LOGINGIOVANNI’S POV|FIVE YEARS LATER|"Papa, move faster! We're going to be late!"I looked down at the small whirlwind tugging on my hand. My six-year-old son, Dante, who had apparently inherited both his mother's impatience and my intensity."Dante, slow down. The beach isn't going anywhere.""But Mama said we have to leave at nine and it's…" He squinted at his watch. “… almost nine!""It's eight-fifteen," I corrected, crouching down to his level. "We have plenty of time. Now, remember what we talked about? How men of the De Santis family conduct themselves?"He bobbed his head. "With dignity and purpose.""Exactly. So no running around like-""Like a wild animal," he finished, reciting the words he had heard a hundred times. "I know, Papa. But can we at least walk with purpose to the car?"I couldn't help but smile. "Nice try. But first, we need to make sure your mother is ready.""Mama's always ready.” He pointed out. “You're the one who takes forever.""I do not take…" I stopped, rea
ARYA’S POVAs I stepped out of the car, I noticed rose petals scattered along the walkway leading to the restaurant entrance.My breath caught. "Giovanni, what is going on?”"Come with me," he said softly, his thumb stroking over my knuckles.He led me forward, and with each step, my heart beat faster. The rose petals formed a clear path, and there were candles too, their flames dancing in the evening breeze.We reached the door, and Giovanni paused, turning to face me. "Ready?"I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.He opened the door, and the lights blazed on."SURPRISE!"I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.The restaurant was filled with people. Dad stood near the front, leaning on his cane but smiling widely. Mom was beside him and Christabel was bouncing on her toes.And there was Enzo, his arm around a very pregnant Jasmine, both of them grinning. Claire waved from the back, and Maria stood beside her, beaming."What…" I turned to Giovanni, panicked and breathles
ARYA’S POV"Arya! Arya, you have letters!"Christabel burst into my room without knocking, waving envelopes above her head like victory flags.I looked up from where I sat in the rocking chair, Dante was happily eating his meal while my mom sat across from me, embroidering something that looked suspiciously like baby clothes."Christabel, you should knock first," Mama chided gently.She bounded over, practically vibrating with excitement as she handed me three cream-colored envelopes. "Sorry, but these just came and I knew Arya would want them right away!" I opened them and recognized Giovanni's handwriting immediately."More love letters?" Mom asked, a smile playing at her lips. "You two do know texting exists, right? It's much faster.""Mama!" Christabel gasped. "That's so unromantic! Letters are special. You can keep them forever and reread them and…" She clutched the remaining envelope to her chest dramatically. "It's like something from a period drama!""Your sister has been wa
ARYA’S POVIt has been a week and I haven’t heard a word from Giovanni after the birthday party. Every night since then I was tormented by our last conversation, mainly because of guilt and also because I regretted the words I spoke. Giovanni was trying his best to reconcile but all I did was throw it back in his face. I wish we had the opportunity to talk again. I would take back some of the words I spoke. “Cara,” Dad's voice interrupted and I looked up from the desk, “are you good?”I forced a smile on my face and nodded. “What is it?” He cleared his throat and walked further into the room. “Giovanni called earlier this morning.”Before I could help it, my heart leapt for joy and I scrambled to my feet. I immediately realized how embarrassing my excitement was but Dad didn't seem to mind. “What… why did he call?” I asked, pretending to be disinterested.My dad’s facial expression made me pause. "Giovanni has filed for divorce."The room tilted. "What?"Dad had a gruff look on
ARYA'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
GIOVANNI’S POVI closed the bedroom door behind me and leaned against it, pressing my palms flat against the wood.My hands were still shaking and I looked down at them, staring at the fingers that had been wrapped around Arya's throat not twenty minutes ago and felt something crack inside my chest
ARYA’S POVI pulled the duvet up, acutely aware of every movement. The bed dipped as Giovanni settled beside me, and suddenly the mattress felt much smaller than it had moments ago.We lay there in silence, both staring at the ceiling like it held the answers to questions we didn't know how to ask.
GIOVANNI’S POVI watched Arya flip the coin with an intensity that was probably excessive for a simple game, but something about seeing her like this made warmth spread through my chest.The coin spun in the air, catching the cabin lights, and landed on the table between us.Tails.Her face fell im
ARYA’S POV"What? Why!?” I could barely keep my voice low. Giovanni just shrugged. “We can stay here anymore.”“We can't stay here anymore?" I repeated, my voice rising with disbelief. "But… but we just got here""We've been here for weeks," Giovanni interrupted. “Besides, this was supposed to be







