Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 141 - Chapitre 150

Valentino’s POV“Moglie mia,” I called happily as I pushed open the heavy door to our chamber, already fumbling with the stiff, blood‑stiffened buttons of my shirt.The coppery smell clung to me, thick and metallic, mixed with gunpowder and the faint salt of sweat.I should’ve stripped it off in the garage, hosed myself down like the others did, but the drive back had been too long, too quiet, and all I could think about was getting to her.Now I had to brace for the storm I knew was coming.An hour of her sharp words, her worried eyes, her gentle hands trying to scrub the violence off my skin.She stood at the vanity, bathed in the soft amber glow of the sconces, doing her night routine.The black lace lingerie hugged her body, simple and elegantly devastating.Her hair spilled over her shoulders in dark waves, longer now that she’d stopped cutting it short, reaching down to the small of her back.The once‑soft curves I used to sink my hands into had sharpened. Her collarbones stood

Valentino’s POV The door slammed in my face, and something inside my chest just… broke. Like glass shattering under my ribs, its sharp edges cutting through my skin every time I tried to breathe. I banged on the wood, fist after fist, until my knuckles split open and blood smeared the dark panels. I kept going anyway, kept calling her name until my throat felt dry and my voice weakened into nothing. When the strength finally ran out, I just slid down the door with my forehead pressed to the cold surface and sobbed like a fucking kid. Quiet, ugly sobs that shook my whole body. This wasn’t my Alina. My wife would never look at me like I was nothing, like I was her enemy. She would never lock me out of our room, never scream that she would kill me, kill herself, if I came near her again. Something was wrong. Someone had gotten to her. They definitely threatened her, or blackmailed her. I didn’t know what, but I knew my woman. This wasn’t her. I stayed there a

~Nikita’s POV~I kicked the door open so hard it banged against the wall and bounced back.Pain shot through my throat every time I swallowed, sharp and raw, like someone had scraped it with broken glass.My stomach throbbed where I’d slammed into the railing, ribs aching with every breath.The anger burned through my body hotter than any bruise.I wanted to tear something apart, anything, to make the humiliation stop screaming inside my head.“Decimus!” I screamed, my voice hoarse and ugly.“Decimus, where the hell are you?”Nothing. Just silence.The chamber was dark except for the low lamp by the bed.I stormed toward the closet door just as it swung open.He hurried out with his shirt unbuttoned and hair messy.I let him sleep in the closet, because that’s the room befitting a dog.He dropped to his knees the second he saw my face.“My lady, I’m here.”I paced in front of him angrily.“You won’t believe what just happened,” I spat.“You will not believe what just happened,” I hiss

NIKITA’S POVRage surged through me, hot and pure.How dare she speak to me like that? Me? Nikita Salvatore.Even when she was still in her prime and popularly known as Valentino’s pathetic cousin, she wouldn’t have dared open her mouth in my presence.I could feel the scream building in my throat. I wanted to lunge at her, wrap my hands around that smug neck, and squeeze until the light left her eyes.But instead, I inhaled deeply and smiled wider, even though it felt sickeningly fake.After she served her purpose, I’d find a way to erase her from the earth.There could only be one most feared woman in Italy.And it sure as hell wasn’t going to be her.“You’re overthinking,” I said smoothly. “I’m not trying to sweet-talk you. I’m just stating facts.”She sneered. “Boring.”I ignored her and went on. “I need your help. The coronation as the new Donna is two months away. I’ve failed to win Valentino Romano’s heart or loyalty. You know what that will cost me.”“Of course I do, Nikita.”

~Alina’s POV~ [Two Months Later] I stood by the window, staring out into the cold December sky. Snow drifted lazily from above, covering the world in white, soft and quiet, like it was trying to hide every pain beneath it. Christmas had come and gone. The air still carried its presence though. The faint warmth of celebration lingered in the atmosphere, like an echo. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear soft laughter, the sound of joy that did not belong to me anymore. The world was moving on, celebrating, while I remained frozen in place. Castello Romano, once dark and lifeless, glowed beneath strings of fairy lights.They wrapped around the stone walls, climbed the pillars, and shimmered along the balconies. It was a custom I had introduced three years ago. I remembered how much I had hated the gloom that always clung to this place. I wanted this to be a home full of life, warmth and laughter, the kind of place where children would run down the halls on Christmas morning,