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2025-02-22 07:02:29Sofia.
Silence stretched tight in the room, thick with unspoken arguments and barely restrained fury. I could feel the weight of their gazes pressing down on me, but I refused to bend. Not this time. Not ever.
Nikolai exhaled through his nose, his jaw locked tight. "Sofia, you have to trust us."
"Trust?" I barked out a sharp laugh, shaking my head. "Trust goes both ways, Nikolai. And right now, it sure as hell doesn't feel like you trust me."
He didn’t flinch at my words, but something flickered in his eyes—something almost guilty. But before I could call him on it, Nadei moved. Fast.
Too fast.
A sharp prick at my neck sent a chill down my spine, my hand flying up instinctively. My fingers met Nadei’s, his grip gentle but unyielding as he pressed the syringe into my skin. No. Fuck.
"You son of a wh—"
The room tilted. My vision blurred, the edges growing hazy and dark. I staggered, reaching for something&
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Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 21
Arsen.She was pacing again.The damn woman wouldn’t sit still, despite nearly toppling over twice already. Stubborn as hell, jaw clenched tight, the way her hands balled into fists every few minutes—it was like watching a storm build, waiting for the inevitable thunder. I let out a slow exhale, flexing my fingers against the dull ache in my side. The pain had settled into something manageable, but the bullet wound still throbbed every time I moved too much. Not that I’d admit it. ''You need to eat.''Sofia finally stopped near the small window, arms crossed as she glared into the distance. “I’m not hungry,” she muttered, refusing to look at me.I narrowed my eyes. “Yeah, and I’m a fucking priest.”She shot me a glare, but it lacked real fire. Her exhaustion clung to her, evident in the slight unsteadiness of her stance.I pushed off the couch, biting back a grimace as my side protested. “You haven’t eaten since you woke up, Sofia. You need to.”She let out a humorless laugh. “Why d
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 22
Sofia.I sat in the dimly lit room, my knees pulled to my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around them. My entire body ached—not from injury, not from exhaustion, but from the sheer weight of helplessness pressing down on me. Every second that passed without news was another sharp twist of the knife lodged in my chest. I managed to get some sleep at least.I had no phone. No way to reach them. No way to know if they were safe or if—No. I couldn’t let myself go there. But the thoughts came anyway, relentless and cruel. My parents. My brothers. My babies. God, my babies. Were they scared? Were they calling for me? Did they think I abandoned them?A sob tore through my throat before I could stop it. I clamped a hand over my mouth, my whole body trembling. I couldn’t breathe. I needed air, I needed out, I needed—Arsen.He was watching me, his face drawn, his brows furrowed in concern. I hadn’t even noticed him move closer, hadn’t realized I wasn’t alone in this suffocating darkness.“Sofi
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 23
Sofia.We were back home.My family was safe. My brothers and parents were in their designated rooms. My babies were sleeping next door. My husbands lay next to me.And yet,I couldn’t sleep.Even with the warmth of Nadei’s arms wrapped around me, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek, the soft hum of Nikolai’s breathing close by—I was still wide awake, staring at the ceiling, my mind spinning like a rollercoaster that refused to settle.It wasn’t fear keeping me up this time.It was guilt.The memory of Arsen’s lips against mine was burned into my mind, a brand I couldn’t scrub away no matter how much I wanted to. It had been fleeting, a moment of desperation, of shared pain. But it had happened. And I had let it.I squeezed my eyes shut, nausea curling in my stomach. They trusted me. They loved me. And I had kissed another man.It didn’t matter that it wasn’t planned. It didn’t matter that I had been drowning in fear, that I had felt like I was shattering into a mil
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 24
