Mag-log inARYA'S POV I couldn't stop thinking about the kiss and all morning, I kept replaying it in my head.I couldn't forget the feel of his hands on my face or the desperation in every touch.In the kitchen, I was supposed to be making breakfast, but I burned the toast twice."Arya, are you alright?" Mom asked, rescuing the smoking bread from the toaster. "You seem distracted."I shook my head. "I'm fine. Just tired."But I wasn't fine. I was a mess.Later, I tried to play with Dante in the nursery, but I couldn't focus. He kept showing me his toys and laughing, and I kept drifting off, thinking about Giovanni's face when I pulled away from him on the balcony."Mama, more!" Dante demanded, shoving a block at me.I blinked, snapping out of it. "Right, yes. More blocks."Christabel noticed too when she came to visit. "Are you sick? You seem weird.""I'm not sick." I forced a tight smile.She didn't look like she believed. "You're acting weird. Your eyes are all dreamy.""They are not." I sh
ARYA'S POVThe after-party was in full swing, there was music and food and lots of laughter.I tried to enjoy it but everywhere I turned, people looked at me with that same expression of pity mixed with uncertainty.Like they didn't know whether to acknowledge what had happened to me or pretend it never did."Arya! Oh my God, it's been so long!"I turned to find Sophia Moretti, someone I knew vaguely before everything happened."Sophia, hi. How have you been?""Good, good. You know, just-" She laughed nervously. "I heard about what happened. That must have been so... difficult."I smiled tightly. "It was."An uncomfortable silence fell. She glanced away, then back at me. “Well, you look great. Really great. I mean, everything considered…" She stopped, blushing. "Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound-"I waved her dismissively. "It's fine."But it wasn't fine. This happened with everyone I spoke to. The same underlying pity and discomfort. After the fifth such conversation, I felt exhau
ARYA’S POVI stood in front of my bedroom mirror, the midnight blue dress flowing around me like water. My hair was still loose around my shoulders, and I couldn't decide what to do with it. A soft knock echoed at the door. "Arya? May I come in?""Yes, Mom."She entered, already dressed in a beautiful champagne-colored gown, her hair swept up in a chignon."You look beautiful," she said, coming to stand behind me. "But your hair… here, let me help."Her hands were gentle as she ran her fingers through my hair, arranging it so it fell in soft waves over my shoulders."You should keep it like this," she said decisively. "It looks lovely down."I watched her in the mirror, remembering all the times she had done this when I was younger."Are you sure about this?" she asked quietly, her hands still smoothing my hair. "We can still stay home. No one would think less of you."I shook my head. "I need to do this. Dr. Rossi says avoiding Giovanni isn't helping me heal.” A sigh left my throat
ARYA'S POVThe makeshift office was warm and comfortable. Dad didn't want me to leave the estate so he arranged a space in the guest house for me and the therapist to do our sessions. Dr. Elena Rossi sat across from me with a notepad resting on her knee."How have you been sleeping this week?" she asked.I picked at a loose thread on my sleeve. "The medication is helping. I only had nightmares twice instead of every night.""That's good progress." She made a note while nodding her head. "And during the day? The dissociative episodes?"I sighed and leaned against the plush couch. “I caught myself zoning out yesterday, but I was able to pull myself back.""That's significant improvement, Arya.” She was smiling brightly now, “you should be proud of yourself."I didn't feel proud. I felt numb but at least I wasn't constantly reliving my trauma."I know you're concerned about the medication," Dr. Rossi continued, as if reading my mind. "That you don't want to become dependent on it."My
GIOVANNI'S POVRobert's study smelled of leather and old books. I sat across from him at his massive oak desk, the map I brought with me rolled out on top of the table. "We hit twelve locations simultaneously," I explained, pointing to marked positions on the map. "Their main warehouse in the industrial district, three safe houses, two weapons depots, and six businesses they used for money laundering.”I leaned back and cleared my throat. “Total assets seized are estimated at forty-three billion dollars."Robert nodded slowly, his eyes scanning the papers. "Any casualties?""On their side, seventeen dead, twenty-three arrested.” I eyed the map, glimpses of the battle flashing through my mind. “ And nothing fatal on our side. It was clean, considering the scope."Robert reached for the map, trailing his fingers through it. "And the leadership?""Most of them are dead or in custody. But…” I hesitated. "Some escaped. We're still tracking about six high-ranking members who went undergrou
ARYA’S POVThe sound of birds chirping and flowers swaying in the gentle breeze was soothing to listen to.Even the sunlight filtering through the trees and the smell of pastries lingering in the air… everything should have been calming.But all I could hear was screaming."You betrayed me!"The rapid fire of gunshots and the crash of glass. I could hear Matteo's voice all over again. His nails digging into my neck as he squeezed life out of me. Dammit!It was two months already now and yet, I still couldn't let go of the ghosts of the past. I blinked, trying to focus on the present. Rosa, the nanny, was sitting on the blanket with Dante. He was cooing at her, his little hands reaching for the rattle she held.My lips curled into a smile. Dante was looking healthier than he had ever been and happier too. But the screaming wouldn't stop.I pressed my palms against my ears, trying to block it out, but it was inside my head. Marco's hands were around my throat again and I was reachi
ARYA’S POVI stood in the kitchen where flour dusted across every surface with bowls and measuring cups scattered everywhere while Claire and Maria's voices echoed through my phone speaker, both of them laughing at my latest culinary mishap.It was two days since I had apologized to Giovanni for emb
GIOVANNI’S POV“Ah, Giovanni.” Riccardo chuckled, mirth dancing in his eyes. “Is she yours? I had no idea.”I stared at Riccardo, my hands clenched into fists at my sides as I fought the urge to wrap them around his throat."I don't know what you think you're doing," I said. "But if you come near m
GIOVANNI’S POVI woke up hard and frustrated, staring at the ceiling while my body reminded me exactly what had happened last night outside that courtyard.Arya's lips on mine and the small sounds she had made when I had kissed her neck. The way she had pulled me closer like she couldn't get enough.
ARYA’S POVI stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me.The emerald green dress hugged my curves in all the right places before flowing out slightly at the hips, and the back dipped low enough to my waist. I'd paired it with simple gold je







