Elodieの小説

Nico's Pov Six months after Castellano's offer, we made a public announcement.Not about the marriage specifically. But about the restructured empire. About dual leadership. About Sofia as the joint heir.The media took it and ran with it.Within days, journalists were calling. Asking questions about the "unconventional Voss family." Wanting interviews. Wanting to understand how two brothers could share power equally. How a child could have two legal fathers."We're becoming a spectacle," Eli said after the hundredth call."We're becoming visible," I corrected. "There's a difference.""Is there? Because it feels like our privacy just became public property."He was right. But the alternative was hiding. Pretending to be something we weren't. And we'd spent enough time doing that.I gave an interview to a major publication. Explained the arrangement without sensationalizing it. Talked about Sofia. About the legal precedent we'd set. About why unconventional families deserved recogniti

Celeste's Pov James Castellano approached me at a coffee shop near campus.I was studying. He just sat down across from me like we'd planned it."You're Celeste Voss," he said. Not a question."I am. And you're the man trying to destabilize my family.""I'm trying to understand it. There's a difference.""Is there?""Yes. Understanding requires genuine curiosity. Destabilization requires malice. I'm not malicious. Just observant."I closed my book. Gave him my full attention."What do you want?""To talk. To understand how this works. Three people. One family. Legally married but emotionally complicated. I'm fascinated by the mechanics.""The mechanics are private.""Everything is private until someone decides it's not. I'm offering you a chance to control the narrative before someone else does.""Why would you do that?""Because I'm not Viktor. I don't want to destroy you. I want to understand you. And maybe offer a different perspective.""Which is?""That what you've built is rema

Eli's Pov The first crack appeared when Sofia was eight months old.Not dramatic. Just small. A disagreement about something insignificant that revealed something significant underneath.Celeste wanted to hire a nanny so she could attend classes full-time. Nico wanted her home more. I thought both of them were right and neither of them were listening to each other."She's our daughter," Nico said. "She needs her mother present.""She has two fathers present. She has you. She has Eli. She doesn't need me here constantly.""We're not the same as a mother.""Why not? You're capable of doing everything I do. You're competent. You love her. Why does it have to be me specifically?""Because you carried her. Because she knows your smell. Your voice. Because you're her mother.""And you're her father. But you're working. You're absent. But somehow that's acceptable when you do it.""That's different. That's providing for the family.""So am I. I'm providing for her future. For her mother's m

Nico's Pov Three months with Sofia changed everything and nothing simultaneously.She didn't care that there were two of us. Didn't understand the complexity of the arrangement. Just wanted to be fed. Changed. Held. Comforted.In a way, she was teaching us something important: simplicity beneath complexity. Strip away all the strategy and performance and legal frameworks. What remained was just people taking care of someone who needed them.Eli was natural with her. Comfortable. He'd hold her for hours without checking his watch. Without calculating what else he should be doing.I struggled with that. I wanted to optimize the process. Create schedules. Establish efficiency."You can't optimize a baby," Celeste told me. "She's not a business problem to solve. She's just a person who needs attention.""I know that.""Do you? Because you're treating her like a project with deliverables.""I'm trying to be involved. To do my part.""Then do your part without trying to control it. Hold he

Celeste's Pov Two years after the arrangement broke, I was pregnant.Not planned. Not discussed beforehand. Just something that happened because we stopped using protection and started trusting that whatever came would be manageable.Nico wanted to know whose it was. I told him it didn't matter. He disagreed."Of course it matters. Legally. Practically. For the child.""The child will have two fathers. That's what matters.""You can't tell which one—""I don't know. And I don't care. Both of you contributed to this. Both of you are responsible. Both of you will be involved."Eli was more philosophical about it. "Does it change how you feel about the pregnancy?""No. Does it change how you feel about me?""No.""Then it doesn't matter."We were both right and both wrong. It mattered and didn't matter simultaneously. The child would be biologically one of theirs but practically both of theirs. Just like our marriage was legally one thing and practically another.We were learning to exi

Eli's Pov A year after breaking the arrangement, the empire stabilized.Not intact. Changed fundamentally. But stable. Functional. Operating under our partnership instead of our father's ghost.Viktor's legal challenges went nowhere. The board accepted the dual leadership. Employees adapted. Some left. New ones came. The machinery adjusted.Nico and I developed a rhythm. Not effortless. But workable. We disagreed regularly. Resolved it through the framework we'd built. Respected each other's authority in our designated areas.It wasn't the warm brotherhood I'd imagined. But it was real. And real was better than performance.Celeste existed in the margins of both of us. Married to Nico legally. Close to me practically. Never choosing. Never having to. We developed an understanding that worked for all three of us.One evening, she asked: "Are you happy?"We were in my studio. The place where I existed when being invisible got too heavy. Now it was just the place where I worked. Where I

