Cassandra ReidA weekend in a resort...As if it were the honeymoon we didn't have. And the name of the place completely stuns me:"Mia cara""Is it yours?", I find myself asking."My most recent project", he accompanies his response with a nod. "It still doesn't have any guests. The opening will be on fourteenth, so we have forty-eight hours just for us and the kids"."On Valentine's Day?", My eyes must sparkle with a million questions. The name refers to me and he will open it on the day of Love. Is he trying to tell me something or is it just a pure coincidence?"The publicity team thought the date was ideal", he shrugs without further ado, managing to put m illusions downhill.Either way, it would have been too good to be true."Grandma won't come?", I ask fearfully. If she also joins us, I prefer to stay at home. Our coexistence is becoming unbearable. The first day I almost ate her when I found her snooping through my things. If it weren't for Adriano's intervention, Apocalypse

Cassandra Reid"Oakland?", I question with an unfriendly face. I thought we had passed this stage. "What does this mean, Adriano? And please don't tell it's what I'm thinking"."I have started to invest in hotel sector and this city seemed like a good option"."Yeah, sure", I laugh and snort at the same time. "Did you know that I'm Ella's age and I suck my thumb?""There is no need to use sarcasm, cara"."I'm just playing along", I say as my anger grows faster. He just had to screw everything..."You missed destination you've chosen for our Honeymoon attempt", I begin to rant as I jerkily unpack my bags. "Or maybe you did it on purpose".I stop to look at him for a few moments. He remains leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his usual undaunted gesture. He's not good at lying, it's not his style. The answer is obvious."You planned it all", I rub my face with my hands as a bitter smile breaks through and I fell like an idiot."But what are you saying?""The truth!". Alt

Cassandra ReidMy hunger suddenly subsides and I let out a long snort."Cassandra, honey, those are not ways to behave at the table".I close my eyes and count to ten so I won't lose control in front of the little ones.If Adriano had anything to do with this, I swear I won't forgive him this time."Aren't you going to greet us?"Am I a bad person if at times I hate my mother?"Taking into account that you were not invited, courtesy is unnecessary", my husband intervenes with a neutral tone as he kills the maitrê with his eyes, surely for having let them pass. His attitude tells me he didn't call them and that calms me down a bit. "I'm going to ask only once. What are you doing here?"My mother's eyes widen as she makes a big 'O' with her mouth to claim. That's the only thing she knows how to do well aside from running charitable foundations"How do you dare...!"She stops mid–sentence because of my father's discreet tug on her arm.Wow... It looks like Gibson Reid has met the match f

Adriano Di LauroHow did they get in? I have no idea, but I'll charge the condo security staff for this. I don't know what they were thinking when they dared to disobey me. Even here in America they know my name and my reputation.Dinner is spoiled, my good humor too and my patience goes to waste with every word that comes out of their mouth.Gibson Reid is looking for me... and he's going to find me. His audacity will not go unpunished. However, now I must focus on my wife, who I feel about to pass out at any moment.I hold her in my arms as I feel her weakness while she unloads her frustration against those who call themselves her parents, but who don't have a shred of it.No matter how despicable a person may, children are sacred and they have done nothing but use theirs, harm her and harm her.Just remembering the result of my investigations makes me go crazy like some kind of caged lion. They gave her to that psychopath in exchange for a measly position as ambassador when with th

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Cassandra ReidMy eyes are too heavy for me. I feel exhausted as if I haven't slept in years and my mind refuses to wake up yet. However, an inspiring electric current suddenly stimulates my body, causing my eyelids to rebel against my desire to sleep and open the doors to the new morning. A sensual morning where my husband explores every part of my body while he sinks between my legs."What are you doing?", I ask, disconcerted, almost in a hoarse gasp, which betrays my status as just getting up."Taking my wife", he answers without further ado as he steals a moan from me with a nimble move. How is it possible that even asleep he manages to turn me on? "You're mine, cara and I'm hungry".With those simple words and the touch of our fur, it's enough to trigger my first climax. From that moment on, I am not aware of anything else than our pleasureWe kiss like beasts, ignoring everything but not desire between the us.His lips sweep away my longing for him as his hands to

