Love Turned to Ashes のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 7

Leo's words stopped me short.I was surprised, even a little relieved, but more than anything, my heart ached for him.I didn't answer right away. I met his gaze. "Could you really leave Dad behind?"Leo lowered his head, nervously twisting his little fingers together. After a long silence, he whispered, "No."My heart clenched."But, Mom—" He looked up again, his eyes red-rimmed. "Dad doesn't care about us anymore, does he?"Hearing those words from my five-year-old son broke my heart. I could barely speak.At only five, Leo could already see that Richard was neglecting us. Richard himself was completely oblivious.It was bitterly ironic.Whenever Richard ditched us for Vivian and Mia, I argued with him.But he'd always turn the blame back on me, acting as though he'd done nothing wrong. "Elena, how can you be so selfish? You and Leo still have me, but Vivian and Mia have no one. I'm just trying to help them, and you can't even accept that?"Then he'd always end with the same line to

Richard had no idea who I really was: the heir to the Bonavita crime family.Years ago, I'd grown tired of living under my father's iron fist, so I left home to make it on my own.That was when I met Richard. A rival family had attacked me, and I was hurt and alone on the streets. Richard saved me. He took me home and nursed me back to health.And that was when I fell in love with him.Later, my father tracked me down. When he found out about us, he was dead set against it. But I wouldn't listen. I gave up my right to take over the Bonavita family just to stay with Richard.I thought what we had was true love. Only now did I understand how terribly wrong I'd been.When I returned to Leo's room, I found several nurses moving him out of bed and packing up his things.I rushed over. "Stop! This is my son's room. What are you doing?"One of the nurses looked at me, confused. "Hasn't Leo already been discharged? This room has been assigned to another patient.""Who said he was being dischar

My father came to meet Leo and me himself when we returned to Sicily. Even the stern, untouchable Don softened when he saw Leo.He pulled us both into his arms and said gently, "You're home now. As long as I'm here, no one will ever hurt either of you again."At first, Leo was a little scared of him. But as my father spent more time with him, Leo slowly let his guard down and began to feel at home.My father threw a grand welcome-home dinner for us and announced that I'd be in charge of an important deal with the Gambardella family.Plenty of people questioned my ability."If the Gambardella family finds out they're doing business with someone who's spent the last six years as a housewife, they'll laugh us out of the room.""Exactly. I hear Andre runs everything in the Gambardella family now. Everybody knows what he's like. If there's the slightest flaw in the deal, he'll never sign."The name Andre Gambardella was familiar to me. We'd practically grown up together.Even back then, And

Even after that day, and even after the court finalized our divorce, Richard refused to give up.Every day, he stood outside Leo's school holding the necklace I used to love and Leo's favorite toy, hoping we'd spare him even a glance.Too bad neither of us cared about those things anymore.Meanwhile, the deal with the Gambardella family was a huge success. The doubts about my ability faded, and my father gradually entrusted me with more of the business.After a few months of hard work, I was regaining my old self, the confident, decisive woman I used to be.And Andre, busy as he was, always made time for Leo and me.After a long day at work, he'd give me a massage and make me a cup of hot cocoa.When I felt lost or anxious about the family business, he'd offer sound advice and put my mind at ease.It was all those little moments that brought us closer. So when Andre proposed, I said yes without hesitation.When my father found out, he set the wedding date on the spot.The union of two