"I see it's necessary for me to apologize once again to each of you for leaving without notice or any sign of life for a day. And I truly appreciate that you took the trouble to worry about me. But now I'd like to go home and spend some time with my mom.""Of course, no problem, I can give you a ride if you want," offers Eva."In fact, I need to leave too, so I wouldn't mind doing it," offers Charles."Charles, I think…""That works for me," my mother intervenes. "That way we won't bother your friend, dear. You know she has to work.""Mom.""Dear Isabella, I thank you for welcoming me to your home with everything that happened," Dayanne speaks to her."You're welcome.""I'll bring her luggage," Dave, Bella's fiancé, lets her know.When Dave returns with my mom's small suitcase, the aforementioned bids farewell to the couple. I also apologize again for the inconvenience and we head for the exit with Charles following us.Upon leaving the building, the man accompanying us invites us to

"Please answer, please answer, please answer."I internally beg for him to finally decide to answer at least one of the dozens of calls I've made to him since yesterday.I know he's very upset about what I did, especially considering how much he detests Charles and it doesn't help that I'm still at his house, waiting for my mother to wake up so we can leave.I'm the only person awake at this hour, aside from Charles' cat named Neville. Although I think I'm starting to annoy him with the way my foot keeps moving incessantly due to the anxiety this whole situation is causing me."Good morning, dear," my mother finally appears in the living room, looking very refreshed. "I'll make some coffee, would you like some?"It seems she has already showered, I'm surprised to see her awake so early."Mom...""I'll also prepare some breakfast, I hope your boyfriend won't mind the intrusion.""Charles is not my boyfriend," I clarify."But you were, right? It's the same thing," she says, searching fo

Charles's POV Hearing her distressed screams from inside is something that fills me with sorrow, but it doesn't make me want to set her free.Confirming that the damn Alessandro Lombardi is alive and that she escaped with him while we were all searching like idiots, has driven me to lose my composure.I can assure you that I'm a man who knows how to control himself, but to have that foolish look on my face after humiliating myself and waiting so long to have her, it has caused me to lose control and feel the anger I had kept bottled up for so long.I suppressed this feeling so much that I had even forgotten how it felt. I only showed my good side to others, but that demon inside me has resurfaced and I can no longer control it. Because being good is something that has never amounted to anything.Her dislike for my goodness doesn't matter anyway; she prefers the bad guys. The ones who make her suffer and bring tears to her eyes.It's those kinds of men that Claudia gives herself to, b

I can't hide the expression of concern and uncertainty that settles on my face upon hearing that unpleasant news."Find out as much as you can," I ask of my faithful friend."Of course, sir," he replies, and I hang up.Bruno's call leaves me completely bewildered and with a terrible feeling.Something is not right here, Claudia wouldn't just disappear like this no matter how upset she is. Her friends must know something.I take my daughter and walk to Anna's room, finding her sitting on the bed."I have to go," I let her know."How can you leave when you've just arrived?" she questions, furrowing her brow."I need to take care of some things," I respond briefly."Once again, you're neglecting your responsibilities as a father.""I'm not neglecting anything and don't worry, we'll discuss custody of my daughter when I get back.""Custody?" she exclaims, agitated."That's right," I say, placing Vittoria next to her."You're not thinking of taking my daughter away, are you?" she says, ann

I'm unable to think coherently after the words Alessandro uttered a few seconds ago. My heart is racing uncontrollably as I search his face desperately for a hint of a joke that might tell me this isn't real. But that doesn't happen. He remains serious and expectant, waiting for a response.I'm speechless and paralyzed. I'm trying to process his request over and over again. I never thought he would ask me this again, much less in this moment.I'm afraid because the last time he proposed, it didn't take long for everything to fall apart and I realized it had been more about my desire to get married than his own.I didn't want him to propose just to fulfill my wishes."You're playing with me, aren't you?" I managed to say at last."I wouldn't joke about something you've wanted for so long," he replies with the same seriousness.But contrary to what one might think his response would evoke in me, the truth is that it disappoints me to hear it."Are you asking me to marry you just becaus