The morning sun had barely begun to climb when I woke to the sound of the front doorbell. My heart skipped a beat, a strange unease settling over me. Ares stirred beside me, noticing my sudden alertness.“Who is it?” I whispered, still in bed, listening.“I don’t know,” he replied, already moving toward the window. “Stay here.”I watched him walk toward the door, his movements calm but deliberate. I heard his voice, low and steady. “Who’s there?”There was a pause. Then a woman’s voice, unfamiliar but firm. “I’m here to speak with Valeria.”Ares’s jaw tightened. “Do you have an appointment?”“No,” she said, her tone sharp. “But it’s urgent. For her safety.”I felt a chill run down my spine. Urgency was rarely good news. Slowly, I slipped out of bed and followed him toward the door.Ares opened it, standing tall, protective. The woman stepped in, her eyes scanning the house quickly. She looked professional, but there was something calculating in the way she moved.“Valeria Hart?” she a

The morning began like any other. Sunlight spilled across the kitchen counter, painting soft patterns on the floor. I poured myself coffee, enjoying the warmth in my hands. Ares moved quietly around the kitchen, humming softly as he prepared breakfast.“Good morning,” I said softly, smiling at him.“Morning,” he replied, eyes soft. “Sleep well?”“Yes,” I admitted. “For the first time in weeks, I feel rested.”He handed me a plate with scrambled eggs and toast. “I’m glad. You’ve earned this calm.”I chuckled softly. “We’ve earned it. All of us.”He leaned against the counter, watching me. “Yes. And we need to protect it. Together.”I nodded. “Step by step, moment by moment.”“Exactly,” he said, his voice quiet, almost reverent.---After breakfast, we decided to take a walk along the property. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of flowers and soil. Our daughter ran ahead, laughing, chasing butterflies with small, eager hands. Ares and I walked slowly behind her, hands brushing

The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of wet earth and distant flowers. I woke slowly, stretching and feeling the quiet warmth of the house around me. Ares was already moving about, the faint sound of dishes clinking and soft humming reaching me from the kitchen. Somehow, the calm had become a rhythm I didn’t want to leave.I slipped into the kitchen quietly. Ares looked up from pouring juice and smiled. “Good morning,” he said softly, his voice low and steady.“Morning,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “Coffee?”“Always.” He handed me a cup, and I took it, savoring the warmth. “Sleep well?”“For the first time in months, yes,” I admitted. “The house… the quiet… it feels right.”He leaned against the counter, eyes soft. “It should feel right. That’s what I wanted. A place where you can feel… home.”I smiled faintly. “You’ve succeeded.”We drank our coffee slowly, the silence between us comfortable, filled with understanding rather than words.---Later, I went to check on the

The morning light filtered through the curtains again, soft and golden, painting the walls with warmth. I stretched in bed, listening to the quiet hum of the house. There was a rhythm here, a calmness that felt new, yet familiar. I could hear Ares moving around the kitchen, the soft clatter of dishes, the hum of a kettle. It was comforting in a way I hadn’t realized I’d been craving.I got up quietly, padding to the kitchen. Ares looked up as I entered, his expression soft.“Good morning,” he said, voice low and calm.“Morning,” I replied, smiling faintly. “Coffee?”“Always.” He poured a fresh cup for me and slid it across the counter. “Sit. I made breakfast too.”I raised a brow. “You cooked?”“I did,” he said with a small shrug. “Not much, but it’s edible.”I laughed softly, taking the plate he offered. “Edible is perfect.”We sat together at the small table, sipping our coffee and nibbling on eggs and toast. The quiet between us wasn’t empty; it was comfortable, the kind of silence

The first week in the new house passed slowly, almost dreamlike. Every morning, I woke to the sunlight spilling through the windows, painting soft patterns across the floor. It was quiet. Not empty or lonely, but quiet in a way that felt deliberate, like the world had finally slowed down for us. I never imagined peace could feel so… tangible.Ares had adapted quickly, though I could see him still measuring himself, ensuring that nothing he did would push me away. He moved around the house with careful steps, keeping things orderly, thoughtful. Even his smile seemed softer, more genuine, less practiced.One morning, he was already awake when I came into the kitchen. He was humming softly as he arranged fruit on the counter, the sunlight catching the strands of his hair.“Good morning,” I said quietly.“Morning,” he replied without looking up. “Coffee?”“Yes, please.” I stepped closer, inhaling the faint scent of him—warm, clean, familiar.He finally glanced at me, eyes soft. “You’re ad

The next morning, sunlight spilled softly through the curtains, touching the edges of the room with a warm glow. I lay in bed for a moment, listening to the quiet hum of the house. The world outside seemed calm, almost like it had slowed down just for us. I felt a strange mixture of anticipation and comfort. Today wasn’t about chaos, deadlines, or confrontations. Today was about living.I stirred when I felt Ares move beside me. He sat up slowly, stretching his arms over his head before lowering them and glancing at me. “Morning,” he said softly, voice still thick with sleep.“Morning,” I replied, smiling faintly. “You sleep well?”“For the first time in months,” he admitted. “And you?”“I did,” I said honestly. “Though I woke early. Couldn’t resist the light.”He leaned back on his elbows, studying me quietly. “I was thinking we could have breakfast on the balcony. Quiet. Just us.”I nodded. “That sounds perfect.”---The kitchen wasn’t fully finished, but it was functional and warm.

