LOGIN123RaffaelIt’s a hospital, don’t cause a scene.It’s a hospital, don’t cause a scene.It’s a hospital, don’t cause a scene.I kept repeating it under my breath like a prayer, like something holy enough to hold me together as I paced the hallway. The ice pack pressed to my temple had long since melted, cold water trailing down my skin, but I didn’t move it.I definitely did not faint at the sight of all that blood.“I could just buy the building. They can’t fucking tell the boss no,” I muttered, my voice low but edged with something sharp, something close to breaking.Enzo didn’t even look at me. He just stood there, staring at the wall like it had personally offended him, like it owed him answers it wasn’t giving.“Yeah, yeah, sure… I’ll take the coffee,” he said absently, dragging a hand down his face, his eyes still unfocused.I scoffed softly, but it died in my throat as my gaze snapped back to the door. The same door they had wheeled her through. The same door that had swallow
122EmiliaRaffael finally allowed me back on the front line, sitting in on a few mafia meetings again.It felt almost instinctive, like muscle memory kicking in. I knew exactly when to speak, what to say, how to hold the room. For a moment, it almost felt like nothing had changed. Like I hadn’t been sidelined at all.But of course, the babies growing inside me had other plans.A sharp twist hit my stomach, sudden and unforgiving, like they were reminding me of their presence at the worst possible time.“Shit, are you okay?” Raffael asked quickly when I gasped, my hand flying to my stomach as another wave rolled through me.I swallowed hard, steadying myself, forcing my expression back into something controlled even as my body betrayed me in front of everyone.“You should just let Enzo take over. At this point, you’re only proving that a woman can’t lead.”Diego.The fucking bastard didn’t even try to hide it.While the rest of the men at the table masked their discomfort at a woman t
121EnzoThe first time I orgasmed, it felt like I had opened a portal into an entirely new world. The pleasure was overwhelming, consuming in a way I hadn’t known was possible.That’s exactly how I would describe being with Sophia. Even without the sex, she had that same effect on me. She was all-consuming.“I’ll call you later, okay baby?” I murmured into the phone, my eyes lifting just in time to see Raffael approaching.“Be safe, okay? Let me know if anything happens,” she said, and my chest did that warm, annoying little flip again. The kind I never really got used to.Sure, people cared about my wellbeing, but it was always because I was supposed to take over after my father. Emilia cared too, in her own way but it was different. Protective. Familiar. Like I was something she’d already decided she couldn’t lose.Sophia… cared for me. Not duty. Not an obligation. Just her. And that made it worse in the best possible way.I love you. It was on the tippiest tip of my tongue to say
120EmiliaFuck you.The words sat heavy on my tongue as Raffael got up from the bed. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead… then my stomach, before straightening, thinking I was still asleep.I didn’t need to check the time to know it was 6 a.m. Every single day this past week, he’d slip out like this, disappearing to God knows where only to return by exactly 10p.m. without telling me anything.“I’ll try and be back earlier, Tempesta,” he whispered.Normally, I would’ve kept my eyes shut, pretending a little longer. But this time… it stung. The way he kept leaving, like I wasn’t even worth an explanation.Was it because I was pregnant… and fat? Because I constantly smelled like pickles and honey?Could he not stand me anymore?I pushed myself up from the bed, the sudden movement startling both him and honestly, me too, with how quickly he reacted.“Holy shit, I thought you were asleep,” he said, pausing mid-button on his shirt. “Are you okay?”he added softly, stepping
119RaffaelWe killed an influential don, the only living heir to the Spanish mafia.Of course, nothing was ever going to be okay after that.“More syrup, Raffy?” Emilia asked, her voice light, almost teasing.I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips as she poured far more than necessary over my pancake. Apparently, it wasn’t fair that she was the only one getting fat.Her logic made no sense, but I didn’t argue, I never did when she sounded like that.I watched her as she hummed softly, moving toward Enzo and Nora with the same careless warmth. She drizzled syrup onto their plates too, oblivious to the way they stared at her like they’d seen a ghost.She was happy.And I’d kill anyone who tried to take that away from her, especially anyone stupid enough to come looking for Adrian’s revenge.“Fuck, I need to go pee,” she sighed, dropping the bottle of syrup without a second thought as she waddled toward the bathroom.I watched her go, slow and careful, like she was still getting use
118EmiliaNothing made sense.But I could feel the truth sitting somewhere in the middle of it all, waiting for me to reach for it.“Mi vida—” Adrián reached for me, but I stepped back before he could touch me. My head spun violently as I tried to make sense of everything Raffael had just said.It wasn’t Adrián’s baby? Adrián tried to kill me? What else didn’t I know?“Look what you did!” Adrián shouted at Raffael, but his voice came out warped, like I was hearing it from underwater. Their argument blurred together, the room tilting with every word I couldn’t quite catch.What else did Adrián do?What else did Raffael know?God… was my entire life a lie?“Don’t touch me!” Raffael’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and raw, followed by the sickening sound of a fist connecting with bone.I flinched.Flashes of different moments slammed into me, too fast, like my mind was breaking open from the inside. They didn’t feel like thoughts. They felt real. Too real.I saw Raffael again, clos
35Emilia.I couldn’t feel my legs.The cold bit into my skin, but I was too scared to stop.“Shit,” I whispered when something sharp pierced my bare foot.My feet were probably bleeding by now, but the adrenaline wouldn’t let me feel it.God, I really hoped Ricardo hadn’t found out what Isabella d
33RaffaeleThe city slept, but I didn’t.I burned with a longing I couldn’t control.“Any news?” I asked Ronan, downing another shot of whiskey.My third glass in an hour.Ronan shook his head, his phone pressed to his ear.Searching for her quietly was like walking on a knife's edge.I had to rea
27 Emilia Fuck him. I added a final stroke of red to my painting, finishing the piece with more force than necessary. “Impressive,” he murmured from behind but I didn't turn. “What’s it for?” Theo asked, leaning in. “Art project,” I answered, directing my voice only at Theo. I knew how pett
24EmiliaA whole week.One whole week since Rafaelle fucked me and tossed me out like I meant nothing.I haven’t seen him. I haven't heard from him.The saddest part was I was still waiting.“But at the end of the day, what were you expecting, Emilia?” Nora said through the phone, giving me a sl







