As James leads me through the crowded room, laughter and chatter fill the air, creating an atmosphere of lively celebration. I smile politely at the acquaintances we pass, but my heart skips a beat when I catch sight of Marco and his mother across the room. My pulse quickens, and a wave of apprehension washes over me."James, I just remembered I need to use the restroom," I say, my voice slightly strained as I tug at his sleeve.His brow furrows in concern. "Are you okay, Valentina?""Yes, yes, I'm fine," I assure him, forcing a smile. "I just need a moment. I'll meet you back here in a bit, okay?""Of course," he replies, his expression softening with understanding. "Take your time. I'll be right here."With a grateful nod, I slip away from his side, my heart pounding in my chest. I weave my way through the throngs of guests, my mind racing with thoughts of the impending encounter with Marco and his mother.Finally reaching the sanctuary of the restroom, I take a deep breath and clos
As the scorching sun beats down upon us, I arrive at the gate to find a scene of chaos unfolding before me. The entire security team is lined up, their expressions tense and anxious, while Nonna paces back and forth, her agitation palpable."What's going on?" I demand once the gardener approaches.His expression is stern as he responds. "Madame Rosemarie is furious," he explains. "She's fired all of us because none of us knew where you were."My eyes widen in disbelief. "You can't be serious. I've only been gone for a few hours. It's barely 4 pm," I protest, struggling to comprehend the severity of the situation.Alberto emerges from the house, his expression grave as he surveys the scene before him. "What is the meaning of this?" he demands, his voice commanding authority. “You had us all worried.”Nonna turns to face him, her frustration evident in every line of her body. "Alberto, this is unacceptable," she declares, her tone sharp with disapproval. "How can we trust these security
I watch from the porch, as Nonna's car rolls up the gravel driveway with a familiar purr.The car comes to a stop, and Nonna emerges, her eyes holding a hint of sadness, softened by the warmth of a smile as she approaches me."Valentina," she says smiling. "It's good to see you, dear.""Nonna," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm glad you're here."We hug each other tightly, the tension of the past few days melting away."I brought some treats," Nonna says, gesturing to the basket of goodies in her hand. "I thought we could have a little picnic.""That sounds lovely," I say, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Shall we sit in the garden?"We settle onto the soft grass, surrounded by the scent of flowers and the gentle rustle of leaves. Nonna unpacks the basket, revealing an assortment of Italian delicacies – fresh bread, biscottis, olives, cheese, and a bottle of wine."I hope you like it," Nonna says, her voice soft."It's perfect," I assure her, reaching for a pi
"Some wine for the pretty boy?" I inquire."Are you drunk Valentina?" Marco responds, his tone tinged with concern."Drunk? I am as bright as day. Why?""I can't help but realize that you seem pretty happier and all bubbly every time we meet up since after that night," he observes, a faint smile playing on his lips."Really?""Yes.""Maybe your charms are finally working."I tease, twirling to face him and batting my lashes.His lips twitch as if he's about to say something, but he hesitates and then falls silent."What is it?" I press."Are you trying to tell me something?" he finally asks, his voice soft with uncertainty."Like?"He scratches his head, his movements hesitant as he struggles to find the right words. Massaging his neck with one hand, he taps nervously on the table with the other."I've never known Marco Lorenzo to be at a loss for words. I see a different side of you every day, and I like it," I say, trying to ease the tension."I'm not short of words Valentina, I don'
“What's going on Marco? You seem to disappear and reappear out of the blues frequently lately. For a whole month now no one seems to know your whereabouts on weekends and even on weekdays after work.” father yells barging into my house.“Surprisingly not even Giovanni.”“Good afternoon father. I've been busy and maybe if you checked for me during work hours, you would have met me.” “Busy doing?” he inquires pacing about the room. “I should thank the universe that I met you at home today.”“I was just about leaving though.”“It's a good thing I caught you before you did. You still haven't answered my question.”“Things father.” “I see. Your mother and I still haven't gotten any feedback from you concerning Valentina.”“That's because there is no feedback to give father.”“Son, you can't be serious? Please tell me this is a joke.”“Father it's not. When were you going to tell me that you’ve been deeping into the company’s funds and covering your tracks by threatening the accountant? O
As Marco sleeps peacefully on the couch, I can’t help but marvel at his acting skills. The tears and the display of vulnerability were convincing, but I know better now. If I hadn’t seen the messages between him and Leonardo, I might have fallen for his act, but Marco, you’re the one who’s being played.Let's start by making you a cup of coffee so that when you wake up from that deceitful slumber of yours, you’ll at least have something warm to comfort you. I am going to slowly take every single thing away from you and your family. Just watch me.However, since dwelling on his deceitfulness won’t change anything. I decide to focus on something else instead of succumbing to bitterness. Grabbing a book, I lose myself in its pages.However, a lingering gaze pulls me from my reading. Looking up, I find Marco watching me with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. Instinctively, I reach up to touch my face, suddenly self-conscious under his scrutiny.“Is there something on my face
