In the heart of a modern city, two rival families hold the power. Valentina, a fiercely loyal daughter, and Matteo, a cunning and determined son, find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous feud. But when their paths unexpectedly intertwine, th...
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As I sat with Logan, the door creaked open, and in walked someone tall, with striking features I couldn't quite place.
He looked familiar, though. Logan greeted him casually, "Hey, Theo," and it clicked. Jackson's older brother. It had been ages since I'd seen him, and time had clearly done him good.
Theo flashed a quick smile at Logan before turning to me. "I heard what Jackson did to you. That was messed up. I'm sorry."
I nodded, feeling a bit caught off guard by the sudden attention. "It's fine. I guess I kind of expected it."
Theo's eyes softened. "Jackson's always been... difficult. He never knows when to stop."
There was an awkward silence before Theo shifted the conversation to small talk. Somehow, despite everything, I found myself laughing at his jokes, our conversation meandering from movies to music. It was a much-needed escape from everything weighing on me.
Then my phone buzzed, cutting through the calm. I glanced at the screen—Matteo.
"Where are you?" he asked, voice tense.
"At the hospital, with Logan," I replied.
"I'm coming to get you."
"No, don't—" but he hung up before I could finish. I sighed, apologizing to Theo and Logan for the interruption.
A little while later, Matteo stormed in, barely acknowledging Theo. "We're leaving," he said, eyes locked on me.
I frowned. "I'm not ready to go."
He didn't bother with an explanation. "Now, Val."
I could feel the tension in the room rise as I said my goodbyes to Logan and Theo, who looked mildly confused.
Matteo practically dragged me out of the room, the atmosphere outside even colder than inside.
As soon as we hit the hallway, I jerked my arm out of his grip. "What the hell is your problem?"
He stopped but didn't look at me. "I don't like you being with men alone."
"Seriously, Matteo? It's not like that."
He ignored my protest and kept walking ahead. I followed reluctantly, the drive back to his house filled with the kind of silence that weighed heavy, suffocating.
When we finally got inside, Camilla was sprawled out on the couch. The moment her eyes landed on me, her lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, it's you again," she drawled, eyes narrowing. "Guess Matteo's charity case is back for another handout."
I froze, my chest tightening. Matteo immediately stepped forward. "Camilla, enough."
She didn't flinch. "I just don't get it. What's so special about her?"
