《My Blind Fianc茅e》


 Escaping

    A man sat in an armchair, two girls stood before him, their movements gentle as they caressed their bodies. He wore a mask that concealed his face, just like the two girls. A small whipy on hisp, capturing attention.


    One of the girls approached him and attempted to kiss him. The man stopped her abruptly, rose hurriedly, and unable to hide his annoyance, he distanced himself from the ce immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯re foolish. What have you done? I exined clearly how things would be.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it. I¡¯m really drawn to him. He¡¯s a very handsome man.¡±


    ¡°Gather your things and leave. You know you can¡¯t tell anyone about what happens here. You¡¯ve signed a confidentiality agreement, and you better respect it.¡±


    The woman left the ce, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to betray her. Meanwhile, not far away, a young girl felt desperate.


    Ava ran swiftly, her racing heart threatening to burst from her chest. She ran through a pitch-ck darkness, although darkness was nothing new to her.


    She feared for her life, so she had to distance herself as quickly as possible. For someone like her, doing so was incredibly difficult, especially when she hadn¡¯t left the family mansion in a long time. She was terribly frightened. The bushes she encountered tore at her white and delicate skin.


    One thought dominated her mind: escape. Suddenly, she heard the loud sound of a car horn, then felt something hit her forcefully. Immediately, unconsciousness took over.


    When she woke up, she had the impression of being in a strange ce. The scent in the air was different, unfamiliar to her. She realized she wasn¡¯t in her family¡¯s mansion, and she was thankful for that.


    She sighed deeply to maintain her calm, but not knowing where she was began to overwhelm her. She tried to get out of bed, but at that moment, someone gently took her by the arm to stop her. She noticed a delightful fragrance and focused on that scent, but a hoarse voice brought her back to reality.


    ¡°Wait!¡± said the man desperately, thinking that the girl might still be weak and could fall. He felt her trembling.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± she asked,pletely bewildered.


    ¡°You¡¯ve had an ident,¡± the man replied.


    He noticed that the girl kept her gaze fixed on some point in the room. He waved his hand in front of her repeatedly, but received no response. Perhaps it was some side effect of the car crash.


    ¡°My name is Mateo Liardi,¡± he introduced himself, thinking that if she knew his name, she might calm down. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Ava Miller. Who brought me here?¡± she asked with suspicion.


    ¡°Do you really not remember what happened?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she answered, on the verge of tears.


    ¡°I was driving back home in my car, right at the crossroads by the Miller property. You ran towards the car. I¡¯m sorry, I braked immediately, but I still couldn¡¯t avoid hitting you. You lost consciousness, so I brought you to my house. That was two days ago, and you¡¯ve just woken up. The doctor has examined you, and you¡¯ll recoverpletely soon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t hear your car,¡± she said, surprised to learn that she had been unconscious for two days.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Thankfully, nothing else happened. You can stay here for as long as necessary until you recover. Do you want me to call a family member?¡± he asked, concerned for the girl.


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t. My life is in danger. It¡¯s better if they don¡¯t find me,¡± Ava became terribly agitated at the thought of having to return to the Miller mansion again.


    ¡°Rx, for now, rest. There will be time to talk about what happened to you. You¡¯ll be safe here,¡± he assured her. He felt the instinct to protect this girl, even though she was aplete stranger. He felt terribly guilty for hitting her with his car.


    Mateo was a prominent Italian businessman, heir to the Liardi empire, one of the most powerful in Italy. Thepany was renowned across several countries for its luxury cruise ships and yachts. He loved extreme sports, which had caused significant headaches for his grandfather and his mother.


    Her father Alessio and her grandmother Andrea Liardi died in a ne crash when Mateo was 10 years old. Guido, his grandfather, and Aurora, his mother, managed to keep thepanies that her father had founded afloat.


    Thepanies were now under Mateo¡¯s control. When he turned 20, they were handed over to him. It was a lot of responsibility for someone so young, but he had been groomed for it since childhood. Soon after, he positioned thepanies as the best in Europe and their products gained worldwide fame.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ava lost her parents Franco and Alice Miller when she was also 10 years old. On that fateful day, they went on a trip as they did every month. The car they were traveling in lost its brakes, leading to their instant demise. It was a true miracle that Ava managed to survive that ident.


    Ava received a strong blow to the head when the car spun, and a few dayster, she began to lose her sight.


    The doctors who examined her said that the blow to her head wasn¡¯t severe enough to cause vision loss, as she had been wearing her seatbelt.


    They thought it might be a result of the psychological shock she experienced upon learning about her parents¡¯ death, but they needed to conduct various studies to determine the true cause. In the meantime, it was all spection.


    She ended up under the guardianship of her only rtive, Teodoro Miller, her father¡¯s cousin. He was an ambitious and reckless man who had never married because he enjoyed his bachelorhood, allowing him to enjoy various women without anymitment. He moved into the Miller mansion and refused to take her to the doctor. He knew that if she regained her sight, the day woulde when he¡¯d have to hand over her father¡¯s inheritance.


    Ava was the sole heir to her parents¡¯ fortune, a fortune she would inherit on her eighteenth birthday. She had just turned eighteen a week ago, and the girl was unaware of the existence of this inheritance. Her uncle had no intention of fulfilling Ava¡¯s parents¡¯st wishes.


    The day she decided to escape, she overheard him talking to hiswyer in the office. They were nning his wedding with the girl; the man desired her. He hadn¡¯t allowed her to leave the mansion since her parents¡¯ death, telling her it was for her safety, that she might get hurt.


    Her uncleughed and recounted how that night, after returning from dinner, he would enter her room to im her as his own. If she was going to be his wife, there was no need to wait any longer.


    Thewyerughed as he listened. Both men were truly perverse, and Ava had no doubt about that.


    Terrified, she immediately sought out her nanny. She knew the nanny was the only person who could help her. She was desperate.


    That night, the nanny approached the guards to distract them while Ava escaped. She prepared delicious dishes for them to have dinner, and they didn¡¯t suspect a thing, as she had done it before on other asions.


    The nanny left the garden gate open for Ava to exit. She knew it was a huge risk for the girl to walk alone outside the mansion, but if she apanied her, the guards would realize that both of them were missing.


    She did her best to act calm in front of the guards. When they noticed the girl was gone, a couple of hours had already passed. They hurried out to search for her but couldn¡¯t find her.


    Mateo was returning to the Liardi mansion when the girl crossed his path, and he couldn¡¯t avoid hitting her. That road divided the two properties. He was shocked to see her lying there. After checking her, he realized she was still breathing. He had learned first aid at military school, so he took the necessary precautions before lifting her.


    He took her to his mansion, hoping she would wake up soon so he could find out who she was. He took care of her for two days, but she didn¡¯t respond. When she finally woke up, he noticed she was blind because her eyes didn¡¯t focus on him when he spoke. He could sense her desperation when he suggested calling her family. He tried to reassure her, promising to keep her safe.


    She was a very beautiful young woman with perfect, angelic features. Her skin was very fair, her brown hair long. Her eyes were a deep blue, reflecting a lost, empty gaze. It was terrible that such a beautiful girl was trapped in such darkness.


    She looked so fragile, so defenseless. Immediately, Mateo hired someone to take care of her. He thought she needed care at least until she recovered. After that, he would decide what to do based on what she told him and the reasons she had for not wanting to notify her family about what had happened.

 Mateo鈥檚 Family

    A week had passed since Ava arrived at the Liardi mansion. Mateo hadn¡¯t spoken to her again. He was a man too busy; at 30 years old, he had achieved great heights but sacrificed a significant portion of his freedom in return.


    He traveled constantly for business, and he realized he couldn¡¯t get what had happened out of his mind when he was in front of that girl. He needed to know what was truly going on with her.


    He had returned from Venice the previous night. An investor meeting had been held, and he had no choice but to attend.


    The next morning, he decided it was time to talk to Ava. The doctor informed him that she was feeling better. He needed to understand why she was running away.


    He couldn¡¯tprehend how someone could attempt to harm an angel like her. Without knowing why, he felt an overwhelming need to protect her. Being around her made him experience a strange warmth.


    From the moment he first saw her, her gaze had been etched into him. He was confused, trying to find a logical exnation for what he was experiencing with this girl. Perhaps it was because he saw her as defenseless. He wasn¡¯t the type of man to fall in love.


    He never had been. Love wasn¡¯t for him-at least, that¡¯s what he believed until that moment. Love made men weak, dependent, and he had no intention of bing one of them.


    Ava felt frightened and nervous. It was apletely unfamiliar ce. During the first few days, she needed help to locate things. Eventually, she learned theyout of the room, not without bumping into furniture corners a few times. Doing simple, everyday tasks in an unknown ce was a challenge for her.


    That morning, she stepped out onto the small terrace outside her room and sat in afortable chair. She deduced that the mansion must have a beautiful garden. She could distinguish the aroma of the flowers. Among them, she recognized the fragrance of roses and peonies, her favorite flowers. So, she could distinguish their scent above any other.


    She was about to get up and go back into the room when she sensed that gentle fragrance, the same one she had felt when she woke up after the ident. She immediately realized that Mateo was approaching.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted as he observed her. She looked especially beautiful that morning, almost like an angel. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m much better, thank you,¡± she timidly replied.


    ¡°I would like to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, go ahead.¡±


    Ava could imagine what Mateo wanted to tell her. She felt embarrassed to ask for his help, as she had no one else to turn to.


    ¡°I need you to tell me what happened that night. It seemed like you were running away from someone. I don¡¯t want you to ever think that I don¡¯t want you here. On the contrary, I need to know in order to help you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. All I can tell you is that my uncle, Teodoro Miller, wants to force me to marry him. My nanny helped me escape. I¡¯m very worried, and I need to know how she¡¯s doing.¡± Mateo thought for a while. He knew well the reputation that Teodoro had, as they moved in the same circles.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why your uncle would want to force you into something like that. If he¡¯s your family, he shouldn¡¯t do that. You can stay here as long as you¡¯d like. From now on, you¡¯re under my protection and that of my mother and grandfather. You¡¯ll meet them tonight at dinner. They also live here and are returning from their trip.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much. I¡¯m sorry for being a bother, but right now, I don¡¯t know what to do. I have nowhere to go, and the only person I trust is my nanny.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t know why this stranger inspired so much trust in her. She told him her whole story: her parents¡¯ death, how her uncle took control of her inheritance, of which she was unaware until the night she overheard him talking to thewyer. She also told him why she had lost her sight. She had just met him, but there was something in his voice that reassured her.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry that you¡¯ve gone through so much at such a young age. I¡¯ll try to find out how your nanny is doing. Next weekend, I¡¯ll be attending an event where your uncle will be present. We¡¯ve been invited by several potential investors. He wants to expand hispany. One of my best friends will be there, and I¡¯ll ask him to help distract them so I can slip into the mansion and look for your nanny. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t refuse. She loves the thrill.¡±


    ¡°My nanny¡¯s name is L. Her room is thest one on the right going up the stairs.¡± The girl¡¯s face brightened at the thought that her nanny might soon be with her.


    ¡°Do you need me to bring something from the mansion for you?¡±


    ¡°That would be too risky. The mansion is guarded by several bodyguards. They change shifts at two in the morning. But there is something I¡¯d like to retrieve. My room is just before my nanny¡¯s. In the dressing room, on the bottom shelf, there¡¯s a small dark-colored safe. Inside is a pink box with diamond iys. Its contents are very important to me.¡±


    Mateo didn¡¯t know why he couldn¡¯t stop looking at her. She was beautiful, and certain gestures she made while speaking made her look adorable. He realized that what he was feeling was very wrong. He felt quite old next to her.


    Twelve years was a significant age gap, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He didn¡¯t want to appear opportunistic. He tried to sort out and calm his thoughts. Ava gave him thebination for the safe. He noticed that she wore a beautiful bracelet on her wrist, with a small key hanging from it.


    She exined that for every number he dialed, he had to turn back two numbers. Once to the right, the next to the left, and so on until he had entered all the numbers. When he heard the click of the lock, he had to press the button on the side twice to prevent the rm from going off.


    Mateo thought that the contents of that box must be really important for her to protect it this way. And the girl must be very desperate to trust a man who was almost a stranger to her.


    Ava, on her part, felt that maybe he shouldn¡¯t take that risk for a woman he barely knew. If he did it out of pity, it would be something she couldn¡¯t bear. She didn¡¯t like being seen in that way.


    ¡°I¡¯ve hired someone who will be responsible for assisting you until you settle into the house. You can confidently ask them for anything you need. I¡¯ve taken the liberty of having some things brought for you, like clothes and personal items. If you need anything else, just let me know.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much. I¡¯m sorry for causing so much trouble. I hope to be able to repay you soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. I¡¯m happy to do it,¡± Mateo said. If only Ava could see the way he was looking at her, or if he could see himself in the mirror-he waspletely entranced just watching her. ¡°Tell me, what do you usually do to distract yourself?¡±


    ¡°I like doing anything that can stimte my imagination-reading, listening to the radio or television,¡± she replied. Mateo¡¯s thoughts drifted to other things he liked to do to stimte his imagination. He mentally scolded himself for thinking about that at that moment.


    ¡°Great! There¡¯s a television in your room, and I¡¯ve bought some Braille books. Loren must have ced them on the bedside table already. I hope you like my choices, but if not, let me know which ones you¡¯d like to read.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve already caused enough trouble.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, it¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± Mateo reassured her. In fact, he thought that nothinging from this girl could bother him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ava said with a beautiful smile on her face. Mateo sighed as he observed her.


    ¡°Dinner will be at nine. Loren wille up to assist you with anything you need.¡±


    Mateo bid her farewell and left immediately. He enjoyed thepany of this girl far too much.


    Mateo¡¯s mother and grandfather arrivedter. Aurora wanted to go upstairs right away to meet Ava, but Mateo stopped her before she could. He didn¡¯t want the girl to feel ufortable. His mother tended to be excessively affectionate.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Guido was more suspicious. He asked Mateo to exin in detail what had happened. He would make sure that the girl wasn¡¯t lying, assuming she was truly blind.


    And if she was, that didn¡¯t guarantee she was a good person. He thought that maybe she could be a gold digger trying to ensnare his grandson. On the other hand, if the story she told was real, he would help his grandson protect her from whatever it might be. If she was lying, he would make sure to destroy her.

 Cold Water

    The assistant, Loren, arranged everything in the room that Mateo had purchased for the girl. She thought it was somewhat sad that the girl couldn¡¯t see all the beautiful clothes.


    ¡°Miss, Mr. Liardi has asked me to be at your service. On the nightstand, you¡¯ll find all the books he brought. In front of your bed is the television. A voice-activated system has been set up so you can turn it on and watch your favorite programs or videos. Mr. Liardi recorded his cellphone number in the phone he brought for you, so you can call him whenever you need something.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Could you help me choose a dress for dinner, please?¡±


    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s a red dress that¡¯s beautiful. I think it¡¯s perfect for tonight. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s too forward of me, but if you¡¯d like, I can help you with your makeup and hair for the asion.¡±


    ¡°That would be great. My nanny usually helps me get ready for special asions. For my everyday look, I just need you to show me where the casual clothes are. It¡¯s a bit difficult right now because I don¡¯t know the ce well, and I need to recognize where everything is to adapt.¡±


    ¡°On the left side of the dressing room, we ced the formal clothing. On the right side, you¡¯ll find the casual clothing, as well as shoes and essories.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯m sorry to be a bother.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bother. I¡¯m happy to help,¡± Loren smiled. That girl seemed so defenseless, it stirred up her tenderness.


    Ava realized that everyone was making an effort to make her feelfortable. She was used to being independent, but her problem was that she didn¡¯t know the ce, which made it difficult for her to find things.


    Loren helped her get ready. She thought the girl looked beautiful in that dress. It was a high-necked, red dress that was fitted until the waist, sleeveless with a semi-circr skirt that reached just above the knees. It had an elegant touch. She wore low-heeled shoes of the same color. It was a pity she couldn¡¯t see how she looked.


    Loren lightly applied makeup and then styled her hair. Her long hair cascaded over her back in soft waves. The assistant smiled sweetly at her; she appeared like a beautiful doll.


    Later, Ava descended to the dining room with Loren guiding her, holding her hand to prevent her from falling on the stairs. Mateo, his grandfather, and his mother were already there, and they were amazed when they saw her because she looked very beautiful.


    Mateo made an effort to hide what Ava stirred in him. If his family discovered his feelings, he would be extremely embarrassed. He immediately approached her to guide her to where his family was. Aurora warmly greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.


    Guido greeted her with courtesy, and then Mateo led her to the chair next to him. Ava realized she was nervous for no reason; Mateo¡¯s grandfather and mother were very pleasant.


    Ava briefly felt strange. This was the warmth of a home that she desperately needed. The words of those people made her feel protected, although in Guido¡¯s tone of voice, she could sense something else.


    Throughout dinner, Guido was tempted to interrogate the girl. He felt great curiosity. Upon seeing her, she gave off an impression of innocence, without malice. However, he couldn¡¯t trust blindly; he would make sure this wasn¡¯t a n concocted by Ava. He stopped himself, recognizing that it wasn¡¯t the right time. He didn¡¯t want to scare or difort her. He had noticed Mateo¡¯s change-how he looked at her with clear affection. That young girl had changed something in him, and Guido found himself pleased by it.


    Although Mateo was grown and could look after himself, he was his only grandson, and Guido felt the urgent need to protect him.


    Mateo was a man who knew how to watch his back. In business, he disyed a strong and relentless temperament. Wherever he went, his presence was felt. His adversaries feared him; they knew perfectly well that he was capable of destroying them. He didn¡¯t hold back if someone tried to harm him.


    After finishing dinner, Ava said her goodbyes and headed upstairs to rest. Mateo would have liked to spend more time with her, but he understood that she wanted to retire. After all, they were stillplete strangers to her. Loren took Ava by the arm to guide her to her room. Ava climbed the stairs slowly to avoid tripping, thinking that in a few more days, she wouldn¡¯t need assistance anymore as she was getting ustomed to the house¡¯syout.


    Later, as he passed by the girl¡¯s room, Mateo heard a strange noise. He knocked on the door, but when he received no response, he decided to enter. Ava didn¡¯t lock the door, just in case Loren needed toe in.


    Upon entering, Mateo was greatly surprised. Before him stood the girl who had collided with a piece of furniture while walking towards the bathroom. Some books had fallen, causing a loud noise. Everything would have been fine if it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was in her underwear, desperately trying to cover herself with her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it wasn¡¯t my intention. I was passing by and heard a loud noise. I knocked on the door, but when I didn¡¯t get a response, I decided toe in. I thought you might have hurt yourself,¡± he said, his gaze running up and down her body. He made a great effort to look away, but it was impossible. The girl¡¯s body seemed to be like a ma pulling him in.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just tripped, and some books fell,¡± she said timidly, feeling mortified by the situation.


    Mateo didn¡¯t respond. He practically rushed out of the room and minutester found himself under the cold water in the bathroom.


    ¡°Damn it! She¡¯s beautiful. I need to control myself. This girl is seriously throwing me off bnce.¡±


    Ava felt terribly embarrassed, and the situation warranted it. She wasn¡¯t used to locking her door; she thought it was easier that way in case someone needed to enter.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    In the following days, Mateo avoided her at all costs. He felt ashamed; his attempt to help her had only made her ufortable.


    The day of the investor party had arrived, and Guido was very upset. He believed that his grandson shouldn¡¯t risk himself to save the girl¡¯s nanny. They could have hired other people to do it.


    Mateo was about to leave for the ce where he would meet with the other investors. Even though his grandfather had expressed his thoughts, he didn¡¯t pay attention. He knew very well how to watch his own back. On that day, he dressed in a custom-made ck suit. He decided to go up and say goodbye to Ava.


    He had avoided seeing her since the day he had seen her practically naked. When he stood in front of her room, he knocked on the door. This time, he knocked loudly to ensure that she heard him. Momentster, the girl stood before him. As always, whenever he saw her, Mateo became captivated by her beautiful face.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the meeting where your uncle will be. My friend and his wife are willing to help me distract him while I head to the Miller mansion. Fortunately, it¡¯s very close to the event venue, so I¡¯ll walk there instead of using my car. It¡¯s better not to let them know that I¡¯m leaving the meeting for a moment. Some of my men will be waiting for me nearby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. Since I arrived, I¡¯ve only caused one inconvenience after another. I feel bad that you¡¯re putting yourself at risk to help me, Mr. Liardi.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an inconvenience. I¡¯m doing it willingly. And please, call me Mateo. If you call me ¡®Mr.,¡¯ it makes me feel old.¡± Ava smiled at his words.


    ¡°Alright, Mateo. Thank you for helping me. But I can¡¯t help feeling embarrassed.¡±


    Mateo approached her. Unable to resist, he gently held her chin, looking into her eyes. They were a beautiful shade of sea blue. In that moment, he felt strange. What was happening with this girl? His heart began to race.


    ¡°Listen carefully. I don¡¯t know why, but something inside me wants to help you. I want you to feel safe by my side. What your uncle has done to you is simply an abuse in all forms. He has no right to force you into marriage, and the inheritance your parents left you belongs only to you. I won¡¯t let him have his way. I hope your nanny is safe, and I¡¯ll bring her to you today.¡±


    Ava froze at his closeness. She had never felt what she was feeling now. She struggled to find her voice, but just as she was about to speak, Mateo quickly kissed her on the forehead and turned around to leave in a hurry. He didn¡¯t want Ava to realize what she stirred within him. Having her so close had left his breathing uneven.

 Beside the Nanny

    Mateo left the mansion and got into his car. From the window of his room, Guido watched his grandson leave while cursing under his breath. Minutester, he found himself at the party. Upon entering, he immediately spotted Teodoro Miller.


    The despicable man was surrounded by a group of friends whoughed at his jokes. When he saw Mateo enter, he quickly approached him. He was the big fish in the pond, so he tried to catch Mateo¡¯s attention right away.


    He greeted him with a firm handshake before Teodoro invited him to his table. Just then, a couple approached them.


    ¡°Great to see you here, my friend,¡± Mateo feigned surprise.


    ¡°Akiro, my friend, it¡¯s good to run into you. Mr. Miller, this is my friend Akiro Tadoshi and his wife Ima.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Tadoshi,¡± the despicable man said, while undressing Ima with his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d love for you all to join me at my table. There are several investors there.¡±


    ¡°It will be a pleasure,¡± Mateo replied promptly, Akiro and Ima echoed his response.


    Soon after, the other investors moved away to talk with people at nearby tables. That¡¯s what this was all about ¨C establishing as many connections as possible. In such a short time, Mateo grew tired of listening to the nonsense that spewed from Miller¡¯s mouth. The things he had to endure to help Ava.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment. I¡¯ll greet some friends,¡± Mateo lied, followed by Akiro. At the table, only Ima and Teodoro Miller remained.


    ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful woman. Allow me topliment your beauty,¡± Ima said, raising her ss while smiling flirtatiously. Shortly after, Teodoro stood up to fetch another bottle. The waiter was busy and hadn¡¯te to their table. Ima took advantage of the moment to quickly and discreetly pour a strange transparent liquid into the man¡¯s ss.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ima pretended to sip the drink that Teodoro had poured for her. Whenever he was distracted, she discreetly emptied the contents of her ss into a nearby nt. After a while, Teodoro seemed quite drunk, babbling incoherently. Ima breathed a sigh of relief. The man was truly insufferable.


    Meanwhile, Mateo and Akiro reached the back of the Miller residence. The bodyguards they had sent ahead had already subdued the guards Teodoro had stationed in the garden. They tied them up and ced hoods over their heads to prevent them from witnessing what was happening.


    Shortly after, they stealthily entered the mansion. They had no idea if there was surveince inside, so they needed to be cautious.


    ¡°We need to locate the nanny¡¯s room. I hope she¡¯s there. While you help her escape, I¡¯ll enter the girl¡¯s room. I need to find something she asked me for,¡± Mateo said. He wanted to find the safe he remembered, which held something important for Ava.


    ¡°Alright, my friend. Be careful,¡± Akiro replied. Both friends wore gloves to avoid leaving any fingerprints, not wanting to leave any evidence that they had entered the residence.


    Akiro headed towards the nanny¡¯s room, while Mateo searched for Ava¡¯s room. Upon finding it, he quickly located the safe where the girl had told him it was. He opened it following her instructions and saw that inside the safe was the small box along with other items like money, some jewelry, and documents.


    He grabbed a bag hanging nearby and stashed everything inside. Then he hurried to the room where Akiro was. They needed to leave immediately; it was almost 2 a. m., the guard shift change was imminent, and that would pose a significant risk.


    Entering L the nanny¡¯s room, in the dim light, Mateo found Akiro trying to revive her. The woman was badly beaten.


    ¡°Her pulse is weak, my friend. This woman is nearly dead. I found her tied to that chair,¡± Akiro said as he looked at Mateo. He felt concerned seeing the state of the nanny.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t believe it. If this woman survived, he wouldn¡¯t know what to say to Ava. She seemed to be all Ava had in her life. He handed the bag he carried to Akiro, then took the woman into his arms, turned around, and headed out.


    ¡°Hurry, we need to get out of here as quickly as possible. In 10 minutes, the guard shift changes, and the others will arrive.¡±


    The two men exited through the same route they had entered, walking through the undergrowth. Mateo¡¯s bodyguards were waiting for them further ahead, and he instructed them to bring the car.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head back to the party, my friend. Ima must be taking care of distracting that man. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯lle up with something to exin your absence, if Teodoro Miller is still in his right mind, that is,¡± Akiro said. He knew his wife well and understood that she wouldn¡¯t have the patience to tolerate the advances of that man.


    Thirty minutes had been enough to get the nanny out of the Miller mansion. Akiro returned to the party, while Mateoid the nanny on the grass, trying unsessfully to revive her. He immediately called a trusted doctor, a close friend of his family, and asked him to bring the necessary equipment and medication to his mansion for her treatment. Taking her to a hospital risked Teodoro Miller finding her.


    Soon after, a bodyguard arrived with his car. He had parked it far enough from the Miller mansion to avoid being noticed. Carefully, Mateo ced the nanny in the car and then retrieved Ava¡¯s bag.


    Mateo hurried back to his mansion, where the doctor was already waiting. His mother and grandfather were at the entrance, and they asked Loren to make sure Ava didn¡¯t leave her room if she woke up.


    The doctor instructed them to take the nanny to a room, where a team of nurses was setting up the necessary equipment. Fortunately, the clinic wasn¡¯t far away, and the doctor and nurses had arrived quickly.


    ¡°This woman is in very bad shape. She¡¯s been severely beaten, and she¡¯spletely dehydrated. It looks like she hasn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything for days,¡± the doctor exined.


    Mateo¡¯s mother was shocked to see L¡¯s condition, and Guido regretted ever doubting Ava. If Teodoro Miller had inflicted this on the nanny, it indicated that he was aplete monster.


    ¡°Son, if Teodoro Miller is truly responsible for this, we can¡¯t allow him to remain part of the circle of businessmen,¡± Mateo¡¯s mother said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Grandfather. I hope to gather enough evidence soon to destroy him. Men like him always have hidden skeletons,¡± Mateo replied.


    They believed Ava was asleep, but the truth was she couldn¡¯t sleep while Mateo was risking so much to help her. She also worried about her nanny¡¯s condition. When she heard a noise, she immediately got up, leaving her room and heading into the hallway, where she encountered Loren.


    ¡°Do you need anything, Miss?¡± Loren asked, trying to remain calm. She knew that Ava was quite perceptive.


    ¡°I heard a noise, I thought maybe Mateo had arrived,¡± she asked with noticeable anxiety.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here, but he¡¯s with some of his friends at the moment. If you¡¯d like, I can help you go down to join them,¡± Loren replied.


    ¡°Oh no! I¡¯ll wait until tomorrow to talk to him,¡± Ava said, turning to go back to her room. A deep sadness was evident on her face. Perhaps Mateo hadn¡¯t been able to enter the mansion. Loren felt bad for lying to her.


    In the room, the doctor was attempting to revive the nanny¡¯s heart. In the adjacent room, Mateo and his family waited.


    ¡°Loren, the youngdy Ava tried toe downstairs to find you. I had to lie and tell her you were in thepany of some friends. She seemed saddened,¡± Mateo¡¯s grandfather said.


    ¡°You did the right thing, Loren. I hope the doctor can save her nanny. There¡¯s no point in telling her what¡¯s happening right now,¡± Mateo added.


    For hours, L¡¯s life hung by a thin thread. Exhausted by morning, the doctor approached them.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Mateo asked impatiently. He was truly concerned.


    ¡°Fortunately, we managed to revive her. She¡¯s in a delicate condition, but I can assure you that she has a chance of recovering. Her heart had stoppedpletely; we lost her for a moment,¡± the doctor exined.


    Mateo breathed a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t know L personally, but he knew Ava would suffer deeply if she were to lose her. After taking a shower, he decided to speak with Ava. He headed towards her room and knocked on the door. It opened swiftly, as if she had been waiting for him.


    ¡°Good morning, Ava.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Mateo.¡±


    ¡°Your nanny is in this house.¡±


    Ava couldn¡¯t hold back her tears upon hearing this. She felt overwhelmed with emotion. She loved L and was truly grateful to Mateo.


    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to you for what you¡¯ve done. I want to see her. Please, where is she?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to her side. You need to be strong; she¡¯s in a delicate condition.¡±


    Ava covered her mouth with her hands, and Mateo took her by the hand, leading her to the room where the nanny was. Upon entering, she could immediately hear the beeping of the machines.


    ¡°Nana?¡±

 The Visit of a Wretch

    Ava could sense that something was not right. The smell of medications and the sound of machines indicated it. She felt a great fear of losing her nanny.


    ¡°Your nanny is recovering. We found her in a very bad condition. The doctor said she¡¯ll need a few days to fully recover. For now, she¡¯s sleeping,¡± Mateo exined.


    Ava reached out her arms, trying to reach her nanny. Mateo guided her, and she immediately sought her nanny¡¯s face. She started talking to her while gently caressing her. Something inside her told her that things were worse than Mateo was letting on.


    She hugged her nanny and began to cry. Aurora entered the room at that moment. She couldn¡¯t fathom how someone could harm such an angelic soul. They must have a heart as ck as coal to cause so much harm.


    Luckily, it was Sunday. Mateo didn¡¯t leave the girl¡¯s side all day. He insisted she needed to eat, but Ava only cried.


    Aurora imagined the helplessness the poor girl must feel not being able to truly see her nanny¡¯s condition. She felt a strong urge tofort her.


    Ava remained by her nanny¡¯s side. They couldn¡¯t persuade her to retire to her own room to rest. Two nurses were taking care of L, but Ava insisted on staying.


    The next day, Mateo headed to the office. He had a lot of work, and as much as he wanted to stay, thepany required his presence. He couldn¡¯t neglect it. He needed to review the new contracts, so reluctantly, he made his way to the corporate headquarters.


    In the afternoon, he remembered that he hadn¡¯t given the girl the bag with the contents from the safe. He headed towards where Ava was.


    -Hello,¡± he greeted, while looking at her face clouded with sadness.


    -Hello.


    -I forgot to give you the bag with the things I took from the safe. I brought the box you told me about, and I also took the money and jewelry that were in there, along with some documents. I thought you might need them.


    -Thank you so much, really. I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve be of us without your help.¡± Ava instinctively hugged him, and he felt a flip in his heart as he felt her sincere embrace, along with the warmth of her body.


    Mateo pulled away from her, trying to do so delicately to not make her feel ufortable. Her closeness made him nervous, something he couldn¡¯t avoid.


    Dayster, L finally opened her eyes. Ava had only moved away from her side to freshen up, dozing with her head resting on the bed next to her nanny.


    ¡°Ava?¡± L moved her hand to search for her.


    ¡°Nana, my nanny.¡± Ava woke up, a big smile on her face upon hearing L¡¯s voice.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I thought it was a dream, my dear. I¡¯m here with you.¡± The nanny began to cry with deep emotion.


    The girl also cried as she kissed her nanny¡¯s hand. Mateo entered at that moment, apanied by Aurora. They were d to see that the nanny had woken up. A weekter, the nanny seemed fully recovered, although the marks from the cowardly attack by Teodoro were still visible on her face.


    ¡°Mrs. L, I would like to have a conversation with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. And please, you can call me nana like everyone else does.¡±


    ¡°Then it will be, let¡¯s go to my office, Ava, we¡¯ll be right back,¡± they walked away immediately, and Ava was unsettled by that. What could it be that Mateo needed to discuss with his nanny?


    ¡°Please take a seat, Nana.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Who hurt you like that?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Teodoro did. He¡¯s upset because he hasn¡¯t found my girl. He has everything ready for the wedding, but the bride is missing.¡± Mateo clenched his fists, feeling furious upon hearing that.


    ¡°That man must be truly wretched to want to marry his brother¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°He truly is, the worst of all. After her parents passed away, my girl lost her sight. That man refused to allow the medical tests that the doctors requested for starting a treatment to try to restore her sight.¡±


    ¡°I will talk to the best doctors to treat her. I won¡¯t let Teodoro Miller harm her, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a tremendous angel, I know my girl will be able to see again. She¡¯s been in darkness for too many years. A little while ago, she told me she will open the box tomorrow. Her parents were very specific that she should only open it when shees of age. I have no idea what it contains. They asked me to be with her at that moment. Ava asked me to inquire if you could be present, she would like you to be there.¡± Mateo liked hearing that. If she wanted him there, it meant she trusted him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go to the office tomorrow. I¡¯ll stay to apany both of you. The contents must be extremely important and confidential. Please thank her for her trust on my behalf. Go rest, you need to recover. A room has been prepared for you right across from Ava¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Until tomorrow, Mr. Liardi. We will never finish repaying what you do for us. We owe you so much, and we¡¯ve only just met.¡±


    When L went upstairs, Mateo¡¯s grandfather and mother had already retired to their room. Ava asked her to stay the night with her; she didn¡¯t want to be alone, as she had many mixed emotions.


    The next morning, L went down to the kitchen, feeling much better. She asked for permission to prepare breakfast for Ava and take it to her room.


    ¡°Woman, you can have whatever you want here. There¡¯s no need to ask for permission,¡± Aurora said with a smile.


    When Ava came out of the shower, she immediately recognized the delicious scent of the pancakes with ckberries and whipped cream that were her nanny¡¯s specialty.


    ¡°Nanny, you made pancakes!¡± She said with a bright smile on her face as she savored the delicious aroma.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, my dear. I made your favorites and a delicious coffee, just the way you like it,¡± L smiled as she saw the excitement reflected on Ava¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thank you, nanny. I want you to have breakfast here with me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have breakfast together,¡± L dly epted.


    Breakfast passed withughter and anecdotes from the girl¡¯s childhood. Mateo, on his way to the room, felt satisfied upon hearing them. He decided not to disturb them at that moment, turned around, and headed to his office. He took out his phone and looked through his gallery. He had taken a photo of Ava when they were on the terrace together. In the picture, she seemed distracted, perhaps lost in her thoughts. He felt embarrassed about his behavior; he was acting like a teenager. He couldn¡¯t help it-this young girl was quickly making her way into his heart. What he felt was more than just the need to protect her.


    Shortly after, Loren informed him that he had a visitor. He was surprised that someone would visit him without notifying him.


    ¡°Who is it, Loren?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Teodoro Miller.¡±


    ¡°What the hell does that man want in my house?¡± He felt extremely annoyed, and he asked Loren to let Ava and L know so they wouldn¡¯te downstairs.


    The girl felt terrified upon hearing that her uncle was in the house. What if he already knew she was there?


    ¡°Calm down, my dear. It must be a coincidence that he came.¡±


    ¡°I hope so, Nana, because I¡¯d rather die than go back to his side.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t force you, my dear. Remember, you¡¯vee of age a few days ago.¡±


    Remembering that eased the girl¡¯s mind a little. Meanwhile, Mateo was with Teodoro. He had to make an effort to shake hands with that wretched man.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Liardi. I went to your office looking for you. Your secretary informed me that I might find you here.¡±


    ¡°After having a few drinksst night, I decided to work from home. Tell me, how can I assist you?¡±


    ¡°Last night, a person with a mental disorder escaped from home. She¡¯s extremely dangerous. We were keeping her under custody in her room. We believe she might be responsible for my niece¡¯s disappearance. We don¡¯t know what she might have done to that poor girl. We reported the matter to the authorities this morning. The issue of my niece¡¯s disappearance has been handled with utmost discretion. As you can understand, news like this harms our businesses. Since she left before the party and the location is very close to my property, I wanted to ask you, did you see anything unusual on the road?¡± He said, looking directly into Mateo¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Not at all. I was feeling a bit dizzy, so one of my bodyguards was driving. I fell asleep until we got here,¡± Mateo tried to remain calm as he listened to the string of lies Teodoro was telling. He couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so foolish.


    ¡°In the garden area, strangely, the cameras weren¡¯t activated, so we can¡¯t know if she escaped that way. We relied on having security throughout the house, but it seems they couldn¡¯t do their job properly. We found the guards who were watching that area unconscious; presumably, someone had drugged them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Mr. Miller. I wish I could provide you with some information, but as I said, I was sound asleep. I hope you can locate that person soon and find your niece. If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for bothering you. The investor meeting at thepany is scheduled for Monday morning. We hope to have you there. I¡¯ll be leaving for Spain today, but I¡¯ll be back by Monday.¡±


    ¡°Then, until Monday, Mr. Miller.¡±


    Teodoro hurriedly said his goodbyes, his expression was serious. Mateo wasn¡¯t sure if he had believed him.

 The Small Box

    Teodoro left hastily. Mateo thought he must be in a hurry to find L. The nanny posed a significant danger to him since she was a crucial witness and could cause trouble if she revealed everything that had happened with Ava, especially concerning the inheritance.


    He imagined Teodoro would go to Spain to try to find her. Logically, he figured she had probably fled there, given her ent that hinted at her origin from that country.


    He went upstairs to find Ava and L to reassure them. They must have been very nervous after Teodoro¡¯s visit; the mere mention of his name made them tremble.


    ¡°Good morning, Ava. Your uncle just left. It seems he doesn¡¯t suspect anything. He¡¯s talking to the party guests to see if anyone has any information that could help them find L. He¡¯s imagining that maybe someone saw something along the way.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the audacity of that man. I imagine he lied about the reason they¡¯re searching for my nanny.¡± Mateo¡¯s heart ached seeing Ava in distress.


    ¡°He told me that L is mentally unstable and that they think it¡¯s rted to your disappearance.¡±


    ¡°The only one with mental issues is him. Lies are all thate out of his mouth.¡±


    ¡°I know, only a fool would believe him.¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, maybe we could open the box. Nana, here¡¯s the key. Please open it for me. I¡¯m curious about its contents. My father gave it to me the day before his ident. I don¡¯t know if he had a premonition that something was going to happen. He asked me to open it only aftering of age.¡±


    L did as Ava asked. When she opened the box, there was a letter and a micro SD card inside.


    ¡°Ava, my beloved daughter, when you read this letter, it will be because neither your mother nor I will be with you anymore. You will havee of age. I wish I could be there with you. You¡¯ll find a small memory card. You must be very careful with it. Inside are some pieces of evidence that can expose my cousin, your uncle, Teodoro Miller. I know he¡¯s your only family, but he is a cruel, vile, and ambitious person. These are proofs of embezzlement and moneyundering. This morning, before writing these lines, he was capable of threatening your mother and me. More than a cousin-since he¡¯s younger than me-I¡¯ve been a father to him. Deliver the evidence, seek out Lieutenant Bludosky. He¡¯s a great friend. You can trust himpletely. I hope he¡¯s still alive when you read this letter.


    My cousin is a very dangerous person. In the memory card, there are also some documents that implicate Guido Liardi, CEO of the Liardi Corporation. I don¡¯t know the extent of his involvement in moneyundering. Yesterday, I summoned the notary to change my will. On his way to the office after our meeting, he was mysteriously run over, and the briefcase with the documents disappeared. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to change the will before something happens to me. I¡¯ll try to do it tomorrow, right after returning from our trip. I don¡¯t want Teodoro to be your guardian or the executor of your inheritance, as previously stipted. That would put you in grave danger. At the bottom of the box, you¡¯ll find a code for an ount at the national bank, under your name. Use it; I know you¡¯ll need it. Take good care of yourself, my little one. Remember that to your mother and me, you are the most precious gift heaven has sent us. Always, from wherever we are, we¡¯ll watch over you. Our love for you is for eternity and far beyond.¡±


    Mateo couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. In his eyes, Guido was the most honest and impable person he knew. How dare Franco Miller attempt to tarnish his name in such a way.


    Meanwhile, Ava was in a sea of tears. This meant that when her parents¡¯ car had lost its brakes, it hadn¡¯t been an ident. Her uncle had caused it. All this time, she had been living with her parents¡¯ murderer, and now she was in Guido¡¯s house, who might also be involved. She didn¡¯t know if she could trust Mateo anymore, or if he would still be willing to help her after hearing that the evidence implicated his grandfather.


    Both Ava and Mateo remained silent, and L looked from one to the other without knowing what to say. After a while, Mateo decided to break the ufortable silence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what really happened, and it¡¯s not just because he¡¯s my grandfather, but I assure you he¡¯s not capable of doing what your father ims. There must be some exnation.¡±


    He knew there had to be some exnation for this. The only person who could provide it was his grandfather. He needed to calm Ava down; she couldn¡¯t stop crying.


    ¡°Please, Ava, give me some time to investigate what happened. And if my grandfather is truly involved, even though it hurts, I¡¯ll make sure he pays.¡±


    The contents of that letter had revealed many secrets. They needed to investigate all those involved in those events. He thought it was too much responsibility for Ava to shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m immensely grateful, Mr. Liardi, but it¡¯s best that my nanny and I leave right now. I¡¯ll find Lieutenant Bludosky, and he can handle the investigation. For safety, I¡¯ll make a copy of the memory card. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right for me to stay in the same house as your grandfather. I don¡¯t know how involved he is in what happened to my parents.¡± Ava spoke in a dry and curt tone. Logically, she knew that Mateo would side with his grandfather.


    ¡°I ask you not to leave. My grandfather is a good person; he deserves the benefit of the doubt. I¡¯m sure that when I talk to him, he¡¯ll tell me what really happened. Wait for him to do so, and then hand over the evidence. And don¡¯t call me Mr. again; it¡¯s Mateo. Just call me Mateo.¡± He added with desperation.


    Ava stayed silent; she knew that L was alive because of him.


    He approached her, and L discreetly decided to leave the room. This was something they needed to discuss alone.


    Mateo didn¡¯t want to lose her. Just thinking about it caused a tightness in his chest, and he prayed that his grandfather wasn¡¯t involved in this. That would mean losing her forever.


    He cupped the girl¡¯s face in his hands, wiping away her tears, and then he held her tightly. Ava feltforted in his embrace; she didn¡¯t understand why she felt safe in his presence.


    ¡°No matter what happens, remember that I¡¯ll always be by your side. Your parents¡¯ death won¡¯t go unpunished.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t stop crying. He was aware that they were caught in the midst of a sea of problems that would soon begin, and he was willing to face them for her. In that moment, he couldn¡¯t resist, or rather, he didn¡¯t want to resist. He leaned in close, his mouth near hers, and he kissed her.


    The kiss was gentle. For a moment, he thought she might reject him, but he was surprised to feel that she was epting it. It seemed that she was responding to his feelings, as she didn¡¯t resist; she simply let herself be carried away and timidly returned the kiss.


    Ava was surprised to feel a strange sensation in her stomach. Could this be what they called butterflies? She needed to trust him; something deep within told her to do so.


    Mateo pulled away from her, feeling nervous. He felt like a teenager, battling his internal conflicts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a while. I¡¯m going to talk to my grandfather right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here anxiously. Please don¡¯t let me down. I¡¯ve put all my trust in you.¡±


    ¡°I never will. I¡¯d be incapable of causing you harm. Together, we¡¯ll get through this, and we¡¯ll make your uncle pay.¡±


    Mateo left the room. Upon reaching his grandfather¡¯s room, he stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath. He had no idea how to broach the subject. He didn¡¯t want his grandfather to think he distrusted him or to hurt him. He gently touched the door, hesitating to do so. Soon after, he heard Guido¡¯s voice inviting him in.


    ¡°Hello, son. Is something wrong?¡± The grandfather looked at him strangely; by the expression on his grandson¡¯s face, it was evident that something had happened.


    ¡°Could we talk?¡±


    ¡°Of course, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Allow me to exin what¡¯s happening first. I just want you to know that I haven¡¯t doubted you at any point.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on, but go ahead; I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°The father of Ava left her a letter that was meant to be read when she came of age. Today, the contents of that letter were revealed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what this has to do with me.¡± Guido wasn¡¯t understanding how this rted to him.


    ¡°It has a lot to do with it, Grandfather. Along with the letter, Franco Miller left a micro SD card. Supposedly, it contains evidence to incriminate Teodoro Miller for embezzlement and moneyundering. ording to Ava¡¯s father, it also contains evidence that implicates you in these crimes. Those documents could harm you a great deal, Grandfather. Please be honest with me: were you involved in Teodoro Miller¡¯s business dealings?¡±


    Guido locked eyes with his grandson, his expression turning serious. Mateo felt his body trembling; his rtionship with Ava depended on his grandfather¡¯s response.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Let鈥檚 escape

    Guido¡¯s face remained impassive as his grandson watched him, trying to decipher his reaction.


    ¡°I need you to sit down, son. With your father¡¯s death, several investors pulled out, and thepany suffered significant losses. Ava¡¯s father agreed to partner with us, injecting a substantial amount into thepany. Teodoro was quite young, but being his cousin, Franco had given him the vice presidency of hispany. Everything was going well; there were high profits. Ourpany recovered immediately. However, after a short while, substantial amounts started going missing from bothpanies. Franco ordered an investigation. Shortly after, he stormed into my office, using me of embezzlement and moneyundering. The investigation results implicated ourpany.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand, how could Teodoro manage these diversions from ourpany?¡± Mateo thought carefully, but he had no idea how it could have been done.


    ¡°I also initiated an undercover investigation within the corporation, without anyone noticing. The result was that our finance director was the one diverting funds to other ounts, clearly in coboration with someone from the otherpany. Franco didn¡¯t want to believe in my innocence. The evidence pointed to me as the culprit. The finance director went to jail; a couple of dayster, he was found dead in his cell, apparently a suicide. I don¡¯t believe it; it was a very convenient death for Teodoro. A few days before the ident, Franco removed his cousin from the presidency and put his wife in charge. Of course, they cut ties with me. They died believing I was involved.¡±


    Guido let out a deep sigh after saying that, and Mateo listened in disbelief. Teodoro Miller was truly despicable.


    ¡°Grandfather, it will be hard for Ava to believe in your innocence. I¡¯ll talk to her. There must be evidence in some documents that prove I wasn¡¯t involved.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what evidence might be in that memory. It could be that my signature appears on various documents. The finance director had your father¡¯splete trust; that¡¯s why I never suspected him. I would sign the documents he gave me without reading them thoroughly. I hope you can believe me, son. I would never get involved in dirty dealings.¡±


    Guido was widely known in the business world as a reluctant and trustworthy man. This was the only time he had been caught up in a scandal.


    Shortly after, Mateo left his grandfather¡¯s room and headed towards Ava¡¯s room. The girl listened attentively as he recounted what his grandfather had exined. She felt confused; she didn¡¯t know what to think. It was her father¡¯s word against that of a man she barely knew.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to trust the word of a man you¡¯ve just met. Unintentionally, your parents have burdened you with a huge responsibility. It¡¯s too much to bear. I want you toe with me on a trip. I¡¯ll take you to a special ce. Nana can stay here to safeguard the memory, so you won¡¯t have to worry. When we return, I¡¯ll apany you to find the lieutenant and hand it over.¡±


    The girl remained silent for a while, and Mateo thought she might not ept his invitation. If she didn¡¯t, it would mean their rtionship would end before even starting. After thinking it over, Ava decided to speak up.


    ¡°I have no idea if it¡¯s right for me to agree to go with you, but I know that whatever is toe will be difficult for both of us. I want to escape for a moment, to forget all of this.¡±


    His face lit up upon hearing her words. That meant she still had hope for a rtionship with him, which was all he truly wanted, no matter how much he had tried to resist it.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I have to leave now. Tomorrow, before the first rays of sunlight, I¡¯lle for you. Pack clothes for the whole weekend, dressfortably, preferably withce-up shoes. We¡¯re going to a ce where I escape whenever I want to forget reality. Plus, I want to show you my world. Don¡¯t worry about L, my mother, or my grandfather; I¡¯ll talk to them right away.¡±


    He approached her and gave her a tender kiss, quickly pulling away so as not to overwhelm her with his enthusiasm. He wanted her to trust himpletely. He left the room, feeling like his heart might burst from his chest at any moment.


    Ava, on the other hand, needed to mentally prepare herself. During the trip, she needed to forget her problems for a while, to put her thoughts in order. But she decided to do that upon their return. She didn¡¯t want to be apart from Mateo. She hoped that Guido wasn¡¯t guilty.


    For now, her biggest concern was L, Mateo¡¯s grandfather, and his mother. She didn¡¯t want them to think poorly of her for agreeing to travel alone with him shortly after meeting him.


    Later, as shey on her bed, she traced her lips with her fingers. Mateo had given her her first kiss, and for that simple reason, he would be someone special in her life forever. She realized she was getting carried away, feeling things she had never felt before. It scared her for a moment.


    Ava couldn¡¯t sleep well that night. Just as she thought she might finally drift off, she heard a soft knock on the door. She got up immediately; she knew it was Mateo. Even from a distance, she could sense his fragrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to wake you up at this hour, but it¡¯s necessary if we want to get to our destination on time. Bundle up before heading out; it¡¯s cold outside, even though our destination is warm. I¡¯ll be in the living room; I¡¯ll bring your luggage down as well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll be down in a moment.¡± She felt intrigued. Where was he taking her without giving more details?


    Ava hurried to get dressed. She worefortable light-colored jeans, a dark fitted t-shirt, andce-up shoes, just as Mateo had suggested. She put on a dark jacket as well. Fortunately, Loren had organized her clothes by color. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and headed downstairs to the living room.


    Mateo watched her for a moment. Ava was truly beautiful. She didn¡¯t need makeup to look good; her natural beauty shone through. He took her arm and guided her towards the exit.


    They walked through the vast garden for a few minutes. Ava didn¡¯t understand where they were headed. Soon, she heard a strange noise, and she couldn¡¯t tell where it wasing from. She realized it was a helicopter. As they got closer, she felt the wind caused by the rotating des. Mateo held onto her tightly to help her board. Her curiosity was strong, but she refrained from asking questions. He fastened her seatbelt and then sat down beside her.


    She fell asleep almost immediately; she was too tired. Almost two hourster, she felt the helicopter descending.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± she asked, curious.


    ¡°We¡¯re in Lauterbrunnen, Switzend.¡± Ava let out a small surprised shout. Since her parents had died, she hadn¡¯t left the Miller mansion.


    Mateo smiled as he saw a look of astonishment cross her beautiful face. He had no idea how she would react when she found out what wasing next. The first rays of sunlight were beginning to light up the day on the horizon.


    ¡°Now we¡¯ll board a small ne.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too curious; it¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    At that moment, Ava remembered traveling frequently with her parents.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, noticing her expression turning sad.


    ¡°Nothing, just a memory.¡± Mateo didn¡¯t press her to share more; he knew he had to give her space. But he didn¡¯t like seeing her sad.


    He took her hand again to disembark from the helicopter. Afternding, they walked a few meters and boarded the small ne. Mateo fastened her seatbelt once more. Ava felt nervous as the ne took off, but he squeezed her hand to reassure her. After a few minutes, Mateo stood up.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Ava grew concerned.


    ¡°Please listen to me,¡± her anxiety increased upon hearing those words, ¡°I need you to stay calm.¡± Mateo spoke to her as he put on a strange outfit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to do wingsuiting, freefall skydiving.¡±


    ¡°Whaaaat! Don¡¯t make things up; I won¡¯t do that.¡± The thought terrified Ava. Mateo seemed to have gone crazy all of a sudden.


    ¡°Haha, calm down. We¡¯ll do it in tandem.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, and I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Ava waved her hands in front of her repeatedly, trying to convey that she wouldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m thinking of the worst words to insult you. What a crazy idea, bringing a blind person to jump through the air. Do you think I¡¯ll enjoy the beautiful scenery?¡±


    ¡°Ava, I need you to trust me. I assure you that you won¡¯t regret it. You¡¯ll feel sensations you¡¯ve never experienced before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking care of you the whole time. I¡¯ll put a harness on you that will keep us connected. We¡¯ll jump from 4, 300 meters high. I¡¯ll be wearing a wingsuit; this suit allows me to glide in the air. Its design functions like wings. I¡¯ll have goggles and a helmet, and you¡¯ll wear goggles too. I¡¯ve brought special headphones that we¡¯ll use. This way, I can describe the scenery I¡¯ll be seeing. Today, we¡¯ll be the masters of the sky.¡±


    Ava couldn¡¯t help but smile at thest part. ¡°Masters of the sky.¡± She liked that phrase very much.

 Have you ever dreamed of being able to fly?

    Mateo began to exin to her what they would do next, and Ava listened attentively, her nerves getting the best of her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll glide for three kilometers at a speed of 250 meters per hour. I¡¯ll extend my arms to achieve that, but you won¡¯t have to, since your arms will be free. The harness will secure your chest and legs. After a few minutes, I¡¯ll open the small parachute on my back. You don¡¯t have to worry; I¡¯ve been doing this for many years.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you jump alone. I¡¯ll wait for you down there. Well, I mean, I¡¯ll wait for you, because saying that I¡¯ll see you isn¡¯t quite urate, haha.¡±


    ¡°Ava,e on, show me you¡¯re not a coward. Have you ever dreamed of being able to fly?¡± He moved closer to give her a gentle kiss, effectively breaking down her defenses.


    ¡°Okay, but if anything happens to me, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Deal, haha. The adrenaline you¡¯ll feel will make you more alive than ever. You¡¯ll experience a strong mix of emotions from the jump, even without sight.¡±


    Soon they were ready, having put on everything necessary, including themunication headsets. Someone who was with them came to open the door. Ava felt the rush of air immediately. She was about to say something, but Mateo didn¡¯t give her the chance. She felt him rush towards the door and jump right away. She let out a loud scream of terror due to the fear she was experiencing.


    Shortly after, she stopped feeling like she was falling. Instead, she felt like her body was floating while sliding.


    ¡°You were right. This is incredible. I feel alive, free, hahaha.¡±


    ¡°I told you,¡± Mateo said with a smile.


    ¡°Please tell me what you¡¯re seeing. How does thendscape look from up there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯m seeing these incredible green fields, and in the distance, there are white-covered peaks. You can also catch a glimpse of the blue of the ciers, which from up here seem to blend with the beautiful sky.¡±


    Ava took a deep breath; she had never experienced anything like this. Clean and pure air filled her lungs.


    ¡°What you said is true. I don¡¯t need to see to feel so alive.¡±


    Shortly after, Mateo pulled the toggles to open the parachute, asking Ava to lift her feet as they approached the ground so that he could guide thending.


    Ava felt a moment of sadness that it was ending. Theynded gently; Mateo proved to be quite skilled. She felt him carefully remove the harness and then he hugged her tightly.


    ¡°Hahaha, this has beenpletely insane,¡± Avaughed euphorically due to the adrenaline.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it. Now we¡¯ll be staying in a cabin nearby, and another surprise awaits you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask what it is because I know you won¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, exactly, I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Shortly after, they got into the car, which took them to the cabin where they would be staying. The ce had two rooms side by side. Mateo showed her where everything was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a shower. I¡¯ll be with you in a few minutes, and then we can head to the vige for breakfast. It¡¯s a small and picturesque ce. Do you need any help?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± She felt nervous, but she didn¡¯t want to seem helpless. In unfamiliar ces, she often felt lost not knowing where things were.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in the next room. If you need anything, just call me. The ce is small, and I¡¯ll be able to hear you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    Ava quickly took a shower; the ce was small, so it wasn¡¯t a big issue. She decided to wear a light and short dress that exposed her shoulders a bit. Fortunately, during this time of year, the weather was warm, even though the peaks in the distance were covered in snow. She slipped on sandals and left her long hair loose so it could dry in the wind. Then she grabbed her purse; she had taken some of the money that Mateo had taken from the safe. She felt embarrassed that he would be paying for everything.


    A couple of minutester, Mateo knocked on the door. Ava immediately sensed the delightful scent of wood from his cologne.


    ¡°Ready?¡± he asked as soon as she opened the door. He couldn¡¯t help but nce at her, then quickly averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed for looking at her that way.


    ¡°Ready,¡± she replied with a smile that he found truly beautiful.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± As she exited the room, he ced his hand on her waist. He knew she might feel insecure in an unfamiliar ce. Ava missed the electronic cane that she had left at the Miller mansion.


    He guided her to the nearby restaurant. When they were assigned a table, he pulled out the chair for her to sit. Even though Ava couldn¡¯t see, she could feel the stares of people around her. Losing her sight had enhanced her other senses, like smell and hearing.


    ¡°This ce is wonderful. They have a Braille menu, so you can read and choose to your liking.¡±


    Ava smiled. Mateo was a very considerate man, thinking of everything she might need.


    ¡°I know unfamiliar ces can be ufortable for you. Whatever you need, don¡¯t hesitate to tell me.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was easier when I had my electronic cane; it vibrates when there¡¯s a step or an obstacle. I left it at my uncle¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call right now to have one sent over. You¡¯ll have it this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°I just ask that you let me pay for it. I also want to cover the expenses you¡¯ve been spending on me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d make me feel terrible if you did that. What I do, I do willingly.¡±


    ¡°I truly appreciate what you¡¯re doing for me.¡±


    Minutester, a couple that Mateo knew well approached them.


    ¡°Hey, buddy, great to see you again. I thought you might skip this year.¡±


    ¡°You know I never do.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this lovelydy?¡± Akiro was surprised to see Mateo out in public with a girl. Although he had talked to them about Ava, they hadn¡¯t believed it would actually happen.


    ¡°She¡¯s Ava Miller.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you.¡± Ima came forward to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯m Ima, and this is my husband Akiro. We¡¯ve known Mateo for a while.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ava smiled as she greeted them, her gaze fixed forward. They were already aware of her blindness.


    Mateo invited them to join them for breakfast. Ava found the couple very likable; they were pleasant and made herugh with their antics. Akiro observed his friend closely. Mateo was definitely taken with this girl, and he could tell from the way he looked at her.


    ¡°Akiro was the one who apanied me to your uncle¡¯s mansion. He rescued L while I was searching for the box in your room. He¡¯s an expert in martial arts and can hack into anything that can be connected to from aputer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much. He saved my nanny¡¯s life.¡± Akiro could sense the sincerity in her tone of voice.


    ¡°It was a pleasure. Count on us to help in any way we can. Ima had fun teasing your uncle while we were at the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that man thinks he¡¯s quite the charmer. It was easy to slip him a tonic to calm him down.¡± Avaughed at her words. Teodoro deserved it for being a coward.


    After breakfast, they said their goodbyes. Ava wanted to go back to the cabin; there was no point in wandering around the town without her cane. Besides, without her sight, she couldn¡¯t truly experience it. To her, it would be like walking aimlessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the room and read for a while. You should go explore the town.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to do it without you. I¡¯ll just lie on the couch next to you while you read.¡±


    And for Mateo, being able to observe her was a delight.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll leave just like today, before dawn. After visiting the ce I¡¯m taking you, we¡¯ll travel to Mn. Akiro is opening a new club there, it¡¯s a ce, you could say, quite different. I promised him I wouldn¡¯t miss it. Would you like toe with me?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s an invitation, then yes, I¡¯d love to join you.¡± She was thrilled to be included in his ns.


    ¡°I would love for you toe with me, although I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± She felt disappointed to hear his uncertainty.


    ¡°Would you be embarrassed to arrive arm in arm with a blind woman?¡± She asked with infinite sadness.


    ¡°No, not at all. It¡¯s just that things happen there that you might not understand. They are, let¡¯s say, quite intense experiences.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to tell if they¡¯re intense until I experience them myself.¡± Mateo sighed upon hearing her response; he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced about taking her.


    ¡°Alright, when we arrive in Mn tomorrow, we¡¯ll get what we need.¡±


    Hey beside her for a couple of hours, observing her closely as she read. Each of her gestures made her seem even more beautiful to him.


    Ava had to pretend to be engrossed in her reading, although she couldn¡¯t read more than a few lines. The scent of Mateo next to her made her nervous.


    Later, Mateo bid her farewell; they needed a good rest for the morning ahead.


    Just like the day before, they set out in the early hours, shortly before the sun peeked over the horizon.


    They got into a waiting van and traveled for a little less than an hour. Upon arriving at the location, Ava could hear murmurs that indicated there were more people around.


    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll introduce you to my extreme sportspanions. We gather here once a year to participate in these activities.¡±


    ¡°Extreme sports?¡± Ava wondered what new crazy thing he was going to ask her to do.


    He introduced her to the whole group shortly thereafter, and a few minutester, Akiro and Ima arrived.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t he told you yet?¡± Ima asked.


    ¡°Not yet, and you, miss, are far too curious.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going bungee jumping.¡± Ava¡¯s eyes widened as she heard Ima. She had read something about it, and she didn¡¯t like the idea of participating in it herself at all.

 Unexpected Thrills

    The expression on Ava¡¯s face clearly showed that she was utterly terrified.


    ¡°Oh no, sir, I¡¯ve heard about that on various shows. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m jumping from a height. I still have all my screws properly fastened in my brain, which allows me to think rationally.¡±


    ¡°Haha, so that means none of us are sane then.¡± Mateo found her response amusing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it seems so.¡± She didn¡¯t want toe across as rude; she was just being honest about what she thought of them.


    Minutester, Ava found herself wearing the harness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to convince me.¡± Mateo and his friends definitely had a great power of persuasion.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be tandem jumping again, so hold onto me tightly.¡±


    Mateo told her just before they jumped. This time, Ava¡¯s scream was much louder. Momentster, her body was rising and falling as she dangled in the air.


    Fear quickly turned into adrenaline. Mateo was absolutely right. Just like when they jumped before, she felt more alive than ever.


    When they were back on solid ground, Ava thanked Mateo.


    ¡°I have to thank you again. I didn¡¯t think I could feel the way I do now.¡±


    After the euphoria of the moment, she felt happy, fulfilled, alive.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to know you¡¯re having fun.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much more than that. I feel like I¡¯m finally living. I was tired of being confined; it¡¯s been so many years.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°I truly am sorry.¡± He leaned in to kiss her gently, not caring that there were people around watching them. He had never shown public disys of affection to anyone before.


    Akiro and Ima couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing, and neither could the rest of their extreme sportspanions. Some of the girls there felt both envious and surprised. Mateo was a true Adonis, but despite their advances, he had never paid them any attention, making them think he wasn¡¯t interested in women. That moment proved otherwise.


    After returning to the vige for breakfast, the van took them to where the helicopter was waiting. They flew to Mn with Ima and Aiko. Throughout the journey, Mateo held Ava¡¯s hand, asionally nting a kiss on it. Akiro still couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Tonight will be spectacr. I¡¯ve gone all out for the opening of this club. Even though it¡¯s very simr to the one in Naples, I appreciate youing with me, my friend.¡±


    ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world, buddy. I know how important it is to you.¡±


    Upon arriving, they stayed in one of the most renowned hotels. Just like at the cabin, Mateo requested adjoining rooms for them. Ava found it strange that he had left after their arrival and hadn¡¯t returned all afternoon. By dinner time, there was a knock on her door. She felt excited, thinking he had returned, but her heart sank when she opened it. It was room service, delivering the food Mateo had ordered.


    As the night approached, Ava started to worry. What if something had happened to him? She hadn¡¯t charged the special phone he had given her, and it was now dead. Shortly afterward, there was another knock on her door. This time, a girl holding several boxes stood there.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi has sent me. I¡¯ll help you get ready. He has chosen some things for you.¡± The girl seemed very kind.


    ¡°ce them on the bed, thank you. I¡¯ll take a quick bath, be right back.¡±


    She quickly took a shower and then opened arge box. Inside, she touched a soft and lightweight fabric ¨C a dress.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful dress, miss. Mr. Liardi has excellent taste.¡±


    ¡°Could you describe it, please?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a pearl-colored dress with thin straps. It has a deep back neckline, and the fabric is silk. I¡¯m sure it will entuate your figure wonderfully.¡±


    In another box, there were a matching pair of stilettos, and in a smaller box, a beautiful ne and delicate earrings, along with a lovely bracelet.


    ¡°There¡¯s also very fine lingerie in this box, miss.¡±


    Ava held the lingerie in her hands and could feel that it was made ofce.


    An hourter, she was ready. Just as the girl had described, the dress highlighted every curve of her body. Side slits revealed a portion of her fair legs, and the silk fabric cascaded gently, caressing her skin. As she put on the shoes, she realized they had a low heel ¨C Mateo had thought of everything.


    The girl lightly applied makeup, as Mateo had requested. Ava didn¡¯t need heavy makeup to look good; her natural beauty shone through. The girl styled her hair in an updo to showcase the dress¡¯s back neckline. Finally, Ava applied a touch of the perfume he had sent as well.


    ¡°You look spectacr, miss. Mr. Liardi will be even more enamored.¡±


    Ava blushed at thement. Just as the girl was leaving, Mateo arrived. He was taken aback by how beautiful Ava looked ¨C she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life, and he wasn¡¯t exaggerating.


    ¡°You look gorgeous. Shall we go?¡±


    Ava turned to grab her purse, and Mateo was left speechless. When he saw the dress on the mannequin earlier in the day, he liked it so much that he hadn¡¯t realized how revealing the back neckline would be.


    Ava was at risk of catching a cold; the fabric was so lightweight that it entuated all her curves. He was worried that she would spend the whole night trying to shield herself from the lecherous gazes of men who he was sure wouldn¡¯t be able to stop staring at her.


    Ava was tall, though not as tall as he was at 6¡¯3¡å, with pronounced curves. Her breasts were well-sized, verging onrge for her slender frame. He hadn¡¯t noticed her fantastic figure because he always ended up mesmerized by those beautiful blue eyes.


    He himself had a good physique; he had been into extreme sports since he was young, and he usually worked out daily. His body¡¯s muscles were well-defined, and his blue eyes were lighter than Ava¡¯s. His brown hair made him look younger than he was.


    He certainly didn¡¯t feelfortable with the idea of taking her to that ce. If Akiro wasn¡¯t his best friend, he probably wouldn¡¯t attend. For a moment, he considered making up any excuse to get out of it, but he couldn¡¯t do that to his friend ¨C Akiro was always there to support him.


    He took Ava by the arm and led her towards the elevator. In the lobby, he noticed the reactions of the men there ¨C they were looking at her with desire. In contrast, the women¡¯s reactions were different; he could sense envy in their expressions.


    The chauffeur was already waiting for them. They got into the car, and soon they arrived at the club. Before getting out, Mateo ced a ck mask over Ava¡¯s face. He put on a slightly smaller ck mask that matched the custom-tailored suit he was wearing.


    ¡°Is this a costume party?¡± Ava asked innocently, unaware of what was going on.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± he replied with the first thing that came to mind, trying to avoid more questions from her.


    The chauffeur opened the door for them. Mateo immediately put his arm around Ava¡¯s waist, feeling her tensing up as she felt his touch. If only she knew that he felt the same way. Upon entering the club, he handed over a peculiar ck card with golden letters. The massive guards stepped aside to let them pass.


    Inside, the music wasn¡¯t ring; it was at a moderate volume, something Ava appreciated. She could hear that the ce was seemingly packed ¨C there were a lot ofughter and murmurs. The scent of tobo lingered in the air.


    As soon as they saw them, Akiro and Ima approached with big smiles on their faces.


    ¡°Hello, wee to Akiro¡¯s new club. We¡¯ve arranged the best table for you, right in front of the dance floor.¡±


    Mateo felt relieved knowing that at least Ava wouldn¡¯t see what was happening on that dance floor.


    ¡°Thank you, my friend.¡±


    ¡°We hope you enjoy the evening, Ava.¡± Mateo shot Akiro a re.


    ¡°Thank you, I hope so,¡± she replied with a smile. Poor girl had no idea about the kind of ce she had stepped into.


    Mateo kept adjusting his shirt cor repeatedly, a clear sign of how ufortable he felt. If Ava could see the decor of the ce, he was certain she would run away.


    The decoration was excessively exotic, with cages hanging all around, scantily-d women moving sensually inside them. Everywhere he looked seemed to be screaming ¡°sex, sex.¡± The attendees were millionaires and businessmen seeking to fill the void in their lives with intense sensations, and this was the right ce to find them.


    To gain membership for entry, a multitude of requirements were demanded, along with signing a confidentiality agreement and paying a hefty sum. Every member could bring a guest under their full responsibility.

 The Thrill of Your Sensations?

    Very few people knew that such a club existed. Those who paid the annual membership fee could fully enjoy the club, always following the rules specified beforehand.


    Couples and individuals alike attended, and everything that happened was fully consensual. If anyone vited the rules, they were permanently expelled. An advantage ensuring that no one would disclose what urred was that it was in nobody¡¯s interest for their hidden lives to be exposed. Common people, upon discovering it, would point fingers at them. A club where unimaginable instincts were satiated wouldn¡¯t be well-received.


    Ava and Mateo made their way to their table. The lighting was dim and of an unusual color, and the music was slow and sensual. Suddenly, Ava felt curious to know the name.


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of this ce?¡± Mateo cleared his throat before answering; it was clearly getting on his nerves.


    ¡°The Emotion of Your Sensations.¡±


    ¡°The Emotion of Your Sensations?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Strange name, especially for a dance club. I hope they don¡¯t turn up the volume too much when the rhythm changes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will remain like this throughout the night.¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought they yed a different kind of music. Honestly, I don¡¯t know much about this other than what I¡¯ve heard on TV.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a dance club. It¡¯s a ce to gather and socialize with others.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. It¡¯s a ce to make friends, that¡¯s nice. I like that concept, especially if I can meet other people. I spent many years just hanging out with my uncle and my nanny.¡± In reality, Mateo didn¡¯t want her to meet anyone in that ce. He felt terribly guilty about it.


    He nced around; people dressed entrically were walking all over the ce, approaching tables to get to know others and invite them to join their groups or have a good time. Shortly after, he excused himself to Ava and went to the bar to order some drinks. Akiro was there.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going with your girl?¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it. Guilt hasn¡¯t left me alone all night. This is not a ce for her. I don¡¯t know what the hell I was thinking when I decided to bring her. It would have been better to lie toe here without her, considering all the lies I¡¯ve told her since we arrived. She¡¯s bombarding me with questions, and I don¡¯t even know how to answer her.¡±


    ¡°If you want something serious with her, you need to show her who you really are, my friend.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to be scared of me, to think I¡¯m weird or something worse. My intention was just to show her the sensations that extreme sports awaken in me, not this.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better for her to find out now. This is part of you package deal, and she either epts you or rejects you right away. It¡¯s better before your rtionship gets deeper. You need to be prepared in case she decides to reject you.¡±


    Mateo didn¡¯t like hearing that at all, but he knew his friend was right.


    ¡°I want her close to me. Losing her is not an option anymore. I¡¯m willing to do whatever it takes for her.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for what I¡¯m about to say, but you¡¯re screwed, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, buddy,¡± he replied ironically.


    Mateo took the sses with the drinks he had ordered and headed back to the table. When he arrived, he saw that Ava was apanied by Ima.


    ¡°What are youdies up to?¡± He asked a silly question to disguise his nervousness.


    ¡°Ava is asking me about the reason behind the club¡¯s name. ¡®The Emotion of Your Sensations¡¯ seems too ambiguous to her.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have to admit that it¡¯s a strange name for a ce where friendships are formed.¡±


    Upon seeing Mateo¡¯s poker face, Ima decided to leave immediately.


    ¡°Akiro is calling me. I¡¯ll be back in a while. Have fun, you two.¡±


    The show was about to start, and Mateo hurried to the restroom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯m going to the bathroom. If someone offers you a drink, don¡¯t ept it under any circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. Maybe I¡¯ll take a stroll to see what the ce has to offer,¡± she joked while smiling.


    Mateo didn¡¯t reply; he was surprised at how well Ava couldugh at the situation. Just before reaching the hallway leading to the bathroom, he saw the spotlight on the dance floor turn on. He hurried back as quickly as he could. If he had waited a bit longer, he would have noticed a brte girl approaching Ava. Her voice was sweet and melodious, which made Ava trust her. She offered Ava a drink, iming that it was sent by Mateo.


    On the dance floor, a redhead woman dressed in exotic, tiny leopard-print clothing was illuminated by the spotlight. Two tiny ears on her head caught people¡¯s attention. Two men ced an unusual cross behind her. The woman looked around the crowd as if searching for someone, and her gaze settled on Ava, who was still talking to the brte. Everyone was seated at their tables at that moment, enjoying the spectacle.


    When the brte saw the redhead approaching, she quickly bid farewell to Ava. The poor girl had no idea what was happening around her. She began to sip from the drink, which had a pleasant but overly sweet taste for her liking. Nevertheless, she drank it quickly.


    The redhead approached while staring at Ava. She took her hand and without asking, pulled her towards the center of the dance floor. Ava had no clue, but she went along, trustingpletely. After all, Mateo had brought her there.


    Mateo was leaving the bathroom at that moment. As he walked down the hallway, the brte girl stood in front of him, blocking his way. She was very slim and tall, dressed in very provocative clothing and wearing a ck mask. She approached him unexpectedly and tried to kiss him, but he rudely rejected her.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing, ra?¡± he asked, not bothering to hide his disgust.


    ¡°Hello, my love. How nice to run into you,¡± ra replied.


    ¡°ra, I think I¡¯ve made it more than clear that I want nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°After these 3 years, you can¡¯t just dump me. Our rtionship was special, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a rtionship, it was an arrangement, and you agreed to it.¡±


    ¡°I saw you at the hotel with that useless girl. Tell me, are you her guide now?¡± Her cruelty and contempt for Ava knew no bounds.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk about her that way. Consider yourself warned.¡±


    ¡°Toote, darling. That useless girl will run away as soon as she knows your true preferences. Morgana is taking care of her. Ha, ha, ha. She won¡¯t forgive you for bringing her into this.¡±


    ¡°What the hell have you done? You¡¯ll pay dearly for this, I promise you.¡±


    At that moment, he realized the music had stopped. He ran as fast as he could, found their table empty, and desperately scanned the room for Ava, but he couldn¡¯t spot her. Suddenly, the music started ying again, a sensual melody that made him instinctively turn towards the dance floor, only to be shocked beyond belief.


    There she was, tied to a Saint Andrew¡¯s Cross, a blindfold covering her eyes, her arms bound, her legs spread and tied on each side of the cross. Mateo felt fury overwhelming him, he was ready to destroy everything in his path to reach her. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his arm, stopping him.


    Akiro held Mateo tightly, fearing that if he let go, he would create a scene. It wouldn¡¯t be good for his image or the club. He knew Mateo wasn¡¯t thinking clearly at that moment.


