CHAPTER 1: The Loss

An immense pain is tearing my body apart. My head is buzzing like a train at supersonic speed… A bright light floods my vision like the edge of a dagger. I try to realize what is happening.The monitors around my bed are beeping and buzzing aggressively… the smell of the hospital invades my lungs… I look around, and yes, I am in a hospital bed, I have an intravenous drip in my hand, an oxygen mask, and it feels as if that train ran over me, smashing my brain with its noise.Why am I here? What happened? Suddenly, my hands fly to my abdomen, which is burning with pain. Empty. EMPTY? My child? MY BABY? WHERE IS HE?I try to scream, but not a single sound comes out of my throat. I try to press the red button, but my body won't cooperate.No one comes, no one explains what happened. Time passes, and I feel like hours have gone by.Suddenly, I hear hurried footsteps in the hallway that stop at the door of my room, then the door opens and Diana, my soulmate, enters the room. She is scared,

Last Updated : 2026-10-17

CHAPTER 2: Shadows of the Past

Starting tomorrow, I am returning to my old life—the one I abandoned three years ago, blindly and hopelessly in love with a man who didn't deserve me. My father gave me five years. It lasted three. Exceptionally difficult years filled with pressure, repeated pain, poor choices of my own based on my blind love for him, and irresponsible, frivolous, selfish choices on Adrian's part.I had just graduated Magna cum Laude from the GSB (Stanford Graduate School of Business) at 18 years old when my father called me in to give me two options: either take my place in the leadership of the family empire—a position reserved for me since childhood once my extraordinary intellectual capacity was proven—or accept an arranged marriage with the future heir of the Moretti empire, a notorious playboy, a superficial young man living a life of easy pleasures and drinking without any responsibility, maintaining a lifestyle fueled by his parents' generational wealth.But I chose a third path. I decided to

Last Updated : 2026-10-17

THE GALA

Tonight is the Sterling Gala. I wore a sophisticated, floor-length gown in midnight navy blue, impeccably tailored and subtly accessorized with priceless jewelry from the Sterling family vault. It fits me like a glove, accentuating my delicate bust, highlighting my hips, and featuring a high slit on the left leg that reveals itself only when I walk. At the bottom, the airy silk flows out like a carnation, gracefully degrading into a deep, subtle crimson near the hem. I am wearing dark crimson Louboutin heels with navy undertones that accentuate my every step. My long hair cascades down my back in loose waves, paired with understated makeup and a natural-toned lipstick.I am ready.The ballroom is immense. Towering crystal chandeliers scatter multicolored reflections, bathing the entire room in thousands of shimmering hues. Round tables laden with exquisite culinary delicacies are already occupied by guests from all corners of the country and the world: friends, business partners, and

Last Updated : 2026-10-19

The GALA II

Chapter 4While listening to my brothers' stories and enjoying our reunion, my eyes were drawn to a familiar silhouette: a tall, well-built man dressed in a midnight-blue Tom Ford suit, wearing a crisp white shirt with custom white-gold buttons and cufflinks bearing the Moretti family crest. He moved with agile grace, reaching our table in seconds. He bowed politely to my father in greeting, then shook hands with my brothers. They were close friends and former university classmates… but when invited to sit with us, he turned to me, bowed slightly, requested my hand, and asked me to dance.At that exact moment, the orchestra struck up a new waltz. I glanced at my father, who offered a subtle nod and a faint smile at the corner of his lips. I stood up, and as I took my first step, Dante gently placed his hand on my waist, guiding me toward the dance floor where several couples were already dancing.When he held me in his arms and we began to move, I felt as though we had known each othe

Last Updated : 2026-10-20

EVELYN

I woke up in the hospital. Monitors were beeping, IVs were hooked up to both of my arms, my headache was overwhelming, and my entire body ached. I didn't know what was happening to me. I looked around the room, but I could only see the medical staff rushing frantically around me—everyone in a hurry, everyone agitated. As soon as I woke up, a doctor asked me:"Miss Sterling, how are you feeling?""Doctor, what happened to me? I have a terrible migraine, and I feel extremely weak.""I am sorry to tell you this, but you have been poisoned with an unknown substance that is severely attacking your immune system. If we do not find the antidote within 24 hours, you will die.""I want to speak with my father. Is that possible?""Of course, he is right outside and can't wait to see you."My father entered the room hurriedly, terrified, accompanied by Dante. Both looked pale, worried, and exhausted."My dear," my father said, "we are still searching for information about this poison, but nobody

Last Updated : 2026-10-22

The fight

Luciano Cavalcante and I grew up together in Sicily. During the holidays, I used to go to my grandparents' house in Palermo. There was a group of us, friends of similar ages. We had common goals, dreams, and aspirations, even though we came from different backgrounds. Childhood friendships are formed on entirely different principles than adult relationships. We were pure souls, longing for sincere, principled friendships, unpolluted by the daily life of adults. We bonded deeply, swearing eternal friendship, mutual support, and integrity in how we treated each other. As we grew up, everyone went their separate ways. We would still meet periodically at various events, fondly remembering our childhood moments—the sincerity of those early bonds—and realizing how unprincipled present-day life had become, how different social relationships were, with the environments we came from forcing us to align just to survive.I met Luciano again during my studies in London. At first, everything was f

Last Updated : 2026-10-27