Don Antonio’s POV “I loved how demure your bachelor party was. It reminded me that aging makes all of us think and act differently, because I know you would have thrown a different kind of party a few years ago,” Xavier said while taking a drag from his cigarette“I agree with you. Age really does make us act differently most of the time.”The words themselves felt strange on my tongue and he was right. In my old life, it would have been a wild, extravagant affair—a hotel suite in Vegas, a private jet to Italy, a parade of guests and endless bottles of champagne. It would have been a show, a final hurrah of a life I was leaving behind. But that wasn't the man I was anymore, and that wasn't the life I wanted.I had told my closest friends to meet me at a quiet, unpretentious restaurant near our new home. It was a place with checkered tablecloths and the smell of wood-fired pizza. The only people I invited were a handful of men who had stood by me through the years, men who understood
Alexa’s POVThe proposal was simple, and that made it perfect. The moment he asked me, on one knee, without a ring, was a world away from the elaborate gestures of his old life. It was a promise of a new kind of future for us, a future that was about us, not about the world watching.The next few days were a happy blur. The initial shock wore off, replaced by a quiet, settled feeling of peace. We were finally engaged, and the first thought on our minds was the wedding.We were sitting together in his study, going through some old magazines. They were filled with pictures of grand weddings, of beautiful, but showy, receptions. Don Antonio, a man who had once been known for his extravagant parties, had a thoughtful expression on his face as he looked at a photo of a ballroom."My first thought was to get the most beautiful hotel in Italy," he said, his voice quiet. "And have a thousand guests. It would have been the biggest society event of the year."A small shudder went through me. I
Don Antonio’s POVThe plan was simple, and that was the part I loved the most. For the first time in my life, a grand gesture wasn't about power or an advantage; it was about love. I had spent weeks planning, making sure every detail was perfect. The idea had come to me one night as I watched Alexa sketch in our peaceful little studio. She was so happy there, but the space was still on our property, a reminder of the life we had left. I wanted to give her a place that was completely her own, a sanctuary that felt miles away from everything we had been.I told her we were going on a day trip, nothing more. She didn't ask questions, just packed a small bag and hummed a song as she got in the car. The drive was beautiful. We left the winding country roads of our home and headed north, towards the mountains. The landscape changed from rolling hills to towering trees and rocky cliffs, and the air grew cool and fresh. Alexa pointed out a hawk circling high above, and I watched her face, so
Alexa’s POVThe restaurant was quiet, chosen for its privacy, but the silence at our table was deafening. The crisp white tablecloth felt like a barrier between the three of us. My father, Donald, sat across from me, his shoulders a little slumped, looking at his hands. Don Antonio, beside me, was his usual quiet self, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. They hadn't said a single word to each other since they sat down.I had arranged this meeting because it had to happen. We couldn't build a new future while a ghost from the past still lingered. I was the bridge between them, the only person who could possibly make them face each other.I picked up my water glass, setting it down with a deliberate clink. The small noise was enough to make both men look up."We aren't leaving until we talk about it," I said, my voice steady and firm. "We're not here to make small talk. We're here to talk about what happened. For real."My father shifted uncomfortably. "Alexa, there's nothi
Don Antonio’s POVThe rain in my dream was cold and slick, just like it was the night everything changed. I could hear the muffled shouts, the screech of tires, and the angry, desperate voices. I was back there again, in the middle of the chaos, feeling the familiar, heavy weight of a gun in my hand. I could feel the old rage, the kind that used to fuel me, boiling in my veins. The world was a mess of blurry lights and loud noises, and I was at the center of it, a general in a war I couldn't escape.Then, a jolt.My eyes snapped open, and for a moment, I was disoriented. The loud noises were gone. The cold rain was replaced by the soft warmth of our blankets. The only sound was the quiet hum of the country night and the slow, steady rhythm of Alexa’s breathing beside me. But my heart was hammering against my ribs, and a cold sweat slicked my forehead. I was back in our new, peaceful home, but the fear from my old life clung to me like a ghost.I sat up, trying to catch my breath, to s
Alexa’s POV The phone rang, a jarring sound in the quiet of my studio. For weeks, the only sounds I’d heard were the soft hum of my sewing machine, the whisper of fabrics, and the gentle creak of the floorboards. Our new life was a sanctuary, and the city’s chaos felt a million miles away.I answered, and the voice on the other end was my fabric vendor, Marco. He sounded flustered and confused. "Alexa, I don't know what happened. The new shipment of silk... it's gone. The truck was supposed to drop it at your studio this morning, but I just got a call saying it was 'misdirected.' But the driver claims he never got that call and was told to take it somewhere else."A wave of frustration washed over me as I tried to analyze the situation. I sat down at the nearest stool I could find. This was a huge setback. The silk was for my new collection, and every day counted. I was about to dive into the details, to figure out the logistics and where the shipment could have gone when Antonio wal