    ¡°Stop, my friend. If you do what I think you¡¯ll do if you go over there, you¡¯ll be caught up in a huge scandal. Your image will be tarnished, and they¡¯ll shut down my club. Don¡¯t forget that there are very important people among the clients. Morgana won¡¯t harm her, you know that.¡±


    Mateo felt like he couldn¡¯t contain his anger. How dared that woman touch Ava?


    Akiro forced him to sit near the bar, where he could keep an eye on him while the performance continued. Mateo watched Morgana¡¯s every move attentively. If she crossed a line, he wouldn¡¯t care about anything and would intervene, putting her in her ce and taking Ava away.


    Meanwhile, Ava didn¡¯t understand what was happening. At this point, she was so scared that she trembled. The redhead noticed and approached her ear.


    ¡°Shhh, trust me. Just focus on feeling. I¡¯ll take care of you every step of the way.¡±


    She had a strange sensation being tied up like that. She had been sitting at the table, enjoying her cocktail, and now she was bound with her legs spread. She felt exposed, not understanding the purpose of being in this position.

 Amidst a Sea of Sensations

    The redhead took what seemed like a small lipstick, and as she moved to the rhythm of the music, she began to glide it slowly across Ava¡¯s body. The girl started to feel an intense tickling that the device caused as it vibrated, and the woman continued to provoke these sensations on her body for a while. Then she set the small device aside and picked up a small whip. With it, she started to gently strike precise parts of her body, causing the sensations in her body to intensify immensely. They were like waves enveloping her body slowly.


    ¡°Feel it, let yourself be carried away by the sensations that course through your body, don¡¯t try to resist,¡± the woman whispered in her ear again.


    Even if Ava had tried to resist, her body had betrayed her and surrendered to what she felt. She didn¡¯t understand what was happening to her; her mind didn¡¯t respond either. She couldn¡¯t think, only feel that immense pleasure that waspletely unknown to her.


    From the bar, Mateo observed that scene. Knowing that it was her there, under all those gazes, prevented him from enjoying the show as he usually did. He felt annoyed; he wanted to shout at those men not to look at her in that way.


    A songter, the redhead let go of the whip and picked up a feather. She started to dance and twirl around Ava while caressing her body with the feather. To the rhythm of ¡°Earned It¡± by The Weeknd, the woman continued her slow dance while Ava¡¯s body trembled. The excitement she felt surpassed anything she had ever known ¨C abination of tranquility and excessive pleasure, all due to the adrenaline. Now she understood the name of the ce: itbined sensations with emotions, and it was pushing her to the limit.


    The image of the two women was a mesmerizing spectacle for the people who were entranced, observing each movement with wonder. For them, it was art ¨C a perfectbination of soft, sensual movements executed wlessly. What made it even more attractive was the writhing of the woman bound to the cross.


    Everyone was absorbed, including Mateo, who was involuntarily carried away by it. More than hypnotized, he was entranced, and he would need to take a cold shower afterwards. Suddenly, an irritating voice pulled him out of that trance.


    -Well, well, dear, you¡¯re breathing heavily, you haven¡¯t changed a bit. You¡¯repletely aroused, do you think that simpleton will let you do what I allowed? Will you try to dominate her the same way? This is your nature, at the slightest provocation, you unleash the predator within you.


    -Predator? You know it¡¯s not about that. Go away, you¡¯ll pay for this.


    -Remember that when that little thing doesn¡¯t serve you anymore, I¡¯ll be waiting for you. Because you won¡¯t be able to pretend for long that she¡¯s enough. You need much more than that.


    -Ha, ha, ha, you¡¯d be thest woman I¡¯d seek. Now get out. -The man¡¯sughter sent shivers down the woman¡¯s spine.


    Akiro approached immediately. Seeing his friend¡¯s expression, he knew he was about to do something foolish. Mateo had his fists clenched, as well as his jaw. At this point, he wouldn¡¯t mind tearing the ce apart or finishing off the woman in front of him.


    -ra, you need to leave right now. Stop dragging yourself through the mud. Keep some dignity. Leave Mateo alone.


    -You, better than anyone, know that I love him. We¡¯ve always been friends. He needs me, not her. She won¡¯t serve him the way I have.


    -I don¡¯t think I need to intervene. With his age, he knows perfectly well what he wants. And it clearly isn¡¯t you. Leave now. Look, you¡¯ve gone too far. Mateo has restrained himself for far too long.


    The brte hurriedly left when she saw two enormous guards approaching her. She was furious. Mateo was trading her for a simpleton who, she was sure, couldn¡¯t even take care of herself. She would patiently wait until he got bored. Then she would return, and he would realize he needed her.


    Mateo downed the trembling ss in his hand and refocused his attention on the stage, trying to forget about ra. As he was doing that, a tall, slim guy stood in front of him.


    -You can move aside.


    The man didn¡¯t reply; he just continued to stare.


    ¡°Are you deaf? Get out of the way.¡± At this point, Mateo¡¯s patience was very thin.


    He got up from where he was sitting to give the guy a hard shove.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been watching for a while. That girl was really beautiful and you chased her away rudely. I deduced that you don¡¯t like women. I came here just to find a partner for tonight. Would you be up for having some fun? I¡¯m a great lover, you know.¡±


    Akira ced his hands on his forehead; now Troy would burn, as Mateo¡¯s already limited patience was wearing thin.


    ¡°How dare you? I¡¯ll give you three seconds to get out of here immediately, or I won¡¯t be responsible for what happens to you.¡± Sparks seemed to be flying from his eyes.


    ¡°Think about it, maybe you and I could¡­¡±


    ¡°We could do nothing. Get out of here!¡±


    Upon hearing the furious shout that erupted from Mateo¡¯s throat, the guy quickly backed away. Akira couldn¡¯t help it; he felt sorry for his friend, but he startedughing uproariously.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be, ha ha ha! I seriously can¡¯t handle this. That guy wanted you to warm his nest.¡±


    ¡°Akira, it¡¯s not funny. Stopughing, or I¡¯ll be annoyed with you. Today has been one of my worst days.¡±


    ¡°Try to calm down. Look, the show¡¯s over. You¡¯ll have your girl all to yourself again.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Turning towards the dance floor, he saw Morgana removing the restraints from Ava. Then she nted a kiss on Ava¡¯s cheek and apanied her back to the table. At that moment, Ava felt like she had no strength left for anything; those intense waves of emotions had drained her.


    Seeing Mateo approach with a sour expression, Morgana tried to move away quickly, but he caught up to her and grabbed her arm. He leaned in close to her ear to whisper.


    ¡°You went too far today. You know there will be consequences for this. We¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    The girl paled upon hearing him, she hurried away from there as fast as she could, before Mateo could regret it and make her pay right there.


    He sat down next to Ava, extremely worried about her condition. She looked defenseless, frightened ¨C he was the one to me, there was no doubt about that. He had released a small bird amidst a pack of cats. The men around him had been eyeing the girl with desire. He nced at them, and they understood the message, stopping their stares.


    ¡°How do you feel? Forgive me, Ava. I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone for a single moment. You have no idea how I felt seeing you there, especially witnessing how they looked at you.¡±


    She blushed immediately, having forgotten that everyone in that ce might have been watching her.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, just a bit tired and flushed. All I can say is that what I felt there was something I¡¯d never experienced before. It was exciting and pleasant, though still strange. I felt fear, but that changed in an instant.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might be angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should be, but it¡¯s something that got out of your control. You can¡¯t have control over everything.¡±


    The girl fanned herself with her hands constantly. Mateo felt that something wasn¡¯t right; the ce was fully air-conditioned.


    ¡°Ava, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°I think not now. I¡¯m feeling something strange,¡± she said, sensually running her tongue over her lips.


    Mateo stared at her; it was obvious that something odd was happening with the girl.


    ¡°Ava, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I have a strange sensation all over my body, and suddenly, I feel a terrible heat.¡±


    Mateo leaned in to touch her forehead; it was indeed hot. He tried to retract his hand, but Ava didn¡¯t allow it; she took his hand and rubbed it against her cheek before guiding it to her lips.


    ¡°Wait, Ava, what¡¯s going on?¡± The girl released him immediately, blushing as she realized what she was doing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me.¡±


    ¡°Something you drank must have affected you, though I doubt it. Everything I brought you was just non-alcoholic drinks.¡±


    ¡°I know, but the drink the girl brought over was different. It was a bit strong on alcohol and excessively sweet.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t send anything. I clearly told you not to ept anything and not to talk to strangers,¡± he said, a bit annoyed, though not at the girl ¨C he was annoyed with himself.


    ¡°A very friendly girl came up to me and gave me a drink. She said you sent it. I believed her, so I took it.¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake, Ava! You shouldn¡¯t have epted anything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mateo. Right now, all I know is that I feel very dizzy. The heat is spreading throughout my body.¡±

 What Has Happened?

    Ava started fanning herself with her hands. Mateo noticed her face reddening, and at that moment, he became even more concerned. He took her hand to help her stand up, then ced his hand around her waist to guide her.


    ¡°We need to go, you should lie down. Maybe that way you¡¯ll start feeling a bit better.¡±


    The girl allowed herself to be led; the contact with Mateo felt veryforting.


    When they stepped outside, Max, the driver, was already waiting for them. During the ride to the hotel, the proximity of Mateo¡¯s body ignited even more the heat that Ava was feeling. He noticed her drawing nearer with each moment. Upon arrival, he helped her out of the car and guided her to the elevator. Inside the elevator, the situation became exceedingly strange. Ava moved closer to him, cornering him against the wall, while her breath grew more rapid.


    Mateo refrained from saying anything to avoid making her feel ufortable. He simply tried to evade her. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he led her to her room and helped her lie down. Throughout this time, Ava was constantly biting her lower lip.


    He went into the bathroom to dampen a towel and ced it on her forehead, hoping to lower her temperature. When he returned, he was taken aback. Ava had removed all her clothes, standingpletely naked. His body reacted involuntarily.


    ¡°Damn it, Ava! This can¡¯t be happening. I need to control myself.¡±


    He chastised himself harshly for his body¡¯s reaction. It wasn¡¯t the right time. He moved closer to try to cover her up, but everything happened so quickly. Ava grabbed the cor of his shirt, pulling him towards her. Before he could react, she was kissing him.


    For a moment, he allowed himself to be swept away by the kiss. He had to gather his strength to pull away. She pouted in displeasure as he moved back. Immediately, he called Max to request that a doctor be brought over right away. He was beginning to suspect what was happening with Ava, and he definitely wasn¡¯t going to take advantage of the situation.


    Max arrived with the doctor shortly after. Mateo had left the door unlocked so they could enter. At that moment, he was holding onto Ava¡¯s arms to prevent her from exposing herself further. She was agitated, and he couldn¡¯t control her.


    The doctor examined her immediately, with Max helping Mateo hold her.


    ¡°Based on this girl¡¯s symptoms, it¡¯s quite clear what¡¯s happening to her. What has she consumed?¡±


    ¡°We were at an event, and a girl offered her a drink.¡±


    ¡°Well, that drink must have been adulterated. There are hypotensives that significantly increase libido.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t with her consent, it could be considered a crime, and I can see she¡¯s quite young. Is she of legal age? If she isn¡¯t, you¡¯ll be in significant trouble.¡±


    ¡°She is, let me find her identification right away. But before that, could you administer some medication to help her improve?¡±


    The doctor sent Max to fetch the necessary medications. Fortunately, he returned quickly. It was quite challenging to set up the intravenous drip for administering the medication. The doctor stayed there until the process wasplete.


    ¡°This medication should counteract the effects. You should bathe her with lukewarm water and keep her in the bathtub for a few minutes. If the effects don¡¯t wear off soon, call me again, and we might have to consider hospitalizing her. Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯te to that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow your instructions precisely. Here¡¯s her identification; as you can see, she¡¯s of legal age.¡±


    The doctor examined Ava¡¯s ID card meticulously. Afterward, he shook his head and left without saying anything. Max would escort him back and pay his fees.


    As soon as they were gone, Mateo filled the bathtub as the doctor had instructed. He draped a towel over Ava, then carried her in his arms to ce her in the water. As he was about to rise from the tub, Ava once again grabbed the cor of his shirt, pulling him with such force that Mateo tumbled into the water. That wasn¡¯t what worried him; it was the fact that he fell directly onto Ava.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Ava justughed,pletely out of her senses. Mateo quickly stood up, peeled off his wet clothes, and then covered himself with a bathrobe.


    He felt desperate, seeing Ava¡¯s naked body, the body of the girl he desired so much, and having to control himself-it wasn¡¯t easy. His imagination ran wild; that day, his resistance had been tested in various ways.


    Minutester, he lifted her from the bathtub, carefully drying her body. He couldn¡¯t help but tremble as he did so. Heid her on the bed and covered her. At that moment, Ava appeared more tranquil. Shortly afterward, she fell into a deep sleep. He reproached himself over and over for being so foolish. He stayed by her side, berating himself for being so foolish. He shouldn¡¯t have taken an angel like her to a ce like that.


    Things had spiraled out of his control, and that bothered him immensely. He was ustomed to having control over everything that happened in his life.


    He picked up his cellphone to call his friend; he knew that ra was to me for all of this. She was the only one who could have acted in such a way, always pretending to be something she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Friend, I need you to check the club¡¯s security footage. Something serious has happened to Ava, and I¡¯m sure ra is responsible.¡±


    ¡°What happened? I couldn¡¯t find you guyster.¡±


    ¡°They gave Ava some kind of aphrodisiac. It happened when I went to the bathroom. She said a very friendly girl approached her and gave her a drink, iming I sent it. She¡¯s in a bad state; she¡¯s seen the doctor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my friend. I don¡¯t know how this happened. I need to enhance the attention and surveince within the club. You can count on the footage; I¡¯ll get on it immediately.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it, buddy. I¡¯m sure ra¡¯s behind this.¡±


    After ending the call, hey down next to Ava. He had no intention of leaving her alone until she got better. He watched her sleep-she was there before him, so peaceful. She was truly beautiful; her face resembled that of an angel, with a petite nose, long eyshes, and a small mouth as red as a strawberry. Unintentionally, he fell asleep beside her; he was utterly exhausted.


    Ava woke up very early; she immediately realized she was naked. She reached out to her side and sensed that someone was with her. She knew it was Mateo because his scent was unmistakable. She felt terribly frightened, thinking that something might have happened between them.


    She hit him hard to wake him up, and he jolted awake as he felt the impact.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you hit me?¡±


    ¡°What happened? Why am I naked?¡± she asked,pletely agitated, tears streaming down her cheeks.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ava. You fell illst night, and I brought you back. I had to call a doctor, and I stayed by your side to make sure you were okay, but I didn¡¯t touch you.¡±


    ¡°Did you really not touch me? Does that mean nothing happened between us?¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened; you can trust my word.¡± Mateo feared she wouldn¡¯t believe him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything, just that I felt an awful heat after returning to the table.¡±


    Mateo didn¡¯t want to tell her what had actually happened. She had ced her trust in him, and he had let her down.


    ¡°Perhaps one of the drinks didn¡¯t agree with you. The doctor examined you and administered some medication through an IV.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for ruining your night. I shouldn¡¯t have gone.¡±


    Mateo found her utterly endearing. Despite everything that had happened, she was only concerned about potentially ruining his night. ra would pay for what she had done; her actions wouldn¡¯t go unpunished.


    ¡°Why am I naked? Where is my clothing?¡±


    ¡°After we got back, you took it off,¡± he told her the truth, not wanting her to think it was him and that he was taking advantage.


    Ava felt embarrassed; she wanted to disappear under the covers. Her behavior had been inappropriate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve behaved terribly.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything.¡±


    Mateo took Ava¡¯s hands and used them to cover her eyes. She couldn¡¯t help butugh at his gesture.


    It had been an intense night. If her nanny found out, she would want to kill Mateo. L was a very sweet woman, but she changed when someone touched her. There were no secrets between them, but Ava didn¡¯t n on revealing what had happened that night. She preferred to keep it to herself.


    Ava had many questions about the club, doubts that she wanted Mateo to rify. She hoped he would be honest in his response.


    ¡°Mateo, I need to ask you something, and I hope you¡¯ll be honest. What kind of ce have you taken me to?¡± Mateo stared at her; the dreaded moment of telling her the truth had arrived.

 A Pervert?

    Ava had many questions, and Mateo wasn¡¯t responding; she could only sense hisbored breathing. He seemed nervous; she didn¡¯t want to pressure him, but she had the right to know, especially since he had taken her there.


    ¡°Mateo, please say something.¡±


    ¡°Ava, I wouldn¡¯t want to lie to you, but it¡¯splicated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not foolish, and even though it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve gone out to a club at night, I know that something more than usual happens there.¡±


    ¡°Do you consider me a fool, someone whocks the intelligence to understand? ¡± Mateo could hear the irritation in her voice, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that, Ava. It¡¯s just that these are things you don¡¯t know about yet ¨C you¡¯re inexperienced in this regard.¡±


    ¡°Then, if I don¡¯t know about them, show me.¡± She said firmly.


    Mateo felt ufortable and nervous. He didn¡¯t want to go into details, but if he didn¡¯t answer her questions credibly, she would keep pressing. The girl was demanding answers.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bondage club.¡±


    ¡°Bondage? What¡¯s that?¡± She had never heard that word before.


    ¡°Bondage is an erotic practice involving restraint,¡± he blurted out. If he was already on this path, it was better to tell the truth. Ava covered her mouth with her hands upon hearing this.


    ¡°People with different preferences go to that club.¡±


    ¡°Different? How different?¡±


    ¡°The people who go there have a taste for rtionships that aren¡¯t conventional. It¡¯s Romantic Bondage ¨C you could say it¡¯s the softer side. We call it the vani side of bondage.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Vani?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we call conventional, normal rtionships.¡±


    At this point, Ava¡¯s deep blue eyes were even wider, and she was making strange expressions with her mouth, trying to understand what all of this meant.


    ¡°Sadomasochism?¡± Mateo was surprised to hear her utter that word.


    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± he asked, bewildered.


    ¡°I must have read or heard about it somewhere,¡± she said, shrugging casually, though he could see her blushing.


    ¡°It¡¯s not sadomasochism; that¡¯s something different. In Romantic Bondage, a person is restrained with their full consent, but without causing them pain. On the contrary, it¡¯s pleasure they feel.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s romantic about that?¡±


    Mateo fell silent, feeling embarrassed. At this point, Ava might have thought he was some kind of pervert or something. He tried to exin things in the best way possible, so she could understand. He had a terrible headache; he had made a huge mistake taking her to that ce, and now he had to face the consequences.


    He was sweating profusely. He was a man with nerves of steel; he had faced his greatest business rivals without showing a hint of nervousness. If he didn¡¯t answer correctly, he might lose Ava forever, and he wasn¡¯t willing to let that happen.


    ¡°Do you practice it?¡± He hesitated whether he should answer truthfully, but he had to. It was better for her to find out who he truly was.


    ¡°I have.¡± Though she couldn¡¯t see it, he lowered his head to fix his gaze on the floor. He felt ashamed; it was as if his judgment day had arrived.


    ¡°So this is what you meant when you said you wanted me to see your world. And I also understand the name of that ce. Believe me, I¡¯m not judging you-I¡¯m not one to do so. But personally, I¡¯m not prepared for this.¡±


    Mateo was frozen upon hearing her response, but after all, he had earned it. He let out a deep sigh before continuing to speak. He was losing her, that much was clear. So, everything depended on what he would say next to try and exin.


    ¡°I know you must be thinking that I¡¯m a pervert or something like that, and I understand. I¡¯d also understand if you rejected me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think right now, I won¡¯t lie to you. When I met you, I formed an image of you, but I was wrong. You¡¯re very different from what I had thought. I can¡¯t lie to you-finding out all of this has shocked me.¡±


    ¡°Just listen to me, please. This is just a game for me. For many, it¡¯s a lifestyle. We use ropes to caress, embrace, and convey sensations. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re an extension of our bodies. In this game, the dominant one respects what their ropes touch, but we always, always base it on respect.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you talk about respect while doing that.¡± She was trying her best not to sound as agitated as she felt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t tie to cause pain, Ava. I¡¯m not a sadomasochist. I do it simply to immobilize. It¡¯s vani sex, but with restraints. In BDSM, the dominant controls; here, it¡¯s shared.¡±


    There was a resigned expression on Mateo¡¯s face, even though she couldn¡¯t see it. He was saying everything he needed to say. It was better that she found out once and for all.


    She listened, analyzing each word. She didn¡¯t know if he was crazy or had unusual tastes. Internally, she was conflicted between distancing herself from him and trying to understand him. She needed to know his reasons, and she wasn¡¯t going to remain in doubt. She needed a valid reason for him to do this.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know why you do it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you think there¡¯s something wrong with me, don¡¯t you? Or that I¡¯m messed up, that my behavior isn¡¯t correct.¡± A bitter smile appeared on his face at that thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry; it¡¯s just that I simply don¡¯t understand. No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°When my father and grandmother died, something inside me died with them. I was ten years old ¨C old enough to understand what was happening. I locked myself in my mind and my studies. I wanted them to be proud of me wherever they were. My grandfather is a retired military man, so he wanted to make me into an upright man. He always demanded too much from me. He sent me to a military school; he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. Up until that point, I obeyed, but after graduating, I became a rebel, aplete disaster. I went from one party to another, hurting many girls because I just had fun with them. I was a scoundrel, I admit it. My grandfather felt that his efforts to make me a good man were in vain. What he didn¡¯t realize was that his attempts to correct me only made things worse; they were cruel. After a while, I met Akiro. Since then, we became good friends, and I felt understood. He¡¯s like a brother to me. When he noticed my personality issues, he invited me to join the extreme sports group ¨C the guys you met. I started going to their practices, and for the first time, I felt epted. But I still felt like something was missing. I wasn¡¯t satisfied.¡±


    Ava listened attentively, not missing a detail. She could hear in his voice that it was difficult for him to talk about his past.


    ¡°Akiro invited me to a club he belonged to. Ima had invited him; she was a member there. From the first time they met, they were inseparable. That¡¯s where I met Morgana. She¡¯s the woman who tied you up at the club. She showed me what it¡¯s like to have unrestricted andmitment-free sex. That¡¯s how I got into Romantic Bondage. It just became a way for me to feel liberated. I learned to have control over my emotions. For me, it¡¯s a game, but it¡¯s safe, sensible, and consensual. There are rules here, and those who enter have to abide by them. It can¡¯t go beyond that. Partners change periodically to avoid developing feelings.¡±


    Ava was taken aback by everything she was hearing. She never thought a man like him would have so many demons.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Akiro and Ima have decided to build a life together. That¡¯s very rare. Generally, this is taken as just a pastime, but maybe it¡¯s a bit more than that. When pressures and routines be overwhelming, it bes an escape to release those pressures. Akiro bought the club a few years ago. He¡¯s opened others in various cities. He manages them well. They¡¯re very exclusive. Integrity of the clients is maintained within. They¡¯re investigated before entering; they mustn¡¯t have criminal records, and they must have a high social status ¨C they must indeed have it to afford such an expensive membership. With one membership, you can ess any club within the country, and he¡¯s even considering expanding to other countries.¡±


    Mateo was distressed, and at that moment, he just wanted to know what the girl was thinking about him. It was the first time he felt so embarrassed, fearing that she might have formed a terrible image of him after hearing him. He waited patiently for her to say something.


    Ava had listened carefully to everything he had said, but one question was lingering in her mind.

 Ready to Leave

    While Ava had fallen silent, Mateo looked at her attentively, hoping she would ask a question about everything.


    ¡°Do you still have anything to do with Morgana?¡± the girl asked, her expression very serious.


    Mateo was about tough upon hearing the question she had asked, but he restrained himself. He found it amusing that after telling her everything, what worried her was whether he was still with Morgana. Her question gave him a new glimmer of hope.


    ¡°She¡¯s just a friend. Whatever happened between us ended years ago, like I said, we don¡¯t maintain the same partner for long in this lifestyle.¡±


    ¡°And the girl from the bar? It¡¯s obvious she knows you.¡±


    ¡°She was my bondage partner until a few months ago. Even though she knew the rules and that we shouldn¡¯t involve feelings, I had to distance myself from her because I realized I was starting to have them. I haven¡¯t reached out to her since, but she doesn¡¯t seem to want to ept it.¡±


    Ava analyzed things for a moment. Although she couldn¡¯t see Mateo¡¯s face, she had a feeling he was very handsome. It would also be difficult for her to ept something like that, and she had just met him.


    The poor girl¡¯s thoughts were all over the ce. She never imagined that by epting this trip, she would learn about all this. She had no idea that such a thing existed, let alone that Mateo was into it. Vani sex, Romantic Bondage, consensual restraints ¨C that day, her vocabry had expanded, and not with words she could casually use.


    ¡°I apologize. I know I shouldn¡¯t have taken you to a ce like that. I shouldn¡¯t have exposed you. I¡¯m aplete idiot. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. I just wanted to go for a moment and support Akiro. He¡¯s a good friend, and I didn¡¯t want to let him down. I really didn¡¯t think the situation would get out of hand. I unintentionally put you in great danger.¡±


    Mateo hoped she would say something, but she remained silent. He could see an infinite sadness in her face, fearing that their rtionship would end before it even began, and it hurt him deeply. It would be more than he could bear. He had tried to interpret the girl¡¯s gestures and reactions, but he had no idea what she truly thought. The silence that prevailed was incredibly ufortable. He preferred that she tell him what she thought of him; trying to guess was even worse.


    Mateo never thought he would be in that situation; he feltpelled and knew that the girl could be forming the worst impression of him at that moment.


    The sound of his phone interrupted his thoughts. He had no intention of answering, but it was ringing insistently.


    ¡°Soon,¡± he answered, irritated. His annoyance dissipated when he heard it was Akiro.


    ¡°Friend, I¡¯ve reviewed the camera footage. I¡¯ll send it to you right now. You better see it for yourself. Morgana told me that ra told her that you asked her to initiate Ava, which is why she took her to the cross in the center of the track. She also said you ordered her to take Ava to one of the red rooms where you¡¯d be waiting. She realized it was a lie when she saw you with me at the bar. ra intended to do something more with Ava.¡±


    Mateo shivered upon hearing this; ra¡¯s intention was to harm Ava even more.


    ¡°ra doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s done. That woman was trying to harm Ava severely. Investigate if there was any man waiting inside the designated room. If there was, I want to know who that man is.¡±


    Akiro realized that things would be very difficult for ra. Mateo was not a forgiving man.


    ¡°Brother, you have to be careful about how you approach things with ra. Morgana has told me she¡¯s prepared a press conference. That woman intends to seriously damage your reputation if you try to harm her. You¡¯ve gotten yourself quite an adversary.¡±


    Mateo was furious; ra had be a major thorn in his side. Ava listened in silence, not a fool, she had understood what was happening. Without saying a word, she headed to the bathroom; she wanted to be alone for a moment and hoped that Mateo would leave for his room. She needed to rify her thoughts about him.


    He understood the message perfectly and went to his room. He would return to her for breakfast after taking a shower. Minutester, he knocked on her door, repeatedly, but there was no response. He became concerned. He had requested a spare keycard just in case something happened, so he used it to open the door.


    Ava wasn¡¯t inside. Where could she have gone in an unfamiliar ce? A thousand catastrophic ideas crossed his mind. He hurriedly went down to the hotel lobby to ask if anyone had seen her. A girl like her would have stood out, not just because she was visually impaired but because she was very beautiful. He approached the bellhop to inquire.


    ¡°A blonde girl, with blue eyes, very beautiful indeed. Of course, I saw her. She asked for an assistant to take her to the beach a while ago, then she told him there was no need to wait.¡±


    Mateo turned pale; Ava could be in danger if she entered the sea. He rushed towards the beach, feeling desperate. Upon arrival, he scanned the area, and in the distance, he spotted her standing with her feet in the water.


    He approached her slowly and could see that she was calm, her gaze fixed on the horizon. It was as if she could see, perhaps she was concentrating on listening to the gentle sound of the waves. At that moment, the sea seemed to respect her; its sound was like a gentle purr.


    Ava knew his scent well. When he got closer, although he didn¡¯t make a sound, she could sense him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re here. I can feel you,¡± he marveled at the girl¡¯s ability to know she wasn¡¯t alone and even more that she could recognize his scent. She moved a few steps away, and he followed, embracing her from behind.


    ¡°Ava, please, I¡¯m sorry you found out this way. I just ask that you think carefully before making a final decision about me.¡± It was the first time he felt tainted by his peculiar tastes.


    ¡°Could you take me back to the room, please?¡± she replied with a sigh. In her face, Mateo could see an infinite sadness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to enjoy the beach a bit more?¡± He felt desperate; he was the cause of her sadness, and she had already suffered too much over the years for him to continue causing her pain.


    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯d rather go back to the room. I¡¯d like to be with my nanny again. Could that be arranged? I can take public transportation. You have things to do here with your friends; you can stay. I don¡¯t want to be the one to interrupt your ns.¡±


    Mateo didn¡¯t respond; he silently escorted her to her room. Ava entered and tried to close the door to keep him out.


    ¡°Ava, please, just give me a moment,¡± he said softly while gently holding the door.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°I need to go back; I have a lot to sort out with what my father left me. I truly appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me. I¡¯ll reimburse you for the expenses as soon as possible, and I also need to find a ce to move to,¡± Ava said. Mateo took her hand, and she felt him tremble.


    ¡°Ava, please, I¡¯ll go back with you. I have nothing to do here if you¡¯re not with me,¡± he said, unwilling to leave her.


    ¡°Fine, but keep in mind that as soon as we get back, I¡¯ll leave as soon as possible.¡±


    On her sweet face, besides sadness, Mateo saw a great coldness, and he felt a strange sensation in his chest, a profound emptiness. She was already missed even before she left.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll allow it,¡± Mateo thought, willing to do whatever she asked if it meant being allowed to stay by her side. He knew he could have any woman he wanted, but she was the only one who mattered.


    Meanwhile, Ava was determined to distance herself from him as soon as they returned. For an ordinary person, a rtionship with someone like him would be challenging, but for her, it was even more so. She didn¡¯t have the capacity to tolerate his preferences or his little friends. A deep wrinkle appeared in the middle of her forehead as she thought about it. Mateo noticed that something had upset her, but given the circumstances, he refrained from asking.


    ¡°We¡¯ll drive back,¡± he decided, wanting to spend more time with her. The journey would take eight hours, and this time he wouldn¡¯t bring the driver; it would just be Ava and him.


    ¡°But won¡¯t that be too long?¡± She actually had no idea how long the drive would take.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. They¡¯ve announced a major storm in the area, so it¡¯s not safe to fly right now, but it is safe to drive,¡± Mateo said, feeling like he was sealing his own fate by lying to an angel like her.


    Ava resigned herself; in her current situation, she had no other choice. She depended entirely on him to return to L.

 A sexy man

    Shortly after, they went down for breakfast. Mateo instructed Max to load their luggage into the car. The chauffeur was not pleased with the idea of his boss and the girl traveling alone for so many hours on the road without any supervision.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Max. I can take care of myself perfectly well. Nothing will happen. You can return home in the helicopter.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather won¡¯t agree; he¡¯ll probably make mee back immediately for you and Miss Ava,¡± Max said, knowing Guido perfectly and understanding that he would be upset with Mateo for leaving his grandson.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s better for you to stay at your apartment. Don¡¯t show up at the mansion,¡± Mateo thought it would be best to avoid causing his grandfather too much distress.


    Max realized it was pointless to insist. He knew his boss too well and understood he wouldn¡¯t be able to change his mind.


    After they finished breakfast, they got into the car. Ava sat in the passenger seat, and Mateo insisted on adjusting her seatbelt himself to ensure she was safe.


    Ava felt nervous yet confident. She knew he wouldn¡¯t do anything that put her at risk. The events of the previous night were not entirely his fault; if she had followed his advice, nothing would have happened. She had been too trusting when epting the drink offered by that woman. Mateo hadn¡¯t told her what it contained, but she was sure her difort was due to that.


    After a while, Mateo turned on the radio. A song started ying, and he seemed to like it because he turned up the volume slightly, not too loud to bother her. It was a sexy song, and he began to sing along. Ava couldn¡¯t help butugh as she heard him.


    ¡°This song suits me very well because I know I¡¯m sexy and irresistible,¡± he said confidently.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re a very modest man,¡± Ava couldn¡¯t help butugh at hisment.


    ¡°Have I told you how much I love yourughter?¡±


    Although Ava didn¡¯t respond, he could see her blushing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read that this area has beautifulndscapes, especially the vineyards. I would have liked to see them once.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mateo decided to change the course of their trip. It would take two hours to reach Rivoli, where the best vineyards were located. She might not be able to see the wonderful hills, but he could describe them to her. Two hourster, Ava felt the care to a stop.


    ¡°We¡¯re not having much luck; the car is acting up,¡± he scolded himself again for lying.


    ¡°What?¡± The girl felt terrified, immediately recalling her parents¡¯ ident.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; there¡¯s no need to be scared. We¡¯ll stay nearby while they fix the car.¡± He mentally scolded himself again; he wanted to have a good time, but he had ruined it once more.


    At that time of year, the ce was packed, and it was fortunate that they found an avable room for their stay. The problem would be in informing the girl. The ce was a vineyard estate situated right in the middle of the vineyards on a hill. They offered tours where they allowed visitors to taste the wines.


    ¡°The air here is incredible. I imagine it must have a wonderfulndscape,¡± Ava said, breathing in the fresh air as she imagined the beautiful scenery.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. From here, you can see the green hills and the vineyards. This time of year, they¡¯re in the midst of the grape harvest.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Is it grape-selling time?¡±


    ¡°No, ¡®vendimia¡¯ is the grape harvest for making wines. When it¡¯s for selling, it¡¯s called ¡®cosecha.¡¯ It¡¯s a festive time, even though the vineyard workers have a lot more work. Outsiderse to be employed. The celebration of the grape harvest is not new; it¡¯s a tradition that dates back to the origins of this drink. In ancient Egypt, the grape harvesting was a social, religious, and cultural event that revered the figure of Osiris, the god attributed to the creation of wine and worthy of all kinds of offerings. The Greeks and Romans also gave grape harvesting a festive and religious importance, worshipping Dionysus and Bhus, respectively.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot about this,¡± she was surprised to hear him speak so knowledgeably on the subject.


    ¡°I like to read; I¡¯ve read about it somewhere.¡±


    It was starting to get dark, and they hadn¡¯t eaten yet, so Mateo insisted on doing so. Ava only nibbled on a few snacks; she was feeling tired, perhaps it was still the effects of the medication or the substance that had entered her system.


    When Mateo saw her yawning, he took her by the hand and led her to a hanging chair beneath a tree. After helping her settle into the chair, he sat down beside her. Without thinking, they both fell asleep. When Ava woke up after a while, she realized she was lying on Mateo¡¯s chest, and he was gently stroking her head. She quickly moved away, and he couldn¡¯t help but notice her cheeks had turned a lovely shade of pink.


    Mateo got up to help her to her room. Ava didn¡¯t like the idea and stood up next to him. When he least expected it, she gave him an unexpected kiss, making him feel like he was touching the sky. She was determined to enjoy the moment, and for now, nothing else mattered to her.


    Shortly after, he helped her to her room. She was about to tell him they would have to share it because the ce was fully booked. Ava took a few steps, and he closed the door. When he turned around, he was taken aback. Her dress was on the floor, and he thought she might have assumed he had left.


    ¡°Ava, wait, I¡­¡± He felt nervous and embarrassed, despite being excited as he observed her perfect body.


    ¡°Shhh, don¡¯t say anything,¡± she approached and kissed him again. Mateo couldn¡¯t resist her any longer.


    Heid her on the bed, and it only took seconds for them to discard their clothes. His hands gently explored the girl¡¯s body, and to him, her curves were perfection, her body a work of art.


    He kissed her neck and began to descend. Ava trembled; the sensations werepletely new to her. He tried to be as gentle as possible. For a passionate man like him, it was a challenge to restrain himself. He didn¡¯t want to hurt her, let alone scare her. He wanted to make her first time something special.


    He savored kissing and caressing every possible part of her body. Ava¡¯s taste was the sweetest he had ever experienced.


    He parted her legs and entered slowly. Her inner walls were very tight, and she stifled a cry of pain. He stopped and kissed her softly.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it just hurt a little.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡±


    ¡°No, keep going.¡± She was determined to surrender herself to himpletely.


    He realized that she truly wanted to be with him. He began to move slowly; the pain had passed, and she felt lost in a sea of sensations.


    She felt like she was floating, but suddenly, it was as if a whirlwind had her spinning uncontrobly. She let out a loud moan, and he released a soft growl, then hey on her chest.


    ¡°Well, that was¡­ I don¡¯t know how to exin something like that.¡± It had been a strange experience. It had caused her pain, but the sensations that followed were intense and entirely new to her.


    He smiled and kissed her again, then helped her to get up. They entered the bathroom together; he turned on the warm water in the shower, applied soap to a sponge, and began to wash Ava¡¯s body. He noticed a thin red thread running down her legs.


    He traced her back with his mouth. She turned around and sought his lips, and they melted into a kiss. He pushed her back until her back met the wall, lifted her legs, cing one on each side of his hips, and entered her again, starting with that gentle swaying motion that awakened intense sensations in her body.


    When they finally felt satisfied, they washed their bodies. Mateo took a towel and wrapped her in it, then carried her in his arms andid her on the bed. Hey down beside her, and they both quickly fell into a deep sleep.


    The next morning, when Ava woke up, she looked for Mateo, but he wasn¡¯t by her side. Suddenly, she felt a warm kiss on her lips and recognized his unmistakable scent.


    ¡°Buongiorno, principessa.¡±


    ¡°Buongiorno, amore.¡± Mateo smiled when he heard her; he liked that she called him that.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go downstairs for breakfast and then return to Mn in the afternoon. I had forgotten that tomorrow morning I have a meeting with other investors, including your uncle Teodoro.¡±


    Ava lowered her head, and he could see that she looked sad.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked, concerned.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that if it were up to me, I wouldn¡¯t go back to Mn.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way, but we can¡¯t let your uncle get away with it. We must make him pay,¡± Mateo was determined to do it. Teodoro would pay for all the harm he had caused.


    Ava got up to take a bath, and Mateo noticed she was taking a long time. He hesitated to knock on the door, but eventually did. She opened it slightly.


    ¡°Is something wrong? Whatever it is, tell me, and I¡¯ll see how I can help.¡±


    Ava blushed; she had a problem and felt embarrassed to ask for his help.


    ¡°I have a small problem.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared; it wasn¡¯t my time yet,¡± Ava was dying of embarrassment, but she needed his help urgently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean,¡± Mateo didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but he could see that Ava¡¯s face had turned red with embarrassment.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m on my period, and I need sanitary pads.¡±


    Now it was Mateo¡¯s turn to blush upon hearing what she was saying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go get you some right away. I¡¯ll ask if I can buy them nearby,¡± Mateo understood that what was happening to her was partly his fault. He had tried to be as gentle as possible, but it still had consequences.


    Mateo hurriedly went to get what his girl needed. Fortunately, the vineyard estate, being far from the city, had a store where he could find them.

 In the dark

    Mateo entered the store and stood in front of the sanitary towel shelf. His expression was priceless. What was all this? How did girls know which one was the right one?


    There were packages of all colors and with different descriptions. ¡°With wings?¡± Seriously? He grabbed a package of each and headed to the checkout counter. The female cashiers watched him with a knowing smile; they had seen this situation countless times before-a guy trying to help his girlfriend.


    He approached the counter and felt even more embarrassed as he noticed how the girls were looking at him. It wasn¡¯t easy for them to see such an attractive and adorable guymitted to someone else and not to any of them.


    After paying, he expected them to put the packages in a bag, but that didn¡¯t happen. He noticed a sign next to the counter stating that they didn¡¯t provide bags for ecological reasons.


    He cursed to himself and left with all those packages in his hands. He attracted attention wherever he went-an enormous, handsome guy carrying several packages of sanitary towels. It was logical that he would draw attention, especially from the girls who sighed as he passed by. Soon, he arrived where Ava was.


    She immediately thanked him, and he smiled when he saw how many packages he had given her. Mateo was truly adorable.


    With the problem resolved, they hurried to get ready. Ava wore a short, light blue dress, sandals, and a white hat. Mateo looked at her in awe, thinking he was lucky that such a beautiful girl had epted a man like him, even knowing how damaged he was. For her, he would change. He wanted to protect her, and in such a short time, she already meant everything to him.


    Later, they headed to the vineyard, and Mateo began exining the grape harvesting process. Ava listened attentively.


    ¡°In this area, they cultivate Nebbiolo grapes. They are dark in color and quiterge. This variety hasn¡¯t expanded internationally. Wines from these ces tend to show differences in quality, aroma, potency, and delicacy. This has led some of them to be legendary and unique.¡±


    Later, Avaughed while standing barefoot in the center of a vat. They had exined that she needed to crush the grapes with her feet, moving from the center towards the edges. They also exined that this method was necessary to extract the juice without losing its properties. Mateo was enjoying watching her and decided to take photos while she continued to crush the grapes andugh.


    The ce they were in was a small clearing in the middle of the estate. Several other girls were doing the same thing, while their families waited on wooden benches ced around where they were. Mateo noticed a man who was staring intensely at Ava. What the hell was wrong with him?


    Only Mateo saw his girl in that way. He could swear he had seen that man before, but he couldn¡¯t recall where. He decided to take a photo to investigate it, but when he turned back, the man had disappeared.


    When Ava emerged from the vat, they headed back to the room for her to clean up. She was a mess after the grape stomping. Once she was ready, they made their way to the car. Mateo bent down to fasten her seatbelt, and at that moment, he noticed a tear rolling down her cheek.


    Suddenly, Ava cupped Mateo¡¯s face in her hands.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, startled by her tears.


    ¡°Let me explore your face with my hands. I want to get to know you this way, imagine your features,¡± Ava said. In that moment, the darkness that enveloped her felt heavier than ever.


    Mateo allowed her to do so. Ava gently traced his face with her fingertips, hoping to form a clearer mental image of him. As she did this, tears continued to moisten her beautiful face.


    ¡°Tell me, what color are your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Simr to yours, except yours are a deep blue, and mine are a very light blue.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say we both have blue eyes,¡± she replied with a faint smile. She still remembered colors from when she was a child and could still see.


    They traced her fingers over his lips, outlining them gently.


    ¡°I like the shape of your lips,¡± she said, then kissed him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re sad.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how I feel every time I¡¯m in an unfamiliar ce. I feel insecure, lost. I had never experienced all of this before, simply because I never left the house. My uncle found someone to teach me there. I was forbidden to go out. I grew up within the walls of that house. Through books, I learned about the world. My nanny has been like a mother to me. She used to tell me about the outside world, and we would watch TV shows together. She would describe the characters and scenes, so we would spend endless hours just to watch a movie. I learned to y the piano and the violin. Thetter became my ally. I spent hours ying. So far, all my sensations have been in the dark. Fortunately, I still have some memories from when I was a child and could still see.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything, just listened to her in silence. Then he moved closer and hugged her tightly. He couldn¡¯t believe that someone so young had suffered so much. He was determined to make Teodoro Miller pay. That despicable man had turned his niece¡¯s life into a nightmare.


    He had always thought his life was miserable, but now he knew it wasn¡¯t the case. He was grateful that Ava had opened up her heart to him like this. He felt powerless, not knowing what he could do to make her feel better. He would move heaven and earth to find a specialist who could restore her sight.


    He was determined to make her happy, no matter what it took. He turned around to get back in the car and continue their journey. They still had six hours to go to Naples.


    That night, after dropping off Max, they arrived at the Liardi mansion. Guido, Aurora, and L came out to greet them. Ava kept her head down the entire time. She felt that if they saw her face, they might notice what had happened between them. They didn¡¯t want anyone to find out, especially her nanny.


    Mateo noticed her behavior and tried not to get too close to her, even though he longed to hug her.


    It was even harder for her. She had had a great time in Mateo¡¯s arms, but she felt guilty. L had always told her that proper youngdies shouldn¡¯t be with any man until they were married.


    Mateo would have liked to sleep beside Ava again, but he knew that both his grandfather and his mother would be furious. Not to mention L ¨C that woman was capable of killing him on the spot.


    ¡°In the morning, when Ava came downstairs for breakfast, Mateo had already left for the corporate office. He had a meeting with investors, including Teodoro Miller. The man had asked him to allow him to hold a meeting in hispany to showcase a new product. He had invited some people to see if they were interested in investing in hispany. Mateo thought it was aplete abuse because that meeting should have taken ce in Teodoro¡¯s ownpany. However, he agreed because it was the perfect opportunity to carry out what he had nned.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Liardi. The people you had a meeting with have started to arrive in the boardroom,¡± his secretary, a very attractive woman, informed him. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t mix pleasure with business, so he ignored her constant advances.


    He headed to the boardroom, a malevolent smile on his face when he saw that Teodoro was already there, walking straight into the lion¡¯s den.


    ¡°Mr. Miller, a pleasure to have your presence,¡± he said as he extended his hand.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi, the pleasure is mine to be invited to this meeting at yourpany,¡± Teodoro replied with a smile as he shook hands.


    Mateo noticed that there was a woman next to Teodoro, dressed rather provocatively with a low-cut top and a skirt that seemed too short-an entirely inappropriate outfit for a meeting like this.


    ¡°She is my assistant, Daria Coswell,¡± Teodoro introduced her.


    Mateo extended his hand to the woman and, while shaking it, ran his hand gently over hers, giving her a flirtatious look. ¡°A pleasure, Miss Coswell,¡± he said.


    ¡°The pleasure is mine, Mr. Liardi,¡± the woman responded, well aware of who Mateo was and his importance in the business world.


    The meeting began shortly after, with all the attendees present. Later, amidst all the numbers and words, Mateo felt bored. He made a great effort to pretend he was interested in Teodoro¡¯s proposal and the product he was presenting.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°What do you think of the proposal, Mr. Liardi?¡± Teodoro asked eagerly.


    ¡°Excellent. I have been thinking about improving the security on my yachts for a while, and with this new automated system, I¡¯ll be able to achieve it. Your proposales at the right time. I¡¯ll invest in this system, and I¡¯ll be your best customer. There¡¯s no reason why I can¡¯t be both at the same time.¡±

 Another woman鈥檚 scent

    ¡°The other businessmen in the room couldn¡¯t make up their minds. The cost seemed excessively high to them, and it didn¡¯t make sense as customers or as investors. It was too much of a risk. If it didn¡¯t work out, they would incur significant losses. They found it surprising that Mateo had epted so readily. Typically, he would take his time analyzing the pros and cons of new investments, but this time, he had quickly agreed.


    One by one, the men bid their farewells until only Mateo and Teodoro, along with his assistant, remained in the room. Teodoro stepped out for a moment to use the restroom, and the assistant took the opportunity to flirt shamelessly with Mateo.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re going to be a partner in my boss¡¯s business, it will be as if you were my boss too. So, if you ever need anything, no matter the hour, don¡¯t hesitate to call me,¡± she said, extending a business card toward him while leaning forward, entuating her ample attributes.


    Mateo felt ufortable. The woman¡¯s vulgarity and brazenness were too much to bear. Minutester, Teodoro returned, and Mateo noticed that he had conveniently taken his time in the restroom. He was undoubtedly a sly old fox, and Mateo was no fool; he knew exactly what this pair was up to.


    ¡°I appreciate your eptance of the investment in mypany¡¯s new project, Mr. Liardi. I assure you that you won¡¯t be disappointed. You will see the benefits of having ced your trust in us very soon,¡± Teodoro said.


    ¡°I hope so because just as I entrust my confidence, I can also withdraw it,¡± Mateo replied, staring at him intently.¡±


    ¡°I assure you that won¡¯t happen. You will be very pleased with us, don¡¯t you think so, Dar¨ªa?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, Mr. Miller,¡± the shameless woman ran her tongue across her lips as she looked Mateo directly in the eyes. Teodoro pretended to turn his attention elsewhere and not notice his assistant¡¯s brazen behavior.


    ¡°Mywyers will contact yours to review the contract uses. Any specifications you wish to make can be discussed with them; they will be in charge.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfect. We will do what is necessary.¡±


    Shortly after, they bid their farewells. The woman walked toward the exit, exaggerating her hip movements. Mateo furrowed his brow as the woman¡¯s overpowering perfume lingered in the air.


    He remained seated for a while. When he finally stood up to leave the boardroom, he came face to face with Dar¨ªa, who was returning.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Liardi, I forgot my purse,¡± she apologized, nearly bumping into him. Mateo noticed that she had intentionally left some buttons on her blouse undone, revealing almost her entire chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss,¡± he replied, trying not to sound annoyed.


    They left the boardroom together, taking the executive elevator. Mateo¡¯s office was one floor above. The woman would have to descend twenty floors to exit the building. Suddenly, she pressed herself against him, her breathing wasbored.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, could you please hug me? Elevators trigger severe anxiety for me,¡± she said. Mateo stepped back, but the woman closed the gap again, pinning him against the wall.


    ¡°Please, I need you to hug me or I¡¯m going to faint,¡± the woman ced her hand on her forehead to appear more convincing.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t believe it. This had to be some kind of sick joke. That woman had no boundaries. He tried to restrain himself, but his displeasure was so overwhelming that he pushed her away from him.


    ¡°How dare you? I can¡¯t believe your audacity,¡± Mateo said. His patience was wearing thin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have misunderstood your signals,¡± Dar¨ªa thought her assets would have him eating out of her hand.


    ¡°What signals? I¡¯m going to ask you not toe near me again.¡±


    He said this in a loud tone. As soon as the elevator door opened, the woman rushed out.


    ¡°Damn it! They¡¯ll think I did something to her,¡± Mateo muttered under his breath.


    He exited the elevator, visibly annoyed. Employees who were present had witnessed the scene, and the gossip started immediately. They had misinterpreted what had happened. The woman had hurriedly exited the elevator, crying, with some buttons of her blouse undone. What had her boss done to her? Meanwhile, Mateo believed the woman enjoyed attracting attention.


    He couldn¡¯t focus on work; he was too upset. So, he asked his secretary to cancel his afternoon meetings. He needed to be with Ava, to find the peace she always brought him.


    M¨¢x was waiting for him, and when he got into the car, his expression was serious. That girl had pushed his buttons, but he thought he would have to deal with her eventually, especially given her role as Teodoro¡¯s assistant. She might prove useful in the future.


    When he arrived, he immediately went to Ava¡¯s room. L left to give them some privacy.


    ¡°Ciao be.¡±


    ¡°Hello. How did it go?¡± Ava asked with a smile.


    Ava moved closer to him to greet him with a kiss, but as she did, she noticed a scent that didn¡¯t sit well with her at all. It was a feminine fragrance, and a woman must have been very close to him for the scent to be so strongly infused in his clothing. She didn¡¯t say anything, but she felt an immense sadness. Mateo, unaware of her reaction, began to tell her what had happened.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. Gaining your uncle¡¯s trust will be easy. I agreed to invest with him, but what he doesn¡¯t know is that I won¡¯t do it through the corporate office. I don¡¯t want topromise thepany.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve nned everything very well,¡± Avamented, but Mateo noticed her expression, and it seemed like she was on the verge of tears. Perhaps mentioning her uncle had made her feel upset.


    ¡°Carefully. When he realizes what¡¯s happening, it will be toote. Afterward, I¡¯ll help you rebuild the businesses. They¡¯re your inheritance, and we won¡¯t let them be lost.¡±


    He pulled her close and gave her a tender kiss. However, Ava pulled away from him, leaving Mateo puzzled.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked, concerned about her change in attitude.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m afraid my nanny mighte in at any moment.¡±


    ¡°I think we should talk to her, as well as my mother and grandfather.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not the right time. We need to wait until your grandfather¡¯s innocence is proven,¡± she replied in a tone that didn¡¯t sit well with Mateo.


    ¡°Tell me the truth. Is it because of what you said that you don¡¯t want us to talk about our rtionship yet, or is it because I¡¯m much older than you?¡± He wanted her to be honest; he was eager to shout his love for her from the rooftops.


    ¡°Do you doubt my words?¡± Ava¡¯s tone became even more serious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt them; I just want to be sure about you.¡±


    ¡°Your age doesn¡¯t matter to me at all, but tell me, can I trust you enough to feel safe with you?¡±


    ¡°Ava, do you doubt my love for you? Is that why you don¡¯t want us to talk to them about us?¡±


    Ava remained silent for a moment, then decided to tell him what was bothering her. It was better to confront it.


    ¡°Mateo Liardi, I just want you to tell me, who is the woman you¡¯ve been with?¡±


    Mateo was surprised. How did she find out that another woman had been close to him? It was true that women seemed to have a sixth sense.


    ¡°How did you find out? Who told you?¡± he asked, puzzled, thinking someone had spoken to her.


    ¡°Just answer me, please. I don¡¯t want you to feel obligated to be with me because of what happened between us. If you¡¯re interested in another woman, I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± Mateo looked at her, feeling infinite tenderness. Even when she was upset, she looked adorable.


    ¡°Ava Miller, the only woman I¡¯ve been interested in since the day you crossed my path is you, and I assure you that you always will be,¡± he said with a big smile.


    ¡°So, that woman?¡± Ava crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for an answer.


    ¡°She¡¯s Teodoro Miller¡¯s assistant. She rode the elevator with me after pretending to forget her purse. She also pretended to have an elevator phobia, which miraculously disappeared as soon as I pushed her away.¡±


    ¡°You really pushed her to keep her away from you?¡± The girl¡¯s face lit up when she heard this.


    ¡°Yes, you should have seen her face.¡± Mateo wasughing, but when he realized what he said, he felt terrible. ¡°My love, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡±


    ¡°Mateo, I¡¯m not fragile. You can¡¯t think that anything you say would hurt me. What you said is amon expression, so forget about it.¡±


    ¡°Are you still mad at me?¡± As he said this, he moved closer to hug her. Ava gave him a tender kiss.


    ¡°That answers your question.¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm, I think I need a little more to understand.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re a trickster.¡±


    Mateo jumped back almost immediately when he heard the door open. L entered and stared at them.


    ¡°Is something wrong, my dear?¡± L fixed her intense gaze on Mateo.


    ¡°No, Nana, we were just saying goodbye. Mateo is leaving.¡±


    He left quickly, and fortunately, L didn¡¯t notice that he had kissed her. Ava smiled at the thought that Mateo was afraid of L.


    The next morning, when Ava came down for breakfast, Mateo, his mother, and his grandfather were already in the dining room.


    ¡°Buongiorno,¡± she greeted timidly.


    ¡°Buongiorno, be,¡± Mateo greeted her with a big smile.


    Ava blushed. She would talk to him about itter. She didn¡¯t want him to call her that in front of them. Guido and Aurora turned to look at each other, noticing Mateo¡¯s strong interest in the girl.


    Mateo just smiled when he saw the bewilderment on his grandfather¡¯s and mother¡¯s faces. He didn¡¯t n on keeping it a secret for long. He wanted to shout to the world that he had fallen in love for the first time in his life. Hiding it wasn¡¯t in his ns.

 Remembering old times

    After breakfast, Mateo insisted that he and Ava should go to the bank and then pick up the lieutenant. A few minutester, they left for the bank. The manager was already waiting for them, and he treated Mateo with great respect and priority, knowing his powerful position.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi, you know you don¡¯t have to call beforeing. We will attend to you immediately whenever you require it,¡± the manager said, feeling nervous in Mateo¡¯s presence, as he was a very influential individual, and he didn¡¯t want to upset him in any way.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Maxwell,¡± Mateo acknowledged the attention.


    ¡°Now, tell me, what brings you here?¡± The manager found it unusual to see Mateo at the bank, as most of the banking matters and withdrawals were usually handled by Max.


    ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you is extremely confidential. Nobody should know about it. Miss Miller¡¯s father left her a bank code, and based on the numbering type, it belongs to this bank.¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment, please. I¡¯ll check it in our system.¡±


    The manager typed in the numbers on hisputer. After a few minutes, he lowered his sses slightly and stared at Mateo in astonishment.


    ¡°Is there something wrong, Mr. Maxwell?¡± Mateo found it strange how the man was staring at him.


    ¡°The ount is indeed registered at this bank, under the name of Miss Ava Miller.¡±


    ¡°And? Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. It¡¯s just that the registered ount holds an obscene amount of money.¡±


    Ava was surprised to hear this. She couldn¡¯t help but shed a few tears. Her father had thought of her until hisst moments and made sure to secure her financially.


    ¡°Are you alright, my love?¡± Mateo was concerned to see Ava silently crying, but with such deep emotions.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just that knowing my father is still protecting me even after his death has moved me.¡±


    ¡°Now, Miss Miller, you just need to sign these documents, and all that fortune will be transferred into your hands.¡±


    Ava couldn¡¯t believe it. It was as if her father had foreseen what might happen with her cousin. He must have known him very well, as his greed was boundless.


    Ava signed all the necessary documents. From that moment on, she would have ess to her money.


    ¡°In a couple of days, I¡¯ll send you the checkbook and the cards so you can ess your money more easily. I¡¯ll also send you a password so you can manage it through our online banking app. You¡¯ll need to download our bank¡¯s app and set up the password you prefer. I only request that you provide me with your address and some details for delivery.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Mr. Maxwell. I will pick them up in person.¡± Mateo was wary of everyone at that moment. He couldn¡¯t be sure if any of them had a connection to Teodoro. He would never give out Ava¡¯s address. His own address was not registered with the bank either, as someone of his stature was not required to do so.


    Shortly after, they left the bank and headed to the Central Criminal Police Department. Upon arrival, they asked for Lieutenant Bludosky and were directed to an office, where they were asked to wait.


    After a few minutes, a tall, handsome young man with intense green eyes entered the room. Mateo immediately recognized him as the guy who had been observing Ava at the vineyard, the one who had fixed his gaze on her just as he was doing at that moment.


    ¡°Buona sera,¡± the young man greeted them without taking his eyes off Ava.


    ¡°Good afternoon. We are here to meet Lieutenant Bludosky,¡± Mateo replied, his tone serious.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the one.¡±


    ¡°Are you Bludosky? I was expecting someone older,¡± Mateo and Ava looked at him with bewilderment.


    ¡°Then you were looking for my father. He passed awayst year.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; it was very inconsiderate of us,¡± Ava apologized, feeling embarrassed. The slight blush on her cheeks made her look adorable, and Mateo couldn¡¯t help but notice the smile that appeared on Bludosky¡¯s lips.


    Mateo was not pleased at all to know that Ava would have to deal with this man. He looked at her as if she were thest cherry on a piece of cake, as if he were just waiting for the perfect moment to devour her. What made the situation even more intolerable was that the guy was handsome; he looked more like a male model from a women¡¯s magazine than a police officer. He sighed with relief, knowing that she couldn¡¯t see that. He mentally scolded himself for his selfishness and uncharitable thoughts. He needed to keep Ava away from this man, as something inside him told him to do so.


    ¡°What¡¯s the reason you were looking for my father? I¡¯m also a lieutenant, and maybe I can help you,¡± Bludosky said, still fixing his gaze on Ava.


    Mateo ran his hands through his hair in frustration. What the hell was wrong with this man? He looked at him with disgust and then took Ava¡¯s hand to speak to her.


    ¡°Love, are you sure about talking to this man? I know some excellent police officers who could help us.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can give you some time to discuss it. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± the detective said, his face showing clear displeasure at Mateo¡¯s behavior.


    ¡°Sure, go ahead. My girlfriend and I will talk for a moment,¡± Mateo emphasized that Ava was his girlfriend, just in case the man hadn¡¯t noticed.


    Bludosky clearly realized that Mateo was incredibly jealous, which pleased him rather than bothering him.


    ¡°Mateo, I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t trust Lieutenant Bludosky. After all, he¡¯s the son of my father¡¯s friend. Believe me, I can sense people¡¯s bad vibes, and he doesn¡¯t have them.¡±


    ¡°I personally have a bad feeling about him, but the decision is yours, and I¡¯ll respect it even if I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°I have no choice but to trust him. My father asked me toe here, so I¡¯ll leave the investigation in his hands if he epts.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, go ahead.¡± Mateo¡¯s hope that he would agree to go elsewhere had vanished.


    The lieutenant returned shortly after, smiling as usual. Mateo didn¡¯t know if that was his character or if ogling Ava put him in a very good mood.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the news?¡± the lieutenant asked Ava.


    ¡°Her father was a great friend of my father¡¯s, Franco Miller.¡±


    ¡°I remember him,¡± the lieutenant replied immediately.


    ¡°Who?¡± the surprised girl asked.


    ¡°Your father. He used to visit us all the time. I remember you too; we used to spend vacations together. Maybe you don¡¯t remember because you were very young. Your parents had a beautiful property outside the city, in the countryside.¡±


    ¡°Vacations at my parents¡¯ property? Ahhh, I remember now. You must be that boy who helped me when the horse got nervous and ran off. If it weren¡¯t for you stopping it in time, I would¡¯ve fallen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought you wouldn¡¯t remember. We were kids, well, you were, because I was around 12 or so.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, I learned to ride without fear.¡± Ava smiled as she recalled the event.


    ¡°Haha, yes, you turned out to be a great student. You learned quickly-just a few lessons, and you were good to go. You soon surpassed me in jumps,¡± the lieutenant replied enthusiastically.


    Mateo felt ufortable with their conversation. Seeing Ava smile like that with that guy didn¡¯t please him, especially when they shared these kinds of memories.


    ¡°Your fatherughed because, after that day, I talked to him and said that when we grew up, I would marry you. Your father found it amusing, thinking it was childish nonsense,¡± Bludosky said with an even wider smile.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t they just that?¡± Mateo asked, extremely annoyed, ring at the young man while crossing his arms, trying to contain himself.


    ¡°At that time, they weren¡¯t for me. By the way, I always remembered your name, Ava.¡± Mateo felt sparks shooting from his eyes upon hearing this.


    ¡°You have a good memory. I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t remember yours. I tend to forget names,¡± Ava said apologetically, genuinely not recalling his name.


    ¡°Tadeo. My name is Tadeo,¡± he replied hastily.


    ¡°Damn it! Now they¡¯re even using first names,¡± Mateo muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± Ava asked, teasing him, even though she had indeed heard what he said. She was very close to him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, my love, nothing,¡± Mateo replied, trying to appear calm.


    ¡°Why were you looking for my father?¡± the detective asked in a more serious tone.


    Ava recounted the whole story to him. She didn¡¯t know why, just like with Mateo, this guy¡¯s voice inspired confidence in her. Unlike Mateo, Tadeo had rubbed her the wrong way ever since she saw him at the restaurant on the vineyard, and adding the fact that he had apparently been in love with Ava since they were kids only made matters worse. Now she understood the way he looked at her, and she was sure this guy was about to be a thorn in her side.


    ¡°It seems to be a very serious matter,¡± Tadeo said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t just seem serious; it is. Teodoro Miller must pay for what he did,¡± Mateo replied.


    ¡°Do you have the SD card?¡± The detective needed to see the evidence to gauge the seriousness of the matter.


    ¡°Yes, here it is,¡± Ava said, taking the memory card from her bag.


    ¡°I just ask that you investigate thoroughly before using my grandfather, Guido Liardi. I¡¯m sure he was framed. I don¡¯t want him to pay for a crime he didn¡¯tmit,¡± Mateo said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out as the investigation progresses,¡± Tadeo replied. He couldn¡¯t determine Guido¡¯s innocence based solely on his grandson¡¯s word.

 Cruelty without limits

    Tadeo powered on theputer and inserted the SD card. He immediately opened the folder containing the documents, and they began to review them one by one. Ava was eager to find out what they contained.


    ¡°Wow, these documents prove that your uncle was involved in some very shady dealings. He was diverting money from thepany ounts to a personal one in Switzend. The documents involving the Liardi Corporation show significant fund diversions to the same Swiss ount, all signed by Guido Liardi. We¡¯ll have to investigate the extent of his involvement. This is indeed a very serious matter, embezzlement and moneyundering,¡± Tadeo exined.


    Mateo felt that the detective was already assuming his grandfather¡¯s guilt, which irritated him greatly.


    ¡°I will take care of investigating on my own. My grandfather insists he had nothing to do with it and was deceived into signing those documents. I¡¯ll do my best to prove it. Plus, Ava¡¯s father mentioned Teodoro as the cause of his death in that letter. That man needs to pay for everything he¡¯s done,¡± Mateo exined.


    He noticed that as he spoke, Tadeo continued to gaze at Ava. Mateo wondered what that guy was thinking. He had to make things clear, but now wasn¡¯t the time. He would look for an opportunity to put him in his ceter. His priority was to prove his grandfather¡¯s innocence and keep Ava safe.


    Ava remained lost in thought, listening to their conversation, unaware of the man¡¯s lingering looks. If she could see, she would have probably blushed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to get to the bottom of this matter. I¡¯ll do it for your father, for the friendship he had with mine. I¡¯ll request a special favor from my superior to have the investigation assigned to me,¡± Tadeo assured them.


    ¡°I really appreciate it, Lieutenant. I¡¯ll leave you my phone number to stay in touch,¡± Ava said, knowing that in that moment, trustworthy people were few and far between.


    Mateo remained silent throughout the exchange, and it was evident that he didn¡¯t like the idea of that man having Ava¡¯s phone number.


    Ava and the detective said their cordial goodbyes, while Mateo only acknowledged them with a slight nod of his head.


    Shortly after, the couple left the ce and got into the car. On the way back to the mansion, Ava noticed that Mateo was unusually quiet.


    ¡°Are you upset about something?¡± she asked, already suspecting the reason.


    ¡°That guy doesn¡¯t inspire confidence in me, and he looks at you like he wants to devour you,¡± Mateo admitted.


    ¡°Is the great Mateo Liardi jealous?¡± Ava asked in a teasing tone.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he replied, trying to sound confident.


    ¡°Are you sure? Because he asked me to go out to dinner with him.¡±


    ¡°That idiot! Who does he think he is? I¡¯m going back right now to set things straight,¡± Mateo said, clenching his fists and turning red with anger.


    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not true. I just wanted to prove that you¡¯re jealous,¡± Avaughed.


    ¡°You little trickster, you¡¯ll pay for this,¡± Mateo said with a smile, feeling like a child.


    He approached her and kissed her passionately. It was easy to get carried away by their feelings, but they knew they had to restrain themselves in front of others until they could openly dere their love. Being apart was incredibly difficult for them, and they knew it would all change once they could shout their love to the world. Mateo was determined to protect their rtionship from anyone who might try to interfere.


    When they arrived at the mansion, they said their goodbyes in the car. Mateo held her hand to help her get out. Ava hurried up to her room, not wanting her nanny to suspect anything. Mateo, on the other hand, went to talk to Guido. They needed to move quickly to prove that he had signed those documents under false pretenses. Mateo nned to expose Teodoro¡¯s dirty dealings and protect his family from getting entangled in them. Guido couldn¡¯t believe how easily he had been deceived, and he thought that everything rted to the Miller Corporation was a thing of the past, something that had now returned to set things straight.


    Ava was trying to process the avnche of events that had urred. Her life had taken an unexpected turn, and she was in love with the man who had been her family¡¯s neighbor for as long as she could remember. She didn¡¯t know what he looked like in real life, but from the tone of his voice, he seemed like the sexiest man in the world.


    He was the man who had made her a woman, introducing her to sensations she had never known before. Before him, she had considered such experiences forbidden. She smiled as she remembered how she used to quickly flip past the pages with steamy scenes when reading, fearing that she would be damned for reading them.


    She had been analyzing what happened at the club and realized that the sensations awakened in her by the experience with Morgana were not unpleasant. Perhaps trying them with Mateo would be interesting. She was startled when she heard the door open; it was her nanny. For a moment, she felt exposed.


    ¡°Darling, are youing down for dinner, or should I bring it up?¡± L noticed that Ava¡¯s face was flushed, and she sensed something was amiss. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    L approached to touch her forehead, and upon feeling her elevated temperature, she thought Ava was sick, bing rmed instantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to call a doctor; I think you¡¯re sick.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nana, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m feeling a bit warm.¡±


    ¡°Warm? But, my dear, it¡¯s cold outside. Let me open the windows to let some fresh air in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go down for dinner. I need to talk to Mateo and find out what his grandfather told him. I¡¯ll just take a quick bath.¡±


    ¡°Alright, my dear, I¡¯ll go downstairs to start preparing something.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Ava quickly took a bath and, upon exiting, she put on a light dress, a pastel pink one, short with thin straps. It was cold outside, but the temperature inside the house was pleasant. After drying her hair, she left it down. When she stepped out of the room, she encountered Guido.


    ¡°I want to talk to you, child. You¡¯ve turned my grandson against me. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s ever doubted me. He told me he loves you and wants to formalize his rtionship with you. I¡¯ll tell you what I think about that. What will you do when my grandson wants children? Clearly, you won¡¯t be able to take care of them properly. Mateo will be unhappy when he realizes the great responsibility he¡¯s taken on with you. You¡¯re a very beautiful youngdy, I won¡¯t deny that, but I¡¯m sure that as soon as he gets over the excitement of the moment, you¡¯ll be a heavy burden for him to carry.¡±


    Ava started to cry silently, unable to help herself. Guido¡¯s words were very cruel and hurt her deeply.


    ¡°He assures me that it doesn¡¯t matter to him. He hasn¡¯t realized that he¡¯ll have to take care of you forever. He¡¯s confused, he thinks it¡¯s love he¡¯s feeling. I believe that what he feels for you is actually pity or maybe you¡¯re just a whim. But I know you¡¯re not the right person to be his wife. My grandson needs a strong woman by his side who will support him in all his endeavors. I urge you, if you truly love him, don¡¯t tie him down to you.¡±


    Ava turned around without answering and went back into the room. The poor girl was crying inconsbly. She was sure that Mateo loved her; she could feel it. It wasn¡¯t just a whim, as Guido had said. She sat on the edge of the bed, thinking of a way to distance herself. She knew that they would both suffer, but in the long run, Mateo would thank her. When she thought about it with a clear head, Guido was right. Next to her, he couldn¡¯t have a good life, and sooner orter, he would get tired of it.


    L, seeing that Ava hadn¡¯te down, became worried and went upstairs to check on her. Mateo had already gone down and was in the dining room with his grandparents. Upon entering the room, L found Ava lying down, still crying.


    ¡°My dear, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°Nanny, I¡¯m so unhappy,¡± she said between sobs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Remember that problems can be solved sooner orter, so whatever is bothering you will pass.¡±


    ¡°I want to leave here, Nana, I just don¡¯t want Mateo to find out.¡±


    ¡°He has helped you a lot. He won¡¯t let you go,¡± L replied, puzzled. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, and she didn¡¯t dare to ask. She had seen Ava happy not long ago.


    ¡°I know he has helped me, and I also know that he won¡¯t let me go if he finds out. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll look for the right moment for us to leave. It¡¯s better this way.¡± L could see infinite sadness in Ava¡¯s face.


    ¡°You know I support you in whatever you decide. Just do things when you¡¯re sure, so you don¡¯t regret itter when it¡¯s toote to turn back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy to go downstairs. Please tell him that I¡¯m not feeling well,¡± Ava said, gathering her strength. All she really wanted was to be by Mateo¡¯s side.

 Planning the Escape

    L went downstairs, and when Mateo asked about Ava, she told him what Ava had said. He immediately went upstairs to see what was happening.


    ¡°Ciao, amore,¡± Mateo observed her strangely.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Ava replied weakly.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe down for dinner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit tired.¡±


    ¡°Have you been crying?¡±


    ¡°No, I just have a little headache.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask them to bring you some dinner,¡± Mateo said, concerned.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You have to have something to eat,¡± he said with tenderness.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t have an appetite,¡± she replied, trying to hide her sadness.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you rest. I¡¯lle by early in the morning before heading to the office. If you¡¯re still unwell, I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡±


    He gave her a warm kiss, and she hugged him tightly. Her heart ached knowing that she wouldn¡¯t see him anymore soon, that these would be theirst moments together.


    The next day, Mateo went to his room. When he entered, Ava was sitting on the edge of the bed, herplexion pale, and dark circles under her eyes.


    ¡°Buongiorno, be,¡± Mateo greeted her. ¡°Later, I¡¯ll send a doctor to examine you. You don¡¯t look well.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be necessary, I just couldn¡¯t sleep well.¡±


    ¡°At night, when L falls asleep, I¡¯lle and stay with you.¡±


    ¡°No, are you crazy? Imagine if they find out, how embarrassing it would be, what would they think of me.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you turned red. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll enter through the balcony so no one will notice. For now, I have to leave; I¡¯ll be backter in the evening. I have a busy day ahead.¡±


    He gave her a kiss on the forehead and left in a hurry. Being close to her evoked many emotions in him. If it were up to him, he would stay with her all day. When he arrived at thepany, his secretary brought him the documents sent by Teodoro¡¯swyers.


    ¡°Tellwyer Rippoli toe in, please.¡±


    ¡°Right away, Mr. Liardi.¡±


    Lawyer Rippoli was someone he trusted entirely. He arrived promptly and reviewed the documents sent by Teodoro Miller.


    ¡°Mr. Miller is in a hurry to partner with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. What he doesn¡¯t know is that my name won¡¯t appear on the documents. The partnership will be with a newpany I¡¯ve acquired, not with the Liardi Corporation.¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to sacrifice thatpany?¡±


    ¡°I bought it for that purpose. It¡¯s a smallpany, and I didn¡¯t incorporate it into our conglomerate for the same reason. Mr. Lara is in agreement; he will be the one to sign these documents. We need to find a way for him toe out of this clean.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir. It will be done.¡±


    In the afternoon, he had a boring business lunch with some partners. Afterward, he returned to the corporation, impatient to be back with Ava.


    When he arrived at the mansion, his mother and Ava were waiting for him for dinner. He couldn¡¯t help but notice a profound sadness in Ava. After dinner, they all retired to their respective rooms. He took a bath and then went out onto the balcony.


    Ava¡¯s room was right next to his, and L¡¯s was across the hall, so it was impossible for anyone to notice. He climbed over thettice that separated their rooms.


    He tapped on the ss door of her room, and she immediately utched it.


    ¡°Amore.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯te. I didn¡¯t think you were serious,¡± Ava said, thinking that he might not show up even though she wished he would.


    ¡°I don¡¯t make jokes, especially when ites to being by your side,¡± he repliedpletely serious. He approached her and caressed her chin.


    He kissed her with such passion, but he had a bad feeling, though he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was. He felt a tightness in his chest. He guided her to the bed, slowly removing their clothes. Then, he made love to her with passion, with abandon, needing her so much. In the end, they were both exhausted.


    After a while, Ava woke up. Mateo held her tightly, wanting to freeze time and stay like that forever. She felt him move his hands downwards, giving her buttocks a squeeze.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± Avained at the sensation.


    ¡°You know I love them,¡± Mateo said yfully.


    ¡°What?¡± Ava wasn¡¯t sure what he was referring to.


    ¡°Your buttocks are firm and round, a very nice size.¡±


    ¡°Mateo, don¡¯t say those things,¡± Ava said, feelingpletely embarrassed.


