As the pseudo-host of my party, Elizabeth was in full swing. She managed everyone well, from the mini event she set up to the tour she was in the middle of when Matteo and I walked into the house, which was filled with soft music and lively chatter. She'd make a great event manager. I would have recommended her if my position at Lawson & I were not questionable and if she were not leaving Devnia in January with Daniel; she promised to be back before her due date because if she travelled, her pregnancy would be less suspicious to Christopher.She wanted to keep it because she adored Luca and Marigold."Miss Lawson."Two familiar girls walk up to me with their hands hooked and champagne in their free hands; it's Roselle and Emilia, the models Blair recommended to the company three years ago.Back then, I was uncertain about them, but three years later, their faces are on everything Lawson-related. They managed to make it possible for Blair to keep her word to me, so my arm traps them in
The longer I stare at the stick that refuses to change, the more my tremble grows evident.With a sigh, I place the stick down and opt to check it when the results are out instead of waiting for them this anxiously; after all—a watched pot doesn't boil, something Mum would always say.I miss her.**Jackson, Mr and Mrs Danes and Luca seem to be having the best time, but as I approach them, I spot Elizabeth sipping lemon water while squeezing her handkerchief.“Hey, you okay?”“Just peachy.”She responds with a bland face.“Ugh... is that rose water and lemon?”I scrunch my nose at the mixture's scent.“Yap, if baby likes it, baby gets it, honestly anything to stop the urp…nausea.”She presses her handkerchief to her mouth."I thought morning sickness meant ‘morning’. I'm nauseous twenty-four hours a day."“Well, technically, it varies.”I answer with a light shrug.“Mine was most mornings, and when there was too much food in the room…hmm, like now. Do you want to rest in my room?”She
Matteo D’AmicoIf Olivia decides to get married to Daniel, should he wait for them to divorce? How long? Three years, fifteen? Twenty?He could set Daniel up with an affair. She would never forgive that, right?What if she did, in the name of love?What if her love for him is gone? She didn't say she hated him when he asked her to, but...Matteo sighed and sipped more of the whisky.Was loving someone ever this hard?Shouldn’t…shouldn’t it be easier?He screwed up, just like Vincent did but...didn't she mourn their break up for a while? At least Olivia had until he swept right in and fucked him right out of her system.Fuck.What if someone did that, ‘Jyackson’ or the other dumbass in her house at such an hour?Olivia had a knack for seducing men without meaning to; she was just that breathtaking and invigorating to be around.Why did he think he would always be at the centre of her world?Matteo sighed again before lifting his gaze to the screen. She was rubbing Daniel’s shoulder now
"Italy?"I repeat the word, confused by his abrupt suggestion, but as if the word had traces of magic, the children's eyes light up."Let’s go! Mum!"Luca screams."Yes! Let's go! I'm half Italian."Marigold blurts proudly."Mee too! I’m half italain too!"Luca adds with a sweetened voice.“It’s Italian Luca, not ‘Italain’!”Marigold corrects and he pouts.“I know!”He doesn’t seem too happy by her correction; actually, of late, he seems quite independent from Marigold. Did they fight?“No, you didn’t know!”She yells, causing him to deepen his frown."Anyway, we should go, Mum. Even Daddy said you can have an Italian inside you, too! So, we should all go!"Daniel spurts his coffee all over the dining table at Marigold’s words while Elizabeth's spoon clatters loudly on the table.My cheeks feel hot, and the back of my neck prickles.“Daddy said that?”I ask as I turn sharply to Matteo, who hides his face with the refrigerator door."Hmm...Matteo, can I talk to you aside for a moment?"
"Your nose looks great."I hate that my first words to Victoria feel like a mean girl movie taunt. I am not proud of what I did to her, but she has a way of coiling around your skin.Her expression darkens as her eyes meet mine squarely. My arms around Luca’s sleeping body tighten.Maybe I shouldn't poke a bear with nothing to lose.After a loud sigh, Matteo steps in front of me and a flurry of Italian words leaves Matteo's mouth, each making Victoria pale more and more until finally, tears stream from her eyes, and she also responds in Italian.Maybe I should learn Italian.It's uncomfortable watching them speak because both seem to be trying to convey their feelings to the other. While Matteo started off irritated, the moment Victoria started crying, his tone softened.It's like watching an exchange between exes; I almost feel like I'm intruding.Should we go, maybe wait somewhere else for them to finish?A black SUV approaches from the distance.The two cars look alike, but one of
Matteo scoffs at my question about inviting Victoria before his frown deepens when he realises I am seriously asking him the question.“No. I didn’t.”“What did you say to make her cry?”Matteo’s expression sours."Do you care about her?""What?""I'm asking why you are so curious, amore.""Because..."I bite my lip to keep the words ‘because you looked like lovers’ at bay."If you say you felt jealous, even a little, I will tell you."Matteo says as he faces me fully as if he were offering the deal of a lifetime."So, you want me to lie?"I ask, and he shrugs."I guess then it doesn't matter what we talked about."He is...so petty!Wait…why is he leaning in closer to me?"Stop."I say, pressing my hand to Matteo's wet chest."We still have a while before going to the cable cars, so if you give me something I want, then maybe-""We are not having sex.""Why?""Why do you think? Because we are not in that kind of relationship.”His eyes roll at my explanation as if he doesn’t care for
"Look at that, Mari!”Elizabeth says as she points to the snowy mountains; Luca cranes his neck to see what is being shown.Anyone can tell that she is trying to distract the twins from the tension in the space. I'm thankful for her efforts, but my attention is on Matteo.The entire tour is breathtaking, and it's not snowing too heavily, so our ascension and movement through the mountains is smooth.Perhaps because my mind had been racing for a while, we reached the end of the ride relatively fast.Luckily, the station was different from where we had boarded; even so, because the older woman must have known where we alighted, I found myself praying that we would not meet again—luckily, we didn’t.After a quiet and awkward dinner at a rustic and private restaurant, which was characterised by much silence from Matteo, I finally decided to grab the bull by the horns and ask Elizabeth to take the kids back to the resort for a jacuzzi session that they were discussing vividly while I spoke
"I wanted to kill you."Matteo says while looking right at me.When I pull away from his embrace, his gaze drops to my neck as if he wants to strangle me, too."I wanted so badly to, and I thought about it every single day while you were away, yet none of my fantasies ended with me killing you. Even in my dreams, I would fuck you till you lost every ounce of strength in your body, so I thought, wouldn’t it be fun if I did both, yet…when I saw you, everything came back to me. That I still...loved you. I still…fucking love you."Matteo’s gloved hand reaches for my neck as if mesmerised. I don't stop him as he tries to squeeze my flesh, even as I feel my windpipe constrict, but before any dizziness can claim me, he stops."My heart gets loud when I look at you; it hurts so much when I try to hurt you; even the scar on your shoulder gives me nightmares. I can't even imagine a world without you, but you can. This is all so easy for you."A tear rolls from my eyes at his words. I have been