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
MenaPulling into the neighborhood where Jessica lived, I couldn't ignore how clean everything looked. There were perfect houses with fences, yards, and kids' bikes on green lawns.It was both different and somewhere in between the neighborhood I used to live in and the mansion that I now call my home.“How are we going to do this?” I asked as we slowly drove by, observing the houses. “If we show up at her doorstep like some gang, we might scare her off.”I voiced my thoughts aloud, "Obviously, it would make more sense for a female to go."“I’m not letting you go on your own. I told Alessio I would watch over you,” Gian said. I was surprised but also touched by his concern."You did?""Yes, right before he left.”“That’s really nice of you,” I acknowledged with a pout. “But what other choice do we have?”Both Gian and I turned our gazes towards Pilar, who was munching on her chips. Our options were limited. I could already imagine her going up to Jessica’s door and demanding answers b