    He smiled, noticing how she turnedpletely red. He slipped one of his fingers inside her and began moving them rhythmically. With his other hand, he took hold of one of her breasts and began to suck forcefully. Ava let out a moan, and he silenced her with his mouth, not wanting anyone else to hear any unusual noises.


    He was captivated by everything about her. Her body drove him wild, a mix of tenderness and sensuality. He felt like he had finally found what he had longed for-a woman who didn¡¯t make him feel empty, who stirred emotions in him, emotions that had been unknown to him until now.


    Ava had awakened in him the desire to start a family. He was deeply in love.


    In the morning, Ava woke up, looking for Mateo, but he was no longer by her side. She got up, tidied her bed, and after spraying air freshener on the sheets, she unlocked the door and went to take a shower. She knew L woulde in to check on her, as she did every morning. Just a momentter, the nanny entered.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Good morning, my dear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a moment, Nanny.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d still be asleep.¡±


    ¡°Nanny, has Mateo left?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he left very early.¡±


    ¡°Please, call a taxi, Nanny.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for an apartment.¡±


    ¡°My dear, there¡¯s surveince at the entrance. We won¡¯t be able to leave on our own; they¡¯ll inform Mr. Mateo right away.¡±


    ¡°We have to find a way. I don¡¯t know anyone outside of this house or my uncle¡¯s. Wait, Nanny, I do know someone-the detective Bludosky. Perhaps if I reach out to him, he might be willing to help.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Mateo won¡¯t like that at all.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to find out. In my bag, there¡¯s the card he gave me. Could you please make the call?¡±


    ¡°Okay, although I don¡¯t agree with what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    Reluctantly, L dialed the detective¡¯s number. Ava hadn¡¯t wanted to tell her the reason for wanting to distance herself from Mateo, but whatever it was, L would support her. As soon as the call connected, she handed the phone to Ava.


    ¡°Hello,¡± came the detective¡¯s raspy voice from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Detective Bludosky?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Who¡¯s calling?¡±


    ¡°Ava Miller.¡±


    ¡°Hello. Is there something wrong? Can I help you?¡± The detective was d she called.


    ¡°I know we¡¯ve just met, but I have a problem, and I need your help,¡± Ava said apologetically. She had only recently met him and was already asking for his help.


    ¡°Tell me anything; you can count on me,¡± he replied sincerely.


    ¡°I need to find an apartment, but I don¡¯t want Mateo to find out.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Just in my building, the apartment next door is avable for rent. It¡¯s a very nice ce, elegant and practical.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Ava eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Whenever you like, I can take you to see it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary; it would be just to finalize the contract.¡±


    ¡°The owner is my friend; there won¡¯t be any problem. If you¡¯re in a hurry, you can drop by, and we can sort out the contract there.¡±


    ¡°Is it furnished?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow would be perfect.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me toe pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. But it¡¯s a bitplicated. Could you wait on the road before the entrance? I¡¯ll send you the location.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Around noon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you so much for your help.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I had a lot of respect for your father; I¡¯m doing this dly.¡±


    Tadeo was in a bad mood when he received the call, but hearing Ava¡¯s voice brightened his day. He had remembered that girl ever since he met her years ago.


    Ava cried all day, and L didn¡¯t know why she was so upset, considering that she was the one who wanted to distance herself. This would be theirst night together, and her heart ached. Guido had been right; she couldn¡¯t tie him down. Perhaps he didn¡¯t feel burdened by her now, but he might in the future. As for children, because she was sure Mateo would want them, how could she ever take care of them?


    Mateo returned home at night, and Ava waited for him to have dinner. He talked about a thousand things during dinner, but he noticed she wasn¡¯t smiling as she usually did. Maybe she was tired, as he hadn¡¯t let her sleep much the night before. Remembering those moments, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.


    After dinner, they went to their respective rooms, and he waited a little while to make sure L was no longer with Ava. He went out to the balcony and entered her room again.


    Ava gave herself to him once more without reservations. She was struggling to hold back tears, wanting to remember every part of him. With her hands, she explored his entire body, and Mateo smiled. This time, she had dared to touch him.


    Later, shey on his chest, enjoying the rhythmic beating of his heart, while her fingers traced small circles over his well-defined muscles.


    ¡°Ava, please tell me, is something wrong? I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been acting strange since yesterday. You know you can tell me anything that¡¯s bothering you.¡±


    Ava would have liked to tell him everything that had happened, but the decision had already been made, and she made a great effort not to cry.

 Has Forsaken Me

    ¡°Despite being tempted to tell him what had happened with her grandfather, she stopped herself, remembering that the man hadn¡¯t said anything that wasn¡¯t true. Besides, she had already decided to distance herself, and that¡¯s what she would do, no matter how much it felt like her heart was breaking inside.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that the detective hasn¡¯t contacted me, and I¡¯m worried about the progress of the investigation.¡±


    ¡°If you want, we can go talk to him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a few days instead. Give him more time.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed, not entirely convinced, feeling like there was something more to it. He would try to find out.


    The next morning, before leaving, Mateo kissed her on the forehead.¡±


    ¡°Remember that I love you. I¡¯d like us to go out for dinner sometime, but until we resolve the issue with your uncle, it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t. Being in the same city, we might run into him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand. Also, always remember that I love you, no matter what happens, please,¡± Mateo felt a strange sensation as he heard her. He couldn¡¯t guess what was going on, but her sadness was very evident.


    ¡°I know, how can I not love myself when even I love me, haha,¡± he joked to lighten the mood a bit.


    ¡°Haha, clown,¡± Ava said, tossing a pillow at him. He dodged it and then pretended to hit her with it.


    ¡°Shhh, they might hear us. L wille in here to shoot me,¡± he said yfully, remembering that if they were discovered, they would be in serious trouble.


    After he left, L entered the room shortly afterward. Ava was grateful that he always left through the balcony.


    ¡°Good morning, my dear. Are you sure about what you¡¯re going to do?¡± L asked, hoping she had changed her mind. She felt that Ava was safer with Mateo.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for the best, Nana.¡±


    ¡°How will we ensure that the guards don¡¯t notice?¡±


    ¡°Just like when we escaped from my uncle. We¡¯ll exit through the back; it¡¯s the least guarded area. It¡¯s daytime, so it should be easy. They¡¯re watching to prevent anyone from entering, not leaving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that, my dear.¡±


    Meanwhile, Mateo met Akiro at a nearby caf¨¦ before heading to his office.


    ¡°Fratello, I came as soon as you called.¡±


    ¡°Thank you foring. I need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°Anything, what¡¯s it about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll choose an engagement ring for Ava, but I¡¯mpletely lost on that.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I knew that sooner orter, someone would capture your heart, even though you always said you¡¯d never fall in love.¡±


    ¡°Well, you see, I fell head over heels,¡± Mateo eximed with a smile.


    He had nned a romantic dinner with Ava that night. He exined to some of the household staff how they should set up the terrace. Akiro took him to the ce where he bought the engagement ring that he handed to Ima, the girl who attended the store. She was well aware that they were billionaires, and if she managed to sell them something, hermission would be substantial. She showed them several rings, trying to get him to choose one of the most expensive ones.


    Mateo looked at all of them but couldn¡¯t make up his mind. Finally, a set of rings on a small illuminated rotating shelf caught his attention. The price of these rings was exorbitantly high. Mateo carefully examined them and chose a beautiful ring with arge heart-shaped diamond. He asked them to engrave their intertwined initials on the inside.


    A little before noon, Ava asked L to hide a bag with her important documents and belongings in the garden. That way, when they left, they could pretend to be going for a walk.


    That¡¯s exactly what they did. Fortunately, there was little surveince at that time, as the bodyguards were more focused on the front of the house. By noon, Ava had contacted the detective who was waiting for them at the agreed-upon location.


    Tadeo watched Ava approach with L by her side. He remembered when he had first met her, back when she could still see. A lump formed in his throat. She didn¡¯t deserve to be in this situation. As she got into the car, Ava began to cry silently, trying not to, but unable to hold back. The detective saw her through the rearview mirror, and it was clear that something had happened between her and Liardi.


    That night, Mateo arrived home and went straight to prepare. He double-checked that everything was ready for dinner. He asked for the terrace to be decorated with roses and peonies, as he had overheard L mention that they were Ava¡¯s favorites. He hired a violinist, wanting the night to be perfect. He was feeling happy and excited. If Ava epted, she would soon be his wife. He went to find her. He knew he should have given her some notice to get ready, but he wanted it to be a surprise.


    He knocked on Ava¡¯s bedroom door but received no response. After knocking insistently, he became frustrated and decided to enter. The room was dark, so he turned on the lights, looking for her. She wasn¡¯t there. Her clothes and belongings were in ce. He turned around to leave, thinking she might be with Aurora or L, but then he noticed an envelope on the bed. He opened the letter; it was from Ava.


    ¡°Mateo, I¡¯m deeply sorry to say goodbye like this. You don¡¯t deserve it, but I couldn¡¯t do it face-to-face. I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me. I love you, and that¡¯s precisely why I can¡¯t tie you down to someone like me. Sooner orter, you¡¯ll realize that you would have made a big mistake with me. Look for someone who won¡¯t be a burden to you, someone you can share everything with that you couldn¡¯t with me. Don¡¯t look for me; the decision is final, and there¡¯s no turning back. Thank you for everything. I hope that in our next life, we can meet again, and I¡¯ll be someone normal, not a poor blind person. I¡¯ll love you forever. Be happy.¡±


    Mateo felt like the world was crumbling beneath his feet. He crumpled the letter and threw it away from him, as if it were burning in his hands. He returned to the terrace, in the midst of tears and screams of frustration, he destroyed everything that he had eagerly prepared. The waiters and the violinist, seeing this, quickly distanced themselves; they didn¡¯t know what was happening, and they didn¡¯t want to find out.


    He couldn¡¯t believe she had left him. Something must have happened for her to react this way. He was sure Ava shared his feelings, and he was not willing to lose her. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he would find her eventually. He would search for her if necessary, all over the world.


    Guido and Aurora rushed to him upon hearing his screams. They found him sitting on the floor with his hands covering his face.


    ¡°My God, son! What¡¯s happening?¡± Aurora was frightened by his state.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone. She¡¯s left me, and I¡­ I love her too much.¡± Aurora knelt to hug him, knowing her son was suffering greatly.


    Guido felt a pang of guilt. He knew he was partly responsible for what was happening, but he hoped thatter on, his grandson would thank him for what he had done. That girl would be a burden in his life. He was a young and handsome man; he could have any woman he wanted at his feet. He didn¡¯t think that Ava leaving would be a big problem for his grandson; the infatuation would pass soon.


    How wrong he was. In just one day, Mateo seemed to be wasting away. He hadn¡¯t stopped drinking for a single moment. Dark circles had formed under his eyes.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Ava was already settled in the apartment. Like every time she was in an unfamiliar ce, she felt insecure. Fortunately, the apartment was very spacious and well-organized. It would just be a matter of time to get used to it. Tadeo came to see her in the morning.


    ¡°Ciao, Ava.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Tadeo.¡± The man saw her entranced. Her beauty was such that she didn¡¯t need makeup; she was naturally, simply beautiful.


    ¡°Do you need anything? Anything you need, you can call me with confidence, and I¡¯ll get it for you right away.¡± The detective didn¡¯t know what to do to get her attention; he wanted to win her heart.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already received the groceries we ordered. It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t go out until the matter with my uncle is resolved, and we didn¡¯t bring any clothes.¡± She expressed with concern.


    ¡°Uhmmm, that¡¯s true. You can¡¯t go out for safety reasons. I¡¯ve arranged for two guards outside your apartment. It¡¯s better to be safe, even though it¡¯s a very secure building. There¡¯s always security at the entrance, and they don¡¯t let just anyone in. As for clothes, I have a friend who owns a boutique. I¡¯ll ask her as a special favor to bring some clothes for you to try on.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. Luckily, a day before leaving the Liardi mansion, Mateo had passed by the bank and the credit cards. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to pick them up because he might have found me.¡±


    ¡°If you need anything, anything at all, seriously, just tell me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said with a smile that seemed very tender to the young man. Was there a more beautiful smile than that?

 In the Arms of Another Woman

    Tadeo was happy. He felt that life was giving him the opportunity to conquer that girl he hadn¡¯t been able to get out of his head since childhood. Since the death of his parents, he had been under the care of his maternal grandmother.


    His grandmother passed away a few yearster, so most of the time, he felt alone. He needed to love and feel loved. He was clear that he should take it slow, step by step, to win her heart. He would make her forget about Mateopletely. With tenderness and patience, he knew he could achieve it. She was as in need of affection as he was.


    Ava had very different ns from Tadeo¡¯s. With the help of her nanny, she began to investigate the possibility of regaining her sight. She found information about a Swiss specialist who had been sessful in all of his surgeries. She thought life was giving her an opportunity. The important doctor would be visiting the country, and she had to get an appointment with him no matter what.


    The girl felt hopeful at the thought of regaining her sight. If she seeded, she would search for Mateo. If he truly loved her, he would forgive her.


    Meanwhile, Mateo felt like he was going mad not knowing anything about her. As the days went by, his desperation grew. He hired a private detective to search for her, but so far, they hadn¡¯t found anything, not a single lead on the girl. It seemed like she had disappeared without a trace. He was also investigating Teodoro; Mateo feared that he might have located her and could harm her.


    Dayster, Mateo called Detective Bludosky. When he didn¡¯t answer, he decided to visit his office, thinking that Ava might have contacted him to inquire about her father¡¯s case.


    ¡°Detective, Buongiorno,¡± he greeted him cordially, although he didn¡¯t particrly like him. This visit could yield important information.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Buongiorno, Mr. Liardi. What brings you here?¡± Tadeo replied, trying to appear calm and pretending not to know where Ava was.


    ¡°Has Ava contacted you?¡± he asked hopefully.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t. Is something wrong?¡± Tadeo feigned ignorance.


    ¡°She left home, and I haven¡¯t been able to find her. I¡¯m worried for her safety; if Teodoro Miller manages to locate her, he could harm her.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to her since the day she came here with you. Why did she leave?¡± Tadeo was exceptionally skilled at acting.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Mateo eximed in frustration. ¡°I have no idea why she left.¡±


    ¡°The investigation is progressing well. We¡¯ve managed to infiltrate someone into Mr. Miller¡¯spany, and we¡¯ll soon obtain information about his current and past movements,¡± he said, trying to shift the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m also making my moves. I know this will be faster than I thought, so Ava will soon be out of danger.¡±


    Mateo said goodbye to Tadeo, feeling disheartened that Ava hadn¡¯t contacted the detective.


    In the afternoon, a handsome man entered a renowned restaurant, escorting a beautiful woman. Unbeknownst to him, they were photographed, and those photos would be on the front page the next day. The same woman had informed the paparazzi of their location.


    When he noticed they were about to be photographed, she took Mateo¡¯s arm and ced it around her waist, leaning closer to his ear and pretended to say something to make it look like they were in a more intimate situation.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± He tried to hide his annoyance at the woman¡¯s proximity. The overpowering scent of her perfume made him nauseous.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to remove a little piece of lint from your hair,¡± she lied to justify her closeness.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They entered the restaurant, and he pulled out her chair for her to sit.


    ¡°Thank you for the roses you sent me; they were beautiful, Mateo,¡± she said while casting a flirty look and leaning forward slightly to showcase her assets.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you liked them. It¡¯s a way to apologize for how I treated you the other day,¡± Mateo lied. The truth was he couldn¡¯t care less if this woman was upset. He had to pretend to get her on his side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know a man like you, with so many responsibilities, can get stressed at times. What¡¯s important is that you reached out to me,¡± she thought she had him enchanted.


    They dined amid flirting from both sides. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips, and he responded to the kiss immediately. Mateo realized that, as he had suspected, this woman was in a hurry to win him over.


    The next day, in print and digital media, photos of Mateo with that girl appeared. Ava had asked L to read the main news as she did every morning. The nanny saw those images but didn¡¯t know if she should tell Ava. It would cause her a lot of suffering. She knew Ava was in love with Mateo and wasn¡¯t very good at hiding her feelings. She didn¡¯t want her to suffer more; life had already been too cruel to her. So, she decided to keep it to herself, and Ava wouldn¡¯t find out about the news.


    Tadeo arrived a littleter; he had seen the images and thought Ava would need his support. He couldn¡¯t believe that Mateo had reced her so quickly. After all, what could you expect from a man like him? Such a man would never change.


    ¡°Ava, how are you?¡± he asked sincerely concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you,¡± she replied, unaware.


    ¡°I came as soon as I saw the images. I thought you would be deeply affected. I¡¯m really sorry that this guy didn¡¯t appreciate you as he should.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, puzzled by the detective¡¯s tone of voice. She realized something was wrong.


    L was signaling Tadeo to be quiet, but he didn¡¯t notice. His gaze was fixed on Ava, as it always was when he was near her.


    ¡°The news that¡¯s on the front page of newspapers and digital media. Mateo Liardi is up to his old tricks again. He¡¯s aplete idiot.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°He has a new partner. They spent the night together, and they¡¯ve been photographed in a restaurant andter entering that girl¡¯s apartment.¡±


    Ava couldn¡¯t believe Mateo would act that way. She thought she was important in his life, and now she realized she was just another one. She had been quickly reced.


    She couldn¡¯t hold back the tears and asked L to apany her to her room. She left without saying goodbye to Tadeo. L shot the young man a murderous look. Ava shouldn¡¯t have known; there was no need for her to go through that suffering.


    Tadeo left, his head hung low. He knew he had done wrong, but if he didn¡¯t, it would be much harder to get closer to her. He would help her get Mateo out of her heart.


    Ava decided to move forward. If Mateo didn¡¯t love her, though it hurt deeply, she had to ept it. She was determined to regain her sight. When she established contact with the specialist, she scheduled the appointment. Since his stay in the country would be very short, she asked him to conduct a series of clinical tests for her to bring to his consultation. Ava¡¯s case had piqued his interest based on what she had told him. Perhaps there was a small chance of treating her condition.


    L apanied Ava for the medical tests. Ava had been feeling unwell for a few days, thinking it was due to the anxiety caused by wondering if she would ever see again.


    When they left the area where the blood samples were taken, Ava felt dizzy. She had been experiencing nausea, especially in the mornings, which worried her.


    ¡°Wait here, my dear. I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯ll see if there¡¯s a vending machine around to get you a drink. Maybe you¡¯re just feeling lightheaded,¡± L said.


    ¡°Thank you, Nana.¡±


    To be able to go out, both of them had to practically disguise themselves, wearing sunsses and dark sses. They were afraid of running into Teodoro or any of his henchmen.


    L returned to where Ava had her blood drawn and immediately found the nurse to speak with her.


    ¡°Excuse me, miss. Could you possibly add another test?¡±


    ¡°Of course, if it can be done with the blood samples we¡¯ve already taken. Tell me, what other test do you need us to add?¡± L quickly specified which test needed to be added.


    ¡°Perfect, I¡¯ll add it to the existing order, and you can go straight to the cashier to pay for it. I¡¯ll send the order to our system right away.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Please make sure the results are on a separate sheet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s how it will be.¡±


    Ava couldn¡¯t imagine what her nanny was doing. L came for her minutester, gave her some juice to drink before leaving, and Tadeo picked them up to take them to the apartment.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can pick up the results tomorrow after work, so you won¡¯t have to go out again. It¡¯s dangerous until we manage to put your uncle behind bars.¡±


    ¡°I would greatly appreciate that.¡±


    The next day in the afternoon, L anxiously awaited Tadeo to bring the results. When she had them in her hands, she immediately searched for the one she was interested in, setting the others aside.


    She felt her whole body trembling uncontrobly. She slowly opened that envelope, and when she read the result, she simply couldn¡¯t believe it. She had failed, and she didn¡¯t know if Ava¡¯s parents, wherever they were, would ever forgive her.

 Unexpected Results

    With great care, and holding back her tears, the nanny ced the test results back among the others. She would wait for the doctor to review them, and it would be him who spoke with Ava.


    Dayster, Ava was nervously squeezing her hands in the waiting room of the doctor¡¯s office. She was about to find out if she would ever see again, and she had mixed emotions of sadness and hope.


    ¡°Calm down, my dear. Your nervousness is starting to affect me.¡±


    ¡°Nana, today the doctor will tell me if there¡¯s a chance I can regain my sight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but you must be aware that specialized tests are needed, and it¡¯s a long process ahead. You must take it as calmly as possible; there¡¯s no use in getting yourself worked up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying, Nana, but the nerves are getting the best of me.¡±


    Shortly after, she was sitting in front of the Swiss specialist. After examining her eyes and asking her a series of questions about the causes, the doctor requested the results of the previously ordered tests.


    ¡°These tests are routine; I need to know how your system is. Depending on these results, we will proceed to the next step. You need to be aware that it will require much more than this.¡±


    ¡°I know, Doctor. If you find even a slight possibility of regaining my sight, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡±


    ¡°As you don¡¯t have previous studies, it¡¯s too early to tell.¡± He said as he carefully examined the results she had handed over. After reviewing them, he noticed that there was a result of a test he hadn¡¯t ordered. Perhaps there had been a mix-up in theb, but it was clear it belonged to the girl because her name was written on the sheet.


    ¡°The results I ordered came out perfect,¡± Ava smiled at hearing this, ¡°But for now, we won¡¯t be able to move forward. We¡¯ll have to wait a few months, maybe a year would be more appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Why do we have to wait?¡± She asked,pletely bewildered.


    ¡°The studies we need to conduct and the surgery are impossible to carry out due to your pregnancy.¡±


    Ava felt like she had been doused with a bucket of ice-cold water. She hadn¡¯t thought this could happen, but now that she considered it, neither she nor Mateo had taken any precautions.


    The poor girl waspletely pale. She couldn¡¯t see, but she could imagine the look on her nanny¡¯s face right now. She had let her down, and not just her-she felt like she had disappointed her parents, wherever they were.


    L and Ava left the doctor¡¯s office with mixed emotions. On one hand, there was a small possibility of her regaining her sight, and on the other, the news that she would be a mother very soon.


    Her greatest fear wasing true. At that moment, she remembered Guido¡¯s words, and the tightness in her chest returned. Once they got into Tadeo¡¯s car, the girl began to cry, and although she did so quietly, it was impossible for the detective not to notice that something was wrong.


    ¡°What happened? Did the doctor give you bad news?¡±


    ¡°No, on the contrary, he said there¡¯s a small possibility I might regain my sight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯m happy for you,¡± the detective replied, not asking any further questions, thinking Ava was excited about the news.


    Meanwhile, at Miller Corporation, Teodoro summoned his assistant. He felt that the woman¡¯s rtionship with Mateo would bring benefits to hispany.


    ¡°Do you need something?¡± she asked while chewing gum.


    ¡°Yes, I saw today¡¯s newspapers. I want to congratte you for catching the biggest fish in all of Italy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I have him eating out of my hand,¡± she said proudly.


    ¡°If you manage to get him to agree to my requests for new investments, you¡¯ll be promoted.¡±


    ¡°You know that if I can get him to marry me, I won¡¯t need what you can offer anymore,¡± she replied with a mocking smile.


    ¡°Until that happens, you still need your job. You wouldn¡¯t want to tantly appear as a gold-digger,¡± he replied, seeing the expression on her face and knowing he had struck a nerve.


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that. I¡¯ll see what I can do for you. I¡¯m having dinner with him again tonight, but it¡¯s still too early to make any demands.¡±


    ¡°I know, gain his trust, dazzle him, and when you have him in your grasp, we¡¯ll talk again.¡±


    The woman left her boss¡¯s office strutting, feeling even more superior to others. Since she joined thepany years ago, she had been in a privileged position, rmended by a friend of Teodoro¡¯s. She quickly gained his trust and became his right-hand person. She had ess to her boss¡¯s files and personalputer. They were so alike, two peas in a pod, as they say.


    In a nearby bar, Mateo and Akiro had a few drinks. The Japanese man was his confidant, the only one who dared to speak inly and give him advice.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Ava abandoned you. I thought she loved you. But even less, I believe what I saw this morning, the pictures in the newspapers surprised me.¡±


    ¡°That damn woman probably tipped off the media. She wanted attention, to show everyone that she¡¯s by my side.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t stand her, why are you dating her?¡± Akiro asked, puzzled.


    ¡°She¡¯s the only one who can get me ess to Miller¡¯s files. I did some research, and she¡¯s his right-hand person. She¡¯s responsible for cooking thepany¡¯s books. Since she joined, they¡¯ve been very close.¡±


    ¡°We were all surprised when we saw that news. You¡¯ve always avoided being photographed with anyone. Those yboy rumors have been mere spection. There have even been rumors that you like men.¡±


    ¡°Haha, they don¡¯t know what to make up about my life. What they can¡¯t investigate, they invent just to sell.¡±


    ¡°Those who know you well believe you¡¯ll be anything but that, or at least I think so. I¡¯ve always seen you in thepany of women. Being reserved is another matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve enjoyed thepany of beautiful women as long as they agreed to fulfill my desires. That was until I met Ava.¡±


    ¡°What will you do if you don¡¯t find her? Because it¡¯s possible that she doesn¡¯t want you to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find her, I assure you of that. In the meantime, I¡¯ll have to endure the assistant. I¡¯ll make her believe I¡¯m going to marry her, so it¡¯ll be easier to convince her to give me ess to Teodoro¡¯s files.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that, my friend. I hope you can expose him soon.¡±


    They spent some more time together. After leaving the bar, Mateo picked up the woman at the Miller Corporation. She was waiting at the entrance, dressed as usual, in an exaggerated and almost vulgar manner. She believed her style was elegant.


    ¡°Hello, love,¡± she greeted him cheerfully, speaking loudly enough for the people around to hear.


    ¡°Hello, love?¡± Mateo thought. This woman was foolish if she believed he had chosen her because he liked her. He found her vulgar.


    He opened the car door for her, and she got in, fluffing herself up more than usual.


    ¡°Your Lambo is so beautiful,¡± she said, amazed at the car¡¯s interior.


    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite car,¡± he replied, although he was secretly annoyed at having to let this woman into his car.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, they were immediately offered a table. ra was there, and when she saw Mateo with this woman, she approached in a fit of rage. She couldn¡¯t understand why a man like him was with a woman like that.


    ¡°Wow! At least this time you¡¯re not apanied by the blind girl. Although your taste keeps getting worse, dear,¡± rained, nearly having a hysterical fit.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who is this woman, Mateo?¡± Dar¨ªa asked, furious.


    ¡°Mateo is mine and no one else¡¯s,¡± she said, approaching him.


    ¡°Enough, ra. I warned you about what could happen to you.¡±


    ¡°And I told Akiro what I can do, and believe me, my life doesn¡¯t suit you,¡± she threatened while grabbing his arm.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dar¨ªa, let¡¯s have dinner somewhere else,¡± he said, removing ra¡¯s hand and taking hispanion by the arm.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Yes, dear, the atmosphere here is contaminated,¡± Dar¨ªa concurred mockingly.


    ra spilled her winess onto Dar¨ªa. Dar¨ªa grabbed her by the hair, and it turned into a spectacle with Mateo trying to separate them.


    ra pulled down the top part of Dar¨ªa¡¯s dress, leaving her breastspletely exposed for everyone to see. Photographs and videos were quickly taken.


    ¡°Damn it, ra,¡± Mateo eximed.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t believe everything that was happening; it was going to be aplete scandal. He didn¡¯t even want to imagine the expression on his grandfather¡¯s face when he found out about it. Those two women were a total disaster, and the gazes of everyone in the restaurant were on them.


    ra smiled, satisfied with what she had done. She would figure out a way to force that woman to stay away from Mateo.

 Commitment

    Daria pretended to cry, hoping to use what was happening to y the victim in front of Mateo. He covered her with his jacket and led her out of the restaurant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your apartment so you can change, and then if you still want to, we can go out for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ve never been so embarrassed,¡± she said, pouting. Mateo didn¡¯t believe that innocent girl look suited her.


    They arrived at Daria¡¯s apartment, and he waited in the living room while she went upstairs to change. After a while, he heard her calling him, so he went upstairs and entered the bedroom. She was covered only with a small towel. She approached him, looked into his eyes, and let the towel drop. Mateo admired her body; she had everything and a little more in all the right ces.


    ¡°How about we have some fun instead?¡± she said in a sexy tone as she approached him.


    Mateo was about to respond, but she gave him a passionate kiss, and he, instead of responding, pushed her away.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he quickly invented something so she wouldn¡¯t think he was rejecting her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like me?¡± Daria said while pretending to be on the verge of tears.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, on the contrary, I¡¯m really into you. I just want to take it slow. I don¡¯t want you to be just another one,¡± he said, hoping she would believe him.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing. I know I¡¯ll be very happy by your side,¡± she pretended to be happy, although deep down, she was about to explode. Who did Liardi think he was to reject her?


    ¡°Get dressed, I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡±


    ¡°How about we order food and watch a movie instead?¡±


    ¡°That sounds good.¡± Mateo quickly left the room.


    After a few hours, he left the apartment and headed home. He felt exhausted; it was very difficult for him to endure the shallowness of that woman. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to ept her advances, despite her vulgarity, she had a great body. But in his mind, the image of Ava appeared at every moment, preventing him from thinking about touching another woman besides her.


    Upon arriving at the mansion, Guido was waiting for him in the living room, and his expression showed that he was quite upset.


    ¡°What does all this mean?¡± he asked in a serious tone.


    ¡°What are you talking about, Grandfather?¡± he pretended not to know, although he already had an idea.


    ¡°About this,¡± he said, showing him the pictures on his phone, which showed him with ra and Daria with their breasts exposed.


    ¡°Grandfather, it¡¯s not what it looks like,¡± he tried to exin, even though the pictures made things look much worse than what had actually happened.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone back to your old ways; I thought you had changed,¡± he trembled as he spoke, his grandson would never change.


    ¡°I was with Ava, and it didn¡¯t seem to please you. Now I¡¯m with another woman, and it still doesn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know what you want.¡±


    ¡°I want you to stop causing these scandals; that¡¯s what I want. These pictures from yesterday and now this. You seem determined to be in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Our family is well-known in this country and beyond. You¡¯ll ruin our reputation.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m old enough to not need your consent regarding my behavior,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t ept Ava and felt entitled to meddle in her life, unaware that Guido was the one responsible for her leaving. He had made unpleasantments about Ava on several asions.


    Saying this, he went up to his room, leaving his grandfather with words left unspoken. He wouldn¡¯t stay in the mansion anymore; he had a penthouse in a building near the corporate headquarters. He packed some things, ced them in a suitcase, and minutester, he left, leaving Guido with a sad look.


    It had been a month since Ava had left. Things with Daria were going as nned, and soon he would try to convince her to help him obtain Teodoro¡¯s files.


    Meanwhile, Ava had be close friends with Tadeo. She was inmunication with the Swiss doctor, and as soon as her baby was born, she would travel to Switzend. She was determined to do whatever it took to regain her sight. Tadeo would apany her, and she had not yet told the detective about her pregnancy, but she would eventually.


    She missed Mateo every day. At first, her determination to regain her sight was driven by her love for him, but she now felt the pain of realizing she had been wrong about his feelings. Her strength to move forward came from her son and her desire for revenge. Teodoro had to pay for what he had done to her parents, sooner orter.


    An engagement was the talk of the day. Newspapers and news broadcasts announced that the Italian tycoon Mateo Liardi was engaged to the beautiful Dar¨ªa Coswell, a Northern woman living in Mn. Guido didn¡¯t agree with his grandson¡¯s choice but epted it, hoping that Mateo would finally settle down and leave his wild ways behind. On the front page, Mateo and Dar¨ªa were seen smiling.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Akiro found himself in Mateo¡¯s office, and as soon as he read the news, he rushed there, realizing the huge mistake his friend was about to make.


    ¡°Brother, are you sure about what you¡¯re doing? It¡¯s a significant step you¡¯re taking.¡±


    ¡°I am. Announcing the engagement has given Dar¨ªa enough confidence in me. Now is the time to ask her to copy Teodoro¡¯s files. She will hand them over to me herself. As for that man, I¡¯ve made him believe that because of the rtionship he had with his assistant, I¡¯ve agreed to everything he asked for. He¡¯s very confident; he thinks he has mepletely in his hands. What a surprise he¡¯ll have when I manage to gather all the evidence against him.¡±


    ¡°It will be a humiliation for her, what you n to do after she gives you the documents. It seems that this girl loves you. You shouldn¡¯t give her false hope.¡±


    ¡°She loves my money; that¡¯s different. She¡¯s known for sleeping around to climb thedder. I had her followed, and what a surprise I got. She¡¯s with me, and then she¡¯s with someone else behind my back. When I asked her to wait before being intimate, she dly epted. The reason was that someone else took her desires away. She¡¯s quite a piece of work. You have no idea how many men she sleeps with.¡±


    ¡°Then she deserves whatever ising,¡± Akiro replied, realizing he had been mistaken about that girl, thinking she loved Mateo.


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure out how toe out of all this unscathed and not be painted as the bad guy. I hope everything goes ording to my ns.¡±


    Mateo had everything meticulously nned. If Dar¨ªa were a different kind of person, he might feel guilty about using her. However, he knew perfectly well that she wasn¡¯t worth it. She believed she was using him to get rich, but as soon as he fulfilled his purpose, she would be in for a big surprise. She had chosen the wrong victim; she had picked the wrong prey.


    ¡°Have you found any leads on Ava?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s been eight months since she left, and I haven¡¯t found a single clue. I had the detective watched, but there¡¯s nothing. He¡¯s been followed for a few months, and he usually goes from work to his home, but we can¡¯t find anything connecting him to Ava. Now he¡¯s out of the country. I don¡¯t understand how Ava could forget about taking down her uncle after what he did to her parents. Not knowing about her is driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re determined to bring him down. You have to be careful; the guy is dangerous. I¡¯ve heard he operates in the underworld, so he must have dangerous associates.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. For my family and for her, I¡¯m going to bring him down. As long as Teodoro is free, they¡¯ll be in constant danger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick up Dar¨ªa from the airport this afternoon. Her parents insisted she travel to the United States to visit them and buy her wedding dress there. We haven¡¯t even had the engagement party, and they¡¯ve already bought the dress. She¡¯s a difficult woman to endure. I can already imagine the dress she¡¯s going to buy. She doesn¡¯t have an ounce of ss, unlike Ava.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he remembered her.


    Mateo arrived at the airport, and shortly after, he saw Dar¨ªa heading toward him with a big smile on her face.


    ¡°My love, I¡¯m back. My parents send their regards; they¡¯re dying to meet their son-inw.¡±


    Mateo approached her, and the woman gave him a passionate kiss. A passing reporter snapped a photo of them; they were the couple of the year. Everyone was surprised because finally, a woman had managed to capture him. It seemed that, after all, he didn¡¯t like men as had been reported countless times.

 The Cry of Her Son

    Meanwhile, in Switzend, Ava was apanied by Tadeo. She had gone to Switzend a month and a half after leaving Mateo, intending to stay there until her child was born and then undergo surgery with the hope of regaining her sight.


    ¡°The day has dawned beautifully,¡± Tadeo eximed.


    ¡°I know, even though I can¡¯t see it, I can feel it. Blind people develop a sixth sense.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Tadeo was amazed by Ava¡¯s independence. He had learned about Mateo¡¯s engagement and knew it hurt her, but he believed she could ovee it. He was willing to do everything in his power to win her over. Ava hadn¡¯t told him she was pregnant; after all, they weren¡¯t a couple, and she had no obligation to do so. He only realized when he noticed her growing belly.


    Now, after several months, her belly was enormous. He watched her standing in front of the window. Ava closed her eyes; she couldn¡¯t see, but she loved feeling the fresh morning air.


    Suddenly, Tadeo noticed a look of pain on her face as she held her belly with both hands.


    ¡°Ava, are you okay?¡± he asked anxiously.


    ¡°My stomach hurts a lot.¡±


    Tadeo became nervous and immediately called for L, who was in the kitchen preparing food. She rushed over to Ava.


    ¡°She¡¯s inbor; the baby will be born soon. We need to take her to the hospital right away.¡±


    The detective became even more nervous and quickly carried Ava to the car while L went upstairs to fetch the bag they had prepared for the hospital.


    An hourter, Ava was in the delivery room, while L and Tadeo waited outside. Ava had not wanted anyone to be with her inside; one of the nurses would be responsible for recording the moment when her baby was born.


    When she heard the baby cry, she thought it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard in her life. The doctor ced him on her chest, and she cradled him in her arms, afraid he might slip, so she asked the nurse not to move away from them.


    ¡°What does my son look like?¡± Ava wanted to see her little one¡¯s face; she felt both happy and sad at the same time.


    ¡°He¡¯s the most beautiful baby I¡¯ve ever seen. He has brown hair and beautiful light blue eyes.¡±


    ¡°Then he must resemble his father,¡± she said as tears streamed down her face. She asked the nurse to get her phone so she could dial a number.


    Mateo was in a business meeting, and his phone began ringing insistently. He thought about not answering, but he saw it was an international number, so it might be something important. Few people had his number. When he answered, all he could hear was heavy breathing on the other end, and then the sound of a baby crying. The call was immediately cut off.


    ¡°Apologies, there are people who have no restraint when ites to making jokes,¡± he said to the other executives before continuing the meeting. Little did he know that he had just heard the cry of his newborn son.


    At the hospital, Ava cried inconsbly. She had been on the verge of saying that the crying baby was her son, but then she remembered that Mateo was engaged and would soon have children with his fianc¨¦e. So, she decided to end the call without revealing the truth.


    It was a challenging day for Ava. She was dying to meet her son and hoped to recover soon so she could undergo surgery and regain her sight. Later, they transferred her to a room, and L arrived promptly, eager to meet the baby.


    ¡°My dear, your baby is beautiful, he looks just like Mr. Mateo,¡± L covered her mouth when she realized what she had said.


    ¡°I¡¯m anxious to see him, Nana. Now more than ever, I¡¯m determined to have the operation.¡±


    Tadeo entered the room a littleter, carrying arge bouquet of peonies. He knew Ava couldn¡¯t see them, but she would recognize the scent of her favorite flowers.


    ¡°Congrattions to the most beautiful mother in the world.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Tadeo. I imagine you brought flowers, peonies; their aroma is unmistakable.¡±


    ¡°I brought the biggest bouquet I could find. I know their scent is your favorite.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Now, allow me to meet this little baby. Wow, he¡¯s truly precious.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s my son,¡± Ava said in a joking tone as she smiled.


    Tadeo also noticed that the baby was identical to his father but chose not to mention it.


    Ava knew that if Mateo ever found out about the existence of their son, he might not forgive her for keeping it a secret. She had to be very careful if she didn¡¯t regain her sight. If Guido learned about the little one, she was sure he would try to take him away. After all, he had been very clear in saying that she wouldn¡¯t be capable of taking care of a child.


    The baby was healthy, and Ava felt very well, so the next day in the afternoon, the doctor discharged them, not without giving the new mother the necessary rmendations. He felt a sense of tenderness seeing the young girl, so young, and on top of that, she couldn¡¯t see her son¡¯s appearance. A gesture of tenderness could be seen on his face as he hoped everything would go well for her. Fortunately, he saw that she had her nanny by her side, which would be a great help.


    ¡°I hope everything goes very well. Don¡¯t forget to bring the baby to all his check-ups. We need to monitor his growth closely. He should be a big, healthy baby.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be here punctually. Thank you,¡± Ava replied, paying close attention to all the instructions.


    Ava had a huge smile on her face, which made L very happy. Since she had left Mateo, she had been sad most of the time, often in tears. Seeing her smile gave L hope that she might finally ovee the fact that the man she loved was soon to marry another woman.


    L advised Ava on how to raise her baby, suggesting she breastfeed him for at least the first few months. Ava decided to do it for a while; she wanted to undergo surgery and see if she could regain her sight. She lived in fear of having to depend on someone to take care of her child.


    ¡°I¡¯ll only do it for three months, Nana. I¡¯ve already talked to the doctor, and after that time, we¡¯ll start the tests to see if it¡¯s viable for me to have the surgery. Before, I wanted to do it to go back and win Mateo back, but now, seeing my son¡¯s face is my greatest motivation.¡±


    Tadeo had requested a temporary transfer to the city. He visited Ava every day and was very attentive to the baby¡¯s growth. Ava cried constantly and felt clumsy, unable to change her baby¡¯s diaper on her own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. It will take time, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to do it on your own very soon. Don¡¯t despair.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two months already, and I still haven¡¯t been able to do it. I need to have the surgery as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Just one more month, my dear.¡±


    Tadeo tried to spend as much time as possible with her. He had set aside his hobbies since she had reached out to him and hadn¡¯t been to a club since.


    Mateo hadn¡¯t been to one either. That day, Akiro had an event, and it was logical that he wouldn¡¯t bring Dar¨ªa along. She couldn¡¯t find out about his hobbies. When she learned what he was nning to do with her, he might reveal them, and that wouldn¡¯t be well-received in the business world.


    He arrived at the club but just sat at the bar drinking. He didn¡¯t even pay attention to the dancers on the stage as he used to.


    ¡°You¡¯re really messed up, buddy. The girls on the stage are gorgeous, and you haven¡¯t even nced at them.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not interested. All I want is to see her again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. Since she left, you¡¯ve dedicated your life to finding her and carrying out that revenge. What if she doesn¡¯t want to be found?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure something happened; that¡¯s why she left me that letter. When I¡¯m face to face with her, I can make her see reason. I know she loves me.¡±


    Akiro shook his head, hoping everything would happen just as his friend expected.


    ra was delighted to see him there without Dar¨ªa¡¯spany. She knew very well that he couldn¡¯t reveal his true self to just any woman. Not all women were like her, willing to ept him as he was, not even the blind woman had been able to handle knowing the truth.


    ¡°Hello, handsome. I knew you wouldn¡¯tst long without this. You need it as much as I do. Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± she said, taking him by the hand. Mateo pushed her away roughly.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re so mistaken. Thest woman I¡¯d be with is you, even if you were the only one left on Earth.¡±


    Mateo lived in constant struggle. He had to move forward for Ava. Now, he had four detectives searching for her. Dar¨ªa was growing impatient; Mateo kept dying the wedding date, offering one excuse after another. Eight monthster, she was bing increasingly desperate. Guido had thought that Mateo¡¯s feelings for Ava would fade over time, but he was wrong. He regretted what he had said to Mateo to some extent. He had seen his grandson cry in despair. If he ever found out that Guido was the reason Ava had left, he might never forgive him.

 Reunion

    On that day, Dar¨ªa arrived from the United States with her parents. Her father-inw wanted to talk to Mateo about the wedding date, as people were starting to make fun of his daughter, and he wouldn¡¯t allow that. Mateo went to the airport to receive them but had to wait for a while as their flight was dyed.


    He felt annoyed about having to wait for them. Dar¨ªa had promised to obtain the files he needed from Teodoro in exchange for a definite wedding date. Lost in thought, he suddenly noticed Tadeo. He saw that Tadeo was apanied by a young woman-very fair-skinned with long, ck hair, slender but with a great figure. Mateo approached them.


    Ava had arrived in Mn with Tadeo. In Switzend, she had undergone surgery to regain her vision. They had drained umted fluid from her secondary optic nerve, and the doctor had performed a corneal stem cell transnt. It had taken three months for her to fully regain her vision, and the process had been challenging. At first, she thought the surgery had failed, but her vision gradually returned.


    She decided to change her appearance so that Mateo, especially Teodoro, wouldn¡¯t recognize her. She wore honey-colored contact lenses, applied makeup differently but not excessively, and dressed sexily without looking vulgar. Nothing remained of the sweet image Mateo knew. She was confident that they wouldn¡¯t recognize her. She tattooed her eyebrows and had long eyshes applied. She also reshaped her face with bal fat removal surgery, and these small changes had a significant impact on her appearance.


    She stood with Tadeo, waiting for their luggage to be delivered when she suddenly felt it-an unmistakable scent of wood and musk. She turned around, and her eyes locked with a pair of clear blue eyes, belonging to a tall, well-built man with a neatly trimmed beard. He was the sexiest man she had ever seen, well, not that she had seen many until then.


    Tadeo was attractive, very sexy, but this man was on another level, and those eyes-she couldn¡¯t describe the sensation she felt when their gazes met. His gaze was intense, and she couldn¡¯t exin what was happening with that guy.


    Mateo approached without taking his eyes off the girl. He had seen her somewhere before, or maybe it was because he noticed a certain resemnce to Ava. She was beautiful. As he got closer, he noticed that her eyes were brown, not blue like Ava¡¯s.


    ¡°Buongiorno, detective. What a coincidence to meet here,¡± he said, still fixed on the girl. Tadeo felt annoyed by his insistent gaze.


    ¡°Buongiorno, Liardi. You¡¯re right; it¡¯s quite a coincidence to meet here. By the way, congrattions on your engagement,¡± Tadeo added thest part to remind Ava how easily he had reced her.


    Hearing thest name, Ava felt like the ground was shifting beneath her feet. It was him-Mateo, her Mateo. The owner of that voice that had stirred up so many emotions in her. She had imagined him, but the reality surpassed her imagination. He was like an Adonis-a perfect man, a man who would soon belong to another woman, and she couldn¡¯t do anything to prevent it. She averted her gaze to avoid looking into his eyes.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± Mateo noticed the girl¡¯s strange behavior.


    ¡°Yes, thank you. It must be that I¡¯m a bit tired from the journey,¡± Ava tried to conceal her nervousness. She couldn¡¯t believe she was face-to-face with the love of her life. She hadn¡¯t imagined he would be like this. His voice, his face, his body-he seemed like the perfect man.


    ¡°She¡¯s Grecia De Luca,¡± Tadeo introduced when he noticed Mateo¡¯s curious gaze.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, miss,¡± Mateo replied with a friendly smile.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    He extended his hand and gave her a gentle handshake when she offered hers. At that moment, he felt an electric current coursing through his body-a sensation he had only felt with one person, Ava. He continued to observe her closely, and indeed, he noticed a certain resemnce, or perhaps it was because he missed her so much that he saw her in everyone.


    Ava felt the same as Mateo, that strange electric current running through her being. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but she held back, afraid of his reaction to her having left him. At the same time, she was angry, thinking that if she had truly mattered to him, he wouldn¡¯t have be engaged to another so quickly. She felt an immense anger towards him as she recalled that.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t stop looking at her, and Tadeo feared that he might recognize her. They needed to leave as soon as possible.


    ¡°Excuse me, Miss Grecia, have we met somewhere before?¡± Mateo was puzzled. This girl had a certain resemnce to Ava, except her hair was very ck, her eyes were honey-colored, and she could see. The shape of her face was also different.


    ¡°I doubt it, Mr. Liardi. This is my first time visiting Mn,¡± she replied, trying to change the tone of her voice, although she trembled inside. She tried to stay firm.


    Tadeo had created a new identity for her,plete with a backstory, which was readily avable to Mateo in case he decided to investigate.


    ¡°Your face does seem familiar to me,¡± Mateo insisted.


    ¡°I highly doubt it, Liardi. She is a renowned concert pianist in Switzend, and she will be performing for the first time in this city.¡±


    ¡°A concert pianist? That¡¯s wonderful! When is her performance? I would love to attend,¡± he said quickly.


    Tadeo and Ava exchanged nces. Mateo had practically invited himself to the concert. In Switzend, after regaining her sight, Tadeo and L had encouraged her to start ying again. She was exceptionally talented on both the violin and the piano. In just three months, she had given a series of sessful concerts in Switzend.


    Ava was scheduled to give a concert in Mn, apanied by the city¡¯s Philharmonic Orchestra. Tadeo hadn¡¯t agreed with her returning so soon, but she was determined to go back and continue with the n to expose Teodoro. Her parents¡¯ deaths couldn¡¯t go unpunished. She felt that the investigation was progressing too slowly. Deep down, Tadeo knew that her return was also connected to Mateo.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Liardi,¡± Ava said, handing over a couple of passes. ¡°I assume you¡¯ll be attending with your fianc¨¦e,¡± she added, trying to hide her pain. She was holding back tears, on the verge of breaking down.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, thank you very much,¡± Mateo replied, reaching out to receive the passes from Ava. As he took them, he looked deeply into her eyes, and she immediately averted her gaze, not wanting him to notice her suffering upon hearing that he would soon be married.


    They bid him farewell and headed to the apartment in Tadeo¡¯s building where Ava had stayed before. L would arrive the next day with the child. They hadn¡¯t traveled together to avoid putting themselves in danger, which turned out to be the best decision. If Mateo had seen them together, especially with the child, he would have immediately recognized them-they were identical.


    Mateo waited a while longer until Dar¨ªa arrived. He watched her approach, and she exaggerated her walk, trying to appear sexy, but it bordered on vulgarity. It was evident how much he had to endure to bring down Teodoro Miller.


    ¡°Ciao Amore, I missed you,¡± she said, draping her arms around his neck. Mateo felt the urge to distance himself from her, but he managed to contain it.


    ¡°Hello, Dar¨ªa. How was your trip?¡± he replied, his tone cold.


    ¡°It went very well. Look, these are my parents,¡± she said, turning around. Mateo¡¯s gaze was fixed on a couple approaching. The man was stocky, and the woman was short and slightly overweight. The man immediately approached him.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the man who¡¯s been stringing my little girl along, constantly changing the wedding date,¡± the man said in a tone that indicated he wasn¡¯t joking. He was clearly upset.


    ¡°You must be Dar¨ªa¡¯s father,¡± Mateo replied,pletely ignoring the man¡¯s tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m her father, and I¡¯m very upset about what¡¯s been happening. My sweet little girl doesn¡¯t deserve to be treated this way. She¡¯s a decent girl and deserves respect and love.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I have to resolve several matters before I can get married. That way, I can give your daughter the honeymoon she deserves. Right now, it¡¯s impossible,¡± Mateo exined. His first impression of his father-inw was quite unpleasant.


    ¡°You see, Daddy? I told you that Mati is a very important businessman, managing one of the most prestigiouspanies in the country. That¡¯s why he¡¯s always busy,¡± Dar¨ªa chimed in.


    ¡°My schedule is overly busy; I can¡¯t set aside my work. Her future and a morefortable life depend on it. If I focus solely on her now, we might encounter financial problems down the line,¡± Mateo exined, feeling somewhat foolish as he provided these exnations. Dar¨ªa¡¯s father stared at him intently.

 Meeting Her Parents

    The girl¡¯s father merely grunted. How was it possible that he couldn¡¯t put everything aside to please his little girl? He must be a fool not to rush into marrying such a beautiful girl.


    They left there to go to a restaurant. Thest thing Mateo wanted was to be seen with these people. He knew that there would be no shortage of indiscreet individuals who would take a photo of him just to make money. Anything that contributed to the current scandal was fair game for opportunists.


    After dinner, he took them to Daria¡¯s apartment, using the excuse of having to return to the office immediately. He felt relieved when he could finally get rid of them.


    As soon as he left there, he took a deep breath. The girl¡¯s parents were just like her. He didn¡¯t buy into the story that they didn¡¯t know what their daughter was really like.


    He headed to the bar where Akiro was. He found him in a private room with two girls apanying him. The Japanese man didn¡¯t waste any time. They had a very open rtionship with Ima, whom he loved. Everything else was just for fun, and she epted it because she did the same. Although both of them tried to ensure that their rtionship wasn¡¯t affected by this.


    ¡°Brother, I thought you¡¯d be with Daria.¡± Akiro was surprised to see him, knowing that he had to go and meet his fianc¨¦e and her parents.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°I was, but I can¡¯t stand her vulgarity, or her parents¡¯, for that matter. It¡¯s really hard for me to tolerate them.¡± Mateo replied, visibly irritated. That woman behaved just like her parents, and they were equally unbearable.


    ¡°Forget about that for a while and enjoy yourself. This is Jenna; I¡¯ll leave you two alone. Ima is waiting for me.¡± Akiro hoped that his friend would decide to spend time with the girl and forget about his problems for a while.


    Akiro left the private room with the other girl, leaving Mateo with Jenna. She was a very pretty girl with long blonde hair, simr to Ava¡¯s. Just because of that, she caught his attention. Since she had left, he hadn¡¯t been intimate with anyone, and every blonde-haired girl he saw made him believe he could find a piece of her in them.


    ¡°Hello, handsome. Do you need help rxing?¡± She asked flirtatiously while sensually biting her lip.


    ¡°That¡¯s your job, isn¡¯t it?¡± He replied coldly.


    Instead of getting offended, the girl smiled. She was used to the arrogance of some customers and as long as they paid well, she didn¡¯t take it personally. She knew who Mateo was, and besides, he was a very attractive man. She was confident he would pay handsomely for her services.


    She straddled him and attempted to kiss him. Mateo pushed her away abruptly. Who did she think she was to try to kiss him?


    ¡°No kisses.¡± He said firmly, turning his face away. He was annoyed by the girl¡¯s audacity.


    The girl smiled again, took his face, turned it back towards her, and then, looking directly into his eyes, she ced her hand in between Mateo¡¯s legs and started caressing him. She unzipped his pants and continued to fondle him. She put his member in her mouth and began to move up and down gently. Mateo closed his eyes and let himself go. He needed to release all that tension immediately and forget about Ava for a moment.


    He was on the verge of asking the beautiful girl to apany him to one of the many rooms in the ce. He thought about dominating and subduing her to his will, but he restrained himself. He didn¡¯t want to fall into the same trap again. He was trying, although it was very difficult. As soon as he felt relieved, he asked the girl to leave.


    ¡°Are you sure you want me to go? We could have fun in another way. I assure you, I¡¯m usually very good at my job. You won¡¯t regret it if you ept.¡± She asked with genuine interest. Any woman would be thrilled to have sex with that man.


    Mateo shook his head, gave her a generous payment, and the girl left the private room. He stayed there for a while longer and, after a few more drinks, left the ce. To him, it was nothing, but he regretted having done it. He felt like he had betrayed Ava, and he couldn¡¯t get her out of his head for a single second. He saw her image every time he closed his eyes.


    The next day, L and the little one arrived in Mn. Tadeo had sent someone trustworthy to pick her up, and shortly after, they were with Ava. Ava treated L like a daughter, but she disagreed with her decision to return to Mn. She understood that Ava wanted her uncle to pay, but not at the expense of her safety and that of the little one, who at ten months old was bing more lively every day.


    ¡°Daughter, you know I don¡¯t agree with this, but if it¡¯s your decision, I¡¯ll support you every step of the way.¡± L was willing to support her unconditionally.


    ¡°Thank you, nanny. I love you so much; you¡¯re like a mother to me.¡± Ava said as she hugged her.


    L couldn¡¯t help but cry; Ava¡¯s affection meant the world to her. She had been by her side since her birth, and that¡¯s why the love she had for her was so immense.


    The day of the concert arrived. L stayed in the apartment with the child. If Mateo was going to be at the venue, it was better not to take any risks and have Ava go see him. Ava was nervous. The tickets had sold out, which meant the ce would be packed, and she also knew that Mateo would attend, which had her on the verge of a breakdown. She fanned herself with her hands, trying to catch her breath.


    Tadeo knew very well what was causing her nervousness. The poor man suffered in silence, wishing that Ava felt for him at least half of what she felt for Mateo.


    The orchestra began to y a soft melody, and the notes of the violins stood out among the others. Suddenly, the curtain opened, and a beautiful girl appeared, ying the piano majestically. She had her hair tied up, and the design of her dress exposed her beautiful back, adorned with temporary tattoos that were so subtly drawn that instead of giving a bad impression, they enhanced her back¡¯s beauty.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off that woman; she seemed perfect to him. She yed the piano with such passion that it had him mesmerized. Dar¨ªa was by his side, wearing an annoyed expression that she didn¡¯t bother hiding. This type of music wasn¡¯t to her liking; she preferred more upbeat music and believed that music you couldn¡¯t dance to was simply no good.


    After finishing the piece she was ying, Ava stood up and walked to the front to sit in a chair in the middle of the stage. They brought her a violin, and she ced it on her shoulder, starting to y it with the same or perhaps even more passion than the piano. She moved the bow in a way that it seemed to caress the strings. Ava usually closed her eyes when she yed; she was ustomed to ying in the dark. She felt that every note vibrated within her, and the instrument and she became one. Mateo thought it was the sexiest image he had ever seen.


    After ying several pieces, Ava opened her eyes, set the instrument aside, and stood up to thank the standing ovation from the audience. That¡¯s when she saw him, their eyes met again. There he was, with that woman in the front row. Her hands began to sweat, and she felt her body trembling. She had to control herself; she couldn¡¯t allow his gaze to affect her like this. It was as if he could prate her soul with his gaze, and she had the impression that she would be exposed at any moment.


    Ava felt a shiver run through her, and a tingling sensation in her stomach. She quickly averted her gaze and, after thanking the audience once more, she said her goodbyes, left the stage, and hurried to her dressing room.


    Mateo remembered seeing a girl with beautiful flower arrangements outside the theater. He rushed out without giving Dar¨ªa a chance to follow him. He hadpletely forgotten about her. As he left so quickly, she thought he had probably gone to the bathroom and would return. She started texting her friends, bragging about having captured the most sought-after bachelor of them all.


    He bought the most beautiful bouquet he could find and then made his way to the dressing rooms. In the dimly lit hallway with several doors, he advanced while searching for the door with the name ¡°Grecia De Luca¡± in huge golden letters. He immediately heard her soft voice.


    ¡°Yes?¡± She thought it might be Tadeoing for her. The detective always apanied her when she performed, sitting in the front row, and they left together after the concert.


    ¡°Miss Grecia, I¡¯m Mateo Liardi.¡± He knew he was being bold, but he needed to see her. The girl seemed like aplete beauty, and he also saw a bit of Ava in her.


    Ava was surprised to hear his name. What was Mateo doing outside her dressing room? She felt her heart start to beat rapidly.

 Confused

    Ava tried not to show her surprise, but she became overly nervous. She took a deep breath to gather her courage and waited for a moment. Then, she opened the door, and there he was, as handsome as ever, with that sexy smile that could melt anyone. The shirt he was wearing allowed a clear view of his well-defined muscles. She instinctively bit her lip, which he found incredibly sexy. He looked her up and down; she looked beautiful in that tight dress that entuated her curves.


    ¡°Buonanotte,¡± he greeted her with that husky voice that had the power to make her tremble just by hearing it, the voice she had heard so often in the darkness and that always seemed to be in her mind when she closed her eyes.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Liardi,¡± Ava used the littleposure she had left to respond.


    ¡°I just wanted to congratte you; your performance was wonderful,¡± he said, handing her the bouquet and giving her his best smile.


    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± she replied as she received the bouquet, trying to appear asposed as possible, even though she felt that her nerves would give her away at any moment. With this, she confirmed that he was a real charmer. He was engaged, and yet here he was, trying to win her over.


    ¡°I insist, are you sure we haven¡¯t met before?¡± he asked curiously.


    He said this, dangerously closing in on her. He put his hand on the doorframe, trapping Ava between his arm and the wall.


    Ava breathed heavily, his closeness was irresistible to her. She wanted to move away, but her body didn¡¯t respond. Mateo noticed it and leaned in to kiss her. Just as he was about to kiss her, Tadeo appeared. Mateo cursed inwardly, and Ava sighed in relief. If he had kissed her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to resist.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± the detective asked loudly, clearly displeased with what he saw.


    ¡°Tadeo,¡± Ava responded, visibly nervous.


    ¡°What are you doing so close to my girlfriend, Mr. Liardi?¡± he said, emphasizing that Ava was his girlfriend. He had an immense desire to punch this smooth-talking charmer. Did he want to have all the women just for himself?


    The two men stared into each other¡¯s eyes, challenging each other with their gaze.


    ¡°Why ask the obvious, Bludosky?¡± Mateo replied mockingly.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi was helping me with a little speck that got into my eye,¡± Ava hurriedly responded while rubbing her eyes.


    ¡°Well, thank you very much, Liardi. It¡¯s best if you leave. If something bothers my girlfriend, I¡¯ll take care of helping her,¡± Tadeo said, looking at Mateo with fury. Of course, he didn¡¯t believe that story for a second. He had seen perfectly well that Mateo was about to kiss her and that she was allowing it.


    ¡°Goodbye, Miss De Luca. I hope to see you again soon,¡± he bid farewell while winking at her.


    With these words, hepletely ignored Tadeo and looked directly into Ava¡¯s eyes, who couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. Mateo turned around and left. She watched him walk away, and Tadeo¡¯s voice brought her back to reality.


    ¡°Is it so easy for you to fall into his clutches again? Have you forgotten that he¡¯s about to get married?¡± he said with the intention of upsetting her.


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s so hard to have him near. I still love him,¡± she was always honest about her feelings.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m your friend, and I care about you. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t let Liardi hurt you,¡± he said while clenching his fists.


    ¡°Thank you, Tadeo. I know you¡¯re my only friend, and I count on you for support,¡± she truly appreciated Tadeo¡¯s friendship, but she didn¡¯t have any feelings beyond friendship for him.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Tadeo approached and hugged her, inhaling her soft perfume and the scent of strawberries from her hair. He was determined to win her love, even if it meant pretending to be just her friend. He wasn¡¯t going to give Mateo Liardi a free pass. Ava would be his alone.


    Back at the Liardi Corporation, Mateo was distracted, thinking about that beautiful girl, when suddenly Dar¨ªa stormed in, furious. He was surprised to see her; he hadpletely forgotten about her, leaving her abandoned at the concert venue.


    ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± she asked while crying loudly. She said it out loud.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Dar¨ªa. I felt really bad and decided to leave that ce,¡± he tried to justify himself, but the truth was that he couldn¡¯t care less, and he had just remembered that he had left her stranded.


    ¡°You could have at least let me know. You left me standing there like a fool. I waited for you until I saw that the ce was empty. People were looking at me with pity. I waited until they asked me to leave to clean up. I thought something might have happened to you. A girl told me she saw you entering the dressing rooms with a big bouquet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right to be upset. It¡¯s just that I have so much on my mind that I¡¯ve been very distracted,¡± he said, avoiding the topic of the bouquet. He wasn¡¯t in the mood forints.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, curious.


    ¡°The investments I made with Miller, they¡¯ve all been merged with the newpany I bought. I¡¯ve noticed red numbers, rming figures. I had an internal investigation done without Teodoro finding out, and it turns out he¡¯s been diverting funds to an ount in Switzend. In hispany, he¡¯s been manipting the financial statements. This could lead thepany to ruin,¡± Mateo said, smiling inwardly. He knew that by bringing up this topic, she would forget that he had abandoned her.


    Dar¨ªa was furious, seething internally against Teodoro. He wasn¡¯t going toe and ruin what would soon be hers. Mateo had promised her that once they were married, thispany would be hers. She had thought it through carefully; by telling her that Teodoro was ruining it, he knew she wouldn¡¯t refuse to help. While she had manipted figures a few times, she had no knowledge of this.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening. What can we do to prevent it? Mypany can¡¯t be ruined like this.¡±


    Mateo smiled to himself; she had fallen into the trap. It was so easy for a woman like her to be lured by ambition.


    ¡°I need your help, but you must be very careful with what I¡¯m about to ask. Teodoro Miller is a very dangerous man. I don¡¯t want him to harm you, but we must protect thepany I¡¯ve gifted you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thinking of my safety, amore, but tell me, what do I need to do? I¡¯ll do whatever you ask,¡± she said, determined not to make things easy for Teodoro.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to copy all the files from that man¡¯sputer.¡±


    ¡°All of them?¡± she eximed in surprise. Teodoro had too many files on hisputer.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, doll. We need to know how long he¡¯s been doing this. The more evidence we gather, the easier it will be to sink him and save thepany.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll do it. It will be easy. I have ess to all his files, I¡¯ve earned his trust,¡± she thought maliciously as she nned to delete any evidence that incriminated her in some cases.


    ¡°Thank you, amore.¡±


    He approached her and kissed her, making sure she didn¡¯t distrust him and that she was willing to do anything for him.


    He locked the door, moved closer, and began kissing her neck, uncovering her breasts and sucking on her nipples forcefully. With a woman like her, used to being with so many men, he couldn¡¯t be gentle; he had to make her feel that there would be no one else like him.


    He put on protection and took her right there in the office, on the desk, in a violent manner but without causing her harm. Dar¨ªa¡¯s moans were loud, and Mateo was thankful that his office was soundproofed.


    ¡°Oh, God! Matti, that was spectacr. How have you deprived me of this for so long?¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re getting married, you¡¯ll have it every day. Now, go; I have a meeting soon, and I don¡¯t want the employees to realize what just happened. It would tarnish your image.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so considerate with me. That¡¯s why I love you. Everything is almost ready for our engagement party. Will I see you tonight? My parents are looking forward to meeting you again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you tomorrow. Apologize to them for me,¡± he replied coldly, not wanting to endure her beloved inws.


    Dar¨ªa pouted, approached, and kissed him again. When she left, Mateo went to shower in a room behind his office. He didn¡¯t bring Dar¨ªa there because he didn¡¯t consider her worthy of invading his privacy. He vigorously scrubbed his body, wanting to remove the scent she had left on him.


    He couldn¡¯t deny that Dar¨ªa had a great body, but she was so vulgar and promiscuous that she wasn¡¯t worth it, not even as a lover. She was so different from Ava. He closed his eyes as the water fell on his body.

 At the Dance Club

    Ava watched her little son, who had fallen asleep in her arms. He was the most beautiful baby in the world to her. She remembered the great challenge it had been to care for him at the beginning, and the despair and pain she had felt for not being able to see him or attend to him properly. The first time she saw his face, she was amazed. Seeing his tiny and sweet little face was aplete miracle of life.


    Some time after his surgery, they removed the bandage from his eyes. At first, he couldn¡¯t see anything. Both the doctor and she had given up hope. Incredibly, after a few days, a faint glow began to appear. Gradually, the images began to take shape. The surgery and the corneal cell imnt had been a sess, much to her and the doctor¡¯s surprise.


    The next morning in Tadeo¡¯s office, Ava spoke with him to find out how much progress had been made in the investigation, as she had not been informed yet. She was worried because things had not progressed.


    ¡°Have you managed to gather evidence against my uncle?¡± she asked nervously.


    ¡°Not yet. They are reanalyzing the remnants of the car. Due to the time that has passed, the case documents had already been archived, so I had to request authorization from the judge to take it under my jurisdiction.¡±


    ¡°Time has been wasted on authorizations and paperwork, while Teodoro enjoys freedom and the fortune he stole from me,¡± she couldn¡¯t believe it was all just protocol.


    ¡°I understand your desperation, but we need to find solid evidence against him. That way, he won¡¯t have a way to defend himself or evade justice. Otherwise, we¡¯ll alert him, and he¡¯ll take care of destroying any traces that might be left and that we could use against him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited so long; I could wait a little longer,¡± Ava said,pletely disheartened.


    ¡°How about we go out for a drink tonight?¡± Tadeo asked, hoping she would agree.


    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go for a drink and dance,¡± she replied cheerfully, knowing that her nanny would dly take care of the little one.


    Tadeo smiled, knowing that many things were new to her, and he wished to experience what she hadn¡¯t been able to before ¨C to see the world and show it to her.


    In the evening, he picked her up, and Ava came out after a few minutes. She thought the wait had been worth it. She looked beautiful in a little ck dress, her hair styled in a high ponytail cascading down her lovely back, which was only covered by two thin straps. Tadeo sighed as he looked at her, approached to greet her, gave her a kiss, and they got into the car.


    They arrived at the club and sat close to the dance floor. Ava just wanted to dance. She felt like she wasn¡¯t very good at it, but she let herself be carried away by the rhythm of the music. It was her second time at a dance club, and that night, she hoped to have fun and forget about everything else for a moment.


    They had a few drinks, and suddenly, a very rhythmic song caught Ava¡¯s attention. She grabbed Tadeo¡¯s arm and pulled him onto the dance floor without warning,ughing.


    The song was rhythmic and very sensual, so Ava started moving, swaying her hips from side to side, always with her eyes closed as her way of feeling the music. Tadeo stood behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist, and they moved slowly to the beat of the song. He could feel the warmth of her body, and it felt great. He closed his eyes too.


    Upstairs, in the VIP area, standing by a railing, two men were watching the sensual way the girl was dancing. They were Akiro and Mateo, and they didn¡¯t miss a detail of her dance.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Brother, do you know that girl?¡± Akiro asked, curious, seeing that Mateo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    ¡°It¡¯s Grecia De Luca, Bludosky¡¯s girlfriend,¡± he replied bitterly, still watching her.


    ¡°Wow, what a beautiful girl, look at the way she dances,¡± Akiro said, attentive to her hip-swaying moves.


    ¡°If she heads to the restroom, distract Bludosky,¡± Mateo requested.


    ¡°Uh-hmm, don¡¯t get yourself into trouble over a girl, brother,¡± Akiro cautioned. He knew that getting involved with someone else¡¯s girlfriend meant trouble.


    ¡°Just do as I ask,¡± Mateo insisted, taking a sip of his drink.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what excuse I cane up with to distract him,¡± Akiro knew that striking up a conversation with him would be difficult, as being friends with Mateo might not sit well with the detective.


    After a while and a few more drinks, Ava headed to the restroom, while Tadeo was at the bar ordering more drinks. Akiro approached to distract him.


    ¡°Detective, it¡¯s nice to see you here,¡± he pretended to be pleased, knowing he would have to figure out how to repay the favor to Mateoter.


    ¡°Mr. Tadoshi, you have a good spot here, different from the one you have in Ravena,¡± he said, making it clear that he knew his preferences along with Mateo.


    In the restroom, Ava left and headed down the hallway. She felt a bit dizzy, not being used to drinking. Suddenly, she felt like she bumped into someone, and she recognized that unmistakable scent. She looked up, and there he was.


    ¡°Buonanotte, be,¡± Mateo greeted her with a smile.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi, what a coincidence to find ourselves here,¡± she replied nervously.


    ¡°I see that destiny insists on bringing us together,¡± he said as he approached her.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask, coquettish.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± he smiled in a way that she found irresistible.


    Mateo said this just before kissing her passionately. Ava responded in kind, and suddenly he let go of her and looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°Your lips,¡± he said, gazing at her intently.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my lips?¡± she asked anxiously as she touched them. What could be wrong with them?


    ¡°That taste and the way of kissing are unmistakable, but no, it can¡¯t be, I must be hallucinating. Maybe it¡¯s the whiskey. You can see, and the color of your eyes isn¡¯t the same,¡± she opened her eyes wide, of course, she knew what he was talking about.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if I leave, Mr. Liardi. My boyfriend is waiting for me. This shouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± Ava scolded herself mentally for not resisting; she hade dangerously close to being discovered.


    She quickly distanced herself from there. Mateo tried to reach her but couldn¡¯t find her. When he kissed her, he had closed his eyes and could feel that it was Ava he had in front of him. Her taste and aroma were so simr. His head was inplete turmoil.


    He returned to Akiro¡¯s side, and upon seeing him return, Akiro politely bid farewell to Tadeo.


    ¡°Just in time, the detective was heading over there. He was a bit nervous about his girlfriend. He asked me if you were here, and when I said yes, his expression changed immediately. His nervousness was evident. I think he has already realized your interest in his girl. By the way, it seems he was at the club¡¯s grand opening.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be into bondage. By the way, you won¡¯t believe what just happened to me,¡± Mateo said, running his hands nervously through his hair.


    ¡°What?¡± Akiro replied curiously, noticing that Mateo seemed very distressed.


    ¡°I kissed Grecia, and for a moment, I had the sensation that I was kissing Ava. I swear, it felt the same as when I used to kiss her.¡±


    ¡°Friend, you need urgent therapy. You¡¯re starting to worry me with this,¡± Akiro was honest; Mateo was bing obsessed with Ava.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me with this girl, but I need to find Ava. It¡¯s not possible that she¡¯s disappeared into thin air. I fear she might have fallen into Teodoro¡¯s hands. That¡¯s why I feel so bad about wanting Grecia ever since I met her. It¡¯s just that I see so much of Ava in her.¡±


    ¡°Brother, be careful. Since you met Ava, you¡¯ve changed. Before, you didn¡¯t take anything seriously. Now, you can¡¯t stop thinking about her, even though she decided to leave you. You did nothing but help her, and it didn¡¯t matter to her. You fell in love and showed it, so if you fall for someone else, you shouldn¡¯t feel guilty.¡±


    Mateo turned to look at the table where Ava and Tadeo were sitting. She noticed and took Tadeo by the cor of his shirt, pulling him towards her. Without saying anything, she kissed him, and he eagerly responded to the kiss. He had been wanting it for a long time. After a moment, Ava pulled away, and Mateo didn¡¯t know why, but it bothered him a lot. Tadeo was that girl¡¯s boyfriend, and he had no right to feel that way.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tadeo. I shouldn¡¯t have done that. It¡¯s just that Mateo keeps watching me, and I think he¡¯s recognizing me,¡± she said, embarrassed. She didn¡¯t want to encourage his feelings any further.


    He felt a tightness in his chest. For a moment, he had hoped that she reciprocated his feelings. He became disappointed when he found out why she had done it. Ava felt guilty for using him that way.

 Encounter at the Restaurant

    Tadeo made an effort to ensure that she didn¡¯t realize how bad he was feeling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I noticed it, that¡¯s why I went along with it,¡± the detective had no other option but to respond that way.


    They continued dancing and enjoying themselves for a while longer. Ava wanted to show Mateo that she was with Tadeo and that she didn¡¯t care what he thought.


    She moved slowly and sensually on the dance floor. Mateo believed that after seeing how that woman moved, he would need a good cold shower. Akiro was just as interested in the couple on the dance floor. He turned to look at his friend who didn¡¯t miss a detail. Mateo was really messed up; he saw Ava in every beautiful girl. He had to convince him to go to therapy or he would end up in the madhouse, of that he had no doubt.


    There was no trace left of the Mateo he knew. He had never seen him like this over a girl. The women he pursued before Ava were just fleeting adventures; he never spoke about them. That¡¯s why he decided to distance ra. The girl appeared everywhere, trying to make people believe that they were a couple, breaking the clear terms of their agreement.


    The next morning at Miller Corporation, Daria was looking for an opportunity to copy the files from Teodoro¡¯sptop. She knew that he kept all his dark secrets there, which is why he always had it with him. He was a very distrustful man, and the files on thatputer were worth gold to him. He would lose everything if they fell into the wrong hands.


    She had to find the perfect opportunity. That day, they had a very important meeting. Teodoro entered his office¡¯s bathroom, while Daria took the chance to install a virus simtor on theptop. When the man came out and tried to ess the files he needed for the meeting, an alert message appeared on the screen, ¡°Deleting files, cleaning system.¡±


    ¡°Dariaaaa,¡± he shouted nervously and in a hurry.


    ¡°Tell me, is something wrong?¡± she quickly replied, knowing what he would say.


    ¡°I need some files, and theptop has gone crazy. The meeting is about to start. Have Liardi and the other investors arrived?¡± he asked anxiously.


    ¡°Yes, everyone is waiting for you in the boardroom,¡± she hoped he would leave quickly.


    Teodoro and Daria always spoke informally. When she started as his assistant, they had something more than just a working rtionship. Now, they only crossed paths asionally, as he had rtionships outside of work with some of his female employees.


