Mag-log inI pulled away from Damiano just enough to reach into my handbag. His hand remained on my waist as I glanced at the screen.Rachel…I smiled faintly before answering."Hello, Rachel.""Gabrielle, hi... I hope I'm not disturbing you."I looked up at Damiano, who was watching me with a curious expression."No, you're not. Is everything okay?""Yes. I'm calling about your divorce paperwork."My stomach dropped…for a moment, I thought I had heard her wrong."My what?""The divorce paperwork," she repeated. "The documents we discussed earlier are ready. The remaining process can now move forward, provided both parties are still willing to proceed."My fingers tightened around the phone."Oh."Rachel paused. "Gabrielle, are you there?""Yes, I'm here.""Would you like me to send the documents to your email, or would you prefer to collect them in person?"I glanced at Damiano again.His hand slowly slipped from my waist as he watched me struggle to find an answer."Send them to me," I said fi
The study door swung open.I stepped back just in time to avoid colliding with Damiano. His eyes widened when he saw me standing there."Gabrielle?"I tightened my fingers around my handbag. "I came to collect some documents I left here."His gaze moved to the study behind him before returning to my face. "How long have you been standing there?""Long enough to hear your conversation with your mother."His expression changed, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. Then he stepped aside, allowing me to see Rosa sitting on the sofa inside. She looked equally surprised to see me."Oh, Gabrielle." She rose to her feet. "I didn't know you were here.""I didn't mean to interrupt." I forced a small smile. "I was just about to knock when I heard you two talking," I said as I walked in.Rosa glanced at her son. "I should leave you two alone."She walked past us, but before she disappeared down the hallway, she touched my arm gently."Whatever you decide, sweetheart, make sure it's what you tru
"Okay," I whispered.Damiano stared at me as though he wasn't sure he had heard me correctly."Okay?" he repeated.A small smile tugged at my lips. "Yes, Damiano, we can try again."For a moment, he didn't move. Then his fingers tightened around mine, and a smile slowly spread across his face. "Are you sure?" he asked.I laughed softly. "If you ask me that question one more time, I might change my answer."He chuckled, and the sound warmed something inside me.Then he pulled me gently into his arms.I rested my cheek against his chest, listening to his heartbeat beneath his shirt. His arms settled around my waist."I need you to understand something," I murmured against his chest.He loosened his arms so he could look at me."Tell me.""I'm happy we're trying again, but I won't pretend the past never happened."And I don't want the twins caught in the middle of whatever happens between us.""They won't be." He brushed a loose strand of hair away from my face. "Luca and Lia will always
My phone vibrated again, breaking the silence between us.Damiano's fingers loosened around mine as I turned toward the table. For a moment, I considered ignoring it. I wanted to hold on to the little peace we had found, even if it lasted only a few more minutes.Then I saw Elena's name flash on the screen.My stomach tightened.I picked up the phone, but before I could open her message, another notification appeared.This time, it was a photograph.I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over it. Why was Elena sending me another photograph?I took a deep breath and opened it.The picture showed Damiano standing outside a restaurant with Elena. He wore a black suit, and his hair looked slightly longer than it did now. Elena stood close to him, one hand resting on his arm as she smiled at the camera.My eyes moved to the date beneath the photograph.July 14, 2026.My stomach twisted, and my fingers grew cold around the phone.Had he been seeing Elena during that time?I studied the p
But just as I began to relax in his arms, a chill ran down my spine.The photographs flashed through my mind.My chest tightened…I had almost forgotten them, but now the memories came rushing back, reminding me of how easily everything could fall apart.Damiano noticed the change in my expression."Gabrielle?" He gently touched my cheek. "What's wrong?"I stepped away from him, wrapping my arms around myself."The photographs."His face changed. "What about them?"I let out a shaky breath. "I tried to convince myself that there had to be an explanation, and I shouldn't believe everything Vanessa showed me.""Gabrielle, listen to me.""Please, let me finish." My voice came out sharper than I intended.He stopped speaking.I looked down at my hands, rubbing my fingers together as I struggled to find the courage to say what had been eating me alive."Those photographs hurt me more than I wanted to admit."Damiano's expression softened, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him."It was
For a second, I stood still, caught between wanting him and fearing what it meant. But then something shifted inside me. I was tired of letting my doubts and fears keep us apart.I moved closer and gently cupped his face, my fingers brushing along his jaw as I pulled him into a kiss.For a moment, everything else seemed to disappear.His hands settled on my waist as he pulled me closer, and I let him. I stopped holding back and allowed myself to enjoy the moment. His lips were warm against mine, and the kiss was gentle at first, as if we were both afraid of ruining something precious between us.But when he held me closer, I melted into his arms.It felt like coming home, yet it also felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing that one wrong step could send me falling.I remembered our wedding night and how nervous I had been when he first kissed me. Back then, I had believed I was nothing more than a pawn in a game I didn't understand.I had been scared and frustrated, convinc