Sofia.But then Nadei sighed, stepping closer, reaching out to grip my chin, tilting my face up to his. His touch was firm, but not harsh. “I hate that it happened,” he murmured, his pink lips turned into a scowl as he said it. “But I hate the thought of you suffering over it even more.”Tears burned my eyes like acid. “I love you,” I whispered, feeling my heart squeeze in my chest so much that I started to think I might have a heart attack. “I love all of you. And I swear to you, it was a mistake that will never happen again.”Nikolai exhaled sharply, his forehead bumping against mine as he crouched down to meet me. “Damn right it won’t.”I let out a shaky breath, nodding against him. “I’m so sorry.”Nial finally spoke again, his voice softer this time. His eyes still distant. “We believe you.”I blinked, heart stuttering. “You do?”He nodded. “We’re not happy. But we believe you.”Nadei’s fingers brushed against my cheek, wiping away tears I hadn’t realized had fallen. “We’ll get th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-25Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 25
NialSofia fell asleep in my arms, her breath steady, her body finally giving in to exhaustion. But I couldn’t find the same peace. My mind spun with thoughts I couldn’t quiet, emotions I couldn’t untangle.Arsen had kissed her. And she had let him.The words replayed in my head, over and over, each time hitting me with a fresh wave of something dark and heavy. Anger. Jealousy. Fear. It wasn’t just the act itself that unsettled me, but what it meant—what it could mean. Sofia had been vulnerable, scared, desperate for something solid to hold onto, and he had been there when we weren’t.That’s what scared me the most.I wasn’t naïve. I knew love wasn’t perfect, that even the strongest of us faltered under the right circumstances. But this? This was something else entirely. This was doubt creeping into the edges of something I had thought unbreakable. And that thought had my stomach twisting into knots I wasn’t sure I could ever undo.I tightened my arms around her, pressing a kiss to he
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-26Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 26
Nial.The morning air was crisp, biting against my skin as I stepped outside. My breath formed soft clouds in the cold dawn light, but I barely felt it. My body was exhausted, but my mind? My mind was sharper than ever, wired from a night spent pacing, replaying every single word Sofia had said. Every damn second of that confession, like a knife twisting in my gut over and over again.Arsen.The name alone made my blood burn.I found him near his training grounds, stretching, rolling his shoulders like he knew this was coming. Maybe he did. Maybe he was fucking waiting for me. His eyes flicked to mine as I approached, his face unreadable, controlled. Like he had the right to be calm."Nial Alexeyev." His greeting was even, but I could hear the tension underneath it. "Didn’t think I’d see you this early."I stopped a few feet away, fists clenching at my sides holding back the hell I wanted to unleash on him for touching my wife. "We need to talk."Arsen exhaled, nodding slowly. "Yeah.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-26Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 27
Sofia.After threatening the trio with a complete ban on sexy time unless they let me head downstairs to help Mama with breakfast, I descended the stairs with a victorious smile. The smell of coffee and fresh bread filled the kitchen, wrapping around me like a warm embrace. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a golden glow over the wooden dining table, where plates of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and fresh fruit were already set out. The comforting sounds of my family moving around the house created a harmony I hadn’t realized I needed so badly after these last few days.Giovanni, my father, stood by the stove, flipping pancakes with practiced ease, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Haven’t lost my touch, have I?" he mused, glancing over his shoulder. Mama swatted him playfully on the arm as she poured fresh orange juice into a row of glasses. "If I let you think that, you’ll get too confident," she teased before turning to me with a warm smile, her eyes
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-27Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 28
Sofia.The decision to return to Italy had been made without hesitation. We needed a break from the dangers surrounding us, a place where we could be untouchable. And that place was home. After everything that had happened, we all needed time together—to breathe, to heal, and to simply exist as a family without the weight of outside threats pressing down on us. The men agreed, and now, here we were.The private jet was filled with soft murmurs of conversation and the occasional bursts of laughter. Mama sat beside Papa, their hands intertwined, while my brothers argued over something ridiculous as usual. Jade and Lorelai were curled up in their seats, Lorelai already dozing against Nial’s shoulder while Nikolai distracted Jade with a game on his tablet. Nadei sipped his coffee, watching over us with that quiet, contemplative expression he always wore when he was thinking too deeply.The flight was smooth, and soon enough, we were landing in the familiar warmth of Italy. The air smelled
