I missed him. I missed him so much. He shouldn’t have shown up only to make me fall in love with him harder than I already was. He was all that I could think of, and I hated it as much as I loved it.My family was with me. I was surrounded by the greatest form of love, but I still felt empty, like something was missing, and I knew exactly what was missing—him. It was crazy, but I wanted him by my side all the time."Mommy," Carlo called, pulling me out of my deep thought.Even after pleading with Mama not to bring Carlo here, she still did anyway. In her defence, Carlo missed me, needed me, and desperately wanted to see me. I was glad she brought him, though, because I also missed him.“Yes, baby.” I ruffled his hair. “What do you want?”“I want to watch cartoons. I don’t like the news.” He complained, pouting.“Okay baby.” A smile curled on my lips as I turned to look at Matteo, who had the remote in his possession, and asked nicely. “Can you please change the channel?”“Why?” He ask
It’s been two weeks now, and I have been discharged from the hospital, but my memory still hasn’t returned. I also hadn’t seen Antonio since that day. Although I missed him and taught about him every single day, I persuaded myself that his absence was for the best.Ruby’s absence, on the other hand, hurt me even more than Antonio’s absence did. I was worried that something might have happened to her, only to realise that she was hale, hearty, and well aware that I was in the hospital. After calling her several times without reaching her, I decided to try using another phone, and behold, Ruby picked up. The second she realised that I was the one on the line, she ended it, without hesitation, shattering my heart to pieces.“Here it is.” Grace said, cutting through my thoughts as she placed a cup of coffee before me on the counter. “You look so lost in thoughts. What are you thinking about?” She continued, her face brimming with curiosity.“Nothing.” I cleared my throat. "Uhm, where’s Ca
ANTONIO.“You are beautiful, Rosalinda.” I told her as I placed my hand on her face, tracing every detail as I stared at her, my desires threatening to overwhelm me.“This is the 100th time you’re telling me this today.” The blush that appeared on her face made my co.ck even harder.“You are not complaining, are you?” I traced my fingers down to her chin and held them between two fingers.“Your compliments make me happy.” She replied, prompting me to swiftly wrap my arm around her waist, drawing her so close that there was barely an inch between us.“I am so fucking attracted to you, Rosa. I want you.” I confessed, my eyes filled with desire. I wanted her!I could feel her heart beating so fast against her ribcage, the desire in her eyes matching mine, as she whispered. “Then take me."Without hesitation, I leaned in, ready to devour every inch of her body, when I felt a light tap on my arm, jolting me awake.I opened my eyes to see Marco standing before me, and the annoying grin on h
. ROSALINDA.The morning sun emitted a gentle warmth. The temperature was just right—neither too hot nor too cold—creating perfect weather.Papà and I were seated on the porch, enjoying the tranquilly of the atmosphere. He immersed himself in a magazine while I scrolled through social media on my phone. At that moment, my mind was clear, and I wasn’t thinking about anything bothersome like I always did—well, not until my father suddenly broke the silence.“Rosalinda.” He called, and I lifted my head to meet his gaze. “There’s something I observed and want to discuss with you.”Quickly turning off my phone's screen, I gave him my full attention. "What is it, Papà?"“You and Sofia have been acting strangely.” He said, and my heart sank to my stomach. “What happened?”I knew it was only a matter of time before my family noticed, but still, I wasn’t prepared for the question. What could I possibly tell him? Sofia was mad at me because she thought I had a thing with Antonio. Definitely no
ROSALINDA.Ruby ran so fast that I missed her. After looking through the park for a while with no avail, I finally gave up and started making my way back to Antonio and my son. But as I walked through the park, my eyes caught sight of something—a red-haired girl standing behind a tree. Instantly, I knew it was Ruby, and I rushed towards the tree. Her fiery red hair gave her away.“Ruby.” I called when I came to a stop behind her, and she gasped in shock as she turned to look at me, realising I had caught her.“Rosa.” She whispered.“What did I do to you?” I shot the question at her without hesitation.“You didn’t do anything. It’s just…” She raked her fingers through her hair anxiously, causing me to arch my brow.What was wrong with her?"It is just what?” I prodded.“It’s just…” She blew out a sharp breath, and her demeanour suddenly changed to an angry one.“What?” I encouraged her to continue.“Nothing. I just don’t want to be friends with you anymore. Can’t you get that and leave
ROSALINDA.“How was it? I bet you had a blast.” Sofia sneered, walking past us.She was the first person Carlo and I encountered upon returning home after a long day at the park, and I was sick and tired of the games she had been playing. It was high time we talked about it and smoothed things out. I wouldn’t want Papà asking me the same question he asked this morning again.“Sofia.” I called, my brows furrowing, and she turned to look at me. “We need to talk.”“Talk about what exactly?” She raised a brow.“Please.” I added. “In my room, now.”“I’m not interested in anything you want to say, but okay.” She rolled her eyes as she began to walk in the direction of my room.“Mommy. Is Aunt Sofia upset?” Carlo asked, and I shook my head slightly, a small smile touching my lips.“She is not. Why don’t you go and play with Joy?” I suggested when I sighted Joy.Joy smiled approvingly, opening her arms wide for Carlo to run into, and he did just that.When I got to my room, Sofia was sitting