    ¡°Damn it! Stay and try to fix theptop. When you get it working, copy the necessary files to present the quarterly results. We need to show them that we¡¯re achieving good returns, especially to your little boyfriend, who is thergest investor. You know that if you help me achieve great profits, I¡¯ll reward you generously. We need to make him trust us unconditionally.¡±


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I keep helping you cover up your mismanagement,¡± she said to make him feel at ease.


    ¡°Mismanagement from which you¡¯ve also benefited,¡± he replied angrily.


    He left the office in a bad mood and headed to the boardroom, where all the investors were already waiting. He made a great effort to hide his bad mood; he didn¡¯t want them to notice that something was wrong.


    ¡°Buongiorno, gentlemen,¡± he feigned a smile as he greeted the investors.


    ¡°Buongiorno, Miller,¡± Mateo replied.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi, it¡¯s a pleasure to have you here,¡± he replied obsequiously, not hiding his attempt to ingratiate himself with him.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to talk about our investments, this is where I should be.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± another man replied. Everyone was there to learn about their investments.


    Meanwhile, in Teodoro¡¯s office, Daria was copying all the files onto a hard drive that Mateo had given her. The process was time-consuming, and she just hoped that Teodoro wouldn¡¯t think of returning. To be sure, she left the files copying, took some documents, ced them in various folders, and headed towards where they were.


    ¡°Buongiorno, gentlemen,¡± she said, smiling and directing her gaze at Mateo, who smiled back.


    ¡°Buongiorno, miss,¡± the others replied in unison, with some of them eyeing her appreciatively.


    ¡°We have some technical issues. I hope to resolve them in a few minutes. For now, in these folders, you can see the performance of the investments in thest fifteen days.¡±


    She said this as she ced the folders in front of each of the investors. She leaned over to put the folders on the table, disying her assets to each of them. The men didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to admire her as she coquettishly smiled.


    Mateo watched calmly because she didn¡¯t really matter to him. She apologized, gave a flirty smile to Mateo, and returned to Teodoro¡¯s office, making sure the man would be upied exining the graphs while the files continued to copy. Although she might appear shallow, she was very intelligent when it came to charming someone.


    A few minutester, she removed the hard drive from theputer and put it in her bag. She was grateful that Teodoro didn¡¯t have cameras in his office. She removed the virus simtor and erased all traces of what she had done, copied the files her boss needed onto a memory stick, and headed to the boardroom.


    She handed the memory stick to Teodoro, who immediately inserted it into the projector and began the presentation. Mateo thought he was very good at wrapping people up in his tricks. He was very eloquent when speaking, and if he didn¡¯t know what he was really doing, he would surely be convinced of the good management of his money.


    On the other hand, Akiro had tried to obtain Teodoro¡¯s files on several asions, but he never connected hisptop to the inte for that purpose; he used the officeputer. This led Mateo to approach Daria after investigating and confirming that she had ess to those files.


    After the meeting, they all left, and Daria caught up with Mateo. It was their lunch break, and they had agreed to eat together. At the restaurant, she would hand him the hard drive. The next day was their engagement party, and she had invited very important people and, of course, the most relevant media outlets.


    They entered one of the city¡¯s best restaurants. Mateo was well-known, so they were quickly given one of the best tables.


    ¡°Amore, here¡¯s the hard drive with a copy of all the files that Teodoro has on hisptop,¡± she said, handing it to him. Mateo smiled as he received it; he could finally get rid of her.


    ¡°You finally got them. Thank you, Daria. You have no idea what this means to me. Soon, I¡¯ll be able to recover what Teodoro Miller has stolen from me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s stolen from us, dear. Don¡¯t forget that after our wedding, thepany will be in my hands,¡± she reminded him of his promise.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Mateo said with a smile.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not like that?¡± she asked, concerned.


    ¡°Here are the documents proving that thepany belongs to you. It was a surprise I wanted to give you. Months ago, I transferred it to your name, and in these documents, you¡¯re listed as the sole owner.¡±


    She let out a scream of joy, hugged and kissed Mateo effusively. He smiled maliciously; both that woman and Teodoro Miller would soon get what they deserved.


    The meal continued with disys of affection from Daria. Mateo felt the urge to get up and leave her alone; he felt like he couldn¡¯t stand her for even one more moment. But what he had prepared for her was much better, so he continued to fake love, just one more day. He would see what awaited her.


    Mateo noticed a reporter being escorted out for taking photos of someone at a table behind them. When he turned to look, he saw it was Tadeo and Grecia. She had a certain level of fame, which is why the reporter had been interested. Daria turned and, upon seeing Grecia, asked Mateo to invite them to their table.


    ¡°Look, love, it¡¯s the concert pianist and her boyfriend. Invite them to our table; I¡¯d like them to join us. Go on, do it,¡± she insisted.


    Mateo stood up and approached them, not so much because Daria had asked, but rather because he wanted to have her close.


    ¡°Buona seratta,¡± he said, smiling.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Liardi. What a coincidence to meet you again,¡± Tadeo replied with a displeased expression that Mateo pretended not to notice.


    ¡°I¡¯m with my fianc¨¦e at that table, and we¡¯d like you to join us,¡± he requested, pointing to their table.


    Tadeo nced at Ava, secretly hoping she would refuse, but she was determined to show Mateo that she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°It will be a pleasure, Mr. Liardi,¡± she replied, attempting to smile.


    ¡°Just call me Mateo, Miss De Luca.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mateo. Then just call me Grecia or Greys, as my friends do,¡± she said. Tadeo felt like all of this was hitting him like a bomb. Was he invisible?


    ¡°Alright, Greys. Thank you for epting my invitation,¡± he said, flirting.


    They got up and headed to the table, where Daria excitedly observed that they had epted the invitation. Grecia was starting to gain recognition, and Daria wanted to befriend her.


    ¡°Hello! It¡¯s such a pleasure that you epted our invitation, Miss De Luca,¡± Daria was genuinely delighted with her.


    ¡°Thank you for inviting us,¡± Grecia replied with a big smile.


    Tadeo was visibly annoyed and remained silent from that moment on. The meal proceeded with Daria bombarding Ava with questions. Patience was required with a woman like Daria, who didn¡¯t stop talking even when she was eating. ¡°What did Mateo see in her?¡± Ava wondered. She had a good body, but she was really stressful.


    Mateo had sat next to Ava, and Tadeo and Daria were seated across from them. Mateo had done this with full intention, to be close to her. From there, he could smell her perfume, and she was distracted answering Daria¡¯s trivial questions when suddenly, she felt a hand on her leg. She recognized the warmth of that hand immediately. Mateo gently traced her leg. ¡°What audacity this man has,¡± she thought, while trying not to blush.

 Exposed at the Feast

    Ava decided to y along; she wouldn¡¯t be intimidated by Mateo.


    ¡°If he wants to y, let¡¯s y,¡± she told herself. She also ced her hand on Mateo¡¯s leg and began moving it in the same way, up and down, slowly stopping near his groin. Mateo withdrew his hand and immediately began sweating profusely. He had lost the game. He had thought of making her nervous, but now he was the one in trouble.


    He was sweating profusely, and Ava was enjoying the moment she was putting him through. She didn¡¯t touch anything beyond the upper part of his leg, but that was enough to make him very nervous. He hadn¡¯t expected her to react this way.


    ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Liardi?¡± Tadeo asked, seeing him sweat like that.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just that the food is a bit spicy.¡±


    ¡°You should be careful with that,¡± Grecia said with a smile. ¡°Things that are too spicy can be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grecia, I¡¯ll keep that in mind for next time,¡± he replied while fanning himself with his hand.


    ¡°Grecia, our engagement party is tomorrow night. It would be an honor if you could join us,¡± Daria said with a smile.


    Ava turned to look at Tadeo, and he just shrugged slightly. She took it as if he didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°It would be an honor to be with you on such an important day. Thank you, Daria.¡±


    Later, they said their goodbyes. Daria had to return to work. Mateo didn¡¯t understand why it bothered him that Grecia was leaving with Tadeo. After all, he had just met her, and they were a couple. Imagining them together made him furious, as that woman reminded him too much of Ava.


    After dropping Daria off at the Miller Corporation, Mateo headed to his office. He needed to review the files she had given him. He didn¡¯t need any more evidence than those files; his grandfather had been nothing more than a scapegoat. The Director of Finance and Teodoro Miller had shared business dealings, and now he had documents proving it. He had to investigate whether the administrator had actuallymitted suicide or if Miller had silenced him.


    The next day, very early in the morning, Mateo met with Akiro. They were finishing preparations for the surprise he would give to Daria that night. This time, he wouldn¡¯t include any details about Teodoro; he didn¡¯t want to alert him.


    Ava spent the entire morning with her son, who was beginning to want to walk. She was excited because she thought it was a significant achievement for the little one. Whenever she looked at him, she had Mateo¡¯s image in her mind. He was increasingly resembling his father, even in his gestures.


    In the evening, Grecia and Tadeo arrived at the garden venue where the engagement party was taking ce. She looked beautiful in a burgundy dress, very elegant with a slit that revealed her leg. It was a design simr to the one she had worn at Akiro¡¯s club opening. When Mateo saw her, for a moment, he thought she was Ava. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her, and he didn¡¯t know what was happening with him and this girl.


    On the other hand, Daria once again demonstrated herck of taste. She had chosen the wrong dress for such an event; it was white with too many sheer elements, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Mateo was wearing a tailored ck suit, and Ava sighed as she watched him; he was genuinely very attractive. Tadeo noticed, and for him, it wasn¡¯t easy to know that she was in love with someone else.


    Mateo approached them, greeted Grecia with a kiss very close to her mouth, not caring what the detective might think. He wanted to make it very clear to the girl that he liked her. He escorted them to their table, where the closest guests would be seated. Guido and Aurora were also there, along with Teodoro Miller, of course.


    Ava hadn¡¯t thought about this; she didn¡¯t imagine that her uncle would attend, let alone be so close. She hoped they wouldn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°Buona sera,¡± Grecia greeted politely.


    ¡°Buona sera,¡± Guido and Aurora replied.


    Mateo¡¯s grandfather and mother immediately recognized Grecia. Mateo had talked to them about her and had shown them some videos. They agreed with him that the music this girl yed seemed as if it were performed by angels themselves, and seeing her up close gave them the impression that they already knew her.


    The woman apanying Teodoro wore a look of annoyance and didn¡¯t even have the courtesy to respond to the greeting. He, in turn, was captivated by the beauty of that girl. She seemed familiar, but he couldn¡¯t remember where he had seen her before. She was simply enchanting, and those beautiful honey-colored eyes captivated him.


    Daria chatted with the guests, telling them that she was sure Mateo would give her the most beautiful and expensive engagement ring that existed that night. Her parents couldn¡¯t join her because her father was ill and had to return to the United States, but they assured her they wouldn¡¯t miss the wedding.


    The venue was exquisitely decorated, and fortunately, Aurora had chosen the decorations. Beautiful bouquets of white and red roses adorned the tables, and in the middle of the garden stood an arch decorated with hundreds of roses, surrounded by small lit candles that formed a heart. The entire decoration was designed to create a romantic atmosphere, and under that beautiful arch, Mateo would present the ring to Daria.


    Mateo had arranged for some screens, which were well distributed throughout the venue, ensuring that all the guests could see them. He didn¡¯t want them to miss the big surprise he had prepared for his fianc¨¦e. Daria felt like she was in a dream, and she couldn¡¯t believe it herself.


    After dinner, Mateo took a spoon and made a noise with it by tapping on a ss repeatedly, thus capturing the attention of all the guests.


    ¡°Dear friends, thank you for joining us today. I have prepared a special surprise for my fianc¨¦e, for my future wife. I hope you enjoy the following video as much as I enjoyed making it. Believe me, this is what a girl like her truly deserves.¡±


    Daria stood up, approached him, and gave him a kiss. Mateo took her by the hand and walked to the center of the garden under the arch. She began to cry with excitement and thanked Mateo for making that day so special.


    ¡°Thank you, my love. This means so much to me. It¡¯s the best day of my life.¡±


    ¡°I assure you it¡¯s about to be an unforgettable day,¡± Mateo said with a big smile.


    He signaled to Akiro, who immediately turned on the screens and started ying the video. The guests thought he was a very romantic and loving man, and both they and Daria were eagerly waiting to see what would appear on the screens.


    Ava observed everything that was happening. The poor girl was suffering, and tears threatened to betray her. Tadeo took her hand and squeezed it tightly to let her know that she wasn¡¯t alone, and he would be by her side as long as she allowed it.


    Images began to appear on the screens-fragments of videos featuring Daria with different men. In some shots, they were entering a hotel, and in others, she was in bed with them. Each clip disyed a date, so the guests could tell that these videos were taken while she was in a rtionship with Mateo.


    The woman started crying uncontrobly and began to hit Mateo on the chest while insulting him. He grabbed her hands and leaned in close, whispering in her ear.


    ¡°You¡¯d better calm down and not make an even bigger scene.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you pay dearly for this. Teodoro will help me destroy you,¡± she thought about revenge.


    ¡°I left out the images of you with him. I¡¯ve prepared something much better. Don¡¯t even think about tipping him off. I have evidence against you, and I could make you spend many years in prison. Furthermore, I¡¯ve collected evidence against your father. I can have him locked up for life for trafficking in organs on the ck market. So, you¡¯d better get on a ne back to the United States right now and never return. My men will take you to the airport, and woe betide you if I find out you¡¯ve tried to contact Miller.¡±


    They were the center of attention for all the guests, and Mateo spoke so softly that they couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying.


    Daria headed for the exit without lifting her head, and she could hear the contemptuousments from the guests. She was about to leave when Aurora caught up with her.


    ¡°Was that your way of loving my son?¡± After saying this, she pped her.


    ¡°Aurora, you know I love Mateo. All of this was a setup. I don¡¯t know why he did it,¡± she said, crying while cing her hand on her cheek.


    ¡°Get out of here immediately.¡±


    Tadeo and Ava, like the other guests, were shocked by everything they had just witnessed.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if we leave, Grecia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for the best,¡± she replied, bewildered by what she had just witnessed.


    Since Ava had arrived, Teodoro, without recognizing her, had been paying too much attention to her. He wanted to see that beauty again.

 Calling Her

    Ava felt nervous under her uncle¡¯s insistent gaze. She wanted to get away as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Miss Grecia, I would like to invite you to dinner sometime soon. If you¡¯d like, you can give me your phone number. Here¡¯s my card just in case you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to call me,¡± Teodoro wanted to catch the girl¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Miller, you¡¯re very kind. I¡¯m actually in the process of changing my phone number, so there¡¯s no point in giving it to you now. But I will get in touch with you one of these days, and we¡¯d be happy to ept your invitation for dinner.¡±


    Teodoro¡¯spanion looked at Grecia with hatred. She didn¡¯t know why this girl made her so uneasy. It wasn¡¯t just because she had noticed Teodoro¡¯s excessive attention towards her; it was something more, a strange sensation she couldn¡¯t quite identify.


    Akiro approached Mateo, who was tired of enduring words of encouragement from so many people.


    ¡°Friend, that was epic. Just like you said, you wouldn¡¯te out looking like the bad guy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning, my friend. She thinks she¡¯ll get away with it, but she¡¯ll have to pay for all the fraud she¡¯smitted alongside Miller. For now, it¡¯s better that she believes that, so she won¡¯t tip him off. She appears as the owner of thepany, so she¡¯s also responsible for moneyundering and the dirty business dealings that Teodoro has done in conjunction with herpany.¡±


    Tadeo and Grecia were unsure whether to approach Mateo and bid him farewell, but they didn¡¯t want to be seen as rude, so they mustered the courage to do so.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for what happened, Mr. Liardi,¡± Tadeo waspelled by Ava to show kindness to Mateo.


    ¡°Thank you, Detective,¡± Mateo replied, while keeping his gaze fixed on Grecia.


    ¡°I¡¯m also really sorry, Mateo,¡± Ava approached and hugged him.


    ¡°Thank you, Greys.¡±


    He hugged her tightly, not knowing why, but he didn¡¯t want that hug to end. This girl was stirring in his chest the same sensation he felt when he was near Ava.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if we go, Grecia,¡± Tadeo said, not bothering to hide his displeasure, but Grecia and Mateo continued hugging for a little longer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really needed that hug. It was very humiliating but necessary. I had to expose her. If I had just broken up with her, she would have taken care of tarnishing my reputation. I know her too well.¡±


    ¡°You did the right thing. I don¡¯t think anyone will dare to judge you. Here¡¯s my card with my number. If you need someone to talk to, count on me. I¡¯m a good listener,¡± Ava couldn¡¯t help it; she wanted to support him in this terrible moment.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mateo smiled, a sincere smile.


    Tadeo took Grecia¡¯s hand and left without saying goodbye to Mateo.


    ¡°What are you doing? As soon as Liardi finished with his fianc¨¦e, you went after him,¡± Tadeo reproached her as soon as they left.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult me, Tadeo. You know I love him, and I will never stop loving him. I don¡¯t really know why I gave him my number or offered my support. I just did what I felt in that moment.¡±


    Mateo felt happy. He didn¡¯t know if he liked that girl for herself or simply because she reminded him of Ava, but he was willing to find out. However, that wouldn¡¯t stop him from looking for the love of his life. He had to know about her, make sure she was okay. If that was the case, he would be content with that.


    Ava arrived at her apartment, bidding Tadeo a cold farewell. It irritated her that just because he was her friend, he believed he coulde between her and Mateo. She knew very well that she loved him and had never deceived him. He was the love of her life, and forgetting him was impossible.


    Teodoro Miller contained his anger at Mateo¡¯s house, but when he arrived at his mansion, he exploded. He couldn¡¯t believe that Dar¨ªa had ruined everything. They had Mateo Liardipletely in their hands. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t found out about the true rtionship he had with Dar¨ªa. The woman apanying him, his current lover, was also upset. Teodoro hadn¡¯t bothered to hide the interest Grecia had aroused in him.


    ¡°Nice performance at the party,¡± she reproached him, deeply annoyed.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You practically undressed that girl with your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with your nonsense. I have enough on my te with what happened. Now Dar¨ªa can¡¯t stay in thepany. If I don¡¯t fire her, Liardi might withdraw his investment.¡±


    ¡°Is it that, or you won¡¯t be able to keep rolling in the hay with her?¡±


    Teodoro became furious. He had no intention of listening to that woman.


    ¡°What I do with my life is none of your concern. I don¡¯t ever want you to dare to question me again,¡± he said, grabbing her by the neck. The woman started coughing desperately as she felt the pressure he was exerting on her.


    She began hitting him while futilely trying to get him to let go. The manughed sinisterly. After a few seconds, which felt like minutes to her, he threw her onto a couch, turned around, and walked away from her.


    At the Liardi mansion, all the guests had left. Mateo was in an excellent mood. Finally, he wouldn¡¯t have to put up with Dar¨ªa anymore. His mother and grandfather thought he would be depressed, as he had locked himself in his office. They decided not to bother him for now and would talk to him seriouslyter.


    In the solitude of his office, Mateo searched for a photo of Ava on his cellphone. ¡°Where was she? Was she okay?¡± These questions haunted him constantly.


    In the morning, he headed to his office, where he needed to carefully consider what to do with Teodoro. He couldn¡¯t afford to leave any loose ends that might allow him to escape. His secretary had fallen ill, and Mateo was going crazy. For a man like him, losing someone to manage his schedule and organize documents was unthinkable, and it resulted inplete chaos.


    When the night came, Mateo felt tired andpletely stressed. He hadn¡¯t had time to go out for a meal, and he urgently needed to find someone to assist him. His secretary had informed him that she wouldn¡¯t be returning due to her deteriorating health.


    He thought about how difficult it would be to adjust to a new secretary. She already knew perfectly well how he worked after all these years in thepany, first alongside his grandfather and then with him, which made her indispensable.


    He felt fatigued and terribly alone. Before Ava, he would have solved this problem quickly. He was tempted to call ra; she knew how to help him relieve his stress. However, he hesitated, picked up the phone, and without thinking, dialed Grecia¡¯s number. When she saw his number on her phone, she immediately asked L to take her son to another room so he wouldn¡¯t overhear their conversation.


    ¡°Soon,¡± she said.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Ava said, her voice trembling.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Mateo pretended not to know who was calling.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mateo. I¡¯m sorry to bother you, especially at this hour.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I just need someone to talk to.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Can I see you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse. She didn¡¯t have the willpower to do so.


    ¡°Can I pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Better tell me where to meet you.¡±


    Mateo gave her the address of the bar where he was. The ce had private booths, so they could talk in peace.


    Ava arrived at the agreed-upon time, and Mateo was already there. He had sent her a message with the booth number. When she entered, she noticed that he was a bit tipsy, but she thought it was understandable given everything he had been through.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted him.


    ¡°Ciao, be.¡±


    That greeting brought back memories of when they were together. Ava could see the immense sadness in his eyes. He must love Dar¨ªa deeply to be in such a state.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, although she realized her question was rather silly. It was obvious that he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°No, for the first time, I can openly say that I¡¯m not. A woman has me in this state,¡± Mateo replied, his eyes filled with sadness.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can imagine it¡¯s not easy for you with everything that happened. After all, Dar¨ªa is the woman you love.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of her that I¡¯m like this,¡± Mateo admitted, deciding to be honest. He needed to get everything off his chest.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like, you can tell me. I¡¯m a good listener,¡± Ava said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.


    Mateo began to tell her the whole story about Ava, how he had decided for the first time that he had given his heart to someone, and she had simply left him. She had hurt him so deeply that he didn¡¯t know if he could ever forgive her. He wouldn¡¯t stop looking for her; he just wanted to know if she was okay.


    He pulled a photo from his wallet, the one of Ava on the terrace. Ava was surprised to see that he had pictures of her. She realized he truly loved her. She regretted leaving him and wondered what his grandfather had told him. Now she understood that he would have supported her decision to have the surgery to regain her sight.


    She had been tempted to call him when she was at the hospital, just before going into surgery, but she was afraid it wouldn¡¯t work, and she would lose her sight forever. That¡¯s why she had chosen not to call. She was also hurt because he had started dating Dar¨ªa immediately after she left, and she couldn¡¯t understand how he could im to love her and yet be engaged to someone else.

 A Night Together

    Ava had many doubts, and she hoped to resolve them that very night.


    ¡°I understand that this girl you¡¯re talking about caused you a lot of suffering. What I don¡¯t understand is, if you love her, why were you going to marry Dar¨ªa?¡± She needed to know why he had done it.


    ¡°Dar¨ªa was Ava¡¯s uncle¡¯s assistant. I needed to obtain some files so that she could reim the inheritance her parents left her. The only way I could get those files was through that woman. I had to make her agree to help me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, now I understand.¡±


    Ava felt terrible; everything he was doing was for her, even though she had hurt him so much. She wanted to tell him that she was the one, that she loved him, but she knew he wouldn¡¯t forgive her, especially when he found out they had a child. She had to find a way to get closer to him again.


    ¡°Why?¡± Mateo asked that question while looking at her intently.


    ¡°Why, what? I don¡¯t understand, Mateo,¡± Ava felt for a moment that maybe he had discovered her secret.


    ¡°Why can a woman be so selfish?¡± This question pierced Ava¡¯s heart. She was making a great effort not to burst into tears right then and there.


    ¡°I imagine she must have her reasons. Perhaps she thought that if she stayed by your side, she would condemn you to a dark and gray life like hers, that you would have to take care of her constantly. We can¡¯t judge another person without knowing their true reasons. For a blind person, falling in love must be very difficult.¡±


    ¡°Wait, how do you know that Ava is blind?¡±


    ¡°Tadeo mentioned it to me at some point.¡± Fortunately, she came up with that response. She felt sorry for Tadeo, but she didn¡¯t want to be discovered.


    ¡°Ava is the perfect woman for me, the only one I have loved. Before her, I didn¡¯t have that capacity; I felt it was impossible for me to love.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t torment yourself. Perhaps she¡¯s fine, and one day she¡¯ll return.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t know what to say. She felt a deep pain in her chest. She had made a big mistake by leaving him, and now she would have to find a solution.


    She approached and hugged him, wanting to convey all her regret in that embrace. Mateo stayed there, still in her arms, he closed his eyes, not wanting to think anymore. If only he could turn back time, he would have let Ava know how much he loved her, maybe she wouldn¡¯t have left.


    After a while of drinking, Ava told him it was enough and that she would apany him home.


    ¡°I can drive perfectly,¡± he replied, slurring his words.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°I know, but let me take you home now.¡±


    Mateo looked at her, and for a moment, he thought he saw Ava. His gaze reflected infinite love and tenderness. He got into the car, and she fastened his seatbelt, driving him to the building where the penthouse was located, just as he had asked her to, so he wouldn¡¯t have to exin things to his grandfather.


    She helped him out of the car, and Mateo put his arm over her shoulder. He needed support, or he would fall. He couldn¡¯t stand on his own.


    She apanied him to the entrance of the penthouse, and Mateo used his card to open the door. It was a beautiful ce, spacious, elegantly decorated in monochromatic tones. The furniture was in ck, white, and various shades of gray, creating a very stylish atmosphere. Large windows provided a stunning view of the city.


    She led him to his bed, helping him to lie down. Ava removed his shoes and covered him with a nket. As she was about to turn and leave, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her gently.


    ¡°Ava, my Ava, don¡¯t leave again. Stay with me forever, right here beside me,¡± Mateo said with great passion, keeping his eyes closed.


    She remained still, watching him. Had he recognized her, or was he just rambling due to the alcohol?


    She sat down beside him and hugged him. He pulled her closer and asked her to lie down beside him. Avaplied, and they stayed like that. She fell asleep without realizing it.


    The next morning, Mateo woke up, and she was still asleep, resting on his chest. He looked at her with confusion. ¡°What was Grecia doing in his bed?¡± He observed her sleeping peacefully, her long eyshes entuating her closed eyes. He didn¡¯t want to wake her, but he needed to use the bathroom.


    He moved very slowly, and she woke up at that moment, but she pretended to keep sleeping. Mateo got up and went to the bathroom, hearing the sound of him brushing his teeth. She quickly got up, put on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and hurried to the door, wanting to leave.


    As she was about to reach the door, Mateo grabbed her arm tightly.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he said. Mateo wouldn¡¯t let her go, not remembering what had happened between them the previous night.


    ¡°Please, let me go,¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°What happenedst night?¡± He couldn¡¯t recall the events.


    ¡°You were in a bad state, and I brought you home. You didn¡¯t let me go; you held onto me and asked me to stay with you. I have to leave; Tadeo must be worried.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I owe you an apology for my behavior. Thank you for what you did for me.¡±


    He looked at her intensely. In his dreams, he had felt like it was Ava in his arms. That¡¯s why, after a long time, he had slept so well.


    He pulled her closer and kissed her. She responded to the kiss and then pushed him away and ran out. He ran his fingers over his lips. ¡°By all demons!¡± He could swear that the girl was Ava, despite the differences. He picked up his phone and made a call.


    Akiro answered the call immediately, always ready to help.


    ¡°Pronto.¡±


    ¡°Brother, I need a big favor.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you need, you know we¡¯re here for you.¡±


    ¡°I want you to investigate Grecia, where she was born, who her parents are, everything about her, but make sure the information is real. As a hacker, you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°I understand perfectly, it¡¯s already in progress, brother.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Send me the information to my email as soon as you have it.¡±


    He had to know if his suspicions were correct. Something deep inside him told him it was Ava, even though the image before his eyes said otherwise. If he was wrong, he would definitely seek psychological help.


    In the afternoon, he went to his office to interview several candidates for the secretary position. It was urgent to find one. He had selected five candidates whose documents looked the most promising. As soon as he arrived, he called in the first candidate, a brte with a strong resume, but her appearance and behavior reminded him of Dar¨ªa. He asked to see the next candidate. He didn¡¯t want to deal with that type of behavior at work.


    The next one had the same behavior as the previous candidate.


    ¡°Lord, have mercy on these women! I¡¯m looking for a secretary, not someone who constantly tries to seduce me.¡±


    Thest candidate was a girl with ck hair and a peculiar silver streak at the front. She worerge sses and had freckles on her face. She was very serious and formal, and her resume was excellent-his ideal secretary, he thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Cam, sir,¡± she replied timidly.


    ¡°Perfect, Cam. I need someone I can trustpletely. You¡¯ll have a one-month trial period, and if you pass it, the job is yours.¡±


    She seemed like a shy little mouse. At 22, she looked much younger. She was slim and t-chested, just what he was looking for-someone who could help him with work and not provoke inappropriate thoughts. He had a motto: ¡°Work and pleasure must be kept separate.¡±


    Meanwhile, Ava also had a clear goal: to win back Mateo¡¯s love. Tadeo was doing his best to win her love, but she only saw him as a friend and nothing more. As the saying goes, ¡°The heart doesn¡¯t obey orders.¡±


    She researched Mateo¡¯s life on the inte. There were many things said about him, but in the photos, he always appeared alone until he started dating Dar¨ªa. Previously, he had beenbeled as a yboy due to statements from various girls, but they could never prove the truth of what was said. She even read rumors that he was gay, which made herugh because she knew it wasn¡¯t true.


    There was nothing published about his preference for bondage practices. It was logical that he would be very careful about that; it could damage his image as an entrepreneur.


    Tadeo had visited the bondage club a few times. He knew well what could be obtained in such ces. He remembered mentioning it to Ava to discourage her from Mateo, but it hadn¡¯t worked. He had seen them together at the club. Perhaps he needed to go again now that he could see things he couldn¡¯t that night.


    At Ava¡¯s house, L was very concerned about her. She had been in front of theputer for two days, only taking breaks to sleep a bit.


    ¡°My dear, you should get some more sleep. You¡¯ll get sick if you keep this up.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Nana. I¡¯ve been researching some things.¡±


    ¡°Remember, you shouldn¡¯t strain your eyes too much. Your surgery is still recent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nanny, you¡¯re right. I think I¡¯ve researched enough.¡± She shut down theputer and picked up her son from L¡¯s arms.


    Meanwhile, at thepany, Cam was adjusting well to her new job. Mateo was an authoritarian boss, but within that, he was very considerate. When she was near him, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble. She had researched a lot about him, in fact, she had been doing so for years.

 I like you

    In Mateo¡¯s office, he was quickly adapting to his new secretary.


    ¡°Cam, could you bring me some coffee, please?¡± Mateo requested through the inte.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Liardi,¡± Cam hurried to do as her boss asked. She wanted to be indispensable to him; she had heard that when secretaries were efficient, their bosses created a certain type of dependence on them.


    He found that girl amusing, believing that she wouldst a long time in the position. She was good at her job, and he didn¡¯t think a girl like her would get married soon. She was so in that surely she didn¡¯t have a boyfriend.


    With the way she dressed and groomed herself, she wouldn¡¯t find a partner even if she turned the world upside down. He chuckled at the thought, not that he was belittling her, but Cam urgently needed a makeover.


    The girl soon brought him the coffee. As she entered the office, she stumbled and nearly fell t on her face. Mateo, who was nearby, caught her by the waist to stop her from falling, luckily saving both her and the coffee.


    Cam exited visibly nervous. She had made a great effort to resist the sensations that the contact with her boss had provoked in her. She returned to her seat, trying to distract her mind from the temptation of going back into the office and making a foolish mistake that would jeopardize her job.


    Shortly after, Ava arrived at Mateo¡¯s office, ready to initiate her n to win him over. She wouldter let him know who she really was and why she had distanced herself. She asked Cam if Mr. Liardi was in, but the secretary did not take kindly to the new visitor. She didn¡¯t seem to be the type of personing for business matters, and Cam found her very beautiful.


    ¡°Buongiorno, is Mr. Liardi in?¡± Ava asked with a smile, while the secretary scanned her with disdain.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi is not here,¡± Cam replied with an unpleasant expression, unable to hide her dislike.


    ¡°Ah, okay. I¡¯ll call him to see if he¡¯ll be back soon. If not, I¡¯ll wait for him,¡± Ava said, causing a change in Cam¡¯s demeanor.


    ¡°Uhmm, let me see if he¡¯s returned. I stepped out for a moment and didn¡¯t realize if he¡¯s back yet,¡± Cam said, looking at Ava with disapproval.


    To Ava, that girl seemed fake, trying to portray an innocent appearance. However, Ava, who couldn¡¯t see, had learned to feel the true essence of people when her sight was absent.


    ¡°Go ahead. Mr. Liardi says you cane in. I apologize; I really thought he hadn¡¯t returned yet,¡± Cam apologized, unsure of the importance of this woman to her boss and not wanting to be fired so soon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss.¡± Ava turned around and headed for Mateo¡¯s office, the secretary watched her.


    Upon entering the office, Ava could see that the ce was very sober, just like Mateo¡¯s penthouse. Large windows revealed the picturesque cityscape. The furniture was all mahogany wood, and Mateo¡¯s desk was ced near the window. He was there, devilishly handsome as always. When he saw her enter, he stood up and walked towards her.


    She looked beautiful, wearing a wine-colored halter dress that was short, revealing the upper part of her back. The dress reminded him of Ava, as if that girl was determined to remind him of her. He approached her and greeted her with a warm kiss on the cheek. She closed her eyes, enjoying the scent of his masculinity ¨C that woody and musky aroma she loved so much.


    ¡°Ciao be, what brings you here?¡± he asked with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, Mateo. I wanted to see how you¡¯re doing and invite you to breakfast. I have a feeling you haven¡¯t had it yet,¡± Ava said.


    ¡°Thank you for caring, and as for breakfast, I ept. I haven¡¯t had time to eat, and what betterpany to do so?¡± He said, shing a charming smile. Ava found it hard to resist Mateo¡¯s charms and had to make a great effort to behave in his presence.


    At that moment, Cam knocked on the door. Mateo asked her toe in, and she entered, carrying a tray of food and drinks in her hands.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi, I ordered you breakfast since you haven¡¯t eaten yet. They just delivered it,¡± Cam said, trying to ignore Ava, her gaze fixed on her boss.


    ¡°I appreciate it, miss, but I¡¯m about to go out for breakfast. You can have that breakfast yourself. I apologize for the inconvenience. Enjoy,¡± Mateo replied.


    ¡°Very well, Mr. Liardi. Please excuse me,¡± the secretary said, feeling humiliated. She felt like she was being disregarded for the woman who was with him.


    Cam left the office, trying to contain her anger. She knew how to pretend to be calm. She entered the small coffee preparation area and began to destroy everything on the tray. That girl had ruined her n. She was determined to gradually win Mateo¡¯s love, and this so-called Grecia was not going to stop her. She was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that didn¡¯t happen.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    She would find the opportunity and the way to please her boss. She wasn¡¯t going to give up easily.


    Mateo and Grecia left the office, and he held her by the waist as they walked. Cam, who had already returned to her desk, noticed it, and her anger grew. She clenched her lips and lowered her gaze so they wouldn¡¯t notice. The couple headed to the elevator, and inside, Ava was nervous. It was difficult for her to be close to him.


    He restrained himself because the memory of Ava was very present in his mind. At all times, colors, situations, certain details reminded him of her. He liked Grecia a lot, but he felt like he was betraying Ava. He knew he was hurting himself and was willing to let her go. He would remove all those memories from his mind. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but he would try.


    Ava felt like she waspeting against herself, against her own ghost. Anyone looking at the situation from the outside might think it was as easy as telling the truth, but it wasn¡¯t. She knew Mateo would react badly, and rightly so. He could take it as a mockery, and perhaps he wouldn¡¯t forgive her, especially when he found out that she had hidden their child from him. She would lose him definitively.


    She wished she could tell him about their beautiful child, but her fear was greater. She didn¡¯t want to lose him. She had to find the right way and moment to tell him.


    The girl had learned that there would be a bondage event at Akiro¡¯s club a few dayster. She was sure that Mateo would attend. He always went to support his friend. She believed it was the perfect opportunity to get closer to him.


    Tadeo also attended those events. Ava had asked him to get her an invitation because it was very exclusive, and not just anyone could enter. She had found out by chance when a card fell from his jacket. She could see that it was from Akiro¡¯s club, a golden card that only VIP members had.


    The detective felt exposed and embarrassed. He didn¡¯t n to tell her that he went to such ces because it might give her a bad impression.


    He only went there because he felt lonely. He found a way to vent his feelings for a moment and felt apanied, even though the next day, he returned to his usual solitude.


    He confessed that he was at the club when she was brought to the center of the stage. Ava blushed; she couldn¡¯t believe that someone she knew, apart from Mateo, Akiro, and Ima, had witnessed that performance. She felt embarrassed knowing that he had seen her exposed in that way.


    That day, Mateo took her to a restaurant very close to his office, so they walked there. At no point did he remove his arm from her waist, which made her feel very close to him. They entered the restaurant, and they were quickly led to a table. A man of his importance was never kept waiting anywhere.


    ¡°Thank you for remembering me, Grecia. Lately, I¡¯ve been feeling very lonely,¡± Mateo said because it was true that he felt that way.


    ¡°To be honest, I enjoy yourpany,¡± Ava wished to say so many things, but for now, it was better to keep them to herself.


    ¡°I imagine Tadeo isn¡¯t aware of this; it could be bothersome for him,¡± Mateo wanted to know where he stood with her.


    ¡°Tadeo is my partner, but he¡¯s not my owner. He doesn¡¯t interfere in my friendships. He knows I wouldn¡¯t allow that,¡± she replied confidently. Mateo stared at her intensely, and Ava could feel his gaze was very strong.


    ¡°The problem is that I like you. I like you for more than just a simple friendship,¡± Mateo chose to be direct; he didn¡¯t intend to silence it any longer.

 Observing Him at the Club

    Upon hearing this, Ava almost choked on her drink; she didn¡¯t expect him to be so direct.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am, Mateo Liardi. It seems you don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±


    ¡°I like to be direct and honest about what I think and feel.¡± There was that smile again that could melt even an iceberg.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I want something more with you, and let time put things in their ce.¡±


    ¡°What if shees back?¡± Ava wanted to know how much he still felt for her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d be lying if I said I know how I¡¯m going to react. I¡¯m trying to get her out of my heart.¡±


    Ava was hurt by Mateo¡¯sst words, and she let out a heavy sigh. He just stared at her.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to try something with me, pass the time, maybe I¡¯ll fall in love with you, and then she shows up, and you kick me out, is that it? Or am I mistaken?¡± She had to try to sound drastic to avoid suspicion.


    ¡°Seen that way, it sounds really bad.¡± Mateo¡¯s face became serious.


    ¡°Let me think about it, I¡¯ll let you know my answer in a few days.¡± Ava had to lie, when what she really wanted was to throw herself into his arms.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Miss De Luca,¡± he said with a wide smile that melted Ava ¨C ¡°I¡¯m willing to wait for you.¡±


    They finished breakfast and returned to the corporate office. They said goodbye at the entrance, and Mateo took her by surprise, giving her a passionate kiss. At that moment, someone took a photo, a reporter who had followed them from the restaurant. They didn¡¯t realize they were being photographed ¨C ¡°This news will be a hit,¡± thought the reporter, moving away with a big headline in mind.


    The next day, Tadeo arrived at Ava¡¯s apartment, visibly upset, and showed her the newspaper.


    ¡°What is this, Ava?¡±


    She took the newspaper and saw the front-page headline: ¡°yboy Mateo Liardi Back to His Old Ways, Finds Comfort in the Arms of Concert Pianist Grecia De Luca.¡±


    ¡°This will ruin your image. They¡¯ll see you as second best, as someone who doesn¡¯t care about preserving her integrity.¡± Tadeo was truly upset, and this time, he didn¡¯t n on hiding it.


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s quite the opposite, Tadeo. Perhaps my next concert will sell out quickly. Maybe they¡¯ll see me as the woman willing to make Mateo believe in love again.¡± She said without giving too much importance to the matter, trying to calm down both Tadeo and L, who watched the scene while feeding the baby.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not wrong, Ava. It¡¯s too soon after his breakup with Daria.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s told me the reasons behind his engagement to her. He hasn¡¯t forgotten me; he still loves me.¡±


    ¡°Have you told him who you are?¡± Tadeo asked, concerned.


    ¡°No, he knows me as Grecia.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ying with fire, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I know, but I¡¯m determined to win back his love.¡±


    Tadeo felt saddened; he had hoped that one day she woulde to love him, but from the beginning, he knew that Mateo was the love of her life. He epted his defeat but vowed to always be by her side, ready to support her in whatever way he could. And woe betide Liardi if he ever hurt her.


    ¡°I have to get back to my office. Liardi sent me the files that Daria took from your uncle¡¯sputer.¡±


    ¡°So, you knew?¡± She felt upset hearing this.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°That Mateo got engaged to Daria so she would help him get those files.¡±


    ¡°I assumed it yesterday when he sent them to me.¡± She looked at him, trying to guess if what he said was true.


    ¡°Did you get my invitation to the bondage club event?¡± She asked, interested.


    ¡°Much to my dismay, yes, here it is. But I¡¯ll go with you; there¡¯s no way you¡¯re entering that ce alone.¡±


    Ava hugged him warmly; Tadeo was a very loyal friend who cared for her at all times. He had never confessed his true feelings to her, and he just sighed resignedly.


    The day of the event arrived, and Ava looked stunning. She wore a provocative wine-colored dress, the color she always used when trying to get Mateo¡¯s attention. The top part was made ofce, with long sleeves, and the sheer fabric revealed a small top of the same color. The dress was long, with two slits on the sides that showed off her legs. She looked sexy without appearing vulgar. Her hair was loose in waves, and she wore wine-colored heels to match the dress. Finally, she put on a ck mask with a small feather on one side.


    Upon seeing her, Tadeo thought she looked spectacr. He didn¡¯t know why she was so interested in this event. Maybe it was just curiosity. He knew that Mateo had taken her to the club before and what had happened there, but he didn¡¯t think she had developed a taste for such practices, at least not one she had let on.


    They entered the event arm in arm, and anyone would think they were a couple. Mateo, who was at the bar, saw them enter, but he didn¡¯t recognize them due to their masks. He admired the beauty of the girl but dismissed the idea that he might know her. He thought that he had never seen that couple in that ce before.


    Ava immediately recognized Mateo; to her, he was unmistakable despite the mask. He was leaning on the bar, sipping a drink, and chatting with Akiro.


    She observed the decoration of the ce; it was dimly lit, and hanging from above were cages with some girls dressed exotically swinging slowly to the rhythm of the music. The waiters wore gothic suits, all with masks.


    The center of the dance floor lit up, and a guy was bound, but this time not to a cross. He was kneeling, his hands tied behind his back, connected to his ankles by thin chains secured to his ankles, and he was shirtless, wearing only pants, with a blindfold over his eyes.


    Two girls twirled around him. Ava bit her lip, unable to avoid remembering the sensations that these types of games had once stirred in her body.


    The girls were dressed in ck leather tops and panties, and they had leather garters on their legs, wrists, and necks. One of them was running a small ice cube over different parts of the guy¡¯s body.


    Tadeo noticed that Ava was absorbed, watching the dance floor. It was normal for something like that to catch her attention.


    ¡°That technique is called ¡®fire and ice,''¡± he said.


    ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t understand the purpose of the ice.¡±


    ¡°They use a bnce between heat and cold, stimting nerve receptors in the skin. The game consists of leaving the erogenous zones forst, thus tormenting them,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Ufff.¡±


    ¡°Your cheeks have turned red, hahaha.¡±


    The girls on the dance floor continued their game. After a while, the guy began to shiver slightly. The girl paused for a moment and then continued running the ice over his body.


    The other girl took a small whip and began to give small strokes on some parts of the guy¡¯s body. The way the women moved was slow and enchanting.


    Ava looked for Mateo with her eyes. He was still at the bar, focused on what was happening on the dance floor. This was him, and she had to ept him as he was. If she forced him to suppress himself, sooner orter, that world would attract him again.


    Tadeo received an unexpected call at that moment. It was from the corporation, and he needed to go there promptly because a murder case hade up.


    ¡°Ava, I have to go to the corporation. I wouldn¡¯t like to leave you here. I can take you to your apartment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll stay,¡± she replied firmly.


    ¡°Ava, a ce like this could be dangerous for a girl alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s a very exclusive ce. No one can enter, and besides, Mateo and Akiro are here.¡± That was precisely what concerned Tadeo the most.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll call you as soon as I¡¯m done in case you want me to pick you up.¡± The detective realized it was futile to try to convince her.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tadeo left, very upset. He knew she had stayed there to get closer to Liardi. Once he left, Ava stood up and headed for the restroom, passing near Mateo and smiling at him.


    ¡°This girl looks familiar. I think I know who she is,¡± thought Mateo. When she returned, she walked toward him.


    ¡°Hello, sorry, I saw that your partner left. A ce like this isn¡¯t suitable for a girl to be alone if she¡¯s not familiar with the environment,¡± he said. In a way, she felt annoyed. Was this how he approached any woman? He was quite forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I stayed because I saw that a good friend is in this ce.¡±


    ¡°So, just a good friend? Am I really only that?¡± She smiled when she realized he recognized her.


    ¡°Hello, Mateo.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing in a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°Simple curiosity. I asked Tadeo to apany me.¡±


    ¡°I thought you looked familiar when I saw you both enter.¡±

 Who Are You?

    Ava didn¡¯t respond; she had refocused her attention on the dance floor. The girls had released the guy, leaving him with the blindfold, and they apanied him back to his table. He looked exhausted, and Ava remembered feeling the same way after that experience.


    Mateo offered her a drink, and they continued chatting and sipping their drinks. Ava noticed that the people at nearby tables gradually left until there were almost no more people in the room, only a few individuals still seated at the bar.


    ¡°Where did everyone go?¡± she asked, bewildered.


    ¡°This area is for getting to know people. Somee in pairs, others don¡¯t. Afterward, they continue the night in the rooms located down that hallway.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I go out to have some fun once, and I think I might have to leave early,¡± she said with a smile, looking him in the eyes. It was clear that thest thing she wanted was to leave.


    ¡°You can leave or stay with me and go into one of those rooms,¡± Mateo went all in. The worst that could happen was her rejecting him.


    Ava was determined not to refuse hispany; she wanted him to make her feel, to experience that rush again. She missed waking up in his arms. She took out her phone and sent a message to Tadeo, not wanting him to worry.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tempting invitation, Mr. Liardi,¡± she said, softly biting her lower lip.


    He stood up, took her hand, and at the bar, Akiro, who was with Ima, noticed how his friend left with that girl in the direction of the rooms. ¡°I think he has finally decided to forget about Ava,¡± he thought.


    Inside the room, Ava felt nervous. The ce wasfortable, though the decor was somewhat extravagant, with ck, white, and red colors. Therge bed was framed by four leather-covered columns. Next to it, there was arge X with leather straps at each end.


    In front of the bed, an unusual elongated chair was ced. At the back, there was something like a cage, and on the wall, as if it were a painting, various whips, floggers, and other essories for bondage practices were hanging. She recognized them from her inte research.


    On a piece of furniture, she found arge ceramic te with several envelopes of condoms and next to them, small devices shaped like lipstick. She guessed that these were the ones used to deliver the small shocks to her skin.


    Mateo remained silent, just observing her as she explored the room, curious about everything. He took two sses and a bottle of wine from a small table in front of arge armchair.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and have a drink. It might help calm your nerves,¡± he said as he picked up a small remote control. Immediately, soft music filled the room.


    Ava smiled and sat down next to him. She took the ss he offered, brought it to her lips, and then ran her tongue over them. Mateo smiled and leaned in, kissing her passionately.


    She realized that the alcohol was starting to make Grecia feel merry. She stood up; she wanted this night to be unforgettable for him. She knew she had no experience, but she intended to apply what she had seen on the inte.


    She began to move very slowly to the rhythm of the music, gently sliding her dress down, until she was only in her underwear. She remembered a scene she had seen in some video and headed for the cage, entering it and continuing to dance inside. Her movements were somewhat clumsy due to her inexperience, but even so, Mateo found her enchanting. A certain part of his body had awakened.


    She left the cage and took him by the hand, leading him to a chair. This chair had restraints at each end. She began to unbutton his shirt and tossed it aside. Then, she gently pushed him into the chair and tied his feet and hands to the ends. He had never allowed himself to be tied up before; he was always the one doing the tying. But he wanted to see how far this girl would go.


    She didn¡¯t blindfold him; she continued to dance sensually in front of him. She sat on top of him with her legs spread apart, took his face in her hands, and began to kiss him. Just at that moment, the door burst open unexpectedly, revealing ra with anger in her red eyes. She had seen them enter the room, and she had bribed an employee to get a card to enter.


    Ava was taken aback and couldn¡¯t react in time. ra grabbed her by the hair and threw her backward. Akiro, who happened to be passing by, saw ra enter and managed to arrive in time to pull her away from Grecia.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t do anything from his bound position, thinking, ¡°That crazy woman! How dare she touch Grecia?¡±


    Akiro held ra while Grecia released Mateo. Only then did Akiro notice that his friend was tied up. He was on the verge of bursting intoughter but managed to hold it back.


    The scene seemedical to him. ra, the madwoman, was shouting insults as if unhinged, Grecia was in her underwear, and Mateo was tied to a chair, looking rather unhappy. He wished he could take a picture of the scene; he would have material to tease his friend with for a long time.


    Mateo asked Akiro to take ra away; he was furious. He would settle scores with herter. If he did it now, he might do something foolish.


    When Akiro and ra left, Mateo sat down next to Grecia, not knowing what to say. He thought she would run away from there at any moment, but she didn¡¯t. When he approached her, she hugged him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all of this,¡± he said, genuinely embarrassed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°No, she was my partner a while ago. If you want, I can take you home, understanding that tonight has been enough.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    They dressed in silence. That harpy had aplished her goal; she had ruined their night. When she left, Ava wished she could be invisible. She lowered her head as she passed in front of Akiro.


    She indicated to Mateo where her apartment was. He could see that it was Tadeo¡¯s building.


    ¡°Do you live with Tadeo?¡± he asked, hoping for a negative answer.


    ¡°Oh no, I live in another apartment.¡±


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡± Mateo didn¡¯t want the night to end that way.


    Ava knew he couldn¡¯te in. He might see L and realize who she really was. Worse, if her son woke up and started crying, she would be in serious trouble. Just imagining it sent a shiver down her spine.


    ¡°Maybe another day. For now, I¡¯m a bit tired and would like to rest.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Mateo said, knowing she was upset about what had happened, and she had every right to be.


    He gave her a kiss goodbye. He liked this girl and wasn¡¯t going to let her slip away. He wanted her by his side.


    In the morning, Akiro went to his office, wanting to know how things had gone with Grecia.


    ¡°Fratello, ra really stirred things up.¡±


    ¡°That woman is like a thorn in my side.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha.¡±


    ¡°What are youughing at now?¡± he asked, annoyed.


    ¡°Only these kinds of things happen to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡±


    ¡°For you, no! Ha, ha, ha! By the way, I remind you that the circuit race is next week-53ps around the circuit.¡±


    ¡°I know, I haven¡¯t forgotten. My grandfather will be furious when he finds out I¡¯m attending again.¡±


    At that moment, Akiro¡¯s phone rang. It was a message from Ima.


    ¡°Brother, I got a message from Ima. She has the results of the investigation on Grecia. Get ready because I think you won¡¯t like it.¡±


    Ima sent the investigation results by email to Mateo.


    Name: Grecia De Luca.


    Age: 20 years.


    ce of Birth: Zurich, Switzend.


    Father: Aliat De Luca.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Mother: Lena De Luca.


    Education: Completed a degree in Arts at the University of Arts in Zurich, then continued her studies at the conservatory of music in the same city.


    Partner: Tadeo Bludosky.


    Mateo called Ima because the information was quite concise.


    ¡°Anytime.¡±


    ¡°Ima, thanks for the information. Was it verified?¡±


    ¡°I could only confirm that a Grecia De Luca did study at that university and at the conservatory.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too strange and convenient. Could you check the medical records of clinics to see if Ava Miller is registered for any surgeries in the past year, please?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mateo. Just keep in mind that it may take me a bit longer to ess the clinical records. There are several hospitals and clinics in Zurich. You¡¯ll need to be patient.¡±


    ¡°I will wait as long as necessary. I need to know if what I¡¯m thinking is true. Maybe my need to find Ava is making me suspicious of Grecia, and perhaps I¡¯m mistaken in this, but I need to be sure.¡±

 Suspicions

    Since the day they met at the club, Grecia had been avoiding Mateo. He had tried to contact her, but she didn¡¯t answer his calls.


    Later, Mateo went to ra¡¯s apartment, knocked on the door, and she opened it with a smile.


    ¡°I knew you would end up looking for me,¡± she said when she saw him, smiling. ¡°No stupid woman would give you what I¡¯ve given you.¡±


    ¡°The only fool here is you,¡± Mateo replied, visibly furious as he remembered what she had done. He reached out and grabbed her by the throat, squeezing tightly. She began to cough, her eyes widening in distress. Mateo¡¯s grip didn¡¯t loosen; he had no intention of hurting her physically, only scaring her away.


    ra couldn¡¯t believe what Mateo was doing. In her twisted imagination, he loved her, and she couldn¡¯t fathom what was happening. After a few minutes, he released her, but to her, it felt like hours.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± she cried.


    ¡°This is your final warning, ra,¡± Mateo warned her sternly.


    ¡°Don¡¯te near me again, especially not Grecia or anyone else in my life.¡±


    ¡°But Mateo, you love me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t love you, understand it once and for all,¡± Mateo said firmly.


    ¡°I want you out of my life. What happened between us was merely a mutual agreement for pleasure. We promised not to involve emotions, and if that changed, we¡¯d part ways. You agreed to that.¡±


    ¡°Mateo, please look at me. I know you¡¯re confused.¡±


    She took his face in her hands, but Mateo quickly pped them away.


    ¡°Try that again, and you won¡¯t make it out alive. You know me; I¡¯ll make sure to ruin you in such a way that you¡¯d wish you were dead. Come to thepany tomorrow for your settlement; you¡¯re no longer the main model for my brand.¡±


    Mateo regretted the way he had treated women before meeting Ava, but in any case, they were all familiar with that environment, and they all knew very well that they shouldn¡¯t get emotionally involved. It was just a kind of game, an arrangement where they agreed to give and receive pleasure.


    He sent a message to Grecia, although he had lost hope that she would reply, he would continue trying.


    ¡°Ciao be.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¨C No response.


    ¡°Can we meet?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¨C Still no response.


    Ava saw the notifications but didn¡¯t open the messages. She was too embarrassed about her behavior at the club. Alcohol had given her courage, but the next day, when she remembered what had happened, she didn¡¯t want to face it and felt incredibly ashamed.


    The next day, she had a performance at a theater, and fortunately, all the tickets had sold out quickly. She was bing well-known and was often referred to as the sexy pianist. Everyone agreed that her performances were excellent.


    She spent the day in rehearsals and finalizing details for the event, so she didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on her behavior.


    On the night of the event, the audience had already taken their seats inside the theater. Backstage, Ava was very nervous, which was normal for her before performances. She walked out to y, giving it her all, and as always, the audience gave her a standing ovation. It was a delight to witness one of her concerts.


    Afterward, she headed to her dressing room, walking down the long hallway. When she arrived, he was there, leaning against the door. ¡°God!¡± Every time she saw him, he seemed more handsome. The stubble on his face made him look so sexy, and not to mention those arms with all those muscles. She tried to walk past him, but he stopped her, grabbing her by the arm.


    ¡°Beautiful, has something happened? Why are you avoiding me?¡± Mateo asked.


    ¡°Mateo, it shouldn¡¯t have happened. What urred the other night wasn¡¯t right.¡±


    It was true that she was determined to win him back, but she didn¡¯t want to be just another one-night stand. The truth was, with a man like him, it was impossible not to think of something more than just chatting. She held back when he was around, although she felt a strong urge to throw herself into his arms and kiss him.


    ¡°Understanding that maybe we didn¡¯t start off on the right foot, let¡¯s start over. I know you feel the same way about me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the right way, Mr. Liardi.¡±


    She extended her hand to him as a sign of greeting. Mateo took it and nted a warm kiss on it while looking into her eyes. Faced with that, Ava had no possible defenses to resist, and she gave him a sexy smile.


    ¡°Miss De Luca, are you trying to seduce me with that beautiful smile?¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re hopeless, Liardi.¡±


    He apanied her into the dressing room and waited in the small lounge while she changed, as he was going to take her out for dinner. There was a knock on the door, and when it opened, Tadeo stood there.


    ¡°Liardi, what are you doing in my fianc¨¦e¡¯s dressing room?¡±


    ¡°I think she should answer that, not me,¡± Mateo replied with a malicious smile.


    Tadeo couldn¡¯t stand the man¡¯s immense ego. Without thinking twice, he punched Mateo in the face, catching him off guard, and he fell backward. At that moment, Ava emerged from the dressing room, rushed to Mateo¡¯s side, helped him up, and held a handkerchief to the corner of his bleeding mouth. Mateo considered retaliating, but he didn¡¯t want to put Grecia in a dilemma, and it would ruin their evening. He would settle the score with the detectiveter.


    ¡°Tadeo, what are you doing? Please leave,¡± Ava pleaded.


    ¡°Greys, I¡¯m sorry, but this guy pushed me to my limits. You should stay away from him before he hurts you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something you shouldn¡¯t get involved in; I¡¯ll figure it out myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. That scumbag will eventually reveal his true colors.¡±


    Mateo lunged at him. He had been restraining himself, but Ava stepped between them to stop him.


    ¡°Tadeo, go now.¡±


    The detective left, knowing that she had to contact him, as he was the one leading the investigation into Teodoro and the deaths of her parents.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I am. It was nothing. Thanks for asking. I hope you won¡¯t have any more problems with your boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Things between us haven¡¯t been good for a long time.¡± Mateo¡¯s ears perked up at that.


    Shortly afterward, they headed to the restaurant. While they waited for their dinner, she noticed that when she thought she wasn¡¯t looking, he would stare at her intently, as if searching for something on her face.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Mateo?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing in particr.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking at me in a way that makes me feel strange.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I think it¡¯s normal for me to look at the girl I like that way.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even believe it himself,¡± she thought. Something was going on. Maybe he already knew who she was? No, that couldn¡¯t be; he wouldn¡¯t be so calm. He noticed her nervousness.


    ¡°Is something happening?¡±


    ¡°The drink is a bit strong, and you know I¡¯m not great at drinking.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°This weekend is the race at the next circuit. I¡¯d like you to apany me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± she said excitedly. It would be the first time she saw himpete in something she knew he was passionate about.


    ¡°It will be in Monza, just over seven hours from here.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s quite far.¡± If she went with him, it meant spending a lot of time together, and maybe she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist her desire to be intimate with him. Besides, she would have to leave Matt alone with L for that long.


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just saying.¡± Of course, she wanted to apany him. She took her ss and took a long sip of wine.


    He smiled, that side smile she liked so much. She admired every one of his gestures, every feature of his face. She had missed all of this before. She approached him and gently traced his face with her fingertips.


    Mateo stayed still, remembering that Ava had done that before as a way to recognize his face. She reacted to what she was doing and quickly withdrew her hands. He changed the subject immediately; he didn¡¯t want her to realize his suspicions.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be traveling with Akiro and Ima.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Once you get to know them better, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get along with them. They¡¯re very pleasant.¡±


    Ava remembered seeing them at the engagement party, sitting at the same table, but they hadn¡¯t been formally introduced to her as Grecia.


    ¡°I saw them on the day of your engagement party and at the club that night. I¡¯m so embarrassed about Akiro.¡± She covered her face with her hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My friend is very respectful. Now, on the trip, I¡¯ll introduce you properly.¡±


    Mateo knew that during this trip, with the help of Akiro and Ima, it would be easier to find out if she was really who she imed to be.


    In the morning at the corporate office, Cam found it increasingly difficult to maintain the appearance of a good girl. So far, she hadn¡¯t achieved anything with Mateo, and she thought that by presenting a different image than he was used to, he might notice her. It was all that woman¡¯s fault, and she would make her pay. Grecia De Luca had to disappear from Mateo Liardi¡¯s life.


    She was lost in her thoughts when a girl stood in front of her, and it was ra.


    ¡°Is Mateo here?¡±


    ¡°No, miss. Mr. Liardi hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Who should I say is looking for him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ra.¡±


    ¡°Miss ra, nice to meet you. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you here at thepany.¡±


    ¡°Wow, employees gossip as always.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your dismissal.¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re so talkative, has a girl named Grecia been around here? Have you seen her near Mateo?¡±

 In the competition

    The secretary looked at ra, it was her chance to undermine Grecia.


    ¡°Yes! Miss, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll get into trouble for this, but yes, that woman alwayses to look for the boss and takes him away with her,¡± she said.


    So the two women continued their conversation. ra saw Cam as a great ally against Grecia. She helped her and would keep her informed about Mateo. They agreed to meet at lunchtime.


    Meanwhile, Teodoro Miller wished to see Grecia again. He had attended the concert the night before and had nned to sneak into her dressing room to find her. However, when he arrived, she was apanied by the annoying Mateo Liardi. So he chose to leave, knowing he would find another opportunity to let her know he was willing to do anything for her.


    On Friday afternoon, Mateo picked up Grecia. He waited in the car for her toe out, and when she did, she looked beautiful. She was wearing a short ck dress with long sleeves that left her shoulders bare. Stylish ck ankle bootspleted the outfit. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and dark sunsses gave her an enigmatic appearance. Mateo got out of the car to help her with her luggage.


    ¡°Ciao be,¡± he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°Hello, handsome.¡±


    Grecia smiled, something he liked. However, that smile reminded him much more of Ava. They got into the car and headed to the airport, where Mateo¡¯s private jet was already ready. Ima and Akiro were already there.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Ava greeted politely.


    ¡°Hello, Miss De Luca. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve had the opportunity to formally introduce ourselves. I¡¯m Akiro Tadoshi, and this is my wife, Ima,¡± he said.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Miss De Luca,¡± Ima greeted with a smile.


    ¡°Grecia, just Grecia, please.¡±


    Shortly after, they boarded the jet. Ava still felt a bit nervous about flying; it would be the second time since she had regained her sight. An advantage was that she could now appreciate thendscape.


    The jet was impressive, a German design. Mateo gave her a brief tour, and the interior surprised her. It had wooden, white, and ck tones. Rather than the interior of a jet, it resembled a luxurious house. An oval-shaped lounge was in front of arge built-in screen on the wall. There was a small bar to the side, and near the windows were individual leather seats. It was equipped with arge kitchen, and at the end of the ne was the bedroom, which was spacious and modern. Arge bed was in the center, and the bathroom had a steam sauna. ¡°Quite extravagant,¡± Ava thought. ¡°How many women has Mateo brought to this ce?¡±


    She left the room and sat in one of the individual seats by the window, marveling at the scenery. Mateo brought her a cocktail and sat across from her. They traveled in silence, with him watching her and her lost in her thoughts.


    The journey took several hours, and when theynded, Max was already waiting to take them to the hotel. ¡°As always, this man teleporting around,¡± Ava thought about Max and smiled.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Mateo didn¡¯t like the way Ava was looking at Max, perhaps he was overreacting, but he couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°No, I just remembered something.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Mateo took her hand to get into the van. Ava avoided starting a conversation with Akiro and Ima; she didn¡¯t want them to recognize her.


    Shortly after, they arrived at the hotel where all thepetition participants would be staying for the event the next day. Ava¡¯s room was next to Mateo¡¯s, while Akiro and Ima stayed on the same floor.


    Later, Mateo went out onto the balcony, where Ava was. He noticed that she was carefully observing everything. He hopped over the small railing that separated their rooms, took her by the waist, and gave her a long kiss. It felt so good to be with her.


    Few things can provide that sense of tranquility like being with the person you love. That¡¯s how she felt, but she wasn¡¯t sure if he felt the same way.


    Mateo began to exin how thepetition would work and what it was about. That night, the drivers had to retire early to rest because they would need all their skill and concentration. A small mistake could be fatal since they would be driving at high speeds, and there would be several drivers from different nationalities.


    ¡°The circuit measures 5. 796 kilometers, and toplete a Grand Prix, you need to do 53ps, totaling 306. 72 kilometers. The track has 11 curves, and you can race at speeds of up to 330 kilometers per hour.


    We will have three sessions of free practice, eachsting an hour. Two of them will be tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, in the afternoon, we¡¯ll have the qualifying session divided into three sessions to form the starting grid for the big race.


    Thepetition willst for approximately two hours, but it could go up to four hours depending on red gs. I hope there won¡¯t be a need to suspend the race due to idents.¡±


    Ava became worried when she heard this. It was a very high speed. She almost asked him not to do it, but she stopped herself. She understood that this was him and that was his essence. Adrenaline was a part of his life, and she knew it, whether she liked it or not, she epted it.


    They went down to dinner with their friends, and at the restaurant, they met the other drivers. One of the guys kept looking over in their direction. He was tall, muscr, and very good-looking, which didn¡¯t sit well with Akiro and Mateo, who noticed his interest.


    Ava got up for a moment to go to the bathroom, and as she passed by where the guy was, he approached her and greeted her cheerfully, introducing himself.


    ¡°Hi there, darling. My name is Javi. What¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°Grecia,¡± she replied, not wanting to be impolite. After all, the guy was just introducing himself.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re with Liardi and Tadoshi. I¡¯ll bepeting against them for the championship on the circuit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! I wish all thepetitors good luck.¡±


    ¡°My car is marked with the number eight, so cheer for me, beautiful.¡±


    Ava was intrigued by the guy¡¯s cheerful way of speaking, and his ent amused her. She was about to reply when she felt an arm around her waist ¨C it was Mateo.


    ¡°Is everything okay, love?¡± he asked, trying not to show his jealousy.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just chatting with Javi; he¡¯s one of thepetitors,¡± Ava replied. ¡°Javi? Since when did Ava know that guy¡¯s name?¡± Mateo wondered.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen you in previouspetitions,¡± Mateo recognized the guy.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Liardi. Javi R¨ªos, nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a pleasure topete against you,¡± Mateo said with a smile.


    They said goodbye to Javi, and Ava continued her way to the bathroom, while Mateo returned to the table. Akiro and Ima had observed the scene.


    ¡°Seeing is believing, the great Mateo Liardi showed jealousy,¡± Akiro couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, fratello. It¡¯s just a precaution; we don¡¯t know his intentions,¡± Mateo replied.


    ¡°I see, we¡¯ll add precaution,¡± Ima said whileughing.


    Mateo and Grecia were a couple who attracted a lot of attention. She was stunningly beautiful, and he was a true Adonis ¨C the perfect couple, some thought when they saw them without any ulterior motives. However, there were also those who wanted to catch their attention.


    They retired to their rooms early to let the guys rest. The next morning, Mateo had breakfast with Ava very early in his room. Qualifying would be at noon, and he needed to prepare. After breakfast, he kissed her goodbye.


    The same happened the following day. The girls stayed at the hotel; they didn¡¯t want to distract the guys. However, they would be present on the day of thepetition.


    They had breakfast in the room again, and Mateo had to contain himself when he was close to her. He had immense desires to caress her body, but he didn¡¯t want her to think he only wanted her for that. Before leaving for the circuit, he approached her and gave her a tender kiss.


    ¡°My car is number 10; wish me luck,¡± he smiled and winked yfully. Ava melted at his gesture.


    Later, Ava met up with Ima in the lobby. Max would take them to the location of thepetition, and they would support the guys throughout. A brte woman caught Ava¡¯s attention, and she was sure it was ra. She pointed her out to Ima, but when they turned to look, she was gone.


    At the circuit, one by one, they announced the guys. It was Javi¡¯s turn, and before getting into his car, he ran in front of Ava and handed her a flower. She felt embarrassed; she knew Mateo wouldn¡¯t like that.


    Mateo was introduced before Akiro, and Ava was very nervous, as was the other guy. Before getting into his car, Mateo ran towards where she was and gave her a passionate kiss. The attention of the people at that moment was on Ava.


    ¡°Would any other guy do the same?¡± they wondered as they watched him.


    Akiro was also introduced, and like Mateo, he approached Ima and nted a kiss on her. Although it was unusual for them to disy affection due to their culture, Ima was surprised by his behavior.

 Nobody Touches What鈥檚 Mine

    The grid wasposed of 20 drivers in 10 teams. After four hours, several pit stops, and a few idents, the race came to an end. Ava was a bundle of nerves. The German driver finished first, Mateo came in second, Akiro in third, and Javi in fourth.


    Mateo wore a special suit, it was ck, snug to his body, with long sleeves, and hisst name was engraved on the back in red letters. He looked very handsome. Ava and Ima had put on T-shirts to support the guys. They were white with theirst names engraved on the back in ck.


    After the awards ceremony, they decided to go out and celebrate because even though they didn¡¯t finish in first ce, they had achieved good positions. They went up to their rooms to change.


    Minutester, Mateo knocked on Grecia¡¯s door. She opened it immediately and looked stunning. She was wearing a tight-fitting, pale pink dress that was backless and had a high neckline. Her hair was styled in a very high ponytail with gentle waves at the end, and her makeup and eyeliner gave her a feline appearance.


    ¡°You look very beautiful, principessa. I¡¯ll be the envy of many tonight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not far behind, Mr. Lombardi.¡±


    ¡°Then I better not let Miss De Luca down.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I assure you, Mr. Liardi, I won¡¯t.¡±


    Mateo took her by the waist, and they walked to the elevator, where Ima and Akiro were already waiting.


    ¡°Tonight is all about fun,¡± Akiromented.


    The four of them entered the elevator,ughing and joking.


    The hotel had organized the celebration, and all the participants were present. The atmosphere and music were great. Mateo immediately pulled Ava onto the dance floor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Grecia. Let¡¯s show them how Italians move.¡±


    A rhythmic music yed, and they began to move in tune with it. Both of them were great dancers.


    Javi watched Ava in awe. She knew how to move those hips. Later, when Mateo and Akiro went to the bar for drinks, the girls continued dancing and having fun to the music. Suddenly, Ava felt someone¡¯s arms around her from behind ¨C it was Javi.


    ¡°Come on, gorgeous, let¡¯s dance.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Javi, I¡¯m with my boyfriend. He might get upset. It¡¯s better if you stay away.¡±


    ¡°Come on, girl, don¡¯t be a party pooper.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not hearing what she said. Stay away from her.¡±


    Mateo was furious. Seeing that the guy wasn¡¯t listening, he delivered a strong punch, and the guy¡¯s nose started bleeding.


    He reacted immediately, throwing punches right and left at Mateo, immediately other guys approached to try to separate them, but only ended up hitting each other, it turned into a melee.


    ¡°Ima and Ava pulled the boys and took them out of that ce.


    ¡°Guys, why didn¡¯t you let us continue, we were giving them what they deserved,¡± Akiro said excitedly.


    ¡°That idiot dared to touch you, Greys, he already showed him that no one touches what is mine.¡±


    Ava blushed, Mateo stared at her intently, they returned to their rooms, she invited him toe into hers.


    ¡°Our night got ruined and I wanted to keep dancing,¡± Mateo said while lowering his head.


    She put on soft music, ¡°Who says we can¡¯t still do it,¡± she said as she approached and put her arms around his neck.


    They started moving slowly, a gentle sway, they joined their lips while continuing to dance, before they knew it, they were in the room undressing, just as Ava had thought, it was impossible not to sumb to temptation being by his side.


    Mateoid her down on the bed, kissed every inch of her body, he didn¡¯t know if he would be the first or not, but from now on he wanted to be the only one, in his bed and in his heart.


    He made love to her in a desperate way, moving inside her with total frenzy. In the room, only whispers, moans, and gasps could be heard, it was easy to guess what was happening, she let out a slight scream, before reaching climax. Mateo couldn¡¯t help but mention Ava¡¯s name.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ava, my beautiful Ava.


    She stood petrified, looking at him, trying to guess if what she had heard was that he knew it was her, otherwise she would have to pretend to be angry.


    ¡°Grecia, I¡¯m sorry, I truly apologize, I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡± Mateo was very apologetic, understanding that what he had done was terrible, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it if someone did the same to him.


    She turned around pretending to be upset, but inside she was happy, she knew he still loved her.


    In the morning when Ava woke up, she realized that Mateo¡¯s arm and leg were draped over her body. It felt so good to have him close. She needed to find a way to tell him the truth, she couldn¡¯t keep deceiving him. She loved him too much. He woke up and looked at her, their eyes met, and they stayed that way for a while, gazing at each other.


    Someone knocked on the door, Mateo got dressed before opening it, and it was Akiro.


    ¡°Fratello, I looked for you in your room, I figured you¡¯d be here.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Remember that the event organizers asked us to gather all the participants of the race, those who wanted to could go skydiving.¡±


    ¡°I had forgotten, we¡¯ll catch up with them at the restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Akiro stepped aside with a smile on his lips.


    ¡°Grecia, we¡¯re meeting up with the guys, we¡¯re going skydiving. Do you want toe?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± h was excited to jump again. She got nervous on nes, but she remembered the adrenaline rush and wanted to experience it again. Plus, this time she would truly enjoy the marvelous view.


    ¡°Have you ever jumped before?¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯d like to.¡±


    Ava wasn¡¯t really lying; it would be like the first time for her.


    At the restaurant, they met up with the whole group, including Javi and other guys who came to apologize.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for what happened. I didn¡¯t act right,¡± the guy was genuinely embarrassed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s forget about the past,¡± Ava replied.


    ¡°Apology epted, just don¡¯te near my girl again. Stay away,¡± Mateo said, hugging Grecia as he said it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liardi, I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    After breakfast, the group headed to the airport, where they would board several small nes to make their jumps.


    At the airport, Ava thought she saw ra again but dismissed it as her imagination.


    On the ne, Ava was sweating profusely. Mateo approached her.


    ¡°Grecia, you don¡¯t have to be nervous. You¡¯ll see it¡¯s something you¡¯ll enjoy. As soon as you jump, you¡¯ll forget those nerves.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± she replied with a smile.


    Mateo couldn¡¯t help but remember when he jumped with Ava. Now he would jump with Grecia in tandem, just like he did with her. For a moment, a look of sadness crossed his face.


    ¡°Are you okay, my friend?¡± Akiro asked.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, fratello, just a memory from the past.¡±


    Ava could guess which memory he was talking about when she heard him.


    The three people apanying him immediately understood which memory he was referring to.


    Ava and Mateo put on their gear, adjusted their harnesses, and jumped after Akiro and Ima. Just like thest time, when they jumped, Mateo let out a loud shout of exhration; he loved skydiving.


    Ava finally got to enjoy the scenery. Everything looked so small from that height, and the rush of adrenaline was even more intense than the first time. She wished that moment couldst forever. The other guys also jumped, and several parachutes opened in the air, creating a wonderful spectacle as the organizers promoted their brands.


    Thending was perfect, and they touched down on a beach. After removing their harnesses, Ava kissed Mateo. She loved that man, but he had no idea in what way.


    As always, M¨¢x was waiting for them near where theynded. She wondered if that man had a family.


    Upon returning to the hotel, the other guys from the group began to arrive. They gathered in the lobby to say goodbye, having forgotten any problems caused by alcohol consumption. They agreed to meet again the following year, and the hotel management offered them a farewell toast.


