ALESSANDRA My eyes widened in surprise at her words, and I turned to my husband for an explanation. “Marcella? As in your sister's name?” I asked.Leonardo's lips lifted at the corner, but the smile didn't reach his emerald eyes. He explained, “When my younger sister died due to my father's negligence, he immediately adopted a little girl after a week and named her after my sister. Marcella is part of the family.” My aversion towards Marcella instantly deepened as I watched her eyes crease with happiness at Leonardo's words. She said, “Oh, thank you so much, Leo. You don't know how long I have waited for you to say that about me.”“I see,” I replied, my gaze drifting down to her outstretched hand as I processed the information. Davide De Castello had clearly treated this woman well, judging by the way she interacted with everyone, and Leonardo seemed to have a soft spot for her. When Marcella saw that I wasn't going to shake her hand, she sent a distressed look to Leonardo, who ign
ALESSANDRA I spent the entire day locked up in our new bedroom with Leonardo. When I woke up again, my eye fluttered open to see Leonardo sleeping beside me. Here I was, lying on my front with his arms draped over me protectively. With his handsome face in view, I couldn't help but admire him quietly. I traced his features with my fingertips, from his relaxed eyebrows to his Roman nose and full lips, down to his sharp jawline. He seemed so surreal in this moment, especially since I had specifically told him not to come back for me eight years ago.It all started when my father ordered my mother to bring me to social events. During dinner, he glanced at me and said I was growing into a woman, so it was time to start looking for a husband. Distressed, I called Leonardo and begged him to save me. I was talking about eloping with him but the truth was that I had a different plan in mind. I gave my virginity to Leonardo at the age of 16, hoping that it would force my father to marry him
ALESSANDRA It was hard to wrap my head around the news I had just received but there was one thing I was sure about, it was the fact that I wanted nothing to do with this operation. This whole situation was much bigger than I had anticipated, and it was the kind that would surely get me killed. I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts, and then said, “I'm really sorry, Bianca, but I can't do this. Do you have any idea what would happen to me if I get caught? Ivan and his men already attacked me a few days ago.”Bianca set her teacup down on the table as she faced me. “No, that wasn't Ivan,” she said. “It was your father who hired those men to attack Leonardo's apartment. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now, would we?”“Are you telling me that my father sent those men to attack the apartment?” My body trembled with anger as I saw her nod calmly. Clenching my fists tightly, my voice rose, “Mia lives with us. What the hell is wrong with you people?”Bianca
ALESSANDRA Bianca and I returned to the De Castello mansion in the evening, carrying some shopping bags filled with brand clothes and shoes. Although we had known each other for a long time, this was the first time we had entered a brand store together. Our shopping tastes were quite different. I preferred simple clothing with light colors and flat, while Bianca liked sophisticated dresses with high heels that made her look like a lady even though she knew how to kick ass. She also wasn't fazed by exorbitant prices, but I nearly had a heart attack swiping Leonardo's card at the checkout. Giovanni had beaten me many times for it. In public, he would always pressure me into buying the most expensive things but he would beat the shit out of me when we were alone. Claimed that the only thing I was good at was spending his hard-earned money. As we stepped into the foyer, Bianca suddenly halted. "This is where we part, dear," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I hope Leonardo
ALESSANDRA A few minutes later, Rocco finally closed the door with an unconscious Marcella in his arms. His eyes were filled with anger when he glared at me but I ignored them all. When the door closed shut, I turned to the only man I truly feared and questioned him, “Where the hell is my sister-““What am I going to do with you, Lexi?” Leonardo murmured, his hands suddenly grabbed my neck, the pressure digging into my flesh. His voice was devoid of any mention as he continued, “I can't have you pulling this stunt at will, baby. With the way you are behaving, you will surely get us killed.”A burning sensation spread through my chest as I struggled for air. Considering the tightness of his grip, a part of me worried Leonardo was truly trying to kill me but we both knew that wasn't going to happen. I wheezed a few times and stopped struggling as I replied, my voice heavy with boldness and defiance, “I was serious when I asked you not to bring your mistresses to the house. Why is it so
ALESSANDRA My mind was stuck in a state of shock after I heard Rocco's confession. It felt like my entire world has just shattered around me, leaving me standing alone in a dark place. Nothing could have prepared me for what I had just heard, and the fact that I was hearing it from this person made it even worst. My mouth went dry, as I shook my head in denial. “You are lying,” I accused. Leonardo was only 19 then. How could his father be so ruthless to do such a thing to his own son?As the tense silence continued, a voice spoke from the end of the hallway, “He's telling the truth, Alessandra.”I turned to see Dante and Mia standing a few feet away. My strength immediately drained, causing my heels to bend awkwardly. With shallow breaths, I asked, “H-How did this happen? I told him not to go back to New York City.”Dante opened his mouth to speak when he suddenly realized that we were not alone. He turned to Rocco and said, “You can take Mia back to her room. I will speak to her.”