I wake up early the next morning, the soft rays of dawn filtering through the curtains. Groggily rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sit up on the couch, taking a moment to steady myself.As I shuffle into the kitchen and begin to whip up breakfast, I find Valentina watching me, her hair tousled and her eyes still heavy with sleep. She blinks a few times, clearly taken aback by my presence in the kitchen.'Morning, Valentina,' I greet.She offers me a sleepy smile. 'Morning, Marco. What's all this?' she asks, gesturing to the array of ingredients spread out on the counter.'I thought I'd make us breakfast.'Valentina's eyes widen in surprise, and she looks around the kitchen with a mix of curiosity and amusement. 'You're cooking?' she asks, her voice laced with disbelief.'Yeah, thought I'd give it a shot. Hope you don't mind.'Her smile grows wider, and she steps closer to inspect my culinary efforts. 'Not at all, Marco. That's really sweet of you.'As I continue to work, Valentina tak
"You look so happy," Mother says out of the blue as she settles down on her chair."Look how things turned around for us. Of course, I'm extremely happy.""God loves us so much. My new place is so big that when I talk, I hear myself echo.""I'm sorry it's been a bit lonely. I'll come over more often.""Baby, I know how busy you are and besides, you know how I love my solitude. Although, Albert comes to say hi from time to time.""Mother..." I say winking at her.She swats my lap, frowning."What did you do that for?""That was a naughty wink. We are barely just friends. Now, going back to my initial statement.""Which?""Of you looking happy.""I thought I mentioned the reason already.""This kind is familiar.""Tell me about it.""Baby, I hate to bring back old wounds but this is the kind of happiness you had when you were dating Marco."I choke on my coke, and Mother rushes to massage my back."I'm good.""I'm sorry I brought him up," she says, feeling sad."You don't have to be sor
6 years later………I roll up my hair, tying it into a bun as I prepare what the children will eat on their way to Mother’s place after Gabriella’s ballerina performance. Since the twins came along, our lives have been overwhelmed with intense joy.“Drop that floss, Gabriella!” I yell, running after her.“Daddy said I can have them,” she squeals, running outside with it.“I’ll go get her, Mama,” Gabriel says, running after her.“Thanks, baby.”Just then, Marco strolls into the kitchen.“Why are you giving me that look?”“We agreed on no sugar today, but you went behind my back and gave Gabriella permission to have cotton candy.”“What cotton candy?” he asks, trying to feign ignorance.“Marco, don’t play dumb.”“Okay, babe I’m sorry. When she asked, I intended to say no, but those big eyes got to me. It won't happen again,” he says, wrapping his arms around my waist.I gently push his hands away and reach for the children's food pack.“Baby, I said I'm sorry.”“Marco, this has to stop. Yo
As we gradually shift from autumn to winter, the smell of fallen leaves fills the air. The crisp, cool November breeze gently brushes against my bare skin as I stand outside our home, taking one final look at it before we move to our new place. I gather my last bag, smiling as many special memories here with Marco begin to play in my head.“I'm going to miss this house. We have so many good memories here.”“Me too,” Marco says staring at the house.“I know Becca is going to care for this place just like we did.”“I know she would.”“Look how far she has come. Buying her own cars and house.”“Business has been good and also, she suggested it was time to show my face.”“I agree with her. I know this isn't goodbye goodbye because we will obviously come and visit but it feels like it.”“Don’t worry, you will fall in love with this new place.”Marco drives us to our new place in Florence with our things already in place. With this new place, He went over the top. In this new home, it is l
Since Nonna learned about my bleeding, she has stopped me from going to work and instructed Mr. Thomas to step in until I give birth, which he agreed to without hesitation.Everyone went wild about the news, especially Mother and Nonna, and we all can't wait to find out their gender next month. Now that I'm showing, the general public now knows.With Mother’s wedding coming up, everyone aside from me has been super busy preparing for the big day, which is tomorrow.The only duty I’ve been given is to pick up Chiara’s dress because she wasn't around to take her measurements when we did. Once I pick it up, I drive down to the resort Nonna booked for the wedding.Nonna insisted she sponsor the wedding, and knowing Nonna, no one could argue with her. If you didn't know about our family history, you would mistake Alberto and Mother for her children.“That took you forever, sexy preggy,” Chiara says, opening the door.“Is this the thank you I get from crossing the Mediterranean Sea to get t
