𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 - 𝐀𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨

"I love you," I finally let out, and saying those words at last was cathartic. I'd been waiting for an opportunity to tell her since the day began. On hearing me say that, she immediately freezes. She really wasn't expecting that.

"W-w-what?" there was emotion behind her eyes.

"I love you, Novalie. I have for the longest time. I can't keep lying to myself that I don't because my absolute desire for you is everywhere and in everything. It's in the little things, acting as the tiny particles that build me up. Yes, I had a life before you, a miserable one at best, but now everything about you possesses me." I try to reach for her hand, but she resists me.

"Adriano baby, you know you don't have to do this anymore," she cups my face, looking deeply into my eyes.

"What do you mean, Mi amor?"

"My dad told me everything. You didn't want this marriage, but my uncle in disguise as my dad forced you into it in exchange for your family's safety. Baby, Javier is gone now. You don't have to pretend anymore. Your family is not at risk, I'm not at risk. I'm sorry for subconsciously dragging you into this," she says with the aim of reaffirming me that I wasn't tied to this marriage anymore. She looks away quickly to hide the hurt underlying her eyes.

Did she think I wouldn't notice that?

Her words force out a chuckle from my throat, and she looks up at me in confusion. I look down at her in love and amusement.

"What?" she questions.

"Tesoro, this stopped being just a game to me long ago. I am the don of the Italian mafia. I own the whole south. Your uncle's petty Colombian mafia is subordinate to me. The bastard had the guts to threaten me and I had the option of setting ablaze his mafia the very day he took over," my words confuse Novalie further.

"At the time, I didn't know it was your uncle sending threats. I thought I was still dealing with your father and, in respect for his gesture prior, I decided to look deeper into his demands. I wasn't scared for my family. I knew they were guarded to the teeth and the only way to harm them was from the inside. And that's how your uncle got you in the first place," I offer an explanation.

"So why did you do it then?"

"Cuore mio, when I got back home that day, the plan was just to ignore and fight back at the right time, but as I laid my head to rest, sleep was the farthest from me. Curiosity hindered me from rest. I got my burner laptop, went on a deep dive about your family and doom scrolled to no end."

"Do you remember the day we met, and you asked me why I wanted to marry you and what interest I had in you?" I asked, and she nodded yes in response. She looked at me blankly. I could tell she felt fomo for matters that she should have known.

"I know you feel like we took you on a whirlwind, hiding the truth unnecessarily from you. I only abided by the story your father told you. I didn't feel it was my place to disrupt the internal workings of your family. They felt it was best to put up this front instead, and I didn't deem it my place to defy."

"Besides the starting story and the whole facade that was put up, I can assure you, my love, that every moment, every word, every memory I have shared with you have been of real and sincere depth. I have faked nothing with you and remained genuine. To answer your question about why I did it, I reference our first interaction."

"I did it because I was curious to know why I had been staring at your picture for five months. No matter how I tried to turn away, ignore and move on with my life, I obsessed over you even before knowing you. Trying to ignore your father's offer drove me mad and trying to understand why it drove me mad conflicted me further. My family wasn't in danger, but I put them in danger to get to know you, Cuore mio."