    Later, they headed to their rooms to pack their bags. In the elevator, Ava and Mateo stood at the back, and Mateo put his hand on her behind. Ava turnedpletely red, which caused him tough.


    ¡°In two hours, we¡¯ll be heading to the airport, be,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pack my luggage.¡±


    Shortly after, Ava received a message from Mateo asking her toe to his room. She headed there, and upon arrival, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. When she entered, the scene she found left her frozen. She couldn¡¯t stop tears from streaming down her face. An imaginary, sharp dagger plunged into her chest. She didn¡¯t say anything, just turned around and ran away. Inside the room,ughter could be heard.


    It was ra, whoy naked next to the lifeless and naked body of Mateo. She quickly got dressed and wanted to leave before he woke up. But before she left, she dressed him and walked outughing. It had been worth every coin she paid to the guy who had distributed the drinks at the farewell toast, putting a substance in Mateo¡¯s drink.


    Ava ran as fast as she could to her room. She felt as if her heart had shattered into a thousand pieces. As soon as she entered, she closed the door. She had to lean against the wall; she felt like she had lost all her strength. Mateo had betrayed her in the worst way. Was this the man who imed to love her? He was aplete scoundrel.

 Forget About Her

    ray naked next to Mateo¡¯s lifeless and naked body. She quickly dressed and wanted to leave before he woke up. But before leaving, she dressed him and walked outughing. It had been worth every coin she paid to the guy who had distributed the drinks at the farewell toast, putting a substance in Mateo¡¯s drink.


    After entering his room, Mateo felt very dizzy and lost consciousness when hey down. ra took advantage of this to enter and send a message to Ava from Mateo¡¯s phone, which unlocked with his fingerprint. She undressed herself and did the same to him, theny down next to him, waiting for Ava to arrive.


    In her room, Ava was packing her things. She wanted to leave immediately. But when she calmed down, she realized it wasn¡¯t logical for Mateo to send her a message asking her to find him with another woman. Something was off. She returned to the room and found him unconscious. She tried to wake him up, but he didn¡¯t respond. She immediately called Akiro, who arrived quickly.


    They tried various ways to wake him up but were unsessful. They called an ambnce, which arrived promptly. Grecia got into the ambnce with him. Paramedics tried to revive him without sess. His vital signs were very weak. When they arrived at the hospital, doctors took him to the emergency area. Grecia, Akiro, and Ima waited in the waiting area.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Akiro asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I was in my room, packing my luggage. Shortly after, I received a message from Mateo asking me to go to his room. When I got there, the door was ajar. Inside, I found him naked and lying in bed, and ra was with him. I left the room immediately and returned to my room, intending to leave. But when I calmed down, I realized it wasn¡¯t logical for him to call me to find him with another woman. When I went back, something was wrong. He was dressed but unconscious. That¡¯s why I called you.¡±


    ¡°That damn ra! We¡¯ll have to take extreme measures to get her to leave them alone,¡± Akiro said angrily. ra¡¯s madness had crossed all limits.


    Ima brought Grecia some tea to help calm her down, as she couldn¡¯t stop crying. After a few hours, a doctor approached them.


    ¡°Family of Mr. Liardi?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s us,¡± Akiro replied.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi is out of danger. A few more minutes, and we wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything for him. The dose of narcotics he ingested was too high.¡±


    ¡°Narcotics?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he ingested a mixture of various narcotics, so we¡¯ll have to report it to the authorities.¡±


    ¡°We will file aint. My friend doesn¡¯t use such substances; he never has.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a medical report to provide to the authorities.¡±


    ¡°Grecia, Ima will stay here with you. I¡¯ll go back to the hotel to obtain and review the camera footage. There must be something in those recordings that can show us what happened.¡±


    ¡°I hope they can catch that woman. I thought I saw her during thepetition andter at the airport, but I thought it was my imagination.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a dangerous lunatic. You must be very careful.¡±


    Akiro left, andter, the doctor informed Ava that she could go in to see Mateo. The authorities would arriveter to take statements from witnesses. Mateo would take a while to wake up since he was under the influence of strong sedatives.


    Ava went in to see him, and it hurt to see him in that bed, with wires all over his body, connected to those machines. She approached him, kissed his forehead, sat by his side, held his hand, and began talking to him.


    ¡°I love you. I couldn¡¯t bear to lose you again, especially not like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for leaving. It was the worst decision of my life. I should have believed in you, in your sincere love. But I was so scared.¡±


    The machine he was connected to started making a strange sound, and the doctors rushed in. They asked Ava to leave. Ima tried tofort her as she trembled and sobbed.


    When the doctors came out, Ava tried to go back in.


    ¡°We managed to stabilize the patient. I don¡¯t know what happened to upset him like that. Mr. Liardi has already awakened, and he specifically requested that you, Miss Ava, not enter again. He asked me to convey his wish not to see you again, so I kindly request, for the sake of the patient, that you leave.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t know what to say. Could it be possible that he had heard what she had said?


    Meanwhile, Mateo had mixed feelings. On one hand, he felt like he couldn¡¯t live without her, but on the other hand, he couldn¡¯t forgive her for ying with his heart and his feelings. After some time, he made a difficult decision ¨C from that moment on, Ava Miller no longer existed for him.


    He would try to erase her from his life, his mind, and his heart. If only she had told him the truth when he found her at the airport, but she chose to mock him in the worst way possible. From now on, he closed his heart. He would go back to being who he was before. It would be hard to forget her, but he had to aplish it.


    Meanwhile, in a nightclub, a woman danced rhythmically on a stage. Her movements were filled with eroticism and rhythm within a conducive environment for desire. Slowly, she got rid of the clothes that hindered her.


    The spectators saw this provocative figure that captured their attention and souls through her beauty, like a fantastic siren.


    Tadeo had entered that ce. He needed to forget. He wasn¡¯t good at managing his emotions. As soon as he entered, the image that woman projected on the stage caught his attention.


    The woman was slim but in good shape. She saw Tadeo sitting at that table, his loneliness creating an aura of mystery around him. She approached and began moving provocatively. Tadeo¡¯s body reacted immediately ¨C he had already forgotten when was thest time he had been intimate with a woman.


    The detective felt the temperature of the ce rise. He began sweating profusely. The woman spread her legs and moved her hips rhythmically, going up and down on his legs without touching him, while looking into his eyes. The ce was dimly lit, but he could notice adorable freckles adorning her face. She hadn¡¯t bothered to cover them up, as she didn¡¯t like wearing too much makeup.


    Tadeo took out some bills and ced them inside her cleavage. Her clothing was minimal, as she undressed while dancing ¨C it was her job in that ce.


    The woman smiled at him, ran her tongue over her plump lips, and whispered in his ear, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in my dressing room, handsome.¡±


    He felt his skin tingle. That woman was pure fire ¨C oozing sensuality from every pore. After saying that, she moved away.


    Tadeo ordered a few more drinks to gain courage and headed to the dressing room, determined to forget about Ava. She didn¡¯t give any value to his feelings and had hurt his heart, just like Mateo. When something went wrong, he sought forbidden sensations in the darkness.


    By day, he was the impable detective that everyone knew, but at night, he let his instincts run wild, cloaked in the shadows of the night.


    He had decided to change when he became infatuated with Ava, longing to see the girl who stole his heart when they were children. It made him build castles in the air, but he had to face the bitter reality that she didn¡¯t love him, her heart belonged to someone else.


    He entered a long hallway, illuminated by neon lights, with no idea which door led to that girl¡¯s dressing room. A guy dressed in an exotic outfit came out of one of those doors. He was very tall, wearing stiletto heels, fis stockings, and very little clothing. A feather stole adorned his neck, and his makeup was a bit exaggerated. He had a painted mole next to his red lips. He approached Tadeo and asked in a deep voice, pretending to be sexy.


    ¡°Are the angels falling from heaven? Because if they are, save two for me, my beauty.¡±


    This amused Tadeo. This guy seemed very confident despite theical image he projected.


    ¡°Haha, my wings fell a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°And tell me, what brings you here? By the way, I¡¯m Tony, but you can call me sweetheart, cutie.¡± Tadeo just smiled at his craziness.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the brte girl who danced earlier. She asked me to find her in her dressing room.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. You mean Aphrodite. Her dressing room is that one, thest one at the end of the hallway.¡±


    Tadeo thanked him and turned around to head towards the girl¡¯s dressing room. In the distance, he could hear anotherpliment from that guy.


    ¡°God! That chair looks perfect for me to sit on.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help butugh at these antics, shaking his head from side to side. He reached the door and knocked, and the girl opened it, inviting him in.


    ¡°Hello, cutie. I thought you wouldn¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Here I am, beauty.¡±


    The woman wasn¡¯t used to wasting time or beating around the bush. She smiled at him, dropped her robe, revealing herpletely naked body. Tadeo was bewildered; this girl was pure fire.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She kissed him passionately, took his hand, and led him to a chair in the room. She helped him undress and then pushed him onto the chair.


    She climbed on top of him, her agile tongue exploring and skillfully caressing his mouth. She began to kiss his body while her hands roamed over his chest. Tadeo had an excellent physique, a well-toned body.

 Aphrodite

    Tadeo watched the girlpletely captivated, letting her do whatever she pleased. She continued downwards, tracing a path with her lips, and he felt a strong electric current running through him.


    The girl kept going until she reached his most intimate part and began to explore it with her mouth, moving gently. Tadeo took hold of the ck-haired girl¡¯s head to guide her rhythm, and when she sensed his trembling, she pulled back, looked at him, and smiled.


    Tadeo asked for a moment to put on protection, and then the girl climbed on top of him and started moving, first slowly and then increasing the pace until they were moving frantically. In a short while, they both exploded with thousands of sensations, reaching climax at the same time.


    The girly on his chest, her breathing wasbored, gradually it normalized, she got up, lit a cigarette, and put on her robe.


    ¡°Well, boy, you¡¯ve made me sweat. Thanks for the good time. It¡¯s better for you to go because I have to work early tomorrow,¡± the girl said coldly.


    Tadeo got up and dressed immediately, took out some bills, and offered them to the girl, but she didn¡¯t ept them.


    ¡°Handsome, I dance in this ce, but what I did with you, I don¡¯t do with just anyone. That¡¯s not my job here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought¡­¡± Tadeo was embarrassed by his action.


    ¡°You thought that just because I ept what people give me when I dance, I¡¯d charge you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it really wasn¡¯t my intention to offend you.¡±


    ¡°Whenever you want, you cane to see me after my performance. I¡¯m here on weekends.¡±


    ¡°It will be a pleasure toe back,¡± he approached and kissed her again. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Here, I¡¯m just Afrodita,¡± she replied, her face disying a yful smile.


    ¡°Alright, Afrodita, see you soon.¡± Tadeo leftpletely satisfied, he really liked that girl.


    The next morning, as Tadeo was leaving his apartment, he saw Ava entering hers. He approached to greet her.


    ¡°Ciao, be. How¡¯s everything going?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Tadeo, everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    He noticed a hint of sadness in her eyes; something was not right. He hade to know her perfectly.


    ¡°Is something wrong? You know you can tell me anything.¡±


    Ava started crying and told him what had happened with Mateo, that he now knew who she really was and had sided against her without letting her exin.


    ¡°I told you I was going to hurt you. If he truly loved you, he would have forgiven you, wouldn¡¯t even have let you exin.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if I were in his ce, I would have reacted the same way. I¡¯ll give him some time before I try to contact him again. I¡¯m afraid of his reaction when he finds out that Matt is his son. I know he might try to take him away. He¡¯s very hurt.¡±


    Tadeo shook his head; love had blinded her. He gave her a hug and said goodbye. He was truly furious. He could sense that Liardi had hurt her, and if he found out, he would make him pay. He wasn¡¯t willing to see her suffer like that. He headed towards the corporate office; he had to talk to that jerk and set things straight. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t tell him about the existence of his son, but if he ever found out, he would never let him keep Ava away from their child.


    When he arrived, he announced himself at the reception. The girl at the desk smiled warmly at him.


    ¡°Buongiorno, I¡¯m looking for Mr. Liardi.¡±


    ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±


    After a while, the girl told him that Mateo would see him.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi says you may go to his office; it¡¯s on the top floor.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much, miss.¡±


    He took the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor, then headed to where the secretary was.


    ¡°Buongiorno, miss, Mr. Liardi is expecting me in his office.¡±


    When the girl raised her face, she looked familiar to him. He stared at her for a moment, noticing her dark hair and freckles on her face, wearing loose-fitting clothes. He was surprised to realize who this girl was.


    ¡°Afrodita?¡± Tadeo asked,pletely bewildered.


    She opened her eyes wide, unable to believe her bad luck. She had the guy from the nightclub in front of her. If he knew Mateo, her true identity might be revealed.


    Tadeo couldn¡¯t believe it; the world was indeed small. This girl surprised him. An exotic dancer at night and an executive secretary during the day. Liardi, who was so careful about his image, had no idea who he had as a secretary.


    The desperate girl signaled by cing her finger on her lips; she had to stay quiet, as someone might overhear. There was a clearing of the throat behind her, and Mateo was standing in the office doorway.


    The girl¡¯s face turned a thousand shades of red. ¡°Could it be that her boss heard the guy call her Afrodita?¡± She prayed that he hadn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose this job, as she was sure she would conquer him soon. After all, that¡¯s why she was there.


    Mateo observed the scene before him. Tadeo was talking to Cam, who appeared surprised. It seemed they hadn¡¯t noticed his presence. He cleared his throat loudly to make himself known. His secretary seemed nervous. Maybe these two knew each other. He would find out what was going onter.


    ¡°Detective,e in,¡± he said in a tone that made it clear that Tadeo¡¯s visit was not wee.


    The detective entered the office, and a strong smell of alcohol filled the air. There were empty bottles around, and Mateo seemed to be in a bad state.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°What brings you here, Bludosky?¡± he asked with that twisted smile he wore when he was displeased.


    ¡°Remember I warned you that you¡¯d have to deal with me if you ever hurt Grecia.¡±


    ¡°Grecia? It seems like you still want to make a fool out of me, Bludosky,¡± Mateo replied bitterly.


    ¡°You had no right to treat her that way. You should give her a chance to exin herself.¡±


    ¡°From what I hear, that woman ran to seek refuge with you.¡±


    ¡°That woman? Are you referring to Ava as ¡®that woman¡¯?¡± Tadeo asked,pletely furious.


    ¡°I should call her even worse names. She thinks she can continue to make a mockery of me, daring to send her lover to interfere on her behalf.¡±


    Tadeo couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer. He lunged at Mateo, and they exchanged blows. Cam, upon hearing themotion, called security. The bodyguards entered and restrained Tadeo.


    ¡°Get that idiot out of here immediately!¡± Mateo yelled with anger.


    Cam only turned to look at Tadeo as they were escorting him out while shaking her head. She rushed to get the first aid kit to tend to Mateo.


    The girl took a cotton ball and moistened it with disinfectant. She began gently cleaning the wounds on her boss¡¯s face, doing it as delicately as if she were caressing him. How she had longed to have his face so close to her like this.


    She was tempted to kiss him but restrained herself, settling for the proximity, at least for now.


    Ava, who couldn¡¯t resist the temptation to try to make amends, entered the office at that moment. When she noticed her presence, Mateo became furious. He took advantage of Cam¡¯s closeness and kissed her, and she responded to the kiss immediately.


    Ava couldn¡¯t believe how quickly he had forgotten about her. She ran out of the ce with a broken heart.


    She ran down the street while crying uncontrobly. Later on, she stopped when she couldn¡¯t go on any longer, and she realized she was in front of an art gallery. Without thinking, she entered, seeking to distract her mind, needing to forget what she had seen.


    Inside the gallery, there was a crowd of people, and the photographer must have been someone renowned. She began to walk until she stopped in front of arge ck and white photograph.


    In the picture, you could see the back of a girl, and her various tattoos drew attention. The low-cut dress she was wearing showcased them, and her hair was pulled up as she faced a piano.


    She stayed there for a while, observing the image. An attractive man approached her.


    ¡°It¡¯s simply beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Do you know the girl?¡± Ava asked without taking her eyes off the image.


    ¡°Oh, no, not at all. An important businessman sent me the photo to erge and improve the lighting. He paid me for it. However, something strange happened; yesterday, he called me to destroy it, but of course, I didn¡¯t. The girl¡¯s back is a work of art in itself. Today, I had this exhibition, so I decided to show it to the public. It¡¯s not an image I took, but it¡¯s very beautiful, and I couldn¡¯t resist. I added the initials of its author in one corner. I¡¯ve received multiple offers for it, but it¡¯s not for sale. I¡¯ll put it in my private collection.¡±


    Ava paid attention to the initials the man mentioned, and she could see that they were ¡°ML.¡± She immediately knew who it was referring to. She turned and looked at the man next to her, who was tall, blonde-haired, and had eyes as green as emeralds.


    ¡°The businessman you¡¯re referring to is Mr. Mateo Liardi, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. How do you know that?¡± he asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Because that photo was taken during a performance at the city¡¯s theater.¡±


    ¡°Do you know the girl?¡±

 The Photographer

    Ava took her phone and showed him a photograph that Tadeo had taken of her while the makeup artist was drawing on her back.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m that girl,¡± Ava said. The photographer was pleasantly surprised.


    ¡°Incredible to have the owner of such a beautiful back right next to me. Allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Dante Menessi, an artistic photographer and sculptor. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Hello, the pleasure is mutual. I¡¯m Ava Miller. I¡¯ve seen your work, it¡¯s truly art, and it provides great visual pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, beautiful,¡± Dante replied, a huge smile spreading across his face.


    He apanied her on a tour of the room, describing each of the images. Ava was enthusiastic about Dante¡¯s work; he was a talented guy. For a moment, she forgot about her situation with Mateo.


    ¡°Miss Miller, I would like to invite you to a meeting tomorrow night. It¡¯s organized by some businessmen to showcase my work, and some of them are former university colleagues of mine. Of course, the photograph that will be presented first is yours. Although it¡¯s not my original work, I made adjustments to the lighting and texture details that enhance its beauty. It would be my pleasure to introduce the protagonist. I imagine that Mateo Liardi will attend this dinner, and he¡¯ll regret resigning from this work of art.¡±


    Upon hearing that Mateo would be at the event, Ava decided to ept without hesitation.


    ¡°It will be a huge pleasure to be yourpanion, Mr. Menessi.¡±


    ¡°Dante, just Dante, please.¡±


    ¡°Then call me Ava.¡±


    Ava bid farewell promptly as Dante¡¯s attention was being sought by others. He gave her his phone number so she could send him her location and he could pick her up for the event.


    She left to hail a taxi to take her to her apartment. She was determined to make Mateo notice her again. Upon arriving home, L met her; little Matt had been calling her incessantly all that time.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s starting to miss you. He¡¯s used to being with me, but he¡¯s been calling you all the time. We might have to find him some sses or hobbies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like him to learn to y some instruments from a young age, so I¡¯ll start by teaching him to y the piano. I¡¯ll also look for a French teacher so he can start mastering thenguage from a young age, making it easier for him to learn multiplenguages as he grows up.¡±


    Little Matt upied her attention all afternoon, and by night, he fell asleep in her arms. He had his own room, but he always slept with her.


    The next night, Ava put extra effort into her appearance. She was determined to make Mateo listen to her. Perhaps seeing her next to Dante would make him react. She wore the same dress she had worn on the opening night of Haro¡¯s club, styled her hair and makeup just as she did that day, with the only difference being her hair was now ck.


    She had sent her location to Dante, so all she had to do was wait for him.


    Shortly after, she received a message. Dante was waiting for her in the lobby. She went down immediately, and Tadeo, who happened to be there, approached to greet her.


    ¡°Buona notte, be,¡± Dante said as he discreetly looked her over. She looked beautiful as always, although he noticed she had put in a little extra effort in her appearance.


    ¡°Buona notte, Tadeo. Let me introduce you to the photographer, Dante Menessi.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Menessi. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. My name is Tadeo Bludosky.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure, Mr. Bludosky.¡±


    ¡°Tonight, Dante will be exhibiting one of my photographs at an event.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Ava. It will do wonders for your career. This girl is a magnificent concert pianist; she ys the piano and the violin masterfully.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to invite me to one of your concerts,¡± the photographer said, smiling.


    ¡°It would be a pleasure, Dante,¡± Ava replied, returning the smile.


    Ava bid farewell to Tadeo, who let out a deep sigh. Ava looked truly beautiful, and he recognized the dress she was wearing; it was the one she had on the night he saw her again. With that, he could guess that Liardi would be at the event.


    When Ava and Dante arrived at the venue, she entered while holding his arm. Some people approached to greet them. He was internationally renowned, even though he had spent very little time in Italy despite being born in Mn.


    Mateo arrived a bitter, with Cam on his arm. He had invited her to the event to make amends for his behavior the previous day. When he passed by Ava, he waspletely surprised by her appearance. She looked very well-groomed, without the oversized clothes she usually wore; she seemed like a different person.


    Her hair was loose, forming soft waves at the ends. She wore very light makeup that highlighted her face. She had on a long ck dress that hugged her body, with a generous neckline revealing some of her attributes. Stilettos matching the dresspleted her outfit.


    Dante was surrounded by several people, so Mateo couldn¡¯t approach to greet him. He also couldn¡¯t see who hispanion was, but it seemed that those present were quite enchanted with her.


    The speaker began his speech and then called Dante. On the big screen, Ava¡¯s photograph appeared, and the photographer exined its origin and the adjustments he had made to achieve that beautiful image.


    The audience was enchanted by the image captured in the photograph. The beauty of the girl and the piano in front of herplemented each other perfectly. The delicate lines of the tattoos outlining her back turned her into a marvelous image.


    Mateo was surprised when Dante announced that he would introduce the girl who owned that marvelous figure. He had only sent the photograph without revealing who the girl was.


    Ava stepped forward, and Dante took her hand and nted a kiss on it. When Mateo saw her outfit, he realized she had done it to grab his attention. She turned to look at him, their gazes met for a moment, and then she turned away, realizing that Cam was by her side.


    Dante asked Ava to be the model for his uing exhibition, to which she couldn¡¯t say no. The audience apuded. Ava was already known as a concert pianist, and he was a renowned photographer and sculptor.


    When they returned to their table, Mateo approached them to toast to their uing coboration. There was a tone of sarcasm and irony in his voice, and jealousy prevented him from thinking clearly.


    ¡°Friend, allow me to toast to your new acquisition. Just be careful; some doves turn into hawks,¡± he said while looking at Ava intensely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this meanment is about, Liardi. You know we were college buddies, but I don¡¯t appreciate your tone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it about you, Dante. Miss Miller here knows what I mean.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you toe and insult mypanion. Your behavior surprises me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it so personally. If you allow me, I¡¯ll have a word with Miss Miller,¡± he said, and before Dante could respond, he took Ava by the arm and led her to the terrace.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve switched to Bludosky. Of course, Dante is much more important. I¡¯ll let him know what kind of woman you are,¡± Mateo said before they could continue the conversation.


    Ava couldn¡¯t bear his insults any longer. She raised her hand and delivered a strong p to his face. He grabbed her arm tightly and said through gritted teeth in his fury, ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again, Ava Miller. You don¡¯t really know me, but I assure you that you might regret it.¡±


    She pushed him away. He had be aplete jerk, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she still wanted to fight for him.


    ¡°Wait, let¡¯s make a deal,¡± he said before she walked away.


    ¡°What do you want, Liardi?¡± Ava stopped to listen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sign an agreement.¡±


    She still loved him, but his wounded pride prevented him from seeing beyond it. He wanted to have her and wouldn¡¯t let her be with anyone else.


    ¡°An agreement?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, one that would benefit both of us.¡±


    ¡°What kind of agreement would it be?¡± She felt curious, but something inside her warned her about it.


    ¡°An agreement where you agree to be with me under my conditions. In return, I will help you in your revenge against Teodoro. You¡¯ll recover what rightfully belongs to you, and the death of your parents won¡¯t go unpunished.¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in making any kind of agreement with you. You¡¯re not the person I thought you were. You haven¡¯t allowed me to exin the reasons I had when I left.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your reasons. Then was the time for you to exin, the moment when I would have listened, the moment when I would have done anything for you.¡±

 I Accept

    Ava couldn¡¯t help tears streaming down her face. Mateo was showing her his cruel side, and this wasn¡¯t the man she had fallen in love with. She didn¡¯t even want to think about what he would do when he found out she had kept their son a secret.


    ¡°Think about it. If you decide to ept, you know where to find me. We would be together without involving emotions, just for pleasure, without asking for more from each other.¡±


    She quickly turned around and left without saying anything more. That day, she felt like the love of her life had broken her heart. She tried to control herself as she entered the hall; she didn¡¯t want to make a scene. She returned to Dante¡¯s side, feeling Cam¡¯s insistent gaze, but she tried to ignore it.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± The photographer noticed that something was wrong.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I am, thanks.¡± She didn¡¯t want to exin what had happened.


    ¡°I thought about going to look for you, but I figured you might have a lot to talk about. I don¡¯t know the story between you two, but from the photograph he sent me, I know it¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± Ava sighed as she replied.


    ¡°Well, whenever you want to talk, I¡¯m a good listener.¡± Dante offered with a warm smile.


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± She replied while forcing a weak smile.


    Mateo returned to Cam¡¯s side, who tried to appear pure and innocent in his eyes. What he wanted the least at that moment was herpany or anyone else¡¯s.


    At the end of the event, Mateo took Cam to his apartment. He was a bit drunk, and she thought it was the perfect opportunity to get what she wanted. She invited him inside, and he hesitated for a moment. Cam took advantage of that moment to kiss him, but his reaction was not what she expected. He pulled away abruptly, and the girl fell back. Mateo apologized for hurting her, but she used the opportunity to make him feel guilty.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Liardi. I did it without thinking,¡± Cam was very good at acting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting you. I didn¡¯t intend to, but I¡¯ll ask you not to try it again if you want to keep your job.¡±


    ¡°I understand. It won¡¯t happen again,¡± the girl pretended to understand. Now it suited her to continue ying the good girl.


    Mateo said his goodbyes and left the ce. His annoyance was evident. What did that girl think she was doing? He had already apologized in his office, exining his reasons.


    Cam stood by the building¡¯s entrance, watching him leave. She turned to go inside when suddenly someone grabbed her by the hair. It was such a strong pull that she couldn¡¯t help but scream. When she turned, she saw that ra was the one responsible.


    ¡°You idiot, how dare you touch my man,¡± the deranged blonde said with fury.


    ¡°Your man? You wish,¡± Cam retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once, do it again, and consider yourself dead.¡±


    The anger in ra¡¯s eyes made it clear that she meant it. A chill ran down Cam¡¯s spine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay at your ce. They¡¯re looking for me, and they¡¯ll never think I¡¯m with you.¡± It was more of amand than a request.


    ¡°No way, get out of here,¡± Cam didn¡¯t want to get involved with this woman.


    ¡°Are you sure about what you¡¯re saying, Afrodita?¡± ra emphasized thest word.


    Cam was taken aback. ¡°How do you know I¡¯m Afrodita?¡± she asked, paling.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been following you. I¡¯m not stupid enough to show up at your house without making sure you won¡¯t betray me.¡±


    Cam had no choice but to ept her, even though she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to rx with this woman around.


    ¡°You¡¯ll help me make Mateo forgive me ande back to me.¡±


    Days passed, and Mateo didn¡¯t receive a response from Ava. Perhaps he had made a mistake in giving Tadeo the evidence he had against Teodoro, fearing that his uncle would discover it and harm him.


    He was constantly furious, as Ava was in Dante¡¯spany every day. That photographer was going too far. If he didn¡¯t stay away from her, he might regret it.


    Two months had passed, two long months without being close to her. Mateo didn¡¯t realize that it was only his wounded pride that was keeping them apart.


    That day, Cam brought him the mail, and among the envelopes, one in particr caught his attention. It was an invitation from Dante, who would be opening a new exhibition in the city. Of course, he would go-it was the perfect opportunity to be close to Ava.


    Cam, who had noticed the invitation, didn¡¯t miss the chance to beg him to be herpanion, using the excuse that she was an admirer of Dante¡¯s work. She knew she had problems with ra, but she would figure out a way to calm her down.


    The secretary had been receiving visits from Tadeo. Every weekend night, when she returned to her dressing room, they indulged their instincts. Tadeo knew what he was doing, andtely, he had be quite creative. She didn¡¯t particrly like the whole bondage thing, but when Tadeo mentioned that Mateo was into it, she didn¡¯t hesitate to y along. The detective had casually mentioned it, unaware of the girl¡¯s obsession with Liardi.


    On the day of the event, just like thest time, Cam put a lot of effort into her appearance. She wore a partially see-through dress that revealed parts of her back, it was red, and it matched her ck hair beautifully while highlighting her fair skin.


    As soon as they arrived at the event, Mateo scanned the room for Ava. He found her at the back, apanied by Dante. The presentation began, and the photographer turned on the lights that illuminated the images projected on the wall. Mateo was left in awe. Dante had captured Ava with all her expressions, and it put him in a terrible mood.


    He noticed she was wearing the same dress she had on the night of the concert, with her back exposed, adorned with the same tattoos. She looked beautiful. Dante moved to the front, leading Ava by the hand.


    ¡°As you can see, most of the photographs in this exhibition feature images of this beautiful woman. I saved the best forst,¡± he said, turning towards a sculpture in the center. It was covered with a fabric that hid the details.


    Dante approached the sculpture and removed the canvas covering it. Everyone was amazed. The sculpture was beautiful, depicting Ava¡¯s face and body perfectly. She was semi-nude, covered only by a thin, translucent fabric that concealed just the necessary parts.


    Mateo turned red with anger. To pose for that sculpture, Ava must have been nearly nude. The thought of her being like that next to another man hurt him deeply. No one but him should have those photos and that sculpture. He didn¡¯t care about the price; he was willing to pay whatever Dante asked for.


    When Mateo had the chance to speak with Dante without Ava present, he offered a significant amount for those works.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were a fan of my work, Liardi,¡± Dante said with amusement.


    ¡°Well, I am now. Do you ept the offer?¡± Mateo asked, not hiding his frustration.


    ¡°Let me think about it. No single person has ever bought all my exhibited works before.¡±


    ¡°I need to know now. If the amount I¡¯m offering isn¡¯t enough, name your price.¡±


    ¡°For old times¡¯ sake, I¡¯ll sell them for the amount you¡¯ve offered.¡±


    Mateo handed him a check for the agreed-upon sum and provided an address for the works to be delivered the next day. After Mateo left, Dante approached Ava.


    ¡°You see, I told you it would work. He bought all the works. That man still loves you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow your advice and ept to sign the contract, but I¡¯ll keep being seen with you to provoke his jealousy. Thank you so much for helping me, Dante.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, my beauty. You know you can count on me. It¡¯s an advantage that Liardi doesn¡¯t know my preferences. Ha, ha, ha.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. If he found out, our n wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    Meanwhile, Mateo waspletely focused on examining the sculpture. Cam was at the table, feeling upset that he hadn¡¯t approached her all night.


    Ava took that moment to approach him. She would ept the deal, giving her a chance to regain his trust.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Mateo said, surprised to see her so close.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve decided to step away from Dante for a minute,¡± he remarked, unable to hide his jealousy.


    ¡°I ept,¡± Ava said without hesitation.


    ¡°You ept? You ept that you have something to do with him?¡± Mateo¡¯s face turned red instantly, and he felt furious hearing her words.


    ¡°I ept to sign the agreement you offered me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± he felt a wave of relief wash over him, ¡°perfect. I¡¯ll expect you in my office tomorrow to agree on the terms and sign.¡±


    ¡°I thought it would take a few days.¡±


    ¡°Why wait? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± He said, running his fingers over Ava¡¯s cheek to her lips. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, kissing the lobe of her ear.


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret signing that agreement. On the contrary, you¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±


    This agreement would be the perfect way to have her with him without admitting that he was still crazy about her. He resisted forgetting the past; his pride overruled his reason.

 Driven Mad by Jealousy

    The next morning, Ava arrived at the Liardi corporate office. The receptionist greeted her with a friendly smile; she had been expecting her per Mateo¡¯s instructions. She guided Ava to the office, and Cam¡¯s expression turned sour, but she had to let her in upon Mateo¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi asked you toe in as soon as you arrived,¡± she said, rolling her eyes and making a face as she spoke. Ava found it amusing and proceeded to the office.


    When Ava entered, Mateo had to make an effort to appear serious, but in reality, he wanted to get closer and kiss her. Thanks to this agreement, he could have her with him whenever he decided.


    ¡°Tell me about this agreement; I¡¯m listening,¡± Ava spoke directly without greeting.


    ¡°Please have a seat. I will proceed to read the content of the agreement,¡± Mateo tried to remain serious, then began reading the contents of the agreement: ¡°Agreement entered into between Mr. Mateo Liardi and Miss Ava Miller.


    Present Mateo Liardi and Ava Miller, in this document we notify the absence of feelings in the erotic practices carried out, so as to avoid any misunderstandings in the future by either party.


    Provisions:


    1.- That the encounters will be strictly sexual.


    2.- That no further expectations should be held after the sexual act.


    3.- There will be nomitment between the two parties the day after the encounter.


    4.- The sexual partners agree to only be friends with benefits asionally, as decided by the requester.


    5.- The sexual partners agree not to disclose the contents of this agreement to others.


    6.- It is established that during the validity of this agreement, neither party can engage in sexual rtions with others.¡±


    Ava became furious upon hearing the content of the agreement that Mateo was reading. She approached him and pped him hard, looking directly into his eyes.


    ¡°Who do you think I am? Your personal wh0re?¡± she shouted.


    Mateo rubbed his reddened cheek, while looking at her with angry, teary eyes.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I told you not to do it again, Ava Miller. Dammit! Take the content of the agreement into consideration. I¡¯ll give you two days, keep in mind that your uncle is getting stronger, he has many important businessmen on his side. If we¡¯re going to attack, it has to be now.¡±


    She approached him, touched her lips to his, and just when Mateo thought she was going to kiss him, he felt a terrible pain in the middle of his legs.


    ¡°Damn woman!¡± he eximed.


    Ava lowered the knee that had hit him and rubbed it smugly at what she had just done.


    ¡°That makes you think twice before disrespecting me again,¡± she said, tears streaming down her face.


    Seeing her in that state, Mateo regretted her behavior.


    ¡°Ava, wait, let me exin,¡± Mateo realized that he had made a mistake.


    ¡°What are you going to exin to me? That you¡¯ve be aplete idiot? Now I don¡¯t care what you have to say.¡±


    Ava quickly left the office, outside the secretary noticed that things were not good, he looked at her with a mocking smile, got up and headed towards the office. It was her time tofort Mateo, who was sitting in front of the desk with his arms on top of him and covering his face with his hands.


    ¡°Sir, are you okay?¡± Cam hoped that he would ept herpany.


    ¡°Get out, who authorized you to enter?¡± Mateo looked at her with disgust.


    ¡°Sir, let me help you forget,¡± while she said it, Cam unbuttoned her blouse, took off her skirt, climbed onto the desk and opened her legs, exposing herself in front of Mateo.


    Without expecting it, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the office while she resisted, the other employees watched her with mockery. Mateo returned and threw her clothes in the hallway, locked the office door, he didn¡¯t want to be disturbed, he grabbed a bottle and started drinking.


    Cam picked up her clothes and headed to the bathroom to dress, thick tears ran down her face, she was convinced that Mateo was attracted to her. If not, why would he always ask her to apany him to events? He must be confused because of that other woman, she dried her tears, fixed her clothes, and returned to her workce, she didn¡¯t care about the curious looks of her colleagues. As long as Mateo didn¡¯t fire her, she would continue by his side, trying to win him over.


    It was Friday night, so after going to her house to change, Cam headed to the nightclub. When she took the stage to dance, she did it like never before. Her movements were slow, rhythmic, alluring. At the first table near the stage, as every weekend, Tadeo was present. He loved that girl, that fire and passion she had. He still loved Ava, but he had realized that the affection had be different. Aphrodite was getting under his skin.


    After finishing her dance, Cam headed to her dressing room. As always, the detective was already waiting for her. Upon entering, she removed the little clothing she had on, they kissed passionately, and made their way to the small bed she had brought to better enjoy their encounters.


    Tadeo blindfolded her, tied her hands to each side of the bed, got rid of his clothes, and started exploring every inch of her perfect body with his tongue. Cam writhed in pleasure, his tongue going lower and lower until it found her pleasure center. She let out a muffled scream ¨C God, that guy was driving her crazy.


    He rose again and slipped his throbbing member into the girl¡¯s mouth, who began to savor it slowly. When he felt he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, he lowered himself to position himself between her legs. Weak moans escaped Aphrodite¡¯s mouth as he thrust into her forcefully. They joined in a rhythmic motion as ecstasy enveloped them. Tadeo emitted a guttural sound while Cam felt like she was spinning in a whirlwind of pleasure.


    This time was different. Tadeo didn¡¯t immediately pull away like he always did. He nestled himself on the girl¡¯s chest and fell asleep, listening to the rhythmic beating of her heart.


    She didn¡¯t understand why she enjoyed this so much, but she hugged the boy and gradually fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, Ava arrived at her apartment, calling Dante while crying inconsbly.


    The photographer arrived a few minutester, and in tears, she told him what had happened.


    ¡°Let me tell you, my dear, that you¡¯re in love with a perfect idiot.¡±


    They heard someone knocking at the door. Dante got up to open it, and as soon as he did, his expression turned to surprise. Suddenly, he received a strong blow right on his nose.


    Ava didn¡¯t know what was happening. She got up in rm as an enraged Mateo struck poor Dante.


    ¡°Enough, Mateo! Enough with the favor, you¡¯re hurting him,¡± the girl just wished for Mateo to stop.


    ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t ept to sign the contract? Was it because of this idiot?¡± Mateo clenched his fists tightly to restrain himself.


    ¡°Dante has nothing to do with it; he¡¯s just a friend. Go, Mateo, go, and don¡¯te near me ever again.¡±


    She closed the door, leaving Mateo devastated outside. Ava was thankful that Matt hadn¡¯t woken up due to the shouting.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave; I¡¯ll stay here until she listens to me,¡± Mateo was determined.


    After a while, Dante left under Mateo¡¯s threatening gaze as he sat on the carpet next to the door. The photographer headed to the hospital; he didn¡¯t want to leave Ava alone with that gori, but his nose wouldn¡¯t stop bleeding.


    Ava felt guilty for not apanying Dante. He had been unwavering in his support for her. However, she feared Mateo¡¯s reaction if he saw them leaving together, and she didn¡¯t want to leave him alone in his current state.


    In the early morning, Ava opened the door and saw Mateo asleep on the floor. She approached him and noticed his swollen eyes. It was painful for her to see him like this; she loved him too much. He sensed her presence, opened his eyes, and caressed her cheek. Without saying anything, she took him by the arm to help him stand up, guided him to the couch in her living room, carefully removed his shoes, and covered him with a nket. He allowed himself to be led, feelingforted by her presence.


    Ava went to her bedroom, making sure to hide Matt¡¯s belongings so Mateo wouldn¡¯t see them. In the morning, before he woke up, L and Matt left to go to Tadeo¡¯s apartment.


    Shortly after, Mateo woke up with a strong hangover. His head hurt with every movement. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in an unfamiliar ce. Gradually, he remembered what had happened. He got up and explored the apartment; it was spacious and beautifully decorated in light colors. In the living room, above the piano in front of a huge window, he found arge painting with an image of Ava¡¯s face. She was in profile and exuded great peace. He heard a noise behind him, turned around, and there she was, looking at him seriously. He thought it was time to leave; he didn¡¯t believe she would allow him to stay longer.


    ¡°Buongiorno, Mateo.¡±


    ¡°Buongiorno, be.¡±

 It鈥檚 Your Son

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to define and rify our situation once and for all. Now you¡¯re going to sit down and listen to me,¡± she said with an authoritative tone.


    Mateo opened his eyes wide; indeed, that girl had changed. He sat down, ready to listen. He waspletely determined to do anything to not lose her. The content of that contract was unquestionably foolish, and he acknowledged his mistake. He hoped that she would give him the chance to make amends and wanted a new opportunity to love her.


    They sat down next to each other, and Mateo observed Ava¡¯s movements. How much he loved that woman!


    ¡°The day I decided to distance myself, it broke my heart. It wasn¡¯t easy for me to know that I wouldn¡¯t see you anymore. A few days before that, your grandfather talked to me, and I realized that what he was saying was true. I couldn¡¯t tie you to a person like me. If we ever had children, it would be even worse. How could I take care of them? So, I made the decision to leave and try to regain my sight.¡±


    ¡°I could have done that by your side,¡± bitterness was evident in her voice.


    ¡°I had slim chances of regaining my sight. If the surgery failed, I wouldn¡¯t have returned to you. I couldn¡¯t have endured living in darkness forever, forcing you to suffer with me.¡±


    ¡°You know I fell in love with you no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it wouldn¡¯t have been fair to you. On the day of the surgery, before going into the operating room, I almost asked them to call you. I wanted to have you by my side, feel your presence, but I was scared. Scared of waking up in the same darkness,¡± she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.


    Mateo felt his heart constrict as he saw her in that state.


    ¡°Ava, I want to apologize for how foolish I¡¯ve been. All this time, I¡¯ve lived in a hell not knowing how or where you were. A thousand thoughts crossed my mind. When you appeared as Grecia at the airport, I had many doubts. Later, Akiro and Ima thought the same. When I invited you to Monza, it was mostly to see if I could discover more about you. Ima would help me, but we ended up in the same ce, still having doubts, until the day I overheard you say it.¡±


    Mateo lowered his head, his expression filled with profound sadness. Ava approached and hugged him; both of them needed that sincere embrace, they needed each other.


    ¡°Forgive me for my reaction; I felt hurt, betrayed. I took it as mockery.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me as well, for what I¡¯ve made you suffer,¡± Ava was determined to tell him about Matt, but she didn¡¯t want to ruin this moment.


    Mateo cupped Ava¡¯s face in his hands and gazed at her for a few minutes. He loved seeing himself reflected in her beautiful eyes. Then, he kissed her tenderly. Finally, he was with the love of his life because that woman was and would always be his one and only love.


    ¡°Now, no one is going to separate us, my dear. I hope you can forgive my grandfather; he, in his own way, wants what¡¯s best for me. My mother has been praying for you since the day you left. She would be thrilled to know you¡¯re well.¡±


    Mateo¡¯s stomach made a strange noise, and he blushed, feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll prepare breakfast; from what I heard, you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    ¡°I think so, haha. I¡¯ll help you with that.¡±


    They both headed to the kitchen, where Mateo turned out to be an expert cook. Amidstughter and jokes, they prepared breakfast.


    They enjoyed their meal in peace, and Mateo realized that this was where he belonged. The sense of peace he felt beside Ava was unmatched, and when they finished, she took his hand, and they returned to the living room.


    ¡°As you told me yesterday, I need to confront Teodoro now. I can¡¯t allow him to grow stronger. He¡¯s very interested in me as Grecia, and I n to use that to my advantage to expose him.¡±


    ¡°No way am I going to let you expose yourself like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be easier if I¡¯m close to him. There¡¯s no room for discussion. I hope you¡¯ll support me in this.¡±


    Mateo took her hands and kissed them. ¡°My love, I couldn¡¯t bear to lose you again.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t. I¡¯ll be very careful.¡±


    Ava kissed him, started to unbutton his shirt, and he smiled sexily as she eagerly kissed his neck. It was that half-smile that she loved.


    The door of the apartment suddenly opened, it was L who had returned, carrying Matt in her arms. The nanny had thought that Mateo had already left and she stood frozen, seeing that scene. Ava seated on Mateo¡¯sp, who had his shirt unbuttoned.


    ¡°Buongiorno,¡± L didn¡¯t know what to say. Mateo¡¯s gaze shifted between her and the child.


    ¡°Buongiorno,¡± Mateo replied, getting up and buttoning his shirt.


    ¡°Buongiorno, Nana,¡± Ava lowered her gaze, offering a shy smile.


    ¡°I see you two had fun during my absence, Grecia.¡±


    ¡°Matteo already knows the truth, Nana.¡±


    ¡°Phew, thank goodness. I was already thinking about what to say to justify my presence in your apartment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nana,¡± Ava was extremely nervous. She knew the time hade to reveal the whole truth.


    ¡°And who is this beautiful little one?¡± Mateo asked, upon closely examining the child¡¯s face, he noticed familiar features.


    ¡°Matteo, please, sit down. I need to talk to you. I know what I¡¯m about to say will be difficult, but I want you to understand.¡±


    ¡°Understand what? Speak, Ava,¡± Mateo felt his heart racing, sensing where this was going, yet he couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away from the child.


    ¡°Matt is your son,¡± Ava blurted it out. There was no point in continuing to hide it. She could have made up a story, iming the child was a neighbor¡¯s, but Mateo had the right to know the truth.


    Mateo felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. He couldn¡¯t understand how Ava had dared to do this.


    ¡°My son? I don¡¯t understand. How could she do this to me?¡± Mateo¡¯s face reflected the pain and confusion he was feeling.


    ¡°I was so afraid, afraid that Guido would separate me from my son,¡± by this point, Ava was sobbing uncontrobly.


    ¡°Damn it, Ava! I would have protected you both. If only you had told me, you know how much time I¡¯ve lost. I could have seen him grow, been by your side at his birth.¡±


    ¡°I called you on the day he was born, hoping to tell you everything, but I was scared. You have no idea how much I needed you at that moment.¡±


    Mateo stood up to approach the young Matt. At that moment, he recalled receiving a call a while back through the phone, where only heavy breathing and the cry of a baby were audible before the call abruptly ended. It was the cry of his son. Thick tears rolled down his face.


    L ced young Matt in his arms; the child looked at him in confusion, not recognizing the man.


    ¡°How old is he?¡± Mateo asked without taking his eyes off the child, finding him to be a beautiful boy.


    ¡°He¡¯s a year and a half,¡± Ava answered with regret, knowing he was right. She had missed important moments in her son¡¯s life.


    ¡°He¡¯s precious; I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Mateo hugged him tightly. The initial anger and pain were fading; he had a son, a son with the woman he loved. It was unbelievable.


    ¡°Please, Mateo, forgive me. I regret what I¡¯ve done to you.¡±


    ¡°Shh, please, don¡¯t interrupt this moment. God, I can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Both Ava and L¡¯s hearts were breaking as they watched him. He held his son as tightly as he could, as if he were afraid of losing him.


    Mateo tried not to dwell on what Ava had done at that moment. Perhaps the fact that she had hidden his son from him was reason enough to hate her, but he couldn¡¯t do it. He loved her too much. He got to know his little one and found that he resembled him; he couldn¡¯t deny it. He held the child¡¯s small hands, the color of his hair, his eyes-it was like seeing his own reflection as a child.


    ¡°Matt looks just like you,¡± Ava said softly, hoping he would remain calm.


    Mateo felt a whirlwind of emotions inside him, but the strongest one was love, a profound love that was born the instant he learned that the little boy was his son.


    ¡°I have no words to describe what I¡¯m feeling right now, Ava. I know I should be hating you, but I simply can¡¯t. I know we¡¯ll start a new life with our son. I never imagined this. God, I wish I could have held him in my arms from the moment he was born. Who cut the cord? I really would have liked to do it.¡±


    ¡°The doctor did it. Nobody could have taken the ce that rightfully belongs to you.¡±


    ¡°She wanted to be alone at the moment of his birth. I would have liked to be there with her,¡± the nanny knew that what Ava said was true.


    The little one, who had initially been hesitant in the arms of a stranger, smiled at him at that moment while cing his tiny hands on Mateo¡¯s face.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°He smiled at me. I think he likes me,¡± Mateo said,pletely thrilled.


    Ava smiled sweetly upon hearing him. She wished she could capture that moment. Fortunately, Mateo had reacted positively, and she felt relieved. The intense pressure that had weighed on her chest when she saw L open the door with the child in her arms disappeared at that moment.


    ¡°Please, allow me to take him home today so that my grandfather and mother can meet him. They have no idea they have a grandson. It will be a great joy for them.¡±

 Back at the Licciardi Mansion

    Ava tensed up immediately. She hadn¡¯t thought that she would have to see the man responsible for her suffering again. Mateo quickly noticed her reaction.


    ¡°Ava, I know my grandfather caused you pain with what he said. He acted wrongly, but he¡¯s an old man now. I apologize on his behalf. Please don¡¯t deny him the right to meet his grandson.¡±


    Ava turned to look at L. Although she didn¡¯t like Guido, Mateo was right. Matt was his grandson, and she couldn¡¯t deny him the right to know him.


    Mateo convinced Ava to take the little one to the mansion on the same day. He wanted his mother and grandfather not to miss another day of their grandson¡¯s life.


    ¡°Ava, I know you don¡¯t feel safe, and they will want exnations, but don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll be there to support you. I just want my mother and grandfather to find out that Matt is their grandson. I assure you they will love him immediately.¡±


    ¡°I agree to go because I owe it to you. I can¡¯t keep hiding their grandson. But I won¡¯t let Guido offend me or try to take my son away. I warn you about that.¡±


    Far from being bothered by Ava¡¯s reaction, Mateo smiled. He liked her response and knew she would never keep their son away from him. He approached her to give her a tender kiss, and L came closer to take Matt with her to change him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take him to change, and I think your arms must be tired from holding him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never tire of carrying my son. I have to make up for the time he hasn¡¯t been with me.¡±


    When L left with the child, Ava noticed that Mateo¡¯s expression had turned serious. She knew what it was about.


    ¡°I truly am sorry, Mateo. I know you may never forgive me for this.¡±


    ¡°Ava, I don¡¯t want to talk about it. It¡¯s not the time. I want to enjoy the excitement of knowing I¡¯m the father of a beautiful little boy,¡± Mateo repeated what he had already said. It was what he felt at that moment.


    Ava sat beside him, silent, nervously tapping her foot. She felt anxious. Later, L returned with the child, having also freshened up. She stood in front of them.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready. I know you didn¡¯t invite me, but I¡¯ll never leave my girl alone in a moment like this, especially when she¡¯ll be with Mr. Guido. I apologize, Mr. Mateo, but your grandfather has already humiliated her enough for me to allow him to continue, and, sir, I need to talk to youter, when you have the time.¡±


    Mateo cleared his throat ufortably. He imagined what L wanted to discuss with him. She had ced her trust in them, and they hadn¡¯t respected it. He was sure it was about that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go dressed like this; I had forgotten.¡± Ava was dressed just as she had woken up. She hurriedly went to her room to change, while Mateo waited, ying with the little one.


    Minutester, Ava returned, and Mateo observed her. She looked very lovely, wearing a red dress in a princess cut above the knee, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Her appearance was fresh and youthful, making him feel old next to her once again.


    The four of them left for the Liardi mansion. Upon arrival, Mateo asked them to wait for a moment in the living room.


    ¡°Please wait here; I need to prepare them for the surprise. My grandfather is getting older, and this could have consequences.¡± Mateo truly feared that his grandfather might get upset due to the surprise.


    Ava nodded, being inside that house again brought back many memories. Now she could see it, the ce where Mateo¡¯s engagement to Ka had taken ce, not inside the house but in the garden near the pool area.


    Ava closed her eyes for a moment and sighed softly. L imagined that the ce held many memories for her. A short whileter, Mateo returned. Guido and his mother were waiting in the living room. When they arrived, Ava could see that Guido seemed upset; he had his arms crossed over his chest and was pacing back and forth without staying still.


    His stern face changed when he turned and saw his grandson. His eyes filled with tears instantly.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be; he¡¯s identical to you when you were little,¡± Mateo¡¯s mother eximed. She immediately approached Ava to request to hold the child.


    She hugged him tightly and then realized that she hadn¡¯t greeted the girl and her nanny.


    ¡°Ava, I¡¯m sorry. Wee to the Liardi mansion.¡± She approached them again to greet them with a kiss on the cheek.


    Guido approached his grandson, and the little one began to cry; he was scared.


    ¡°This grumpy old man is your grandfather, little one,¡± Ava said. At that time, Guido had let his white beard grow a bit. Matt stared at him for a moment, and then with his little hands, he pulled on Guido¡¯s beard.


    ¡°Haha, it seems he¡¯s breaking the ice,¡± Guido smiled at the child¡¯s action.


    Ava talked to them, choosing to be honest as she exined the reasons for her departure and why she had decided to hide her child. Guido felt terribly ashamed.


    ¡°I recognize that there is no forgiveness for what I have done. I have been responsible for my grandson not being with his son. I am deeply ashamed of my behavior.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past behind, Grandfather. What¡¯s important is that we are together again. You have no idea how I felt when I found out that Matt is my son. I felt overwhelming joy that filled my chest.¡±


    They spent a pleasant afternoon together. Ava was offered to stay in the mansion to be closer to her son, although she didn¡¯t want to feel obliged. She preferred to return to her apartment, and Mateo and his family understood that she would need time to readjust to the mansion.


    Mateo drove them to the apartment, and little Matt had fallen asleep, so he carefully carried him from the car to where Ava had said he slept. He said goodbye to him, giving him a kiss on the forehead.


    ¡°Would it be okay if Ie byter to take you out for dinner?¡± he asked, hoping she would ept.


    ¡°That sounds perfect, Mr. Liardi. I¡¯ll find a dress for the asion,¡± she replied with excitement.


    Shortly after, he said goodbye to L, and Ava apanied him to the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a bit, pr¨ªncipessa. Remember, we left something unfinished,¡± he said with a smile, winking at her, referring to what they were doing before L arrived in the morning.


    He gave her a warm kiss before leaving, and Ava closed the door, leaning against it with a sigh.


    ¡°My girl, I¡¯m so d you¡¯ve sorted things out with Mr. Mateo,¡± L said. She felt relieved that Ava no longer had to hide her son.


    ¡°Yes, Nana, for a moment, I thought that what we had was over forever, especially after realizing I had hidden the fact that we have a child from him. Now, I¡¯ll start with my n to bring Teodoro Miller down.¡±


    Later, Teodoro was in a bad mood at his house. Lately, he had been in a bad mood all the time. He had secured good contracts and new partners, but he couldn¡¯t get Grecia, the beautiful girl from his thoughts, out of his head. She had promised to call him weeks ago, and she still hadn¡¯t.


    His phone rang at that moment, almost as if she had called with her thoughts.


    ¡°Soon.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Miller?¡± The delicate voice of the girl sounded on the other end.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°This is Grecia De Luca. Do you remember me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember you, beautiful,¡± Teodoro smiled as he heard her voice, closing his eyes, imagining she was right in front of him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy nning a tour, which is why I hadn¡¯t been able to call you.¡±


    ¡°I understand perfectly. Workes first.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to have dinner tomorrow? Could you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, where shall I pick you up, and at what time?¡±


    ¡°How about we meet at 7 at Dolce Passione?¡±


    ¡°That sounds great. So, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Until tomorrow.¡±


    Ava felt a knot in her stomach. She was determined to do whatever it took to bring down her uncle.


    Miller, unaware of what was going on, had improved his mood. The woman he was with noticed his change and found it strange to see him whistling.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s the reason for this good mood?¡± The woman sensed that his change was rted to the phone call, even though she hadn¡¯t heard the conversation, she had arrived when he was ending the call.


    ¡°Should it be for any reason?¡± He replied, looking at her with a hint of irritation.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying because you¡¯ve been in a bad moodtely.¡±


    ¡°I resolved some issues I had. Things are going ording to n, so tonight we¡¯ll go out to celebrate. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve done that. I¡¯ll see you tonight, dear.¡±


    She left quite content. It had been a while since Teodoro had invited her to dinner, so she would buy a dress for the asion. She wanted to look beautiful and capture the attention of the man she hoped would be her husband.


    Ava had decided to buy a dress. She entered the mall and saw a beautiful dress in a shop window. It was elegant and sexy at the same time. She entered that store and asked for that dress to try on. As the shop assistant was removing it from the mannequin, the woman who had been with Teodoro entered. She had also seen that dress and wanted it for herself.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯d like to try on the dress you just removed from the disy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but another youngdy had requested that dress well before you arrived.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been a customer at this boutique for many years. I think I should be given priority.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we have other dresses from our new collection. Perhaps you might find one you like.¡±


    ¡°No way. I want to try on the dress I requested.¡±

 In His Arms Again

    At that moment, Ava walked out of the fitting room wearing the dress. The mirror was outside, and she wanted to see how it looked on her. The woman, upon seeing her, recognized her and approached her.


    ¡°Se?orita De Luca, I regret to inform you that I will be taking that dress.¡±


    ¡°Buon pomeriggio, se?ora. It¡¯s a pleasure to find you here.¡±


    ¡°As I was saying, there was a mistake, and that dress was intended for me,¡± she said, ignoring the greeting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, se?ora. When I requested it, you were not in the vicinity.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I saw it a while ago and came back for it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but I have decided to take it,¡± Ava replied with a smile on her face.


    ¡°I said that I will take it. You either take it off or I¡¯ll take it off,¡± the woman eximed angrily.


    The boutique employees approached to try and calm her down.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the dress was chosen by the youngdy first. Pleasee with us, and we¡¯ll show you the new models.¡±


    ¡°No way! I want her to take it off,¡± the furious woman was throwing a tantrum, while Ava observed her with amusement.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the dress fits me perfectly. I¡¯m taking it,¡± Ava said, ignoring what the woman was saying.


    She entered the dressing room to change, came out with the dress in her hand, and approached the checkout counter.


    ¡°You won¡¯t take that dress. You can choose another one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but I¡¯ve chosen this dress. With your permission,¡± Ava replied, walking around her to pass.


    As Ava was leaving, the woman attempted to grab the dress, but she was stopped by the store manager, who politely asked her to leave the premises.


    While she was already known, Ava was now also known for her music career as Grecia.


    Teodoro¡¯s partner left the restaurant in a fury. That girl was insolent. She would find an opportunity to make her pay for challenging her. She had dared to defy her, and she wouldn¡¯t forgive it. She was used to having her way.


    In the evening, Mateo arrived to pick up Ava. She looked beautiful in that ck dress, with ace top, a high neck, and her tiny waist entuated by a satin ribbon. The long skirt had a side slit.


    Ava noticed that Mateo had put effort into his appearance. He looked very handsome in his ck suit without a tie.


    ¡°You look absolutely stunning,¡± he said, approaching and kissing her. Then they went to their son¡¯s room. He wanted to wish him goodnight, even though the little one was already asleep. When they left the room, Mateo took Ava¡¯s arm, and they headed to the car.


    Upon arriving at the restaurant, Mateo had made a reservation, so they were seated immediately. As they entered, they noticed that Teodoro and his lover were nearby. Teodoro frowned when he saw that Grecia was apanied by Liardi, and his lover was even more displeased. Ava and Mateo pretended not to see them. The woman seated herself with her back to the couple, not wanting to look at such unpleasant people. She started thinking of ways to ruin Ava¡¯s dress.


    The woman noticed that to get to the restroom, she had to pass by Ava¡¯s table. Without much thought, she headed to the restroom. Minutester, she returned, and as she passed near Ava, she pretended to stumble and spilled food and wine on her. Mateo scolded her for her carelessness. Ava realized she did it to damage the dress.


    ¡°Miss De Luca, how embarrassing. I apologize, it wasn¡¯t my intention,¡± she hypocritically apologized.


    Mateo was furious and reprimanded her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, ma¡¯am? Look at what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Ava wouldn¡¯t give that woman the satisfaction of causing a scene.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am, I understand it was an ident.¡±


    The woman took a cloth napkin and began rubbing the dress, spreading the food stain even further.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, ma¡¯am, you¡¯re making things worse, please leave¡± Mateo was holding himself back from exploding against that woman.


    ¡°I just wanted to clean it a bit¡± the woman lowered her head and pretended to be contrite.


    Teodoro, who noticed what was happening, approached the table.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Liardi, Miss De Luca, I¡¯m very sorry for what my partner has caused, I¡¯ll take her away right now.¡±


    Tadeo took his lover by the arm. Before leaving, the woman turned to Ava with a smirk on her face.


    ¡°What a low woman she is, she¡¯s a harpy. Let¡¯s go to my penthouse, it¡¯s closer than your apartment, there you can change.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any clothes there,¡± Ava answered, surprised.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, when I moved, I had all the clothes you left at the mansion brought here. I suppose it was a way to feel close to you¡± as he said it, Mateo shrugged.


    ¡°I love you, Mateo Liardi¡± after saying it, she kissed him, under the furious gaze of Teodoro, who observed every move.


    They left the restaurant and headed to Mateo¡¯s penthouse. Upon arrival, he led her to his bedroom, where her clothes were perfectly arranged in the wardrobe.


    Ava looked at him, and without saying a word, she dropped her dress. He watched her as his eyes darkened, then smiled with that mischievous smile that drove her crazy.


    Since the first time they were together, Mateo thought that Ava had the softest and smoothest skin he had ever touched. Being able to explore her body again and feel that perfect body excited him.


    It was true that before, in order to feel satisfied, he resorted to bondage practices. Only with that had he managed to fill the great void he felt in his life. But with Ava, he didn¡¯t need anything else. He didn¡¯t know that she thought differently. She wouldn¡¯t ask him to give up what made him feel good, and soon she would give him a surprise. She was ready to prove it.


    The pleasure of feeling inside her was unimaginable, the taste of her sweet lips was unique. They spent the whole night enjoying their love and their bodies.


    In the morning, Ava tried to get up to go to the bathroom. She wanted to take a bath but her legs did not respond. Mateo noticed and picked her up in his arms, carrying her to the bathroom.


    He filled the bathtub with warm water and ced her in it. They were bothpletely naked. She blushed when she saw his body, which amused Mateo. He had to get used to seeing him like this, as they would spend the rest of their nights together. He never expected to separate from her.


    After cing her in the bathtub, he entered and settled next to her. He poured some liquid soap onto a sponge and began to gently scrub Ava¡¯s body. He started to caress her with gentle movements. The ss walls that enclosed therge bathtub began to fog up, and the temperature inside was rising.


    Ava turned over, sitting on top of him. She took his member and inserted it inside herself. She started to move slowly, her movements gentle. As she moved, he fondled her breasts. Ava gradually increased the pace, and with grunts from him and moans from her, they reached climax.


    ¡°By God, woman! Today will be a very long day at the office, haha, I might fall asleep during a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Haha, everything has a price,¡± she replied amused.


    ¡°A price I¡¯ll dly pay,¡± he kissed her again.


    They finished bathing, and Mateo helped her out of the bathtub.


    ¡°How about we have breakfast outside?¡±


    ¡°That sounds great, I¡¯m starving. I could eat you up at any time, Mr. Liardi,¡± Ava bit her lower lip after saying it.


    ¡°Haha, I warn you, if you bite your lip like that again, we won¡¯t leave here for a whole month,¡± he smiled yfully at her remark.


    Ava put on a light blue dress, it was short, with a semicircr skirt, and the back was covered by a wide strap tied into a bow, leaving some parts exposed. She wore wedge-heeled sandals, left her hair loose, and added some waves at the ends.


    Mateo had a meetingter, so he chose to dress in dark dress pants and a light-colored long-sleeve shirt, nning to put on his zerter. When he saw Ava, he thought she looked beautiful.


    He took her to a restaurant in the historic center, and Ava was amazed because from there, they could see the magnificent Gothic beauty of Mn Cathedral; it was the first time she had seen it.


    ¡°The cathedral is divine; these wonders will astonish me for a lifetime,¡± Ava remarked.


    ¡°It took many years to build; it began in 1386 and waspleted in 1965,¡± Mateo exined.


    ¡°Thinking that I¡¯ve always lived in this city, and there¡¯s so little I¡¯ve seen until now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll fix that soon, Miss,¡± Mateo said as he took her hand. He knew that Ava, after spending so much time in darkness, had a strong desire to see the world.


    Ava felt very excited, like a small child. She hugged him in gratitude. After spending so many years in darkness, she wanted to see everything she hadn¡¯t seen so far, and they would have to adjust their schedules to also spend time with their son.


    ¡°Come with me to the office; I¡¯ll try to finish the meeting as soon as possible. Say yes,¡± Mateo said with a big smile.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ava thought it was impossible to refuse him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said while still smiling. Ava thought that just seeing that smile could make her happy.

 A Date with Teodoro Miller

    Shortly after, Ava and Mateo arrived at the corporate office. The receptionist greeted them warmly, and they went up to the office. Cam greeted them with a forced smile, and Ava would make sure to let that girl know that Mateo belonged to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes. You can call my secretary if you need coffee or a snack,¡± Mateo hoped the meeting would end soon.


    ¡°Thank you, love,¡± Ava picked up a magazine to keep herself entertained while he returned.


    Mateo hurried to the boardroom where the other executives were already waiting for him. He received a call from an officer working with Tadeo; they were conducting an investigation into the otherpany for moneyundering. Mateo distanced himself from it since the owner was Dar¨ªa, and they would have to investigate her as she was still in the United States.


    Tadeo had not yet been able to present evidence against Teodoro. He had learned that Teodoro was protected by a high-ranking member of the corporation. So, he first needed to find out who that was and unmask them before proceeding against Teodoro.


    In Mateo¡¯s office, Ava requested coffee from Cam, who rudely took it and spilled the contents on her. She pretended to be sorry for the deliberate ident, and Ava thought she was quite lucky to deal with such people.


    Mateo entered the room at that moment and helped Ava dry the liquid that had fallen on her leg, which had turned red due to the high temperature of the coffee.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, it was an ident,¡± Cam apologized insincerely.


    ¡°You need to be more careful, Cam. You¡¯ve caused harm to Ava¡¯s leg.¡± After saying that, he asked the secretary to leave the office.


    Mateo took ointment from the first aid kit, applied it to the affected area, and then ced a bandage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, beautiful. I¡¯ll have a serious talk with Cam. I don¡¯t know why, but I have a feeling it wasn¡¯t an ident.¡±


    ¡°That girl has an interest in you; that¡¯s more than obvious,¡± Ava thought the same, that Cam had done it on purpose.


    ¡°I promise something like this won¡¯t happen again. It could have caused more significant damage.¡±


    ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± Ava¡¯s face turned serious as she said it.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Mateo asked, concerned, noticing the seriousness in Ava¡¯s expression.


    ¡°I talked to Teodoro; I will have dinner with him tonight,¡± Ava said. Mateo couldn¡¯t believe what Ava was saying.


    ¡°No way, that man is a lunatic, you¡¯ll be in danger.¡±


    ¡°I need to unmask him. I have a n to bring him down, and I¡¯m willing to take that risk.¡±


    ¡°Seems like there¡¯s no way to change your mind. You can count on me for it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Tadeo; I¡¯ll need his support as well. My nanny has told me that when we lived with Teodoro, she overheard him talking on the phone unintentionally. From what she¡¯s said, it¡¯s likely that his businesses are much dirtier than we think.¡±


    ¡°If you want, we can talk to Tadeo right now.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, let¡¯s go.¡± She asked Cam to cancel her meetings.


    When they arrived at Tadeo¡¯s office, he greeted them with a serious face. His feelings for Ava had cooled; he used to see her with affection, but now he saw her only as a friend. He worried about her and believed that Mateo would hurt her again at any moment.


    ¡°Ciao, Tadeo.¡±


    ¡°Ciao, be,¡± he replied,pletely ignoring Mateo.


    ¡°I need your help,¡± Ava said.


    ¡°Tell me, you know you can count on me for anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get closer to Teodoro to try to unmask him. I need to record our conversations. I hope to gain his trust soon. I know he¡¯s involved in something more significant than moneyundering and fund diversion. He¡¯s been sending vehicle parts from Genoa, which is suspicious in itself because it falls outside the Miller Corporation¡¯s scope. I¡¯ve been investigating, andtely, he¡¯s been very focused on these shipments, but the Miller Corporation is still his front.¡±


    ¡°I feel it¡¯s too risky for you. You should leave this to us.¡±


    ¡°I know the risk I¡¯m taking, but it will be easier for me to get close. He doesn¡¯t suspect who I really am and has shown interest in seeing me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you¡¯ll have undercover men watching over you every time you meet him, and as you requested, his conversations will be recorded.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Tadeo. I knew I could count on your help,¡± she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.


    Mateo watched the scene in silence, trying to keep hisposure. Tadeo and he didn¡¯t exchange a word at any point. Ava thought they looked like two stubborn kids.


    Ava and Mateo left, but not before informing Tadeo that she would meet Teodoro that night. Tadeo gave her small earring-shaped devices that would allow her to listen to and record the conversation.


    They headed to Ava¡¯s apartment, wanting to spend some time with their son before Mateo would apany her to the restaurant where she would meet Teodoro. He would stay nearby in case of any emergency, making sure Miller wouldn¡¯t see him to avoid suspicion.


    They had a pleasant afternoon with their son, and Mateo still couldn¡¯t believe he was the father of this little one. He was so perfect.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it, really.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the girl asked, not knowing what Mateo was referring to.


    ¡°That Matt is my son. It¡¯s a divine gift, but I don¡¯t know if I deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Shhh, don¡¯t think that. Enjoy having him with you. Trust me; this little one will give you unique moments.¡± Mateo hugged the little one, and then they bothughed. Ava watched them, not knowing if she could ever forgive herself for having kept them apart for a while.


    Ava arrived at the restaurant at the agreed-upon time, putting effort into her appearance. She looked very sexy in that form-fitting, strapless, pearl-colored dress that showcased her curves.


    Mateo didn¡¯t like at all that she chose such a provocative dress to go out with another man, but he agreed it was necessary to catch Teodoro¡¯s attention.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    The man was waiting for her at the entrance of the restaurant. She had arrived a bit earlier, so he didn¡¯t notice that she hade apanied by Mateo. When he saw her, his eyes widened. What a beautiful woman, and the best part was that he would have her all to himself soon.


    He had a lot of confidence in himself and his ability to conquer women. If he liked a woman, she ended up in his bed. He didn¡¯t mind spending a fortune on his conquests, although he would quickly grow bored of them. With Ava, it was different. He had grown tired of his current lover and already found her recement. This girl would be his, willingly or unwillingly; he would take care of that.


    Ava extended her hand to greet him, and Teodoro pulled her toward him, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. In the distance, Mateo observed what was happening, clenching his fists. What would Miller think if he found out that Teodoro was trying to seduce his niece? Then he remembered that he had tried to force her to marry him, so there wouldn¡¯t be much of a difference.


    ¡°Buona notte, be.¡±


    ¡°Buona notte, se?or Miller.¡±


    ¡°Teodoro, be, just call me by my name, per favore.¡±


    Ava wished she could rip the cheek where that man had kissed her. She had to force a smile when what she wanted was to vomit on him.


    They entered the restaurant, and she had made a reservation in advance. She despised the way her father¡¯s only rtive was looking at her.


    He pulled out her chair for her to sit down, offering her his best smiles. Ava wondered if there was anyone who would be interested in that despicable man. Teodoro still had some attractiveness, being tall, well-built, with gray eyes and a piercing gaze. What was wrong with him was that he thought he was the center of the universe.


    As Teodoro grew up and realized that his uncle had achieved more than him, he felt deep hatred in his heart. He only thought about an opportunity to destroy him and take his fortune, even though he had cared for him like a son, taking care of him after his parents¡¯ death.


    ¡°Do you mind if I call you by your name?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Mr. Teodoro.¡±


    ¡°If you call me ¡®se?or,¡¯ you make me feel very old, beautiful.¡± And wasn¡¯t he,pared to her?


    ¡°Not at all, that¡¯s not my intention; you¡¯re still young.¡±


    ¡°Grazie, be.¡±


    ¡°Your girlfriend is a very beautiful and young woman,¡± she asked, with the clear intention of making him ufortable.


    Teodoro let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes, she is, although I would prefer it if she were kinder and more loving to me,¡± he lied, pretending to be upset.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I thought you got along well,¡± Ava said, pretending to understand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried to indulge her every whim, but it¡¯s never enough. She always wants more and more; her ambition knows no bounds,¡± Teodoro put on a distressed face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ava realized that her uncle was a THOMPACO (Typical man who speaks ill of his partner to conquer another).


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve thought about distancing myself from her. I believe I deserve to have someone by my side who truly loves me.¡±


    ¡°I think we all deserve that.¡±


    ¡°And tell me, is your rtionship with Liardi serious?¡± he asked, interested.


    ¡°Uhmmm, I don¡¯t know, but while I find out, I¡¯m having fun,¡± she replied, feigning a flirtatious smile.

 Distrusting Her

    Teodoro liked that response; he understood that Grecia was leaving the door open for him to conquer her, or at least that¡¯s how he had interpreted it.


    ¡°I would like to see you, to have you let me get close to you,¡± he decided to be direct once and for all. He didn¡¯t know if he would have another chance with her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re moving too fast? I believe we should get to know each other gradually. Right now, I¡¯m focused on my work, and I don¡¯t have much free time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll know how to wait,¡± he said this and approached her, taking her chin with his hand. She immediately moved away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think it would bother you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. It just caught me by surprise. Besides, as long as you have a partner, someone might misinterpret things.¡±


    Ava tried to appear distant for the rest of the dinner, and Teodoro thought he was being stupid. He shouldn¡¯t behave like this on their first date.


    ¡°Would it bother you if I call you or send you a message from time to time?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll be d to hear from you. As soon as I have some free time, I¡¯ll call you to meet up.¡±


    ¡°The wait will be eternal.¡±


    After finishing dinner, he offered to take her home, but Ava declined, saying she preferred to take a taxi. He took her hand and kissed it as a farewell gesture, and at that moment, Ava felt her cheek burning.


    Teodoro¡¯s mistress had noticed that he was acting strange and evasive, which she found suspicious. So, after following them, she waited for them to exit the restaurant, not wanting to cause a scene inside the very exclusive establishment.


    As soon as they exited, she approached and delivered a strong blow to Ava¡¯s face. Teodoro couldn¡¯t believe his luck. This woman had dared to hit Grecia. He grabbed his lover¡¯s arm firmly. Ava contemted retaliating against the woman¡¯s attack, but it was more advantageous for her to appear as the victim in Teodoro¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What the hell have you done? How dare you hit Grecia?¡± Teodoro was absolutely furious.


    ¡°How dare you see me with this one,¡± the woman tried to hit Ava again, but Teodoro held her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m here talking about business with thedy. You act without considering the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Since when do we call appointments with sluts ¡®business¡¯?¡±


    Ava lowered her gaze and pretended to cry.


    ¡°Apologize to Grecia, I won¡¯t ask you twice,¡± Teodoro demanded, ring at the woman.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do it. She should apologize to me for flirting with you,¡± she said as she managed to break free from his grip.


    ¡°Apologize right now, or starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll cancel all your credit cards,¡± Teodoro eximed, determined.


    ¡°Dare to do it, Teodoro Miller, and I assure you, you¡¯ll lose,¡± she said as she turned around, pretending to walk away. Suddenly, the woman turned and pushed Ava, causing her to lose her bnce, and then she angrily walked away.


    ¡°Grecia, are you okay?¡± Teodoro took her arm to help her up.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little hurt from the fall.¡±


    Teodoro hugged her, trying tofort her.


    Mateo, who was still in the car, had been restraining himself from intervening, but he couldn¡¯t bear to see Teodoro hugging Ava. He got out of the car immediately and approached them.


