Valentina’s POV Above us, the sapphire and ruby rain glowed softly within the glass dome, casting an otherworldly light across the pavilion. The ocean’s steady murmur drifted up from below, but all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart—and the weight of everything left unsaid between us. Raffaele finally spoke, his voice low and calm, blending with the night. “Valentina, how do you really feel?” I pulled back instinctively, wary. My eyes flickered to the glowing rain above us before meeting his steady gaze. “I don’t trust you,” I whispered, the truth slipping out like a secret. “Whatever this is between us… it hurts… more than you know…” He stepped closer, gentle as a breeze, brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. My walls trembled but didn’t fall. “Your anger… it’s misdirected,” he said softly. “I’m not the one hurting you. How could I wound something I deeply care about? It was never my intention to hurt you…” The words resonated—but so did the shado
Raffaele’s POV Valentina had weaponized my love, turned an supposedly innocent performance into punishment. She had crowned herself without even lifting a blade. And now?… Valentina Bianchi held every card I thought I’d never let any woman get close to. So I bent the knee in front of her and kissed her hand like a true gentleman. Then looked up into her eyes long enough to see that hibiscus-red bloom stain her cheeks. “I accept my crown,” I said. Then I rose, dropped my blade at her feet and without hesitation, swept her into my arms right there on the stage. I kissed her. Deeply with longing. Possessively. Like she was already mine. I kissed her like I hadn’t just lost everything—and still wanted more. “Valentina Ricchezza,” I declared, “you are mine for the taking tonight. So tell me…” “Sushi or oysters?” The crowd whistled, then roared with applause— “Ricchezza! Ricchezza! Ricchezza!” The name echoed through the amphitheater like thunder while Giu
Raffaele’s POV I was reeling, cornered, burning with jealousy and adrenaline. What the actual fuck had she done this time? Worst part was—I couldn’t even call her out on her bullshit. Because her plan? Fucking flawless. That comment she gave? “You called me a slut…So tonight, I brought a man who sees me as divine… You want me on your arm? Then win me.” It made my eyes burn. Whoever he was—wherever he came from. I would crush this Beckett Shaw. I’d destroy him so he would never rise again from public humiliation. Smooth. Strong. An arrogant bastard—acting tough and looking threatening in a suit. Exactly the kind of man I hated on sight. Beckett turned towards Valentina and then—he bowed. A graceful, deliberate bend at the waist like a knight offering his loyalty to a queen. She looked moved. The crowd sighed. Some even clapped. And that’s when I saw red. My jaw locked. My vision narrowed and my grip on the fencing sword tightened until my knuckles turned wh
Valentina’s POV I had asked Giuliana to prepare the luxury hotel’s open-air amphitheater—staged and ready for me. I stood behind a towering champagne fountain, mic in one hand, still favoring the side where the stitches strained against my movements. The pain from the gunshot hadn’t vanished—it had simply learned to live with me. I moved as naturally and gracefully as I could. The setting was tropical and lush, framed by white columns and swaying palms. The hotel itself—an elite cliffside resort overlooking the Pacific—boasted infinity pools, firelit walkways, and soft golden lighting that made everything shimmer like a dream. My red, open-back dress hugged me in all the right places. I knew Raffaele’s eyes would be on me—and only me—tonight. I gave a low whistle. Lorenzo, my lion, made his grand entrance. Heads turned. Gasps followed. “I know you all know Lorenzo by now,” I said into the mic, my voice smooth and sweet, “but I wanted him here for this special night.” I s
I picked up my phone and immediately dialed Monica Buccella. “Monica, it’s me,” I said, my voice trembling just enough to betray everything I was trying to hide. “Oh dear, are you in trouble, Valentina?” she gasped. “How can I help? You sound awful! What happened, darling?” “I don’t have time to explain,” I rushed out. “Please—fly in Lorenzo for me, will you? I need him. And talk to Giuliana. She’ll understand.” “Of course, dear,” she purred. “Anything for you. No flaming hula hoops this time?” I let out a dry laugh. “No, thanks, Monica. Not tonight. We’re celebrating our honeymoon. Wish you could come—but it’s family only.” “Love you, darling.” “Love you too. Bye.” I had to slip back into my mask of power—to hide my pain. It was my only survival. My power to claim. The only way to reclaim agency in a world where I’m constantly being played, tested, and watched. If I don’t weaponize my femininity—my beauty—how else can I gain the upper hand in a man’s cold worl
Valentina’s POV I woke up to birdsong and golden sunlight pouring through gauzy curtains. The air was thick with floral warmth and the distant sound of waves. But something wasn’t quite right. The different scent, the silence…Was I dreaming? Was I dead? Had I gone to paradise? “Father…?” I called out weakly. “Paolo?” No answer. Just the rustle of palm trees and the soft hum of an overhead fan. I blinked, trying to sit up—but my body felt like it had been stitched back together and then hit by a train. Pain throbbed through my shoulder and chest. I groaned from the weight of it. The floor was laid with pale stone I didn’t recognize. A balcony opened to an endless stretch of ocean. But it wasn’t the Persian Gulf… and it wasn’t the Al-Faw Peninsula. So this wasn’t Raffaele’s beach house either. A champagne bottle sat in a silver bucket, its ice melting slowly. Designer robes hung neatly on velvet hooks. The whole room looked like a postcard version of heaven.