Calmly, Rene gazes at the faces of everyone, his brows creasing tightly together, and then to everyone's shock, he smiled, his eyes sparkling with joy as he said, "How can I want to leave the Rossi when you all have been so good to me.""What?!" Princess blurted out, her eyes widening as she glared at him with parted lips.Gazing up from his phone, Luca scoffed, scowling at Rene, and said, "This guy is really an idiot."Layla, never one to hold back, chimed in with a sneer. "Or a golddigger. He'll do anything to stay associated with money. It’s pathetic, really."Rene stood his ground, his expression a mask of calm despite the harsh words being thrown his way. He knew the Rossi family well enough to expect such reactions. It only fueled his determination.Mr. Rossi leaned back in his chair, his gaze icy as it rested on Rene. "You must understand, Kia, that your presence here is... tolerated. But do not mistake that for acceptance. You are an outsider, and your persistence in staying w
When Rene didn't budge, Josh’s face turned bright red as he stormed toward him, fists clenched and eyes wild with anger. The room fell silent, everyone holding their breath between Mr. Rossi’s stern decision and Josh’s explosive outburst.Rene met Josh’s rage with a calm, steady gaze, refusing to back down. He stood firm, not breaking eye contact. Sensing the danger, Maria stepped in front of Rene, spreading her arms open, her face showing both desperation and defiance.“Dad, please!” Maria’s voice trembled as she pleaded with Mr. Rossi. “This isn’t right. You can’t force us into this.”With a scoff, Mr. Rossi’s gaze remained fixed on Rene, cold and unyielding. “Maria, there’s no discussion here. Actions have consequences, and today you’ll see that.”His father's words made Josh’s anger boil over and he raised his hand to slap Maria, but in a flash, his wife Vittoria clinging to him, tears streaming down her face. “Josh, stop! Let’s think this through.”Frowning at her, Josh’s voice
As the ink dried on the documents, the gravity of the situation became painfully clear. Mr. Rossi’s gaze never wavered from Maria, his eyes cold and unyielding. He rose from his seat, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the room.“Now that Kia is legally your husband,” Mr. Rossi began, his voice cutting through the lingering silence with icy precision, “you are responsible for him in every way. His failures are your failures, his disgrace is yours, and his image is now your own.”Maria’s eyes widened in shock, the weight of Mr. Rossi’s words sinking in. Her face was pale, and her lips trembled as she tried to process the enormity of what had just happened. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.Vittoria, who had been silently weeping, could no longer contain her despair. She cried out, “Father, please, have some mercy! Maria is still young... please have mercy! This is too much for Maria to bear. She’s just a child.”Mr. Rossi’s face hardened, his eyes narrow
Maria’s breath hitched as she pulled away from Rene, her eyes wide with confusion and fear. The intensity of his kiss left her reeling, and for a moment, she forgot the heaviness of the situation. Rene’s touch was comforting, grounding her in the reality that, despite everything, she wasn’t alone.“We’ll figure it out, Maria,” Rene said softly, his fingers gently brushing a stray curl from her face. “I promise you, we’ll find a way to get through this. Together.”Maria took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. She nodded, her eyes betraying her with a look of doubt as she looked up at Rene. “Okay,” she whispered. “Together.”"Let's get you clean up first." Rene stood, offering Maria his hand.With a faint smile, Maria clasped onto Rene's outstretched arm, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He then guided her to the bathroom. The dim light from the overhead bulb cast a soft glow on their faces, adding warmth to the otherwise cold and sterile atmosphere. He turned on the
Pacing back and forth in the hall, Parblo was running over countless reasons that would give to Rene would make sense to him so they could go back together."Dad!" Rene's voice echoed down the hall, startling Parblo out of his frantic thoughts.He gazed back to see him approaching, and the moment Rene got closer, he scowled, lashing out lowly, "What do you think you are doing, Theo?! This is not the plan.""Take me back to the mansion," Rene said calmly.Parblo's scowl deepened, confusion flickering in his eyes. "What are you talking about? You just said you needed to stay here."Without a word, Rene walked past him. Parblo frowned, but he followed, his mind racing as they headed for the car.The drive was silent. Parblo’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove through the city streets, his expression tense. Rene sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed out the window, lost in thought.When they arrived at the Ford mansion, Rene didn’t waste any time. He stepped out of t
The moment Catherine entered the kitchen and saw Parblo with the other servant, she forgot that she was hungry and rushed out of the room, hurrying for Rome's study.As she approached the stairs, Logan was coming down, and the two locked eyes. She could see the worry in his gaze, and Catherine blurted out, "Is he here?""Yes, ma'am. But I don't think you should go in there just yet." Logan hesitated. "He's planning on staying at the Rossi, and knows the relationship between Master and him-""Rome is going to be infuriated." "Yes. I think it's best you let them talk it out as father and son and try to give them some space for now," Logan suggested, his tone carrying a mix of concern and caution.Catherine nodded, her own worry deepening. "I understand. But if things get out of hand..."Logan took a step back, giving Catherine space, stepping aside, and she gave him a faint smile before rushing up the stairs.When she got to the study, she paced nervously outside the study, her mind ra
Unable to take the suspense anymore, Catherine grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open, only to see her son and husband hugging. The sight took her breath away, and for a moment, the years of tension and heartache seemed to dissolve in the warmth of their embrace.Rome looked up, his eyes still wet with tears, and managed a faint smile. "Honey," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Come here."Rene, still holding onto his father, turned to face his mother. His eyes, too, were glistening with tears. "Mother," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of relief and sorrow.Catherine hurried across the room and wrapped her arms around both of them, pulling them into a tight, heartfelt embrace. "You guys good?" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.Rome nodded, his grip tightening around Rene and Catherine. "We're getting there," he replied softly. "It's been a long time coming."Rene pulled back slightly, looking at both his parents with a mixture of hope and satisf
Rene took the envelope, his expression firm but unreadable. He carefully opened it, pulling out the contract agreement and scanning its contents. Parblo watched him closely, curiosity mixed with a hint of apprehension."Everything good?" Parblo asked, unable to contain his curiosity.Rene didn't respond immediately, continuing to read through the contract. After a few tense moments, he finally looked up, meeting Parblo's eyes. "I just needed to make sure of a few things," he said, his tone guarded. "There's a lot at stake, and I can't afford any mistakes."Parblo nodded, though his curiosity was still piqued. "Understandable. Just remember, we've worked hard to get to this point. The plan relies on everything going smoothly."Rene nodded, folding the contract and placing it back in the envelope. "I know. And I appreciate everything you've done for me, Parblo." With that, he tapped the old man's shoulder and walked off, leaving Parblo standing in the hallway, still curious, and yet,