I pace up and down Giovanni’s corridor, seething with anger at what I witnessed hours ago. I had planned to surprise Valentina by picking her up from Nonna’s place for dinner, but I got surprised instead. I was so confused about whether to reveal myself or not. In the end, I turned around and headed for Giovanni’s place.Just a few nights ago, I was appreciating how well our marriage has been going and how open we are with each other, but what I saw today casts doubt on that belief.“So you saw her with James and?”“I didn’t like the way he was all over her. To make matters worse, she told me she was going to greet Nonna and Mother but didn't mention James would be there too.”“Okay? What if she didn’t tell you because she knew you would react like this?”“You are supposed to be on my side.”“Marco, tell me what you want me to say or do. Beat him up? Besides, you knew about his connections with the Matteos before you went in. Why do you have a problem with him all of a sudden? If you
Maintaining my pregnancy a secret till I start to show ended the moment I walked into Nonna’s place. Mother and Nonna simultaneously chorused it the second I stepped foot inside the house. Ever since Marco, Nonna, and mother found out about my pregnancy, I've been treated like an egg. With Marco, it's even worse. This man won't let me do anything at home. Mother and Nonna have made it their sole mission to stock up my house with food. Now all I do is go to work, peruse documents with my legs crossed and eat junk.It's a miracle that my clothes still fit. Preparing for the Pure Beauty Award global ceremony tonight, I put final finishing touches to my look before I slip on my heels. I wish father was here to see to witness this moment. His beauty and skin products were nominated for the Pure Beauty Award ceremony. “How do I look?” Marco asks stepping out of his closet.“Handsome as always.”“You look ravishing my love and I know you will bring home all the awards. You've shown nothin
I'm amazed at how much progress my parents and I have made. Visiting them frequently and vice versa without anyone bickering. Valentina and mother's laughter erupts from the kitchen filling the entire place as they organize lunch. “Marco, how has business been going?” Father asks, stretching a plate towards me.“It's been good, and how are you adjusting to your new line of business?”“Adjusting fine. Never knew I could do so well in supervising building projects. I'm taking that class you recommended.”“That's beautiful.”“Enough of business talks,” Mother announces, walking in with Valentina as they set the rest of the food on the table.“This smells so heavenly,” Father compliments, and I nod in agreement.“I can't take all the credit, your wife also assisted.”“Thank you both.”As we dish our food, I notice Valentina dishing a smaller portion of what she would normally eat, an occurrence that's been consistent for the past two weeks now. Also, lately, she has been easily irritated
“See that glow, you weren't this good-looking before you stepped on that plane last week. Despite the workload you came to handle after you got back, you are still looking flawless. Hmm, must be the marriage glow and the other reason why women glow,” Chiara gushes, offering me a plate of cake.“Your place just keeps getting better. I love what you did to the wall.”“Thanks, it is sad no man is surprising me with an aquarium in my home simply because I can’t get over moments from my trip.”I flush, remembering how I came home from Bora Bora to a gigantic aquarium nestled in a corner of our living room. A gift from Marco because I couldn't stop talking about our glass-bottom boat tour.“Stop being dramatic.”“I want my man too. Is there something I'm not doing right?”“Soon, you'll find your perfect match.”“I know, I just need to know how soon. I may have noticed you’re overly bubbly these days? Are you pregnant?”“What? No. Chiara, you are way too observant for my liking. You used to
These past few days in Bora Bora have been some of the best moments in my life so far. I can’t get over the beauty of the underwater world. The beautiful, colorful fishes and the coral reefs were breathtaking. I took so many pictures to last a lifetime.The thrill, fear, romance—everything—we experienced it on this trip, and I hate that we have to leave tomorrow. I don’t want it to end. My highlight has to be seeing Marco scream like a child when we went skydiving. Who ever knew that a day would come when I would see Marco Lorenzo scared of something?The lingerie Chiara and I shopped for has been nothing short of a game-changer. Chiara was right when she said they had the power to make a man lose his senses.Can the world just pause for another week so Marco and I can continue having so much fun without coming back to a truckload of work on our desks? I shudder at the thought of the workload piled on my desk right now.Cristos! Yesterday was Mother's date with Alberto, and I forgot t
Surrounded by lush greenery and the stunning beauty of the coastal waters, I feel completely refreshed and renewed. The peace here is unmatched, providing a perfect escape from the usual hustle and bustle of Tuscany. I’m still yet to get over the Mahi Mahi and rice from yesterday—so divine.After our long flight yesterday, we chose to relax and unwind for the rest of the day. I place a gentle kiss on Valentina, who is still sleeping soundly.I connect to the resort’s Wi-Fi and just as I'm about to start preparing for the day, Giovanni’s call comes in.“I’ve been away for how many days and you suddenly can’t breathe?”“Good day to you too, and last I checked, you are not Flora. Unlike you, I’m a good brother always wanting to check up on you and you, on the other hand, forget your brother once you are lost in love. How’s the honeymoon going?”“Wonderful, it’s such a beautiful place to be.”“I’ve been told. How’s your wife?”“Sleeping soundly. Yesterday’s flight was a bit overwhelming.