All Chapters of The Games of the Heart: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

STEFANOThe following day, I leave my hotel room, my mind preoccupied with the unexpected business I need to attend to in Mexico. The trip wasn’t planned, but it provides a good opportunity to check on my family’s ventures here, ensuring everything is running smoothly. As I approach the front desk to check out, the receptionist stops me, informing me that a package arrived for me this morning. Confusion furrows my brow, as I’m not expecting anything, and few people were aware of my presence here. A flicker of hope ignites within me, wondering if perhaps it’s a surprise from Andrea and what it could be.I can vividly recall the way her cheeks turned pink last night as I spoke about my ideal woman in front of her mom and grandmother. The memory brings a smile to my face, and I couldn’t wait to see her again once I finished up my business today.Eagerly, I take the square box from the receptionist, my fingers trembling slightly as I tear open the packaging. But the moment I lay eyes on it

I stir awake, stretching my hands out, but they come in contact with nothing. I peel my eyes open, and my gaze falls on the vacant space where Stefano should be. The sunlight filtering through the curtains casts a warm glow over the room, highlighting the emptiness beside me. A pang of anxiety grips my chest. Where is he?Throwing off the covers, I climb out of bed and call his name, but only the echo of my voice responds. I step out of the bedroom and head downstairs, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee guiding me to the kitchen.Stefano!” My voice trembles as I step into the room. Relief floods through me when I see him, his back turned, pouring a cup of coffee. He spins around, and the flush from last night’s fever has faded from his cheeks. He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me, or rather my neck, and I wonder why until I see what he’s staring at in my reflection on the fridge. Hickey covers the skin on my neck and shoulder, and no part in between is left untouched. My cheeks

ANDREAThe car pulls up to the house - not just any house, but a gang hideout. Samuel dashes inside before I can even question what we're doing here. Hesitantly, I step out of the car, my heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and dread. As I slowly make my way inside, my eyes widen in shock at the sight before me. Injured men lie scattered throughout the room, their faces contorted in pain. With a sinking feeling, I realize these must be Stefano's men. Though I don't know the details, something terrible must have happened to them and, worse, to him.My lips part, ready to ask someone about Stefano's whereabouts, when Samuel's voice interrupts my thoughts. "Right this way, ma'am," he says, pointing to a door at the end of the small hallway. I rush over, my heart racing with fear and worry, silently praying that nothing serious has happened to Stefano. Without bothering to knock, I barge into the room, my breath catching in my throat."Who the fu..." Stefano's curse dies on his lip

We arrive in Rome under the cover of night, but sleep eludes me. My mind is a whirlwind, replaying the almost-kiss with Stefano over and over. I can still feel the ghost of his breath on my skin, his lips a whisper away from mine. The memory sends electricity coursing through my veins, leaving me restless and aching for more.What if Samuel hadn’t interrupted? Would Stefano have finally given in to the magnetic pull between us? The possibility both thrills and terrifies me. I long for him to claim my lips with a passion that would leave me weak-kneed and breathless. Yet, a part of me fears the aftermath. Stefano’s pattern of hot and cold behavior haunts me - the way he pulls away after our heated moments, his eyes turning to ice, his words laced with indifference that cuts deeper than any knife.I toss and turn all night, my sheets tangling around me like a cocoon of uncertainty. Questions swirl in my mind like a tempest - would he push me away again, even after a kiss? Could my heart

STEFANOI drop Andrea off at the mall, my heart heavy with concern as I think about her. My eyes flick to my new bodyguard, Victor for today, a poor substitute for Samuel, who's with Andrea. Though Samuel is the only one I trust with my life, I'm more at peace knowing he's by her side right now. But it's not just her safety that's gnawing at me.Andrea's reaction when I mentioned Rome is etched in my mind; her sudden panic and distress inexplicable yet undeniable. It's just a city name, for God's sake, but it clearly triggered something deep and painful within her. There's a part of Andrea's past I don't know about, a darkness she's keeping hidden. As much as I want to demand answers, to shake the truth out of her, I know better. I've chosen the hard way - waiting for her to open up, even as it kills me inside.And then there's that phone call with her father. The thought of tears streaming down her face haunts me. I make a mental note to call Aurora later, hoping she can shed some li