All Chapters of Valerio's Secretary: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Zara's POVHis arms are around me, warm and solid in the freezing dark. The storm howls outside, rattling the walls, but I can’t hear it over the pounding of my heart. His breath is warm against my hair, his chest rising and falling against mine.‘Lasciami tenerti. Just for a moment. Let me hold you.’The words echo in my head. A plea and a prayer. He is asking for something he knows he doesn’t deserve, yet he’s asking anyway.I should push him away. Every rational part of me screams it. He chose Clara. He has a future planned with her. He will break my heart again.But his arms are solid and warm, his heartbeat frantic against my cheek, and the softer voice whispers: He wrote the letter. He brought you into the storm because he couldn’t leave you behind.I don’t move."Zara," he whispers against my hair. "Dimmi qualcosa. Anything" (Tell me something)I close my eyes. The darkness strips away every wall I have built, every excuse I have made, and now I am just a woman standing in the

Zara's POVI wake to warmth that doesn’t feel like my bed. It is the first thing I register—the heat of a body wrapped around mine, the steady thump of a heart beneath my ear, the solid weight of an arm draped across my waist. For a moment, I forget everything. I forget the storm, the fear, the years of silence and pain. I just feel safe, warm and…at home.Then reality crashes back—Clara, the board, and everything else that makes this wrong on all levels. I tense and try to pull away, but his arm tightens around me. He pulls me closer, his lips brushing my hair."No," he says, his voice rough with sleep. "Don't. Don't run.""Valerio, I—""Don't ruin it." His voice is soft, almost pleading. "Just for a little while, let us have this.”“You can’t be saying what—”“Let us enjoy this until we go back. Then everything goes back to normal. But not yet, please. Not yet."This has got to be some sick joke, but then again, I can’t pretend I don’t like it."Mr. Cruz—"He cuts me off with a so

Valerio's POV"Mr. Cruz! The foreman needs you. There is structural damage. He needs your authorization now."I freeze. My hand is still on the straps of her bra, her skin warm beneath my fingers. Her lips are swollen, her eyes dark and hazy. I don’t want to leave or stop. I want to stay here, in this small room, with her, for the rest of my life."Cazzo." The curse slips out, low and sharp.I drop my forehead to hers, breathing hard, my heart pounding against my chest. I feel her pulse beneath my fingers, fast and erratic, matching mine."I'll come back," I say against her mouth. "Wait for me. Zara—wait for me."I press a kiss to her forehead, her cheek, and the corner of her mouth. I memorize the taste of her, the feel of her skin, and the way she looks at me like I am the only thing in the world. Then I force myself to pull away.I leave the room, close the door behind me, and walk toward the foreman, my hands shaking.The next hour is a blur of commands and assessments. There are

Zara's POVHis forehead is still pressed to mine. His breath is warm against my skin. I should pull away. I should remember Clara, the engagement, and the life he has already chosen. But I stay rooted, soaking in his warmth. His hands cup my face, tilting it toward him, then he is kissing me—soft at first, almost reverent, like he is trying to memorize the feel of my lips. His hands slide into my hair, tilting my head back. I feel his fingers against my scalp, gentle and possessive at the same time. The kiss deepens slowly, a quiet question asked through every movement of his mouth against mine.He pulls back just far enough to press his lips to my forehead, then my temple, my cheek. The corner of my mouth. Each kiss is soft, deliberate, like he is trying to erase every doubt I have. His lips trail down my jaw, ghosting over the sensitive skin of my neck. I feel the warmth of his breath, the gentle pressure of his mouth, and I shiver."Let me have this," he whispers against my skin.

Zara's POVThe private jet hums beneath me, smooth and steady, carrying us back to the world I left behind. I sit as far from him as possible, my body angled toward the window, watching the clouds drift past. The sky is clear now, blue and endless, a cruel contrast to the storm that still rages inside me.He tries to talk to me."Zara."I ignore him."Zara, please. Just—""I want to be left alone." My voice is flat, my face still angled toward the window. He is silent for a long moment. I feel his gaze on me, heavy and desperate, but I don’t give in."On the island," he says, his voice low. "What we had—""Was a mistake." I cut him off, the words sharp and final. "We are heading home now. That is reality. So please, just act like the boss that you are. Leave me alone."The silence that follows is cold and heavy. I keep my eyes fixed on the clouds, my hands clasped in my lap. He doesn’t speak again for the rest of the flight.I watch the clouds drift past, but I don’t see them. I see