    ¡°Grecia, what¡¯s going on?¡± He pretended to be surprised.


    ¡°Mateo, what are you doing here?¡± Ava also pretended to be surprised by his presence.


    ¡°I had ns to meet some people at this ce.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence, Liardi, all three of us ending up in the same ce without nning it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Miller, I see you¡¯re embracing my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misinterpret the situation, I was just leaving, and I saw that thedy stumbled and hurt herself. I simply helped her up,¡± the shameless man dared to lie.


    ¡°Is that true, Grecia?¡± Mateo had to make an effort not tough in Teodoro¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller simply helped me.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Miss Grecia, Mr. Liardi. It was a pleasure running into you.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Miller,¡± Ava said, smiling.


    Teodoro immediately walked away from there. He wanted Grecia for himself, but it wasn¡¯t the time to argue with Liardi. He was thergest investor in hispany, and it wasn¡¯t time to reveal his true intentions yet.


    Grecia had to be interested in him; only that way would she keep quiet about what had really happened. He would deal with his loverter. He couldn¡¯t provoke her; she knew too much about his illicit dealings.


    ¡°Are you really okay, amore?¡± Mateo asked with concern.


    ¡°Yes, that woman is crazy. I need to be careful with her, or she could ruin my ns.¡±


    ¡°I still think it¡¯s too risky for you.¡±


    ¡°I need to gain Teodoro¡¯s trust. I know it won¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    They headed to the penthouse. Mateo didn¡¯t want to be away from her. He wanted to be with his son, but the baby was asleep, well taken care of by the nanny. He hoped to spend the night with Ava by his side.


    The night was too short for them. When there is love and passion, a few hours are not enough. Mateo¡¯s birthday was approaching, and Ava was thinking of something special to give him.


    The next day, Mateo went to his office, and Ava took the opportunity to visit L. She desperately wanted to see her son.


    ¡°How has my son been, nanny?¡± she asked as she reached out to receive him.


    ¡°This little one is an angel, always well-behaved. I think he¡¯s the best-behaved child I¡¯ve ever known,¡± L smiled as she spoke about her grandson. Ava considered L like her mother.


    Later, Ava received a call and left in a hurry. In a caf¨¦, a girl was waiting for her. Mateo had called her to invite her to lunch, but she didn¡¯t answer. Her phone was off.


    Days passed, and the same thing kept happening. Ava would turn off her phone at certain times when they weren¡¯t together. Mateo was curious about where she was because he had gone to L¡¯s and her son¡¯s ce several times but couldn¡¯t find her.


    He didn¡¯t want to appear controlling and obsessive, but he was growing increasingly ufortable with the situation. Ava had something up her sleeve, but he had no idea what it could be.


    Ava had been enduring calls and messages from Teodoro, making excuses to avoid seeing him. She wanted to drive him to the brink of desperation, to make him willing to do anything for her.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    L always said, ¡°If you want a man to be willing to do anything for you, subtly flirt with him while also appearing distant. That drives them crazy. Let him know you¡¯re attracted to him but that he can¡¯t have you whenever he wants. That will pique his interest in you even more.¡±


    Ava had been turning off her phone for two weeks now, and she knew that Mateo was desperate. She could tell.


    It was Mateo¡¯s birthday, and he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He had decided to follow her, unable to bear the uncertainty. In the morning, she hadn¡¯t wished him a happy birthday, and he thought she had forgotten.


    They had stayed together in the penthouse. In the morning, when he entered the dressing room, she was changing. He noticed she was wearingce lingerie, his favorite, knowing it drove him wild. But then she put on just a trench coat over it, and he assumed she was nning to surprise him at the office. Or so he hoped.


    Mateo pretended to leave but then returned, parking his car nearby. He saw her leave and take a taxi. He followed her to a building and saw her enter an apartment. He stood outside the door, hesitating to go in. What if he found her with another man?


    A thousand images raced through his mind. He would go insane if someone else dared to touch her body. He couldn¡¯t bear such a thing; he loved her too much. She belonged to him and him alone. He turned the doorknob and entered the dark apartment, closing the door carefully. He ventured inside, preparing for the worst.


    Suddenly, a dim neon light turned on, which took him by surprise. As he turned around, he saw Ava, another girl was with her. Ava pulled him and began unbuttoning his shirt. Then, she sat him in a chair, tied his hands behind his back and his feet to the sides of the chair. She leaned closer to his ear and whispered in a very seductive voice.


    ¡°This is your gift, enjoy it.¡±


    Mateo felt his skin tingle, a slow music (Earned it by The Weeknd) began to y. The girls started to slowly undress, leaving Ava in just her underwear and the other girl in a small, short shorts and a top. They began to move sensually to the rhythm of the music, getting closer to each other without touching, it was an enchanting dance.


    Mateo realized that Ava had prepared for this night, she started to touch him softly. The other girl handed him a small lipstick-shaped device, knowing very well the sensations it would produce.


    Ava began to touch sensitive spots on Mateo¡¯s body, he felt thousands of small sparks coursing through his body, awakening his libido. It was the first time he had ever felt it this way, as he was usually the one who provoked it.


    The girls continued to move, spinning around him for a while longer, and then the other girl approached Mateo¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Enjoy your surprise, and your girl,¡± Mateo smiled when he heard her.

 Discovering Aphrodite

    After this, the girl who was with Ava left the apartment. Ava sat astride Mateo and kissed him. He was eager, unable to touch her in the state of arousal he was in, it was too much for him.


    Ava stood up and released her restraints. He immediately stood up and hugged her. She kissed his earlobe and spoke to him in a sensual voice.


    ¡°Buonpleanno amore.¡±


    He smiled, with that crooked and sexy smile that melted anyone, ready to enjoy his big surprise.


    In the morning, they woke up tired and hungry. They stayed in bed for a while, embracing each other and enjoying each other¡¯spany.


    Mateo had a heavy conscience. For a moment, he had doubted her, and that made him feel terrible.


    ¡°Thank you for the surprise. I want to apologize for doubting you for a moment,¡± he said.


    ¡°Haha, even I would have doubted. Tadeo gave me the girl¡¯s number and asked her to show me a bit of what she does. He wanted to surprise you,¡± she replied.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve certainly seeded, my beauty. You drove me crazy with the way you moved. When I saw you ince lingerie with just a trench coat over it, I thought you were going to surprise me at the office. Then, I had doubts and decided to follow you.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I knew you would be suspicious and follow me. That¡¯s why I dressed up to make sure you saw me, so I would nt doubt in you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wicked, you made me suffer terribly. By the way, Akiro called me a few days ago. He¡¯s hosting an event at his club. Would you like to go? I thought about refusing, but he insisted that we attend.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯d love to. Akiro¡¯s events are usually interesting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s next Saturday, and it has an intriguing theme. I¡¯ll request your dress if you¡¯re okay with that. I want it to be a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I like surprises, and I¡¯ve noticed that you do too. How about we prepare a delicious breakfast after we shower?¡±


    Mateo kissed her. He nned to ask her to be his partner for life, but he wanted to do it in a special way. He would wait until they exposed Teodoro so she could be at ease, and they would finally start a family together with their son.


    Teodoro was growing desperate. Grecia hadn¡¯t agreed to see him again and always made excuses. He thought she might be avoiding him, wondering if that girl was trying to y games with him. If she was, she would regret it; nobody made a fool out of Teodoro Miller.


    His lover noticed him bing more distant due to his constant bad mood. She had decided to move to another bedroom to punish him, but she realized it didn¡¯t bother him at all. They had kept the me of passion alive, even though she knew he slept with others. She allowed it because he always came back to her. This time, she was worried because Teodoro was acting very differently.


    At the Miller Corporation, the head of cybersecurity informed Teodoro that he had blocked several unauthorized attempts to ess confidential information. Someone was trying to breach the system, putting thepany¡¯s security at risk.


    As he always did whenever something bothered him, he reacted by mistreating his employees. He had hired a famous German hacker who would arrive in a few days. He needed to find out who was trying to harm him.


    Akiro continued attempting to ess the Miller Corporation¡¯s system, but he hadn¡¯t achieved satisfactory results yet. He needed to do it soon because his attempts had been detected, and it was logical to assume that drastic measures would be taken to prevent intrusion into their systems.


    Tadeo was trying to win Aphrodite¡¯s love. He was tired of one-night stands, and this girl had gradually entered his heart and thoughts. He eagerly awaited the weekend to see her.


    Cam didn¡¯t ept his attempts to see her elsewhere. She wanted a normal date, maybe a trip to the movies or a candlelit dinner, all the things he knew girls liked to do. However, she was definitely not like any other girl. He was tempted to wait for her outside the Liardi Corporation, but that could cause problems with his boss.


    He imagined a life with her, just as he had imagined it with Ava for so many years. Now, those dark-haired, gray-eyed children he had wanted to have with Ava had turned into adorable little ones with big green eyes and cute freckles adorning their faces. He let out a deep sigh and picked up the phone to call her.


    ¡°Hello, Aphrodite.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Tadeo.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the weekend to see you, beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I won¡¯t be able to make it this weekend. I have a workmitment elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Tell me where it will be, and I¡¯ll find you there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer we meet next week,¡± she replied curtly.


    ¡°Okay, as you wish,¡± he said, hanging up while a look of profound disappointment crossed his face.


    On Friday morning, Ava received some boxes sent by Mateo. She had stayed at the penthouse while he was at the corporation. She opened thergest box and found a beautiful emerald green dress with beige details. The sleeves hadce embroidered ruffles.


    In another box, there were beigece-up ankle boots, very characteristic of the era. Beneath the dress, she found a matching emerald green mask. She wanted to know what Mateo¡¯s costume would be, so she thought about calling him.


    ¡°Soon.¡±


    ¡°Ciao amore, I¡¯ve received the dress.¡±


    ¡°Did you like it? -He asked curiously.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, but I would like to know, what will your costume be?¡±


    ¡°Curious amore, but you won¡¯t find out until the day of the event.¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm okay, I can wait.¡±


    ¡°See you tonight. I won¡¯t be able toe home early today; I have an important meeting with Akiro.¡±


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll wait for you for dinner together. Get something ready.¡±


    Ava decided to invite the redhead to lunch. She liked the girl very much, and what she had with Mateo was in the past.


    She spent the entire afternoon with her. After having lunch, they went shopping. The girl still worked with Akiro, so she would also be at the club on the night of the event. She mentioned that she wouldn¡¯t be doing the main show that day; it would be done by a girl known as Aphrodite.


    The day of the event had arrived. Ava put on the dress chosen by Mateo. She left her hair down with waves at the end and wore a tiara. He thought she looked wonderful and approached her, cing a pearl ne around her neck, a design made especially for her.


    He wore a Louis XVI-style suit in ivory with gold. Ava couldn¡¯t help butugh; he looked very handsome, but she found it amusing that he was wearing those knee-length pants with a mesh of the same color underneath. He put on a white wig to match the era and a golden mask,pleting his outfit with a cane just like the king used.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be Louis XVI and Marie Antote. How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Allow me to say, Your Majesty, that you look very handsome,¡± she curtsied at the end.


    ¡°You honor me, beautifuldy, but I am Louis XVI without the famous seven years, ha, ha, ha.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha, the famous seven years will always apany you in history.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    They arrived at the event, and everyone was dressed in the same theme. When they got out of the car, they didn¡¯t realize they were being watched from the moment they left the penthouse. Teodoro Miller clenched his fists; Ava didn¡¯t have time for him, but she had time for these kinds of games with Liardi.


    He was known in the industry for his sadism, and the girls who knew how he operated avoided him. So, it was very difficult for him to find any ymates other than his lover.


    As Ava and Mateo usually did, they took a table near the dance floor. Akiro and Ima came over to socialize with them for a while. Akiro and Mateo went to the bar to order drinks. On the dance floor, a girl with ck hair and a ck mask began her performance. Just like when Afrodita started to move, people who watched her fell under her spell.


    Akiro and Mateo returned to the table and settled in to watch the show. The girl approached their table, dancing sensually nearby.


    At another table, Tadeo immediately recognized the girl despite the mask. That hair and the way she moved were unmistakable. He was sure she had recognized him too, as she briefly fixed her gaze on him before choosing to dance near another table. He had recognized Akiro, so the one with the white wig and the blonde girl had to be Mateo and Ava.


    Before finishing her act, Afrodita began to dance for Mateo. He felt ufortable, knowing that Ava might be upset about this.


    When the girl leaned down, bringing her face close to his, her mask slipped to the side. Mateo was surprised. Ava immediately got up and headed for the exit, thinking that Mateo already knew who the girl was. Mateo pushed Afrodita aside and followed Ava.


    Afrodita turned around to finish her number and head to her dressing room. She thought Tadeo would arrive at any moment, but it didn¡¯t happen. She tried calling him, but he didn¡¯t answer. When she sent him a message, she realized that the guy had blocked her.

 The Date with the Depraved

    Mateo managed to stop Ava before she got into a taxi.


    ¡°Wait, beautiful, I swear I didn¡¯t know it was Cam,¡± he eximed desperately.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t believe you, Mateo. You were going out with her everywhere,¡± Ava replied, not angry with Mateo but feeling deeply disappointed.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I truly didn¡¯t know, my love. To me, Cam is just my secretary, I have no other interest in her. Let¡¯s not go through this again, please look at me and tell me you¡¯ve realized I¡¯m sincere.¡±


    He kissed her passionately, and she responded to the kiss. She didn¡¯t want to be away from him either. Mateo held her tightly, not wanting to lose her, especially now that they had a child, and he wanted their child to grow up with both parents.


    In the following days, Cam tried to locate Tadeo but couldn¡¯t find him. At the office, they told her he had left the city. She realized she was wrong; her fear of losing him had made her react, and she needed to find him to show him that he was the one who mattered to her. She hadn¡¯t returned to the Liardi Corporation; she knew Mateo would fire her immediately. Her secret identity had been discovered.


    In a property on the outskirts of Mn, Akiro had set up an entireputer system. His informants inside the Miller Corporation informed him that the German hacker would arrive soon, so he needed to hurry if he wanted to break into thepany¡¯s system.


    He nted aputer virus that would make it seem like all the files had been deleted. This would buy him time to steal all the information, and Tadeo wouldn¡¯t have time to figure out what was happening.


    Mateo and Ava had arrived a moment ago and were watching Akiro¡¯s movements. A security guard warned them that they needed to leave immediately because several ck SUVs were approaching, and they feared for their safety.


    Akiro disconnected the mainputer and took it with them. He instructed the security personnel to destroy any remaining equipment. They would leave in the helicopter they had arrived in to avoid being intercepted. The people in the approaching SUVs wouldn¡¯t find anyone, nor any clues that could lead them to Akiro¡¯s team. The house was owned by an association, and if it were to be investigated, it would appear as abandoned, as the association was nning renovations.


    ¡°Mateo, theputer virus I sent is undetectable. I¡¯m confident that the German hacker won¡¯t be able to do anything. This virus will continuously send all the information to myputer, and the IP address of this device can¡¯t be traced. A VPN sent the location to another country. They must have detected the satellitework we were using.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, thank you so much, Akiro. Teodoro Miller will fall soon, and Ava will regain what is rightfully hers. You have to be very careful, Ava; you¡¯ll be in great danger if Teodoro finds out you¡¯re Grecia.¡± Mateo couldn¡¯t help but feel that the girl was in grave danger when she was with Teodoro.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my uncle doesn¡¯t suspect a thing. Tonight, I¡¯ll see him. It¡¯s very difficult for me to endure it, but I have to do it.¡±


    Teodoro, on the other hand, was furious. When they arrived at the house where they expected to find the hacker, they only found destroyed equipment. If only they had arrived a little earlier. They spotted a helicopter in the distance, but from where they were, there was nothing they could do. The only thing that made him feel better was that he would see Grecia that night. That night, the wicked man had a n that couldn¡¯t fail; that night, that girl would be his and no one else¡¯s.


    Later, Ava and Mateo arrived at the penthouse. He had a strange feeling in his chest and stared at Ava. He felt a strong need to protect her, so he hugged her tightly.


    ¡°Amore, reschedule the appointment for another day. Stay with me.¡± He pleaded.


    ¡°I can¡¯t avoid Teodoro any longer; he might get suspicious. I feel that we¡¯ll have him in our hands soon. I won¡¯t be at ease until I know my parents¡¯ death hasn¡¯t gone unpunished.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling, two men will follow you all the time. Don¡¯t forget to wear the earrings that Tadeo gave you. Apart from recording the conversation, they also have a tracker.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll wear them.¡± Ava smiled sweetly.


    Mateo lifted her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, depositing her on therge bed. He wanted to trace his kisses on her skin, so he gradually removed her clothes and then did the same with his. Ava felt fortunate to have a man like him by her side, he was very handsome and had a huge heart. He reminded her how much he loved her every day, making her feel unique and special. She loved him deeply.


    He explored her body with his mouth until he reached the center of her intimacy. She felt a pleasant sensation that spread throughout her body as Mateo slowly moved his mouth up to her nipples, sucking on each of them.


    Ava turned over, getting on top of him, and did the same thing he had done to her. She traced her lips over his body, going down to his intimacy and taking it into her mouth. She began moving up and down slowly, ncing at Mateo who was watching her with that sexy smile she liked so much.


    When she felt that he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, she got back on top of him, starting to move rhythmically. He let her set the pace, closed his eyes, and got lost in the sea of sensations she made him feel. He wanted to stay like this forever. Ava increased the pace and they both reached climax together. Afterwards,pletely exhausted, sheid down on his chest.


    ¡°You know, beautiful, before I couldn¡¯t stand someone lying on my chest after having sex, for me it was just that and nothing more, no girl caught my attention enough to start a romantic rtionship, that was unthinkable. But that night I met you, I felt something inside me telling me that you would be very important in my life, since that day I couldn¡¯t get you out of my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°The same thing happened to me, when I woke up and heard your voice, I felt that you were someone special, I wanted to see who was the owner of that mysterious and sexy voice, when you spoke to me I thought I would like to listen to you for hours and your unmistakable scent that awakened sensations in me that I had never felt before.¡±


    ¡°It awakened? Not anymore?¡±  Mateo asked with a mischievous smile on his lips.


    ¡°Haha, you know that you still do.¡±


    ¡°I never thought I could have something more than bondage, now I realize that it was just a refuge, that I actually felt lonely and longed to someday find someone like you, perfect for me. Now I know that everyone has someone destined to share their life with, and although it may sound cheesy, when we find them, our hearts feel it.¡±


    ¡°How romantic you are, Mr. Liardi. But you know something, I feel the same way,¡± Ava said.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re my destiny, Ava,¡± he replied, embracing her tightly and kissing her.


    Ava got up to take a shower and then headed to the kitchen to prepare some food. Lately, she had been feeling quite hungry, perhaps due to all the exercise she had just done.


    She hadn¡¯t spent much time with her sontely. He was staying in the penthouse, and for the time being, she didn¡¯t want almost anyone to know about his existence. She feared that Teodoro might harm him if he found out, so the little one was always in the apartment with the nanny.


    In the evening, Ava dressed up for her date with Teodoro. She wore a simple dress, though she didn¡¯t really feel like dressing up. The dress was long, turquoise with pearls around the neckline, and she left her hair loose with waves, as she often did. Mateo thought that the dress would bring out the true color of her eyes if she didn¡¯t wear brown contact lenses.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you, beautiful,¡± Mateo desired to go with her to be close.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll call a taxi. If Teodoro sees us together, he might suspect something.¡±


    ¡°Stay with me, cancel the date, please, Ava,¡± he asked again, that strange sensation in his chest wouldn¡¯t go away.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already discussed this. I can¡¯t keep avoiding him. The sooner we do this, the better.¡±


    Mateo had no choice but to resign himself. He knew she was right. They had to deal with Teodoro once and for all so they could live in peace without the fear of that man harming Ava and their son.


    When Ava arrived at the location for the date, Teodoro was waiting for her outside. A broad smile appeared on his face when he saw her approach, and that smile sent shivers down Ava¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Principessa, you look beautiful tonight,¡± he said as he approached and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°Buona notte, Teodoro. Thank you for thepliment,¡± Ava replied. Teodoro had no idea of the revulsion Ava felt every time he greeted her in that way.


    Teodoro put his arm around the girl¡¯s waist and then led her inside the venue. This time, he had chosen the restaurant, and it was a very nice ce by the Naviglio Grande. The lights reflected on the water of the canal, creating a pleasant view.


    ¡°Nice ce, I didn¡¯t know this area,¡± Avamented.


    ¡°I asked them to reserve the restaurant just for us,¡± Teodoro said with self-assurance.


    The ce waspletely decorated with roses in different colors, and Ava found it unsettling that Teodoro wanted to appear romantic. She knew him well and knew that he was not like that.


    ¡°Do you like the ce? I had it decorated especially for you,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s very nice, thank you,¡± Ava tried not to make it seem like a big deal, but Teodoro didn¡¯t like that she didn¡¯t appear excited.


    After dinner, Teodoro asked for a toast to their fortunate meeting. He called the waiter over and requested two sses from a special bottle he had ordered. The waiter ced one ss in front of Teodoro and another in front of Ava.


    ¡°Let¡¯s toast to the whimsical fate that gave us the opportunity to meet, salute,¡± he raised his ss to clink it against hers.


    ¡°Salute,¡± Ava responded, taking the ss and drinking some of the wine it contained.


    After a while, Ava began to feel a tingling sensation on her lips, and a strange dizziness started to cloud her senses.


    ¡°Teodoro, something is happening to me. I feel very unwell,¡± she said. The difort was increasing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, beautiful, it will pass. I¡¯ll take you to my room,¡± Teodoro said.


    ¡°No way. What did you give me to drink?¡± Ava managed to say with great effort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rmed; it¡¯s just to help you rx and feelfortable with me. From today on, you will live with me. Forget your old life; from now on, I¡¯m the only one for you,¡± were thest words Ava heard before losing consciousness.

 Surprise after losing your baby

    Tadeo listened to what was happening through the small hidden microphones ced inside the earrings. He immediately called Mateo to inform him of the situation. Mateo, in turn, promptly alerted the men who were guarding Ava, and they had stayed outside the venue to avoid arousing suspicion. When they entered, they found the table was empty.


    ¡°Where are the people who were at that table?¡± They asked desperately to the waiter.


    ¡°They left through the canal side, they departed on a small boat.¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± The guards ran toward the canal.


    Shortly after, Mateo and Tadeo arrived at the scene. Tadeo called for backup, and soon they were on a fast boat, heading towards the vessel, following the signal sent by the locators ced in the earrings. Thanks to that, they knew where to go. The corporation sent a helicopter to assist them.


    Inside the boat, Teodoro caressed Ava, lowered the zipper of her dress, and then threw it aside. He began kissing her body with desperation.


    ¡°You are too beautiful, I can¡¯t wait to have you. I will make you mine right here,¡± Teodoro said, his desire for the girl consuming him.


    Ava woke up and in a moment of rity, pushed Teodoro with the little strength she had left, as she felt she was losing control of her body. The man reacted violently, striking her abdomen with his fist, causing a strong pain that made her double over. She noticed a trickle of blood starting to flow down her legs.


    ¡°What the hell? It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll still make you mine,¡± Teodoro said, surprised by the sight of the blood but caring little about it. He would make her his.


    The sound of a helicopter was heard very close, and the light from a spotlight illuminated the vessel.


    ¡°Maledetto!¡± Teodoro cursed. He was furious; his ns had been ruined.


    Teodoro threw himself into the water, leaving Ava inside the vessel, lying on the floor. She was curled up in a fetal position, her hands clutching her belly, as the pain was excruciating. Soon, she felt herself spiraling into a whirlpool of darkness, and unconsciousness mercifully took hold of her.


    Mateo and Tadeo arrived shortly after. Mateo let out a cry of helplessness when he saw Ava lying almost naked in a pool of blood. He covered her with his jacket while holding her hand and speaking to her gently.


    ¡°Amore, my beautiful one, hold on, my dear, help is on its way,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but cry as he spoke.


    Tadeo also felt his heart breaking at the sight of her in that state. He called for an ambnce and directed the vessel to the shore.


    After a few minutes, the ambnce arrived. Mateo didn¡¯t let the paramedics take her; he ced her on the stretcher himself. Teodoro Miller had no idea of what he had done, and he would pay dearly for the suffering he had caused his beloved.


    When they reached the hospital, the doctor didn¡¯t allow Mateo into the emergency area. He waited in the waiting room with Tadeo. Later, Ima and Akiro arrived, followed by Mateo¡¯s mother and grandfather. He had not wanted to inform the nanny; she would want toe, and he needed her to stay calm to take care of their son.


    ¡°Nonno, if my beloved dies, I won¡¯t be able to bear it,¡± Mateo confessed.


    ¡°Be strong, my son. She is young and strong; she will survive this,¡± his grandfather reassured him.


    His mother hugged him tightly; she hadn¡¯t seen him so helpless since he was a child.


    Two hourster, the doctor came out with a serious expression, which rmed Mateo. Something was not right.


    ¡°Doctor, how is Ava?¡± Mateo asked, feeling desperate.


    ¡°We managed to stabilize her. I¡¯m truly sorry, Mr. Liardi,¡± the doctor paused before continuing.


    Mateo paled upon hearing those words, he leaned against the wall, fearing the worst.


    ¡°We did everything we could to save the baby, but the baby didn¡¯t survive.¡±


    ¡°Baby?¡± Mateo had no idea what baby the doctor was talking about.


    ¡°Thedy was two weeks pregnant; the blow caused bleeding, but the main cause was the dr*g they administered, a very potent narcotic that allows the victim to feel but gradually immobilizes them. The dose was excessive, and the baby couldn¡¯t survive.¡±


    Mateo couldn¡¯t contain himself; between sobs, he struck the wall forcefully, then he copsed, sitting on the floor, crying, with his hands covering his face.


    ¡°Son, please, you have to be strong. She needs you now more than ever,¡± his grandfather pleaded, not knowing what else to do to calm him down.


    ¡°Thedy¡¯s condition is delicate. If she didn¡¯t know she was pregnant, I suggest you find a way to tell her delicately. The emotional shock from these cases can lead to severe depression. Fortunately, she was rescued in time and was not vited.¡±


    Mateo¡¯s grandfather thanked the doctor and then approached his grandson.


    ¡°Son, I know what you¡¯re going through. Your grandmother and I lost several babies before your father was born. You must be strong for Ava and Matt. I know there are no words that can ease your pain, but you must try.¡±


    Tadeo, Ima, and Akiro observed the scene with their heads bowed. Sorrow was evident on their faces, and none of them dared to speak because they didn¡¯t know what to say.


    A nurse approached them. Ava was already in a room, and only one person could be with her.


    Mateo entered, and he saw her there in that bed, so pale, with all those machines and cables connected to her body. He felt his heart ache. She opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on him.


    ¡°Amore, you¡¯re here with me.¡±


    ¡°By your side forever, my beautiful one.¡±


    ¡°I should have listened to you.¡±


    ¡°Shhhh, rest for now. You shouldn¡¯t talk. Sleep. I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    Gradually, the heaviness in her eyes increased until she fell asleep. A nurse entered to check the IV bag, and Mateo was in the bathroom. The nurse ced the medical file on the bedside table and left to fetch a new IV bag as the current one had run out.


    Ava woke up at that moment, turned, and saw the medical file. She picked it up and started reading. When she read what was written there, she began to scream in desperation. Mateo rushed out of the bathroom.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°My beautiful, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why? Why, my baby?¡± Ava felt a deep pain upon learning this. She had been pregnant again without even knowing it.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Amore, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Mateo began to cry with her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, I swear I didn¡¯t know. If I had known, I would never have put it at risk. I would never have gone.¡±


    Mateo hugged her, and both of them cried inconsbly. The nurse entered and administered a sedative to Ava. Once she fell asleep, Mateo went out to talk to Tadeo.


    ¡°Have you obtained any more evidence against Miller?¡±


    Tadeo took out some photos from an envelope that had just been delivered and showed them to Mateo.


    ¡°We have it in our hands. This is evidence that a high-ranking official has received bribes from him. On this USB drive, there are videos that prove it. Without his protection, Tadeo is an easy target.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make him regret what he did to Ava. He will pay with blood for the death of my child.¡± Mateo¡¯s face had a hardened expression, reflecting all the anger he was feeling.


    After a week in the hospital, Ava was discharged. L had been bringing Matt to be with them all day, only taking him home at night. Mateo worked from home using hisputer; he didn¡¯t want to be away from Ava for a single moment. When she left the hospital, they traveled home inplete silence. She seemed different; her light had somehow dimmed.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± Mateo replied with a smile.


    ¡°I need to see Matt,¡± Ava said, longing to hold her son, feeling a deep sadness as she remembered her lost baby.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see himter.¡±


    Ava fell silent again as she gazed out the window at thendscape. Mateo was sitting beside her, and Max was driving. Before long, they began passing some vineyards along the roadside. Further ahead, they turned onto a road that cut through a few vineyards. In the distance, atop a hill, an ancient vi appeared, built entirely of stone and enormous, seamlessly blending with thendscape.


    ¡°What a beautiful ce!¡± Ava eximed happily.


    ¡°Do you really like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s gorgeous, and that vi, you must be able to see the beautifulndscape from there.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s yours from now on,¡± Mateo said with a smile.


    ¡°What! No, I can¡¯t ept something like this,¡± she replied, surprised.


    ¡°My maternal grandmother left me the vi under the condition that I only brought the woman I truly loved here. My grandfather built it for her. You are the woman I truly love, so I won¡¯t ept a ¡®no¡¯ as an answer. Besides, you¡¯re the mother of my son,¡± Mateo said with a sweet smile.


    When they arrived at the ce, Ava was delighted. The house was beautiful and weing, and the view from the hilltop couldn¡¯t be better.


    A woman of short stature and sturdy build approached them with a big smile.


    ¡°Bambino, you finally remember this olddy.¡±


    ¡°Dear Nana, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you.¡±


    ¡°And who is this beautiful girl?¡± she asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s Ava, my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, dear. I helped raise this bambino.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, ma¡¯am,¡± Ava greeted the woman with a smile.


    ¡°Nana, call me Nana, bute on in, I¡¯ll show you to your rooms.¡±


    Mateo turned to Ava, and they smiled at each other.


    ¡°Nana, we¡¯ll be staying in the same room,¡± Mateo said. Nana turned to look at both of them with a surprised expression on her face.

 Forever Yours

    Ava blushed at the nanny¡¯s surprised look. She was a conservative woman and didn¡¯t quite understand the liberties that young people took these days.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, my dear. We¡¯ll arrange your things in the same room,¡± Nana said.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll leave at dawn,¡± Mateo told Ava.


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± she asked, curious.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s a surprise, my little curious one,¡± Mateo said, nting a kiss on the tip of her nose, making her smile.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Liardi, I¡¯ll have to wait then,¡± she said, saluting humorously by putting her hand to her forehead, which elicited a heartyugh from Mateo.


    Even though she felt good being with Mateo, she missed her son, which made her sad.


    After arranging their luggage, they went downstairs to have a meal in thepany of Nana. The afternoon passed with anecdotes about Mateo¡¯s childhood. When his maternal grandparents passed away, his mother ensured that he stayed in touch with Nana and the vi to preserve memories of his family.


    They were having tea in the living room when Nana¡¯s niece arrived, a girl with brown hair and big green eyes.


    ¡°Mateo!¡± she eximed upon seeing him, then rushed into his arms.


    ¡°Alondra! Little troublemaker, you¡¯ve grown so much,¡± Mateo greeted her warmly.


    Ava felt a pang of jealousy. The excessive effusiveness bothered her, especially given how beautiful the girl was.


    ¡°Look, let me introduce you to the woman I love, the owner of my life and my heart.¡±


    ¡°Did I hear correctly? The feared Mateo Liardi has finally fallen in love,¡± Alondra eximed as she let go of Mateo and hugged Ava with the same enthusiasm. ¡°Nice to meet you. Mateo and I have loved each other like siblings.¡±


    ¡°This girl used to get herself into trouble, telling everyone that I was her big brother,¡± Mateo added.


    ¡°Mateo always protected me.¡±


    ¡°You were a little troublemaker,¡± Ava rxed when she heard what Mateo said.


    Everyoneughed, and they spent the entire afternoon together. Ava noticed that the girl was looking at her strangely and smiling, which made her somewhat ufortable. Was she flirting with her? She convinced herself that she was seeing things where there were none.


    At night, they retired to their room. Ava filled the bathtub with warm water, undressed, and got in, closing her eyes. Tears began to flow, and she didn¡¯t want it to be this way, but her mind refused to forget.


    Mateo entered the bathtub, positioning himself behind her. Ava was leaning against his chest with her head resting on him. He held her tightly and nted tender kisses on her head. They remained like this for a long time in silence.


    When Mateo felt that Ava had stopped crying, he left the bathtub, put on a bathrobe, and used a towel to help her dry off. Theyy on the bed, facing each other, gazing into each other¡¯s eyes. There were no words. Through their gaze, they conveyed all the emotions they felt about the loss of their baby and the love they had for each other.


    Before sunrise, Mateo hurriedly woke her up.


    ¡°Amore, get up, or we¡¯ll miss the entire show. Put on something warm and let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm, I¡¯ming,¡± she said sleepily.


    In just a few minutes, they were leaving the vi. Max was already waiting for them in the truck. They got in and headed to a nearby valley.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± ¨C Ava observed with attention, everything seemed wonderful to her, every detail of thendscape, simply because for many years she hadn¡¯t been able to appreciate it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the area of San Colombano al Lambro.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    They were only 45 kilometers from Mn, and as they approached the valley, Ava could see several hot air balloons anchored to the ground.


    When they got out of the truck, Mateo took her hand, and they walked towards the first balloon. As they climbed in, he noticed she was very nervous.


    ¡°Rx, my beauty, you¡¯ll see it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    She smiled, still nervous. The balloon¡¯s basket was very spacious, there was a small table with a basket of snacks, two sses, and a bottle of champagne on it. She wondered who would be riding in the other two balloons since it was just the two of them.


    The balloon slowly began to rise, increasing Ava¡¯s nervousness. Mateo took her hands in his and squeezed them tightly. On the horizon, the first rays of the sun became visible, illuminating thendscape. The valley and vineyards took on a reddish hue, and in the distance, they could see a wonderful view of the Alps and the Apennines. Mn appeared in the distance.


    The other two balloons also began to rise until they were in front of them. Mateo released her hands, and Ava noticed arge banner stretched between the two balloons. What she read on it deeply moved her.


    ¡°Will you be the light of my days, the owner of my life, and my soul in this life and for all eternity? Will you marry me?¡±


    Ava turned to find Mateo on one knee in front of her, holding a small open box, light gray with silver ents, containing two beautiful rings.


    ¡°Will you be Mrs. Liardi?¡± ¨C He asked with a huge smile on his face.


    ¡°I ept! Of course, I ept!¡± ¨C Ava said while hopping up and down and smiling, tears of happiness running down her cheeks.


    Mateo stood up and ced a ring on her finger. She took the other one and ced it on his. Mateo had decided to have two rings, one for each of them, so they could proudly wear the symbol of theirmitment.


    ¡°Yours forever,¡± ¨C the girl replied as she received the ring.


    ¡°Yours forever, now and for all eternity,¡± ¨C Mateo replied as she ced the ring on her finger.


    The balloon pilot watched them with a smile. Mateo had asked him to capture the moment on video and in photographs. Afterward, they toasted with champagne and enjoyed some snacks while taking in the marvelous view.


    Mateo had decided to propose, even though he had initially nned to wait until the issue with Teodoro was resolved. However, Ava¡¯s recent ordeal and the loss of their child made him reflect on the importance of not wasting any more time. Additionally, he believed that Matt needed to grow up with both his parents.


    When theynded, Max approached to congratte them. They got into the truck and headed to San Colombano, where they had breakfast at a cozy spot in the city center. While Ava was in the bathroom, a flirty girl approached Mateo. Ava returned at that moment and saw Mateo proudly disying his ring to the girl, who quickly walked away, embarrassed.


    Ava approached him and gave him a kiss, unable to hide her deep love for him. They left the ce, hand in hand, and strolled through the charming streets of the beautiful town.


    ¡°When I was a child, I used to wander these streets with my grandparents. I always asked them to take me to Frederick Barbarossa¡¯s castle. Inside that ce, I felt like royalty, ha-ha-ha.¡±


    ¡°Barbarossa?¡±


    ¡°In 1160, Barbarossa destroyed all the crops and fruit trees in this area,ying waste to the countryside to prevent supplies. Two yearster, they destroyed Mn. The previous castle waspletely destroyed, and Barbarossa built the current one in its ce.¡±


    ¡°In this area, there was a girl. She was a widow, and her reputation for being very beautiful reached the ears of Sultan Suleiman, who asked Barbarossa to bring her to him. She managed to escape, and in retaliation, Barbarossa wiped out entire viges.¡±


    ¡°What a crazy guy! Could we visit the castle?¡± Ava couldn¡¯tprehend how a man could do all that for a mere whim.


    ¡°Of course, my beautiful,¡± ¨C Mateo liked how Ava looked at everything with excitement.


    They headed to the castle and had fun exploring each of its spaces.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to build a castle just for you and my son. You¡¯d have beautiful gardens filled with your favorite flowers, and you would be my queen, and I, your king.¡±


    Ava smiled at each of Mateo¡¯s whimsical ideas. They spent a pleasant day visiting various ces, with Mateo recounting the history of each one. She listened attentively, genuinely interested in everything he had to say. asionally, he would pause to kiss her, and she would blush when he did so in front of others.


    In the evening, they returned to the vi, where Nana and Alondra were waiting for them to have dinner. The girl shamelessly stared at Ava.


    The next two days were devoted to sightseeing, as Mateo tried to help her momentarily forget her pain and troubles.


    Back in Mn, Ava was lost in thought. With Teodoro free, she didn¡¯t feel very secure and feared for her son¡¯s safety. They had the mansion and the corporation under surveince, but Teodoro hadn¡¯t been back there since that day.


    After a while, Ava remembered Alondra and the way she looked at her. She hesitated to ask Mateo about her but curiosity got the better of her.


    ¡°Does Alondra have a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°No, Amore, she doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend. She¡¯s into girls. Why do you ask?¡± ¨C Mateo was surprised by the question. At that moment, Ava understood everything.


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± She thought it was a good thing she hadn¡¯t known earlier; she would have felt ufortable with Alondra staring at her. ¨C ¡°It¡¯s just that she looked at me very strangely all the time.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha-ha, Alondra hasn¡¯t changed. She was probably trying to get your attention. She told me I¡¯m really lucky because you¡¯re incredibly beautiful.¡± Ava blushed.


    On another note, Cam continued to search for Tadeo, who always avoided her.


    She knew he had been going to Akiro¡¯s club, so that night she decided to look for him. She was not willing to lose him, and certainly not to let anyone else take her ce.

 Under the Millionaire鈥檚 Shadow

    Cam put on a short ck wig that reached just above her shoulder. The straight hair framed her features nicely. She donned a ckce mask and wore a tight-fitting ck dress.


    She arrived at the club and immediately spotted Tadeo, sitting in front of the bar, looking distracted as he hurriedly downed one drink after another.


    Approaching him, she changed her voice deliberately.


    ¡°Hello, handsome. Want somepany?¡± She inquired suggestively.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± replied the detective without even ncing at her.


    ¡°Come on, handsome. You seem desperate. What¡¯s going on? Trust me, I¡¯m a good listener.¡± She persisted; Cam was determined not to give up on Tadeo. He was worth it.


    That was enough to make Tadeo start recounting his entire story without turning to look at her. He talked about Ava and then about Afrodita, how he hade to believe she might be the woman of his life. A smile appeared on his face as he spoke about the adorable freckled children they would have.


    He noticed the girl had fallen silent. When he turned, he saw that she had removed her mask, and thick tears were wetting her cheeks. He thought that his story had touched this unusual girl deeply.


    The raven-haired girl took her short hair and, pulling it, let a long cascade fall.


    Surprise was written all over Tadeo¡¯s face. This girl was Afrodita.


    She didn¡¯t allow him to speak. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. Tadeo felt the warmth of that kiss coursing through him, all the way to his heart.


    He held her tightly, getting lost in the scent of her long hair. As he inhaled that soft aroma, he felt at ease.


    After a while, they decided to leave the club. Cam needed to talk to him.


    They arrived at Tadeo¡¯s apartment, entered, and sat in the living room, facing each other.


    ¡°I need you to listen to me without judgment. I don¡¯t want to have a rtionship with you based on lies.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m listening.¡± Tadeo was willing to do anything for her.


    ¡°For years, I¡¯ve developed a certain obsession with Mateo Liardi. I always tried to stay updated on his life and his interests, using the media, gossip magazines, and social media to do so.¡±


    ¡°He had never been seen with any woman, and there were even rumors that he was gay. When he announced his engagement to the secretary, it seemed like an impossible love for me. But when it was reported that he had broken up with her, I thought I might have a chance to get closer to him.¡±


    ¡°I decided to pose as a secretary, forging some documents since I hadn¡¯t finished college. I dressed up in a sexy and attention-grabbing way and applied for the position at the corporation. I watched other applicantse and go, all of them very voluptuous women. I saw him reject each one of them, so I rushed to buy clothes that would give me an imagepletely opposite to those of the girls he had turned down.¡±


    ¡°It worked, and I got the job. I thought about gradually winning him over. When I saw him suffering because of Grecia, I decided to approach him. I thought that since he invited me to apany him to important events, he might be interested in me. But he rejected me. Nevertheless, I persisted in my determination to conquer him. A girl named ra approached me, asking if we could work together to harm Grecia, but I brushed her off. She seems to be an unstable and dangerous woman.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where that woman is?¡± Tadeo asked, startled.


    ¡°She got into my apartment, and she won¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? That woman is wanted for attempted murder against Liardi.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Cam said, distressed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call for them toe and get her immediately.¡±


    ¡°You know that if you do that, they will implicate me for having her in my apartment,¡± she said sadly.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that. We need to find a way to get her out of there.¡±


    ¡°On one asion, Teodoro Miller approached me after work and offered me arge sum of money in exchange for information about Mateo. That man scares me. To get rid of him, I told him I would think about it. But he has been sending me messages for days to see if I epted his proposal. He asked me to call him if I decide to ept.¡±


    ¡°That could be of great help in stopping that criminal. And tell me, if you are so in love with Liardi, why did youe to me?¡± He asked bitterly. Apparently, his destiny was to be in the shadow of the millionaire.


    ¡°I thought I was in love with him, and I didn¡¯t realize that I was only attracted to the power image he projected. The day you came to Akiro¡¯s club, after my performance, I thought you woulde to my dressing room. But when you didn¡¯t, something inside me hurt. After that, I looked for you, and you refused to see me. That was when I realized that I love you, that I couldn¡¯t go on without you.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about what you feel?¡± Tadeo asked, still reluctant.


    ¡°Absolutely¡± Cam answered,pletely sure.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes and kissed, a kiss unlike any they had shared before, where they could feel all the love they had for each other.


    That night, for the first time, they made love. Everything before had been just sex. It was apletely new experience for both of them.


    The next day, Tadeo woke up, and he saw the beautiful girl still sleeping on his chest. A tender smile appeared on his face. After all, perhaps soon he would have a little freckled child in his arms, just as he had always desired.


    Tadeo had loved Ava so much since he met her years ago that it had be an obsession. It hadn¡¯t allowed him to develop feelings for any other girl, which is why he had turned to bondage. It satisfied his desires, but withoutmitting to anything more. But with Afrodita, everything had changed. He wanted to have her by his side forever.


    In another ce, a man smoked on a balcony at the top of a building. It was Teodoro Miller. He had left Italy to stay out of Liardi¡¯s reach and the police.


    He hadn¡¯t been able tomunicate with the high-ranking officer who protected him. Something must have happened to him. He paid him a good amount every month for protection and for turning a blind eye to his dirty businesses, of which the high-ranking officer had recently be a partner.


    He was in Germany, and that night he had to receive a shipment at the port of a nearby river.


    He headed to that ce, where arge container ship was anchored near the dock. Teodoro had the ce well monitored, and his men had already been deployed before he arrived. He entered arge warehouse where several girls were lined up, all with their hands tied and heads bowed. Teodoro smirked sinisterly as he saw them.


    That very night, there would be an auction, and men from various nationalities would be present. The best customers were men from Japan, Germany, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.


    Later, the girls were dressed provocatively, one by one they walked down a runway, and the men there watched them closely, choosing some of them until there were no more girls on the runway.


    The poor girls were terrified, silently crying, but none of those men cared about their suffering.


    This business was what mattered most to Teodoro; everything else was a front to justify his ie.


    In the penthouse, Ava and Mateo received a visit from Mateo¡¯s grandfather and mother, and L had alsoe to see them, bringing Matt with her. The three women prepared dinner while Mateo and his grandfather watched a ser game, apanied by Matt, who seemed to be developing a liking for kicking the ball.


    The two men paid more attention to the little one than to the actual game. They were amazed by his intelligence and his antics. For such a young child, he already spoke very clearly. Guido told Mateo that he had also spoken clearly from a young age.


    They had a lively dinner, and L reminded Mateo that they had a pending conversation. Mateo apologized, saying they would go out to dinner soon to talk with her. That night, the couple announced their engagement, and the others celebrated the event joyfully.


    They left after midnight, and Mateo¡¯s grandfather and mother offered to take L to her apartment, leaving Matt with his parents.


    Shortly after, the little one was asleep in the room next to his parents¡¯. From there, they could hear perfectly if he woke up during the night, although Ava didn¡¯t think he would. He had tired himself out ying.


    Later, Ava emerged from the bathroom wearing only a light nightgown. Upon seeing her, Mateo felt his heart race, as they hadn¡¯t been intimate for days. She needed to recover from everything they had gone through.


    As Avay down and hugged him, she noticed Mateo¡¯s heart beating rapidly. She slid her hand over his chest, and his heartbeat quickened.


    She knew they had to wait a few more days as the doctor had indicated. She moved her hand down and realized the level of excitement Mateo was experiencing.


    He let out a growl and pulled her hand away.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do anything yet, my love. It¡¯s best if I take a cold shower to calm myself down,¡± he said,ughing.


    ¡°That, or maybe I could help you solve your little problem,¡± Ava suggested.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s small?¡± she asked, feigning seriousness.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, silly,¡± Ava couldn¡¯t help butugh at the tone she used.

 Searching for a Home

    Ava began to kiss him, moving from his mouth to his neck and slowly making her way down to his most sensitive part. He closed his eyes, caught up in a sea of sensations as she moved her mouth, her lips gliding softly. The movements were slow at first, but gradually increased in tempo until he was able to release all that built-up pressure. Avaid herself down on his chest, as Mateo¡¯s heart rate returned to normal.


    ¡°Problem solved,¡± Ava eximed.


    ¡°You are very good at solving problems, Miss Miller,¡± Mateo replied.


    ¡°Whenever you need me, Mr. Liardi,¡± Ava winked.


    Mateo let out a huskyugh. Ava found his tone of voice very sexy, not forgetting that before falling in love with his appearance, she had fallen in love with his scent and his voice, the voice that had sparked so many sensations when she first heard it.


    ¡°You know I love your voice; it¡¯s very sexy.¡±


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll talk all the time.¡±


    ¡°When I used to hear you in the darkness, I always tried to imagine your face.¡±


    ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t disappointed you.¡±


    ¡°You exceeded my expectations, sweetheart.¡± ¨C They kissed again and eventually fell asleep.


    Far away from them, Teodoro Miller was thinking about how to bring Grecia to his side. He wouldn¡¯t let Liardi have an easy path. In the Miller mansion, Teodoro¡¯s mistress was furious. She knew nothing about him. It was clear that he had abandoned her. At first, she thought he had left with Grecia, but upon investigating, she found that Grecia was with Liardi.


    Teodoro had no idea what she was capable of. She was determined to gather evidence she could use against him. He would pay dearly for humiliating her like that. She wasn¡¯t willing to give up the Miller fortune.


    Unaware of Teodoro¡¯s ns, Ava and Mateo were nning some details for their wedding. They were clear that it would take ce after putting Teodoro behind bars. Ava¡¯s mother and L had brought her a multitude of bridal magazines. She wanted the dress to be simple, but Mateo¡¯s mother wanted it to be a unique wedding since it was her only son. Ava agreed to turn the wedding into a big event, even though she would prefer something very small and intimate.


    Mateo returned from the office at lunchtime, passing by Ava, who was with Morgana and Matt at a caf¨¦ near the corporate building. He was going to pick her up because they were going to look at some houses. Mateo was thinking about having arge family, so they needed a very big house.


    Ava invited her friend to go with them. Despite having a past with Mateo, the two girls had be friends in a short amount of time. Mateo wasn¡¯t initially thrilled with the idea, but he eventually epted it.


    Max approached to open the door for them to get in, and he noticed the redhead. Mateo and her had a history from many years ago, so Max didn¡¯t know her. He always waited for his boss outside the club. The girl caught his attention. Because of her beauty, she had a face and a body that didn¡¯t allow her to go unnoticed wherever she went.


    Morgana leaned in close to Ava¡¯s ear and asked in a whisper, ¡°Who¡¯s that guy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Max, Mateo¡¯s driver, or rather, his right-hand man.¡±


    ¡°You have to introduce me, girl. He¡¯s quite the looker. Look at those arms!¡±


    Ava smiled at Morgana¡¯sments while trying to remove a lollipop that her little one had stuck in her hair.


    Mateo, who had sat up front next to Max, turned to look at them, puzzled. What were those girls whispering about? Max asionally nced at Morgana through the rearview mirror, and she responded with some flirtatious nces. Max grinned, pleased to see that the redhead was not indifferent to him.


    They visited several houses, but they couldn¡¯t agree. The ones Mateo liked didn¡¯t convince Ava, and the ones that caught her eye had some detail that didn¡¯t convince him.


    Max and Morgana watched them with amusement. Ava and Mateo argued about something and then kissed.


    As it was getting dark, they headed to see thest house for sale in that area, located in Naviglio Grande. Upon arrival, they were amazed. Before them stood the perfect home-a beautiful vi surrounded by a vast wooded garden.


    The real estate agent showed them the interior, which sealed the deal for them. It had five bedrooms. Mateo thought they were necessary for the children he wanted to have because it was clear that Matt needed a sibling to grow up with. He didn¡¯t want him to grow up alone, as he did.


    The house was just a few kilometers from the corporate office, close to everything they might need. Ava thought it was a cozy ce, the perfect home.


    ¡°I love this vi.¡±


    ¡°I like it too, darling. It¡¯s the ideal ce to start a family.¡±


    They informed the agent that they would take the vi and then returned to the penthouse. Max and Morgana said their goodbyes as they were going to dinner together.


    ¡°The boys hit it off as soon as they saw each other,¡± Ava told Mateo.


    ¡°I¡¯m d for both of them. They¡¯re great guys,¡± Mateo said. He was pleased to think that someone might finally win Max¡¯s heart; Max had been a very solitary guy,pletely devoted to his work for years.


    ¡°My friend called me this morning,¡± Ava hesitated as she said it.


    ¡°Ah! What does your friend the photographer want?¡± Mateo knew it was him; she only referred to Dante as her friend.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the city and wants to see me.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Mateo¡¯s expression immediately changed.


    ¡°He¡¯s my friend, and I want to see him too.¡±


    ¡°No, I refuse to let you see him, Ava.¡±


    ¡°You coulde with me. Besides, he¡¯s your friend too.¡±


    ¡°He was, but I don¡¯t like that guy anymore. He¡¯s in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you have no idea what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°He clung to you like a leech from the moment he met you.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed?¡±


    ¡°Noticed what?¡± he asked, sounding annoyed.


    ¡°He¡¯s gay,¡± Ava eximed whileughing.


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t believe you. In college, he was always surrounded by girls.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. His partner is his assistant, but he hasn¡¯t mustered the courage to make it public. His family is very conservative.¡±


    ¡°Well, I used to get so angry every time I saw him near you.¡±


    ¡°Haha, we were just finding a way to give each other a taste of our own medicine when we saw each other with our respective secretaries,¡± Ava said yfully.


    ¡°How silly we¡¯ve been, my love,¡± Mateo replied, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.


    ¡°More than silly, amore.¡± Ava kissed him tenderly.


    Meanwhile, in Tadeo¡¯s apartment, Cam was calling Teodoro.


    ¡°Soon,¡± the man answered immediately.


    ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s Cam, Mateo Liardi¡¯s secretary.¡±


    ¡°Have you finally decided to help me?¡± Teodoro knew that women like her could sell their souls to the devil for money.


    ¡°Mateo has only used me, and he has chosen Grecia. I want to make him pay.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. You should know that I¡¯ll reward you handsomely for the information you provide,¡± he said with a malicious smile. A scorned woman would make a great ally in his ns.


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Cam asked, following Tadeo¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°Everything-where he goes, who he¡¯s with, whether Grecia stays with him and where.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start investigating, and as soon as I find out anything, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you an email address. It¡¯s not advisable for you to call me. I¡¯ll reply to any correspondence there. I¡¯ll discard this phone; I only had it in case you contacted me. No one else has this number.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Miller.¡±


    Tadeo signaled her to keep him on the line a bit longer. He was trying to trace the signal to find out her location.


    ¡°Well, youngdy, I¡¯ll be waiting for your report.¡±


    ¡°Please hold on, Mr. Miller.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Cam said.


    ¡°How much will I earn for all of this?¡± She wanted to make him believe she was interested in the payment.


    ¡°Does 350, 000 euros now and 250, 000 more after you¡¯ve given me the information I need sound good to you?¡±


    ¡°That sounds sufficient.¡±


    ¡°Then send me your bank ount details to the email address I¡¯ll provide.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for the email address to send the information.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye for now. I expect the information soon.¡±


    He immediately ended the call, and Cam turned to Tadeo.


    ¡°We did it. That guy is somewhere in Germany.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s so confident.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s desperate to know about Grecia. What he¡¯s done already isn¡¯t enough for him. Soon, we¡¯ll have him in our hands. The higher-ups who protected him are already behind bars,pletely cut off frommunicating with him.¡±


    Meanwhile, Teodoro was looking at a photo of Cam as Afrodita dancing in a nightclub. He ced the photo on his desk. He had an important meeting with a prominent Arab.


    ¡°Sam-ikum,¡± the Arab greeted him with a handshake, cing his left hand on Teodoro¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡°Sam-ikum. Wee, Saddam.¡±


    ¡°The merchandise this time was of great quality. I want to ce a special order. I want to give a gift to the Sheikh, and it must be of the highest quality, a total beauty.¡±


    He fixed his gaze on the photo of Afrodita that Teodoro had left on the desk.


    ¡°Something like her, or rather, I want her. She should know how to entertain the Sheikh. I¡¯ll pay you handsomely. Bring that girl here, and from here, I¡¯ll take her to the Sheikh. He will like this girl; she¡¯ll look great in his harem.¡±


    ¡°This girl is not part of the merchandise; she works for me.¡± The Arab looked at him in a displeased manner, not ustomed to being denied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you triple.¡± Teodoro¡¯s eyes gleamed with greed.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have her brought here. She¡¯ll be all yours.¡±

 Kidnapped to be Sold

    A mocking smile appeared on the Arab¡¯s face, knowing that this woman would please the Sheikh. He always sought to please his boss, who had protected him since he was a child.


    The next day, Teodoro sent an email to Cam, and she replied indicating that she had already sent her bank ount details.


    Ciao Cam, it would be better for one of my men to deliver the money to you to avoid them tracing the transfer. You will see him today at 7:00 pm at the end of the main alley. He will give you an envelope with the money and instructions on what to do. You will recognize my envoy because he will be dressed in ck and will have a red carnation on hispel. I expect results from your work, a presto.


    There were only two hours left until seven when Cam read the new email sent by Teodoro. Tadeo was on an operation, although it wasn¡¯t his job, his boss had sent him because he needed someone trustworthy to be in charge. Cam left a note on the bedside table in the bedroom and hurriedly left. She didn¡¯t want Teodoro to suspect anything.


    The girl arrived at the alley at the agreed time and searched the ce, but she didn¡¯t see anyone dressed as Teodoro had indicated. She was distracted, searching everywhere. At that hour, there were very few people in the ce. It was usually crowded on weekends.


    When she turned around, she felt her mouth and nose being covered. A strong smell flooded her nasal passages. She wanted to scream, but everything around her started to spin until it becamepletely dark.


    Tadeo had been calling her, but Cam didn¡¯t respond to the calls. After a while, the detective arrived at her apartment. She had agreed to wait for him there, but she wasn¡¯t there. He entered the room and found the note. He ran out to look for her, sensing that something was wrong. She always answered.


    Cam woke up some timeter, in a cold and dark ce. She felt the floor moving and was grateful that she wasn¡¯t tied up. She started shouting for help, but a door opened, and the brightness hurt her eyes. A tall, bald, and burly white man entered immediately.


    ¡°Shut up, no one can hear you here. We¡¯re out at sea, and your screams bother us. If you scream again, I¡¯ll have to tie you up, so it¡¯s your choice.¡±


    She stayed silent. When the man hade in, she had noticed the daylighting in, so she deduced that she had been unconscious for several hours.


    She prayed silently while crying, hoping that Tadeo would search for her and find her soon.


    She had no idea where they were taking her, and she wondered if Teodoro had realized that his offer of help had been a trap.


    Hourster, the door opened again, and the bald man entered. He tied her hands behind her back and blindfolded her.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she asked nervously.


    ¡°Shhhh, be quiet, or I¡¯ll have to gag you,¡± the man replied gruffly.


    They took her off the boat and into a van. She overheard the bald man talking on the phone.


    ¡°Soon, she¡¯s here now. We just disembarked at the port. We¡¯ll take her as usual by the river. Meet us at the rendezvous port, wait for us there. The other girls are in the other van; they¡¯ll be taken as usual.¡±


    Cam trembled with fear. What was all of this about?


    They got off the van and onto a small boat. The other girls would be transported in a container hourster, as a boat with several girls on board would attract attention. Cam was being awaited by the Arab, which was why they were taking her first. Several hourster, they arrived at the port where Teodoro was waiting. When they were inside the warehouse, they removed Cam¡¯s restraints, and when they took off her blindfold, the first thing she saw was Teodoro¡¯s mocking smile.


    ¡°What happened, Afrodita? Did you enjoy the trip?¡± Teodoroughed cynically as he looked at her.


    Cam lunged at him, trying to hit him, but the bald man stopped her while Teodoro continued tough, thoroughly amused by her behavior.


    ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out that you no longer work for Liardi? We¡¯ll see if your detective can do anything for you. Take her away, feed her, and have the girls clean her up. She needs to be ready for the Arab as soon as he arrives.¡±


    ¡°You will pay for this dearly, Teodoro Miller!¡± Cam shouted, trying to stay strong, as the bald man carried her over his shoulder and took her away.


    Tadeo had found Cam¡¯s cellphone and wallet discarded in the alley. When he arrived, it had been a short time since they had taken her. After reviewing the footage from some cameras, he could see what had happened to her. He knew it was Teodoro¡¯s doing because in the note she had left him, she mentioned that he had asked her to go to that ce.


    He informed his superiors. They suspected that Teodoro was involved in human trafficking in Germany, based on what L had overheard in Teodoro¡¯s phone calls before leaving the Miller mansion.


    He called Mateo to find out how much progress he had made in his investigation, and he told him about Cam¡¯s situation. Ava and Mateo headed to Tadeo¡¯s office.


    ¡°I need to find her; I fear for her physical safety. I¡¯mpletely desperate,¡± Tadeo said, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ve traced Teodoro to a port in Germany. That¡¯s where they take the girls they gather here in the country from various ces. But we haven¡¯t figured out their final destination yet. He¡¯s very cautious. First, he deploys his men. We haven¡¯t acted yet to ensure he doesn¡¯t escape,¡± Mateo said, understanding Tadeo¡¯s feelings. He had felt the same way when he couldn¡¯t find Ava and didn¡¯t know if she was in danger.


    ¡°Teodoro contacted her; he wanted her to provide information about you and Ava. He¡¯s obsessed with Grecia. We need to keep her protected. I have no doubt he wants to take her with him.¡±


    ¡°I think we need to put an end to this once and for all. I¡¯ll go to Germany with you. I have several men there who are on his trail. Ava, you¡¯ll stay with Matt and L at my grandfather¡¯s house. You¡¯ll be safe there. I¡¯ll increase security at the house and its surroundings. I couldn¡¯t bear it if anything happened to you.¡±


    Ava nodded slightly, fearing for Mateo¡¯s safety but knowing he was right. This nightmare had to end once and for all.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave early in the morning. I¡¯ll have the jet ready,¡± Tadeo sincerely thanked Mateo for expediting things to offer him assistance.


    They left Tadeo¡¯s office, passed by Matt and L, whom they exined the situation to, and then went to the penthouse to gather some belongings and clothing they would need. Afterward, they headed to the Liardi mansion, where Mateo¡¯s grandfather and mother were very concerned about the situation.


    Mateo and Ava slept together that night. The girl couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. She didn¡¯t want to seem pessimistic, but she was very afraid. Her uncle was a very dangerous man, and she trembled at the mere thought of him.


    In the room, Mateo finished taking a shower and Ava entered the bathroom as soon as he left. She took a warm bath, needing to rx. She came out wrapped in just a towel, and rested her foot on the edge of the bed while applying lotion to her legs. Mateo found her gentle movements to be sensual and alluring. He approached her and ced kisses along her neck. She smiled and then turned around, dropping the towel.


    Mateo was only covered by a bathrobe, which he immediately took off. Ava¡¯s body seemed unique to him, as if it had been molded to his liking. She was beautiful, and he felt like he was next to the most beautiful woman in the world.


    Heid on top of her, and Ava asked him to blindfold her. He smiled, that sexy smile that drove her crazy, and blindfolded her as she requested. Then, he took a tie and tied her hands, before leading her to a chair and helping her sit down. He began to trace her body with the tips of his fingers.


    Ava let out small moans, her senses heightened in the darkness.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Mateo yed for a while, provoking various sensations that spread throughout the girl¡¯s body. Then he kissed her and guided her to the bed, removing the restraints from her hands, but she refused to take off the blindfold.


    ¡°No, leave the blindfold over my eyes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be as you wish, your orders are mymands.¡±


    They made love repeatedly throughout the night, with overwhelming passion. Just before dawn, they did it again, this time gently and slowly, with utmost tenderness. The farewell was difficult for both of them because they didn¡¯t know what could happen.


    They enjoyed their bodies, wanting to engrave every part of each other in their memory. Ava still had the blindfold covering her eyes, letting herself be carried away by the sensations Mateo¡¯s caresses provoked. She wanted to preserve in her memory that unmistakable and special scent of his body. In the end, she took off the blindfold, took his face in her hands, wanting to imprint that beloved face in her mind.

 Taken to the Palace

    Before sunrise, Mateo showered and got ready to leave. He then entered his son¡¯s room and watched him for a moment. Before leaving, he tenderly kissed the boy¡¯s forehead, taking great care not to wake him. Ava apanied him to the door, and tears streamed down her face uncontrobly. Mateo wiped them away with his fingers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, my love. I¡¯ll be back soon, and this nightmare will be over. That man must pay for everything he¡¯s done. We need to live in peace, and we can¡¯t do that while he¡¯s still free.¡±


    ¡°I hope so. Please take care, remember that your son and I will be waiting for you,¡± she said, giving him her blessing and bidding farewell with a kiss.


    ¡°Wait, son, wait,¡± Guido and his mother hurriedly came downstairs, and behind them, L also descended. Their faces clearly showed their deep concern.


    ¡°Take all our blessings with you, son,¡± his mother said as she hugged him.


    Guido and L also said their goodbyes, asking for his swift return. Mateo let out a heavy sigh and got into the car, feeling an unusual sensation he couldn¡¯t exin. He had never been sentimental; he had always been a tough man. But this time, he couldn¡¯t help it after that emotional farewell.


    Maybe it was because he didn¡¯t like long goodbyes. Before Ava, he felt like he despised sentimentality.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Shortly after, he arrived at the airport, and the private jet was ready in the hangar. Tadeo arrived at the same time, waiting at the hangar¡¯s entrance. They greeted each other and boarded the ne. M¨¢x would join them; he had also been in the military. During the flight, each of them was lost in their thoughts. It would be a rtively short trip, approximately an hour and a half.


    Meanwhile, Cam was being handed over to the Arab who had been dyed and couldn¡¯t arrive the previous night.


    ¡°Sam-ikum, Sadam,¡± the Arab greeted Teodoro.


    ¡°Sam-ikum, Miller.¡±


    ¡°The girl will be here in a moment. You must be careful with her; she¡¯s a little wild one.¡±


    ¡°Haha, the Sheikh will be delighted to tame her. These rebellious types are his favorites.¡±


    One of Sadam¡¯s bodyguards was sent to bring Cam. He knocked on the door of the small room where she was being held, and the girl who was with her opened it, leaving her alone with the bodyguard.


    ¡°Let me go, please! HELP ME, I beg you,¡± Cam was desperate. She didn¡¯t know what awaited her in the ce they were taking her.


    ¡°Shhhh, I will find a way to help you, but for now, I can¡¯t do anything. Try not to cause trouble to avoid getting hurt,¡± Cam was surprised by the man¡¯s response. She nodded in agreement, willing to obey if it meant getting out of this situation.


    The bodyguard was an American agent working undercover. Following the kidnapping of an American girl, he had infiltrated the organization, managing to enter the Sheikh¡¯s pce as Sadam¡¯s bodyguard. He had spent two years gathering information, appearing loyal to Sadam, who didn¡¯t suspect him at all.


    His life was at risk if those men found out, but it would be worth it if he could help dismantle the criminal organization.


    Cam was brought before Teodoro and Sadam. Thetter, upon seeing her, approached and took her by the chin. The girl tried to free herself from his grip, but he tightened his hold, causing her to wince in pain.


    ¡°You will be a very delightful gift for the Sheikh, although I would like to keep you for myself. You¡¯re very beautiful, and I will look very good if I deliver you to him.¡±


    Cam tried to restrain herself but couldn¡¯t. She spat right in the Arab¡¯s face, who reacted by delivering a strong blow to the girl¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯d better behave, my beauty, or it will be just your head that reaches the Sheikh for his collection,¡± the man grinned macabrely as he uttered these words, and the worst part was that he wasn¡¯t joking.


    The bodyguard signaled to F¨¢tima to lower her head, which she did immediately as she was trembling with fear.


    They had dressed her in a small top and a semi-transparent skirt, leaving her belly exposed, leaving very little to the imagination. They had bathed her in rose essences and left her long hairpletely loose. She was afraid they might try to take advantage of her before delivering her to the Sheikh.


    ¡°On the ne, the girls will fix you up again. The flight will be long, almost twelve hours, so I hope you behave so that you arrive alive. Upon arrival, you will be handed over to the Sheikh, and from that moment on, you will be his property. You can only have your face uncovered in front of him; otherwise, you will wear a veil that covers most of your face, leaving only your eyes exposed.¡±


    Tears rolled down Cam¡¯s cheeks. Where was Tadeo? Why wasn¡¯t heing to rescue her? She was used to men admiring her, but it was entirely different when she was kidnapped.


    When they reached their destination, they disembarked from the ne. They had dressed her extravagantly, with clothing adorned with sparkling stones. ck vans were parked next to the ne. They got into them, and after a while, they arrived at the Sheikh¡¯s pce.


    They waited for a few minutes in the grand hall. A massive double door opened, and a man in his 60s appeared, dressed in a manner that Cam found strange. He wore a kind of ck robe with some gold ents, a white shirt underneath, and a ck turban on his head, secured with a gold band. Extravagant jewelry adorned his neck and hands.


    Upon seeing the girl, the Sheikh smiled maliciously, which repulsed Cam. He was obese, with a dull beard adorning his face.


    ¡°Sam-ikum, Sadam. Who is this beauty?¡± he asked, while leering at her. Cam thought he might pounce on her at any moment.


    ¡°Sam-ikum, my lord,¡± Sadam said, making a slight bow. ¡°Please ept this humble gift,¡± he added, gesturing to Cam.


    ¡°How could I not ept it? She is a true beauty,¡± he grinned grotesquely, disying his stained teeth. ¡°I will be away for a few days, but upon my return, I will enjoy my gift. Take her to the harem with the others and prepare the presentation ceremony.¡±


    Cam didn¡¯t know what she would do, but she would seek an opportunity to escape before that man returned. She didn¡¯t want him to touch her; the mere thought made her nauseous.


    Mateo and Tadeo arrived in Germany,nding just a few minutes away from the port where they had taken Cam. They disembarked from the jet, and before heading to their hotel, they went directly to meet with Mateo¡¯s men to gather information. The following day, Tadeo would report to the agent in charge of the investigation and provide the evidence they had.


    At the meeting location, Mateo¡¯s men informed them that the previous night, an Arab had arrived with a girl. They showed them a video where it was evident that she had been taken by the Arab.


    ¡°Damn it! Rescuing Cam will be more challenging if she¡¯s in the hands of the Arabs,¡± Tadeo clenched his fists. If only he could have Miller in front of him for a few seconds.


    ¡°Was Tadeo Miller with them?¡± Mateo asked.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see him enter or leave the warehouse, so we didn¡¯t take any action. Only a cargo truck entered, and it left after the Arab departed.¡±


    ¡°Did you check the truck?¡±


    ¡°No, doing so would alert Miller.¡±


    ¡°But if he was inside that truck, we missed the chance to catch him,¡± Mateo couldn¡¯t believe they hadn¡¯t checked.


    The men remained silent, lowering their heads.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Liardi. This has gotten out of hand. Cam trusted me to protect her, and I¡¯ve failed her,¡± Tadeo admitted, his head hung low.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye on the warehouse. They¡¯ll have to receive merchandise at some point. If Miller doesn¡¯t show up, we¡¯ll catch his right-hand man, whoever that is, as they must be in charge of transporting the girls.¡±


    In Italy, Mateo¡¯s mother was trying to distract Ava. Mateo had sent a message upon his arrival in Germany, and Ava couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of tightness in her chest, which worried her.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go for your wedding dress fitting. Getting out will help distract you,¡± Mateo¡¯s mother suggested.


    ¡°Mateo asked me not to leave the house, and he even requested that I cancel the tour starting at the end of this month.¡±


    ¡°Nothing will happen, my dear. We¡¯ll take some of the guards with us.¡±


    ¡°Your mother is right, sweetheart. When he returns, he¡¯ll be pleased that everything is ready for the wedding,¡± L chimed in.


    That night, Mateo was in his hotel room. His men had returned to the port, and they would head there the next day after Tadeo delivered the evidence to the local authorities.


    He had just arrived, and he already missed Ava terribly. He decided to call her. Both countries were in the same time zone, so he assumed she hadn¡¯t gone to sleep yet.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Ciao, be.¡±


    ¡°Ciao, amore.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep; I miss you too much.¡±


    ¡°I miss you more. I need to be close to you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said, biting her lip.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten warm,¡± she replied, her cheeks turning red.


    ¡°Haha, your cheeks have turned red.¡±


    ¡°I need you by my side, always,¡± Ava pouted, which Mateo found endearing.


    ¡°Is that a promise? If it¡¯s a promise, you¡¯ll have to keep it.¡±


    ¡°I know, and I will,¡± she said, smiling.

 Kidnapping the Girlfriend

    Ava and Mateo said goodbye, even though they didn¡¯t want to, Mateo had to apany Tadeo in the morning, so he didn¡¯t want to stay upte.


    Ava fell asleep right away, she felt Mateoe in and lie down beside her, slowly he removed their clothes and then hers too, she felt still under the weight of his body, this time he skipped the forey and entered her in one smooth motion.


    Feeling him inside her drove her crazy, Ava started moaning loudly as he began moving his hips, she lowered her hands to touch his hard buttocks, he smiled and continued moving, increasing the rhythm while she writhed in pleasure, he took her legs and put them on his shoulders, in a few seconds she exploded in thousands of sensations that flooded her entire body.


    She woke uppletely drenched in sweat, at least that¡¯s what she wanted to believe to avoid feeling embarrassed about the intense dream she had just had, all because of that sexy image of Mateo lying shirtless that she had seen before falling asleep, thank goodness L had stayed in another room and Matt was in his crib, she would have been embarrassed if they had slept together, as they always preferred not to sleep apart when she was nervous.


    Mateo, on the other hand, had fallen asleep while gazing at the photograph of Ava he always carried in his wallet. It was a picture he had taken a long time ago, where she sat on the terrace, lost in thought, with her gaze adrift.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    In the Sheikh¡¯s pce, Cam was in the harem. Since it wasn¡¯t yet time for her presentation, she had her own separate chamber from where the other girls were. They shared arge room with several beds scattered around, as well as several rugs with cushions and small tables where the girls would sit and have tea.


    In the morning, some of the girls entered her room. It was a significant advantage that most of them spoke English, just like Cam, somunication wasn¡¯t an issue. They exined to her what she would have to do during the presentation. They taught her a specific type of dance because she would have to dance with them for the Sheikh. They advised her not to refuse, as doing so would result in being whipped in front of the other girls as an example of what happened if they didn¡¯t obey.


    Afrodita held back her tears; she didn¡¯t want to show any weakness in front of the others. She had always been a strong and independent woman who had managed to get out of her problems on her own without anyone¡¯s help. But this time, the situation overwhelmed her. She was a bundle of nerves, but she pretended to be strong so as not to show it.


    Mateo and Tadeo left the Federal Department of Justice and Police, where they had submitted the evidence against Teodoro. They didn¡¯t expect much toe from the authorities there, so they had to hurry and resolve the situation on their own. They only hoped that Teodoro hadn¡¯t bribed any high-ranking police officials in that ce as he had in Italy. If he had, it would put him on alert.


    At night, they headed to the port, where there was activity. The bald man was there, waiting to receive the girls being transported in the container. Mateo and Tadeo were hidden along with their men, all dressed in ck, which helped them blend into the shadows.


    Several luxury vans arrived and entered the area. They couldn¡¯t see what was happening inside from the outside.


    Once the auction that night was over, the clients left, satisfied as always with the beauty of their acquisitions. Only the bald man and a few others remained because they had to close the warehouse.


    A few minutester, they left the scene. They would return in the small boat they arrived in to leave no evidence behind, and only the anchored cargo ship remained, with nothing incriminating left on board.


    As they headed to the dock to board the boat, they were surrounded by Mateo¡¯s men. Since they were outnumbered, Teodoro¡¯s men were immediately disarmed.


    ¡°Porca miseria!¡± eximed the bald man as he raised his hands.


    ¡°Watch yournguage,¡± Mateo said, giving the bald man a cold stare.


    ¡°Who the hell are you, and what do you want?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends of your boss,¡± Mateo replied with a sinister smile.


    They ordered them to be tied up and taken to a nearby warehouse. They tried to resist but were overpowered. Inside the warehouse, they separated the bald man from the others as they realized he was the one giving orders.


    They hung him by his hands on a hook in the room, with only the tips of his toes touching the ground.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re going to tell me where they took Cam,¡± Tadeo demanded furiously.


