LOGINAurora’s POV
When Rosa came for me, I sighed in relief, thankful to be away from him, but my happiness was short-lived because not too long after, I was behind those large doors with him and his father.I fought back tears when Mr. Armani hit me across the face. It was unexpected, and his hand was strong. I blinked back the tears, not wanting to give him or either of them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. My skin burned, and I could taste my own blood on my lips. It took every last bit of restraint I had to not continue staring at him.My eyes were wide with shock when I heard the next words that Mr. Armani uttered. I stood frozen in shock, listening to them.I looked between the both of them, surely they were not talking about me as if I were an object.“What’s it going to be?” The heavy question hung between us.Mr. Armani didn’t look away. His eyes met mine, a twisted smile on his lips. My eyes bore into his. He didn’t look aAngelo’s POVI pushed the door of my study open and stopped halfway. My father was sitting behind my desk like he owned the place. I didn’t know he was here in the first place, let alone in my private study, but he wasn’t the only one here. Nico was leaning against the window, a pleased smirk on his face, and Lorenzo sat on the couch, looking uncomfortable.There was tension. Of course, my father was here. He didn’t come to me if it wasn’t something really important.“Did I interrupt something?” I asked, closing the door behind me.My father’s eyes lifted slowly. “Sit, Angelo.” His tone was flat.I stayed standing, my eyes flickering to my chair he was so confidently occupying. “What’s this about?”He folded his hands on the table. “I found new information about Dante’s death, who killed him.”My chest tightened. My brows furrowed in a deep-set frown. “What are you talking about? Dante’s killer is dead.”“Yes,” he answered quietly, “Mr. Cruz is dead. But there’s more.”I blinked at hi
Angelo’s POV The weather was gloomy, quite fitting for the mood that we were all in this morning. Everyone was dressed in black, standing neatly in rows as the priest’s voice echoed across the open field. It was very simple ceremony, not the typical way the Armani family would hold a funeral. Dante would have been mad had he been here, but he’d definitely be more mad about the fact that he was dead. Neither my father or I could bother with the formalities of holding a grand funeral ceremony. I didn’t think I’d be attending one in a very long time. I let out a huge sigh as I straightened up, my hands clasped behind my back, my red eyes shielded by my sunshades.Everyone was here, including Aurora. I made her come. She stood a few feet away, hair tied up in a messy bun, she had on a simple black dress, Nonna Rosa had provided it last minute.. She looked out of place among the crowd of tailored suits and expensive dresses. When we arrived, I expected my fat
Aurora’s POVI sat on the edge of the narrow bed, my fingers pressed against the rough fabric. My thoughts kept wandering to Isabella. I was happy to see her and sad at the same time. I wiped the tear on my cheek with the back of my hand. I missed her dearly. I missed talking to her all day about everything and nothing. I missed dressing up at her apartment to go to the club or crash out at one of those stupid parties.I let out a deep exhale. For once in her life, I wished Isabella wouldn’t be her stubborn self. I hoped she took my words to heart, to stop searching for me. I didn’t know if there was a chance for me to walk back into the normal world, but I needed her to be safe. Knowing she was out there waiting for me gave me hope, it gave me strength.I pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my chin on them. The door opened suddenly. My heart jumped. Angelo stepped in first, followed by a group of women in scrubs. There was another man trailing behind in a dark suit.“What’s this?
Aurora’s POVThe moment Isabella spotted me, she abandoned her colleagues without hesitation. Her heels clicked against the tiled floor, her arms already stretching out toward me, and before I could even prepare myself, she pulled me into the kind of hug that broke every wall I had been forcing myself to hold up. My tears came instantly. They weren’t the quiet ones I sometimes shed alone in the garden; they were hot, unstoppable sobs that poured into her shoulder. My fingers curled desperately into the fabric of her blouse, and I melted into her touch like I had been waiting a lifetime to feel it.“Aurora,” she whispered against my hair, her hands cradling the back of my head as though she could shield me from everything. “Oh my God, are you okay?”I couldn’t answer her, not right away. My throat was too clogged, my chest too heavy. I shook my head, burying myself further in her embrace, and I felt her body stiffen at my reaction. She pulled back just enou
Aurora’s POVI knelt in the garden, letting the soil crumble between my fingers. Walking among the flowers had become my only escape. Each petal gave me something soft and beautiful to focus on, something that wasn’t ugly and cruel like my reality in the past few months. I’d lost my father. I’d been kidnapped. And yet here I was, in the garden, tending to the plants as if it were the most normal thing to do.Since I began my work there, I realized not all the servants despised me. Some tolerated me enough to nod, to trade a word or two in passing. I clung to those brief conversations, those rare moments when I laughed, because they made everything seem normal, like I belonged here. But I knew better. This wasn’t belonging. It was survival. The garden was my sanctuary, the one place I could pretend I wasn’t a prisoner, that I was free and out in the world.My fingers lingered on a violet as I tried to distract myself, but my mind betrayed me, circling back
Angelo’s POVI sat in silence in the dim study. The only source of light was the small desk lamp, casting a soft glow over the papers strewn across my desk. My jaw was tensed as I flipped through each page. The bulk of the responsibilities had fallen on my lap and it was harder work than I thought it was. I wondered why Dante would knowingly want any of this.The door creaked open without a knock, and I didn’t need to look up to know who it was.“Hello Don Angelo Armani.” Nico drawled, his tone playful as always, like he had nothing better to do than test my patience. He plopped down in the chair across from me, a teasing grin on his face.“I have a lot to do, Nico,” I replied.“Well I have a report, I think you would agree it’s important…”“So are the reports about the shipments, and our finan—““It concerns Aurora…”I looked up at him immediately.He gave me a knowing smile, “Well, the bitch hasn’t rested…”My brows knit in confusion.“Her best friend?” He clarified, “She’s still







