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
Five minutes later… Giulia appeared beside me, her face pale, one hand on her stomach. “I’m heading back to the guest house. My stomach’s upset.” I looked at her more closely. She did look sick, worse than earlier. “You need the doctor?” “No, I just need to lie down. Too much food, probably
GIULIA’s POV The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. I stared at it from the bed in the guest house, watching Dimitri’s name flash across the screen for the third time this morning. My finger hovered over the answer button, then moved to decline. Again. I couldn’t talk to him. Not yet. The guest ho
NINA’s POV I stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting the red dress one final time. It fit perfectly, hugging every curve, the color rich and bold against my skin. My makeup was light, natural, except for the red lipstick that matched the dress exactly. My hair was pulled up in an elega
The mention of my mother, of what Santoro had done, made rage burn in my chest. But underneath it was something else now, something complicated by three months of having Nina in my life, in my bed, in my heart. “I’ll handle it,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “How?” “I have sources. Connection