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-27
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Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 66
Nikolai.The sun was beginning its slow descent, drenching the estate in a thick, golden haze. The gardens looked like they belonged in a painting, every blade of grass and stone path lit up like someone had dipped them in honey.The air had that crisp, early evening bite to it—the kind that hinted at colder nights ahead, the kind that made your breath puff out in little clouds if you waited long enough.It was the kind of quiet that settled not just around you, but inside you.I hadn’t realized how bad I needed that silence until I was drowning in it.Not the fake kind you get in the middle of chaos when your brain just...short-circuits.No, this was real silence.Healing silence.Aurelio sat next to me on the stone steps, hunched forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. His hand curled loosely around the iron railing beside him, fingertips absently tracing the cold metal. His gaze was fixed out past the gardens, past the trees, locked on some point on the horizon only he could
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 65
Nikolai.The sun had just started its lazy climb when I stepped outside, coffee mugs in hand and sleep still clinging to the corners of my mind.The estate grounds were soaked in golden light, the grass jeweled with dew like nature had cried a little last night but decided to make the best of it this morning. A breeze swept through the lemon trees, carrying that light citrusy scent Sofia always said reminded her of summers in Italy. The air felt warm but not heavy, peaceful but not silent—alive in a way that made my ribs loosen.It smelled like hope.And after everything we’d survived—everything we were still clawing our way through—I wasn’t going to waste that. Peace like this was rare in our world. You had to hold it tight, two hands and all heart.Across the lawn, I spotted her first.Sofia sat on a picnic blanket under the olive tree—her olive tree, the one she’d stubbornly refused to let the gardeners trim because “It has character, shut up.” Lorelai was perched between her legs,
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 64
Sofia.The house was quiet again. Not the warm hush of family sleep like before—this was different. Tense. Coiled.I closed the door to the master bedroom behind me with shaking fingers. They weren’t here. I’d kissed them all goodnight. Told them I loved them. And then I’d said what none of us had ever dared to say aloud.“I want to be with him tonight too. I want Arsen.”There’d been silence. Tight jaws. Clenched fists. But they’d nodded , nevertheless. Not because they wanted to, but because they respected it. Me. Him.And now I was in the hallway, heart thudding like a warning bell.His door was open.The room was barely lit—moonlight spilling across the bed where he sat, shirtless, head bowed, tattoos twisting over his arms and shoulders like shadows, his scars full on display. He didn’t look up. “Are you going to come in,” he said, voice low, “Or are you just staying and leaving a second after?”My throat tightened. I walked in.He still didn’t move.“I'm sorry I couldn't stay wi
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 63
Sofia.The house had settled into sleep. Deep, contented sleep—the kind that comes after too much food, too much laughter, and just enough wine to make your muscles hum. I’d tucked Lorelai in with Aurelio, kissed her goodnight, and left them curled up like something sacred. It made my chest ache in the best way.But now…Now I was tiptoeing back into the room I shared with my husbands.The lights were low, golden and soft like candlelight, spilling across skin and sheets. Nadei was sprawled on the bed like he’d been sculpted there—shirtless, his long legs tangled in the duvet, green eyes glinting as he scrolled through his phone. Nikolai stood at the mirror adjusting his watch strap, because even undressing was apparently a production with him. Nial was at the foot of the bed, all quiet storm in his black tee and sweatpants, sipping his herbal tea from a mug like he wasn’t watching me like prey.My mouth went dry.“Hi,” I said, breath catching a little.Nadei grinned, stretching like
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 62
