LOGINGIANA POV
“Max” I moan my voice loud in the bedroom As he pushes me to the wall “I see the way you look at me, with those seductive eyes” he whispers in my ears pulling back and our lips mesh together again, sealed in a passionate kiss His fingers trail my thighs almost like he wants to carry me around his waist but I halt him immediately, “You can’t,” I say my cheeks turning pink from embarrassment, Dante could never carry me due to my size and always ended up with me on the floor and being laughed at by him. He rolls his eyes, grabs me easily, and throws me over his back, he turns to the dark bedroom my squeals the only sound he can hear. He gently places me on the bed, “I've wanted to fuck you since the very first day I saw you enter that bar” he says his lips leaving trails of kisses on my neck. Tingles fill my body, my nipples rising and trying to escape my shirt, “Please Max” I moan as his lips move down to my neck, my shirt still covering my body. “Patience Giana,” he says sweetly, his fingers slowly removing my clothes revealing my breasts to him, he cups them in his hands but they spill due to their size, I look up at his eyes shining brightly in the dark, like a child that just got handed a lollipop “You are absolutely beautiful Giana” you're literally perfect he purrs his finger tracing my nipples and leaving me in shivers “Don’t worry I know what you want,” he says in the quiet room, his lips pulling my nipples into his mouth I'm overtaken with ecstasy, my fingers claw at his shirt, begging thin to remove it. “Max please remove your shirt” I moan out loud He detaches from my breast removing his shirt immediately, he stands right in between my legs, tattoos covering half of his body, they are printed on him like ink is to paper. “Do you want me to fuck you Giana?” he raises a brow at me, bending forward slightly and holding his body up, his eyes meet with mine “Yes Maximilian, please fuck me” I whisper in his ears when I hear a loud bang. I wake up to a knock on my door, sweat soaking through my skin despite the room being cold, I breathe hard looking around the room realizing what happened last night. “Miss Giana, Mr. Maximilian is waiting downstairs for you” I hear the maid's voice, and her footsteps falter, walking away from the door I lay back down, eyes wide open, why did I dream about that? Am I that attracted to him that I would have a sex dream? I sigh thinking about last night, I accepted his offer yes, it was the best offer I've had, I would be his wife in exchange for him getting his inheritance and I would be supported and protected for a year as the contract stipulates. For someone just coming out of a marriage it's pretty fast for me. I quickly have a bath and dress up in the white dress he had given to me last night, like he knew I was going to say yes, we were going straight to the registry to get married first and then he would introduce me to his family. I think about the sex dream while I dress, the way he held me, the way he touched me, its enough to make a woman cum in real life “Giana” I hear a knock on the door, his deep voice following “Are you ready? Can I come in?” he questions “You can come in,” I say turning to the door He opens the door and his shoe-covered feet hit the floorboard his eyes rising to hit mine, we are locked in a state before he opens his mouth “You look gorgeous” he says, his mouth and eyes saying the same thing. “You are a very confident man aren't you?” I raise a brow at him “For my age, it would be weird not to be” he walks forward grabbing my hand in his hold, “The dress looks breathtaking on you” “Thank you” I step back, sending him a soft smile, “This contract, when can we sign it? And it's only for a year right?” I raise a brow at him “Right” he nods, “we can sign the documents downstairs and after that, we can head to the registry” “Thank you, Maximilian,” I say my hands folded in front of me nervously “I can't thank you enough for saving me and now, marrying me, a woman you just met” I shake my head still confused about his offer “Are you sure you want to do this?” I raise a brow at him He nods steady on his feet, “At my age, I think I know when I'm sure about a woman” he takes my hand directing me outside “How old are you even?” I raise a brow at him as we walk down the stairs, his eyes following my every move. “I don’t look my age?” he turns to me with a brow raised, the contract placed firmly on the table, I wanted to sign it last night but he asked me to go to bed and think about it properly despite me already saying yes last night “Are you supposed to look a certain way?” I turn to him slightly taking a seat and grabbing the pen, my hand hovers on the page, am I really about to do this? Marry some unknown man? I turn to him slightly, “How old are you, Maximilian?” I say my tone low and serious. “I turn 40 in a few weeks, I might be old but-” he says but his voice halts at me placing my signature on the page. “Your age doesn't matter but I just want the truth told to me at all times” I turn my narrowed eyes to him, “I don’t like lies,” I say “You have the truth” he nods, let's head to the registry, my family awaits us. “I Giana Marino, take you, Maximilian North to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and obey, till death do us part and there to I pledge to you my faithfulness,” I say the words, he pulls out two black rings shocking me, I grab his good band placing it on his fingers waiting for him to continue his vows I Maximilian North, take you, Giana Marino, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, till death do us part and there to I pledge to you my faithfulness” he says his voice deep and low like he has gotten what he wanted without me realizing it. “You may now kiss your bride,” the Priest says Maximilian doesn't waste any time, his arms pull me closer to him, his fingers gripping my waist tightly, his fingers lift my chin to him seductively and my heart pumps so fast in my chest I think he can hear it, his lips join with mine in a short and passionate kiss, his lips moving with mine in a dance and soon he removes his lips from mine and I almost want to tell him not to stop. The priests shares a smile with us and instruct us on what to do next. Soon we are in a car heading to the biggest mansion I've ever seen, and I don’t come from a poor home and neither was I married to a poor man, I know luxury, I know money but this. “This is a castle” I mutter to myself turning my eyes to him my eyes wide open in shock “This is our new home” he replies his eyes beaming with pride as the