LOGINThe studio was supposed to be a calm place. But in truth, my mind was noisy. I was at my drawing table, erasing the same pencil line for the third time. Anne was sitting on the couch, pretending not to watch me get more and more anxious. She waited for about thirty seconds. “So,” she said. “About your ex.” I didn’t look up. “We’re not talking about this.” “We’re going to talk about it gently,” she corrected. “What was his name?” “Matteo.” She nodded slowly. “Right. Him.” I pressed my pencil down harder than necessary. “He came back. Said he had changed. Apologized. Then left.” Anne raised an eyebrow. “That sounds… annoyingly mature.” “That’s what I thought.” She got up and lea
Victoria had settled into the guest room herself. By the time Dimitri joined me at the dining table, the food was already served. “Babe, you didn’t have to,” he said, looking at the plates. I paused for a second, spoon still in my hand. “If you’re not hungry, I am.” I served him anyway and sat across from him. We sat quietly… I didn’t feel like talking much, and he didn’t push. Then Victoria walked in from the guest room and sat down like she owned the space. “Where’s mine?” she asked casually. “I’m starving.” I turned my head, looking around the room as if I’d misplaced something important. “Where’s the cook?” I said. “I don’t see any cook around here.” She ignored me and looked straight at Dimitri. “You don’t expect me to starve here, do you?” Dimitri sighed, clearly tired already. “You can eat mine. I’m not really hungry.” Before I could say anything, she stood up, took his plate, and set it in front of herself. “What?” slipped out of me. “I’m serio
GIULIA's POVI’d been in the kitchen for twenty minutes trying to figure out what to make for dinner.I was alone in the kitchen, with no chef and no staff… just as I’d always wanted it and whatever ingredients I could find in the refrigerator. Back in Milan, I always had someone for everything… cooking, cleaning, organizing. I had never had to think about these things. Moving to Rome was the first time I had to figure out what I enjoyed doing in my own space.To my surprise, I discovered that I liked cooking.I was reaching for the pasta when I heard the door open.A smile broke across my face even before I turned around, my automatic response to the sound of him coming home. I dried my hands on the kitchen towel and made my way to the entrance.Then I stopped.Dimitri stood in the doorway, with Victoria behind him.He was holding one
Her eyes widened. “You just said—” “On paper,” I said. “No announcement. Something formal enough to satisfy your father and secure his backing. Long enough for me to reach the Senate without needing him once I’m there.” “And then it ends.” “Cleanly,” I said. “I’ll handle your father when the time comes.” “And Giulia never knows.” I said nothing to that. Because that was the part I hadn’t fully worked out yet. The part that sat wrong no matter how I positioned it. Victoria studied me. “I see you haven’t told her about any of this.” “That’s not your concern.” “It will be when she fi
Two weeks later… Victoria was already at the table when I arrived. She looked up when she saw me, something crossed her face immediately. Surprise maybe, like she hadn’t fully believed I’d actually show up. “I didn’t think you’d actually agree to meet me,” she said. “Let’s get to it,” I said. I sat down. I just looked at her directly, she shifted slightly in her seat. “My father—” “I know what your father wants,” I said. “He was very clear.” “Then you know why I’m here.” “I know why he sent you,” I said. “That’s not the same thing.” She looked at me carefully, trying to read me like she was trying to find the edge of what I knew and where my patience started running thin. “Dimitri,” she started. “Alessandro Benedetti,” I said. Everything stopped. She went completely still. The kind of still that happened when someone heard something they’d spent years making sure no one would ever say out loud. “What did you just say,” she said. Barely a whisper. “Your
DIMITRI’S POV The meeting was Senator Ricci’s idea. Neutral ground, he’d said. Somewhere private for just the two of us. Which meant his private club in Parioli. Ricci was already there when I arrived. He stood when he saw me, extended his hand like we were old friends. “Dimitri. Thank you for coming.” “Senator.” We sat, then a waiter appeared, poured us drinks. “Last night was unfortunate,” he said. “Your daughter made a scene at a private event,” I said. “I’d call it more than unfortunate.” He didn’t flinch at all, he Just nodded slowly like he was acknowledging a minor inconvenience. “Victoria feels things deeply. You know that better than most.” “What I know,” I said, “is that she deliberately created a situation designed to embarrass my partner. And that you called me immediately afterward which tells me you know exactly what happened and why.” Ricci lifted his glass. Took his time and set it down. “Let me be direct,” he said. “Please.” “You’re running
The estate was massive, I knew that. But I’d only seen a fraction of it. The rooms Rosa had shown me on the tour were just the surface. There were entire wings I hadn’t explored. Floors I hadn’t been to. And somewhere in this enormous house, there was a room dedicated to ballet. For me? Or for s
Oh god no. “Please don’t do this,” I said, tears already burning in my eyes. “Please, I’m sorry, I won’t run again, just please don’t…” He ignored me completely, his attention focused entirely on the woman at his feet. “Be a good girl,” he said. “Yes, my lord,” she replied without looking u
Nina’s POV “Then why didn’t you let them take me?” His face was so close to mine now that I could feel the heat radiating off him. His breathing was hard and ragged, like he’d been fighting something inside himself and was losing. His eyes locked on mine with an intensity that made my knees w
The impact knocked the air from my lungs. My hands came up instinctively, pressing against his chest, trying to push him away.But he didn’t budge.Instead, his hand came up to my throat.Not squeezing. Not yet. Just resting there. His palm was warm against my skin. His fingers were wrapping around







