ログインAriaThe iron gates of the old church creaked open under my trembling hands, and for the first time in hours, I breathed without looking over my shoulder. The night had been endless with every rustle in the bushes, every distant car engine, a potential threat. My feet ached and my mind spun. But here, beneath the faded cross above the entrance, something inside me unclenched just a little.I slipped inside. The air smelled of old wood, incense, and candle wax. It was quiet and sacred. Far away, Father Miguel knelt at the altar, head bowed in prayer, his white hair glowing softly in the candlelight. I remembered him from years ago, he was the kind man who had given me sweets after confession with my father. He looked older now, frailer, but the same gentle presence remained.I sat in the back pew, knees weak, and waited for him to be done. The silence wrapped around me like a blanket I hadn’t earned, and my eyes grew heavy with fear, exhaustion, and the weight of everything Elena had d
AriaTwo weeks had passed since Luciano left for San Francisco, and the house had begun to rot from the inside.Elena moved like she owned every shadow. Her voice carried down corridors at all hours, sharp orders snapping at maids and guards alike. New faces appeared daily; men with hard eyes and hidden guns who answered only to her. The original staff grew quieter, heads bowed, their movements careful. Even the air around the mansion felt stiff and heavier.Rosa found me in the kitchen one afternoon, her hands twisting a dish towel. “I called the Don about the new guards Elena is bringing in. He said not to worry. That it’s for our protection.” Her voice trembled. “But I don’t trust them, Aria. None of us do.”I didn’t know what to say. Luciano’s silence had stretched too long. No calls from him. No messages. Just the growing fear that something had gone wrong.The first real fracture came the next morning.Valerie was on her knees scrubbing the marble floor when Elena walked by. “Do
AriaRosa found me in the kitchen the next morning, her usual warm smile strained at the edges.“Don Luciano left early for San Francisco,” she said quietly, pouring me coffee. “Business with the ammunition suppliers. He won’t be back for a few days.”I nodded, but the words landed like stones in my stomach. Of course he left. Of course he chose the empire over staying to face the mess he’d made. Elena’s pregnancy hung over this house like smoke, and he had walked away from it. From me.I carried my breakfast to the small table by the window and ate without tasting anything. My mind kept drifting to the way Luciano had held me two nights ago, to the promises that now felt like smoke. I had let myself believe we were building something. I was very foolish to believe we had a future together. So stupid of me.Focus on revenge, I reminded myself. That was why I was here. My father’s name still needed clearing. His death still needed avenging. Everything else, the way my heart betrayed me
LucianoI slipped out of Aria’s room long after midnight, the taste of her still on my tongue, her scent clinging to my skin. The hallway felt colder than it should have. Every step away from her twisted something deep in my chest, but I kept moving. Elena was in the main suite now. I couldn’t risk her discovering where I had really been.The door clicked open under my hand. The room was dark except for the faint glow of a bedside lamp. Elena sat up in bed, silk robe slipping off one shoulder, eyes sharp despite the hour.“Back from that girl?” she asked, voice sweet but edged with poison.I didn’t lie. “Yes.” I was the Don and I made decisions without anyone’s approval so, there was no reason to lie after all.She let out a soft, bitter laugh and leaned back against the headboard. “I understand you love her, Luciano. But have you considered everything I risked for this mistake we both made?”Her hand moved to her stomach, protective. “Have you thought about the hell I went through w
AriaElena had moved into Luciano’s old room like she belonged there. The knowledge sat in my stomach like lead. I told myself I didn’t care. I told myself I was done fighting for scraps of his attention. Yet here I was, standing outside the door with a folder of investment updates in my hands, heart hammering like a traitor.I raised my fist to knock and paused. Elena’s voice drifted through the wood, sweet and pleading.“Please, Luciano… just help me with the bath. I feel so weak today. For the baby.”His reply was low, edged with irritation. “You can manage, Elena. I’m not your servant.”I drew a long breath and knocked anyway.The door opened. Luciano stood there in a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, looking exhausted. His eyes met mine and something flickered across his face — relief, guilt, and hunger. All at once.“Aria,” he said, voice rough.Elena appeared behind him, one hand resting on her still-flat stomach like a crown. Her smile was sharp enough to cut.I kept my face ne
LucianoThe sound of footsteps and shuffling boxes filled the hallway by mid-morning. I stood at the doorway of Aria’s room, arms crossed, watching my men carry my clothes, watches, and a few personal weapons into the space she had claimed as her own. She stood in the middle of the room, eyes wide, lips pressed into a thin line.“You were serious,” she said quietly.I nodded once. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”She stepped forward, voice low enough that the guards couldn’t hear. “Luciano, this is ridiculous. You can’t just move in here like nothing happened.”“I can,” I replied, stepping closer. “And I will. You wanted space. Fine. But I’m not letting you push me out completely.”Aria’s shoulders tensed. For a moment, I thought she might fight harder, but something in her eyes dimmed. She turned away, arms wrapped around herself. “Do what you want.”The words stung more than I expected. I wanted her fire. Her anger. Anything but this quiet surrender.We left for the hospital meeti
Aria POV “What have you done to me?” Luciano panted against my neck, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine.“Aria… I want you. I want every inch of you, and I can’t stop craving you.”He cupped my breast, his tongue circling the hardened nipple before sucking and biting with just enough for
Luciano POV “I’m going to kill that bastard if he lays a hand on my sister,” I growled.“Dagger, Stone, stick to the plan. If you don’t see me in thirty minutes, open fire and attack Santiago’s warehouse. Burn it to the ground if you have to. Understood?”They nodded.I turned to Aria, my voice so
Aria’s POVThe last two weeks had been the best of my life, and I wished desperately they would never end. Luciano had confessed his love for me, even though it had clearly been difficult for him to say the words. My father used to tell me that powerful men never broke, they hid their emotions and
Luciano POV “Everyone, search for her! Everywhere!” I barked. “Inform the men at the warehouse, they might have seen Aria leave with someone. Now go. All of you, except you, Dagger. Stay.”I turned to him once the others had filed out. “We’re going to search this room for any clues.”Just then, a