Author’s POV.The house had quieted down into that soft, post-dinner lull—where even the shadows on the walls seemed to breathe slower. Distant murmurs echoed from the living room, where the others were watching some awful old mafia film Luca claimed was “a classic.” Someone was already asleep on the couch. Probably Renzo. He always passed out after too much pasta like some kind of carb-loaded bear who was getting ready to hibrenate.Aurelio wasn’t with them.He was in the hallway upstairs, sitting at the edge of his old bedroom—the one he hadn’t dared sleep in yet. Too many pieces of him still scattered like glass inside it. Too many ghosts watching from the corners.He stared at the room like it might bite him.The bed was made. The same comforter. Same shelves. Someone had even fixed the frame of the photo he’d apparently shattered during one of his more violent post-surgery episodes. A picture of the five of them—Sofia in the middle, arms folded, eyes rolling. Him grinning with an
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 61
Author's POV. The dining room buzzed with the strange, delicate noise of almost normal. Silverware clinked. Someone—probably Valentino—had already cracked a joke that made Sofia roll her eyes but smile anyway. The scent of roasted garlic and marinara filled the air like nostalgia on steroids. Aurelio sat at the long table—not at the head, but somewhere in the middle—flanked by people who were supposed to be his family. Despite their warmth, their laughter, the endless attempts to make him feel at home, he still felt like the odd man out. But he noticed things. Like how Nial grumbled at his overcooked chicken while quietly passing napkins like he was trying not to breathe too loud. Arsen sat at the far end, balancing Alexei on his lap, slicing soft bread one-handed while talking to Sofia, who had Jade snuggled against her side. They were so, in their element. In their nature. Then— “Uncle Liooo!” A high-pitched squeal cut through the hum of conversation. A tiny bolt of cur
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Aurelio.The toy soldier hadn’t moved.It still sat like a goddamn sentinel on my nightstand. Plastic. Ugly. Important.I don’t know why I hadn’t thrown it out the window.Maybe because it felt like it belonged more than I did.Jade had curled up next to me earlier, warm and trusting like he didn’t know I was broken. And even after he left the room—pulled away by his father—I could still feel the ghost of his tiny arms around my waist. And that? That shook something loose inside me more than any punch ever could.-Later in the day.I was in another room, arms up against Nial as we circled each other. We were sparring. That was their fucked up version of making me remember, it wasn't conventional. Wasn't something in one's right mind would do but I was willing to try as long as it meant they wouldnt look at me in that empathetic way they all did. I was going to try to find me.Whoever that was.“Stop thinking.”Nial’s voice snapped like a whip. Cruel and unforgiving.He was circling
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Aurelio.The name was just a sound. Letters. Noise.But the weight behind it? That wasn’t noise.That was pressure. Gravity. Like I’d been dropped into a life that expected me to perform, to remember, to be this person they were mourning like he was already dead.Aurelio Verticolli.Everyone in this room knew who he was.Except me.And the worst part?I felt like I was disappointing them just by existing.Sofia hadn’t let go of my hand. Her grip was gentle, but I could feel the tension in her fingertips—like she was holding onto hope with every fiber of her being, and the second she let go, she’d fall apart.That made my chest ache.Even if I couldn’t remember her.I studied her profile—soft lines drawn tight with exhaustion. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Weeks, maybe. Her eyes were red-rimmed but fierce. Protective. She was a fighter. I didn’t need memories to know that.Sofia Verticolli. My sister.“Why are you all still here?” I asked suddenly, voice rough, a little cra
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Aurelio.The man on the other side of the glass had a smirk that felt like it belonged to someone I should know. Someone important. Someone close.But I didn’t know him.I didn’t know myself.I clenched my jaw, something burning in my chest—frustration, maybe. Anger. A gnawing sense of wrongness that had been there since I woke up.The name they kept calling me—Aurelio Verticolli—felt like a suit that didn’t fit. Too tight in some places, too loose in others.I should recognize it. I should recognize them.But when I searched my mind, it was just… nothing. blank.Like looking into a fogged-up mirror and knowing there was a reflection behind it, but never being able to see it clearly.The man at the window tilted his head, still watching me like he was waiting for something.“You ready to remember who the fuck you are?”The words scraped against something raw inside me.Was I?I didn’t answer.He smirked again, but there was something sharper behind it. “Don’t worry. We’ll remind you.”
