MenaI settled on the comfy couch in the patio, Alessio right beside me, as we enjoyed the beautiful evening air.Alessio had mentioned in the morning he needed to talk to me about something important, and it had been on my mind all day. My mind raced with possibilities, the most terrifying among them being that he might consider ending this with me.With the whole revenge plan, him suddenly having to take over the business—and us barely spending time together, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched.‘I could get pussy anywhere, like I always have, so why Mena’s?’I fumbled my hands between my legs as I looked at him. He must’ve caught the worried look on my face because he laughed.“What?” I couldn’t take it any longer. If he was going to do it, I would rather he do it right now."Just take a deep breath, it’s nothing serious," he said, his voice sounding light.Hearing that, I felt a tiny bit better. I inhaled deeply, managing to calm myself down. “Yes?” I then exhaled."So, what do you wan
MenaI had been running around, trying to make sure everything was perfect for Domenico and Giulia’s arrival. The mansion was decorated with Giulia’s favorite flowers, pink roses, there was a buffet, and the entire family had gathered.We all stood on the porch, waiting for their car to pull up. Apparently, it was some kind of family tradition to welcome someone back in this grand manner. Alessio did say it was only because the people loved free food, because soon after, they would all scatter back to their daily routines.Alessio stood beside me, his arm wrapped around my waist. He had already looked down at his watch several times, his impatience growing."If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you hate your parents," I commented."I hate waiting," he muttered back. "I still need to take care of a few more things today."I couldn’t blame him for being this stressed. He would leave tomorrow in the early morning, and not just him but many others who had forcefully been gathered here.“I
Mena"How about I let you know if I have any more jobs lined up for you," I heard him say into the phone, his voice extremely casual as if he was talking to a friend.Curious, I stepped out of bed and headed to the closet, leaning against the door, watching him multitask between packing and handling a phone call. When he noticed my presence, he looked at me with a nervous, faint smile.That look made me wonder who was on the other end, and why he was eyeing me as if I was supposed to snatch the phone from his grip."She’s here, watching me like a hawk," he continued, making me feel a bit like an intruder. "Who is that?" I whispered, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.Alessio ignored my question. "She isn’t really into that kind of stuff, but I’ll let her know," he spoke back."Let me know what?"Still no answer."Just like you, I also have a flight in the early morning, so I’ll let you rest," he ended the call, greeting with a simple ‘bye’ before hanging up the phone.Who was
Mena“I think,” Alessio said, roaming his hand over my body, “that you and I both know it’d be very stupid of me to let go of you.”It was way too flattering, a compliment I couldn’t take or agree with because I was sure he had better options. Someone more influential, without a crazy ex. To avoid having to respond, I planted my lips on his, pulling him in for a kiss.I sighed into his mouth as he traced circles on my back. Not breaking the kiss, he pushed me down onto the floor, with my head onto the suitcase behind us. “We’re just doing it here? You aren’t going to carry me to bed?” I giggled, wrapping my legs around his waist to pull him closer.Alessio shrugged, then kissed me again, this time rougher. He explored every curve of my body with his hands, and I moaned slowly as his fingers found their way under the hem of my dress, touching my inner thighs.“This dress looks good on you,” he grazed his fingers over the fabric of my panties. “Too good,” he muttered, hooking them into
MenaI poked at my salad and cleared my throat, still exhausted from last night. Originally, I thought I had lost my voice due to the lack of sleep, but when I woke up with strained muscles, I concluded that it might’ve been because of Alessio.We wouldn’t see each other for two weeks, and he had unloaded all his energy for the missing time. Literally.Pilar yawned, catching my gaze. Both of us were in our bathrobes, both exhausted and lost in our own thoughts.“Now that Giulia is back, we can go out again sometime,” I suggested.With Giulia’s return, I had some time to breathe. She had offered to take over the role of head of the house for the time being and took care of the kids. She had promised to take them to school, their activities, outings with her circle of posh friends—and I wasn’t complaining."Yeah, sounds good," Pilar agreed, though the enthusiasm wasn’t really there in the room with us.We shared a look and yawned at the same time, then burst into laughter. “Yes, we’re b
MenaIt was late at night, and I had not forgotten about Liza's letter. It had been on my mind the whole day, and eager to read it, I finally went into my purse to grab the envelope. Ripping it open, I revealed the perfectly folded letter.After unfolding it, my eyes immediately wandered to the handwritten words.~Hey Mena,I'm really sorry for giving you the cold shoulder lately. I wish things could have gone down differently. You know me, I am not usually like that.I do believe I have a valid reason. The night of the engagement party, after you left with Alessio, I ended up at a gas station and heard a voice I recognized talking on the phone. I overheard a conversation from someone who is really close to Alessio.So close that I feel a bit of guilt for saying this, but you should know that this person is not who he says he is. He is working as an undercover at the Fanuccis.~I turned around the letter and placed it on my lap for a break. My heart pounded against my chest at the t