LEONARDO After arguing with Alessandra, I stayed in the office, staring at my black gloves. I eventually took them off, revealing my strong, long fingers, except for my pinky. The missing limb had been replaced by a prosthetic, but it was still different from the others. For some reason, I can't stop thinking about my fight with Alessandra. Her accusing glares and her hurtful words are imprinted on my mind, causing to sink deeper and deeper in the dark chasm of my mind.This was my biggest secret, now exposed to my wife. I heard them talking behind the door, but for some reason, I didn't stop them. A part of me felt ashamed, but it was necessary for her to know the truth.I didn't want to keep lying to her. If she didn't despise my work, I would have taken her with me on every damn operation.The feeling of self-loathing threatened to consume my very soul, yet I had no intention of leaving her. Alessandra was the reason I didn't feel pain all those years in my father's house and in p
ALESSANDRA I searched the entire mansion for my husband, but he was nowhere to be found. Guilt consumed me when I thought about how I had treated him, like a heartless monster, incapable of feeling any human emotion because of the lives he took. But he was no different from me, a victim of the world he was born into.After a while, I gave up and decided to go to Mia instead. She was the one I always confided in with all my problems, mainly because she was such a great listener.When I reached her room, I noticed guards stationed outside, which immediately set off alarm bells in my head. They greeted me and allowed me to pass through, but I noticed the door was locked. I turned to them with a stern expression and asked, “Why is the door locked?”They share a look with each other before one of them responded, “It's being locked from within. Dante instructed us to come fetch you to join her and guard the door until he returned.”“Why? Is there something wrong?” My eyes darted between u
ALESSANDRA That evening, I decided to pay Mia a visit. When I entered her room, I found her lying on the bed, her entire figure hidden beneath the sheets. Concern etched across my face, I dropped my bag to the floor and moved my tired body toward her. “What's wrong, Mia? Are you feeling unwell?”“D-Dante...” Mia sobbed, clutching the sheets tightly as I tried to pull them away from her.I stilled, my heart racing with anxiety and worry. “What happened to Dante? Is he dead?”“No,” she shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “He's getting married!”“What?”“Mamma just called me, and she said Valentina and Dante are getting married!” she informed me. I sank into the bed, trying to wrap my head around the idea that my former best friend was getting married to my brother-in-law. With both their personalities, I was sure they would never be compatible with each other but that was not my business anymore. “Well, maybe this is what is best for everyone,” I remarked. I knew Mia was n
ALESSANDRA After that night, Leonardo never returned to the house. He stopped calling and texting me, and I lacked the courage to reach out to him. He had every right to be angry, but I wished he would give me a chance to explain.A few days later, I started working at the restaurant Le Jardin Des Saveurs as a gourmet chef. My employer, Mrs. Dubois, was very pleased with my dishes and always took good care of me. According to her, it was Leonardo who helped her start a new life after being abandoned by her husband and children.“I had stage 3 cancer once,” she confided. “My husband, who was Capo working for Davide, didn’t want the world to know the truth, so he locked me up in a hospital for treatment. When I finally recovered, I returned home to find he had taken a new wife, a new mother for my children.”My heart ached as I saw tears well up in her eyes. I grabbed a couple of tissues from the desk and handed them to her. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Dubois,” I said softly.She dismissed my
ALESSANDRAThe room was deathly silent between us, broken only by the sounds of our harsh breaths echoing in the air. My legs gave way, and I sank onto the bed, my voice trembling as I asked, “How long have you known the truth about Marcella's death?”“Since I turned fifteen,” he replied darkly. “I overheard my father scolding Bianca for sneaking out to a party. He reminded her about her ‘mistake’.” Leonardo scoffed bitterly.Seeing the pain in his eyes, my heart ached, and I reached for him. “I'm so sorry about your sister, Leo-”“How did you know what happened to Marcella?” he cut me off, his eyes narrowing. “Who told you?”I gulped nervously, scrambling for a lie. I couldn't risk revealing my connection with Bianca, which would jeopardize everything I'd worked for. My lips moved faster than my brain, blurting out, “I heard it when I was married to Giovanni. He mentioned it during an argument with his sister, calling her a heartless monster or something like that.”“I see.” Leonardo
