All Chapters of The Games of the Heart: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The following morning, I head to the airport before Stefano wakes up. I can’t bear to see him before I leave, feeling it’s for the best after the way things went down last night. As I sit in the business lounge, a sudden anger begins to simmer under my bones. Stefano might act like he sent me away because I refused to share, but I feel it’s more than that. His overprotective behavior, always keeping me at arm’s length, screams louder than his words. It’s as if he believes I can’t take care of myself, as if he needs to control every aspect of my life.The anger grows, feeding on the frustration and pain of last night. How dare he decide what’s best for me? How dare he push me away under the guise of protection? I clench my fists, the tension coursing through my body like a live wire. Sometimes, I wish I could just smash that handsome face of his and then put it back together so I can admire it. Fuck!I stand from my seat, feeling the need to move, to do something to cool down before I e

STEFANOIt’s late at night when I get an urgent call from my brother, summoning me to one of our clubs in Sicily. I’ve only been back on the island for a few days, my focus consumed by the hunt for Petrova. Her sudden flight when I tried to confront her confirmed my worst suspicions - the Kazan gang is behind the recent string of attacks on our operations. The realization sends a chill down my spine. I fucking wiped them out. They weren’t supposed to exist anymore. But the intel I’ve gathered over the past week paints an unsettling picture: Petrova has rebuilt the gang from the ashes, stronger and more ruthless than ever. I climb out of bed to get dressed, my movements sharp with barely contained fury. As I yank on my clothes, I pull out my phone to bark orders at Samuel to get the car ready. The mere mention of his name sends a fresh wave of anger crashing over me as I remember how Andrea’s so-called friend Ivan helped her give Samuel the slip.That rat bastard. I already despised th

I rest my hand on my chin, staring blankly at the resume of the tenth applicant for the position of my secretary. Exhaustion weighs heavily on me, each interview blending into the next in a monotonous blur. I had no idea the process would be this draining. Every candidate who’s walked through that door so far has fallen short of what I need or simply doesn’t fit.Santiago was with me earlier, but he left, leaving me to face the last interview of the day alone. The thought of asking one more person why they deserve this job makes me want to crawl under my desk and hide.My phone pings with a message just as the next candidate walks in. I gesture for them to take a seat while I quickly reply to Santiago, but I pause as a familiar voice calls my name.I lift my head, brows furrowed in confusion. “Emily? What are you doing here?” The words tumble out before I can stop them, shock coloring my tone.She lifts her CV, waving it at me with a nervous smile, and realization dawns. She’s actually

“Andrea!” Aurora exclaims, her face lighting up with surprise and joy as she sees me stepping into her house. The warm Sicilian sun streams through the windows, casting a golden glow. Stefano and I had just arrived minutes ago. “What are you doing here?” Aurora asks, rushing over to embrace me.“I came for your birthday, but your brother dragged me here too,” I say with a wry smile, pulling her into a tight hug. “You did what?” Aurora turns to face Stefano, her brow furrowed in confusion. But he just walks past us, ignoring the both of us completely, his jaw clenched. I take a deep breath and tell her everything that has happened since we first traveled to Rome. I explained how I wanted to surprise her with my visit, which is why I didn’t tell her I was in Rome weeks ago.“He dragged you to Sicily because of that? And you went to Rome?” Aurora’s eyes widen in shock, worry lines etching her beautiful face.“Yes, I still can’t believe he’s that jealous of my friendship with Ivan. And

I was wrong. So terribly, painfully wrong.After Stefano took care of me that night, I dared to hope. I thought maybe, just maybe, we had finally bridged the gap between us. That his tenderness, his concern, had opened a door we could both walk through.But I was a fool to think anything would change.If anything, things have become worse. I haven’t seen or spoken to Stefano since that night. It’s like he’s vanished into thin air, leaving nothing but silence and unanswered questions in his wake. Did taking care of me disgust him or what? Was showing a moment of vulnerability so terrible that he had to run and hide?I’m so pissed off at him for his childish behavior; my anger is a living thing that burns in my chest. But I can’t even confront him about it because he’s avoiding me like the plague. It’s maddening, infuriating, and it makes me want to scream.I can’t believe I left home for this. The excuse I used - traveling early for Aurora’s birthday - feels hollow now, a lie I told mys