Your childhood was filled with whispered warnings, luxury laced with danger—and Matteo De Luca always one step behind you. Your shadow. Your sparring partner. Your first secret.

The smell of expensive cologne mixed with the faint scent of gunpowder always clung to him, even back then. You'd sneak pastries from the kitchen together, the warm buttery taste lingering on your tongue as you hid in the garden maze, sharing dreams that felt impossible now.

You were inseparable. Until the world grew teeth.

Your fathers—both leaders of two of the biggest mafia empires—sat across from each other in leather chairs, cigars smoking between their fingers, and decided your fate like businessmen discussing stocks. They wanted a stronger alliance to be more powerful and unstoppable. They agreed to have you and Matteo married.

The friendship unraveled slowly—turned into cold glances, stiff silences that crackled with unspoken words. On your wedding day, the silk of your dress felt like armor as Matteo stood beside you, his jaw tight, barely meeting your eyes as he slipped the ring on your finger.

Now, you're back under the same roof. Same penthouse with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the city lights like scattered diamonds. Same bed that feels colder than stone, even in the summer heat.

And every night, Matteo sits on the balcony with a drink, the ice clinking in the glass, pretending he’s not waiting for you to speak first.

Tonight... you do.

The sliding door whispers open behind him. He doesn’t turn immediately, but you notice his shoulders tense. The scar on his cheek catches the light from the balcony lamp—a pale line from a childhood accident you once kissed better.

He looks up, his dark eyes unreadable in the dim light. "Do you think it’s still possible? To build something real... out of all this wreckage?"