LOGINChapter Seventy-Six
CARLY stayed by the nursery long after Giovanni slipped into the hall. She pressed her palm against her chest. The sound of her children's even breathing should have calmed her, but her heart raced.
She couldn't let him walk away again. Not tonight.
"Giovanni," she called softly when she followed him.
He didn't stop. His long strides carried him down the corridor, past the grand staircase and toward a room at the far end of the hall. She followed, clutching the hem of her camisole top as though it might keep her courage from unraveling.
He entered a study lined with shelves of books and leather-bound ledgers. A decanter of brandy gleamed amber in the lamplight on a sideboard. Giovanni poured himself a glass, his movements precise, controlled. He didn't look at her.
"Gio—"
"Don't." His voice was low, dangerous, the kind that made her want to obey. But she pushed forward anyway, stepping inside
EpilogueTHE giggles of the children stirred Carly from her sleep. When she opened her eyes, a smile instantly touched her lips at the sight before her. Giovanni and their children playing right there inside their bedroom.The triplets were already seven now, and as the years passed, their personalities became even more distinct. Gianna was proving to be as mischievous and bossy as ever, a little spitfire who loved to take charge and sometimes, to tease her brothers a little too much. Sal, meanwhile, had grown into the dependable eldest sibling, patient and calm, the only one who could make Gianna listen and dare to challenge her when needed.Then there was Charlemagne, the quiet thinker, whose brilliance shone even at his young age. His IQ tests
Chapter Eighty-TwoCARLY and Giovanni's return to the Philippines with their triplets finally pushed through. After the holiday season, Carly and Belinda excitedly began planning Carly and Giovanni's upcoming wedding. Even though she was already married to him, Carly still felt thrilled to marry Giovanni again. This time in front of the most important people in their lives. Their first wedding had been a rushed courthouse ceremony, witnessed only by courthouse employees. This time, she wanted everyone who had a place in her heart to be there."But I want it to be simple. Only immediate family and selected friends," Carly told her friend."But I thought your dad wanted a grand wedding?" Belinda asked teasingly. Carly had told her several times how
Chapter Eighty-OneGIOVANNI coated her skin with whipped cream down her neck, across the tops of her breasts, tracing the curve between them with his lips, tasting every inch."Mmm," Carly bit her lip as he circled both nipples with the cream.Her breath caught when he captured one, rolling a cold grape over it. He popped the grape while sucking and nipping, making her arch her back in pleasure.It felt incredible... better than incredible, she thought.Reaching for the towel tucked at Giovanni's waist, she grabbed his semi-erect member and began pumping him. He moaned, chest pressing against hers, as she guided him toward their matrimonial bed
Chapter EightyAFTER Christmas, they would fly to the Philippines to celebrate New Year with the parents who had raised her, that was Carly and Giovanni's plan. They had informed their fathers not because they required approval, but simply as a courtesy. Once they returned, they would begin planning their church wedding in earnest.The date was already set, and her best friend Belinda had practically bounced with excitement when she told her about it. Planning her very own wedding with her best friend was more than just an event. It was a promise of new beginnings wrapped in the comfort of old ties."Alright, bambini, time for bed," Carly announced to the triplets, glancing at the ornate clock on the mantelpiece. It was well past one in the morning, and the children had already unwrapped two additional gifts each, one from each doting grandfather. That compromise had been her attempt to prevent an endless bargaining.Charlemagne's eyelids
Chapter Seventy-NineCHRISTMAS Eve.Dinner had been exquisitely prepared, yet unbearably tense. The crystal chandelier cast warm light over the mahogany dining table, where fine china and silver gleamed. But the atmosphere remained frigid despite the festive decorations adorning the vast dining room. If not for the triplets' innocent chatter and delighted squeals over their Christmas crackers, Carly was certain the space would have fallen into suffocating silence.She had invited her father to celebrate Christmas Eve with them, as well as Don Salvatorre. It was painfully obvious the two patriarchs despised each other with barely concealed animosity. Every time their steel-gray eyes met across the table, the air practically crackled with unspoken threats and decades-old grudges.Her father had always possessed a long memory for slights, real or imagined. Even with Giovanni, he maintained his characteristic reserve. Always polite and civil
Chapter Seventy-EightGIOVANNI froze above his wife. Carly's eyes went wide in shock at the sight of their daughter standing near her head. Gianna was awake! And she wasn't alone. Charlemagne stood beside her, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with one small fist, looking confused by the scene before him."Poppa?" Charlemagne blinked owlishly, his voice still thick with sleep. "Why aw you lying on Momma? Aw you playing?""Uh... CPR?" Giovanni offered weakly, his face contorting with embarrassment as their confused children looked on with innocent curiosity. He looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.Carlotta swatted him lightly on the arm, laughing silently at his ridiculous excuse even as her own face burned with mortification."Why is yow hand undey Momma's skit?" Gianna asked innocently, tilting her head like a curious puppy. "Did she have an owie?"The couple stared at each other, speechless and caught red-ha