    ¡°I have no idea who this Cam person is,¡± he replied angrily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y games. Cam is the girl they handed over to the Arab.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ll have to figure that out yourselves. By now, the Sheikh must be enjoying her.¡±


    ¡°So, the Sheikh. Tell me the exact location, or you¡¯ll regret it,¡± Tadeo had to restrain himself; he wanted to tear the man apart with his bare hands.


    The bald man spat in Tadeo¡¯s direction, annoyed by the questioning.


    Mateo pulled out a taser and showed it to the bald man.


    ¡°This taser will send a 60, 000-volt shock through your body. I assure you it won¡¯t be pleasant, so talk.¡±


    ¡°Rot in hell,¡± the bald man spat again, this time aiming for Mateo, but with a quick move, Mateo managed to dodge it.


    Mateo discharged the taser, and the bald man let out a sharp scream as his body convulsed. After a few seconds, the bald man was drenched in sweat, with a damp stain on his pants.


    ¡°Talk, or I¡¯ll do it again,¡± Mateo didn¡¯t mince words.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll talk,¡± the bald man said. ¡°They took her as a gift to the Sheikh in Sharjah.¡±


    ¡°Who took her?¡± Tadeo asked, relieved that at least he knew where they had taken her.


    ¡°Sadam, the Sheikh¡¯s trusted man, saw a photo of that girl on the boss¡¯s desk and requested her as a gift for the Sheikh.¡±


    ¡°Why did Miller have a photo of her?¡±


    ¡°He had her investigated; he wanted her to work for him, gathering information, but he found out she was trying to deceive him.¡±


    Mateo and Tadeo exchanged nces, leaving the tied-up men in ce. Some of their men would keep watch over them, while others took the boat. At the moment, they didn¡¯t want Miller to realize what had happened. Tadeo would leave with other men for Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, in search of Cam.


    Mateo would stay to watch over the warehouse, apanied by Max and his men. He knew that not being able tomunicate with the bald man, Teodoro would likelye looking for him.


    The next morning, Tadeo departed in the Liardi jet for Sharjah, holding out hope that Cam was safe. She was a smart girl who would surely know how to keep herself out of harm¡¯s way.


    The following night would be Cam¡¯s presentation to the Sheikh. The obese man would return from his trip, and he couldn¡¯t get the girl out of his mind. He had many women, but a new addition to the harem was always an exciting novelty.


    Tadeo arrived in Sharjah at night, apanied by a guard who would serve as his interpreter since he didn¡¯t speak or understand the localnguage. Fortunately, a young man named Areb volunteered to be his interpreter. Mateo had contacted some people who would receive them.


    As they disembarked from the jet, they were greeted by two Arab men who had done business with Mateo in the past and had agreed to help him.


    ¡°Sam-ikum,¡± greeted one of the Arabs to Tadeo, extending his right hand for the greeting and cing his left hand on Tadeo¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Sam-ikum,¡± Tadeo replied, and then the other Arab did the same.


    They were taken to their house, where they would stay to avoid raising suspicions, as foreigners always attracted attention. The group consisted of Tadeo, Areb, and three other bodyguards.


    The Mn Police Department had taken over the Miller Corporation¡¯s facilities. Without the protection of the highmand, all the evidence against Teodoro had been processed.


    Teodoro¡¯s girlfriend had provided damning evidence against him in exchange for protection. She believed that if Teodoro fell, she would inherit thepany. She was convinced that Ava was either dead or too defenseless to im her inheritance.


    The police had no evidence against Ava. After all, she had only spent the money generated by Teodoro and had never directly participated in his illegal activities. That role had been yed by his former secretary, manipting thepany¡¯s financial records.


    Ava, L, and Mateo¡¯s mother went to the bridal shop. Morgana arrivedter, and Ava wanted her help in choosing a veil and some other missing items. ra had been watching the house for days and followed them to the shop. She wasn¡¯t alone; she had to find a safe way to get closer to them.


    Two security vans apanied Ava. ra had toe up with a n to get closer. A van arrived at the back of the store to unload merchandise, including dresses and other items. ra and the two men with her approached and took some dresses, making sure the store clerk didn¡¯t see them, pretending to be store employees.


    Ava tried on the dress, and it looked wonderful on her. It was strapless, fitting until the waist, and had a wide skirt adorned with hundreds of rhinestones on the delicate fabric. Ava thought it was too ostentatious, although undeniably beautiful. Morgana was giving instructions to adjust the rhinestones, creating a tiara-like effect on the top of the veil when suddenly, the redhead felt a sharp blow to her head, and darkness enveloped herpletely.

 In the Hands of the Enemy

    Mateo¡¯s mother and L were waiting in front of the fitting room with little Matt, expecting Ava toe out so they could see how the dress looked on her. They waited for a while, but Ava didn¡¯t appear. L left Matt with his grandmother and decided to go in to see what was happening. To her shock, she found Morgana and the shop assistant lying unconscious on the floor.


    Chaos ensued as the security guards waiting outside rushed in. They reviewed the security camera footage and saw ra and two men taking Ava, who was unconscious, and quickly driving away in a van.


    L and Mateo¡¯s mother were inconsble, ming themselves for what had happened, regretting their insistence on going out when Ava didn¡¯t want to. They knew Mateo would never forgive them if anything happened to Ava.


    Little Matt seemed to sense something was wrong and kept calling for his mother repeatedly.


    Mateo was in the hotel, having just taken a shower and nning to return immediately. M¨¢x was with him, reviewing some images captured by their men, hoping to recognize one of the men who had arrived at the bridal shop.


    Suddenly, M¨¢x¡¯s phone rang. When he answered, the voice on the other end left him stunned. His expression changed, and he abruptly ended the call, looking at Mateo with a grave expression.


    Mateo found M¨¢x¡¯s behavior strange and felt an ominous sense of foreboding.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, M¨¢x?¡± Mateo asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Speak up.¡±


    M¨¢x lowered his gaze, feeling ashamed to have to deliver this news to his boss. He had made a grave error in selecting the security team for Ava, believing them to be the best.


    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Ava,¡± M¨¢x finally said. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, sir, but our men have failed us.¡± Mateo¡¯s face turned pale as he sensed that something terrible was happening.


    ¡°Ava? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been taken,¡± M¨¢x replied.


    Mateo felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe for a moment but made an effort to regain hisposure.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. The mansion is very secure. Who dared to enter?¡±


    ¡°No, sir, no one entered the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Then? Damn it, speak up.¡±


    ¡°Her mother and L insisted on going out so she could try on the wedding dress, and that¡¯s when they took her.¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake! I ordered them not to leave.¡±


    Mateo sat on the floor, bowing his head, holding it in his hands. He wouldn¡¯t forgive himself if something happened to Ava. He shouldn¡¯t have left her without protection.


    ¡°My son, have they taken my son too?¡± he asked desperately, remembering Matt.


    ¡°No, sir. I don¡¯t have much information yet, but I know he¡¯s with L.¡±


    ¡°My God! Ava must be in the hands of that madman Miller.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve reviewed the security camera footage from the bridal shop, and it shows Miss ra with two men taking her. One of our men recognized one of them, and he¡¯s sure he works for Miller.¡±


    ¡°ra? Cursed woman. She¡¯ll pay dearly for this,¡± Mateo said, realizing he had to protect Ava from ra, but he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d go this far.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye on the warehouse. Maybe they¡¯ll transfer her here, just like they did with Cam. They won¡¯t go near the airports in Mn because they know they¡¯ll be monitored. By now, Miller must be aware of what happened in his corporate office.¡±


    They returned to the port, hoping to catch Teodoro there. Mateo¡¯s men had forced the bald man to send a voice message to Miller, exining that he wouldn¡¯t return until the next day due to issues with some merchandise that needed to be resolved. This would buy them another day without raising suspicions that they had located him.


    Mateo felt like waiting would drive him insane. He paced around the hotel room all day, wanting to go and watch the warehouse with his men, but M¨¢x wouldn¡¯t allow it. He needed to calm down first.


    The following night, there was movement near the warehouse as a small boat arrived. Ava was brought down from it, her hands tied and her mouth gagged. Her movements were erratic, and Mateo was already watching. He almost lunged at the men carrying her, but M¨¢x stopped him in time.


    Finally, ra disembarked from the boat, smiling wickedly. The malicious woman wanted to witness Greece¡¯s suffering, believing that Mateo would be all hers. Neither Teodoro nor she knew who he truly was.


    Mateo clenched his fists, knowing he had to act smartly. Soon after, a luxurious van entered the area, and they assumed Teodoro was inside. They needed support, but the Metropolitan Police hadn¡¯t paid much attention when they brought in the evidence.


    Mateo called some associates to see if they could send some men to help. They agreed immediately and sent assistance. Now, all he had to do was wait for them to arrive.


    Inside the warehouse, Teodoro was thrilled to finally have the beautiful Greece with him. ra approached him, trying to make the most of the situation. When she got close to Tadeo, he grabbed her cheek.


    ¡°What a lovely doll! Osmar, get this doll ready. I¡¯ll send her to the German; he¡¯ll be delighted with her. He¡¯ll wait for her in Rotterdam, and he¡¯ll take care of her from there.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, idiot? I¡¯m not part of your merchandise, ungrateful fool. You should be grateful that I brought you this bitch.¡±


    ¡°You only led my men to her; they brought her here. A German client will give me a lot of money for you. He¡¯s ordered a little doll, and you¡¯re perfect.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you send Greece instead?¡± She tried to touch Teodoro¡¯s face, but he instantly pushed her away as he replied.


    ¡°Because she already has an owner, and that¡¯s me.¡±


    Osmar took ra away amid her screams, and outside, Mateo and his men watched as they took her on the boat and away from there.


    Teodoro approached Greece, the girl sat with a fixed, vacant gaze.


    ¡°Ciao be, I missed seeing that beautiful face of yours. You¡¯re divine.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond, continuing to stare at the same point.


    ¡°Damn it! I told them not to give her too much tranquilizer.¡± He grew furious when he realized she was lost.


    ¡°Sorry, boss. Your girl is aplete wildcat. She tried to throw herself overboard, and we had no other choice.¡±


    Teodoro menacingly approached, pping the man, who said nothing, only rubbing his cheek.


    They loaded Greece into the van and headed to a private hangar at the airport. They would depart for France that very night, changing the route for merchandise delivery. Now they would move her to that country, using a ferry.


    On an ind in France, Teodoro would feel safer and could enjoy his love with Greece. In his twisted mind, he was sure she would fall in love with him.


    M¨¢x didn¡¯t allow Mateo to act. They had too few men, and without reinforcements, it would be almost suicide. The ne took off, and from where he stood, Mateo watched with tears in his eyes as Teodoro took the love of his life away. He cried in frustration for not being able to save her.


    Reinforcements arrived a few minutester. M¨¢x bribed the personnel working at the hangar, which allowed him to learn that the ne was heading to France. Mateo scolded M¨¢x for not letting him act, feeling frustrated.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Boss, that would have been suicide. Miller has too many people guarding his back. Outside our territory, we need support from others. If I had let you act, by now, you would be dead, and Miss Ava would be in Miller¡¯s hands forever.¡±


    Mateo didn¡¯t reply; he struck the seat of the van. He knew that what M¨¢x was saying was true. He had been so close to her and couldn¡¯t do anything. He felt like he might go insane at any moment.


    Meanwhile, far away in Sarja, the harem girls were preparing to perform and dance for the Sheikh. The lead dancer would be Cam, the one they had already taught what to do.


    That day, a partner of the Sheikh had sent a new dancer as a gift. She would only be borrowed for that night as she was part of his harem, although she didn¡¯t hold an official position. This partner, like others, enjoyed having multiple women, trying to emte the Sheikh¡¯s harem.


    The time for the presentation arrived, several girls entered the salon moving rhythmically. At the front of the room, on plush carpets surrounded byrge cushions, sat the obese Sheikh, observing the spectacle.


    The lecherous expression on the man¡¯s face was disgusting. Cam didn¡¯t know how other girls could find him appealing. That man couldn¡¯t be tolerated, even with all the money in the world.


    All the girls were dressed in revealing clothes, adorned with translucent fabrics that showcased their splendid bodies. The girls divided into two groups, moving to either side of the room, leaving a space in the middle.


    Cam emerged next, sensually swaying her hips. She had to do it well, or else she could be whipped or even executed for disobedience. All of them had their faces covered by a veil that only revealed their eyes.


    The repulsive and lecherous Sheikh bit his lower lip, imagining the moment of having the girl all to himself.

 Rescuing her from the Arab

    The Sheikh was enchanted by Cam¡¯s movements when suddenly another girl appeared and started moving to the center, discing Cam with her sensual movements.


    Unlike the other girls, she had her arms covered by semi-transparent sleeves and the clothes she wore covered her abdomen. The Sheikh was intrigued by the tall stature of the girl; she was much taller than the others.


    At that moment, he remembered the gift that his business partner had sent him. This should be the girl. He would take advantage of her that night because the next day she would be returned. Cam would have to wait.


    The girl¡¯s movements were a bit clumsy but pleasant. The Sheikh licked his lips and imagined that enormous girl moaning beneath him. He felt his erection growing beneath his clothes.


    The girl moved until she was next to Cam, she stared into her eyes. Aphrodite stood still, she swore she had seen those big eyes somewhere before, but couldn¡¯t remember where.


    The tall girl continued dancing with Cam, the Sheikh looked at hersciviously and gestured for her toe closer. The girl approached, and the Sheikh whispered in her ear.


    ¡°After the performance, I¡¯ll be waiting for you in my chambers, aljadhibia (beauty).¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    He then reached out and squeezed the beautiful girl¡¯s buttock, pleased to feel it was firm.


    The girl gave him a flirtatious look and returned to her dance. The other girls looked on with envy, as she had quickly gained the Sheikh¡¯s attention. After the dance, they returned to the harem area, and Cam was informed that she wouldn¡¯t be with the Sheikh that night, which brought her great relief.


    The tall girl discreetly approached her and whispered in a deep, husky voice that Cam recognized all too well.


    ¡°Darling, you have to be ready to escape. I put a sedative in their drinks and food. Soon, everyone will be asleep, except for a few guards. Wait a while, I¡¯lle for you.¡±


    Cam was about to respond, but the girl motioned for her to be quiet.


    ¡°Tad¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± Tadeo ced his finger on the girl¡¯s lips.


    The other girls watched confusedly as Cam interacted with the tall girl. They thought Cam might be upset because the new girl had taken her ce that night. The Sheikh was often generous when pleased.


    ¡°Hahaha, and you thought you would be the Sheikh¡¯s favorite. You see how easily he reced you. It seems anyone can rece you,¡± the other harem girlsughed at Cam.


    ¡°The Sheikh¡¯s favorite?¡± Cam thought the girls were crazy, but decided to stay quiet and not confront their mockery.


    After a while, the girls began to yawn, except for the tall girl and Cam, who had lost her appetite just at the thought of spending the night with the unpleasant Sheikh. That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t eaten. Shortly after, a guard came for the tall girl to take her to the Sheikh¡¯s room.


    Tadeo followed the guard obediently. They traversed a long corridor until they reached two massive wooden doors with intricate carvings. The guard knocked a few times, and the voice of the Sheikh from inside instructed them to enter. Only the girl went inside, and the guard closed the door behind him.


    Inside, the Sheikh wore only a thin robe as he reclined on arge, round bed adorned with numerous cushions of various sizes and fine Egyptian cotton sheets.


    He gestured for the girl toe closer. Yawning incessantly, she approached him, and the Sheikh smiled. Then, he raised his hand to remove the veil covering the mysterious girl¡¯s face. She attempted to pull away, but it was toote-the veil fell.


    The Sheikh was met with the face of a man, and his eyes widened considerably. However, before he could scream or call for his guards, Tadeo covered the Sheikh¡¯s mouth with his hands. Within seconds, the Sheikh fell into a deep slumber; the sedative had taken effect. The repulsive man would awaken hourster.


    Tadeo waited a moment before leaving the room to avoid arousing suspicion. If the guard entered and found the Sheikh asleep, he would think nothing of it. Tadeo removed the robe from the Sheikh and arranged him in the center of the bed.


    The naked body of the Sheikh was an unpleasant sight for anyone, that was for sure. Tadeo couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for the poor girls who belonged to the harem of this man. Fortunately, he had arrived in time to prevent him fromying a hand on Cam.


    To make it convincing, Tadeo began emitting some groans, attempting to make his voice sound as deep as possible. A few minutester, he put on the veil and left the room, passing by the guard who leered at him, imagining what had transpired.


    Tadeo entered the harem area, where Cam was still inside her individual room. He walked in, removed the veil, and she approached him, giving him a deep kiss.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯de for me,¡± she said, hugging him tightly.


    ¡°I would never leave you in the hands of these people. Now, we need to find a way out of here. There are only a few guards awake. In the Sultan¡¯s room, I saw that one of the balconies leads to the backyard. If we can reach there, we can climb the stone wall. On the other side, there are some trees. We¡¯ll descend using them, and darkness will be our greatest ally.¡±


    They left hastily, leaving the other girls fast asleep.


    They arrived at the doors of the Sheikh¡¯s room, and the guard approached them immediately.


    ¡°The Sheikh has asked this girl to fetch me; he wants both of us in front of him when he wakes up,¡± Tadeo exined.


    ¡°So, my lord ns to have a grand time tonight,¡± the guard grinned maliciously.


    The guard entered, checked on the Sheikh, who was sleeping soundly, and then motioned for the girls toe in.


    Once the guard left, Tadeo immediately gathered several sheets and tied them together. After attaching them to a column, he tossed them over the balcony. He helped Cam descend using the makeshift rope. Then, he did the same. Time was of the essence, and if the patrolling guards came by and saw the sheets tied to the balcony, it would raise suspicions.


    As Tadeo descended, the guard responsible for patrolling the area passed by. Luckily, he was the undercover agent, and he signaled for them to hurry. The couple breathed a sigh of relief.


    They ran towards the stone wall, which was adorned with reliefs that made it easy to climb. On the other side was arge Al Ghaf tree, which they used to descend. Staying hidden in the shadows, they managed to get away.


    They advanced a good distance until they reached a van hidden in an alley. Inside were three bodyguards and the interpreter. Upon seeing them, they immediately assisted the man sent by the Sheikh¡¯s associate and the girl who was meant to be a gift. Both were still under the effects of a powerful sedative. The guards untied them and left them on the alley floor.


    Fortunately, Mateo¡¯s associate had learned that one of his friends would send a girl as a gift to the Sheikh. This allowed them to intercept the group. The interpreter had posed as the envoy to deliver the girl since he spoke thenguage fluently.


    Tadeo and Cam boarded the van and quickly distanced themselves. They headed to the hangar, where the jet was already waiting for them. Tadeo changed clothes on the way and gave Cam clothing to do the same, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t attract attention. It was men¡¯s clothing-an abaya and a hijab to cover her head. They also provided her with fake documents so that she could board the jet. This way, anyone trying to investigate would be thrown off, thinking there were only men on the jet.


    Inside the jet, the couple engaged in increasingly intense disys of affection. The bodyguards retired to the bar area; they needed a drink after all the adrenaline from the uncertainty.


    Tadeo took Cam by the waist and led her to the bedroom. After a while, loud moans filled the room. Fortunately, the walls were soundproof, so the guys outside couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    Meanwhile, Mateo was getting closer to the location where he knew Teodoro had Ava. They had to be smart about their approach, not wanting to alert Teodoro.


    When Tadeo took the jet, Mateo had rented a small ne to avoid suspicion. Theynded on a small runway on an ind.


    Several men apanied Mateo, but Teodoro¡¯s men outnumbered them. Therefore, he had to n his strategy carefully to rescue Ava without putting his men in great danger.


    Inside a vi near the sea, Teodoro watched as an employee tried to feed Grecia, who continued to stare nkly. Doctors couldn¡¯t find the reason why she remained this way, perhaps due to an overdose of sedatives. So, Teodoro didn¡¯t hesitate to execute the men who had administered them. He did it in front of Grecia to make her aware of what he was capable of doing for her.


    When the employee left, Teodoro approached Grecia.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ll be okay soon, my beauty, and then I can win your heart.¡±


    He nted a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room. As soon as he left, Ava let out a sigh of relief. She blinked repeatedly to moisten her eyes. It was challenging to maintain a fixed gaze and pretend to be lost in her mind.


    Recalling when she couldn¡¯t see helped her keep her gaze steady. She was trying to buy time, knowing that Mateo would be searching for her. This gave her the strength to endure.


    However, she also feared that Teodoro might harm Mateo. That man was heartless, devoid of any feelings.

 Paying for the Girl of His Dreams

    Mateo had men investigating the area around the vi, both onnd and at sea. He would wait for them to report back and then go explore the area. When he did, he saw that the best option was to acquire diving equipment to reach Teodoro¡¯s Vi without being detected.


    His mind was inplete chaos. Fortunately, Akiro was already with him, and together with Max, they provided great support. Ima was also with them, and they would try to deactivate the vi¡¯s security system so they could enter.


    Mateo sat by the sea on the beach, lit a cigarette. He didn¡¯t smoke, but now he felt like he needed it to try to calm his nerves, even though it wasn¡¯t really working.


    He had a bad feeling, that pressure in his chest he had felt before Ava left him. He had no idea what would happen, he just hoped that things would turn out well.


    He began to remember when he met Ava and all the good times they had spent together. Destiny couldn¡¯t be so cruel as to keep them apart; he simply couldn¡¯t ept it. He took out the photograph from his wallet, the one that had been with him since he met her. She looked so vulnerable and sweet at the same time. He loved that girl; he loved her so much that he didn¡¯t care what could happen to him as long as she was okay.


    He thought about his son. It would be unfair for him to be without his mother. Thinking of him gave him the strength not to fall apart. The little one was used to being with Ava. He brought the cigarette to his mouth, exhaling arge puff of smoke, while trying to mentally prepare for everything that was happening.


    He didn¡¯t want to think about the worst-case scenario; he tried to stay optimistic, even though sometimes it was impossible to achieve.


    Meanwhile, in the distant vige of Laski, in Pnd, a young woman cried desperately. All she wanted was to win the love of the man she loved, and now she was caught in a terrible situation. Thinking that maybe no one woulde to her aid, that no one cared, made her feel very bad.


    She hated Greece with all her being, but knowing that he was suffering just like her was like a light in the midst of darkness.


    ra began to tremble when a dirty man walked into the room, a cksmith from a distant ce had paid for her, she was locked in a huge house on the outskirts of the town, so no one could hear her screams, she had be hoarse from screaming so much.


    The cksmith Dan owned the forge and a hardware store in town, he had heard some men in the bar say that they could buy a beautiful woman, so he decided to investigate the matter. From that day on, he was determined to gather the money to buy the woman of his dreams.


    It was not difficult for him, and soon he was able to pay the required amount. He was very specific, he wanted a fragile and beautiful girl by his side, someone he could easily dominate, a woman who would be his and no one else¡¯s.


    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t hesitate to buy ra as soon as they showed her to him. She was exactly the type of woman he was looking for.


    He entered the room and approached her, finding it amusing that she trembled like that. Dominating her was going to be very interesting and fun. He tore her clothes apart with a single pull, and ra started screaming. The proximity of that man and his smell made her nauseous.


    Dan was 60 years old, bald, and very obese, towering in height. Heughed as he embraced her, and she futilely tried to escape. He threw her onto the bed and climbed on top of her, tears streaming from ra¡¯s eyes relentlessly.


    That man took her roughly and without regard, leaving marks of his grotesque teeth all over her body. Fortunately, the act didn¡¯tst long, and the man pulled away panting, sprawling on the bed, trying to catch his breath.


    ra wishes she had enough strength to kill that pig with her own hands.


    ¡°Tomorrow we will get married. They gave me some documents for you. From now on, your name is Edna and starting tomorrow, you will be Mrs. Rosher. I will be the envy of my friends in town. You will be my only family, and I yours. The minister and other people wille. Be careful not to say anything extra or you¡¯ll pay for it. I will cut off a finger for every time you disobey me.¡±


    The man threatened her while staring at her intently. She lowered her head so as not to continue looking at him, the man was horrible.


    Dan had lived in Italy for some time during his youth, so he spoke thenguage perfectly. When ra saw that the man was struggling to have intimate rtions due to his obesity, she began to devise a sinister n.


    If she married him and he passed away, she would have the right to im anything he had, including that beautiful house. With those resources, she could return to find Mateo and make Miller pay.


    Tadeo and Cam returned to Mn. The boy contacted Mateo, wanting to go to France and help him rescue Ava. Mateo asked him to stay and be of great help by gathering all the evidence to finally bring down Teodoro. The men who had stayed in Germany were also collecting evidence against him, investigating if there was anyone within the police they could trust to hand over Miller¡¯s men who were in their custody.


    Ava had to restrain herself to keep pretending every time Teodoro approached her, especially when he kissed her. She had to make a great effort not to vomit on him.


    ¡°My beautiful girl, my lovely one, you¡¯ll be fine soon, and as soon as you are, we will get married. I investigated what happened after I had to leave you on that boat. I know you thought you lost a child of Liardi because of me. Now that you¡¯re with me, you must realize that losing that bastard was the best thing that could have happened to you. We¡¯ll have beautiful children together. Imagine how beautiful they will be.¡±


    Hearing those cruel words about her little angel made her want to lunge at that monster and hit him with all her might. But she didn¡¯t. Doing so would make Teodoro realize that she was pretending, and she didn¡¯t want to test what a madman like him might do.


    She couldn¡¯t conceive that he could be her father¡¯s cousin; they looked nothing alike. Teodoro was cruel and cowardly, theplete opposite of her beloved father.


    She had done well to hide Matt from Teodoro. Now that she heard him talk that way, she knew that he would undoubtedly have tried to harm him.


    Shortly after, Miller left the room, and Ava released all the tears she had been holding back. She cried inconsbly, still holding onto the hope that Mateo would soon free her from this hell.


    The possibility of revealing her true identity to her uncle crossed her mind, but he might kill her immediately. It wasn¡¯t difficult to deceive him regarding her real identity. With the changes she had made to her face and the contact lenses, it was nearly impossible for him to recognize her. Plus, she had changed her hair color. All of this was in addition to the fact that he didn¡¯t know she had regained her sight.


    Teodoro believed that since Ava had not received timely treatment when she lost her sight, she would never recover it. Nevertheless, he had tried to make her his wife so that he could inherit his cousin¡¯s fortune. The added bonus was that Ava was very beautiful.


    Mateo was growing increasingly desperate. The vi was under constant surveince, with too many men guarding it. Trying to enter in such a manner would put Ava in even greater danger, as the madman Miller could harm her to prevent her from being taken away from his side.


    Akiro and Ima showed him their unwavering support. That day, he managed to briefly hack into the vi¡¯s cameras, obtaining images from both inside and outside. In some of the footage, Tadeo approached Ava and kissed her, but she remained motionless with a fixed gaze. This frightened and distressed Mateo even more.


    ¡°What the hell had Miller done to her to put her in that state?¡± he wondered.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Akiro immediately exited the system to avoid detection. Mateo asked him to hack the cameras again, but Akiro exined that it would be dangerous; they could be detected, and it would put Teodoro on high alert. That man was a cunning fox, highly intelligent.


    Mateo left the ce, distancing himself from everyone. Alone on the beach, he wept bitterly. He felt like when he was a child and looked at photographs of his father and grandmother. No matter how much he suffered, he could never bring them back.


    Now, with Ava, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t find a way to rescue her without putting her at risk. Teodoro Miller was a very clever person, surrounded by bloodthirsty men who ensured his safety. His men were former war mercenaries, individuals capable of anything to fulfill their contracts.


    Akiro had identified each one of them. Through hacking into various sources, he found out that Teodoro had hired them from different countries-serial killers wanted by authorities all around the world. He must have paid a significant sum to establish himself in that location.


    Later, Teodoro Miller entered the room of the hired girl who was taking care of Grecia. He wanted to vent, to give in to his instincts. He hadn¡¯t been with a woman for a long time, and this girl was pretty. Her beauty didn¡¯tpare to Grecia¡¯s, but she would serve to pass the time.


    The girl was taking a shower when she came out, she was only wrapped in a towel. She found Teodoro lying on the bed,pletely naked. The man was still attractive, but she was engaged and soon getting married. She wanted to give her fianc¨¦ her first time. She had epted this job because the extra money would help them pay for the wedding expenses. She wanted a beautiful white dress and a grand celebration.


    ¡°Sir, you shouldn¡¯t be here. Please leave,¡± she said, avoiding looking at him naked. She was terrified, fully aware of what the man wanted.


    ¡°Shhhh, doll,e closer. If you please me, I¡¯ll be very generous with you,¡± he said.


    ¡°No, sir, please leave,¡± the girl stepped back, fear reflecting on her face.


    ¡°No one rejects me,¡± Teodoro said angrily as he stood up.

 Desperate

    He lunged at the girl, who was desperately trying to free herself from him. He began kissing her neck, holding her by the waist with one hand and squeezing one of her breasts with the other as the towel fell.


    ¡°You can scream all you want, no one will help you. It would be more embarrassing for you if my men found out what¡¯s happening in this room. They would be encouraged to do the same. So shhhh, behave well with me and I¡¯ll prevent anyone else from touching you. But if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll send you to them so they can enjoy you.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, the girl stopped resisting. Miller turned her around so that she was facing away from him. He made her bend forward and mercilessly prated her. The girl felt a deep pain that tore through her insides, and a trickle of blood started running down her leg. Teodoro smiled sinisterly.


    ¡°Just as I thought, doll. You¡¯re so tight. You told me you¡¯re getting married soon. Your boyfriend will be thrilled that you¡¯re going to satisfy him with everything I¡¯m going to teach you,¡± he said, as he started moving violently, while the girl stifled her screams.


    He bit her back forcefully, over and over again, while pulling on her hair. He was used to inflicting punishment while experiencing pleasure; it was part of his nature. That¡¯s why he also frequented clubs, unlike Mateo, he enjoyed the suffering of others.


    When he was done with her, he threw her onto the bed, still wearing that sinister smile on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be mine as many times as I want, only until my wife recovers. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m so evil. You won¡¯t leave this vi until we¡¯re gone, and believe me, I n to stay for a long time. From today, I¡¯lle every night, and perhaps even during the day. When Grecia is well, you¡¯ll continue to attend to us, but not in this way.¡±


    The girl covered her body with a sheet as she cried uncontrobly. That man had just ruined her life.


    ¡°Stop pretending you didn¡¯t enjoy it. Stop crying, or I¡¯ll do it again until you beg for more from me.¡±


    The poor girl bit her lips to stop herself from crying. Now she understood why Grecia was in such a state; she was probably a victim of that man too.


    Ava remained motionless in the presence of Teodoro and the girl. She saw that the girl was very deteriorated, and something was happening because her light, that spark she once had, was fading.


    Investigating would risk exposing herself. That day, after the girl had finished feeding her, Teodoro left, and she suddenly started sobbing. The intensity of her crying grew, and she began to hup uncontrobly.


    ¡°Mrs. Grecia, how I wish you would react so that I could free myself from the hell your husband is putting me through. I won¡¯t be able to marry in white anymore; that was my dream. My hopes of reaching the altar have been shattered.¡±


    Seeing her like that, Ava couldn¡¯t contain herself any longer and ced her hand on the girl¡¯s head. The girl, sitting on the floor with her head resting on Ava¡¯s legs, looked at her in amazement.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, can you hear me?¡± The girl turned to look at Grecia,pletely astonished.


    ¡°Yes, but please don¡¯t tell Teodoro,¡± Ava pleaded.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, if I don¡¯t tell him, he¡¯ll continue to torture me. He promised that as soon as you woke up, he would stop touching me.¡± The girl knew that if his wife were well, Teodoro wouldn¡¯t touch her again.


    ¡°If you tell him, he will kill me, he will realize that I have been pretending.¡±


    ¡°The gentleman would not do that, he always says how much he loves her.¡±


    ¡°Teodoro is an unstable man, he is not my husband, I am engaged to another man, he kidnapped me and brought me here.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Miller is a monster.¡± The girl¡¯s fear increased.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, he is an inhuman being, we need to find a way to escape from here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, ma¡¯am. There is too much surveince outside, I have been looking for a way out but there isn¡¯t one.¡±


    ¡°Please just be quiet for a few days, my fianc¨¦ wille to rescue us, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Ava hoped the girl wouldn¡¯t betray her.


    Footsteps could be heard approaching the room, it was Teodoro returning. Ava looked back at a single point, the girl immediately got up and took the tray to the kitchen.


    ¡°Has she eaten?¡± Teodoro asked in a serious tone.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The girl answered trembling.


    ¡°Go to your room, I wille to talk to you shortly.¡± He ordered while looking at her intently.


    The girl started trembling even more, Teodoro instilled fear and disgust in her. She turned to look at Ava, hoping that she would help, but she remained motionless, she thought she was just as scared as she was.


    ¡°Sir, please if you want to talk to me, do it here.¡± She said pleadingly.


    He grabbed her by the arm, squeezing tightly, lowered his voice, and threatened her again.


    ¡°I already told you what can happen to you if you don¡¯t obey, go to your room and wait for me naked on the bed.¡±


    Tears began to fall down the girl¡¯s cheeks, she was tempted to tell him the truth, that his wife was pretending, but she was afraid that he would harm her because of her, she would try to endure a few more days, hopefully, it was true that they woulde to rescue her, she went out determined to do what that evil man asked her to do.


    Teodoro kissed Greece, he did it every time he saw her.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to recover, my beauty. I need you by my side. I¡¯ve been forced to satisfy my needs with someone else, but I want to be with you. So react soon or I won¡¯t care anymore that you¡¯re like this, I¡¯ll take what is mine.¡±


    Ava wondered, ¡°Where was Mateo? Why wasn¡¯t heing to rescue her? She felt like if he didn¡¯t do it soon, she would lose her sanity at any moment.¡±


    Meanwhile, Mateo observed the vi from afar through binocrs. The ce was a fortress.


    Dark circles shaded his eyes, which were red and sunken. Since Ava was kidnapped, he had only managed to sleep a few hours and that was because Akiro gave him medication.


    In Mn, L, Guido, and Mateo¡¯s mother felt terrible. Mateo didn¡¯t answer their calls, and they felt guilty. The burden of conscience didn¡¯t leave them alone for a single second.


    ¡°My son must hate me. I couldn¡¯t protect Ava. He asked me not to go out,¡± Aurora felt like she would lose her son¡¯s love.


    ¡°Stop ming yourself, woman. We can¡¯t change what happened. Instead, start praying for them toe back safe and sound.¡±


    Morgana stayed with L all the time, helping them take care of little Matt. She knew that due to worry, they wouldn¡¯t be able to think straight. She was worried about both Ava and Mateo and Max, she really liked that boy.


    At the cksmith¡¯s house, ra endured the nausea she felt from having to be near Dan. She had taken it upon herself to keep him exhausted all the time, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t take long to die. He ended up more agitated every time.


    ¡°Doll, I knew you couldn¡¯t resist my touch. If you keep this up, we¡¯ll soon have a beautiful baby. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to the vige. You deserve a reward for behaving well during the ceremony, but I warn you, don¡¯t try to escape, or I¡¯ll break your beautiful legs,¡± he said as he climbed on top of her again.


    ra cursed inwardly. She would enjoy it when that pigy lifeless at her feet. He was having fun now, but she would have her turnter.


    Guido had taken control of the corporate and otherpanies until Mateo, his grandson, returned. Now he had no head for anything, so he had banned anyone from bothering him withpany matters.


    In Tadeo¡¯s department, Cam was happy because the boy was cooking ravioli with parmesan and arug for her. He had offered to cook, and she dly epted, wanting to see if he was truly an excellent cook as he boasted.


    The boy finished preparing everything while the girl set the table. He ced a delicious dish in front of her, and Cam approached to inhale the delightful aroma while Tadeo watched her attentively.


    The warm aroma entered her nostrils, and she immediately felt a gag reflex and ran towards the bathroom. Tadeo didn¡¯t understand; his food couldn¡¯t be that bad. He quickly followed her and found her sitting on the floor, clinging to the toilet.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked visibly worried.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Cam unintentionally snapped back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my question was stupid,¡± he held her long hair as she continued to vomit.


    He would take her to the hospital in the morning; surely it was due to all the stress she had been through these days. Until Teodoro was behind bars, his girl wouldn¡¯t go anywhere alone.


    In Pnd, ra had a sinister smile on her face. She was about to achieve what she had nned. Dan was lying on the bed, struggling to breathe,pletely naked. It was obvious what had just happened between them. The man started calling out to her desperately.


    ¡°Edna, woman, pass me my pills. My heart¡­ Something¡¯s not right.¡±


    ra approached him, showing him a small bottle of pills she had in her hand. She opened it and emptied the contents onto the floor while looking at him fixedly andughing cruelly.


    ¡°Just die already, you filthy pig. You have no idea how much I¡¯m enjoying this moment, watching a disgusting creature like you die. Hahaha, die already, you damn bastard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this, you cursed woman.¡±


    With hisst bit of strength, the obese man grabbed Constanza by the neck and began to squeeze tightly with both hands. She managed to break free from his grip.


    Then, Dan let out a deep sigh. Death hade to him just as he had finally managed to have the beautiful woman he desired by his side.


    ra, seeing him lifeless, began tough in a deranged manner. Perhaps everything that had happened to her had damaged her mind.

 Reuniting

    Shortly after, a friend of the cksmith, unable to reach him, decided to go to his house and look for him. He must have been having a great time with his wife for not opening his shop. When he arrived, he found the door unlocked and, receiving no response, he decided to enter.


    Upon doing so, he was shocked to see ra dragging Dan¡¯s body. The woman was surprised to see him.


    ¡°I, he, he died while we were making love. I feel so ashamed. I intended to take him to the couch, dress him, and then notify others of his death. It¡¯s embarrassing that they find out how he really died.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. I told him that a woman like you would only bring him trouble,¡± the man didn¡¯t believe anything ra said.


    The man took out his cell phone and started making calls to inform others of what had happened. Feeling cornered, ra attacked him, trying to hit him, but the man struck her with a powerful punch to the face.


    Soon, the house was surrounded by furious vigers. The man who had discovered ra dragged her out of the house and tied her to a post, using her of being a murderer.


    They mercilessly beat her. The woman¡¯sst thought was of Mateo. She had loved him too much, perhaps in the wrong way, in an obsessive way.


    After ending her life, the townspeople arranged everything to make the authorities believe that Dan had killed his wife in a fit of rage upon finding her dead, and that he couldn¡¯t bear it and lost his own life.


    It was incredible to think that such a beautiful woman would end her life in this way. ra had grown up as a pampered girl who believed she deserved everything. She had loved Mateo Liardi until thest second of her life, even when she thought she would escape from the cksmith, she imagined a happy life with Mateo.


    Those were her ns; she imagined a happy ending. However, fate had other ns for her.


    The next day, a desperate Mateo made the decision to act. Every day that Ava spent with Teodoro must have been aplete hell for her. That man was aplete bastard.


    He couldn¡¯t erase from his mind the image of that man putting his lips on hers. He imagined the disgust she must have felt, and he would make him pay dearly for his audacity.


    His men in Mn, in conjunction with Tadeo¡¯s, were taking care of making Teodoro lose all his properties, including the corporation. They had also frozen all the bank ounts he had in the country.


    They provided documents proving that the legitimate owner was Ava, and the authorities did what was necessary to return everything to its rightful owner as soon as possible.


    On the ind, Mateo would look for a distraction to gain ess to the vi. He had to n things in detail; perhaps this would be the only opportunity he would have to save her.


    This was undoubtedly the greatest challenge that Mateo would have to face. Akiro would be of great help due to his experience in risky situations, as would Max, who would be coordinating the men who would act with them. After all, having been in a military academy was not a waste of time.


    They looked for several yachts and paid arge number of people to board them. They were not aware of what would happen; they just had to anchor the yachts at the pier, simting a big party. The guards would have to approach to try to get them to leave.


    Fortunately for them, that night Teodoro Miller left the vi. He would receive a shipment of girls, as he had neglected the business, and his boss, whom he did not know directly, was already upset. He always sent orders through another man.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    They didn¡¯t know their real names; theymunicated with nicknames through the intermediary, as the boss wanted it that way. He didn¡¯t want to reveal his identity to anyone on the team.


    Mateo, Akiro, and Max were relieved when they saw Teodoro leaving with several men. While caring for Grecia, he had left behind half of his team, the most experienced ones. That woman was his greatest treasure, and he couldn¡¯t risk Mateo taking her away from his side.


    They knew that acting hastily would be a mistake, so they decided to act when everything was calcted correctly, waiting for the perfect opportunity to initiate the rescue.


    They waited a reasonable amount of time to make sure Teodoro wouldn¡¯t return. At that moment, Mateo was informed that Teodoro would receive a container with girls.


    ¡°It¡¯s the right moment. We must act immediately. Let them bring the yachts closer, turn up the music very loud, evenunch fireworks. That will get their attention. They won¡¯t want any scandals in front of the vi that could attract the police.¡±


    The rescue operation began immediately. The yachts with people pretending to be partygoers approached the vi¡¯s pier. The people disembarked onto the beach, dancing to the loud music.


    Teodoro would take several hours to return as he had to receive the container carrying the girls and be present during the auction. His clients negotiated directly with him, and if he wasn¡¯t there, they refused to attend as his absence didn¡¯t inspire confidence.


    When Teodoro¡¯s men noticed themotion on the beach in front of the vi, they came out determined to clear the area. Some beautiful girls approached them immediately.


    ¡°Look what we have here, girls. These men are handsome and muscr, just what we need for some fun.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be here. Leave immediately or you¡¯ll pay the consequences.¡±


    With a heavy heart, the man spoke. The girls were beautiful, and he would have liked to have some fun with them.


    The girls ignored his warning. Inside the vi, other men, seeing their colleagues taking longer than expected, decided to go out and find them.


    Mateo and hispanions took advantage of the moment when the gate was open to enter the vi. In addition to firearms, they carried pistols with tranquilizer darts.


    Teodoro¡¯s men who were still inside didn¡¯t have time to notice what was happening. They fell asleep almost instantly from the darts that entered their bodies, so they had no time to alert their colleagues. Mateo¡¯s men tried not to harm them since they were just following orders from the deranged Teodoro Miller.


    The guards in the booth at the front of the vi had no idea what was happening inside the house. They watched the monitors, but the images they saw were the ones Ima had set up by hacking the cameras, showing their colleagues on duty. They didn¡¯t realize that these were images from previous days, repeating over and over.


    Max had camouged men near the beach among the rocks, ready to act if necessary.


    Inside the vi, Mateo and Akiro searched for Ava while their men kept watch. When they turned into the hallway leading to the bedrooms, they came face to face with one of the guards.


    Akiro instinctively lunged at him and cut his throat with his knife. The unfortunate man fell to the floor, clutching his throat wound, trying to contain the blood that was pouring out. Slowly, his look of desperation changed to a gruesome grimace as he remained still.


    Mateo signaled for Akiro to continue searching while he took care of the other guard. The man wasing out of the bathroom when he felt something hit his neck, and he copsed. Fortunately, the high dose of tranquilizer put them to sleep instantly. Mateo preferred to act this way; he was sure that taking someone¡¯s life would generate bad karma.


    They had to hurry to find Ava before Teodoro had the idea to return. They checked all the areas until they found her in a room with the other girl.


    They were about to scream when they saw several men enter the room. Ava ced the girl behind her, trying to protect her.


    Mateo and Akiro acted quickly, approaching to cover their mouths to prevent them from screaming. Fortunately, Ava recognized them right away and took care of reassuring the other girl. Ava fixed her gaze on Mateo, unable to believe he was there. It felt like a dream.


    Their eyes met, tears started to roll down both of their cheeks, so many pent-up emotions became impossible to contain. Ava threw herself into his arms, and it felt so good to be in them.


    Akiro broke the magical moment to remind them that the demon could return at any moment, and they would have to move quickly if they wanted to escape and avoid being caught.


    ¡°Guys, not that I want to interrupt your idyllic moment, but could you do thister? Once we¡¯re safe, this ce will be swarming with guards in a few minutes. So, if we hurry, it would be better, plus, I¡¯m really hungry,¡± he joked.


    The couple just smiled at each other while holding hands. Being together again felt so good. Ava sighed as Mateo took her hand. Now that he was with her, he would protect her with his life if necessary.


    The other girl watched everything happening around her with fear, especially when she saw the unconscious men. She was scared of these people but had no other option but to trust them. Staying with Teodoro was worse.


    She hade to believe she would never see her loved ones again, that the evil man would end her life at any moment. Besides, the things he forced her to do were abhorrent. She had heard him tell his men that he would give her to them soon, as if she were an object. She didn¡¯t want to even imagine what those men would do to her body. So, it was better to trust Ava and escape with her. She would soon see her loved ones again, who were surely waiting for her.


    The group headed for the exit, just at that moment, they saw the lights of several vehicles approaching. They guessed it was Teodoro and his men, who would be there in a few minutes. They had returned too quickly.

 Back in Milan

    The boyfriend of the girl who had taken care of Ava was a simple guy who had lost his parents as a teenager. Since then, her parents had adopted him as a member of their family. Everything that had happened had turned their ns upside down. He had just finished his degree, and the girl was about to finish hers. They both worked during their vacations and free time, aiming to build a better future and help their parents.


    Akiro and Ima went home; they were exhausted and needed rest. Guido and Mateo¡¯s mother didn¡¯t know that Ava was already free. Aurora had fallen ill and was in very low spirits, which didn¡¯t help her recovery.


    When Mateo and Ava entered, Guido was sitting in the living room with his eyes closed and his head tilted back.


    ¡°Grandfather,¡± Mateo said with a broken voice. It seemed like Guido had aged much more in those days. Mateo felt a tightness in his chest at the sight of his grandfather¡¯s suffering.


    ¡°Son!¡± Guido stood up and embraced his grandson. Then, he turned to Ava. ¡°Daughter, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re safe and back with us.¡±


    Ava hugged him, and tears ran down Guido¡¯s cheeks. He had always been a strong man, perhaps a bit tough, but in that moment, all of that faded away. He had thought they might never return, and Mateo had not wanted tomunicate with them.


    He asked them to go upstairs with him to greet Aurora.


    ¡°Your mother has been unwell for days, hardly eating. The doctor said that her depression could harm her heart.¡±


    In that moment, Mateo regretted ming them. They had only wanted the best for him all those years. Guido entered the room, and Aurora was staring at the wall in front of her.


    ¡°Aurora,¡± he said as he approached her while she remained motionless. ¡°Tuo figlio ¨¨ tornato¡± (Your son has returned).


    Aurora turned towards the door where Mateo and Ava stood and started to sob. The couple approached and embraced her. Later, they were all gathered together. L hugged Ava, while she held her son in her arms. Matt, upon seeing his parents, pped his little hands in celebration, as if he knew what had happened. The atmosphere was warm; they were one big family.


    In the garden, a couple kissed passionately; it was M¨¢x and Morgana. It was the first time he hadmitted to a rtionship with a girl. The redhead was leaving her job at the club, and M¨¢x jokingly said that from now on, he would dance only for her. He nned to support her in every way so she could finish her studies, and he intended to propose to her, but that would be in the future.


    ¡°I was so afraid that something would happen to you. I know our rtionship has just begun, but you already mean a lot to me,¡± the redhead sincerely expressed her feelings.


    M¨¢x was pleased to hear that and hugged her tightly. He didn¡¯t want her to worry about him, but he couldn¡¯t abandon Mateo. He owed him too much, as Mateo had helped him in various situations. He was determined to support him, knowing that they were all in constant danger, and he hoped they could stop Teodoro soon to find some peace.


    Teodoro Miller remained in France, sending his men after the family of the girl who had taken care of Ava. His anger grew when he was informed that they had found no one, and the house had been abandoned. He was sure that Mateo had something to do with it. Liardi didn¡¯t know what he was capable of when someone stood in his way, but he would soon make it clear.


    He ordered everything in that house to be destroyed, and then they set it on fire. Teodoro sought a way to vent his anger; he still couldn¡¯t believe that they had slipped through his fingers.


    In Italy, L had given up on talking to Mateo to make things clear. With everything that had happened, she no longer doubted that he truly loved Ava. The past would be left behind, and now, she only wanted her daughter to be happy with her son and the man she loved. Nothing else mattered to her.


    The nanny had lost her entire family many years ago, and for her, it was very difficult to talk about it. It still caused her pain to think about them, so she avoided the topic and had only confided her true story to Ava.


    Ava had also lost her family, so they looked out for each other. Now that she knew that Mateo truly loved the girl and was willing to do anything for her, she felt at peace. She wouldn¡¯t be alone anymore; she was building her own family.


    In the Liardi mansion, there was joy, even though they knew the nightmare was not over. With Teodoro free, they were in constant danger, but on that day, they decided to forget about it all. Ava and Mateo watched in delight as their little son, Matt, ran around. Although it was exhausting to keep up with him, his parents enjoyed every moment.


    For a moment, Ava imagined the baby she had lost. She sighed deeply. Teodoro had taken away many things from her life, and she wished that he would soon pay for everything he had done.


    Guido and Aurora couldn¡¯t hide the happiness they felt at seeing Mateo return safely. They had imagined the worst scenarios where they might never see him again.


    L was the one who encouraged them not to lose hope. Aurora was the weakest of them all, which is why she had fallen ill. But as soon as she saw her son safe and sound, she felt better immediately.


    They spent the entire afternoon gathered in the mansion¡¯s living room. Ava got up to go to the kitchen, and Mateo followed her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t imagine the happiness I¡¯m feeling right now, amore, being here with you, our son, and my family. It¡¯s the best thing in the world. I don¡¯t know how I used to think that happiness was in other things. I didn¡¯t understand it back then, but I was already yearning for you,¡± Mateo said.


    ¡°Let me tell you, Mr. Liardi, you are quite the romantic, and I like that. I like it very much,¡± Ava replied.


    Mateo kissed her, a deep and longing kiss. He had been so afraid, he couldn¡¯t imagine living without Ava.


    Ava grabbed a ss to pour herself some water and then ced some drinks on a tray to take back to the living room. Mateo helped her with it.


    ¡°We should go back to the living room. I¡¯m sure my nanny will being to get us,¡± Ava said.


    Just then, L appeared at the door, and Ava and Mateo bothughed.


    ¡°My dear, you bettere back to the living room with us. Your son is calling for you,¡± L said.


    ¡°Yes, Nana, we¡¯reing,¡± Ava replied.


    They spent the night at the mansion. They were so exhausted that they fell asleep immediately. The next day, when Ava woke up, Mateo was no longer beside her.


    Ava got up immediately and looked out the window. She saw Mateo standing by the mansion¡¯s entrance, talking to a very beautiful girl. She watched him smile and saw him hand something to the girl, but she couldn¡¯t make out what it was. It looked like a card. He said goodbye to the girl, all the while continuing to smile. It all seemed very strange to her.


    She stood there in front of the window for a while. Mateo had shown her unconditional love, but this interaction seemed very odd, too odd.


    Ava took a quick shower and went downstairs, thinking that Mateo would have breakfast with them. However, Mateo said his goodbyes as he had to go to the office with Guido to catch up on several matters. They had increased security to feel safer and wouldn¡¯t allow Teodoro to steal their peace of mind.


    Ava caught up with him at the door.


    ¡°Will youe for lunch?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll have a busy day,¡± he replied with a serious demeanor, and she felt her heart sink.


    ¡°Okay, hey, who was the girl a while ago?¡± she asked curiously.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°What girl?¡± Mateo feigned ignorance.


    ¡°The girl you were talking to at the entrance earlier,¡± she insisted, growing more concerned.


    ¡°Oh, her. She came to deliver some things for my grandfather,¡± he answered, trying to downy the situation.


    Ava knew Mateo was terrible at lying, and he had certain nervous tics that gave him away when he was not being truthful. She sensed that something was going on, and he didn¡¯t want to talk about it.


    ¡°Are you sure, Liardi? You were very smiley,¡± she said, changing her tone.


    ¡°I was just being polite, that¡¯s all,¡± Mateo replied with a shrug.


    ¡°Mateo Liardi, I don¡¯t know why I feel like you¡¯re hiding something from me,¡± Ava said, at this point feeling quite upset. She stared at him with her hands on her hips.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, my grandfather is waiting in the car. I¡¯ll pick you up for dinner tonight; make yourself beautiful,¡± he replied, holding Matt in his arms before passing him to Ava¡¯s embrace. Then, he hurried off to where his grandfather was waiting.


    He got into the car and quickly drove away. Guido noticed that Mateo remained silent throughout the journey, lost in thought.


    Ava found it strange that he didn¡¯t say goodbye with a kiss as he usually did. There was something odd going on, and she intended to investigate. It seemed to her that Mateo was avoiding her. She hugged her little one and gave him a gentle kiss on his head.

 His Strange Behavior

    Throughout the morning, Ava couldn¡¯t get Mateo¡¯s strange behavior out of her head. What was happening?


    While they were having breakfast, L noticed her acting strange and restless. She immediately approached her to find out what was going on.


    ¡°My dear, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± L knew her so well, and just by looking at her, she could tell something was amiss, even though Ava tried to hide it.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Nana.¡± Ava didn¡¯t want to worry her, especially after everything she had been through during her abduction.


    ¡°Ava Miller, I¡¯ve taken care of you your whole life, so don¡¯t tell me that nothing¡¯s wrong. Come on, tell me what¡¯s troubling you. I can sense it.¡±


    Ava looked at L, realizing that she couldn¡¯t deceive her no matter how hard she tried. L had an uncanny ability to detect when something was amiss with her.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mateo, nanny, I¡¯ve noticed him acting strangely, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on,¡± she said deeply distressed.


    ¡°Dear, if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯mpletely sure of, it¡¯s that this man loves you. Whatever doubts you have that torment your soul, it¡¯s better to talk to him face to face. So, it would be best if you took a delicious lunch to his office and use that opportunity to see what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, nanny, I¡¯ll try not to torture myself with these negative thoughts.¡±


    After breakfast, Aurora asked Ava to help her nt some roses. She liked nting them herself; red roses were her favorites. The gardener took care of the rest of the garden.


    Ava dly epted to help her, while the nanny looked after Matt. The little one tried to put everything he found in his mouth, and Aurora and L were trying to keep Ava distracted.


    ¡°These red roses are my favorites. My husband used to give me one every day. He never stopped doing that as long as he was alive, of course,¡± Aurora said with sadness as she remembered him. Ava realized that Mateo¡¯s parents had deeply loved each other. Upon entering the mansion, Aurora showed her a picture of her husband.


    Guido had removed the photos and paintings of his wife and son and had ced them in a special room dedicated to them. It was his refuge, a forbidden ce.


    ¡°Mateo looks so much like his father, just like my son.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the three of them are identical. In the photos from when they were children, they seem to be the same. I sincerely hope that you and Mateo can have a rtionship and a love as great as the one we had. I know that Mateo loves you deeply; you mustn¡¯t doubt that.¡±


    Ava felt embarrassed that Aurora had noticed her thoughts and her distrust of Mateo. The girl was so transparent that it was impossible for her to hide what she was feeling.


    At lunchtime, Ava decided to follow L¡¯s advice and take some food to Mateo at the office. She asked L to help her prepare his favorite dish and took extra care with her appearance and that of her son, Max, who was apanying her. Mateo had decided to entrust his security to Max; there was no one better than him to protect her.


    The girl arrived at the corporate building, immediately took the elevator, and went up to the office. As she passed by, employees observed her, realizing that Matt was identical to their boss. Undoubtedly, that little boy was his son. Ava approached the receptionist. Guido had hired her in Mateo¡¯s absence; she was a very serious and efficientdy.


    ¡°Buona serata,¡± the girl greeted cordially.


    ¡°Buona serata, miss. Whom are you looking for?¡± the woman asked since she didn¡¯t know her.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Mr. Liardi; I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e,¡± she said before the woman could refuse to inform Mateo that she was looking for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, miss. Mr. Liardi left a while ago; he said he¡¯d be back in a few hours. He asked me to cancel all his appointments for the day.¡±


    ¡°Did he leave with Mr. Guido?¡±


    ¡°No, Mr. Liardi left alone,¡± Max, who had gone up with her to help with the food basket, was sweating nervously. If only his boss had informed him, he would havee up with any excuse to cover for him. He wished he could disappear from there to avoid Ava asking him anything.


    ¡°Did he mention where he would be?¡± Ava didn¡¯t want toe across as a crazy, obsessive person, but Mateo¡¯s behavior raised many doubts in her.


    ¡°No, he just said that, that he¡¯d be a while and to cancel his appointments. Now that I remember, he had a very important meeting. I don¡¯t know how I forgot it. I apologize.¡± Ava wasn¡¯t foolish and realized that the woman was trying to cover for her boss, which is why she was lying.


    The secretary¡¯s response didn¡¯t instill confidence in Ava. Mateo seemed to be up to something, and she, who wasn¡¯t usually jealous, felt a surge of annoyance seeing him so cheerful with that girl. She picked up her phone and dialed Mateo¡¯s number, but it went straight to voicemail, increasing her nervousness. She said goodbye to the secretary, left the food she had brought, and departed.


    In her car, she began to imagine various possible scenarios between Mateo and that girl. In all of them, she saw them naked on a bed. ¡°Could it be that he was tired of her?¡± After all, being with her had caused him too many problems. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder about these things.


    Tears began to well up as she imagined all of this. She tried to hide her face so her young son wouldn¡¯t see her crying, and fortunately, Matt was engrossed in his favorite toy.


    Ava felt ashamed of her behavior. She didn¡¯t want Max to see her in this state. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, took a deep breath to try to calm herself, and hugged Matt tightly; she needed to feel the warmth of that embrace.


    Max watched her through the rearview mirror, noticing that she was crying. His boss was in quite a mess. As soon as Ava got out of the car and entered the mansion, he called Mateo again, and this time, Mateo answered the call.


    ¡°Soon.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sir, Miss Ava went to thepany with her son to bring you lunch. Your secretary informed her that you weren¡¯t there, and she¡¯s been trying to reach you. I noticed that she¡¯s upset and has been crying.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Max. She¡¯ll get over it. Right now, I¡¯m very busy. I¡¯ll pick her upter.¡± Mateo replied hastily and then ended the call before Max could say anything else.


    Max sensed something was off. Mateo sounded agitated. ¡°Could his boss be up to something improper?¡± Mateo never did anything without consulting him or requiring his services. He scratched his head and went back to his work. The doubt was preventing him from concentrating. ¡°What was happening?¡± Suddenly, he didn¡¯t feel as indispensable as before, and that made him nervous.


    He had enough savings to livefortably for the rest of his life, but working alongside Mateo had always been interesting. He was aware of his boss¡¯s entricities and knew about his ¡°rtionship¡± with Morgana; Mateo had told him about it himself. But that was in the past, it didn¡¯t matter now. He chuckled every time someone hinted that Mateo liked men. He was used to seeing and keeping quiet, but he genuinely wished he could put an end to all those rumors.


    She had known ra since the beginning of her rtionship with Mateo. That girl was so pretentious; Ava didn¡¯t like her at all. ra used to demand things with entitlement, thinking that everyone was beneath her, and she believed she deserved everything. She was very different in appearance and attitudepared to Ava.


    Ava immediately won over anyone who met her; she had an unparalleled sweetness. She was precisely the kind of girl Mateo needed by his side to be well.


    Because she was a beautiful girl, she attracted the attention of other men, and that made her boss ufortable. Since Ava had returned, Mateo had to fight to keep her by his side. But now, he was behaving strangely, and Max feared he might lose her.


    By the evening, Mateo arrived home, looking calm as if nothing were happening. He greeted his mother, his grandfather, and L; the three of them were in the living room. Then he went upstairs to his room, where Ava and her son were. Heplimented Ava when he saw her but immediately went into the bathroom without approaching them. This struck Ava as extremely strange.


    Ava heard him turn on the shower right away. She resisted thinking negatively, but Mateo¡¯s behavior was not helping her. She couldn¡¯t understand what was happening.


    Her imagination wasn¡¯t helping either; instead, it was showing her different possible scenarios of what might be going on.


    Ava sat on the edge of the bed; she had taken great care with her appearance, but he apparently didn¡¯t appreciate it. Thepliment he had given her upon arriving, she felt Mateo had said it out of obligation. ¡°Why didn¡¯t hee over to greet her with a kiss as he always did? He didn¡¯t even pay attention to her son. Why was he in such a hurry to take a shower? Where had he been?¡±

 Regretful of Her Distrust

    Mateo emerged from the dressing room a whileter, already dressed. Since the dressing room was next to the bathroom, he noticed sadness on Ava¡¯s face. He approached her to give her a kiss, but she turned away. He smiled, but she didn¡¯t return the smile.


    ¡°Is something wrong, my dear?¡± he asked yfully.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied sternly.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He was very nervous, and she could tell. They said goodbye to Guido, Aurora, and L, who would be taking care of their son. They noticed that something wasn¡¯t quite right between the couple. They were as transparent as water, those young people. Surely, they were wasting their time being upset about some nonsense. At their age, they knew it was pointless.


    Guido remembered his wife, Mateo¡¯s grandmother. They were one of those rare loves that could be considered eternal, always together despite everything. When their parents arranged their marriage without their consent, they reacted furiously. They had never seen each other before.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The day of the engagement celebration at her parents¡¯ mansion was when Guido saw her as she descended the stairs. She was the most beautiful and perfect girl he had ever seen. He never imagined that she would be his fianc¨¦e; he had thought she must be very ugly to need her parents to arrange her engagement.


    She was very shy and blushed when they were introduced. He was enchanted and in love. She was tall, slender, with long ck hair, and beautiful green eyes that lit up her face. She, too, was fascinated by her handsome fianc¨¦: tall, muscr, fair-skinned, with gray eyes and brown hair, his face framed by a short, thick beard.


    She was eighteen, he was twenty-five, and that¡¯s how their great love story began. Their parents had decided that they would get married once she finished her studies. A month after they met, they were already living together, causing a great scandal among their parents. They were forced to marry immediately, and it was a magnificent wedding that everyone in the city talked about.


    The bride looked like a sweet angel, dressed in that beautiful gown. The image of her walking down the aisle was something Guido would never forget. He asked for a photograph to be taken of that moment and had a huge painting made of it, which he hung above his firece. Whenever he got annoyed with her, all he had to do was look at that beautiful image to forget any troubles. That painting was his greatest treasure.


    Mateo grew up listening to the stories his grandfather told him about their strong and pure love, a love that survived through time. But in his rebellious phase, he thought that such love would nevere his way, that he would never fall in love, and that he would only have asional partners, with Romantic Bondage being the only thing to fill the void. When he met Ava, he knew immediately that she would be that eternal love from which he could never separate. Since then, everything else ceased to matter.


    The lovers left the mansion, and Mateo was about to open the car door for Ava, but she didn¡¯t allow it. Ava opened the door and got in, and he lowered his head and smiled before getting into the car. This time, Max wouldn¡¯t be driving. Several SUVs apanied them because they couldn¡¯t be without security as long as Teodoro was free.


    After a while, Mateo stopped the car, took a small blindfold, and ced it around Ava¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± she asked nervously and suspiciously.


    ¡°Just go with it,¡± he said, nting a tender kiss on her lips after blindfolding her.


    She reluctantly agreed, still upset with him. She had heard those words before when Morgana didn¡¯t know she was blindfolded.


    When they arrived at their destination, Mateo opened the car door and helped her out. He took her hand and guided her inside the ce. Upon entering, Ava noticed the scent of her favorite flowers.


    Mateo approached and uncovered her eyes. When she opened them, she was amazed by what she saw. Everything was so beautiful, and now she understood where Mateo had been.


    They were in the vi that Mateo had bought to be their home. They hadn¡¯t chosen the furniture yet, so it was empty. In the main hall, there was arge carpet in the center withrge, soft-colored cushions. There were tters of food, sses, and wine bottles.


    The ce was illuminated by a multitude of small candles, but what caught Ava¡¯s attention the most was the hundreds of flowers decorating the room. ¡°My favorites!¡± she thought.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asked with a big smile on his lips.


    ¡°Like it? Nooo, I love it.¡±


    ¡°The girl who came to the mansion this morning was in charge of bringing things here, and then I set everything up.¡±


    ¡°Did you do all of this yourself?¡± she asked,pletely surprised.


    ¡°Yes, I did. I would do this and much more for you,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Wow! It must have taken you hours to do all this,¡± she eximed. Did he really do all of this for her?


    ¡°A few hours,¡± he said, approaching and nting a kiss on the tip of her nose. Then he took her hand to guide her to the carpet.


    Arge group of bodyguards watched over the vi. Mateo didn¡¯t want to take any chances with Teodoro, the madman. He wanted Ava to forget about everything that had happened for a while. He pulled out a small remote, and soft music began to y. He had thought about hiring some musicians, but the truth was that he wanted Ava all to himself that night, and having more people around wouldn¡¯t allow for that.


    They sat on the cushions on the carpet, and Mateo poured wine and offered her a ss.


    ¡°The day you left that time, I had decorated the terrace for you. That day, I wanted to ask you to be my wife,¡± he confessed.


    ¡°Shhhh, let¡¯s not talk about that now,¡± she said, cing her finger on Mateo¡¯s lips while smiling. Deep down, she still med herself for letting herself be influenced by what she had heard and not discussing it with him.


    They had dinner amid continuous disys of affection. Afterward, he stood up and extended his hand, inviting her to dance. A sweet and slow melody yed, and after a while, another song began, apanied by a husky and sexy voice (Norah Jones¡¯ ¡°Turn Me On¡±).


    ¡°This is how my heart feels when you¡¯re not with me. It¡¯s the one living in darkness if I don¡¯t have you. My heart beats only for you, my beauty,¡± he said.


    She was about to answer but he didn¡¯t allow her to say anything, he contemted her lips, those perfect lips that always invited him to savor them, he kissed her while his hands tightened around her waist, she grabbed him by the neck and caressed him, inviting him to go further.


    He understood the message and helped her get rid of her dress, and she did the same with his shirt, the synchronization of their muscles was something worthy of admiration.


    Mateo traced her body with his gaze, Ava still blushed when he looked at her in that way, she recognized in his eyes the gleam of desire, a desire that threatened to consume them if they didn¡¯t do something to extinguish it soon.


    ¡°Let me contemte you like this, in the candlelight,¡± Mateo said upon noticing her shyness, he had always needed something more than a simple vani rtionship, but with her, it was different, he was satisfied with just observing and exploring her body.


    He caressed her nipples with his breath and then moistened them, he ran his hands all over her body, he loved the scent of her soft skin to the touch, he nibbled on her breasts, she let out a loud moan, which only made him more aroused.


    Mateo took off the remaining clothes he had and then removed the tiny garment she still had on, he spread her legs and entered her intimacy in one swift motion while holding her by the hips, that movement made her scream and a growl escape his throat, then it was all a rhythmic back and forth apanied by moans and stifled screams.


    After a while, silence reigned in that ce, the dim light outlined their bodies on the carpet, their still rapid breathing gradually normalized, in that moment nothing else mattered to them, only enjoying the warmth of each other¡¯spany and the heat of their bodies.


    Ava nestled against his chest, which had be her favorite ce to rest. There was no sound thatforted her more than the rhythmic sound of his heart.


    Early the next morning, Max brought them a suitcase with clothes and personal items that Mateo had requested. Ava was still asleep, so he approached and gave her some tender kisses on her face and neck. She slowly opened her eyes.


    ¡°Uhmmm, Mr. Liardi, you should wake me up like this every day,¡± she eximed, still half asleep.


    ¡°It would be my pleasure, my beauty. I¡¯m here to please you,¡± he replied, flirtatiously.


    He rubbed his stubbled chin against her neck, causing her to burst intoughter.


    ¡°Stop, that tickles me so much.¡±


    He continued doing it until he saw that she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and her face had turned a shade of red.


    ¡°Alright, my beauty, for now, I¡¯ll stop. But if you ever doubt me again, I¡¯ll do it for hours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amore, I know I shouldn¡¯t have doubted you.¡±


    Ava pouted in response, and Mateo smiled at her expression.


    ¡°The hot water is working now, so let¡¯s go upstairs and take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to the office?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°Maybe yes, maybe no. Maybe I¡¯ll kidnap you all day.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so curious. Let¡¯s hurry up instead. I want us to visit our son,¡± he said, taking her hand and helping her get up.

 A Wonderful Day

    They went upstairs to shower in what would be their bedroom¡¯s bathroom. Mateo put some soap on a sponge and began to run it over Ava¡¯s body, gently cleaning her back.


    She turned around, put soap in her hands, and started to move her hands over Mateo¡¯s broad chest. He smiled with that sideways smile she loved so much, and the temperature began to rise much more than usual.


    The silhouettes of the two lovers, sharing their love, could be seen through the ss doors, which, although fogged up, allowed them to see what was happening inside.


    Later, they came downstairs, dressed casually. Ava wore a short, strapless loose-fitting dress in a bold shade of blue that entuated the intense blue of her eyes. On that day, she decided not to wear colored contacts and had her hair tied up in a high ponytail.


    Mateo wore white athletic pants and a light blue t-shirt. Max, upon seeing them, thought they looked great together-perfect for each other. They got into the car, with Max as the driver this time, and left the vi, always under the watchful eyes of the guards in the SUVs. The car was in the middle. When they arrived at the mansion, L was waiting for them with Matt, their little one ready to go out with his parents.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Ava asked curiously as she settled their son into the child seat.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have breakfast in Verona,¡± Mateo replied as he arranged their son¡¯s luggage.


    ¡°Verona? I¡¯ve always wanted to visit. One of my favorite works is Romeo and Juliet,¡± Ava said, excited about the destination.


    Mateo smiled. For Ava, almost everything was new. She knew so little about the world, and he intended to show her. After nearly two hours of travel, they arrived in Verona and had breakfast at a picturesque ce in the Piazza delle Erbe.


    The couple drew the attention of those present, not only because of their physical appearance but also because their love for each other was evident, something you could feel just by looking at them.


    After breakfast, Mateo took her to the Lamberti Tower, where they could see all of beautiful Verona. He was exhausted because Ava insisted on taking the stairs instead of the elevator, even though he carried their son in his arms as they climbed. On the way down, he insisted on using the elevator; his legs couldn¡¯t take any more. Ava agreed withughter. He loved her youth and spontaneity, but sometimes he couldn¡¯t keep up with her pace.


    They strolled along Via Capello until they reached Juliet¡¯s balcony. They entered the house to explore it, and when they entered Juliet¡¯s room, Mateo asked Ava to wait there while he stepped out with Matt.


    A girl entered wearing a beautiful period dress and asked Ava to put it on and go out onto the balcony. Ava put on the dress but needed help to fasten it. She peeked into the hallway, and the girl who had brought the dress came to her aid. The dress fit her perfectly, and the corset cinched her waist, making her appear smaller. Then she stepped out onto the balcony as Mateo had requested.


    As she stepped onto the balcony, she heard the sounds of guitars, mandolins, and violins. She saw some young men beneath the balcony ying the instruments, dressed in ck and red attire with short pants, stockings, and a ck cape over their shoulders, reminiscent of the attire from ancient times.


    One of the young men stepped forward, wearing a curious hat with a feather to the side. He began to sing in Italian while the musicians followed with a cheerful rhythm (Adriano Celentano¡¯s ¡°Stotia d¡¯amore¡±). When Ava realized who the controversial song was being sung to, she couldn¡¯t help butugh-it was Mateo.


    Next to him was Matt, dressed just like his father. The girl who had brought Ava the dress took the little one into her arms and then went inside with him.


    Meanwhile, Mateo began to climb up a vine until he reached the balcony.


    ¡°Who are you that, wrapped in the night (even though it was daytime), you surprise my secrets in such a way?¡± Ava recited the lines perfectly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to express who I am with a name!¡± Mateo replied, trying not tough and y his role well.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard a hundred words of thatnguage yet, and I already recognize the ent. Aren¡¯t you Romeo of the Montagues?¡±


    ¡°Neither one nor the other, beautiful maiden, if both of them displease you,¡± he said, making a gesture with his hands, still trying to contain hisughter.


    Ava couldn¡¯t contain herughter any longer and burst intoughter. Mateo approached and gave her a passionate kiss while the tourists who had gathered to watch the scene apuded, thinking it was part of the tour. They smiled when they realized they had yed their roles very well.


    The girl came out onto the balcony to hand them their son, who was smiling and amused.


    After a while, they changed back into their regr clothes and continued their tour of the streets of the area, always holding hands and taking every opportunity to show their love for each other.


    They both doted on their son, the fruit of their great love, so it was only natural that they wanted to spoil him. After lunch, Mateo decided it was time to head back, as he was feeling tired, and the next day he would have to return to his role in thepany. Guido was getting older and needed rest after all the stress, and Aurora was also nervous after everything that had happened.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    When they got into the car, Max¡¯s men informed him that a car was following them. The car in which they were traveling and two SUVs separated from the convoy, while the men in the other SUVs stopped the car that was following them to investigate its upants.


    This made Ava very nervous, as she had overheard Max¡¯s conversation and the orders he had given. She held her son tightly, and Mateo took her hand, squeezing it, and then embraced her, asking her to calm down. Her body trembled at the thought of returning to the side of her unhinged uncle; it made her feel very uneasy.


    Mateo kissed her, trying to distract her mind, and she responded to the kiss. However, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what was happening.


    After a few minutes, Max informed them that it was just some lost tourists, and his men had already verified the information. Ava breathed a sigh of relief, realizing only then that she had been holding her breath.


    Mateo also felt relieved. They couldn¡¯t live like this; they had to find a way to end it all once and for all. By nightfall, they arrived at the mansion. Mateo had brought some clothes and personal items from the penthouse because it was better for Ava and their son to stay there while he was at the Corporate Tower. This way, he would feel much more at ease.


    L would also stay there; it would be easier to provide them with protection if they were all in the same ce, making it more difficult for Teodoro Miller to attack them.


    In the apartment where Aneliz, the girl who had taken care of Ava on the ind, was staying, things were not going well. Her fianc¨¦ was furious.


    She had told him what had happened with Miller and how he had been abusing her all those days. The guy didn¡¯t know how to react; he wanted to find that bastard and kill him with his own hands. She told him she would understand if he no longer wanted to marry her; she didn¡¯t consider herself worthy of being anyone¡¯s wife.


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset with you, but with that bastard Miller. As for what happened, I don¡¯t care. I want to marry you. It¡¯s better that no one else finds out about it; I don¡¯t want you to bebeled for something like this.¡±


    Aneliz lowered her head; he was right, no one else should find out about what happened.


    The guy approached her and kissed her. They would get married as nned; he wouldn¡¯t let that guy ruin their happiness. She cried, as did her parents. For a moment, they thought he would reject her because of what had happened. In some ces in Italy, some families did not consider girls who were not pure worthy. However, this was in small-town families still clinging to ancient traditions.


    In France, Miller was furious as he looked at photographs of Mateo and Grecia in Verona. He realized they had a child, but his fury was unleashed by a particr photograph that clearly showed Grecia¡¯s face. What the hell was going on?


    In that photo, the color of the girl¡¯s eyes was clearly visible. It couldn¡¯t be possible. Now he realized it; that girl looked remarkably like his niece. However, his niece was blonde, and moreover, she waspletely blind.