ANTONIO. “What more do you want from me? You asked me to keep my mouth sealed, and I did. I even had to say hurtful things that I didn’t mean to my best friend just to keep her away from me. Do you know much that hurt me? Why did you bring me here again? You promised to never bother me again.” Ruby uttered, her eyes flicking with hatred.“That’s the problem. You shouldn’t keep your distance from her. Now you’ve got her suspecting that something’s wrong with you. I don’t want her to be worried about you. You should act naturally around her."“Please just let me go.” She cried. I shook my head, sighing.“Why are you still standing there?” I growled. I felt a presence moments ago, and I had expected whoever it was to leave immediately, but they didn’t.When I didn’t get a response, I flicked my head to the side, ready to lash out at whoever it was, but the second I laid my eyes on her, I froze.“Rosa.” My voice suddenly went low. Her eyes blazed with rage as she started walking towards
ROSALINDA.Giovanni and I almost lost our lives. He kidnapped Ruby and threatened her with her life as well as that of her parents. But even after everything, my feelings towards him remained the same. When I saw him at Papà’s office, my body still reacted to him in ways that it shouldn’t. What was wrong with me?I used to hate mafia bosses and their stupid ruthlessness, hurting innocents just to get their way. Why was everything different when I was directly involved? Why couldn’t I hate him?“I fucking hate you!” I groaned as I pushed my room’s door open and marched in.“Rosa?” The sound of Sofia’s voice jerked me back to reality, and I turned to see her sitting by the dresser.I was so consumed in rage that I didn’t even realise that she was in the room. I was angry at Antonio for all that he did to all of us. And most especially, angry at myself for being just angry with him and not actually hating him as I should.“Your face’s so red,” she observed. “What are you upset about?”“H
Third-person POV.Antonio’s lips pressed against the softness of Rosalinda’s cheek, his eyes filled with adoration as he gazed at her.“Good morning.” He whispered sensing her stirring. When she didn’t respond, he murmured playfully, a lazy smile spreading across his lips. “I know you are awake.”“I didn’t want you to stop staring at me.” Rosalinda admitted with a smile, her eyes still closed. “I like it when you stare at me; I wanted to keep feeling your eyes on me.”“It doesn’t matter if your eyes were opened or closed. I could stare at you anyhow, anywhere, anytime.” He said, tracing her nose and lips with his finger. “But do you know when I love staring at you the most?”She shook her head, a smile still on her lips. “When you are naked in the shower.” Her eyes shot open immediately, and she playfully smacked his arm. He chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with delight. “Good morning, Pretty.” “Good morning, handsome.” She replied, her voice still laced with sleep. Placing his
ROSALINDA“Mommy is getting married today.” I told my little girl as I rubbed my belly, my smile stretching from cheek to cheek while I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Every detail fell into place flawlessly—my dress, hair, makeup, everything was just perfect. I couldn’t believe that this day was finally here—the day I had always looked forward to—and I couldn’t be happier that I was doing this with Antonio.It’s been a month since the incident that happened at Liam’s mansion. Antonio healed in no time, and I haven’t left his side ever since. I couldn’t imagine how life would have been without him. After two weeks of tirelessly searching for Diego and Liam, Nikkolai found them and ended them immediately. I also heard that it was Nikkolai Petrov who killed Lorenzo’s father, Sergio. I couldn’t fathom why Nikkolai was so keen on taking care of Antonio’s dirty businesses, but I just hoped he wouldn’t demand a huge price in return down the line. One thing was sure—Mafia bosses neve
ROSALINDA “He’s a fighter. He survived it. Luckily, the bullet narrowly missed his heart. He’ll recover soon enough.” These words from the doctor were the best news I had ever heard in my entire life. I couldn’t even imagine what would have happened to me and to my son if I had lost Antonio. My entire existence would have been wounded, and I would have never recovered from it. I was glad about the information the doctor passed, but I was still insanely worried and wanted to see him awake and talk to him before I could break free from the anxiety twisting my insides.It’s been thirty-two hours since the bullet extraction surgery, since the doctor assured us that his vital signs were okay and that he would wake up soon enough, but he still hadn’t. I was sitting by his bedside, silently praying, hoping, and wishing for him to wake up. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and everyone had asked me to go home and rest because of my condition, but knowing that he was in that situation
