Mag-log inHe turned and walked toward Room 412, leaving Amelia standing alone in the noisy hallway.Machines kept beeping. Doctors kept shouting.Amelia slid down the wall, buried her face in her hands, and whispered, “Who is doing this to me?”FAVINO PENTHOUSE – 8:00 PM – SAME DAYThe penthouse was deathly quiet. The kind of silence that pressed on your chest and made every breath feel loud.Amelia sat alone on the huge couch, knees pulled to her chest, staring at nothing. Alejandro was still at the hospital. He hadn’t come home. He wasn’t answering her calls or texts. Just radio silence.Her phone buzzed.Katherina: Valentina and I are coming over. We heard what happened to Marisa. We’re not letting you sit here alone.Amelia typed back with shaking fingers: Okay.Thirty minutes later, the elevator dinged. Katherina and Valentina stepped out, both in comfy clothes, carrying bags of food that smelled amazing.“Amelia…” Valentina said softly, rushing over and pulling her into a tight hug. “Ho
PENTHOUSE – 2:45 PMThe paramedics burst through the door like a storm. Two men and one woman rushed in, equipment clanging.“Move back! Move!” one paramedic shouted.Clara stood in the corner, shaking violently, tears streaming.“Is she going to be okay?!” she cried. “Tell me she’s going to live! She was fine just minutes ago! We were talking and drinking tea and then she just… she just dropped!”The female paramedic checked Marisa’s pulse. “Her heart rate is crashing. Get the oxygen on her now!”They slapped an oxygen mask on Marisa’s face, started an IV, and strapped her to the stretcher. Machines beeped wildly.Clara grabbed the paramedic’s arm, sobbing hysterically.“Please don’t let her die! She’s like a mother to me! She was yelling at Amelia earlier and now this! Oh God, what if she doesn’t make it?!”The paramedic pulled away gently. “We’re doing everything we can. We need to get her to the hospital right now.”As they wheeled Marisa toward the elevator, Clara followed, st
FAVINO PENTHOUSE – THREE DAYS LATER – 2:00 PMMarisa Favino sat on the expensive couch like a queen on her throne.At seventy, she still looked closer to sixty. Money had a way of slowing down time.Amelia sat directly across from her, hands folded neatly in her lap. On the outside she looked calm. Inside, she was screaming.“Forty days,” Marisa said coldly. “I gave you forty days to get pregnant. That was months ago, Amelia. Months.”“I’ve been busy—” Amelia started.“Busy?” Marisa’s voice sliced through the air like a whip. “Busy destroying your marriage? Busy starting silly wars with Catalina? Busy humiliating my son at that charity gala in front of the whole world?”Amelia’s jaw tightened. “That’s not fair.”“Fair?” Marisa let out a short, icy laugh. “Life isn’t fair, my dear. I didn’t raise my son to marry a woman who can’t even give him a child. A real Favino heir.”Amelia flinched but held her ground. “We already have Leo. Alejandro loves him like his own.”“Leo is not his bl
“Alex!” She slapped his arm, but her legs were still locked around him. “Get off me, you animal. We need to shower and dress in like… five minutes.”Alejandro finally pulled out with a reluctant groan and rolled off her. He watched her scramble out of bed, naked and flushed, cum already dripping down her thighs.“Fuck, you look good like that,” he muttered.“Stop staring and move!” Amelia ran to the bathroom, turning on the shower. “I can’t show up looking like I just got fucked senseless.”“That’s exactly how you should show up,” he called after her, following her into the steamy glass enclosure.The shower was supposed to be quick.It wasn’t.Alejandro pressed her against the cool tiles, water cascading over them as he kissed her hard. His soapy hands slid over her breasts, pinching her nipples until she moaned into his mouth.“Baby… we really don’t have time,” she gasped, even as she reached down and stroked his hardening cock.“Two minutes,” he growled, lifting one of her legs a
Amelia looked at the crying maid with soft eyes. Clara’s tears spilled over her cheeks like rain. “Thank you, Mrs. Favino. Thank you,” she whispered. “I swear on my mother’s life—I’m telling the truth. I didn’t plant that receipt. I would never hurt you.”Alejandro stared at his wife like she had lost her mind. “Amelia, what are you doing?” he said sharply.“You heard me,” Amelia replied calmly. She stood up and walked over to Clara. “You’re not getting fired. Go home. Take care of your mother. We’ll sort this out later.”Clara grabbed Amelia’s hands, sobbing harder. “Thank you… thank you so much. I won’t forget this. I swear on my mother’s life—I didn’t do it.”“I believe you,” Amelia said gently, squeezing her hands. “Go now.”Clara gave Alejandro one last sad look. “I’m sorry you don’t believe me, Mr. Favino. But I’m not your enemy.” Then she hurried out.The door clicked shut.Alejandro spun toward his wife. “What the hell was that, Amelia? You just let her go? She was on the c
FAVINO PENTHOUSE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHTAmelia didn’t say a word.She scooped up her little boy, Leo, and carried him down the hallway like he was made of glass. His head rested heavy on her shoulder, warm and trusting. In his bedroom, she laid him gently on the bed, pulled the soft blue blanket up to his chin, and smoothed it around his small body. Then she leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead.“I love you so much, baby,” she whispered, her voice cracking just a little.Leo’s eyes fluttered open for a second. He smiled sleepily. “I love you too, Mommy.”She waited until his breathing grew slow and steady, then slipped out and closed the door with a soft click. For thirty seconds, she leaned against the wood, eyes shut tight. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t make a sound. Just let them fall. Then she wiped her face with the back of her hand, squared her shoulders like a soldier, and walked back to the living room.Alejandro was pacing back and forth like a
“No.” She shook her head quickly. “He doesn’t really understand what’s been happening. To him, you and I are just adults who travel too much for work. That’s all.”Alejandro studied her. “He’s eight, Amelia. And he’s sharp. He’ll notice when I’m there every morning making breakfast. When my clothes
She did.“Whatever she thinks, it doesn’t change this.” He lifted her hand, kissed her knuckles. “Us.”She nodded, forcing a small smile. “Us.”They finished dessert rich chocolate torte that left a lingering sweetness on their tongues. Nicholas signaled for the check, paid with a quiet word to th
Vivian’s face softened with something like pity. “You do what you’re best at. You survive. You play along. You don’t let him know you know. We need information. We need to find out who that woman is, what their endgame is. If he thinks you’re still his… that you’re still in his bed and in his pock
PLAZA HOTEL ~ NEW YORK The plane touched down at JFK, and Gabriella grabbed her carry-on, slipping into a black trench coat to blend in. No checked bags; she traveled light for this. A quick cab to the Plaza Hotel old money, discreet, perfect for what she had in mind. She checked in under a fake







