MasukArielle's POV I stopped the car in front of the house, taking a deep breath as my hands tightened around the steering wheel. I had completely lost control of my whole being since I saw Luciano this evening. My heart had been racing nonstop, and the hairs on my skin were standing on edge. I should be angry at him. I had every right to lash out. But he was acting like everything was normal between us. Yes, he had apologized, but there was still a lot going on inside me. And there were still unanswered questions about our family rivalry. Without sparing him a glance, I got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Okay. I'm actually mad at myself. Mad for melting into his kiss, and even more for kissing him back. I heard the door slam again, and when I looked back, I saw him standing there. He was slightly hunched over, his face twisted in discomfort, his hand pressed to his stomach. He was wounded. This was the only reason I tolerated him. Or at least, that's what I told myself
Gabriel's POV"Thank you for being there," Arielle said to Luca who had escorted her to her car."That's not a problem. I guess there was a reason for talking to you today. I scared off that stalker," Luca replied with a hint of pride.Scare me off? Luca, you must be joking."Thank you," she replied."Can I get a... hug? Just as a goodbye."F**k you, Luca. Arielle hesitated for a moment but then nodded reluctantly.I stared as she gave him an awkward hug. She looked uncomfortable, and I could sense it. So why did she agree to hug him?I stepped out of my hiding spot. At first, I tried so hard to tolerate Luca. I was willing to give him the credit for making sure she got to her car safely. And then I'd talk to her after he was gone. But why would he ask for a hug?The moment they pulled apart, both of their eyes landed on me.Arielle let out a gasp, clearly shocked to see me. Maybe even scared. She had never seen me like this before. Blood all over my suit, madness burning in my eyes,
Arielle's POV I knew someone had been stalking me for four nights in a row. But each time I tried to catch a glimpse of the person, I never did. It was scary at first, but then.. there was no violence. No confrontation. And eventually, I started to feel... safe. It felt like I got used to it. Like... whoever was hiding in the shadows was my protector. How could I explain the fact that I felt protected by someone I couldn't even see? It was strange. Finally, I decided not to stroll again. I'd drive. Then, if the person still followed me, I would allow my curiosity to take over. Driving meant taking a longer route, but it felt safer. Immediately after I settled into my favourite spot in the library, someone sat in the chair beside me. I looked up to see a young man who looked purely Italian. He smiled at me. I returned the smile and went back to my book. He moved closer. "Ciao. Sono Luca. Sei nuovo qui. Non ti avevo mai visto prima," he said in a low tone. [Hi. I'm Luca. You
Gabriel's POV She was everywhere — in my thoughts, in my face, even in my actions. What hadn't I done to get rid of her? I literally did everything I could think of, except seeking therapy. There were so many reasons why I hadn't gone for therapy. What if the therapist wouldn't understand my plight? What if I ended up killing the innocent therapist just because he or she would struggle to understand me? So, I turned to painting. I painted with actual paint... and somehow, I still ended up staring at her face on the canvas. I also tried painting with blood, but stopped the moment I imagined her sitting across from me, frowning in disapproval. F**k! I sprang up and abandoned the painting. I was definitely going insane. A brief sense of relief came when I had to attend another meeting, this time with government officials. My grandfather had arranged the meeting, and I made sure to be there. I needed to keep busy in order to distract myself from Arielle who lived rent-free in
Gabriel's POV PRESENT I opened my eyes, took a long drag from the cigarette and released a thick wave of smoke into the air. With all the chaos that had happened in my life, I still wondered how I managed to scale through without going insane. Well... the Mafia. This empire helped me, and I'd always be grateful. As I sat out there, lost in thoughts, my gaze fell on a shadowy figure clinging to the wall that separated the estate from the outside world. The location of my room gave me a perfect view of nearly every angle of the estate. I squinted, trying to make it out more clearly. And then, I saw them. Several of them. Humans hanging along the wall. A slow chuckle slipped out of me. I put out the cigarette, crushing the tip in the ashtray. Massimo and his pathetic games. What was he thinking—that he could stage a siege on our clan at three in the morning? I stood up and moved inside. None of them would notice my movement. The balcony was cloaked in darkness. My room was e
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Gabriel's POV "No. No. Don't take her," I yelled as the men dragged my mother out of the dark room we'd been locked in since morning. I struggled to go with her, but one of the bulky muscular men shoved me back, sending me crashing face-first onto the cold floor.As I scrambled up, the door slammed shut, and I was left alone in pitch darkness. I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest, slowly realizing that I was truly alone."Mom," I whispered, hoping she could hear me and reach out to me."Mom!" My voice became louder.I called her again. And again. And again. No one replied. No one cared.I blinked rapidly, desperately searching for a source of light. But there was nothing. Only a veil of absolute darkness. And when I couldn't take it anymore, I simply shut my eyes, wishing for sleep to take over.Time ticked by. I must have fallen asleep, but I didn't know for how long. When I woke up, I was trembling like a leaf.The hairs on my







