I'm not your weakness

♥Olivia♥

The next few days were peaceful.

Diego spoiled me endlessly. Breakfast in bed. New clothes delivered by the hour. Long walks through the city with his hand wrapped around mine. Quiet evenings on the balcony, watching the sunset paint the sky in shades of gold and pink.

I'd never been this happy.

I'd never felt this safe.

But something was changing.

Diego was gone more often. Meetings that stretched late into the night. Phone calls he took in his study with the door locked. Whispers between him and Carlotta that stopped the moment I entered the room.

I didn't ask. I didn't push.

But I noticed.

One evening, I found him standing on the balcony, staring at the city below. His shoulders were tense. His jaw was tight.

"Diego?" I walked toward him. "What's wrong?"

He didn't turn. "Nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

He was silent for a moment. Then he sighed.

"There are things happening. Things I need to handle."

"What kind of things?"

He finally turned. His eyes were dark. Tired.

"Business."

"Business," I repeated. "You've been saying that for days."

"Because it's true."

I stepped closer. "Diego, I'm your wife. You can trust me."

He reached out and cupped my face. His thumb traced my cheek.

"I know," he said softly. "But some things are better left in the dark."

***

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. Again. Diego was gone. But there was a note on his pillow.

Business. I'll be back by evening. Stay inside. Don't open the door for anyone. — D

I frowned. The note was short. Cold. Nothing like the sweet messages he usually left.

Something was wrong.

I got dressed and went to the kitchen. The staff were quiet. Tense. They wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Carlotta," I said. "What's going on?"

She hesitated. "Nothing, signora."

"Don't lie to me."

She sighed. "There was a message this morning. For Signor De Luca."

"What kind of message?"

"A threat."

My blood ran cold. "Against who?"

She didn't answer.

"Carlotta."

"Against you."

That evening, Diego came home late. He looked exhausted. His jaw was tight. His eyes were dark. I was waiting for him in the living room.

"What happened?" I asked.

He walked toward me and pulled me into his arms. He held me for a long moment.

"Someone wants to hurt you," he said quietly. "To get to me."

"Who?"

"A rival. Someone who's been trying to take what's mine for years." He pulled back, meeting my eyes. "He's dangerous, Olivia. More dangerous than anyone I've faced before."

I swallowed hard. "What does he want?"

"Everything. My empire. My power." He paused. "And now, he knows about you. He knows you're important to me."

"I'm not your weakness."

He smiled sadly. "You're my everything, gattina. And that makes you a target."

I took his face in my hands. "Then we face him together."

"Olivia—"

"I'm not running. I'm not hiding. I'm your wife." I met his eyes. "And I'm not leaving you."

Diego stared at me. Then he kissed me. Hard. Desperate.

"I don't deserve you," he murmured against my lips.

"You have me anyway."

He held me tighter. "I won't let him touch you."

"I know."

He pulled back, his eyes burning. "Stay inside. Stay safe. Let me handle this."

I nodded. But even as I did, I knew something he didn't. I wasn't going to just sit and wait.

When we tucked in later to sleep, I couldn't sleep.

Diego was beside me, his breathing slow and even. But I knew he wasn't really asleep. He never really slept anymore. I slipped out of bed and walked to the window.

The city glittered below. Beautiful. Peaceful.

But somewhere out there, someone wanted to destroy us. I thought about my family. About Beatrice. About the way they'd always treated me like I was nothing.

I thought about Diego. About the way he looked at me like I was everything.

I wasn't going to let anyone take that away. I wasn't going to be a victim. I turned from the window and walked to Diego's study. The door was unlocked. I slipped inside.

The room was dark. Quiet. I didn't know what I was looking for. But I knew I needed to understand.

I opened a drawer. Files. Papers. Photographs.

And then I saw it. A photograph of a man. Dark hair. Cold eyes. A scar running down his cheek.

On the back, a name was written in Diego's handwriting.

Vittorio Caruso.

I stared at the photograph. This was the man who wanted to hurt us.

This was the man who wanted to destroy my husband. I studied his face. Memorized it. Then I put the photograph back and closed the drawer.

I wasn't going to be a victim. I was going to be ready.

***

The next morning, Diego was gone again. But this time, I didn't wait.

I found Carlotta in the kitchen.

"I need you to teach me," I said.

She blinked. "Teach you what, signora?"

"Everything. How to protect myself. How to fight. How to survive."

Carlotta stared at me. "Signor De Luca wouldn't want—"

"Signor De Luca isn't here." I met her eyes. "And I'm not going to sit around waiting to be kidnapped."

She was silent for a long moment. Then she nodded.

"Okay," she said. "But if he finds out—"

"He won't."

Carlotta led me to a room I'd never seen before. It was in the basement. Hidden behind a locked door. Inside was a gym. Mats on the floor. Punching bags. Weapons on the walls.

"This is where Signor De Luca trains," Carlotta said.

I looked around. "He never told me about this."

"He doesn't tell anyone about this." She paused. "But you're not just anyone."

I smiled. "No. I'm not."

Carlotta walked to the center of the room. "First lesson. How to break a hold."

She grabbed my wrist. "When someone grabs you, you don't pull back. You twist. Like this."

She demonstrated. I copied her.

"Good. Again."

We trained for hours. My muscles ached. My hands were raw. But I didn't stop.

I was going to be ready.

Diego came home in the evening to find me in the living room, reading.

"You're still awake," he said.

"I was waiting for you."

He walked toward me. His eyes were tired. But he smiled.

"You didn't have to."

"I wanted to." I stood up and wrapped my arms around him. "I missed you."

He held me close. "I missed you too, gattina."

We stood there for a long moment. Just holding each other.

"I'm going to keep you safe," he murmured into my hair. "No matter what."

I nodded and he continued

"I'm going to destroy anyone who tries to hurt you."

"I know."

He pulled back, meeting my eyes. "I love you, Olivia."

"I love you too, Diego."

He kissed me. And everything was perfect at that moment. But I knew the storm was coming. And I was going to be ready.