just a little something for our girls’ night. Duh.”A girls’ night? Yeah, right. The last time Bree pulled something like this, I ended up at a five-star bar and she ended up getting drunk first. I wasn’t about to get dragged into another setup.I folded my arms. “That’s definitely not happening.”“Oh, come on,” she groaned, flopping onto my bed dramatically. “Don’t be boring, Annalisa. You need this. We both do.”I narrowed my eyes. “You’re lying to me Briana, I can easily tell. What’s really going
Chapter 90CristianoThey say love is like a fire—when it’s real, it burns deep, consuming everything in its path. And damn it, I was burning for her.Annalisa wasn’t just another chapter in my life; she was the whole damn book. Every page, every word, every unfinished sentence—I wanted it all to be about her. That was why I had to get this right.I could afford to make any mistakes, nor could I second-guess the whole plan.The wedding planner sat across from me, flipping through a sleek leather notebook. She was in her late thirties, professional, and looked like the kind of woman who had planned a hundred fairytale proposals. Which was great, because I needed this to be perfect.“So, Mr. Morano,” she said, adjusting her glasses. “You mentioned wanting something intimate but still grand in its own way?”I nodded. “Yeah. Something that feels… personal. Like, if she walks in, she’ll know instantly that it’s for her. No generic bullshit.”She smiled. “That’s a good start. Does she have