Mag-log inMATTEO’S POVI watched her pull away from me.Arielle stepped back, eyes glistening with unshed tears, and the sight fucking gutted me. She didn’t say anything else. She just turned and walked toward our bedroom, shoulders tight, like she was carrying the weight of every lie I’d just fed her.Guilt clawed at my chest, it made me feel worse than I already did before the confrontation.I hated myself for it. Hated the way her shoulders slumped, hated the way she couldn’t even look at me when she asked if I was hiding something. I should have told her about Isabella. About the photo. About the buried history that might explain why her life got destroyed.But I couldn’t.Not yet. Not when I still didn’t know what it all meant. Not when telling her could put her in even more danger.“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath.I headed to the bathroom, stripping off my blood-stained shirt and stepping under the hot spray. The water pounded against my skin, but it did nothing to wash away the frustr
ARIELLE’S POVThe words hung in the air. I shifted restlessly.“You her daughter or something?”My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack. The room suddenly felt too small, the sound of the servers too loud. Yvonne’s cigarette froze halfway to her lips, her eyes snapping to me.I couldn’t speak.The guy whose name I still didn’t know leaned forward, squinting at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve. “Yeah… same eyes. Same mouth. Isabella Vargas, right? She came in here years ago, paid me a shit ton to wipe some records clean. Looked just like you. Scared, though. Real scared.”Yvonne recovered first. She took a slow drag from her cigarette, exhaling smoothly even though I could see the tension in her shoulders. “You sure about that name?”“Positive,” the guy said, still staring at me. “She was a regular for a while. High-end. Worked with some dangerous people. Russians, Italians… the kind of clients that make you sleep with one eye open.”I finally fou
ARIELLE’S POVI didn’t think. I just got into the car, locked the doors, and drove.My hands were shaking so badly on the steering wheel that I almost hit the barrier leaving the garage. I kept checking behind me, expecting another car to appear, expecting someone to ram into me.I couldn’t go back upstairs. Not yet. Not while I was this rattled.I called Yvonne with trembling fingers.“I’m coming to you,” I said the second she picked up. “Now.”She didn’t ask questions. “My penthouse. I’ll tell security to let you up.”Twenty minutes later, I was standing outside her door, still wearing Matteo’s shirt under my coat. The moment she opened it, I stepped inside and collapsed into her hug.“Jesus, Arielle,” she whispered, holding me tight. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”I pulled back, my voice cracking. “I think someone wants me dead.”We moved to her living room. I sank onto the couch while she poured me a glass of wine. Then I told her everything.I told her about Vincenzo’s visi
ARIELLE’S POVI came down the stairs still wearing Matteo’s shirt, my hair loosely tied up, when I heard voices in the living room. Nikolai was here. He sat on the couch, looking tense and exhausted, a glass of whiskey in his hand. Matteo stood near the mini bar, talking to him in low tones.The moment Matteo saw me, his expression softened just a fraction.“I need to speak with my men for a minute,” he said, glancing between us. “I’ll be back soon.”He kissed my temple as he passed, his hand brushing my waist possessively before he disappeared down the hall.I walked over to Nikolai and sat on the opposite couch, tucking my legs under me. The silence between us wasn’t awkward exactly, but it was heavy.“How’s Sophia?” I asked quietly.Nikolai stared into his glass for a long moment before answering. “She kissed me. Then told me she doesn’t want to be with me. That everything feels forced.” His voice was rough, almost painful. “I’ve never wanted anyone like this, Arielle. Not just to
MATTEO’S POVI stared at Nikolai standing in my living room, tension radiating off him like heat from a fire. After everything that went down at his place, the argument, the accusations, the way we left things I hadn’t expected him to show up here.“Come in,” I said finally, stepping aside.He walked past me without a word. We moved to the mini bar in the corner of the living room. I poured two glasses of whiskey, handed him one, and we both sat on the couches facing each other. The silence stretched for a moment, heavy and uncomfortable.Nikolai took a long sip, then spoke first. “She rejected me again.”I raised an eyebrow. “Sophia?”He nodded, staring into his glass. “She kissed me. Then pulled away and said she doesn’t think she wants to be with me. That everything feels forced. I didn’t push her. I just… walked out. But it fucking hurt, Matteo. I’ve never wanted anyone like this. Not just to possess her. I want her to choose me. But she’s terrified. Of me. Of this life. Of everyt
THIRD PERSON POVAt Nikolai's house the next morning, Sophia had just finished making breakfast when Frederico made his way to the sitting room, he looked at Nikolai with a tired but determined expression.“I want to leave,” he said. “I’ve been here long enough. I need to get back to my own place.”Sophia, immediately shook her head. “No. You’re not going anywhere. The bullet wound is still healing. You lost a lot of blood during that attack, and the risk of infection is high. You need at least a few more days of rest and monitoring.”Frederico grinned, his playful nature refusing to stay quiet even while injured. “Look at that. My future sister-in-law is already bossing me around. I like her, Nick. She’s got fire.”Sophia’s cheeks turned bright red. “I’m not your sister-in-law.”“She keeps denying it everytime, but I'm certain the both of you are going to…” he trailed off. Nikolai shot his brother with a warning glare, but there was no real heat in it. “Shut up, Fred.”Frederico chu
Arielle’s POVThe next morning arrived too quickly. I moaned softly as my eyes fluttered open, the sheets tangled around my legs. The room was quiet, too quiet. It dawned on me that Matteo was gone. I sat up, frowning at the empty side of the bed. That man is something else. One minute he’s kill
Matteo’s POVThe sitting room smelled of cigar smoke and whiskey.I sat in the high-backed leather chair at the head of the low table, legs crossed, fingers drumming once on the armrest before stilling. Xavier lounged across from me, one ankle propped on his knee, swirling his drink like the world
Arielle’s POVI groaned as my eyes fluttered open. Morning already. My head pounded like someone had taken a hammer to it.The room was silent. Matteo was nowhere in sight.I dragged myself out of bed, slipped on his oversized slippers, and sighed heavily.“You will grace my bed.”“You will bear me
MATTEO'S POVAfter the meeting between all of us, Arielle had to excuse us to carry on with our work.I was impressed by how she carried herself, but that didn't mean I was going to just let her into the business. It was risky.We continued talking about business for a while.The noise from downsta