    Miller ordered his men to investigate Grecia. They received the same information that had been provided to Mateo. But when they tried to dig deeper, to investigate her family, they couldn¡¯t find anything else. When theypared Grecia¡¯s photo with one that Teodoro had distributed at the beginning of the search for Ava, the resemnce was incredible.

 Family of three

    He was almost certain that Ava couldn¡¯t have regained her sight. They had made sure that it wouldn¡¯t happen so they could control her inheritance. How could he have overlooked certain details about her?


    As a child, she had only seen on rare asions. He couldn¡¯t remember if it had been two or three times because L had been the one to take care of her. As she grew up, he began to realize that she was very beautiful, and that¡¯s when he decided he would marry her. He remembered the day his cousin died as one of the happiest days of his life.


    He initially thought his informant had made a mistake when sending him the information, but he had been in Verona in the same ce as them and clearly heard Mateo calling the girl Ava, not Grecia. That¡¯s why he took a close-up shot of her face and sent it to Teodoro.


    Now more than ever, he needed to have her by his side and find out if they had fooled him. He would never forgive them for that. He spoke to hiswyer to arrange the necessary documents. If this girl was really his niece, he would make her hand over her entire fortune before eliminating her for what she had done. Ava would pay a high price, along with Liardi, for their audacity. Nobody mocked Teodoro Miller.


    An employee from the bank informed him about Ava¡¯s substantial fortune. He could no longer regain control of the corporation or the properties, nor ess his bank ounts in Italy, which had been frozen. The authorities had no knowledge of the money Ava had received, and she would have to give it all up.


    He felt increasingly cornered by the authorities. Freezing his ounts had limited him. To escape, he needed a substantial amount of money, and he also had to keep paying his men. Thest two shipments of girls hadn¡¯t arrived; they had been intercepted along the way. He felt that he was being gradually cornered.


    For now, I would have to auction off girls that I would start kidnapping in that same country, I would find a way to move forward, one way or another.


    At the Liardi corporate office, Mateo was in a meeting. Guido had secured new investors, and they would be opening a subsidiary of thepany in the United States. It would be responsible for distributing their products in that country, and they wanted to do it as soon as possible to recoup their investment.


    At night, Mateo arrived at the mansion, very tired. Guido had helped him a lot, but several matters had been dyed and he had to push them forward. He was thinking that when he got married to Ava, he would find a way to only go to the office in the mornings and work from home in the afternoons. He wanted to be with his son, he didn¡¯t want to be an absent father, he wanted to enjoy every moment with him and his wife.


    ¡°Buona notte mia be,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Buona notte amore, I was waiting for you to have dinner. Your son has been calling for daddy all day,¡± Ava replied. Mateo smiled upon hearing this. Matt was already running around the house, sometimes clumsily, but he was doing it. Besides, he repeated ¡°daddy¡± and ¡°mommy¡± all day. He could speak perfectly well already, but those were his favorite words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, be. I just want to shower and rest,¡± Mateo said, approaching to give a tender kiss to his son.


    ¡°Okay, amore. You look exhausted,¡± Ava replied.


    ¡°I am, aside from being stressed. I want to spend time with you and my son, but several matters at the office have been dyed.¡±


    ¡°We also want to be with you, but I know you¡¯re a very busy man. Let¡¯s take things slowly so we won¡¯t be so stressed,¡± Ava said understandingly.


    They went up to the bedroom. When Mateo came out of the bathroom, Matt had already fallen asleep. Mateo immediatelyy down, wearing only his pajama pants, and turned onto his stomach.


    Ava put aromatherapy oil on her hands, approached, and started to give him a gentle massage on his neck and back, which caused him to fall asleep almost immediately.


    Ava sighed; she loved that man too much to even conceive of a life without him. At this point, L, Guido, and Aurora, despite being quite conservative, tried not to pay too much attention to the fact that they slept together without being married.


    In the morning, she woke up early, went downstairs to prepare breakfast while he showered, and they ate quickly since he had a busy day ahead.


    ¡°Be, next week I¡¯ll have to go to the United States. We¡¯re opening a subsidiary, and I need to check out the ce to get approval.¡±


    ¡°Will you be gone long?¡± she said, pouting. She didn¡¯t feelfortable being away from him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there for a week.¡±


    ¡°That long?¡± Her heart sank. A day without him was too much for her, especially after everything they had been through.


    ¡°Yes, it will be quite some time,¡± Mateo said with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, amore.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I won¡¯t miss you at all.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± His response made her even sadder.


    ¡°Very serious,¡± heughed heartily.


    Ava looked at him with confusion. She was on the verge of tears, and he wasughing.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny, Liardi. Why are youughing at me?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± he couldn¡¯t contain hisughter as he watched her pout.


    ¡°Mateo Liardi, I¡¯m starting to get annoyed.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s recap: you asked if I¡¯d be gone, what did I answer?¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯ll be gone for a week.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say ¡®I¡¯ll be gone¡¯; I said ¡®we¡¯ll be gone.''¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be gone? Will Guido be going with you?¡±


    ¡°Ava Miller, you can be so absent-minded sometimes,¡± he said, smiling with tenderness this time.


    ¡°We will¡­ Oh, I get it now! Haha!¡± Ava startedughing and even did a little hop.


    She hugged him tightly. ¡°I¡¯m such a silly one, amore.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Haha, if you do want toe with me, I want our son and you to travel with me. L can join us to help if she agrees.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I want to go with you. And my nanny won¡¯t refuse toe with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also thought about inviting Ima and Akiro.¡±


    ¡°That would be great. I¡¯d like to invite Tadeo and Cam as well.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. The new partners will have a cocktail party. First, I¡¯ll check out thepany¡¯s location, and if it meets my approval, we¡¯ll have the cocktail party. After that, I n to rent a vi in Hawaii. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°I love the idea.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll prepare everything for the trip. I want it to be unforgettable.¡±


    ¡°It will be, amore.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you even more.¡±


    While the lovers made ns, Teodoro Miller was making ns of his own. He intended to make them pay dearly for ying with him. Ava¡¯s fortune would soon fall into his hands, and this time, he would do it himself to ensure there were no mistakes.


    At the same time, in a clinic in Mn, Cam had gone to pick up the test results her doctor had ordered. She had continued to feel unwell, and the situation was starting to worry her. With the envelope in her hand, she headed to the doctor¡¯s office, where Tadeo was already waiting for her.


    The doctor took the envelope and opened it. After reading its contents, he looked at them intently.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± the doctor congratted them, a big smile on his face.


    ¡°?¡± Tadeo and F¨¢tima turned to him, confused, not understanding why he was congratting them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, doctor. What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Congrattions are in order because very soon, you¡¯ll be a family of three.¡±


    The couple looked at each other again, and once theyprehended what the doctor had said, they embraced. Tadeo was overjoyed, and soon, he would hold that freckled little person he had longed for.


    Now, more than ever, he would protect Cam. He wouldn¡¯t allow her to suffer again, no matter what. He would work even harder. She was a woman who had endured too much.


    With a stepfather who had abused her all the time and an alcoholic mother, once she was old enough to think clearly, she had fled home as far as possible. Yearster, she had returned to look for her mother, but it was toote. Her stepfather had killed her with a beating. Tadeo had wished he could¡¯ve taken matters into his own hands, but the man was in prison, and he couldn¡¯t reach him.


    She had beautiful memories before that life-a loving father and mother who cared for her. Her father had been in the military and, on one of his missions, he simply didn¡¯t return. Her mother started using all the government money she received on alcohol. During one of her many benders, she had met the man who would be her stepfather, and that¡¯s when her hell began.


    Tadeo couldn¡¯t believe everything she had gone through. His need to protect her grew. He wouldn¡¯t allow their children to have the same life. He would ensure they were financially secure, even if he were ever absent. He knew Cam wouldn¡¯t allow her story to repeat itself.


    ¡°What are you thinking, handsome?¡± the sweet voice of his girlfriend pulled him from his thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking that I¡¯m the happiest man on Earth. I have a wonderful woman by my side, and soon, I¡¯ll fulfill my greatest dream-bing a father.¡±


    He approached her to give her a kiss, then gently ced his hand on her abdomen. Cam felt tenderness at this gesture; she was sure he would be an excellent father.


    The day to depart for the United States arrived, and Ava insisted that M¨¢x and Morgana apany them. Mateo dly epted. This time, M¨¢x would travel with them as a friend.


    The four couples, along with Matt and L, arrived at the hangar on time, ready to board the jet. Most of them were in high spirits. They were apanied by several bodyguards, and everything seemed to be calm, which only increased Mateo¡¯s mistrust.


    Since the day before, he had been feeling that strange tightness in his chest again-a sensation that kept him on high alert. This time, it was mixed with a feeling of infinite sadness.

 Pregnant

    Ava noticed Mateo¡¯s strange demeanor; she sensed his restlessness. She leaned her head against his chest while hugging him.


    ¡°Is something wrong, amore?¡±


    ¡°No, be, everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°You seem different. Are you sure everything is okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡±


    Ava had a feeling that something was bothering him. She knew him too well. She would do her best to help him forget about their problems for a while. They arrived in Miami at night.


    They headed straight to the hotel to drop off their luggage before going to a restaurant. They hadn¡¯t had dinner, and the kids were starting to get cranky.


    The girls noticed this and exchanged jokes about how the guys were turning into ogres and how hunger affected them.


    The guys ate in silence while the girls watched them with amusement.


    ¡°When you¡¯re done observing us, girls, you can start eating,¡± Tadeo grumbled, which made the girlsugh even more.


    Traducir al ingl¨¦s corrigiendo ortograf¨ªa sin agregar, cambiar u omitir texto


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but hunger seems to make you guys lose your words,¡± Ava replied yfully.


    ¡°Sorry, amore, I was starving,¡± Mateo said, blushing.


    ¡°Even Matt has gone silent,¡± everyone turned to look at the little one, who had bits of food all over his face, while L was making a great effort to keep him clean.


    ¡°Haha,¡± the girlsughed in unison.


    They had dinner amid a pleasant conversation, and the guys had improved their moods. L watched with satisfaction as her girl was happy.


    ¡°My dear, I¡¯ll go with M¨¢x to meet with my partners. They sent me the location of the ce they¡¯ve chosen for the subsidiary. Do you want to apany me, or would you prefer to spend time with the girls?¡±


    ¡°Girls¡¯ time!¡± Cam and Morgana shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join that n,¡± Ima added.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Ava said.


    ¡°Sounds perfect, be. I imagine Akiro and Tadeo will apany you, along with some of the bodyguards, so I¡¯ll feel more at ease.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay at the hotel with Matt; it¡¯s his bedtime,¡± L preferred staying in and having the little one rest since she wasn¡¯t into walking and shopping would be too tiring for Matt.


    ¡°Will you have bodyguards with you?¡± Ava asked Mateo.


    ¡°Yes, two wille with us, and the other four will go with you. The rest will stay behind to look after L and our son.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, amore.¡±


    ¡°You too, my be. What will you be doing?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go shopping; there¡¯s a big shopping center here that stays opente,¡± Morgana replied.


    ¡°Good luck with the shopping, guys, haha,¡± Mateo said to Akira and Tadeo, and they allughed.


    Unbeknownst to them, since their arrival at the airport hangar, their every move had been recorded and sent to Teodoro. The sinister man watched the footage with a malevolent gleam in his eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯ve walked right into the wolf¡¯s den all alone. It¡¯s such a pleasure to watch them all together and within my reach.¡±


    The girls shopped and roamed around the shopping center several times. Meanwhile, the guys couldn¡¯t take another step.


    ¡°Do you really need to buy everything in the stores?¡± Akira asked.


    ¡°Look at me, Akira. How do I look?¡± Ima asked her husband.


    ¡°As beautiful as always,¡± he replied honestly because Ima was very attractive.


    ¡°Well, to look beautiful, I need to find things that make me look good, my love,¡± Ima said.


    ¡°Ima¡¯s right, so stopining and keep walking, guys,¡± Cam chimed in and then gave Tadeo a quick kiss. He just smiled and continued walking.


    Later, they returned to the hotel, famished once again. Mateo and M¨¢x caught up with them in the restaurant.


    ¡°How did it go, be?¡± Mateo hugged Ava.


    ¡°It went great, amore. We bought some really nice things,¡± Ava loved shopping because since she regained her sight, she could choose what to buy, whereas L used to do it for her.


    M¨¢x greeted Morgana with a passionate kiss, which the redhead enthusiastically reciprocated.


    Ima and Akiro were still a bit perplexed by these public disys of affection. In their country, it wasn¡¯t customary to do so, not because it was frowned upon but because of their culture.


    They considered it too intimate, except for the nights at the club, but that was different; they only enjoyed the show. Those without partners would pick one, and everything else that happened took ce in the privacy of a room.


    Mateo decided to share the itinerary with them since he was the only one who knew it until now. He did this to prevent anyone else from finding out their whereabouts.


    ¡°My be, the ce my partners have chosen for the subsidiary is perfect. Tomorrow, during the meeting, it will be approved. I¡¯ll only be there for a few minutes during the cocktail, and after that, we can leave. We¡¯ll travel to the beach vi, where we¡¯ll spend six days and enjoy various fun activities.¡±


    ¡°PERFECT!¡± everyone responded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to burden my grandfather too much again, but he insisted.¡±


    ¡°We all needed this time to rx,¡± Akiromented.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s rest up because our vacation starts tomorrow.¡±


    Mateo took Ava¡¯s hand as they headed to their room, followed by the other couples going to their respective rooms.


    From their attitudes, it was clear that they would do anything but rest.


    Ava and Mateo stopped by to check on Matt, who would be staying in L¡¯s room. The little one was sound asleep. Ava handed the nanny a te of food she had ordered for her.


    ¡°Thank you, my dear. Don¡¯t worry about Matt. He¡¯s been very calm; he won¡¯t wake up until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Nana.¡±


    The couple retired to their room, where the night felt too short for the passion they felt. In the other rooms, the other couples were doing the same. Everyone felt that they had found the perfect person, and at that moment, they believed they didn¡¯t need anything else to be happy.


    In the morning, Mateo and M¨¢x went to the Spanish corporate office. The meeting went by quickly; it was just for him to sign the documents authorizing the start of the remodeling of the building for the new subsidiary.


    Mateo was relieved that the meeting ended quickly because one of his partner¡¯s assistants had been flirting with him throughout the meeting. M¨¢x found it amusing to watch Mateo squirm under the girl¡¯s provocations, not because he liked it, but because she discreetly touched him whenever she could.


    ¡°You made it out of that meeting alive, boss,¡± M¨¢x couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention this to Morgana; she would run off to tell Ava, and I don¡¯t want to end up hanging from a tree,¡± Mateo feared that Ava would find out and think he had encouraged the girl.


    ¡°Ha, ha, my lips are sealed,¡± M¨¢x said, running his hand over his mouth, pretending to lock it with an imaginary key.


    They headed to a shopping center to fulfill a request from the other guys and then made their way to the cocktail party. They hadn¡¯t invited the rest of the group because they would only be there for a few minutes. Mateo wanted to get to the house they had rented as soon as possible.


    When they arrived at the cocktail party, the girl who had been flirting with Mateo during the meeting was already there. She had changed into a revealing dress.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Mateo muttered when he saw her, knowing she would cause him trouble.


    ¡°I think the temperature just spiked around here, boss,¡± M¨¢x said,ughing. He found Mateo¡¯s expressions of difort highly entertaining.


    Mateo stayed close to his business partners the entire time to avoid the girl harassing him openly, fearing she would get fired. When she went to the bathroom, Mateo and M¨¢x said their goodbyes and practically ran out of there.


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha. I never thought I¡¯d see you running from a girl,¡± M¨¢xughed, but Mateo didn¡¯t find it funny at all.


    Back at the hotel, they joined the group, which was gathered for breakfast. After breakfast, Tadeo and Cam stood up, holding hands.


    ¡°Guys, we want to share something with you. It¡¯s the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life,¡± Tadeo announced.


    Visibly moved, Cam hugged him and then they both said at the same time.


    ¡°We¡¯re pregnant!¡±


    The group congratted them, delighted for the couple. They seemed very enthusiastic and were a happy pair.


    Later, they left the hotel and headed to the house. Mateo received a call from Guido and stepped away from the group to take it. After ending the call, he rejoined the group and picked up his son.


    They boarded two waiting SUVs, with the bodyguards following behind. Upon arriving at the hangar, they boarded the private ne again and, some timeter,nded in Hawaii.


    ¡°Wow! We¡¯re in Hawaii,¡± Akiro eximed, just then realizing where the vi was located, like the others, he was pleasantly surprised.


    Upon arriving at the vi, everyone was astonished. Despite being right on the beach, the interior was luxuriously appointed. They were enchanted with the ce. From the terrace, they could see the sea. There was ample staff to attend to their needs. Mateo had hired live music to wee them, knowing his friends would appreciate it, even though he would have preferred something quieter. But he wanted them all to enjoy themselves and forget their troubles for a while.


    ¡°Wow, my friend! You¡¯ve outdone yourself. This is style!¡± Akiro eximed in amazement.


    ¡°It¡¯s about enjoying ourselves and beingfortable, so we can forget about what we¡¯ve been through,¡± Mateo replied.


    Ava wished that Aneliz and her fianc¨¦ could have apanied them. Aneliz was the girl who had taken care of Ava at Teodoro¡¯s house, and they were quite fond of her. However, they were busy with preparations for their wedding, at which Ava and Mateo were to be the godparents. They had adapted quickly to their new life, thanks to Mateo and Ava¡¯s support. In Hawaii, four couples of lovers were determined to forget their problems and enjoy their love.


    Later, everyone retired to their rooms with ns toe back downter for dinner together. There would be a wee show put on by the hired musical group.


    ¡°I love this Caribbean atmosphere. We should enjoy it,¡± Tadeo said to Cam as he yfully swayed his hips in the style of the ind¡¯s traditional dance.


    The ones most astonished by all the luxury were Cam and Morgana. They had never known that life could be so extravagant, as the men they had dealt with in the past were wealthy, but since they were only for fleeting moments of pleasure, they never got to see their real lifestyles.


    ¡°This is incredible, Tadeo. Look at everything around us; it¡¯s marvelous. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m in a ce like this,¡± Cam eximed.


    ¡°I may not be a millionaire, but I promise you, I have enough to give our child and you the best life possible.¡±


    He kissed her tenderly, a tenderness born from knowing that from that point on, he was responsible for doing everything in his power to make her happy. The life where she had to do whatever it took to survive was behind her.

 Surprise for the Girls

    Meanwhile, Max observed the redhead, who was also amazed as she explored the ce.


    ¡°Look at this beautiful ce! They¡¯ve left a huge basket of choctes and other snacks, and there¡¯s a bottle of the finest champagne. Let¡¯s open it and toast to us, to our friends, to all of this, to being in a ce I never imagined,¡± Morgana said with joy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s toast then,¡± John replied as he took the bottle to open it. He poured some of the contents into the sses and smiled as he watched her take a sip. He had saved almost everything he had earned from working. He had never had a girlfriend, just casual encounters. He was confident that he could give Morgana the best life possible. His mother, who was his only family, had passed away years ago.


    He was surprised himself when he found himself in a rtionship with this girl. For him, it was toote; there was no turning back.


    Morgana also had only him. Her parents, being so traditional, had kicked her out of the house when they found out she was working. Since then, she had gone from one ce to another where they would allow her to dance. Then she met Ima and Akiro and started working at their ce. Later, she met Mateo, and their encounter was brief but enough for him to teach her about Romantic Bondage.


    Every couple in that ce had their own story, and it hadn¡¯t been easy for any of them to get to where they were. They had to ovee their fears, and it had been a challenge for themselves. Now that they saw it, they knew it had been worth it.


    Akiro and Ima took advantage of that time to relieve their stress. They filled therge bathtub and indulged in their passion. They were a very creative couple, enjoying each other in the best possible way. On the outside, they gave off a cold image, but behind closed doors, their bodies burned with desire. Due to their native culture, they weren¡¯t ustomed to disying public affection.


    Ava and Mateo also indulged in their passion while L took care of their son. He had learned from her that it was possible tobine passion with tenderness when making love. asionally, they yed daring games because she didn¡¯t want him to feel limited, and at some point, he might miss all the things he was used to.


    Later, they dedicated the rest of the afternoon to their son, feeling that they hadn¡¯t spent enough time with him.


    At dinner time, the group of friends gathered on the beach. It was a beautiful ce, with an incredible view of the ocean. Around a bonfire, there were some wooden tables, and in front of them, a small makeshift stage where various musical instruments were ced.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really put together a luau, my friend. You¡¯re incredible,¡± Akiro marveled at everything Mateo had organized. Where had the cold man he had known in the past gone? Definitely, love for Ava had changed him.


    He and Ima made their way to the table with the food. There were all sorts of traditional Hawaiian dishes, like poi, poke, Kalua pig, opihi, lomi lomi salmon, haupia, and to drink, local beer.


    They had dinner amid jokes and merriment. After dinner, L insisted on taking Matt to the room because the sea breeze could make him sick. Ava gave the little one a kiss, and Mateo did the same.


    Later, the gentle music ying ceased, and the musicians took their ces, immediately starting to y very lively and infectious music with a typical rhythm.


    Beautifully dressed girls with luau outfits and exposed midriffs entered, dancing until they were in the center of the stage, sensually moving their bodies. Minutester, boys in typical clothing did the same, their well-defined chests exposed, and they began to move rhythmically to the music.


    ¡°Yeah, everything was fine until those guys with very little clothing entered,¡± Tadeo eximed.


    ¡°Oh, but you stayed quiet when the girls came in and drooled,¡± Cam replied, while pretending to clean Tadeo¡¯s mouth with a napkin.


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha,¡± that caused the group tough.


    One of the dancers approached the table, stood in front of M¨¢x, and started moving herrge breasts right in front of the boy¡¯s face, which immediately turned red. Morgana couldn¡¯t stand it, she stood up and pushed the girl.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m the only one who dances for my guy like that,¡± the redhead was about to attack the daring dancer.


    The dancer was surprised, she didn¡¯t expect such a reaction. She immediately returned to the center of the stage. She didn¡¯t think that redhead was the partner of that attractive boy. Since he entered, she noticed him and found him very attractive. Ava tried to calm Morgana down, who intended to follow that girl.


    ¡°Calm down, friend. It¡¯s just a show, don¡¯t pay attention to it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it didn¡¯t seem that way to me. Since he entered, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off my guy. If you don¡¯t stop me, I¡¯ll make a scene.¡±


    After a while, Mateo, Tadeo, and M¨¢x left the table without saying anything. In the distance, the girls saw Mateo handing something to the boys, but they couldn¡¯t see what it was. Then he returned to the table while the other boys disappeared.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Ava asked.


    ¡°No, my beauty, everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°And where are the boys? I don¡¯t see M¨¢x anywhere,¡± Morgana asked Mateo, a bit annoyed because it seemed strange that M¨¢x disappeared right after the dancers left the ce.


    ¡°I imagine they went to the bathroom,¡± Mateo answered, trying to calm her down.


    ¡°Apanied by Tadeo?¡± Cam asked.


    ¡°What did you give them? Are they with the dancers?¡± Morgana was suspicious of what was happening.


    ¡°Truth be told, I don¡¯t know, girls,¡± Mateo replied, visibly nervous. He felt pressured, and his friends had gotten him into quite a mess.


    Akiro couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. Mateo had started sweating under the annoyed gaze of the two girls.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re terribly bad at lying, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t help me so much, ¡®friend¡¯,¡± Mateo replied, emphasizing the word ¡®friend¡¯.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cam and Morgana were extremely upset. They imagined a thousand scenarios, and in all of them, their guys were in the arms of the dancers. They were about to get up to look for them when suddenly the lights dimmed. Ava got up and took some small blindfolds from her bag. Without saying anything, she ced one over Morgana¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on?¡± protested the redhead.


    ¡°Shhhh, calm down. Just trust and go with it,¡± Ava said with a smile, referencing what the redhead had told her back at Akiro¡¯s club when she had covered her eyes to lead her to the center of the dance floor. This memory brought a smile to Morgana¡¯s face, so she calmed down and decided to trust her.


    Ava then did the same with Cam.


    ¡°Now what¡¯s going on here?¡± Cam asked, stillpletely distrustful, trying to be patient with all these surprises.


    ¡°Shhhh, just rx.¡±


    She took both girls by the hand and guided them to the center of the dance floor, positioning them side by side. The spotlights illuminated them, while everything around them remained inplete darkness. Ava removed the blindfolds.


    ¡°Wait a minute, and then you can open your eyes. Don¡¯t cheat, girls, please,¡± she said before returning to the table.


    The girls were nervous, they didn¡¯t know what all that was about. Morgana momentarily thought that Ava would seek revenge for what happened that time. She could already see herself tied to a chair, being a spectacle for everyone, but she dismissed that idea when the blindfold covering her eyes was removed.


    Cam also had no idea what was happening, she was about to run away, but decided to trust Ava.


    Slowly, they started to open their eyes and let out a scream of surprise when they saw what was happening in front of them. They simply couldn¡¯t believe it.


    M¨¢x and Tadeo were kneeling on one knee in front of them, holding small open boxes in their hands. Upon looking inside, they understood what was happening as the boxes contained beautiful rings. Both girls covered their mouths with their hands, visibly excited.


    ¡°Will you marry me?¡± the boys said at the same time.


    ¡°Yes!¡± the girls replied in unison.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get married as soon as we return,¡± Tadeo said to F¨¢tima.


    They approached to hug them and then gave them a passionate kiss. The lights turned on as the others apuded.


    Everyone was visibly excited, their friends¡¯ happiness was theirs. When they first met, they didn¡¯t think they woulde this far. They thought it would be a rtionship just for fun and nothing more, but life hadpletely changed them.


    They didn¡¯t know what destiny had in store for them, but for now, they were thankful to be able to enjoy these moments.


    Ava recorded that beautiful moment with her cellphone. She knew the girls would appreciate that video, as she cherished hers. Thankfully, Mateo asked the hot air balloon pilot to record such an important moment.


    The boys returned to the table and continued celebrating. They toasted and danced untilte at night, and then retired to their rooms. They nned to have a very good night.


    And they did. Later, moans and muffled screams could be heard in the vi¡¯s hallways. For the staff, it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess what was happening inside those rooms. They could even swear that the temperature inside the vi had dangerously risen.

 Searching for the Dancers

    Fortunately, L, due to her age, didn¡¯t hear very well, so she slept peacefully next to the little one, unaware of what was happening around her.


    In their room, Mateo and Ava enjoyed being together. He had taught her to enjoy beyond the boundaries of what was allowed, and she satisfied himpletely. They didn¡¯t need anything else, just each other.


    Akiro and Ima, on the other hand,plemented each other perfectly. They were used to being in an environment of sensuality at the club, allowing themselves to look at others, but never touching. That was something exclusive to the two of them.


    Max and Morgana got along very well. At first, he held back too much, but she gradually pushed him further. Now she joked about it, pretending to be regretful, as she had be unstoppable.


    Cam and Tadeo were also very passionate. From the first time they were together, they realized they satisfied each otherpletely. The girl was pure fire, and Tadeo loved it.


    Each of them considered their partners unique and ideal only for them.


    The girls had no idea what the guys had nned. Mateo and Max had bought the rings after the meeting. Tadeo had chosen his through photos they sent him. They were all beautiful, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to choose.


    The next day, after breakfast, Ava asked her friends to model some wedding dresses for her. She didn¡¯t know which one to choose for her wedding. Her own dress had been ruined when Teodoro kidnapped her. Ima refused to do it, but Cam and Morgana reluctantly agreed to help their friend.


    Ava ced six dresses in front of them for them to choose the one they thought was the most beautiful and model it first. They were all stunning, and they couldn¡¯t deny that Ava had great taste.


    ¡°Girl, if these dresses fit us, they¡¯ll be too big for you. You¡¯re thinner,¡± Morganamented.


    Morgana remarked, seeing that the dress fit her perfectly.


    ¡°That¡¯s because there wasn¡¯t one in my size. I¡¯ll have to get it tailored. I still have time to do that. You both look beautiful in them, and I hope I can wear them just as well when the timees,¡± replied Ava.


    Cam, upon seeing so many dresses for just one bride, eximed, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot of dresses for just one bride.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll donate the ones I don¡¯t use to an organization that arranges weddings for girls without resources. Mateo supports several charities, and I want to start coborating with him,¡± Ava exined.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s verymendable,¡± said Ima.


    Later in the room, Ava insisted on doing the girls¡¯ makeup and hair. If they were going to model for her, they had to look their best. As for the guys, they were nowhere to be seen, probably somewhere snooping around. Cam and Morgana were somewhat suspicious with those daring dancers hanging around, who were staying at the vi along with the musicians.


    The final results pleased the girls; they looked beautiful. Ava turned out to be an excellent makeup artist, and Ima created beautiful hairstyles.


    L watched as Matt ate cookies, a very calm little boy who enjoyed sitting and observing what his mother did.


    ¡°Your work is incredible, girls. I hardly recognize myself,¡± Morgana said as she looked in the mirror.


    Cam asked Ava, ¡°Who taught you to do makeup like this?¡±


    ¡°When I was in Switzend, I took makeup and characterisation sses. I needed to change my appearance to avoid being recognized. With makeup, if you know how to use it correctly, you can work wonders,¡± Ava exined.


    The girls continued to get ready while joking and chatting. They were bing very close, something they never expected when they first met.


    ¡°Girls, don¡¯t you feel like it¡¯s too hot in here?¡± Imamented.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really hot. Some refreshing drinks would be great,¡± Ava fanned herself with her hands.


    ¡°Some cold drinks would definitely hit the spot,¡± Morgana agreed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go get them, be right back.¡±


    Ava and Ima left the room to fetch the drinks since it was quite hot. Cam and Morgana became impatient after a while because they hadn¡¯t returned. L tried to contain herughter as she watched them get increasingly anxious. Morgana¡¯s phone started ringing, and it was Ava on the line.


    ¡°Quickly, Ava, what¡¯s happening? Where are you? I can hear you¡¯re upset.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe what¡¯s going on. While we¡¯re in the room, these shameless guys are here having fun with the dancers. You should see thepromising positions we found them in.¡±


    ¡°What?! Oh no, this is absolutely not eptable,¡± Morgana eximed, now furious.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Cam asked.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Morgana wished she could teleport to where the guys were. It was a shame she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°We¡¯re at the ce where the luau was held,¡± Ava replied, sounding very serious.


    ¡°We¡¯re going there immediately.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Morgana?¡± Cam asked again.


    ¡°It turns out that while we¡¯re here, the guys are having fun with the dancers.¡±


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s not going to fly. Tadeo will pay for this, and those dancers, poor them, they¡¯ll regretying their eyes on our guys.¡±


    The two girls stormed out of the room, terribly furious. They didn¡¯t want to waste time changing clothes, and they didn¡¯t even think about howical they might look in their bridal attire while confronting those women. All they could think about was tracking down those who dared to set their sights, and who knows what else, on their guys.


    L followed them, carrying Matt, and let them go ahead. She couldn¡¯t hold back herughter.


    They arrived like a whirlwind, searching for the dancers. They were surprised to find the guys looking very pleased and dressed in very formal attire. It struck them as odd, but at that moment, their priority was locating those women who dared to set their eyes on their guys and who knows what else.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Cam asked,pletely furious as she hurriedly searched under the tables.


    ¡°Yes, tell us where those women are,¡± Morgana added, scanning the area fervently. ¡°They¡¯re about to get to know us right now.¡± She too was crouching and looking under the tables.


    ¡°Girls, calm down,¡± Ava said with a smile.


    Tadeo approached and took Cam¡¯s hand. ¡°You agreed to marry me, so let¡¯s do it right away.¡± He said this before passionately kissing her. M¨¢x also approached Morgana.


    ¡°My beautiful redhead, if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure of, it¡¯s that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But if you¡¯d prefer to wait, I¡¯ll understand. Maybe you want a big party and to get married somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°This moment and ce are more than perfect,¡± she replied, trying not to cry from the overwhelming emotion.


    Ava approached with a smile and handed her friends a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers.


    ¡°You almost had me there, girls. I was ready to rip those dancers apart,¡± Morgana said, smiling as she received the bouquet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, girls. It was all the guys¡¯ idea,¡± Ava exined.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Everyoneughed; it had been an epic surprise that they would undoubtedly cherish.


    They had called a judge to officiate the ceremony. Tadeo and M¨¢x had put a lot of effort into decorating the ce. The girls hadn¡¯t noticed when they arrived because they were too angry. There were hundreds of red and white roses scattered throughout the area, and Ava and the others had helped with the preparations. They were delighted to see their friends so excited.


    The moment of the ceremony was very emotional as both couples exchanged their long-awaited vows. After the ceremony, the judge and their entourage returned to the city, leaving the group of friends to continue their celebration.


    Several waiters appeared, carrying trays of exquisite dishes. However, after a while, Mateo found it strange that the musical group had not started ying, and the waitstaff did not return to attend to them. What concerned him most was that he hadn¡¯t seen the bodyguards for a while.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back; something¡¯s wrong with the band and the waitstaff. I¡¯ll see if there¡¯s any issue,¡± Mateo announced.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take too long, my love. We need to toast together for our friends,¡± Ava replied with a smile.


    The group of friends continued celebrating, not paying much attention to Mateo¡¯s words.


    As Mateo approached the area where the staff had been, he found itpletely empty. The ce had been abandoned.


    Suddenly, he felt a slight dizziness and nausea. Looking out the window, he noticed that the staff members were leaving. He couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. Then, he began to experience a strange sensation in his body. He rushed back to where the others were.


    ¡°Guys, don¡¯t eat anything!¡± he shouted desperately. However, it was toote. Everyone had already fallen unconscious. Mateo felt his eyelids grow heavy, and he struggled to reach Ava, but he couldn¡¯t make it. Thest thing he saw before losing consciousness was the smiling image of Teodoro Miller.

 Day of His Death

    Mateo gradually regained consciousness. He tried to move but couldn¡¯t. He realized he was tied to a chair. He heard Ava¡¯s desperate screams and turned to look in the direction they wereing from, fearing the worst.


    Teodoro¡¯s men were systematically killing his bodyguards one by one. He could see that they were bound hand and foot. He hung his head, feeling helpless. Offering them the same food they had brought to him had definitely been a very bad idea.


    All his friends were also tied up and grouped in the same area, while he was left isted, facing the others.


    Tadeo, Cam, Morgana, Ima, and Ava struggled desperately, trying to loosen the ropes that kept them immobile. Mateo scanned the area for Max and Akiro but couldn¡¯t find them. He assumed that Miller had also killed them, and a deep pain surged within him.


    The kids were gagged, except for Ava and Mateo. Teodoro grinned cynically when he noticed that Mateo had reacted.


    ¡°Well, well, look who has awakened, none other than the great Mateo Liardi.¡±


    ¡°Release them, you imbecile,¡± Mateo shouted in rage.


    ¡°You¡¯ve awakened just in time to see what I¡¯m going to do to your lovelydy.¡±


    He approached Ava, gripping her chin tightly.


    ¡°My dear niece, you yed with me for quite some time, made me look like a fool. I fell in love with Gracia while you were having your fun behind my back.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s what you are, a fool who couldn¡¯t recognize his own niece,¡± Ava spat at him, and he tightened his grip on her chin.


    ¡°You attracted me, but in a way, your presence annoyed me. It reminded me of my idiot cousin. You were a damn blind fool who only got in my way. I should have gotten rid of you a long time ago. I would have spared myself all of this. You have no idea how much I enjoyed finally getting rid of your father. The bastard never missed a chance to throw in my face everything he had achieved. He pretended to care about me, but I know he wasn¡¯t sincere. That day, I made a little calction error. You survived the ident.¡±


    ¡°You damn monster! How could you murder my parents, my¡­ more than a cousin? Because you were younger, he cared for you like a son. He took care of you since your parents¡¯ death. He only wanted to make a decent man out of you.¡±


    Listening to Teodoro relish the memory of the day he killed her parents filled Ava with intense pain.


    ¡°Shhhh, dear, you have no idea what I have in store for you. You¡¯ll want to die soon, but I won¡¯t grant you that. First, I¡¯ll have some fun with you. Don¡¯t worry, Liardi, I¡¯ll let you watch while I do it. Then I¡¯ll let my men do as they please with her.¡±


    Mateo paled upon hearing that, even more so when he remembered his son. He looked around, but couldn¡¯t see him. He hoped that L had been able to escape in time with the little one. That man waspletely deranged, and Mateo felt himself going mad in the face of all this.


    ¡°Let her go, Miller, and I¡¯ll give you my fortune in exchange,¡± Mateo was willing to give up everything to ensure Ava¡¯s safety.


    ¡°Your generous contribution won¡¯t be necessary, Liardi. My dear niece will sign over her fortune to me. I¡¯m aware that my dear cousin left her a substantial amount in a bank ount.¡±


    Mateo was about to ask about Max and Akiro, but if the deranged Teodoro had caught them, they would be there with them.


    Teodoro pulled a knife from his pocket, approached Mateo, and without hesitation, made a cut on the side of his face. Ava, in desperation, pleaded for him to stop. Teodoro grinned macabrely as he saw blood stain his hated enemy¡¯s face. Then he turned to Ava.


    ¡°So, niece, will you sign? Or should I continue decorating your beloved Mateo¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sign whatever you want, just let him go.¡±


    ¡°Haha, very well, I¡¯ll let him go for now. There¡¯s nothing more manageable than a love-struck woman.¡±


    Mateo¡¯s face was covered in blood, and his eyes were filled with anger. How he wished he could dismantle Miller with his own hands.


    Tadeo approached Ava and forcefully kissed her. She felt nauseated and began to vomit on him.


    ¡°You stupid girl, look what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a damn pig,¡± Teodoro raised his hand to deliver a strong blow to the girl¡¯s face, and Mateo clenched his fists, feeling his anger growing.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That will teach you. Now I¡¯ll have to find something to change into. I imagine I¡¯ll find something among your beloved Mateo¡¯s clothes.¡±


    He retreated to the area where the rooms were located, the six men who were with him stayed on guard. Fortunately, since he couldn¡¯t pay them, most of his men had abandoned him. Among those who apanied him, one was dressed as a waiter, and Mateo imagined that he was the one who put the sleeping pill in the food.


    He prayed to God that L hadn¡¯t thought of staying in the room with their son.


    The guards were more focused on watching for anyone approaching. Mateo felt someone touch his arms, which were tied behind his back.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡±


    ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s Akiro. I¡¯ll try to free you by cutting the restraints. M¨¢x has gone to get help. He took L and your son with him. Fortunately, we hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet.¡±


    He cut the ropes and then hid back inside the house. Mateo pretended to still be tied up. They had to act intelligently. They had been well trained in the military academy, but these men outnumbered them and were armed. Acting recklessly would lead them to death.


    Teodoro¡¯s men alerted him to approaching patrol sirens. He ordered them to shoot if they arrived and approached Ava with some documents.


    Mateo imagined that it was M¨¢x who had arrived with help. Miller became furious.


    ¡°So we¡¯ll have to hurry things up, dear niece. I¡¯m going to untie you so that you can sign these documents and hand over your fortune to me. You¡¯ll be in trouble if you try to escape.¡±


    The guards were focused on the approaching patrol cars. Mateo took advantage of the confusion to get up and attack Teodoro, who, realizing he was defeated, put his knife to Ava¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Let her go, Miller!¡± shouted Mateo, clenching his fists, fearing that this madman would harm Ava.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ve won, Liardi. If I die, she dies with me. Today is the day of her death.¡±


    Ava took advantage of Teodoro¡¯s distraction and hit him in the stomach with her elbow. Mateo ran towards them, grabbing the arm holding the knife. Before he could remove it, Teodoro managed to make a small cut on Ava¡¯s neck, and blood started to flow.


    Mateo¡¯s fury increased upon seeing the blood on Ava¡¯s neck.


    One of Teodoro¡¯s guards approached, attempting to surprise Mateo, but he was stopped by Akiro, who quickly subdued him.


    Mateo tried to grab the knife from Teodoro, who moved back abruptly, then thrust forward, plunging the knife into Mateo¡¯s chest. Mateo couldn¡¯t believe it and locked eyes with Ava as she screamed in despair.


    ¡°Hahaha, who would¡¯ve thought, Liardi, that today it would be your death that urred,¡± Teodoro said, looking at Mateo withplete disdain. He felt an immense satisfaction within his chest.


    Ava continued to scream in distress, trying to approach Mateo, but Teodoro stopped her by grabbing her arm tightly.


    ¡°Where are you going, little dove? You won¡¯t do it, you won¡¯t get close. Now, you¡¯lle with me. I couldn¡¯t find your bastard, but if you resist, I will return to find him and get rid of him without hesitation.¡± The poor girl became even more terrified upon hearing this. Her son couldn¡¯t fall into his hands.


    At that moment, gunshots were heard. M¨¢x had arrived with the police, which gave Ava the strength to defend herself. She bit Teodoro¡¯s arm with all her might, and upon feeling the sharp pain, he immediately released her. She only thought of running to her beloved.


    Teodoro was about to strike her to force her to go with him, but he saw two of his men being chased by the police. He ran towards a boat waiting on the beach and quickly distanced himself, without caring that he was leaving his men behind.


    The police had brought an ambnce in case it was needed. Ava screamed in terror as she hugged Mateo. He no longer moved, having lost a significant amount of blood. Hey lifeless in her arms, and Ava¡¯s clothes werepletely soaked in blood.


    The paramedics pulled her away from him so they could take him, and Akiro had to hold her tightly because she refused to let go. She continued to scream that Mateo was dead.

 A Sad Farewell

    The police requested that the group provide statements, but given their conditions, it was impossible. The girls couldn¡¯t speak; they werepletely traumatized. The authorities allowed them to leave, with the understanding that they could give their statements once they had calmed down.


    They were amodated in a hotel after tending to Ava¡¯s superficial wound. It was a very long night for the girls, and Ava experienced uncontroble bouts of anguish.


    In her state, they didn¡¯t allow her to be at the hospital. L was in another room with the child, and Max asked her to stay away from Ava since she waspletely out of her mind. In her terrified state, she believed they were hiding from her the fact that Mateo was dead.


    Max took care of calling trusted bodyguards to keep watch. With that lunatic on the loose, they couldn¡¯t take any chances. He also arranged for the bodies of the in bodyguards to be sent back to Italy and nned to providepensation to their families.


    By morning, Ava was calmer. Max agreed to take her to the hospital after she saw her son.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, Ava felt as if she would die when she saw Mateo¡¯s condition. The sound of the machines connected to his body tormented her terribly.


    ¡°My love, you can¡¯t die. We need you. I can¡¯t live without you, and our son needs a father who will be there for him when he needs it.¡±


    She held Mateo¡¯s hand, which waspletely cold, and hugged him as she cried with deep emotion.


    The nurse entered shortly after and asked her to leave. Given the patient¡¯s condition, only brief visits were allowed. Max tried to take her back to the hotel, but Ava refused. She wouldn¡¯t move from there until Mateo came out with her.


    Max left, feeling a great sadness. He cherished Mateo more than just as his boss; he was like a brother. They had been through a lot together over the years.


    He headed to the police station to see how the investigation was progressing and whether they had located Miller.


    ¡°We¡¯re very sorry. It¡¯s as if Teodoro Miller has turned into a ghost. There are no traces of him. But we have investigated what happened at the vi. The employees fled, threatened by him. He¡¯d hunt them down and harm their families if they reported what was happening at the vi. Miller had infiltrated one of his men as an employee, and it was that person who had drugged the food.¡±


    Max finally understood how things had unfolded. Days passed without any sign of Teodoro, and Mateo showed no signs of improvement. Guido and Victoria arrived on the ind.


    ¡°Oh, God! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing my son like this,¡± Aurora felt like she would die if her son did.


    Guido was pale. Just a day earlier, he had received a call asking for his help. When he learned who it was from, he was furious. The man who had called his phone had no idea that he was Mateo¡¯s grandfather, and Guido had only just learned who had been indirectly under hismand.


    ¡°Nana, I can¡¯t handle this. Seeing Mateo like this is driving me insane. He¡¯s there, connected to all those machines. It¡¯s like he¡¯s dead. I see my son; he¡¯s so small. He can¡¯t be without his father,¡± L didn¡¯t know what else to do to ease her suffering.


    Ava couldn¡¯t control herself; she cried inconsbly and felt guilty for everything that had happened.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯te into his life, he¡¯d be with you. You can say what you want, but my heart tells me Mateo will be okay.¡±


    ¡°God hears you, my dear. God hears you,¡± Aurora had told her countless times that she wasn¡¯t to me, but the girl tormented herself and seemed unwilling to ept it.


    Mateo was all Aurora had left, and she tried to stay strong tofort the girl.


    Guido remained silent. All of this reminded him of when his son died, and he never thought he¡¯d go through it again. Mateo was supposed to bury him, not the other way around. He suppressed a long, deep scream of pain.


    He knew he bore great guilt for what was happening. He regretted everything he had done. His grandson held him in such high regard, and he had failed him.


    Dayster, Ava wept inconsbly as a grave in front of her was filled with soil. She felt a deep pain within her chest as she watched the coffin disappear beneath the earth, flooded with memories.


    Heart-wrenching cries of grief echoed in the vicinity, and the sounds of sorrow pierced the hearts of those present.


    While she wept, L held little Matt tightly, who observed everything happening with curiosity. He was very young and didn¡¯t yetprehend what was transpiring.


    A few days earlier:


    Ava was getting ready to go to the hospital. It wasn¡¯t Max apanying her that day; Tadeo had offered to go. He wished to see the condition of the man he already considered his friend. Cam stayed in the hotel with L, waiting there.


    After spending some time in Mateo¡¯s room, the doctor requested to see them.


    ¡°I have to be very clear with you. I don¡¯t want to give you false hope. Mr. Liardi could wake up in a few hours, days, or months, maybe even years. But it¡¯s also possible that he may never wake up. He¡¯s in aa.¡±


    Tadeo held Ava tightly as she almost fainted upon hearing the doctor¡¯s words. Later, the girl regained herposure, but the doctors no longer allowed her to see him. Visits were limited to short periods, and soon he would be transferred to a room where they could be with him all the time, although he would still be connected to machines.


    They left the hospital to call for the car to take them back to the hotel. While they waited for it, a dark van suddenly pulled up, and a man with a covered face, holding a gun, approached Ava.


    Seeing that harm woulde to Ava, Tadeo didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. He stood in front of her, taking the bullet himself. The assant was prepared for this, as he fired a single shot that struck the detective squarely in the head.


    ¡°No, no, noooo, Tadeo, please, don¡¯t close your eyes, don¡¯t close them. Your son needs you,¡± Ava cried out.


    Tadeo attempted to speak, but a mouthful of blood prevented him from doing so. As he exhaled, the image of the woman he had loved since childhood reflected in his eyes, and although he loved Cam, Ava had been someone very important in his life.


    Ava went mad with grief as she embraced him, and she couldn¡¯t find the heart to tell Cam.


    When they managed to separate Ava from the body, she immediately called Max to tell him what had happened. Upon hearing the news, Morgana secretly felt relieved that he hadn¡¯t gone, but then she felt guilty for being so selfish.


    They didn¡¯t know how to break the news to Cam, who had a sense that something was wrong. She had called Tadeo¡¯s phone several times without getting a response.


    ¡°Is something wrong? Everyone is acting strangely, and Tadeo isn¡¯t answering my calls,¡± she asked. Morgana didn¡¯t respond; she just stared at her.


    Ava arrived at that moment, and Max had stayed behind to handle the necessary procedures for the preparation and delivery of the body.


    Cam felt a chill run down her spine upon seeing Ava¡¯s condition, as if it were a premonition.


    ¡°Ava, how is Mateo? Did Tadeo stay with him?¡± Cam asked, wanting to believe that was the case.


    Ava felt herself falter again, and this time Morgana held her up so she wouldn¡¯t copse. She didn¡¯t feel strong enough to deliver the news.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cam. I truly am. I swear I would have preferred to be the one who died.¡±


    Cam felt as if the air had been sucked out of her. Those words were very clear.


    ¡°Where is Tadeo? Tell meeee. Don¡¯t stay silent, damn it.¡±


    Ava couldn¡¯t answer; she just cried.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be true. He can¡¯t be dead. It¡¯s your fault. Everything that¡¯s happened is because of your damn fault.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Cam lunged at Ava, pping her repeatedly with force. Morgana had to intervene, thankfully having enough strength to do so.


    ¡°Enough! Ava isn¡¯t to me that some obsessed lunatic is after her. She hasn¡¯t done anything to deserve this.¡±


    Cam dropped to the floor and curled up in a fetal position, embracing her legs. In that moment, she wished she were dead. She began to speak to her baby.


    ¡°My love, my life, your daddy won¡¯t be with us anymore, he¡¯s died, he¡¯s died.¡±


    The girl started to cry uncontrobly. Ava and Morgana didn¡¯t know what to do, so they called a doctor.


    In a moment of desperation, the poor girl attempted to jump off the balcony. They were on the tenth floor, and if she had seeded, it would have been terrible. The doctor and Morgana managed to stop her, and then they administered a mild tranquilizer. Due to her pregnancy, it couldn¡¯t be strong.

 In The Cemetery

    Guido stayed behind to take care of his grandson while the others traveled to Mn to bury Tadeo. Morgana would take care of Cam when the others returned to Hawaii to be with Mateo. The redhead was afraid that something would happen to Max.


    The funeral was very sad, the sky seemed to sympathize with the pain of those present, and a light drizzle began to fall at that moment.


    Cam embraced the coffin before it was lowered. She was once again alone in the world, although soon she would have her little one by her side. By marrying Tadeo under joint ownership, everything he owned would pass into her hands, so she would not be left helpless. Even after his death, he had fulfilled his promise to prevent her from suffering in that way.


    When the funeral ended, Cam refused to leave the cemetery. She didn¡¯t want to leave him alone.


    ¡°Please, I can¡¯t leave here. I have to apany him. He didn¡¯t want to be alone anymore.¡± Her heart-wrenching sobbing broke the hearts of those who heard her.


    ¡°Cami, he has already left this realm. What is inside that grave is just his body. Your baby needs you to rest. You can¡¯t lose him. Your son is an extension of Tadeo here on earth, and you have to protect him.¡±


    Upon hearing Morgana¡¯s words, Cam seemed to react. She had beenpletely selfish. She hadn¡¯t thought about her baby, who was the most beautiful thing Tadeo had left her. A part of him was growing inside her womb. She understood that she had to be strong.


    She made her way to where Ava was, and Morgana held her by the arm, thinking she might try to attack her.


    ¡°Forgive me, Ava. I know you didn¡¯t want this to happen. I know you¡¯re suffering too because of Mateo¡¯s condition. I genuinely wish with all my heart that he wakes up soon. Believe me, the pain I¡¯m feeling, I wouldn¡¯t wish it on anyone. It¡¯s like dying while still alive.¡±


    Ava cried as she listened to Cam¡¯s words. She felt as if she couldn¡¯t move, as if a dagger were being plunged into her chest. She thought that Cam was right in what she had said earlier, and she felt guilty.


    Suddenly, Cam hugged her tightly, and the two of them cried uncontrobly.


    Ava returned to Hawaii the next day to be with Mateo. Now that she was in the room, she could be with him. Max insisted on apanying her, but Ava refused because she feared another tragedy might happen. However, he didn¡¯t care about what she said; he owed it to Mateo. He left enough security at the mansion, and L stayed there with the child, along with Aurora.


    Guido was waiting at the hospital for Ava to arrive. He had to settle some matters and find one of his employees, someone to whom he had given an important position. Despite asking for his help, the man seemed to be avoiding him.


    Guido would manage thepany remotely via the inte. The vice president would take over in Italy. He had no intention of staying away from his grandson. He would only do so temporarily to take care of his pending affairs.


    A month had passed since Mateo¡¯s incident, and Guido kept insisting on returning to Italy. His grandson showed no signs of waking up, and Ava asked him for a little more time; it would beplicated to move him.


    That day, she went to rest for a while in the hotel room, and Guido stayed with his grandson. His phone started ringing insistently, and when he answered, he realized it was the man he had been looking for.


    ¡°Atst, you call. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you through every means. We need to talk in person. I won¡¯t be able to continue; I¡¯m leaving my position to you. You¡¯ll continue organizing the auctions and sending the shipments in the containers. I can¡¯t believe that for years I had that damn Teodoro Miller under mymand without knowing it, the bastard who almost killed my grandson. I had no idea that the ck Wolf was that man.¡±


    ¡°He still doesn¡¯t know your identity. I told him that you want to meet him, that you wish for him to take your ce at the helm of this operation. I said that you¡¯ll meet in exactly one week at Kailua Pier, near a warehouse. The meeting will take ce there at nine in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll see him exactly one week from now at Kailua Pier. There¡¯s a warehouse nearby, and the meeting will happen there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform him right away to figure out how to approach. The police are looking for him, and he doesn¡¯t want to take any risks without careful nning.¡±


    Guido was engrossed in his phone conversation, not noticing that tears were streaming from Mateo¡¯s eyes.


    Later, Ava arrived to take over from Guido. She would stay with Mateo all night. Once Guido left, she approached him and hugged him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ll wake up soon. I know because you promised always to be with me and our child, and I know you¡¯ll keep that promise.¡±


    She said in desperation while embracing him, hoping that he would hear her words.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In such a short time, Ava had lost weight, and huge dark circles adorned her eyes. She felt sad, physically and mentally exhausted. Every day, she dreamed that when she woke up, Mateo would be by her side.


    She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest. Suddenly, she felt a caress on her head. When she looked up, she saw Mateo watching her while silently crying.


    ¡°Mateo, you¡¯ve woken up! I knew it, I knew it. You wouldn¡¯t dare leave me. You have no idea how much I love you.¡±


    She covered his face with kisses, then rushed out to call the doctor.


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible, ma¡¯am. Mr. Liardi¡¯s recovery has been truly remarkable. We had meetings with the other doctors, and upon closer examination of his case, we concluded that he either wouldn¡¯t wake up or it would take years.¡±


    ¡°Well, as you can see, Mateo is strong.¡±


    Mateo smiled weakly, feeling confused, still not fully oriented, but sure that he hadn¡¯t misunderstood what he had heard his grandfather say on the phone.


    He was about to speak up to let them know he was awake when his phone rang, so he decided to pretend he was still unconscious.


    When Guido returned, he was surprised to see his grandson awake, he cried tears of happiness, noticing that Mateo looked very serious, he thought maybe it was because he still felt unwell, it had only been a few days since he fully recovered.


    The following days, the doctors ran several tests, although Mateo was still weak, his condition was excellent.


    Four days after waking up, he was discharged, Ava and Max arranged everything to return to Italy, but Mateo asked them to wait a few more days, saying he wanted to feel a bit better to endure the flight.


    ¡°And tell me, how is our son?¡± Mateo was eager to see him.


    ¡°Matt is perfect, fortunately he¡¯s still young and couldn¡¯t understand what was happening.¡±


    ¡°I spoke with Akiro a while ago, but I¡¯ve been calling Tadeo¡¯s number and it¡¯s turned off, do you know if he changed it?¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t want to worry him, but she couldn¡¯t help but cry at that moment. Despite her efforts, she couldn¡¯t hold back the tears streaming down her cheeks.


    ¡°My beautiful, what¡¯s happening?¡± he asked, intrigued.


    Ava looked at Max, with a nod he indicated it was okay for her to tell him. Either way, he would find out when they arrived.


    ¡°A little over a month ago, when we were leaving the hospital after visiting you, a man tried to shoot me. Tadeo protected me with his body, he died instantly,¡± Ava said without further exnation, tears wetting her face.


    Mateo¡¯s face flushed, he couldn¡¯t help but cry upon learning that Tadeo had died, he had fulfilled his promise to protect Ava until the very end.


    He hugged Ava tightly, the death of someone he hade to consider one of his closest friends pained him terribly, as it did Max and Akira, but he was deeply grateful that Ava was alive.


    ¡°That damn Teodoro Miller will soon pay for everything he¡¯s done to us, and his organization¡¯s boss will pay too. I don¡¯t want any of you to mention a word about this in front of my grandfather, I don¡¯t want him to worry again.¡±


    Max noticed a strange tone in Mateo¡¯s words, he knew him too well, and for a long time, but with Ava present, he didn¡¯t want to ask, the girl had already had enough problems during that time.


    On the day that marked a week since the incident, while in the hotel, a little before seven in the evening, Mateo asked Max to call him.


    ¡°Hello, yes, the police chief, I¡¯lle down right away.¡±


    Ava looked at him worriedly, while Max on the phone didn¡¯t understand what Mateo was saying.


    ¡°My beautiful, I¡¯ll go to the restaurant, the police chief wants me to testify again, and it seems they¡¯ve found clues about your uncle. Don¡¯t leave the room, don¡¯t even open the door that leads to the balcony. Some bodyguards will stay to watch the hallway, you know that the surrounding rooms are upied by them, so no one cane close.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take long.¡± Now it was Ava who felt that strange sensation in her chest as she watched Mateo leave.

 A Great Loss

    M¨¢x waited for him at the restaurant entrance, and he grew concerned when he saw him approaching with a serious expression.


    ¡°Boss, I didn¡¯t quite understand what you told me on the phone, but I sense that something serious is going on that you haven¡¯t told me,¡± he said.


    ¡°Come with me to the police station, that¡¯s where you¡¯ll find out what¡¯s happening. Tadeo Miller will pay today for all his wrongdoings, along with the leader of the gang that organizes those damn auctions,¡± Mateo replied.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    M¨¢x followed him in silence, not understanding much, but he could tell from Mateo¡¯s expression and tone of voice that he was in distress.


    Upon arriving at the police station, Mateo gave a statement about everything he had heard, exining which organization his grandfather was the leader of. M¨¢x couldn¡¯t believe it. Maybe Mateo had been mistaken due to his condition, but it was better to verify it.


    They headed towards the location where the encounter would take ce, waiting for an hour. Suddenly, they saw a van with tinted windows entering the warehouse. Shortly afterward, Mateo¡¯s grandfather¡¯s van pulled in, followed by several other vans filled with men.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, friend. I truly am sorry for what¡¯s happening,¡± M¨¢x said, realizing that Mateo¡¯s statement was true.


    Mateo simply nodded with infinite sadness, now understanding that perhaps his grandfather had indeed been involved in the fraud against Ava¡¯s father¡¯spany. And even though Guido didn¡¯t know he had been involved with Teodoro in the illegal business, they had spent time together back then.


    Inside the warehouse, Teodoro had been waiting impatiently. He quickly got up from where he was seated upon seeing the vans arriving, and the man who had spoken with Guido got out of one of them.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going, Miller? Today, you will finally meet the man you¡¯ve been working for. Today, the ck wolf will meet the legendary white wolf.¡±


    The door of one of the vans opened slowly to reveal Guido, and Teodoro was surprised to see him.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the ck wolf. I didn¡¯t know I was dealing with such garbage all these years. That¡¯s why it¡¯s not good to do business through intermediaries. You almost killed my grandson. Now, you¡¯re going to pay for it,¡± Guido said, furious.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s the big boss. Does your grandson know that you¡¯re involved in trafficking women? The great Guido Liardi turned out to be one of the worst men, the lowest of them all.¡±


    Guido drew his gun and aimed it at Teodoro¡¯s head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving here today.¡±


    At that moment, the massive door covering the entrance to the warehouse swung open with a loud noise, and several police officers rushed in.


    The men got out of the vans and started shooting, but Guido remained unfazed, keeping his gun pointed at Teodoro¡¯s head. Soon, the outnumbered criminals were subdued by the police.


    Guido was taken aback when he heard his grandson¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Lower the weapon, Grandpa, surrender. Don¡¯t get more involved than you already have,¡± Mateo said.


    ¡°No, son. Today, Teodoro Miller pays for everything he¡¯s done to you, and I will also pay my part in this,¡± he said while offering a sad smile.


    Guido pulled the trigger, and Teodoro fell backward. The criminal was finally dead. The police officers fired at Guido, who also fell to the ground.


    Mateo ran toward his grandfather.


    ¡°Why did you do it, Grandpa?¡± he asked while crying. Mateo knelt on the ground, holding his grandfather¡¯s head.


    ¡°Forgive me, son. Be happy; there will be nothing to stop you now. Don¡¯t mourn for me; I got what I deserved.¡±


    Guido Liardi ceased to exist in the arms of his grandson. Mateo couldn¡¯t believe it. He felt guilty for his grandfather¡¯s death, but he was still sure he had done the right thing. All the members of the criminal cell that organized the auctions were there. Perhaps there were others, but at least this one would stop causing suffering to hundreds of women.


    Mateo returned to the hotel, feeling devastated. M¨¢x would take care of the arrangements to transfer Guido¡¯s body. Mateo asked him to tell a different version of the story. Even though Guido deserved it, he didn¡¯t want his grandfather to be remembered that way. He would only tell Ava what had truly happened; he didn¡¯t want secrets between them.


    ¡°Oh, God! What happened?¡± Ava was rmed when she saw Mateo¡¯s blood-stained clothes, thinking he had been injured again.


    He approached and embraced her, tears streaming down his face. She couldn¡¯t understand what was happening.


    ¡°Is something wrong with M¨¢x?¡± She didn¡¯t even want to think about it. Cam was already suffering from losing Tadeo, and she didn¡¯t want to believe that Morgana would go through the same.


    ¡°M¨¢x is fine. He has gone to arrange the transfer of my grandfather¡¯s body to Italy.¡±


    Ava almost fainted upon hearing that.


    ¡°Your grandfather has passed away? No, God, this can¡¯t be happening,¡± Ava eximed.


    Mateo asked her to sit down and exined what had happened. The girl couldn¡¯t believe that Guido had been the cause of so much suffering for all those women.


    Dayster, Guido¡¯s funeral took ce, and the version they presented was that Teodoro had killed his grandfather before dying.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my friend,¡± Akiro approached Mateo to offer his condolences. Everyone had been relieved to see him awake but saddened to learn of his grandfather¡¯s death.


    Months passed quickly. Ava had decided to turn the Miller mansion into an orphanage, wanting to help children who didn¡¯t have a safe ce to grow up.


    She had given two concerts to raise funds for charity, encouraged by Mateo who wanted her to regain her career.


    There was still a month left until Cam¡¯s baby would be born. She asked Ava, Ima, and Morgana to go with her to the doctor for an ultrasound. That day, she requested to know the baby¡¯s gender, even though she had initially wanted it to be a surprise. She felt immense joy when she was told it would be a boy.


    ¡°Tadeo, my little Tadeo,¡± she said tearfully while caressing her belly.


    They were reviewing the ultrasound images in the doctor¡¯s office when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen that made her double over. The doctor immediately transferred her to the delivery room. She couldn¡¯t understand why she hadn¡¯t felt pain earlier, but at that moment, her water broke.


    She wished Tadeo could be with her, holding her hand, and couldn¡¯t help but cry when she realized he wasn¡¯t. The pain grew more intense, and the doctor urged her to push harder. In one final attempt, when she thought she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, she heard her son cry. At that moment, she forgot all the pain. The doctor ced her baby on her abdomen; he was a beautiful baby, and Cam fell in love with his big eyes, identical to his father¡¯s.


    After a while, everyone wanted to meet the baby, and the room quickly filled up.


    Ava could see the nostalgia on Cam¡¯s face and approached to hug her.


    ¡°You know you have us, now and always.¡±


    ¡°I know, thank you,¡± Cam replied.


    Ima and Akiro also offered their support to help raise the baby, and Mateo, M¨¢x, and Morgana did the same.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be a boy with many godparents,¡± Ava said with a smile.


    The next morning, when leaving the hospital, Cam was surprised that only Ava and Mateo came for her. It made her a bit sad not to see her friends there, but she didn¡¯t want them to help carry the baby. She wanted to have her son close at all times.


    They had asked her to stay with them at the Miller mansion until she fully recovered, and she dly epted.


    Upon arriving at the mansion¡¯s entrance, they waited until therge gate opened. It was a five-minute drive from there to the mansion, and as they drove slowly along the path, Cam was surprised to see beautiful decorations lining the way. Giant figures of bears, horses, and white elephants held pastel-colored balloons. When they arrived, her friends and the staff greeted her, and there was a massive balloon arch at the entrance.


    They approached to hug her, and inside, the living room was beautifully decorated with baby motifs. Arge sign weed them, and there were small tables with desserts and snacks. Cam was grateful for everything but couldn¡¯t help feeling nostalgic when she thought of Tadeo.


    Aurora approached to hug her as soon as she noticed her sadness.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s very tough, my dear, and you feel like you need him more than ever. But look at the miracle you have in your arms.¡±


    Cam turned to look at her little one, tears streaming down her face, and gave him a tender kiss.


    She would move forward, she would do it for her son, and for Tadeo. She wanted him, wherever he was, to be proud of her.


    She was grateful that those friends were like her family, a family she was sure would always be there for her and her son.


    The girl wiped away her tears and, looking at her little one with tenderness, she smiled. It was true what Morgana had said-her son was an extension of Tadeo on Earth.

 The End

    Dayster, inside the Duomo di Mno, a ceremony was taking ce. A beautiful bride walked down the aisle, dressed in a stunning white gown, a long, airyce veil covering her face.


    In front of the altar stood a handsome groom, dressed in an elegant ck suit. What caught everyone¡¯s attention the most was the enormous smile on the groom¡¯s face, radiating so much happiness that it infected those present.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The wedding march came to a halt, and the bride reached the altar, followed by a handsome young boy holding the train of her dress. Matt was dressed in an identical suit to his father¡¯s.


    Seeing Ava, Mateo thought there was no more beautiful bride in the world. Ava looked like an angel in that attire. He approached to lift the veil and uncover her face, revealing those beautiful blue eyes that were brighter than ever.


    The ceremony began, and when the time came, they exchanged their vows.


    ¡°I, Ava Miller, ept you, Mateo Liardi, as mywful husband. I feel so fortunate to have found you on my path. I promise to share my entire life with you, my dreams, my tears, and myughter. From today, I give you all that I am and all that I will be. I will be with you in sickness and in health every day of my life.¡±


    Mateo couldn¡¯t help but let a few tears escape as he looked into her eyes. He took her hand to speak his vows.


    ¡°I, Mateo Liardi, ept you, Ava Miller, as mywful wife. I will love you at all times. I give you my heart and my life to walk together forever. I will be with you in sickness and in health every day of my life.¡±


    Ava, like Mateo, couldn¡¯t hold back the tears of excitement that flowed freely.


    Morgana approached, carrying the rings and coins. After the celebration, the priest gave his blessing to the couple, and they sealed their union with a long kiss to the joy of those present.


    As they left the church, their friends threw rice at them and released several white doves, all of this to wish the newlyweds prosperity and fertility.


    Mateo wanted a big party to celebrate his wedding, they had to ovee so many things to be together that he wanted to share his happiness with everyone.


    The moment of the dance arrived, the bride and groom entered the center of the dance floor, Mateo took Ava by the waist and she put her arms around his neck, they began to move with a slow and rhythmic pace, at that moment everything around them disappeared, only they existed.


    ¡°My love of my life, my beautiful, we will be together for eternity, in this life and the next,¡± Mateo said.


    ¡°My beloved Mateo, since I met you, you became my love, my one and only true love,¡± Ava replied.


    They sealed their love with a kiss, then they danced with their son and their loved ones, a whileter they said goodbye, they would spend their honeymoon in Lauterbrunnen, Switzend, Ava chose that ce because it was where she fell madly in love with him.


    Their son Matt stayed with L and Aurora, Ava wanted to take him with them, but they didn¡¯t allow it, it was about them enjoying their honeymoon together.


    He covered her eyes as they entered the room where they would spend their wedding night.


    When he uncovered her eyes, Ava could see the beautiful decoration, a path of small candles led them to the bed, on top of it, hundreds of red rose petals formed a heart.


    Mateo took her by the waist and kissed her passionately, soon their clothes were on the floor.


    On the bed, the pair of lovers gave in to their passion, Mateo kissed every inch of Ava¡¯s skin as she moaned with pleasure, he would never tire of loving her, they both let go, he belonged to herpletely, she gave him her body and soul to the only man who had awakened her sensations when she was still in the shadows, the man who had taught her to know her own body.


    Mateo held Ava¡¯s hand, they were sitting on the grass in the garden watching their children run around, little Sophia was turning three that day, while Matt had just turned five a few days ago, they ran all over the garden apanied by their friends.


    It was little Tadeo, the twins Alek and Alessia, who were the children of M¨¢x and Morgana. Ima and Akiro were eagerly awaiting their first baby.


    Aurora and L watched as the mansion filled with joy. Far from being bothered by all themotion, they felt fortunate. Everything was happiness. Ava and Mateo tried to spend as much time as possible with them and their children.


    They spent their days between the Liardi mansion and the vi that Mateo had bought, but always together with L and Aurora.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, all of this, a great blessing for our family,¡± L remarked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, my beautiful, and it will grow even more,¡± she said, caressing Ava¡¯s swollen belly.


    ¡°Our third andst child. I know you would have wanted to have many more,¡± Mateo said, chuckling at the thought of more children.


    ¡°When I found you in the middle of the road, I never imagined you would be the love of my life. You looked so fragile and defenseless. At first, I felt the need to protect you. I never thought I would fall in love with you like this. I doubted I could deserve such a beautiful woman.¡±


    He said with a deep sigh.


    Ava was about to reply, but they were interrupted by little Matt, who was running towards them, followed by M¨¢x, who was struggling to catch up. His short legs didn¡¯t allow him to go much further.


    ¡°Mamma, papa, help!¡± he cried out as he kept running.


    M¨¢x caught the little one, turned him around, and began tickling his tummy. The boy tried to escape whileughing.


    ¡°This little rascal will pay for this.¡±


    ¡°No, no, hahaha!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ava asked, amused.


    ¡°Your son dared to stand in front of me and ask for my Alessia¡¯s hand.¡±


    Hahaha!¡± Mateo and Ava burst intoughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny. You¡¯ll see when it happens to you with little Sophia,¡± Mateo replied very seriously, imagining the scenario and disliking itpletely.


    ¡°Look at how red you¡¯ve turned just thinking about it, Liardi! Hahaha,¡± M¨¢xughed, amused by his friend¡¯s reaction.


    Morgana approached with Alessia, who, upon getting close to little Mateo, ran to hug him. The little boy had a satisfied look on his face and a big smile as he turned to M¨¢x.


    ¡°See, Uncle M¨¢x? She loves me.¡±


    Alessia also nced at her father while giving a kiss on little Matt¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Everyoneughed at the children¡¯s antics.


    Ima and Akiro watched the scene with amusement. They had decided to wait a while before having children, enjoying each other before taking on the responsibilities of parenthood. But now they were excited about the arrival of their baby. They had learned to love children and soon their own would be running around mischievously. They were a very close-knit couple and remained loyal to their friends.


    M¨¢x and Morgana also felt like part of this big family. The redhead had stopped working to dedicate herself to her children and home, visiting Akiro¡¯s club asionally.


    M¨¢x had partnered with Mateo, who had given him the opportunity to buy a small portion of shares in hispany. He no longer worked as a chauffeur or bodyguard, having his own office in the corporate world. This allowed him to provide a better life for his family.


    Morgana had taken some time to adapt to her new life, but she was willing to do anything for M¨¢x.


    Cam divided her time between studying and taking care of her son. L helped her with childcare so that she could achieve her goal of moving forward. She knew that Tadeo would be proud of her, and she missed him dearly. However, her son had helped her endure his absence.


    They all gathered frequently, and their friends were willing to support each other no matter what. More than friends, they were like siblings. Life had ensured that it would be this way.


    They spent a pleasant day together, enjoying the children¡¯s antics and listening to L and Aurora¡¯s stories.


    In the evening, the friends bid farewell. Ava and Mateo left the little ones at home with their grandmothers. L was also called ¡°grandma,¡± and it made her very happy. She was more than a nanny to Ava; she loved her as if she were her mother because she had earned that ce. Ava remembered her parents fondly and held them in a special ce in her heart.


    The couple asionally escaped for some alone time, to enjoy each other¡¯spany. They needed those moments of peace that only they could give each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m the happiest woman in the world.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m the happiest man in the entire universe.¡±


    ¡°How quickly time passes. Before we know it, we¡¯ll be surrounded by grandchildren.¡±


    ¡°It would be wonderful to reach that day. Can you imagine how big our family will be by then? I hope we are allowed to see it, our little grandchildren running around the garden, just like our children do now.¡±


    ¡°You know, when I returned from Switzend and saw you at the airport, you caught my attention. I recognized your scent, your voice, but I wasn¡¯t sure it was you until Tadeo mentioned your name. That¡¯s when I realized I had underestimated my imagination of you. In that moment, you seemed like the most handsome man in the world to me.¡±


    ¡°Did I ¡®seem¡¯ like that, or am I not anymore?¡±


    ¡°No, you fool, you still are to me.¡±


    ¡°And to me, you are still the most beautiful woman in the entire world. I¡¯m happy and grateful for you, for our children, for everything. That day at the airport when I saw you, you left me breathless. I approached you because I recognized a little bit of Ava in Greece, which is why I was observing you so closely. But when I realized you could see and that your eyes were brown, that tiny glimmer of hope in me faded. Also, the color of your hair, the way you dressed, and your makeup made you look different. You know, I felt confused and like I was betraying you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on sad things, we are together now and will be until we are allowed, my love for you is eternal,¡± Mateo said as he hugged her from behind on the porch swing of their mansion, with a beautiful starry sky above them.


    asionally, they would escape to Akiro¡¯s club, where Ava would enjoy the games that Mateo was used to ying. She focused on the pleasure and sensations he brought her. After all, that was just their way, a game that allowed them to fully enjoy each other.


    She hade to realize that it wasn¡¯t what she initially thought, and that everything happened with her consent. When he tied her up, his behavior changed, and he cared about making her feel and enjoy herself. There was no pain, only pleasure.


    Ava rested her head on his shoulder, loving the feeling of being close to him and breathing in his pleasant scent. Suddenly, she felt the baby move vigorously inside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure this little one will be a football yer,¡± Ava said, cing Mateo¡¯s hand on her belly.


    ¡°And a very strong one,¡± Mateo eximed, amazed by the movements.


    He leaned in and kissed her. The night was long, and they intended to make the most of it. They entered their bedroom, but that night they didn¡¯t have sex. Mateo made love to her tenderly and calmly. They had plenty of time to enjoy each other. The universe had rewarded them for all their suffering. Whatever happened, they would be together, in good times and bad, in joy and sadness. They only wanted their happiness tost for as long as life allowed, and they hoped it would be a long time.


    For Mateo, Ava would always be the reason for his existence, the bnce that kept him sane. She believed that he had saved her, but the truth was that she had saved him. She had given meaning to his life and became a light in his darkness. They didn¡¯t know what destiny held for them.


    They fondly remembered Tadeo, who had given his life so that Ava could keep living. That¡¯s why he would always be present in their son¡¯s life. Little Tadeo would grow up surrounded by the love of many people.


    And so, everyone would continue with their lives, seeking happiness despite the past pain.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!