ROSALINDA I wasn’t going to give up. I had to find a way to leave there as soon as possible. I kept looking through the windows at regular intervals, hoping the men there would leave so I could escape. The sky outside was already dark, and the rope I had tied together was still dangling, calling on me to descend with it. But the only thing stopping me from doing that were the fucking men out there. My mind drifted to Antonio, and my already painful heart was broken even further at the thought of what he would be going through at the moment. He’d be so broken and frustrated looking for me. I just hoped he had found a clue and was on his way to come get me. I had to be found, or escape, for him and for my son. I looked through the window again, expecting to see the men guarding it, but my eyes widened and a pang of hope filled my chest when I didn’t see them there. Without hesitation, I climbed over it and began to descend very quickly. But just as I was about to alight, the men app
ANTONIO My men and I had tried every possible means to look for Rosalinda, but there was no cue. Nothing at all. I was frustrated, scared of losing her. Even the thought of it blocked my airways, making it difficult to breathe. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to get my woman back. Nothing at all. Vito and I had just finished looking through the footage from the security camera from all the buildings around the gas station, but we got nothing. My phone started ringing, and I picked it up, hoping it was one of my men calling me to give me positive feedback, but I drew a long hiss when I realised it was Sofia calling. She had been buzzing my phone for over an hour now, demanding to speak with Rosalinda. I had told her that she was fine and was only sleeping, but she wouldn’t buy it. Fuck! She was fucking adding to my frustration with her persistent calls. “Don’t you think you should tell her the truth?” Vito suggested, as I rejected the call. “She’d tell Roberto, and I don’t want hi
ROSALINDA My head was banging so much that it felt like it was going to explode. For how long have I been sleeping? I wondered, as I tried to open my eyes, only to abruptly close them back due to the blinding light. After a few seconds, I tried again, but this time, slowly, until my eyes adapted to the light. Suddenly, I caught sight of a familiar face sitting on a sofa not so far from the bed, and I jerked up in perplexity. “What are you doing here?” I demanded. “You’re awake.” Liam grinned, and just then, reality sank in. I looked around the room, fear crawling through me as everything that happened rushed back in. I remembered everything—how I was kidnapped from the gas station and drugged until I was knocked out.“Liam. What the hell is this?” I demanded fiercely, hiding the fear crawling through me. “What do you think it is?” He raised a brow, expecting a response from me. And when he didn’t get any, he continued. “I told you, Rosalinda, that I adore you. And whatever I wan
ROSALINDAThe very next day after Sofia’s wedding, our own wedding preparation began. Antonio called Papà over the phone to inform him of our plan, while I, on the other hand, planned to tell Mama, Sofia, Matteo, and Giovanni in person—that is, if Papà hadn’t already told them before we got to the mansion. Antonio and I planned to go to my parent’s place today. We had a lot on our schedule, but the first place we visited was the hospital. I had an appointment with the sonographer to get the baby’s ultrasound done. “She’s so healthy.” The sonographer said, smiling as she moved the transducer around my belly. This wasn’t the first time I saw my baby girl, but each time I heard the whooshing sound of her heartbeat, I felt an unexplainable warmth radiate through my entire being. I couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms. “She’s so cute.” Antonio said, a small smile on his face. “I bet she’d look like me.” “She’d definitely be my carbon copy.” I countered. He chuckled softly. “We’ll find
ROSALINDA Who said dreams were unattainable? Whoever said that bluffed because Sofia defied that claim. The dream she thought was out of reach was coming to pass. It’s been two months since she had the emergency surgery; she and the twins—Isabella and Alessia—were healthy and out of the hospital. Today was her wedding day. She was getting married to the love of her life, and I couldn’t be more happy about her finally getting her happy ending. She deserved it, they both deserved it. I had asked Antonio to wait a bit more before we got married, and he agreed without protest, even though I knew he wasn’t so happy about it. He just wanted to do right by me. He had been the perfect man ever, and I couldn’t even imagine my life with any other man. I didn’t even know why I had delayed the marriage, but anyway, that was the least of my problems at the moment. The dress I had on was. I turned around to look at my reflection in the mirror, and Goddamn it, I captivated myself. The thigh-hig
ROSALINDA Antonio grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. I had the strong urge to protest, but I didn’t because I knew whatever I did would have been useless. He would never leave me there, and we would only end up causing a scene. “Why the fuck did you come out here alone, Rosalinda?” He groaned once we were outside, his furious eyes staring intently at me. “And don’t tell me you took alcohol with your condition.”I folded my arms over my chest, casting my gaze away as I retorted. “I only took sparkling water, and you are not the only one allowed to leave the house after a fight.”“Does that mean you should endanger your life?” He fired back. “I don’t care whatever danger surrounds you, but she is an adult and could make her own decisions.” Ruby suddenly chimed in, her voice filled with irritation. He drew his brows together, his frown deepening as he turned his attention to her. “Really? I’m starting to wonder if they used you to lure her out so that they could kidnap and harm