Experience the heat of desire, the sting of betrayal, and the triumph of love as you follow the enthralling tale of the Don and his beloved Thalia. Don't miss out-start reading now and immerse yourself in this scorching story of forbidden love and redemption
Standing sentinel at my office window, silhouetted against the renaissance splendor of Florence, I indulged in a moment of quiet triumph. A sinuous wisp of cigar smoke curled languorously into the air, a silent partner to my introspection. Commanding the room's attention was my latest acquisition, "Eternal Echoes" by Antonio Russo, a vibrant chaos contained within a frame that challenged the viewer to look deeper, to find order in the abstraction.
Indeed, the canvas swirled with hidden meanings, its forms and figures teasing the eye, inviting a closer look. A spectral figure at the center seemed almost alive, a perpetual motion captured in silver, beckoning the onlooker to explore the depths of their own uncharted imaginations.
This artwork, a masterful symphony of colors-deep, introspective blues yielding to the vivacity of reds and oranges-had eluded me for over two years. But determination has always been a trademark of mine, irrespective of whether it concerned the ruthless world of finance or the pursuit of fine art. Flown in from Italy, this soul-stirring masterpiece now hung in my domain, a memento of the land of my birth and of the achievements my wealth could secure.
My contemplation broke at the intrusive creak of the door, a herald of the impending tempest. Antonella, my former wife, with the swift and commanding entrance of one accustomed to upending tranquility, stepped into the room. Her entrance, as swift and inevitable as a winter storm, bore down upon me before I could even see her face.
"Dominic Angelo Romano, where is my damn check for this month?" she barked, her tone slicing through the smoky calm with the precision of a knife. Each word was steeped in frustration, a reminder of the continuous grievances she paraded before me.
I faced her calmly, a counterbalance to her tempest. I interlocked my fingers and allowed them to rest upon the desk-a monument to the wealth I'd accumulated. This ritual was familiar, as if the desk itself provided strength, reinforcing the foundation of the empire I built and the image I maintained.
"Antonella, darling," I began, my voice dripping with feigned tenderness, "rest assured, the check is navigating its way through the serpentine channels of financial institutions. But would you care for a drink in the meantime?" Behind me, an anthology of aged spirits caught the light, a shimmering testament to my lavish lifestyle.
Yet, her scornful gaze cut through the pretense. She declined my offer with a controlled poise and strode with measured steps to the chair before my desk-as if every action was yet another move in our endless chess game.
"I'm not here for your theatrics," she replied coolly. "This is about Micola. She requires more than the empty gestures of an absentee father. She needs you, Dominic."
Her words lingered between us, suspended in the stillness of the room. Antonella had always possessed a cutting clarity, seeing through my defenses to the man beneath-the man who had once captivated her with passion and now provoked her with absence.
"Antonella," my voice softened, revealing an unexpected seam of vulnerability. "My dedication to my ventures is unwavering, but perhaps misplaced where Micola is concerned. She is more than an heiress to my fortunes, she is our child-flesh of our shared flesh-and deserves not to feel like an afterthought."
We sat in contemplative silence, weighing the gravity of acknowledgment and the paths it might pave. "Tell me then," I implored, leaning forward with genuine urgency surfacing in my usually steady tone. "What does she require of me as her father-beyond the trappings of wealth and prestige?"
Antonella's expression shifted subtly, laden with a cautious hope mingled with lingering doubts. Slowly, carefully, we began to unravel the intricate knot of our disrupted family tapestry, seeking amidst the discord a way forward, for the child we both cherished in the raw heart of our conflict.
"Now, please, enlighten me-what does our daughter truly need from me?" I asked, eager to bridge the chasm that material abundance could never span, to reclaim a bond frayed by time and neglect, and to offer more than the hollow echoes of a distant, wealthy patriarch.
Holden Sterling, CEO of Sterling Grand Hotels, meets Eriola Coleman, an architect with a troubled past and a talent for innovation. Drawn to her brilliance, Holden wants her for a new hotel project. However, Eriola's history is entangled with the rival Covington family, who seeks to control her. As Holden falls for Eriola, he's torn between love and loyalty, knowing their connection could spark a battle with dangerous consequences.
"Ms. Crawford, it’s time for you to divorce Mr. Larsen and come home. You're the only heiress the Master's waiting for.” ~•~ For the sake of love, Amara accepted the arranged marriage with Tobias William Larsen. She did everything to gain her husband’s heart but when his old love returned, she realized that all her effort was all for naught. Tobias demanded a divorce on the night of their wedding anniversary, even at the price of threatening her. Heartbroken, she finally dropped all her illusions about him and returned home to be the heiress. The next time she met Tobias, they were no longer couples but opponents. "Mr. Larsen, should I remind you again? We've divorced." "Amara, that's the stupidest mistake I've ever made. Please come back to me."
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
Cathryn, an orphan with no family ties to Grayson, regarded him only as family. He, however, valued her as a precious jewel. From their very first encounter, Cathryn's destiny was intertwined with his. Once lonely and desiring affection, she was ensnared by his love, unable to break free. Eventually, she managed to escape his emotional clutches. Shockingly, she had fallen for someone else. Grayson confronted her sharply. "How could you feel for another?" Unable to meet his eyes, she whispered, "You're family. I can't..." Looking down, he pressed further. "You can't, or you wouldn’t dare?"
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"