car comes to a stop, in front of the door is a litter of people, his family. I walk forward with him, his fingers grasping mine gently and his arms around my waist in a possessive hold, my feet falter when my eyes rise to meet someone I've known for half of my life, who threw me out on the streets without looking back. “Dante” I mutter to myself “Everyone this is my new wife, Giana North” Maximilian says causing everyone to erupt in gasps like it was unexpected. “Giana, my mother, my aunt, my cousins, and my nephew” he points finally to Dante. My eyes stay wide open in shock sharing a locked look with Dante, “Lord I married my ex-husband's uncle.”Melody’s POVThe corridor back to my room felt colder than usual.It was not the kind of cold that comes from air-conditioning, but the kind that seeps into you slowly and personally.Every step resounded way too loudly, as if the walls themselves were listening.I passed the nurses’ station, nodded when one of them called my name, and smiled the way I’d learned to , small, polite,and empty. The kind of smile that convinced people you were a very nice person.Inside, my pulse was trembling.When I reached my room, I shut the door and leaned back against it, breathing in the faint smell of bleach and flowers. Someone had replaced the vase on the table with fresh lilies again. I used to like their scent, but now it only made my stomach twist.She wanted me to kill the child.No, wanted wasn’t even the right word. She’d said it so casually, like she was asking me to help rearrange the furniture in his mind. I mean I had attempted to do it before but I landed in this hospital, if I did i
Melody’s POVIt had been three days since the last session.Three long, quiet days where the hospital walls seemed absolutely no different to me.I’d counted the hours on the clock, the minutes ticking by like a heartbeat that didn’t belong to me.Something in me had changed since that talk with Dr. Halpern.I couldn’t explain it, not even to myself.It wasn’t fear exactly, more like the faint vibration that lingers after lightning strikes nearby, the kind you feel under your skin long after the thunder fades.No one had called me in since then.The world outside my window moved without me. I wondered if Max ever thought about me when he looked up.Then I reminded myself he didn’t and that reminder burned less each day.I tried to read, but the words slipped apart in my mind. I tried to sleep, but my dreams came loud and broken, all mirrors and reminding me of painful memories.By the fourth morning, I’d begun to think they’d forgotten about me entirely.That was when the knock came.
Maximilian’s POVThe rain hadn’t stopped since morning.It had a rhythm of its own, it was soft, relentless, the kind that reminded me of the first time she came into my life. I stood by the window, watching the city dissolve behind the curtain of silver drizzle, the glow of traffic lights bleeding through it like fading embers.She was still asleep.For a long time, I didn’t move. There was something about the way she slept that quieted everything in me. The small rise and fall of her chest, the way one hand always reached out for the space beside her as if making sure I was still there.I’d spent half the night watching her, rehearsing what I would say if she asked about the call.But she hadn’t.And that was both a relief and a knife twisting quietly beneath my ribs. I knew that she was listening on me. I turned away from the window and picked up my phone from the table. The message thread was still open, the florist confirming the final order. I scrolled down, checking every det
Gianna’s POVThe morning light in the penthouse was pale and gentle, the kind that slid in quietly through the tall windows and kissed the floors. I stood barefoot in the kitchen, the hem of my silk robe brushing my ankles as I stirred the pot in front of me.The scent of warm tomatoes and basil filled the air. I didn’t usually cook, the staff always did, and Max preferred me to rest but I wanted to do this myself today. Maybe because I needed to feel useful. Maybe because the silence had become too heavy lately, and I thought a small act of care might soften it.I wanted him to come home to something warm. To me, waiting with a smile, pretending that nothing between us had changed.The doctor had said I was early in the pregnancy, that I needed more rest, less worry. He didn’t say how to stop the worry. It was everywhere, the taste of morning tea, in the rhythm of the clock, in the empty chair across from mine at breakfast.Max had gone before dawn again. No note. No call. The habit
Melody’s POVWhen the car stopped, the air that met me was too clean, and too cold. The faint scent of disinfectant clung to my coat as I stepped inside. A nurse led me down the long corridor, white walls, humming lights, everything bright enough to sting the eyes.“Dr. Halpern would like to see you before you rest,” she said.Of course he would.His office door was half-open. I heard the rustle of papers, the careful, deliberate click of his pen before he looked up.“Melody.” Her smile was the same practiced calm I had seen a hundred times. “You did well today.”I didn’t answer right away. I stood by the door, waiting for something else, some official phrase, maybe a mention of discharge. Instead, she gestured for me to sit.“You kept your composure,” she continued. “No incident. No visible distress. That must have been… difficult.”“It wasn’t,” I said, though the words came out too flat.She watched me a little too long, then leaned forward, elbows on his desk. “You see, that’s what
Melody’s POV The murmurs faded when he arrived. Even without looking, I felt the hush that always followed max. He walked beside Gianna, with one hand at the small of her back as if the world itself needed reminding she was fragile. The gesture was practiced, gentle, and it made my chest ache in a way I didn’t expect. Gianna’s black veil brushed her cheeks when the wind shifted. She looked up at him, and he bent slightly, saying something only she could hear. Whatever it was drew a faint smile from her, and it made me feel so damn pissed off. I stayed where I was, just a few paces from the grave. The attendant hovered near me, ready to intervene if I so much as swayed. I didn’t. I watched instead, watched the way max’s coat moved, the way he refused to look in my direction even once. When the priest closed his book, people began to leave in small clusters. I waited until he and Gianna passed near. Her hand rested on his arm; their steps matched perfectly. “Max” My voice surpris







