INICIAR SESIÓNI walked toward Ella’s bed and sat down beside her. She pulled herself up with much difficulty and looked down at our daughter. “She’s so small,” I said, my eyes filling with tears. The wait, the pain and everything were worth this—this joy and the deep love I felt in my heart. I met Ella’s gaze a
[FOUR YEARS LATER] EROS I was panicking more than Ella was. But I couldn’t take her screams, let alone look at her. She was covered in sweat from head to toe and her entire body was shuddering. This was partially my fault, I could say. She buried her head back on the pillow and let out another lo
Even in my absence, I had been sure that Mariella was okay. She was upset, which was understandable, but she was safe. Adonis had ensured it. I hurried into my wing and up to my room, unable to control the burdening feeling in my chest. I needed to let out all that I had been holding inside, to tel
Both Mom and Adonis scanned the room. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t have a good feeling about this. Ella was running away. Or perhaps hiding something from me. I sincerely wished it was the prior. Adonis took a deep breath and spoke. “Ma, I need to speak to Eros.” I was dumbfounded. I widened my
EROS With all the men guarding me, I felt like a child being carried to the principal’s office. Every fucking one of them had a brooding look on their face. And I had been seeing them every day for the past two months. No more. I was finally returning home. To my family. To my wife. I wondered ho
As I pushed the door, I noticed the girl sitting on the ground, holding a grey shirt to her chest. Eros’s shirt. Had she been holding onto him in this manner? Crying herself to sleep holding that one shirt? Consoling herself that he was alright? “Mariella?” Her eyes widened and snapped toward me.
He returned an acknowledging look and said, “Galasso? Solano Gallasso’s wife, if I’m not mistaken.” “Daughter-in-law, actually,” Niana corrected. “Oops, pardon me,” Eros scoffed. “It’s hard to keep up with the Galassos. Solano’s been looking for a bride and since he’s so into children that I almos
“Why?” Salvatore questioned. Irritation took over the carefree glimmer in Eros’s eyes. “Because I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to hear his philosophies about life and the initiation and all that bullshit. But most importantly, I didn’t want to hear him say the ‘I knew you weren’t meant to be a Maf
I caught notice of a small box on my bed, the sky-blue gift wrapper contrasting with the dark blue sheets. God, I fucking hated gift wrappers because they reminded me of the box Elias had gifted Adonis on the day of his crowning. The content, my sister’s sex tape—the one that had ruined her in the w
My chest twisted into knots. It was my fault. “Let me do it,” I repeated, my words barely audible. Because of the guilt. He twisted his head in my direction and gritted, “The only thing you should do right now is get the fuck out of this room.” I should’ve listened to him, should’ve sprinted out