MenaAs I stood there, watching Gian and Pilar glued beside each other, reading through Liza’s letter, a knot formed in my stomach. With every line they read, I watched their faces, especially Gian’s, turn into a look of disbelief.It was silent for a good five minutes before Gian looked up. I wondered how many times he had read the letter in the hopes that the name would change. Same as I did."Did you get this from that maid? Where can I find her?" he demanded, remembering that day in the office.“No, it wasn’t meant for anyone else’s eyes, especially not yours,” I snapped back, aggravated. Liza didn’t want to get involved, and I wouldn’t drag her into this any further.Gian’s mouth twitched. “You can’t just come here and tell me Levi is a fed and expect me not to do anything about it,” he argued, not backing down.You know what? He was right.It still didn’t mean I was going to throw Liza under the bus.“No, we will do something about it,” I spoke, desperate to calm him down. “I ju
MenaIn the early morning, we were already heading for Towson. Pilar drove, Gian in the passenger seat, while I sat in the back, wrapped in a blanket. We had all packed a bag, just in case, but the idea was to return the same day.Luckily, Giulia agreed to watch Naty for me and had planned a spa day with the other mothers and children.Alessio and I hadn’t spoken yet, but according to Gian, he was completely fine with us going out, as long as it would be a short trip. I bet if he knew what it was really for, there wouldn’t have been a trip because he would have confronted Levi on the spot. I hadn’t closed a single eye because I couldn’t stop thinking about that letter. My worries, which were originally about Anson losing his life at the hands of Alessio, had changed into concerns about Levi betraying the family.None of us knew what we were going to find in Towson, but as of now, going there was our best option.Every now and then, I caught myself glancing at Gian through the rearview
IsaacIt was only afternoon when Isaac carried a large bucket of grapes back into the mansion. As he walked, he was surrounded by the giggles of the children running around him.Among them were two of the many children of Amaro Ortega, a ten-year-old and an eight-year-old girl. They reminded him so much of his own daughter.The older one, Milena, looked up at him with wide curious eyes. “Can I help you carry the grapes, Mr. Isaac?” she asked.Isaac glanced down at her with a kind smile. "Maybe next time, kid. You know your brother doesn’t like you working."“So what? He doesn’t like us talking to you either, but I still do it,” Milena retorted. Isaac chuckled softly as the kids ran off.He had been brought to the house of Amaro Ortega, Julian’s brother. Amaro was a lawyer, a good and quiet man who didn’t say much. When Isaac first arrived, he had prepared himself for the worst, expecting some form of punishment or at least harsh treatment for all the damage he had caused the Fanuccis.
MenaI smiled down at the baby in my arms, his tiny fingers curled around mine as I admired how perfect he was. His full head, his dark eyes, the little sounds he made.Naty sat on Alessio’s lap, her eyes warm and curious as she gazed at her new baby brother.“What do you think?” Alessio asked her. “Do you like him?”Naty giggled in response. “He’s really cute, and I already love him so much!”Alessio and I shared a smile. Over the past months, we had both worried about how Naty would adapt, but for now, she seemed to be doing just fine. The delivery had been smooth, just as smooth as the pregnancy. Alessio stayed by my side the entire time, and I hoped raising him would be just as easy.I was still at the hospital, and after some visits, it was finally just us—a moment of peace.Naty reached out and gently grabbed the baby's hand, giving it a little shake. "Hi, baby—it’s your big sister," she spoke softly, a pout on her lips.The baby cooed, and we all laughed softly. "Does he have a
Mena "Look, Mommy, it's pink!" Watching her excitement filled my heart with warmth. "Is it for me? Can I open it?" Naty asked eagerly. "Is this the thing that's better than the candy ring?" Flustered, I looked at Alessio as he took the box from her. "I will open it for you, and while I do that—there’s something I want to ask you," Alessio spoke tenderly. He took Naty's hand across the table, and she smiled at him. I relaxed in my chair, wondering what he was about to ask her. “I’m not good at speaking,” Alessio began, “But I want you to know that what I’m going to tell you comes from the bottom of my heart,” his voice was sincere. Naty nodded, giving him her full attention as her eyes turned wide. For a moment, the air filled with silence as Alessio paused, thinking about his words. "Naty,” Alessio said, nervously. “Having you and your mommy in my life is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I love everything about you, I will always be there for you—and I will do
