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For several seconds, Rosa couldn't move.Her mind went completely blank as she stared at them. The air seemed to vanish from her lungs, every instinct in her body screaming at the sight of her husband holding her naked cousin."What is going on here?" Rosa’s voice sliced through the heavy silence, sharp and deadly quiet.Luciano snapped his head toward the doorway, his cold blue eyes instantly locking onto Rosa. He didn't flinch, nor did his expression betray panic, but his brow furrowed as he carefully set Laura down onto the edge of the mattress and pulled the heavy duvet over her bare body."Rosie," Luciano said, his voice level, though a subtle edge of urgency cut through his tone. "It’s not what you think.""Isn't it?" Rosa asked, taking a slow step forward, her fists clenching at her sides as she fought to keep her composure. "Because from where I'm standing, my husband is carrying my naked cousin out of her bathroom.""Rosa, please—" Laura gasped from the bed, pulling the blank
"Who are you, and how do you know my parents?" was Rosa's immediate response, her heart pounding against her ribs the second the woman claimed to know something about her parents' death.Across the line, Rosa heard a long, heavy exhale—the sound of someone carrying a secret they had kept hidden for far too long."My name is Alessandra Vance," the woman said softly. "Your father and I worked together... a very long time ago."Rosa’s heart sank, a cold weight dropping straight into her stomach.The name left her stunned. Alessandra Vance was a legendary bestselling author—a literary icon who had vanished from the public eye years ago without a trace. No one knew where she had gone, why she had abandoned her career at its peak, or what had truly happened to her."Alessandra Vance? You..." Rosa murmured in disbelief. "Of course I know who you are. You made the literary market shake with your writing. Prose & Stanza published all your books.""You're right, Rosa," Alessandra said softly. "
"I’m sorry... I just got overwhelmed. I'm too emotional to control it," Laura excused herself, her voice trembling softly.Keeping her head bowed, she stared down at her and Rosa's joined hands. "I mean... they died. And then Aunt Vittoria and Chiara won't even look at me because I helped you win against them in court," Laura sobbed, her voice cracking with tragic ruin. "I’m completely alone in this world, and with this pregnancy... I just don't know what I'd do without you and Luciano."Rosa’s brows pulled together in a tight frown. She felt a sharp prickle beneath her skin at how effortlessly Laura twisted the narrative—framing herself as the selfless martyr and quietly pinning the blame on Rosa for her isolation. It was a masterclass in passive-aggressive guilt, designed to make Rosa feel indebted to her.She turned her tear-streaked face toward Luciano. "Luciano, if you could just help me find a job... I want to at least cover my own expenses."Luciano’s brows furrowed, his express
"Daddy, feed me, too!" Renzo’s complaining voice chimed from the side.Both of them shifted their attention to their little boy, who was frowning with a cute pout on his handsome face. "Do you only love Mommy and not me?"Luciano chuckled, breaking off a warm piece of fresh cornetto to feed his son. "I love you, my little man, but I love your mommy the most. More than anything," he murmured under his breath, his dark blue eyes fixed entirely on his wife.Sitting in the chair right next to Luciano, Laura’s fingers tightened so hard around her fork that her knuckles turned white. They were talking to each other like a sweet, happy family, completely ignoring her presence as if she weren't even sitting right there the whole time. Swallowing down the bitter surge of jealousy, she forced her face back into a picture of innocent helplessness and cut straight into their family moment."Luciano, will you drop me off at the mall?" she asked, her voice soft and pitiful. "I need to buy some cloth
After Rosa finished getting ready, she walked out of the bedroom with Luciano and Renzo and headed down to the dining room. Renzo slid into his usual seat beside his father, while Rosa went toward her side of the table—her customary spot.It was part of her daily routine to check the food and help the housekeeper serve breakfast. But as she brought the dishes over to the dining table, she stopped. Laura was already sitting in the chair right next to Luciano.A frown threatened to deepen between Rosa's brows, but she kept her expression calm and composed. "Laura, that's my seat," she said softly. "Please move to another chair."Laura looked up, blinking with wide, innocent eyes. She instinctively clutched her stomach. "Rosa, I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was your spot. But could you please sit on the other side today? I'm feeling really nauseous, and this side gets more sunlight, and it's helping me feel better." Rosa caught the sudden shift in mood, but her smile remained completely
Luciano’s face darkened with pure awkwardness, but catching the sharp edge in Rosa's posture brought him right back to reality. He scooped Renzo up against his hip and called out, his tone dropping several degrees into something clipped and utterly frigid."That’s completely out of line, Laura. Asking me for clothes when the lady of the house—my wife—is right here to help you makes no sense. If you need anything, you ask her."Without waiting for a response, he ducked straight into the walk-in closet with their son, fully aware that standing around half-naked in front of another woman was a massive misstep.Laura dropped her gaze, looking caught off guard as her throat worked. "I'm sorry," she murmured, trying for a soft, timid delivery. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I won't bother you again."She turned to step away, but Rosa kept her voice perfectly level, stopping her in her tracks. "Wait. I'll grab a few things of mine that should fit you."Rosa shut the door firmly in her f
Just as Luciano turned the corner, Rosa arrived at the other end of the hall. She saw his retreating back, but at that exact moment, Luciano turned around. Rosa froze.Pure, cold fear gripped her. She instinctively ducked against the wall, hiding behind a thick marble pillar. Luciano’s eyes swept th
Early that morning, Luciano’s grandmother’s condition suddenly took a turn for the worse. She began struggling to breathe and was rushed to the hospital immediately. As soon as Luciano received the news, he raced there.His grandfather was already by his wife's side, but the moment Luciano entered
Luciano had been furious with Rosa for lying to him. He had avoided going to see her because he knew he wouldn’t be able to control the monsters inside him—and he might end up hurting her.But that morning, when he heard she was going to Prose and Stanza, his anger turned into worry. He didn’t know
One hour earlier…Luciano was sitting in his car, with Luca driving them toward his office, when his phone rang. It was the man he had assigned to follow and guard Rosa.From the bodyguard, he learned that Rosa was on her way to her father’s publishing house. The news immediately put him on edge.“







