Romans de JaneFrances Ozioma

Seven years ago, Matteo Rossi and Giulia Romano fell in love in Rome. He was 19, heir to the Bianchi empire. She was a nursing student with nothing. When Matteo’s father found out, he threatened Giulia’s family and forced Matteo to disappear. Matteo left to protect her, changed his name to Marco Bianchi, and spent seven years building a secret €400,000,000 empire under the name Matteo Rossi — all so he’d have something to come back to. Now, Matteo is 26 and CEO of Bianchi Group, engaged to Valentina De Luca in a merger deal. Giulia is 25, a nurse, drowning in debt because her mother is sick. Fate throws them together when Giulia’s mother is admitted to the same hospital where Matteo is sealing a merger. An 11-day contract marriage is proposed to keep both their families off their backs. But the contract cracks. Matteo’s father intercepted Matteo’s letters years ago. Valentina starts sending threats, photos, and legal claims. Matteo walks out of the merger, abandons the Bianchi name, and takes Giulia to his grandfather’s house in Florence a place not tied to Bianchi. Valentina doesn’t stop. She sues, lies to the press, and shows up at the house. In Milan, Matteo exposes Bianchi Group’s corruption in a public press conference and makes Valentina a final offer: 10% of Rossi Holdings in exchange for peace and for leaving Giulia alone. When Valentina slaps Giulia, Matteo chooses Giulia in front of everyone. Two weeks later, the lawsuit is dropped. Giulia’s mother recovers. Matteo proposes in the kitchen with a simple gold ring. No more countdowns. No more contracts. They stay in the house without a name and give it one: Rossi. He chose love over a billion-dollar name. She chose him for love