Lahat ng Kabanata ng Fled to Bellavista: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Giuliano Falcone's birthday party was held on the top floor of the Falcone family's VIP casino. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into an empty private booth next door.His kiss came crashing down, fierce and all‑consuming, laced with the burn of bourbon on his breath. Through the door, I still made out the faint murmur of dealers and mob bosses chatting on the casino floor.My face flushed crimson as I tried to push away the man pinning me down, yet he caught both my wrists in one hand and pressed them against the wall above my head."Aria, don't say no to me, hm?"That low, husky edge in his usually cold and steady voice shattered my defenses in an instant. I gave in and wrapped my arms around his neck.It was not until his warm palm slid beneath the hem of my couture gown that a shiver jolted me back to my senses. I caught his wandering hand, breathless."Not... not here."Giuliano's voice was impossibly hoarse. "The guards outside know the rules. No one would dare come

I was 12 years old when Mamma married Salvatore and brought me into his world.Giuliano was already 15. The way he looked at us carried a hostility that sent a chill straight through me. It could not have been more obvious that we were not welcome.At a quiet look from Mamma, I clutched the hem of my dress, swallowed my nerves, and forced out his name. "Giuliano."He gave me one cold glance and let out a mocking scoff."Do not go thinking you can cozy up to anyone in this house, especially not the daughter of a whore."The insult nailed me to the spot.I blinked back tears and tried to explain. Mamma had only gotten together with Salvatore after his first wife passed away. She was not the other woman who had destroyed his family.Yet Giuliano refused to believe it. Even after Salvatore lost his temper over it, his hostility toward us never let up. To spare Mamma the trouble, I did my best to stay out of his way.I thought we would be enemies for the rest of our lives. That chan

I curled up under the covers. My tears had long soaked through the pillow.Sometime in the small hours, I drifted off when a cold body pressed against me from behind and pulled me close."You left your phone in the booth. Why didn't you borrow someone else's to call me? Do you have any idea how worried I was that something happened to you?"I was wide awake in an instant. I wrenched myself out of his arms."I was too tired. I forgot."Giuliano's arms locked around my waist like iron clamps."I spent the whole night worrying about you, and here you are, sleeping like a baby. Didn't you say you had a present for me? Where is it?"The image of the deep blue velvet box I had so carefully wrapped, still tucked inside my drawer, brought a fresh sting to my eyes."I lost it."Giuliano did not press the matter. He simply bit down on my earlobe with a punishing edge, his scorching breath fanning against my neck."It's fine. You're the best gift I could ask for. Just stay by my side an

The whole table went quiet.Everyone knew Giuliano had never shown his stepsister an ounce of warmth. This sudden, possessive display of protectiveness was strange no matter how you looked at it.Mamma rushed to smooth things over. "I'm the one who can't bear to see Aria married off so soon. Today is about Giuliano and Viviana. Let's leave Aria out of it."I picked up my wine glass and raised it toward Viviana with a flawless, practiced smile."Thank you for the kind offer. But the most important thing right now is your wedding with Giuliano. I hope you become Mrs. Falcone soon. My love life can wait."I had expected those words to burn on the way out. Instead, they came out effortlessly.Accepting reality was the first rule of survival. Giuliano was never going to marry me. Viviana was the woman the Falcone family had chosen as their Madre.Sure enough, the moment she heard the title "Mrs. Falcone," Viviana's smile turned genuine. She straightened her back instinctively, as if

After the official acceptance letter arrived from the Bellavista Royal Ballet, I booked a flight for March 21st.I told Mamma and Salvatore about the opportunity abroad.Mamma's eyes turned red. "Aria, how could you make a decision this big without talking to me? You've never been outside the country."I wrapped my arms around her and kept my voice light. "Mamma, becoming a principal dancer is my dream. You should be proud. I'm 23 years old. I can't spend my whole life hiding in the Falcone estate like a flower in a greenhouse."Salvatore was supportive. "It's a good thing when a child has ambitions. Aria, the family will provide you with the best resources. Go for it."I pressed my lips together. "Thank you, Salvatore. But my flight happens to be on the same day as Giuliano's wedding. Please keep this between us for now. I do not want to take the attention away from him."They assumed the date was set by the ballet company and agreed without question.Over the next 2 weeks, I p