LOGIN~~NICCOLÒ~~The door slammed shut behind Lena and the sound stayed in my head long after she disappeared.For several minutes, I didn’t move.I just stood there beside the desk breathing heavily, staring at the same door she had run through like I still expected her to come back.My lips still felt warm, so did my hands. I could still taste her.Fuck.I dragged a hand down my face slowly and exhaled hard, trying to force my thoughts back under control, but it was useless. The kiss kept replaying in my head over and over again.The way she looked at me right before I kissed her. The sound she made against my mouth. The way her fingers tightened in my shirt instead of pushing me away immediately.And worst of all? She kissed me back, she wasn’t hesitant or nervous. She kissed me like she wanted me just as badly.That realization did fucked up things to my head.I turned away from the door sh
~~LENA~~ I couldn’t take it anymore, it was eating me up. The next morning I went looking for him with fire in my chest, I had barely gotten any sleep and was running purely on coffee. Every time I closed my eyes I saw the red emergency lights, his damp skin, the hearing aid, and all those photographs of my life that he had kept hidden. The attraction growing between us only made everything worse. I hated how my body remembered the way he froze when I touched him. I hated how badly I wanted answers and him at the same time. I found Niccolò in his office. He was standing by the window, staring out at the garden like he hadn’t slept either. The moment I walked in and closed the door behind me, he turned around. “We need to talk,” I said boldly. “And this time you’re not walking away.” He watched me carefully but stayed calm. “Lena—” “No. I’m done with the half-
LENA A storm started out of nowhere. Rain fell against the windows like it wanted to break in and thunder rolled so loudly that it made the walls. I was walking through one of the long hallways when everything went black. The lights died instantly and a mechanical clicking sound followed, all the doors locked down as the security system switched to emergency mode. “Shit,” I whispered. Dim red emergency lights shone on along the floor and ceiling. They cast everything in a bloody glow that made everywhere creepy. The mansion suddenly felt like a completely different place. It was cold and unsafe, I felt like I was trapped. I tried to keep walking but the next set of doors wouldn’t open. The system had locked sections of the house and I was trapped in this hallway, all alone. My
~~NICCOLÒ~~ By the time dinner finally ended, I had developed a headache. It wasn't because of the noise. Santoro family dinners had always been loud. With enough relatives gathered under one roof, silence was simply impossible. No, tonight's headache had a name. Lena. I stood near one of the windows overlooking the gardens, with a glass of whiskey in my hand as I replayed the disaster she had created at the dinner table. Out of every subject available for discussion, she had chosen Isabella Voss. Isabella. Even now, I couldn't understand what had possessed her. I had known Lena was curious. Curiosity practically defined her existence. Ever since she had discovered that photograph, I had been waiting for the inevitable questions. It had only been a matter of time. What I didn’t expect was for her to casually mention Isabella's name in front of the entire family as though she were asking about a distant relative. The woman had no survival instincts. Absolutely none
~~LENA~~The silence was not what I had expected. Actually, that wasn't entirely true.I had expected silence from Niccolò. Perhaps even from his father. I had anticipated a few uncomfortable glances, some awkward shifting in seats, or maybe someone attempting to steer the conversation in another direction.What I had not expected was for the entire table to fall completely silent. The reaction was immediate. And deeply unsettling.Forks stopped halfway to mouths. Conversations ended abruptly. Even the soft clinking of cutlery against porcelain disappeared. It felt as though I had accidentally spoken a forbidden word.For several long seconds, nobody moved. Nobody spoke nor even seemed willing to breathe too loudly. I suddenly became painfully aware that I was still smiling.The smile vanished immediately.Oh God.What had I just done? My gaze moved around the table.Several people were openly staring at me. Some looked uncomfortable. Others appeared curious. One elderly woman looked
~~LENA~~I had originally assumed that finding the perfect opportunity to question Niccolò would be nearly impossible.The man rarely remained in one place long enough for an uninterrupted conversation. Even when he was physically present, his mind always seemed occupied by something else. He worked constantly, disappeared without warning, and had perfected the art of avoiding discussions he did not want to have.So, when he returned home that evening and informed me that the entire household would be attending a family dinner hosted by his father, I genuinely thought I had misheard him."We're going out?" I asked, lowering the book I had been pretending to read.Niccolò loosened the cuffs of his shirt without looking at me. "We're attending a family dinner."I frowned. "A family dinner?""Yes."I stared at him suspiciously. "Voluntarily?"That finally made him look at me. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"I folded my arms."Nothing. I just didn't know your family believed in s
~~LENA~~I was completely fucked.My hands shook as I pressed my back harder against the man behind me, my heart beating wildly.“Who… who are you?” I whispered, my voice barely holding together.A low, calm voice brushed against my ear, sending ice down my spine. “Someone who should never have bee
~~NICCOLÒ~~This wasn’t how I usually handled business.My men were paid to fetch girls, clean up messes, and make problems disappear.Yet here I was, personally driving through these filthy streets because her useless father couldn’t keep what he had promised.The front door opened before I even k
~~LENA~~“He’s coming today,” my stepmother said.I froze in the middle of the hallway, still wearing yesterday’s clothes. “What?”“Yes, Lena, you heard me right. He’s coming today.” She turned me toward my bedroom door. “So go get dressed. Something tight. Show your curves. Make sure he likes what
~~LENA~~I knew something was wrong the moment I pushed the door open.“Lena!”My stepmother’s voice sliced through the silence from the kitchen.I dropped my bag near the door and walked in slowly. The acrid smell of burnt stew hung thick in the air.“I just got back,” I said carefully.She turned







