From the large bedroom window, I could see the city already awake.
Cars moved along the streets below. People hurried along the sidewalks, some rushing to work, others guiding their children toward school. The distant sound of horns and chatter floated up into the morning air.
The world was busy.
Alive.
But inside the villa, everything felt strangely quiet.
I slowly turned away from the window and walked back toward the bed. My body still felt warm from sleep, but my mind was already racing.
Because all I had dreamed about the entire night… was Alessandro.
His face.
His voice.
And the moment he had looked at me inside the car when that man walked past us.
Alive.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed my face softly.
I still couldn't believe it.
He had let the man go.
The same Alessandro who terrified an entire room full of grown men had chosen not to kill someone.
And somehow… I knew it was because of me.
I stood up and walked toward the bathroom, shaking the thoughts away.
"Get yourself together, Sofia," I muttered quietly.
After taking a quick shower, I dressed in a simple but comfortable outfit and tied my hair back. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I noticed something strange.
I was smiling.
I quickly forced the smile away before leaving the room.
Downstairs, the maids were already busy moving around the kitchen and dining area.
"Good morning, madam," one of them greeted.
"Good morning," I replied.
I hesitated before asking,
"Have you seen my husband?"
The maid nodded politely.
"Yes, madam. Mr. Alessandro is in his study."
Of course he was.
That man worked more than anyone I had ever seen.
Instead of going to him immediately, I walked into the kitchen.
An idea had suddenly come to mind.
If he could surprise me with dinner and a movie… then maybe I could surprise him too.
The maids looked slightly confused as I began preparing breakfast myself.
"Madam, we can handle that," one of them said quickly.
"It's okay," I replied with a small smile.
"I want to do it."
A few minutes later, I carefully arranged the tray.
Coffee.
Toast.
Eggs.
Simple, but warm.
Balancing the tray in my hands, I walked toward Alessandro's study.
My heart beat slightly faster as I knocked on the door.
"Come in," his deep voice answered.
I pushed the door open with my shoulder and stepped inside.
Alessandro was sitting behind his desk, reading through a pile of documents.
When he looked up and saw me standing there holding a tray of food, surprise flashed across his face.
"Piccola?"
I placed the tray on the desk.
"Good morning," I said.
"Good morning," he replied slowly.
His eyes moved from the tray… back to me.
"You made this?"
"Yes."
For a moment he didn't say anything.
Then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"I should leave the office more often if this is the reward."
I rolled my eyes slightly.
"Don't get used to it."
He chuckled softly and began eating.
For a few minutes we sat there quietly.
Then I finally spoke.
"About yesterday…"
He looked up at me.
"Thank you."
"For dinner… the movie… and for letting that man go."
His expression darkened slightly.
"You're still thinking about that?"
"Yes."
I leaned slightly against the desk.
"If I wasn't there… would you have killed him?"
The room became quiet.
Alessandro set his fork down slowly.
"I can't be weak in front of my workers," he said calmly.
"They need to know there are consequences."
"But you didn't kill him."
"No."
"Because of me?"
His eyes met mine.
"Maybe."
My heart skipped again.
Silence filled the room between us.
Then somehow our conversation drifted to simpler things.
Our families.
Our childhoods.
Small memories.
For the first time since our marriage, we were talking like two normal people.
Not enemies.
Not strangers.
Just… two people learning about each other.
"You're not afraid of me anymore," he said quietly.
I frowned slightly.
"That's not true."
His eyebrow lifted.
"No?"
"I'm still afraid of you," I admitted honestly.
"But?"
I sighed.
"But I'm starting to think there's more to you than the monster I saw yesterday."
For a moment, Alessandro said nothing.
Then a small smile appeared on his lips.
"Careful, piccola," he said softly.
"You might start liking the monster."
My heart skipped.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
He leaned slightly closer.
"You're very brave, you know that?"
"Or very foolish," I muttered.
That made him chuckle.
A real chuckle.
And for a second I forgot the dangerous man everyone feared.
All I saw was the man standing in front of me.
He came closer and grabbed my waist. I could hear his breath as he pulled me closer until I could feel his body against mine. I wanted to resist, but my body and desire took over.
"Maybe you will fall in love with a monster," he whispered as he kissed me and rubbed his hands on my breast.
I couldn't control how I felt and didn't know when I started moaning.
He paused for a second, watching the effect he had on me.
I asked my husband why he had stopped. He looked into my eyes and smiled before continuing what he was doing.
He kissed my neck and left several hickeys there. Then he moved down to my breasts and sucked them passionately. This time it wasn't rough. It felt like lovemaking. He handled me with care, his hands tender as they moved across my body, studying my body language to see if I liked what he was doing.
"Yes… don't stop, please," I whispered.
