All Chapters of Valerio's Secretary: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Zara's POVI’ve been sitting at my desk for three hours, staring at the same screen, reading the same line over and over, but the words blur together. My mind is everywhere at once, in the ballroom, in his office when he said my name like a plea.Tu lo sai che non è tutto, cara. His voice had been so low, so desperate in that crowded ballroom, like he was drowning and I was the only lifeline he wanted. I can still feel the way the air had thickened between us, the way my body had betrayed me with a rush of heat even as anger burned in my chest. Hours later, I’m still replaying it on loop, the professional mask I wore cracking every time I remember how close he stood, how his eyes had darkened with everything we can’t say in public.I close my eyes and press my fingers to my temples. This is exactly why I need to get out of here. Being this close to him every day is slowly destroying me.I open my eyes and look at the glass wall. His office is empty; he’s been gone all morning. I sta

Valerio's POVMy chest heaves as I stare at her, the taste of her still on my lips. This isn’t the first time I have kissed her, but it feels like the first time all over again, raw, desperate, and completely out of control. Her back is still pressed against the glass wall of my office, her lips swollen, hair messy from my fingers. She looks furious, and so fucking beautiful that it hurts.“How dare you,” she repeats, her voice shaking with anger and something else I recognize too well, desire. The same desire that has been tormenting me for months.I don’t step back; I can’t. My hand remains braced beside her head, caging her against the glass. Dio mio (Oh God), I want to kiss her again. Harder. Deeper. Until the rest of the world disappears and it’s only us.“You can’t keep doing this,” she whispers, but her fingers stay fisted in my shirt, not pushing me away. Not yet.“I can’t?” I let out a harsh laugh, my forehead nearly touching hers. “You say that like you didn’t kiss me back

Zara's POVSaturdays are the best things that happen to me in the week. I wake up without an alarm, stretching my hands, sunlight filtering through the thin curtains of my apartment. For a moment, I forget everything: the office, the tension, the way Valerio’s lips felt against mine. I just lie there, breathing, grateful for the silence.Then Liam comes running through the door, his voice giddy. “Mommy! Are you awake?”A huge smile breaks on my face. "I am now, little man."He climbs onto my bed, his small body warm and wiggly, his laugh filling the small space. I pull him into my arms and hold him close, breathing in the familiar scent of baby shampoo."What do you want for breakfast?" I ask."Pancakes!" he shouts."Pancakes it is.” I pick him up, amidst giggles, and head to the kitchen.We make pancakes together. He stands on a stool, his small hands covered in flour, his tongue poking out in concentration as he pours batter into the pan. I watch him, my chest aching with love.This

Zara's POVTears blur my vision as I drive away from him, every mile twisting something in my chest. The streetlights blur past, my hands gripping the steering wheel so hard they ache. I remember his voice in my ear, low and possessive, and the smell of her perfume on his skin, the audacity of him chasing me down while still wearing her scent.I pull into my parking spot and sit in the dark for a long moment, my hands shaking, chest tight. I press my forehead against the steering wheel and try to breathe.Fuck you, Valerio.The words echo in my head. I meant them, and I still mean them.I walk into the apartment. Mrs. Rivera is back with Liam, asleep on the couch, a blanket draped over her legs. She stirs when she hears the door, her eyes blinking open."Zara? Everything okay?"I force a smile. "Fine, just tired. Thank you for staying."She studies me for a moment, her eyes kind and knowing, but she doesn’t push. She just nods, gathers her things, and slips out.I lock the door behin

Valerio's POVThe drive to Clara's is the longest one of my life.Every mile pulls me further from the beach, from the memory, from the ghost of Zara's laughter still echoing in my ears. I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles white, my mind still reeling from what happened on the sand. The pain in my head has faded to a dull ache, but the hollow emptiness remains.I don't want to go to Clara's. I want to drive back to the office or find Zara. I want to tell her about the memory and ask her if she was there.But I can’t.None of this makes any sense, and I have to face Clara. She deserves an explanation, and she deserves better than this.I park outside her building and sit in the car for a long moment, staring at the lights on in her penthouse; she’s awake. I take a breath and walk inside.Clara opens the door before I can knock. She is wearing silk, her hair loose around her shoulders, her eyes sharp and cold. She looks beautiful…and furious."Finally," she says, stepping back to le