Chapter 81

After he left, Eloise exhaled slowly and looked out the window. She had survived the first awkward encounter. She hadn’t flinched. She hadn’t cracked. And she wouldn’t. Even if Dino hadn’t come home last night. Even if he hadn’t called. Even if the silence between them was louder than ever. She would play it cool. Be professional. Focus on her goals. She had too much going for her to let emotions complicate things. But as the day stretched on, and she scrolled past another post dissecting the Alessandro family dynamic, her jaw clenched. She wasn’t just playing it cool. She had to be cool. Because the minute she let her guard down, she wasn’t sure what she’d do the next time she saw Dino. Or worse, what she’d let herself feel. Just before Eloise could slip into the rhythm of her work, the sharp sound of heels clicking against the polished floor interrupted the quiet hum of the office. Each step was too deliberate, too loud, and it was already clear who it was..

Last Updated : 2025-03-31

Chapter 82

They met in a tight embrace, the kind of hug that made the world quiet again for a few seconds. “You didn’t tell me you were coming today,” Eloise said, her voice soft against her mother’s shoulder. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” Anne chuckled as she pulled back, cupping her daughter’s face briefly before brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Well, your mother insisted,” came another voice from the corner, smoother, deeper. Eloise turned to see Alessandro, standing just a few steps inside, a glass in his hand and a small smile playing on his face. Before Eloise could say anything, Dino stepped into the house, his pace slower now, his features carefully arranged in something close to neutral. “Dad?” Dino greeted, eyes briefly meeting Alessandro’s. Then, “Anne.” “Dino,” Anne said warmly, pulling him into a hug just as she had Eloise, as if all the tension between them didn’t exist or perhaps, she chose to ignore it tonight. Dino hugged her back, but his eyes f

Last Updated : 2025-04-12

Chapter 83

She didn’t reply. Couldn’t. Because she knew five minutes wouldn’t be enough. Five minutes with Dino would turn into stolen touches, unspoken words, and the unbearable ache of what they couldn’t have. Or worse, what they wanted too much. But outside her room, footsteps stopped. A knock. Soft, deliberate. She held her breath. “Eloise.” His voice was low, barely audible through the door. “I know you’re awake.” She backed away from the door like it burned, heart hammering. Another knock. “I won’t come in. I just—” He exhaled. “I just needed to hear your voice.” She pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to quiet the emotions clawing their way up her throat. “I didn’t expect all this,” he went on. “And maybe that’s why it hit harder than usual. You’re here, but it feels like you’re a mile away.”

Last Updated : 2025-05-06

Chapter 84

Matteo didn’t flinch. His tone was cool, measured but his words cut clean. “Do you even love her?” Dino’s jaw ticked. “Why that question?” Matteo tilted his head slightly, the glare in his eyes sharper than his usual calm demeanor. “Because if you don’t, you need to back off. Completely.” A long silence stretched between them. The weight of the moment was heavy, dangerous. Dino’s lips parted, his voice low but firm. “Not anymore.” Matteo’s brows lifted just slightly, like he’d been expecting that answer and had already made peace with it. He stepped back a little, eyes never leaving Matteo. “Hope you don’t mind… if I go after what I love.” Dino’s stare hardened. His throat worked as if he wanted to say something, anything, but couldn’t. And with a simple, casual turn, Matteo walked away leaving Dino standing there, pulse pounding, heart tight, and something bitter burning beneath his ribs. Dino stood frozen in the kitchen, Matteo’s words echoing in his head like

Last Updated : 2025-05-07

Chapter 85

Luca leaned back on the couch, tossing his keys in the air with a casual grin. “Well, this has been fun,” he said, standing up. “But I’ve got a flight to catch. Iceland’s calling.” He has always been planning on where to go for his adventure... “Iceland?” Anne asked, brows lifting. “My yearly adventure,” he said, winking. “Volcanoes, glaciers, solitude. You know… peace.” He kissed Anne’s cheek, nodded at Alessandro, and paused as he looked at Dino and Eloise. His gaze lingered. “You two… try not to kill each other while I’m gone.” Neither of them responded. With a playful salute, Luca was gone. Later that night for dinner... The table was set again, but the atmosphere had shifted drastically. Gone was the easy banter, the playful teasing. Now, tension hung thick and cold, like a storm cloud overhead. The only sounds were the quiet clinks of cutlery and soft jazz playing faintly from the speakers. Even that felt too loud. Eloise sat beside her mother, eating slowly

Last Updated : 2025-05-08

Chapter 86

The air was sharp, tinged with the scent of wet grass and fading jasmine. Eloise stood still under the moonlight, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if she could physically hold her chest together. The house behind her was dim, quiet. Everyone else had gone to bed. Everyone except Dino. His voice broke the silence like a knife. “You always run when it gets hard.” Eloise didn’t turn. She closed her eyes. “Maybe because running is the only thing that makes sense.” He walked closer, boots crunching against the gravel path. “You said we should stop. You said we weren’t meant to be. But what we are, what we feel, it isn’t just something you turn off like a switch, Eloise.” At that, she spun to face him. “And what do you want me to do, Dino? Stand in front of our parents and tell them I’ve been in love with their son?” “We’re not blood,” he bit out, voice thick. “They know that. Everyone knows that.” “That doesn’t make it right!” she snapped. “They raised us to be a family. W

Last Updated : 2025-05-09