He continued exploring my body.
At one point I felt something cold inside me as I let out a loud moan. It was his fingers.
He stroked in and out for a moment before pulling them out.
I watched him as he put the same fingers in his mouth and slowly licked them.
I was dripping and completely wet.
I begged for more as he bent me over his desk.
Before I could catch my breath, I felt something hard push inside me. This time the strokes were slow and steady.
He groaned as he moved behind me.
My breathing grew heavy as I let out soft moans.
Alessandro took me to another world.
He kept moving while his hands explored my body.
I grabbed his hands as my legs began shaking.
"I'm coming," he groaned.
I couldn't even look at him. He saw the effect he had on me and smiled.
Afterward, he carried me to my room and took me to the bathroom to clean me up. I stayed quiet the entire time, unable to say anything.
When he carried me back to the bed, he gently placed me down.
"Have some rest, piccola," he said softly.
"I'll leave soon."
Then, for the first time, he kissed my forehead.
I was so exhausted from the lovemaking that I fell asleep almost immediately after he left.
After some time, my phone rang.
It was my husband.
I picked up the phone.
"Hey, piccola."
"Prepare yourself. My father invited us for dinner tonight. He wants to discuss some business."
For a moment… I froze.
My fingers tightened around the phone after Alessandro ended the call. Dinner with his father? I wasn't expecting that. My mind started racing with questions, but before I could think too much about it, there was a gentle knock on my door.
"Come in," I said.
The door opened slowly and my aunt stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and walked toward the bed where I was sitting.
"I heard you on the phone," she said softly, sitting beside me. "So… how is the marriage going?"
I let out a small breath.
"It's… different from what I expected."
She raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"
I hesitated before answering.
"Alessandro has been… surprisingly nice to me lately."
My aunt looked curious, so I told her everything—how he took me out to dinner, how we watched a movie together, and how he spared the life of the man who stole from his company.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"He let the man go?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Yes. Everyone thought he would kill him, but he didn't."
"And you think you influenced that decision?"
I smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
For a moment we both sat there quietly before she suddenly laughed.
"Well," she said, nudging my shoulder gently, "maybe that dangerous husband of yours is not as heartless as people think."
I couldn't help laughing too.
Our conversation continued for a while until I glanced at the clock on the wall.
"It's already evening," I said softly.
Just as the words left my mouth, a maid knocked and entered the room.
"Madam," she said politely, "a package has arrived for you."
Inside the box was a beautiful gown. There was also a message from Alessandro saying the car was already waiting outside to pick me up.
My aunt helped me get ready. She carefully fixed my hair, applied light makeup, and adjusted the gown until it sat perfectly on my body.
When I finally looked at myself in the mirror, I smiled.
Tonight I was going to meet Alessandro's father.
A few minutes later, the car arrived.
The driver respectfully opened the door for me and drove me to Alessandro's company where he was waiting.
When I arrived, Alessandro was already standing outside.
Without saying much, he helped me into the car.
Together, we drove toward his father's home.
I had the feeling that tonight was going to be a very important night.
The car pulled up to the grand Romano mansion, its towering columns and sprawling gardens glowing under the soft evening lights. Alessandro opened the door for me, his hand steady on my back as we stepped onto the polished stone driveway.
Almost immediately, the family began to appear at the entrance, moving forward to welcome us. Alessandro's mother approached first, her smile warm and composed, her eyes reflecting quiet curiosity as she looked at me.
"It's wonderful to see you, Sofia," she said, embracing me briefly. I returned her hug politely, feeling the mix of awe and nerves that came with being in such a grand house.
Alessandro's father followed, tall and imposing, his expression a mixture of authority and interest. "Welcome, my son, and welcome, Sofia. He said and I nodded respectfully, feeling the weight of their attention.
Then, my gaze shifted to Adrian—my ex, who was now engaged to Amanda, my stepsister. He stepped forward, offering a polite, almost fake smile.
"Well… hello, Sofia," he said smoothly, his eyes flicking past me in a way that made my skin crawl. I returned a faint smile, careful not to show my irritation.
Amanda lingered slightly behind him, her own gaze calculating. She barely nodded in acknowledgment, but I could sense the judgment and the quiet competitiveness in her eyes.
Alessandro's grip on my hand tightened ever so slightly, a subtle but reassuring reminder of his presence. He didn't speak, but his protective attention followed every movement, every glance.
We were guided inside, the mansion's grandeur impressive, yet the subtle tension in the air was unmistakable. Though warm welcomes had been offered, the quiet rivalries and old resentments lingered just beneath the surface. I realized that tonight's dinner would not be simple—it would be a delicate balance of appearances, loyalty, and the unspoken battles that awaited in this family.