ROSALINDA. Reliving the mesmerising kiss with Antonio was something I couldn’t stop doing. Once our lips connected, everything else ceased to matter. I didn’t even know what I was doing until the kiss ended—the deep, long kiss punctuated with our shared breaths and occasional gasps. We had crossed a line. And as much as I tried convincing myself that he wasn’t engaged to Sofia anymore, the guilt of kissing him still clung tightly to my chest. But did I regret kissing him? A smile curled on my lips as the sweet memory of the kiss flooded my head for the hundredth time today. “You’ve been smiling from ear to ear. Did something good happen?” Sofia asked, cutting through my torrents of thoughts. I shook my head slightly as I turned to look at her. “I’m just excited to see the baby.” I lied. Sofia, Matteo, and I were at the hospital. We accompanied her for her first pregnancy ultrasound. The baby was sixteen weeks old. Apparently, Sofia had been pregnant even before the failed weddi

ROSALINDA.“Calm down.” Antonio said from the other end of the line. That was one thing I was incapable of doing at that moment, until I knew why he had Ruby’s phone and if she was safe.“Why are you on Ruby’s phone?" I impatiently questioned.He sighed. “Ruby got into an accident, and I followed the ambulance to the hospital.”My stomach twisted unpleasantly as fear began to crawl up my spine. I desperately hoped Ruby was okay.“Which hospital?” I asked urgently.“You don’t have to worry; she’s stable. Just stay at home and—““Which hospital?” I insisted, cutting him off. I was extremely worried already, and he had no right to tell me what to do.After he revealed the hospital, I sneaked out of the house and rushed down there, not before narrowly escaping being caught by one of Papà’s men.Antonio was patrolling in the hospital corridor when I got there, and a wave of emotions washed over me the second I sighted him. Above all those emotions was fury. “Where is she?” I demanded as I

ROSALINDA.I had been anxiously waiting for a call or anything that'd assure me that Antonio was okay. I was crazily worried about him. He should have just kept driving and gotten us both to safety. But he didn't. Instead, he stupidly chose to stay back and fight them.He was a skilled Mafia boss, and I had no doubt that he would be able to fight them all by himself. But anything could go wrong, and that was what I was worried about.I wondered who the attackers were and what they wanted. Panic surged through me when my mind went to Diego Romano. What if he found out about Antonio’s atrocity and decided to retaliate?“No. no. no.” I repeated, vehemently shaking my head. It couldn't be.Antonio would be screwed if Diego Romano ever found out. A feud will begin, and lots of lives will be lost. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that ever happened, because every single life lost would be on my head. He blew up his car just to protect me. I still wondered why he went to such an ext

ANTONIO.Oliver was the one who stupidly came for me first; how could she even beg for his life? I had never spared anyone who attempted to murder me, and that wouldn’t change now. I would go after him, and I would make him suffer for putting my life and that of Rosalinda in danger.“Antonio, please.” She continued pleading, refusing to relent after repeatedly making it clear that her request was something I was unable to grant.“You should go home.” I told her as I walked past her and started walking towards the door.“Please. Don’t kill him.” She repeated for the hundredth time, but this time the words came out with a shaky voice.My eyes narrowed as I swiftly turned to look at her.“Please.” She persisted as tears began to profusely stream down her cheeks.An unpleasant feeling immediately twisted in my heart as I trudged towards her in long strides, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to my chest. I hated to see her cry. It stirred up an emotion in me—hurt.“Rosalinda, sto

ROSALINDA.I completely lost track of time. The sex was so damn good that I was trapped in a daze, forgetting everything else.My purpose in coming here was to convince Antonio to change his mind about murdering Oliver. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine ending up in his bed. He was just too irresistibly tempting. I had been resisting him for a long time, and my control had finally reached its limit.“Your father, right?” Antonio stalked behind me, planting a soft kiss on my neck before I could even turn around. A new wave of shivers ran through me, making me want him all over again.“Yes.” I moaned as he cupped my breast in his large palm, gently kneading it.“I guess you’re in trouble then.” He stated matter-of-factly, his warm breath blowing into my ears.“Antonio.” I moaned, arching my back in ecstasy.“I want you, baby. I can never get enough of you.” He rasped, his lips connecting with my neck, nibbling at it, and sending my senses into overdrive.“I—need— to—go—home.” I t