CHIARA P.O.V.
I keep my gaze fixed on his, unable to take my eyes off that man who has made me feel so confused and alive at the same time. I don't know how to react or what to say. My mind is stuck replaying the kiss scene over and over, and I'm afraid of what that could mean. My mind struggles to find an appropriate response to this unexpected situation while my body continues to react to his presence with a mixture of excitement and fear.
I internally debate between staying there or running out of the stable to lock myself in my room for a couple more days. However, before he can make a decision, Wolfgang breaks his silence.
“Did you like the stable?”
Faced with your innocent question, I have no choice but to answer.
"Yes, it's perfect."
I swallow hard and decide to be brave, reminding myself that I'm a woman, not a girl, and that Wolfgang probably doesn't even remember that kiss. With a
CHIARA P.O.V. I look at myself in the mirror that hangs on the dresser in my room, and observe myself carefully while trying not to be too critical of myself. I am wearing the beautiful turquoise dress that Constanz lent me, and while it is true that I have a slim, curvy figure, I have always worried that I am not voluptuous enough, like Constanz, for example. Constanz and Katharina have amazing bodies. Nervousness comes over me, why now that I'm going out to dinner with Wolfgang am I worried that I'm not as pretty as other girls? I feel my heartbeat echoing in my ears and my hands sweat slightly. Every time I think of Wolfgang's lips, a rapturous wave of sensations sweeps over me, but I can't put a name to them yet. Suddenly, I realize how easy it was to agree to go out with him. I didn't say no to him, but there was no clear reason to turn him down either. However, I still don't understand why he would want to take me out to dinner. Almost unwillingly, I find myself wondering why h
CHIARA P.O.V. The atmosphere changed in an instant. I think my question rang a disturbing bell in the quiet atmosphere of the restaurant. I saw Wolfgang avert his gaze to the window, his jaw tensing slightly. The caramel color of his eyes darkened, becoming dangerous and deep. A feeling came over me that I had struck a chord with her, a door that perhaps I shouldn't have. I almost decided to take it back and tell him that he didn't need to answer, that he didn't have to tell me. But before I could raise my hands, his eyes met mine, and his voice, firm and direct, broke the silence that had settled between us. “It was Aldo," he said, without pause. His tone controlled, though a shadow seemed to lurk in his words. “My mother and grandmother were killed by Aldo.” My hands instinctively rose to my mouth, stifling an exclamation. I stared at him in disbelief, stunned by his words. Suddenly, my heart seemed to pound in my temples, as if I had been given my father's death a second time, a
CHIARA P.O.V.When I wake up again, it is morning. The soft, warm breeze coming through the window lightly ruffles my hair. Although I still feel a little depressed about the truth, remembering what Wolfgang told me afterwards, even if it's ridiculous, makes me feel better. Maybe I'm an innocent fool still, I still want my life back, I wish I could change a hundred things, but I know perfectly well that this isn't an infatuation, I'm in love with Wolfgang, and even though I know it's impossible now, I wish I could merge our worlds and make that work.I turn my face and find Wolfgang's face lying on the mattress, still asleep. I smile, and allow myself to detail the features of his face that I like the most, which are all of them. I hesitate, but finally reach my hand up to remove a lock of his hair that is in the way of my inspection. However, as soon as I push the lock away, Wolfgang lifts his hand and catches my wrist. His grip is not hard, but it surprises me.What he does next, ho
WOLFGANG P.O.V.In the office are not only Karl, but also Gunther and Klaus. I wasn't expecting them until the following week. But unlike Klaus, Gunther had a busted lip and a slight bruise next to his right eye. I didn't even reach my desk when I started the meeting. If there was one thing I cared about as much as being between Chiara's legs, it was destroying Aldo. I hoped that, if Gunther and Klaus had returned from Italy and the United States so soon, it was because there was good news.“Speak," I say and fold my arms.Gunther is the first to speak, looking eager and excited about what he brings.“While I was in Rome, I did some research. I followed two guys we thought were related to Aldo. I had seen them with him in Sicily several times. But, it seems that in reality these guys don't just work for Aldo," he continues. “I was in the same bar for several days, and one night I overheard them talking about someone called Il Lupo, their boss.”Hans furrows his brow, while the others
WOLFGANG P.O.V.During the plane ride, Klaus, with his sharp, analytical mind, took over the planning. We discussed different scenarios and ways to carry out the operation. The idea of using Blaz as a resource to lure Nathaniel into a trap had its appeal. If Blaz was clean, his cooperation would be important in unmasking the real culprit. However, we couldn't completely trust anyone at this point. Loyalties were at stake and the game was dangerous.My private airstrip was 40 minutes from Berlin. We took two cars and split up. By the time we arrived in Berlin, the city was already plunged into the darkness of night. I have 10 nightclubs in Berlin, Blaz checks them all, but he usually pays special attention to Euphoria, the main and biggest of them all. The hustle and bustle and energy of the nightlife hovered over us as we made our way to the club, and normal at this hour for the activity to start in the club. However, the sight before us was disconcerting. The place was completely des
CHIARA P.O.VFriedrichshafen, a city I can barely pronounce correctly, was our chosen destination for a girls' night out to watch an outdoor movie at a charity event. I couldn’t even remember the last time I went to the cinema or watched a movie. It was an attempt to temporarily set aside the tensions in Meersburg, and when I spoke of "tension," I meant between Constanz and me. Although my worries remain hidden for the moment, I wanted to find the perfect time to talk to her.I was worried about my friendship with Constanz, but perhaps there was something that concerned me almost as much. How will Wolfgang react to this outing? I know it deeply affects him when I'm out of the house, even for a few hours. Still, during the journey, I tried to convince myself that following the parameters Magda gave us would ease Wolfgang's discomfort. For example, we had to return before 11 PM, and we were accompanied by two of the bodyguards who work at the house.The nightlife in Friedrichshafen seem
CHIARA P.O.VAfter my conversation with Constanz, something in the air clearly changed. The tension dissipated, and the trust and lightness returned to our interaction. The movie started, and with each scene, the laughter and shared comments with my friends filled the space between us. For that moment, I completely forgot the weight of the worries that had been haunting me.My eyes are fixed on the screen, and the plot of the movie completely envelops me. The bright colors, the romantic background music, and the emotions unfolding before me capture my attention in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. It’s as if everything else fades into the darkness and only this fun and relaxing moment exists.About halfway through the movie, my bladder interrupts. I decide it’s a good time to go to the bathroom so I can enjoy the rest of the movie without distractions. I let Constanz and Katharina know that I’ll be back in a few minutes and head toward the bathroom area.The park’s bathrooms look li
CHIARA P.O.VWolfgang continues until we exit the park, and he stops to let me get into the passenger seat of a huge black Jeep. As he fastens my seatbelt without looking at me, I refrain from breathing or doing anything to upset him, feeling as if I've done something wrong and my father is one word away from unleashing his annoyance and punishing me for a year. I finally sigh and look straight ahead as Wolfgang closes my door and walks around to sit in the driver's seat, starting to drive.He doesn't say anything to me the entire way. I can't speak, and my hands tremble now as I recall everything that happened; they were about to kidnap me for the third time in my life. The adrenaline has worn off, leaving only worry, fear, and guilt. I glance at Wolfgang sideways as he drives. For some reason, what I feel toward Wolfgang right now isn't fear, even when he fastened the seatbelt carefully, he won't hurt me, he promised. But I'm still afraid he's upset with me because this time I know