Once his work was done, Aldo called out to Sarah, who promptly appeared by his side. With her help, he maneuvered the wheelchair, and they headed to the dining room for lunch. The simple act of sharing a meal together felt like a precious gift—a reminder of the bonds they were nurturing. Well, at least he was nurturing them.As they finished their lunch, Aldo's gaze met Sarah's, his voice filled with appreciation. "Thank you for taking care of me, Sarah. I don't know what I would do without you."Sarah's smile was warm, her eyes reflecting the depth of her emotions. "You don't have to thank me, Aldo. I'm here because I want to be."Aldo's heart swelled with gratitude as they set off for a leisurely stroll around the mansion's sprawling grounds. The fresh air was invigorating, and the quiet tranquility of their surroundings offered a serene backdrop to their shared moments.Unbeknownst to them, Maria, the head housekeeper, observed them from a distance. Her heart filled with joy as she
Dr. Rossi, a seasoned physician with a knowing glint in his eyes, entered Aldo's room. The air seemed to hold a subtle reverence, a shared understanding between the doctor and the formidable man lying on the bed."Well, Mr. Accardi," Dr. Rossi began with a warm smile, "Let's see how the patient is doing today."Aldo returned the smile, his eyes dancing with an unspoken camaraderie. "Doc, you know how it is. A man gets shot, it's all part of the job, right?" “This has nothing to do with the job Aldo, you got hurt because of a woman. You look exactly like your mother, but your character in its entirety is from your father.” “Is it?” Aldo cocked a brow in amusement.” “Certainly,” the doctor snapped one of the gloves in his hand. “He, too, was rather diligent when it came to work. He was almost impenetrable, that is, until the issue involved his wife. Then even the smallest tasks result in injury. The first time I saw him with a bullet in his chest was the day he brought your mother
As Julia eventually rose to leave, she turned to Sarah with a warm smile. "I’ll go to my grumpy cousin before leaving. He’s probably mad that I haven’t even glanced at him since I got here. Take care, Sarah. And remember, I'm just a call away if you need anything."Sarah nodded, her heart full. "Thank you, Julia. It means a lot."The sun began its descent, casting a warm glow over the sprawling grounds of Aldo's mansion. In his room, Aldo sat on his bed, his expression thoughtful as he looked out the window. Julia, his cousin and Sarah's friend, stood before him, her presence commanding attention."Aldo, how's Sarah holding up?" Julia's voice carried genuine concern as she crossed her arms.Aldo's gaze met hers. "I’m the one who got shot, cousin dearest. And I’m getting better, thanks for asking, Julia.”She just rolled her eyes. She was still quite angry that Aldo wouldn’t let her visit sooner.“There’s something I need your help with."Julia raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued.
Aldo and Sarah sat at the dinner table together. It had been almost a week since the café incident. Sarah had spent the past few days looking after him diligently. Aldo had gradually switched to heavier foods as per the doctor’s recommendation. The report from Doctor Rossi had stated that he was at high risk of infection and that the recovery was slow due to emotional and mental strain. Although he could walk just fine by now, he made Sarah support him every time he stood up. Sarah couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all her fault off. No matter how many times he reassured her that there was nothing she could have done, she could not help feeling that his slow recovery was as a result of the stress she put him through. Her recurrent escapes, the starving, the fights, she had instigated all of these and caused him to lose sleep. That must have been the reason why his system was so weak. At least that was what she thought. In response to the guilt she felt, she doubled dow
The sunrise in Venice has always been a beautiful sight. And from his castle in the hills, Aldo could enjoy it without even having to leave his bed. Maybe that was why his father decided to build this place and move the centuries-old Aristocracy all the way from Rome to Venice. Perhaps it was because Lucia was more of a morning person. Lorenzo was a man who paid a lot of attention to even the minutest of details. After fighting for her love and attention for five years, surely he had come to notice her routines. He may have wanted to give her a beautiful view when she opened her eyes every morning. It was a rather subtle gift. She may not even have noticed it. The pleasure of such gifts would be derived every time that she said, ‘the sunrise is so beautiful from up here.’ To which he would reply ‘isn’t it?’ And she would then proceed to regard it as a simple coincidence. Unsuspecting, completely unaware of the planning and precision that went in to creating such a coincidence.
Shaken, Sarah tried to retract her hand. Too slow. He grabbed it and held it in place. He was enjoying the warmth of her little palm and he didn’t want to lose it.“Don’t stop…” he moaned. His voice was husky. It was the first time he had spoken since last night and Sarah could not deny that his morning voice was the best sound to have ever graced her eyes. She forgot all about trying to pull her hand away.Instead, she continued to caress his face, moving slowly towards his hair. She stroked his hair, feeling his scalp. It felt so silky, each individual strand of his jet black hair was perfectly cut to contribute to his beautiful face.For Aldo, this was a rather blissful moment. He just let her play around with his hair, while praying in his heart that she wouldn’t stop. Is it possible to be aroused just by having someone touch your hair? Ask Aldo Accardi.She continued to admire him lovingly. He was to her like a painting she could never get tired of looking at. For a moment, it fe
The day seemed to have passed for Sarah in a flash. Doctor Rossi had come in to check on Aldo shortly after they had breakfast. Maria was keen on showing Sarah around the mansion and giving her a history lesson about each room. Julia came in after midday with a catalog of baby clothes, asking Sarah to help her choose. That was really just an excuse. Julia’s real purpose was to get Sarah to make seafood pasta for her. She could certainly afford to buy the most expensive dishes for herself. But she remembered some pasta that Sarah had made for her back in their college days when she said she missed home. Now that she was pregnant, she felt as if memories of food were all that dominated her mind at every point in time. Just pregnancy cravings. She drove so far just to satisfy her cravings, rather, the baby’s cravings as she puts it. After a bit of guilt tripping, coercion, sobbing and drama, she got Sarah to make her the meal again. Once it was cooked, she pulled out a flask, packed i
In the charged aftermath of their passionate kiss, their eyes locked in a wordless exchange, a universe of emotions dancing between them. The barriers that had held their desires at bay seemed to crumble, leaving them standing on the precipice of an unknown, exhilarating journey.Then, as if driven by an irresistible force, Sarah leaned in once more, her lips finding Aldo's in a searing kiss. It was a declaration of longing, an affirmation of their shared connection that had defied the odds.This time, as their lips met, the kiss was deeper, more fervent, an unspoken promise of the emotions they had been battling to convey. Aldo's arms instinctively wrapped around her, pulling her close as the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them suspended in a realm of passion and vulnerability.With her hands pressed against his chest, Sarah's touch conveyed a mixture of urgency and tenderness. She deepened the kiss, her fingers clutching his shirt as if anchoring herself to him,