Masuk“They are my cousins,” Rosa said. Samuele’s brow furrowed in a deep frown.“Cousins? What kind of cousins hold such a bitter grudge, and why?” he asked, his voice laced with frustrated confusion.“Not every cousin, uncle, or aunt is caring and loving,” Rosa replied, her voice hardening. “Some only want something in return, and that isn't love—it’s a transaction.”Rosa took a deep breath. Seeing the confusion in Samuele’s eyes, she finally let the wall crumble just a little. She told him everything: how they had snatched her father’s publishing house so cleverly, how she suspected her uncle and aunt had orchestrated the accident that killed her parents, and the legal petition she had filed against them.Samuele looked at her with unmasked pride. He was floored by her strength—to fight a war on two fronts, battling her family in court while caring for a child undergoing medical treatment.“You are not alone in this,” Samuele assured her. He reached for her hand on the table, but she shy
Rosa looked at her four-year-old son and then at Samuele, who had just made an already impossible situation so much more complicated. She scrambled to find an excuse, her mind racing to frame it all as a game—a story where the doctor was a hero helping them save the world. She hated the idea of lying to him, but the thought of crushing his spirit or admitting the ugly truth was even worse.But before she could weave another lie that would eventually break her heart, Samuele beat her to it.“I am your doctor, Renzo,” he said gently. Rosa’s eyes snapped to his, and he gave her a small, reassuring nod. He had seen the panic written all over her face and stepped in to anchor her.“Then why did you say I was your son back there?” Renzo questioned, a small frown creasing his face.“Because those people were bullying your mommy, I had to play along to protect her. You know, Renzo... sometimes a lie told for a good reason isn't a sin.”Suddenly, Renzo’s face fell. The light in his eyes vanish
Everyone turned toward the source of the roar. Rosa’s eyes slowly followed the crowd’s gaze, landing on Samuele. He was walking toward her, a look of grim, deadly seriousness etched onto his face.“Don’t think for a second that she is alone, or that you can do whatever you please to an innocent woman in a public place,” he growled, his frustration evident as he shouldered his way through the crowd. He stepped up beside Rosa, a solid wall of protection.“And who are you? Why are you advocating for her?” Laura rolled her eyes, acting as if he were a nobody she could simply brush away with a single breath.“I am Dr. Samuele DeLuca. Senior Pediatric Oncologist at the City Hospital,” he stated, his voice ringing with professional authority. He produced a card from his wallet and handed it over. A man in the crowd took it, and it began to pass from hand to hand. The air filled with fresh murmurs and sharp gasps as the strangers realized exactly who was standing before them.“So, this bitc
Renzo began scrambling to get out of the trolley, his small face set in a look of pure defiance and anger. Seeing this, Rosa quickly scooped him up into her arms, clutching him tightly to her chest. She held him firm, stopping him from wriggling out of her embrace, even as he looked ready to take on the world to defend her.“Mommy?!” Chiara and Laura both snorted, their voices thick with disgust and mockery. They looked down at the four-year-old boy and then back at Rosa, their expressions turning predatory as they realized they had uncovered her dirty secret.“So, you really are a whore,” Chiara remarked with a mocking sneer. “Having a bastard with no father.” Laura joined in, her laughter sharp and cold.
Rosa looked at those two wicked women for a fleeting second before turning her head away, completely ignoring them as if they didn't exist in her world. Renzo was with her, and she knew it was better to avoid trouble than to give them the sharp retort they deserved.“Let’s go, Renzo,” Rosa said, her voice tight as she turned the trolley toward the checkout counters.“Are we done shopping, Mommy?” he asked, his small voice sensing the sudden shift in her mood.“Mm-hmm,” Rosa replied. She was desperate to hurry away before Laura and Chiara could cause a scene in front of him.“But we didn’t buy those cookies I like, or my favorite milk chocolate with caramel filling,” he said in a whining tone.Rosa sighed, her nerves fraying. “I’ll buy them next time. I’m running late today, baby.” She stole a quick look over her shoulder and saw the scowling faces of her cousins. They were strutting toward her, catwalking in their eight-inch heels as if the supermarket aisle were a runway.“Who are the
After dinner, Rosa tucked Renzo into bed. Later, under the dim glow of the living room lights, she and Lucy sat together, decompressing over hot cups of coffee.“I was shocked when Renzo said that,” Lucy said, bringing up the topic with a teasing smile.Rosa shook her head, letting out a heavy, weary sigh. “I swear, I was completely taken aback. It’s true what they say—children have a natural tendency to lean toward their fathers. That kid doesn’t even know Luciano is his father; he’s lived with me his entire life, yet out of all the men in the world, he chose him to be his dad.”Rosa shook her head once more, her expression one of pure disbelief.“It seems mother and son share the same taste,” Lucy teased.Rosa’s eyes widened in a mix of shock and irritation. “Shut up, Lucy. I don’t like that man.”“Right. Then who was the one blindly in love back then?” Lucy reminded her gently. She was the only one who remembered why Rosa had walked away from her education and her future to get marr







