LOGINGiuliaās POV Having lunch in a luxurious French restaurant with my parents had always been one of my dreams, and now that it was finally happening, I intended to enjoy every second of it. Halfway through the meal, my phone buzzed with a message. Instinctively, I reached for it, already certain it had to be from Matteo, but my mother stopped me, placing her hand over mine. I looked up at her, confused. āWhat if itās Matteo responding to the pregnancy?ā I asked. āHe can wait,ā my father said calmly, not even sparing my phone a glance. āRight now, there is no difference between him and us.ā I paused, then slowly slipped my phone back into my purse, a small smile forming on my lips. He was right. We had the upper hand now. By the time we finished lunch and returned to the Conti mansion, the air around us felt victorious. I felt powerful. Untouchable. But the moment we stepped out of the car, that illusion shattered. Matteo was standing there, waiting. Beside him were Federico
Matteoās POV A surge of anger tore through me as I watched the video again. Seeing my children in that condition, hearing Tizianaās weak voice instead of the bright, cheerful tone I knew so well, something inside me snapped. I swore silently that Giulia and her father would pay for every second of pain they had caused my children. I held Alessia close until her sobs gradually softened. Her body trembled in my arms, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. The past few days had drained her completely. āItās going to be okay,ā I murmured, gently stroking her hair. āWeāre going to find them.ā She nodded weakly against my chest, clinging to me like I was the only thing keeping her grounded. āI donāt know what Iād do without you,ā she whispered. āYouāll never have to find out,ā I promised, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. āIām here, and Iām not going anywhere.ā When she seemed a little calmer, I guided her to sit down carefully. āI need to take another look at the video,ā I
Alessiaās POV I woke up to another day of emptiness. The weight of the past weeks had drained everything out of me, leaving me hollow, fragile, and barely holding on. My children were still missing, and every second without them stretched into something unbearable. I lay there staring at the ceiling, wondering how much longer I could survive this kind of pain without breaking completely. Eventually, I forced myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The shower did nothing to wash away the heaviness clinging to my chest. After getting dressed, I stepped out, only to find that Arianna had prepared breakfast for me. The sight of food made my stomach twist. I had no appetite. Still, I picked a few berries and forced them into my mouth before walking into the living room. I turned on the television, desperate for a distraction, anything to take my mind away from the nightmare swallowing my life. But the moment the news came on, I froze. āConti Family Business Hits Jackpot: Stocks
Giuliaās POV I did not know exactly how to feel about the pregnancy yet, but one thing was certain. It had served its purpose, and for that single reason, I felt a strange sense of excitement settling deep within me. I wasted no time returning to the Conti family mansion. The moment I arrived, my father, Raimondo Conti, was already waiting in his study with a proud, satisfied smile stretched across his face. āWe need to send a message to Matteo,ā I said immediately, not bothering with greetings. āHe needs to know about the pregnancy, and we should inform him about the press release we are planning.ā My father nodded slowly, his expression sharpening with calculation. āWe must handle this carefully. Matteo needs to understand that this child changes everything.ā Together, we crafted the message, choosing every word with precision. We made sure it carried just enough weight to shake him, just enough pressure to pull him exactly where we wanted him. This child was our strongest wea
Giuliaās POV As my father and I made our way out of the secret bunker beneath the Conti estate, a sense of satisfaction settled deep within me. The children were responding well to treatment, and that alone made everything feel worth it. Still, I would have preferred them awake, crying, begging. That kind of desperation would have pushed Alessia exactly where we wanted her. Pain was always the fastest way to force a decision. I replayed the video on my phone, my lips curling slightly as I remembered the fear in the little girlās eyes. Tizianaās pale face, her weak voice trembling as she asked for her mother, echoed in my head. āWhere is my mummy?ā she had whispered, barely conscious. The doctor had soothed her with lies and medication, sending her back into silence. āLetās send this to Alessia,ā I said, handing the phone to my father, Raimondo Conti. He watched it once, then smiled with approval. āPerfect. With this, she will break. She would trade anything for them.ā Anything,
Matteo Rinaldiās POV Quietly, I scanned my surroundings, searching for anything that could serve as a weapon. The maintenance area was filled with car repair equipment, scattered tools, and heavy metal parts. Not ideal, but it would have to do. My eyes settled on an iron rod lying near a workbench. I picked it up, testing its weight in my hand. It was not much compared to the guns those men were carrying, but it was better than nothing. From what I had overheard earlier, there were about a dozen of them. And they had surrounded the place. They had guns. I had an iron rod. Not exactly fair odds. Moving carefully, I tiptoed toward the door and listened. Footsteps echoed faintly across the parking level. My heart was pounding, but my mind remained focused. I needed to move fast before they closed in completely. I opened the door slightly and slipped out, keeping low. One of the men had his back turned. Perfect. I moved quickly and silently, striking him hard before he even r
Alessiaās POV As I gazed into Matteoās eyes, I realized how easy it was for me to trust him. The reassuring way his hands had held mine after the call made my heart waver. It made me question everything. Was he always like this? Or had he changed? It felt as though I was meeting him for the ver
Alessiaās POV Time flew faster than I expected, and Friday night arrived before I could properly prepare myself. I paced back and forth in my bedroom, uncertainty twisting in my chest. Was going to this dinner with Raffaele Ricci really necessary? He was my childrenās teacher, after all. Crossin
Matteo Rinaldiās POV As I held Alessia in my arms, her tears soaking through my shirt, a deep wave of anguish swept through me. Seeing her like this, shattered and defenseless, tightened something painful in my chest. There was nothing I could do to erase her pain. Nothing I could say to undo th
Alessiaās POV As soon as I picked up the call, my heart sank at the sound of Nanny Francaās distressed voice. āRuggero, maāam⦠Ruggero,ā she cried, her words sending a sharp chill down my spine. My pulse quickened, fear tightening painfully around my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. āF







