LOGINARIELLA Asher shook his head. “Nothing to be concerned about. Just family drama between him and his sister. You know how siblings can be.” I gave a small, humourless smile. “I wouldn’t know. I never had any.” He looked at me. “You’re lucky. You were an only child.” “I never thought so,” I sai
ARIELLA Leon wouldn’t shut up about Sia. He was telling everyone, at every single moment, as if they hadn’t already heard. Margaret, of course, mentioned she had cooked for Luca and Sia's parents when they visited the Don, but she didn’t know Sia that well. So, during lunch, I turned to Maria. “
ARIELLA “She is Luca’s sister. Sia. She’s really good with kids, apart from her job at the elementary school, she also teaches Sunday school. I won’t say much more, you’ll learn the rest from her. But she’s a nice girl. She used to come to the house with Luca when he visited with his parents.” I n
ARIELLA I leaned slightly against the wall. “I think when he first got here, everything distracted him. The house, the change… everything. But I know eventually that won’t be enough.” Maria nodded. “It’s good you’re giving him something stable.” “Exactly.” She smiled. “Alright. I’ll let you go
ARIELLA We left the dining room and walked toward Asher’s office. “So,” I asked, “what are you doing today?” “I’m going to see Luca at the famiglia house,” he said as he walked behind his desk and picked up a few documents. “To do what?” “To find more details about Yuri and his brother,” he sai
ARIELLA I nudged Asher with my elbow to shut him up. Leon had already grabbed a piece of toast and started eating like someone who had not seen food in weeks. “Slow down,” I told him. “I’m rebuilding my strength,” he said with his mouth full. Asher sat down at the head of the table beside him.
"Who gave you permission to touch me?" "Okay, all right..... I'm sorry, I won't touch you, you're gonna break my arm," I shouted, my voice trembling, because the pressure on my wrist was getting stronger and unbearable. And then he sat there on the bed, now facing me, his eyes cold and hard, as h
Five years Ago Asher then announced, but he wasn’t just talking to me—he was talking to the crowd. “All right, sweetheart. What’s your name?” “Ariella.” “Ariella? What’s your family name?” “My father’s Antonio... Antonio Costa.” “I don’t think I know them.” He said it like he was trying to wor
His grip tightened. With each struggle, with each desperate attempt to push him away, his fingers pressed deeper into my throat. My lungs burned, my vision blurred, and I realized— I was going to die. Here. Like this. Beneath him. Panic seized me. I couldn’t die. I couldn’t. Leon—he needed me.
This was different. This seemed serious. When I stepped inside, my mother was already there, standing beside him. My father was seated in his chair, his face tired, and worn down. My mother, on the other hand, was practically beaming. Two completely different reactions. Unease brewed inside me. T







