جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 60

The California sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my home office, painting everything in shades of gold that should have felt like hope.Instead, it felt like mockery.I'd been staring at the same contract for twenty minutes, the words blurring together until they meant nothing. Outside, the Pacific Ocean stretched endlessly toward the horizon, beautiful and empty.Like everything else in my new life.The intercom buzzed, and Isabella's voice drifted through the speaker."Alessandro? Lunch is ready.""I'll be there in a minute," I called back, not moving from my desk.One month in New York had been exactly what Isabella promised—peaceful, luxurious, a fresh start wrapped in ocean breezes and expensive wine.The business was thriving. Marcus had seamlessly taken over the East Coast operations, and my California connections were proving lucrative.Aria was happy, babbling in two languages and taking her first tentative steps across our marble floors.Everything was per

The discharge papers felt heavy in my hands, like they carried more weight than just my medical records.Dr. Martinelli had signed off on everything that morning, declaring me physically fit to leave the hospital that had been my entire world for the past week.Physically fit.Mentally, I was still a stranger to myself."Your follow-up appointments are scheduled for next week," the nurse said, checking items off her list. "Make sure you don't miss them. Head injuries can be unpredictable."I nodded, but my mind was elsewhere, focused on the terrifying reality that in a few hours, I'd be walking out of this room with nowhere to go.---No family to call. No friends to turn to. No home to return to.The ring in the plastic bag might mean I had a husband somewhere, but if he existed, he wasn't looking for me.The police had found no missing person reports matching my description.No one had come forward claiming to know Victoria Romano.It was like I'd materialized on that Roman road fro

Two weeks at the gallery had changed everything.My hands were stained with ink from pricing labels. My feet ached from standing on the polished concrete floors. And for the first time since waking up in that hospital bed, I felt alive."Victoria, can you help this gentleman with the piece in the corner?" Giulia called from where she was hanging a new painting.I turned to see an older man studying one of her abstract works—swirls of blue and gold that looked like a storm meeting sunlight."It's beautiful, isn't it?" I said, moving to stand beside him."My wife would have loved it," he said softly. "She always said art should make you feel something, even if you can't explain what.""Your wife sounds like she understood what Giulia is trying to do with her work."He nodded, lost in the painting for a moment."Would have been our fortieth anniversary next month."The past tense hung heavy between us, and I felt that familiar ache of understanding loss without remembering my own."She w

Alessandro's alarm went off at five in the morning.I felt him slide out of bed, careful not to wake me, but I'd been lying awake for hours anyway.Planning."Morning," I whispered, making my voice soft and sleepy.He turned, surprised to find me watching him in the gray pre-dawn light."Go back to sleep, Bella. I have an early meeting.""I'll make you breakfast.""You don't have to—""I want to."I slipped out of bed, letting my silk nightgown cling to my curves as I moved past him toward the bathroom.In the mirror, I caught his eyes following me, and a spark of hope flickered in my chest.Maybe today would be different.Twenty minutes later, I had coffee brewing and eggs Benedict on the table.Alessandro's favorite. The dish his mother used to make for special occasions.He appeared in the kitchen wearing one of his perfectly tailored suits, hair still damp from the shower."You didn't have to go to all this trouble," he said, but I could hear the appreciation in his voice."It's n

The morning sun streamed through the tall windows of the apartment as I finished my coffee, watching the city wake up below.Three weeks at the gallery had settled into a comfortable routine—one that included Ace's increasingly frequent visits.He'd started picking me up from work, claiming it was on his way home even though I knew his penthouse was in the opposite direction.He'd begun stopping by the gallery during his lunch breaks, always with some excuse about needing artwork for a client.And this morning, he'd arrived at my door with espresso from my favorite café and that smile that made my stomach flutter in ways I didn't entirely understand."You know I can walk to work," I said, accepting the coffee gratefully. "It's only six blocks.""I know. But I like driving you."The simple honesty in his voice made something warm unfurl in my chest."Besides," he continued, leaning against the kitchen counter with easy familiarity, "it gives me an excuse to see you twice in one day."T