ALESSANDRA It was late when we finally returned to the mansion. Apparently, all the chaos at the yatch had turned Leonardo into a sex monster, someone with a relentless and insatiable hunger. He barely let me catch my breath throughout the car ride, ravishing my body until I was nothing but a sweaty mess. My legs felt shaky when I tried to come down from the car, causing me to shoot him a dirty look for the way he had left me completely undone. My husband's lazy smirk remained unaffected as he offered his hand to help steady myself. I caught my breath, smoothing my dress and fixing my hair, when I heard a low chuckle rumble from his chest.“What's so funny?” I snapped, trying to maintain my pissed appearance, but it was helplessly falling like a house of cards when I saw him. He looked too damn good, his hair tousled and shirt unbuttoned, exposing his broad chest adorned with tattoos. Right now, I was starting to think that I was the one who was the sex monster, because all I wante
ALESSANDRAAs we entered the cabin, my eyes darted around, instinctively searching for an alternative exit in case the yacht was compromised, but there was none. The place was furnished simply yet elegantly, with a large oak table dominating the center and lights from the ceiling casting a warm glow.Leonardo took his seat first, his eyes following Ivan as he walked to the mini bar to fetch some drinks. Then, with a small tug, he grabbed my hand and pulled me onto his lap. I landed with a faint gasp, the slit of my dress widening to reveal my long legs.“What do you want to drink?” my husband asked, smoothing my dress as he rearranged my legs across his own. His soft caresses sent a jolt of electricity through my body, so I slapped his hand away, giving him a stern look."I'm not thirsty, thank you," I replied, keeping my back straight as an arrow. My nerves were jittery in the heavy silence that filled the room.After a few minutes, Ivan reappeared, carrying a tray with glasses and a
ALESSANDRA In the end, I chose a classic black gown that fell to my knees and wore flats for more mobility. I styled my hair into a tight low ponytail, adorned with hairpins on the side. Leonardo wanted to show off my beauty to his associates, but I had to prioritize my safety since I wasn't sure where we were going."Are you done, babe?" My husband's voice echoed from across the room, making me pause as I put on my earrings."Yes, I am," I replied.Leonardo emerged from the walk-in closet, adjusting his black tie. He looked incredibly handsome and powerful, dressed in an expensive black suit with his hair slicked back.Our eyes met in the mirror, silently examining each other's outfits. My breath hitched slightly when his lips curved into a smile. He said, "You look beautiful, Lexi."Despite hearing this throughout the afternoon when he was worshipping my body, my red-painted lips still curved into a smile. "You don't look too bad yourself, Leo. Now, I can't help but worry if this i
ALESSANDRA The room was thick with tension as Leonardo interrogated me, his eyes searching mine. I was so caught off guard that tears streamed down my cheeks, momentarily clearing my vision as I struggled to find the words. But Leonardo's stern demeanor cracked when he saw my tears, and he immediately closed the distance between us."What's wrong?" he asked, holding me tightly as sobs wracked my body. He shot a helpless look at Dante and Rocco before turning back to me. "Tell me why you're crying, mio amore. Did Bianca bully you?"I shook my head slowly, unable to speak as grief choked my throat. Leonardo couldn't know that I was aware Ilaro was dead, so I simply kept quiet and cried my heart out.Eventually, my sobs subsided, but Leonardo continued to stroke my hair gently. I realized that Dante and Rocco had left, probably to find out why I was crying so much.Once he sensed the tension leaving my body, he gently forced me to face him, but I kept my eyes glued to the floor. I could
ALESSANDRA As I racked my brain about how to find an opportunity to confront Bianca, a sudden knock on the door grabbed my attention. I went to the door and opened it, thinking it was Mia who had come to see me but I was wrong. “You better have a very good reason for calling me here,” Bianca walked past her. “I have to return downstairs before Massimo starts looking for me so you have any new information about the secret Russian trade?” she asked. My blood boiled by her presence, but I forced myself to reply calmly, “I have something even better.” I grabbed a glass of water from the nearby table and threw it at her, drenching her completely.“What the hell, Alessandra?!” Bianca gasped, eyes wide with disbelief and shock. She retreated, her dress soaked. “This dress is very no expensive. Why did you do that?!”“That's what you get for lying to me!” I snapped. Her face switched from genuine confusion to realization and surprise. I planted my hands on my hips and I asked her, “Did y
ALESSANDRA Today was finally my first day of work. Last night, I kept trying on different outfits, each one carefully chosen for the day ahead. Leonardo had assured me that the job interview was just a formality, but I still wanted to impress the restaurant owner and show I was more than capable of handling the position.Although I was very happy to finally leave the house during the day, my spirits were a little dampened because of my fight with Mia. I finally remembered that I didn't tell her about my new job. She would have been so happy to hear I was going to be working if she wasn't so mad with me about Dante. I just hoped Leonardo was able to convince Dante to leave her alone. For both our sakes. The thought of Leonardo also reminded me that I had also gotten into a fight with him. I tried my best to tell him about the secret affair his brother was having with my sister but he seemed too busy with his mistress than listen to me. Deep down, I wondered why I was so possessiv