MenaI wrapped a scarf gently around Naty’s neck, making sure she was warm for the evening. She looked adorable in the dress I had chosen for her, for the dinner Alessio had planned.He hadn’t told me much, only that a driver would take us to the location. Whatever he told me, I just went with it—because I was too tired to investigate. I had already done that a lot lately.Naty showed me a wide grin.“What is it?” I asked, curious about the reason behind it."Nothing, I’m just really happy," her eyes sparkled.I immediately pulled her into my arms, caressing her hair with my fingers. She was really happy, that’s all I wanted to hear. After everything we had gone through, this was what she deserved. A joyful and carefree life.“Come on, let’s go,” I took her hand in mine.As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed Liza in the foyer. Our eyes met and a smile spread across both our faces. It was the first time I had caught her alone since she handed me that letter. The letter that
AlessioI stepped into the room, letting the door slam shut behind me. Isaac, who sat on the bed, his back turned against me, turned instantly and our eyes met. His were full of regret, but mine were empty.He looked different, better indeed.His face was still bruised, his neck where the scissors had been, bandaged—but overall he looked good.I stuffed my hands into my pockets and leaned back against the door, watching him in silence. Would he be the one to speak up, act like we were just two old friends catching up—or perhaps offer an apology—or was he really smart enough this time to know he had to keep his mouth shut?Minutes stretched out, and neither of us broke the silence until he finally spoke."I know you still have a lot of questions," Isaac began. “And if you want to know more, I can explain—“I grunted. “There’s nothing more for you to explain, and I don’t have anything else to say to you,” I spoke coldly. "I’m here to give you instructions, and that’s it."Isaac nodded,
AlessioI sat in the chair in Julian’s office, waiting for the man to arrive. He had called me yesterday, told me Isaac was fully recovered, and now it was time to figure out what came next.Quite some time had passed, and I began getting impatient when the man decided to walk in at his own time, with two glasses in his hand. “Ah, if it isn’t my favorite fed lover,” he greeted me, handing me the drink before making his way over to his chair.A grin spread across his face, as if he was proud of his own joke. I scoffed, eyeing the drink in my hand.“The drink isn’t poisoned if that’s what you’re thinking,” Julian spoke.I released a chuckle, setting the glass down without taking a sip. “It’s not that,” I said. “I trusted you when I asked for your help, and I trusted you when I left Mena in your care—but now, I just want to discuss what needs to happen to Isaac.”“And that’s why you won’t drink?” “I don’t have time to drink,” I stated, my tone urgent.Julian’s expression changed, and
MenaI stared at my reflection in the mirror of the boutique, the dress hugging my flat belly. “Can you believe there’s a baby in there?” I caught Pilar’s gaze through the mirrors.It had been a few weeks since everything settled down. Life had returned to normal, or as normal as it could be for us. Domenico and Giulia had returned to Italy, and Alessio was back to his long hours leading the Fanuccis.“I’m sure it’ll grow,” Pilar smiled. “But have you already thought about what we’re going to do if you go into labor while I’m away on a gig?”I pouted, as did she. Pilar would soon be heading back home to continue her career, and I understood she had her own life to lead. As much as I wanted her to, she couldn’t stay here forever. The thought of not having her around had already started to make me feel lonely. She wasn’t just a friend, over time she had become like a sister.She was the one who always had the best advice, the one who made me laugh and forget the stress around me. Who wo
Alessio"Being a good leader means doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard. You’re doing that. And that’s why you’ll be a great head of this family."I tried to focus and pay attention to Dad’s words, but it was difficult since I didn’t deserve them. After we’d arrived back at the mansion, I found myself in the study with Dad and my brothers to discuss today’s events.As far as he was concerned, Isaac had died. That’s what his little spy, Gian, had told him—and that’s what I would make him believe for the rest of his life.That didn’t mean I didn’t feel bad. I felt like shit. Lying to my family on such a scale was something I had never done before. I had always tried to prove myself and do whatever was necessary to keep this family together—but this time I failed.It was as simple as that. Letting Isaac live? I had no real explanation for why I did what I did. The only thing I knew was that Mena told me to listen to my heart, and it answered for me."I knew there was no r
MenaJulian walked over to his little bar and showed off his three special bottles. "What do you want to drink? Tell me.”I examined each bottle, picking it up to inspect it closer before letting out a deep sigh. I knew I couldn’t touch it, but looking would be alright. “I think I should probably take the one without alcohol.”He looked surprised. "You don’t drink?" Julian questioned."I do...just not now," I replied, setting the bottle back down gently.As Julian looked down at my stomach, I wondered if he knew what I meant. “Hmm,” he hummed, not going into it any further. He grabbed another bottle, waving it in the air.“I think this one is for you,” he poured me a drink. Then he led me to a sofa."You remind me of my niece," Julian started talking as soon as we sat down. He swirled the drink in his hand. "I haven’t seen her in a while, but she’s just like you."“What am I like then?"Julian smiled, "You’re soft, determined, and have these curious eyes—like you want to know everythi