MasukWhen morning came reluctantly to the Moretti estate, Riccardo was the first non-staff member of the household to get out of bed.He stood outside the main guest room, fuming and he lifted his hand to knock. He had gone to Luca's bedroom first, only to be told by Isabella that he had spent the night in the guest room.So Luca had left his huge bedroom for Isabella and slept in the guest room? Was he that far gone?When there was no response after his third knock, Riccardo actually began to bang angrily on the door, and this actually did the trick.Luca’s voice finally came, distracted and distant. “Come in. The door isn't locked.”Riccardo pushed the door open to see Luca seated lazily on the bed, with his injured shoulder carefully shielded as he focused all his attention on his phone.He didn't even pretend to look at Riccardo.Riccardo hesitated, clearly irritated by the whole thing before he forced it down. This wasn’t the time for ego. He had come here for a reason…to do something
Isabella sat at the edge of the mattress, holding her clothes to her chest and staring blankly at the door. Her rapid heartbeat still refused to slow down long after Luca had left. If anything, it had only grown louder and more insistent, drumming against her ribs like a warning she didn't want to hear.She should have been relieved about the whole encounter. Luca had actually stopped himself. He had walked away from the temptation. He had done the responsible thing…the honorable thing.So why did it feel like a loss?She sighed and pushed to her feet, moving towards the bathroom where she hoped a cold shower would shake him away from her thoughts. But it was already looking impossible…Every step she took still echoed with fragments of him…his restraint, his words, and the way his eyes had darkened when he pulled away.You deserve to choose me with a clear mind. When the hell did he become so damn noble?Her phone vibrated on the bed, and she almost jumped out of her skin. Could it b
The moment their lips made contact, something in Isabella immediately seemed to snap back into place.She stepped away abruptly, eyes wide as if she had just surfaced from deep water. The music still played around them, the applause had long faded, but she couldn't register any of it. All she could feel was the echo of his mouth on hers…warm, sure, and devastating.“I…” She stopped, pressing her palm lightly to her lips as if she could physically push the sensation away. “We should go home, Luca.”Luca didn’t reach for her, and that alone surprised her even more.He simply searched her face. There was obvious disappointment in his eyes, but he didn’t argue or tease her. Neither did he demand an explanation. He simply nodded slowly, as if he already understood something she didn't know.“Alright,” he said quietly.The gentleness of that agreement unsettled her more than resistance ever could have, and she suddenly found herself wishing for the ground to open up and swallow her.They le
The air was alive when they arrived at the spot Luca had talked about…thick with music, laughter, and heat. Salsa rhythms flowed through the room like a living heartbeat, vibrant and unapologetic. The lights were low and warm as expected, casting everything in a seductive glow that felt deliberately intoxicating. It was nothing like the polished restaurants or the serene environments she was used to. This place was wild, expressive, and completely unrestrained.And to her own shock, she actually liked it.“You still have time to change your mind,” Luca said with a cheeky smile as he caught the admiration on her face.She laughed out loud, and the sound startled her as much as it amused him.“Don’t get carried away,” she said, hiding the surprise with a sarcastic tone. “I just didn’t expect you to know a place like this.”He looked very pleased with himself and replied with quiet satisfaction. “I know many places you wouldn’t expect, Bella.”“That sounds like a threat,” she replied, ge
Dinner unfolded with a deceptive ease that unsettled Isabella more than any confrontation ever could.They spoke of nothing that mattered…at least, nothing that was supposed to matter.The wine they had easily loosened whatever tension that had threatened to ruin the evening, and the quiet peace of the restaurant settled around them like a shared secret.Luca let her talk. He didn’t interrupt or attempt to steer the conversation back to himself, neither did he use her words as ammunition or leverage. He listened with a focus that made her acutely aware of every sentence that was leaving her mouth.It irritated her at first. But as time gradually went on, she discovered that it actually pleased her dangerously.She found herself talking about Rome without meaning to. About the galleries hidden in forgotten streets, about the private collectors who pretended not to care while obsessing over brushstrokes and provenance. She spoke about restoring damaged pieces, about the quiet satisfacti
The restaurant Luca brought her to was nothing like what Isabella had imagined it was going to be.There were no excessive blinding chandeliers littered with diamonds, no valet line filled with luxury cars competing for attention, and certainly no deafening music or unnecessary displays of wealth meant to intimidate or impress. Instead, the car slowed along a calm street that was neatly tucked away from the restless heart of the city, where trees lined the sidewalks and the annoying noise of traffic could barely be heard.When the vehicle finally came to a stop, Isabella frowned as she looked out the window.“This is it?” she asked coolly.Luca followed her gaze, then nodded with a small smile. “This is it.”The restaurant was modest but elegant…warm lights shone behind wide glass windows, and white curtains fluttered gently in the evening breeze. There was a neat wooden sign bearing the simple name of the establishment, and she noticed that there were no guards stationed outside, or







