“Don’t you fucking say a word, Gino.”Christiano’s menacing threat rang through the air.Siena’s eyes widened as she turned to him—his body visibly trembling with rage, fists clenched tightly at his sides, and his eyes... a murderous red, glowing with fury. If looks could kill, Gino would’ve dropped dead on the spot.“I dare you to stop me,” Gino challenged with a filthy smirk before turning back to Siena. “You might not know this yet, but you were nothing more than a pawn—just a way for him to secure the inheritance. But if you had married me—”He couldn’t finish his sentence. Christiano shoved him hard, pinning him against the nearest wall. A split second later, a gun was pressed to Gino’s forehead.Siena gasped. She had never seen a gun in her life.“Vittorio! Look what your asshole son is doing to our son!” Lilliana screamed in horror.Everyone froze. Faces turned pale. Eyes wide with shock. The entire room was gripped by fear.Oh God, what was happening here? She had never imagin
She snapped out of her trance when her father stopped before the altar and gently placed her hand in the groom’s, her fingers brushing his for the first time.An electrifying sensation jolted through her, making her heart thud louder.His fingers curled around her small palm as he helped her up the steps to the altar. Once she stood beside him, he let go of her hand without a word, his expression unreadable. Christiano hadn’t even looked at her since she arrived. His jaw was clenched, his steely grey eyes focused ahead, as if this ceremony was just another formality in a day full of business transactions. The priest cleared his throat gently, beginning the sacred words. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and this company to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony…”And then came the time.“Christiano Vitelli, do you take Siena Costa to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for
By evening, Amadeo was back home after a few hours of observation at the hospital, and only then could Siena finally breathe in peace. Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing more than mild chest pain—nothing serious this time. But the doctor had been clear: no more stress. It wasn’t good for his heart, and next time, they might not be so lucky.And just like that—in the blink of a week—Siena found herself standing in a wedding dress before a full-length mirror.“I can’t believe I have to marry a man I’ve never even seen,” she cried as her best friends hugged her from both sides.“Babe, don’t cry. Your makeup will get ruined,” Anna reminded her gently. Siena sniffled and tilted her head back, trying to keep the tears from spilling.“Someone pass her a tissue,” Riya added, and the makeup artist quickly handed one over.“Don’t be sad. You look beautiful,” the artist said kindly and walked away with an empathetic smile. With trembling lips, Siena managed a faint smile and murmured in a
The next morning, Siena woke up with a pounding headache, wincing as sunlight streamed right onto her face.“Ugh… who the hell opened the curtains?” she groaned, pulling the pillow over her head.“Language, Siena!” her mom, Renata’s sharp voice rang out, making Siena snap out of her sleepiness instantly. “And now, hurry up—your father’s waiting for you at the breakfast table.”Siena’s eyes widened in nervousness as she peeked out from under the pillow. Her mom didn’t sound furious, but when Siena caught a glimpse of her walking away, the trademark frown still lingered on her beautiful face.Heart thudding, Siena tossed the blanket off and stumbled into the bathroom. She scrubbed her teeth, trying to ignore how awful her mouth tasted, then jumped into the shower, letting the water wake her up and wash away the hangover.God. Last night, she hadn’t been in her right mind—loud, messy, completely out of control. Her whole family must’ve seen her drunk and wasted. Crap. Her dad definitely
Siena’s eyes stayed locked on that familiar, charming smile—the one that used to make her heart race. Fabio Santoro. The guy she crushed on for a year, the one who’d shocked her by asking her out—and who she dated for six unforgettable months.But tonight, that smile wasn’t for her.It was for the woman he was about to get engaged to.Her grip tightened around the beer bottle as her throat burned with a mix of alcohol and betrayal. She took another swig, her eyes stinging, then suddenly pushed through the crowd, heading straight for the stage where the picture-perfect couple stood.Behind her, Anna and Riya hurried after her, alarmed. They exchanged a quick, panicked glance. Just as Siena raised the bottle, fury burning in her eyes, ready to smash it over Fabio’s head, both girls lunged forward and grabbed her arms, pulling her back with all their strength.Gasps and shrieks rippled through the crowd as heads turned, the music dying mid-beat.All eyes were on Siena—the heartbroken girl
“Mom, why can’t we come with you to the party?” Lucia asked in her sweet little voice, tilting her head as she sat patiently while Sofia oiled her long, blonde hair.Sofia smiled softly, brushing her fingers gently through her daughter’s silky strands. Lucia was like a little mirror of her—same features, same quiet charm. Sometimes she couldn’t believe how beautiful her little girl was. “Because, sweetheart, you have school tomorrow. And the party is going to be really late.”“But we want to go too,” Vin chimed in, arms crossed and clearly grumpy about being left out.Leonardo, who was leaning against the doorway watching them, stepped in. “And who’s going to take care of your little brother, hmm?”“Ricco will be fine with Grandma,” Vin said quickly, trying to sound grown-up and clever.“True,” Leonardo nodded, amused. “But Grandma will need help too, won’t she?”“Exactly,” Sofia added, still trying to reason gently. “You know how Ricco is. He won’t sleep without his bedtime stories a