LOGINMarco's trembling hand grabbed the paper. He stared at the gestational age."A child… I have a child?"He mumbled to himself, a flicker of dazed joy in his eyes. For a man who'd been told his car accident might leave him unable to have children, this was a shocking miracle.Seeing her chance, Sandra immediately put on her pitiful act, collapsing at his knees in tears."Yes, Marco! It's a gift from God! You can't kill our child for that bitch Odessa!"SLAP!The sound was sharp and clear.It wasn't Marco who hit her.It was Jude.He pulled his hand back, wiping it on his trouser leg as if he'd touched something utterly contaminated."Watch your mouth," Jude's eyes were dark. "You insult my wife again, I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to the dogs."Then, he pulled another document from his coat and tossed it lightly onto Marco's lap."Since everyone likes to throw around evidence, I might as well join the fun."It was a paternity test.And a few photos of Sandra sneaking out of nightc
Time blurred into a vortex of sensation. The world outside faded to a muffled hum, a distant reality. Through the heavy door, I could almost feel the atmosphere in the hallway shift—from shock to scandalized whispers, to the heavy, suffocating silence of Marco's ultimate humiliation. He had orchestrated this, and now he was forced to stand guard outside the room where his grand plan had backfired into a testament of my husband's devotion.For two hours, we were the only two people in the universe. Jude worshipped my body, purging the poison with a passion so intense it felt like he was branding my very soul. This wasn't just sex; it was an exorcism. It was his declaration that I was his salvation.And for me, every touch, every kiss was a victory.When it was over, we lay tangled on the plush sofa, the frantic energy replaced by a deep, possessive calm. The drug's fire in Jude's eyes had been quenched, replaced by the familiar, intense blue I knew. He dressed slowly, his moveme
Marco didn't die.He spent half a month in the ICU and, miraculously, woke up.But he didn't disappear like I thought he would. He got crazier. More obsessed.Since his little self-pity act didn't work, he tried a new tactic.He used what was left of the Bianchi family's resources to stage "chance encounters."Art exhibits, auctions, business dinners—anywhere the Moretti family showed up, you could be sure to find him in his wheelchair.He didn't scream anymore. He just watched me. A snake in the grass.Until tonight.A charity auction to celebrate me officially taking over the Moretti jewelry business.I had just finished making the rounds and was looking for Jude when a waiter ran up to me, panicked."Mrs. Moretti! There's a problem! The Don… he's in the upstairs lounge. He looks… unwell. And he's with a woman…"The waiter trailed off, but his eyes said it all.My stomach dropped.I knew Jude's tolerance for alcohol. Someone must have drugged him.I hiked up my dress and ran.At the
The image of Marco shattering his own hand was burned into my mind. I couldn't escape it.The next day, I couldn't stand the torment. I had to leave the estate."I'm going out there," I told Jude. "I need to make him leave."Jude frowned. "No need.""He'll die out there.""That's his choice.""Jude, I don't want a man's death on my conscience."He was quiet for a moment, then finally nodded. "I'll go with you."Marco was still kneeling there.His right hand was wrapped in bloody bandages.His face was as pale as a ghost, but a crazy hope still burned in his eyes.When he saw me, he struggled to his feet, but swayed from blood loss and collapsed back to his knees, crawling toward me."Odessa…"He held up his ruined hand, a twisted, pleading smile on his face."See? I punished myself. I broke this hand. Now we're the same."With a trembling hand, he pulled two crumpled pieces of paper from his coat.They were a pair of rain-soaked plane tickets. Destination: Zurich."Let's go to Switzerl
The Moretti estate was quiet that night. No rowdy guests. Just black-suited guards everywhere… and the man kneeling outside the main gate.Marco had been there for five hours.The downpour whipped his body like a lash, but he didn't move.The estate's security monitor showed it all. His pale face. His broken ribs—a parting gift from the guards who’d tried to remove him."Still won't leave?"Jude's voice came from behind me.I turned.He was fresh from the shower, a black silk robe tied loosely around his waist. It revealed a carved chest, his hair still dripping onto his shoulders.The air smelled of cedarwood, dangerous and intoxicating."He's waiting for me to forgive him," I said, my eyes on the monitor."And you?" Jude stepped in front of me, his tall frame casting a shadow that swallowed me whole. "On our wedding night, my wife is thinking about another man?"His fingers gently tilted my chin up. His ice-blue eyes churned with something deep and unreadable.Was that… jealousy?"T
The barrel of a gun pressed against Marco's forehead.He froze. Didn't dare to breathe.But Jude didn't pull the trigger. He just smirked and put the gun away."Killing you now would ruin my wedding."He turned to the crowd, a mix of New York's richest and most powerful."From now on, my wife runs the Moretti jewelry business. All of it. She isn't just the Don's wife. She's the designer."The crowd gasped.Sandra's face was a mask of rage. "What gives you the right?!" she shrieked. "She's a cripple! She can't even hold a damn pen! I'm the champion! The Tears of Medusa—"Jude didn't even look at her.He just snapped his fingers.The giant screen flickered to life.The first video started. Security footage from the explosion. Two years ago.There I was, dragging Marco from the inferno. A shard of glass tore through my arm, shredding the nerves. Blood gushed from my right hand.Marco stared at the screen, his face draining of all color.The second video: the intensive care unit at a Zuric







