“That’s great!”she said warmly.“If you need anything, just tell me.In the meantime, let me introduce you to the rest of the family.”
We sat together in the lounge while she gestured toward the long dining table in the adjoining hall.People were already gathering, filling the seats.
“That’s Andrés and Luca,” Mia pointed out.
I followed her gaze to two men sitting side by side, both dark-haired, both scrolling through their phones with casual disinterest.Their presence radiated danger — quiet, unspoken power that made my skin prickle.
“They work with Alessandro,” Mia explained.“Don’t worry, they’re not here to hurt you.”
“O-okay,” I said, nodding weakly.
“That’s Leyla,” she continued, pointing toward the kitchen doorway just as a young woman walked out, balancing a steaming bowl.She looked barely out of her teens — slim, beautiful, with bright energy that filled the room.But when she tripped and dropped the bowl, the men at the table immediately scolded her.
Mia stifled a giggle.“She’s Bruno’s younger sister.”
I couldn’t help but smile faintly as I watched Leyla laugh off her mistake, cheeks flushed.Her personality was strikingly similar to her brother’s — vibrant, warm, and a little chaotic.
“She’s beautiful,” I whispered under my breath.
“She is,” Mia agreed softly.Then she stood and offered me a hand.“Alright, it’s time to eat.Come on, Ariana.I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“Okay...”I said, standing and following her toward the dining table.
Everyone was already seated except for Alessandro — and for that, I was grateful.Just the thought of seeing him again made my chest tighten.
Still, the air felt different, heavier, like it already knew he was coming.My fingers fidgeted with the edge of my napkin, pretending to be occupied while my pulse thudded behind my ribs.It wasn’t supposed to feel like this anymore — not the flutter that stirred low in my stomach, not the heat that crawled up my neck at the thought of his eyes finding me again.
I tried to breathe, but it came out uneven.Every sound in the room dulled except the faint echo of my own heartbeat, and in it, I could almost hear his voice — low, rough, the kind that used to make my name sound like something forbidden.My body still remembered what it meant to be near him, even when my mind begged it to forget.
“Guys, meet Ariana,” Mia announced.
Every head turned in unison.My stomach twisted as their eyes landed on me.
“She’ll be around for a while,” Mia added.“So make her feel welcome, please.”
“Hi!”Leyla chirped from one end of the table, waving enthusiastically.Her cheerfulness eased my nerves just a little.For the first time since I’d arrived here, I didn’t feel completely unwanted.
“Ciao, Ariana,” said one of the men — Andrés, I guessed.He gave a curt nod before returning to his phone.The other, Luca, didn’t even look up.
“Sit down, Ariana, and eat,” Salvatore said firmly from across the table.“You can’t leave until you’ve had real food.”
I looked from him to the table — lined with elegant bowls, crystal glasses, and plates stacked with dishes that looked far too rich to touch.My stomach growled audibly, betraying me.
I hadn’t realized until that moment just how hungry I was.
It had been so long since I’d had a proper meal — and sitting here, surrounded by people who once terrified me, I finally felt the ache of it.
The hunger.
The exhaustion.
The quiet, desperate need to feel normal again.
And for the first time in a long time...I picked up my fork.
I pulled out a chair and sank into it while Mia began filling my plate.She insisted, and honestly, I didn’t have the strength to argue.All I needed right now was food in my body — something solid to keep me grounded.
When she handed the plate back, my eyes widened at the sheer amount she’d given me, but I didn’t say anything.Around the table, everyone was already eating in silence, each absorbed in their own world.