The mansion was quiet.Not the uneasy quiet that had settled after the bloodshed, but a different kind—gentler, deeper. It was the hush of a house learning peace again, of walls no longer echoing with betrayal, rage, or secrets. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Alessio could breathe.The heavy weight of vengeance had lifted, leaving behind something fragile but honest. Gabriella remained close, not out of obligation or fear, but out of something they’d both fought hard to reclaim: trust.A week had passed since the night of reckoning. The bodies had been buried. The halls scrubbed clean. The old tapestries—once embroidered with the legacy of the Martini name—had been taken down. Alessio didn’t want reminders. Not of the man he had to become, and certainly not of the empire his brother had twisted into something monstrous.One bright morning, Gabriella stood at the bottom of the grand staircase, dressed simply, one hand resting gently on her belly. Alessio watched her f

Gabriella's Pov The sound cracked through the night like a curse. One shot—sharp, final.I spun around.“Leonardo!” I screamed, as my brother’s body crumpled to the ground, his breath hitching as if the air had betrayed him. Blood poured from the wound in his back, dark and thick, staining his shirt like ink spilled from a shattered bottle.I caught him before he hit the stone floor. His weight folded into me, heavier than I remembered, like the life was already ebbing out of him. Gabriella dropped to her knees beside us, hands trembling, eyes wide with disbelief. Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to speak, but no words came out—just a gasp, choked and broken.Vandel stood across the room, still holding the smoking gun. His face was stone. No regret. No hesitation. Only hatred.I cradled Leo's head against my chest. “Stay with me,” I begged, my voice breaking. “Just hold on. Please, Leo…”He coughed, and a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. “No... it’

Gabriella's Pov The night was supposed to be over. We had escaped. I thought we were safe—just for a second. Alessio’s hand gripped mine tightly, his other hand on the wheel, speeding through the darkened street like he could outrun the world. But safety, I was learning, was just an illusion. And illusions don’t last.Two headlights suddenly swerved into view behind us, fast and aggressive. My stomach twisted before my brain could catch up."Alessio..." I murmured, my voice already trembling.He glanced in the rearview mirror, his jaw tightening. "I see them."Another car came at us from the left. That’s when I knew—we weren’t being followed. We were being hunted.Gunfire cracked through the silence.Glass shattered.“DOWN!” Alessio barked.Without thinking, I threw myself across the console and lunged at him. We dropped below the dashboard as bullets punched through the windows, glass raining down in jagged pieces. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, deafening me.“I

Alessio's Pov My heart jolted like someone had driven a knife straight through it. Unborn child—that was what Martini had just said. The words echoed in my head, bouncing around with disbelief, confusion, and something dangerously close to hope.I stared at Gabriella.Everything else—Martini’s gun pointed at my forehead, the sweat dripping down my back, the pounding in my ears—faded into the background as I searched her face for the truth. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes shimmering with something raw. Something real.“Yes,” she whispered, barely audible. But I didn’t need her to say more.She was pregnant.With my child.I blinked. My vision tunneled, not from the pressure of the gun still threatening my life, but from the gravity of her words. She was carrying my baby. Our baby.A tremor ran through me, knocking the air from my lungs. I hadn’t seen this coming—hadn’t even considered it. But as shock gave way to awe, a warmth bloomed in my chest. A fierce kind of joy. The kind of

Alessio's Pov She looked like she hadn’t aged a second—but she wasn’t the same girl I once knew.Gabriella stood across the room, framed by the long shadows of dusk bleeding in through the tall windows. The light touched her skin like it belonged there, softening the lines of worry etched into her face. But I could still see it—the fear hidden beneath the surface, the way her fingers curled around the edge of her coat just a little too tightly. She was nervous. And she should be.Because I didn’t trust her.Not anymore.I had no idea what game she was playing by coming here again, by standing beside Martini of all people. That bastard had never shown mercy a day in his life. I didn’t even know how she’d ended up in his custody—or why she hadn’t tried to escape.I studied her face, looking for something familiar, something real.And that’s when it happened.She winked.A slow, subtle flutter of her eyelid. Barely noticeable, but unmistakable.I froze.It hit me like a punch to the gut

Gabriella's Pov The morning sunlight slipped through the thin curtains like golden fingers, brushing against my face, warming my cheek. I blinked slowly, my lashes fluttering against the pillowcase as I stirred, trying to resist the gentle nudge of daybreak. My body ached in places I didn’t even know could ache, a dull soreness clinging to every limb like a second skin. Sleep had claimed me like a thief in the night, but it hadn't been kind—just necessary. I felt as though I'd fought a war in my dreams and lost.For a long moment, I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to remember how it felt to wake up without dread pressing on my chest. The events of the past few days had blurred into one tangled mess of adrenaline, pain, and fear. But there was something else too—something sharp and persistent beneath it all. A name. Alessio.Just the thought of him sent a shiver down my spine. I hated how his presence lingered in my mind, how the memory of his voice could still echo