Cassandra ReidI jump up and put my hands on my hips. "I asked you a question, Leah Falco"."Is this your way of receiving me?", she questions. "If I had known, I wouldn't have come"."I thought you didn't want to come", I state."I didn't..., but I couldn't refuse to your husband's insistence. What a power of persuasion the Italian has!", she argues. "No wonder you fell for him. Also, he offered me a private plane trip with hot Pietro Varca. My God, what a man! And how he kisses!"Leah!", I screech in alarm as my eyes widen as if they're going to pop out of their sockets. "What have you done?""Oh, child of mine, it was just an innocent kiss". I take a hand to my forehead and then I pass it over my face. She has no choice, I should be used to her spontaneity by now, but hers is going to another level. "The important thing is that I am here as you wanted. Can I get my welcome hug now?"I examine it carefully. Anyone who doesn't know her would say she looks just like always, but I ca

Cassandra ReidI rub my eyes with my hands once more. Again we have to get up early to travel by plane and I fall asleep. I couldn't sleep a wink all night. Ella's words continue to ramble through my head.Mommy, she called me 'mommy'. And since then, she has not stopped repeating it. It was the first thing she did this morning when she saw me.Apparently Fede doesn't mind and Adriano has remained on the sidelines, nor has he mentioned it. Could it be they have also accepted me as such? Or on the contrary, are they just ignoring it?I lean back in the recliner ready to sleep through the flight while we wait for Pietro, who is supposed to bring my hungover best friend."We're ready to take off, sir", the pilot reports as soon as my husband's lawyer shows up."Perfect".Leah runs to lie down next to me, of course, to do so she has to push my husband aside, who clenches his jaw hard to keep his murderous instincts at bay."I'm sorry, Mister Italian", my friend apologizes, snuggling up

Cassandra ReidI look at the clock one more time as my patient's mother chatters non–stop, as if we were lifelong friends. This is my daily routine. Women of Florence want to know me and like me for the simple fact of being married to Adriano Di Lauro. It's annoying and although on many occasions it's not hard for me to smile or keep thread of the conversation going, today I just pray her talk ends and she lets me go to the cafeteria. As usual, it's past lunchtime and I'm starving."Well, my husband is waiting for me outside". The long–awaited words finally arrive. "I guess we'll see each other at the next consultation... or maybe", she doesn't give me time to answer, "we could meet one of these days for a drink"."I sure do", I dismiss her a bit quickly without losing my smile. "I'll find some free space in my calendar and call you. Goodbye, beautiful". I place one last kiss on my laughing patient. Seeing that little face is worth resisting her mother."Perfect". Although her tone so

Adriano Di LauroWith the stony gesture and ignoring her shrieks, I drag her out of the room while my housekeeper loads the suitcase."Don't you ever show up at my house again", I warn her from the car. "Be very careful what you do or in any case say, Francesca, because you will never see the light of day again. You open your mouth and what few privileges you have left will be nipped in the bud"."I will tell the truth!""The truth?", I let out a small and sarcastic laugh. Anger fuels my coldness and makes me feel more powerful than ever. " Which truth? Do you think anyone will believe the words of a decrepit old woman like you? You seem to have forgotten who you're dealing with, my dear", I add with an icy smile. "Do what you want, in the end I still have my money and my power. On the other hand, you... you are nobody, you are nothing. I can crush you right now with the palm of my hand"."You won't because..."Because of respect for my children", I don't allow her to reply. The conde

Cassandra ReidI check my phone one more time for a missed message or call, but my inbox is still clean. This is rare, very rare.When my best friend hadn't shown up for my consultation for days, I went looking for her. Then, they informed me she had requested a vacations time. She surprised me too much when she didn't warning me, so I asked Romeo and his words left me even more worried.Leah left without saying anything to anyone. She doesn't take calls, doesn't answer messages... it is as if earth had swallowed her. Two days ago I received a brief 'I'm fine' which did not calm me down not even a little bit. Since then I have lost count of how many times I have tried to contact her with no results.My head hurts horribly and I'm biting my nails. To make matters worse, I have to go to a meeting and listening to endless reports on statistics or budgets that I do not care about.I just wanted to be a good doctor, to have my own office with lovely patients who would be bribed by a lollip