Chapter 47 Chapter 48
Leah POV
I sat alone, letting my thoughts run wild, building and rebuilding the same idea over and over again—Valerie had to disappear. There was no other way around it. She was the only obstacle standing between me and my happiness, the only thing blocking me from getting what rightfully belonged to me.
As long as she existed, Luciano would never truly be mine. And I wasn’t going to accept that. Not after everything. Not after coming this far. I had already made up my mind, I would do whatever it took to remove her from the picture completely. I didn’t care how long it would take or what it would cost. She would vanish, and when she did, nothing would stand in my way again. Luciano would return to me, where he belonged. Where he had always belonged.
A slow smile formed on my lips as I imagined, she was gone, her voice silenced, her presence erased like she had never existed. Peace. That was all I wanted. A life without interference, without competition, without someone trying to take what was mine. I leaned back slightly, letting the thought settle deep inside me, feeding that dark satisfaction growing in my chest. But before I could go any further with it, the door suddenly burst open, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Leah.”
My brother’s voice filled the room as he walked in without waiting for permission. The irritation returned immediately.
“You have a guest,” he said. “He’s waiting for you in the living room.”I frowned, turning my head slightly as I tried to process what he just said. A guest? At this time? And more importantly—who?
“Doesn’t he have a name, Williams?” I snapped, waving my hand dismissively. “And why exactly should I go meet someone I don’t even know? If he doesn’t have a name, then he can sit there and wait for all I care.”
My brother scoffed at my response and turned around like he was about to leave, clearly done with my attitude. But then he paused at the door, as if he suddenly remembered something important.
“I thought you’d be interested in knowing who it is,” he said casually. “But if you must know Luciano is here to see you.”
Before he could even finish his sentence, I was already moving.
Everything else disappeared, My thoughts. My anger. Even Valerie Luciano was here, for me.
My heart started racing instantly as I rushed out of the room, barely noticing anything around me as I made my way toward the stairs. My mind was spinning with questions. Why was he here? What has changed? Had he finally realized something? Had he finally seen me the way I wanted him to see me?Had he finally chosen me?
I didn’t slow down until I reached the living room, and the moment my eyes landed on him, I stopped completely. There he was.
Standing like he owned the space without even trying. Calm. Composed. Powerful. Just like always. He looked exactly the same, even better than I remembered. Like a king carved out of perfection. Someone you couldn’t ignore even if you tried. My chest tightened as I stared at him, my heart beating faster with every second. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Slowly, I began to walk toward him, each step careful, almost hesitant. My emotions were all over the place, but I tried to keep myself together. I didn’t want to look desperate. I didn’t want to look weak.
But it was hard.
Especially when he finally looked up at me.and smiled, That smile, It froze me in place.
“There you are,” he said, his voice smooth, almost too calm. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come.”I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself.
“I thought maybe we could have dinner together,” he continued. “I was heading somewhere important, but I decided to stop by and see if I could spend some time with you first.”For a moment, I couldn’t respond, It felt unreal.
Like a dream I had imagined too many times, now suddenly playing out right in front of me. My mind struggled to catch up with what was happening. Luciano here asking to spend time with me?It didn’t make sense,and yet, it felt perfect.
When I didn’t respond, he snapped his fingers lightly in front of my face, pulling me back to reality.I blinked quickly, clearing my throat as I straightened my posture, trying to regain control of myself.
“What brought you here all of a sudden, Luciano?” I asked, my voice calmer than I felt. I took a slow breath, watching him carefully. “The last time I checked, you didn’t want me anywhere near you. So what changed?”
I narrowed my gaze slightly, waiting for his answer, searching his face for something real, but he didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he smiled again, then he stepped closer, closer than before.
Closing the distance between us in a way that made my breath catch. I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My body refused to listen to me as he leaned slightly toward me, his presence overwhelming, his scent familiar and dangerous all at once. Then he bent closer, his lips near my ear.
“It's because,” he said softly, his voice low and deliberate, “I realized you might be exactly what I need.”My heart skipped.
“You’re going to remind me what it feels like to be a man again.”His words sent a strange shiver through me.
It was unexpected. Intense. Powerful.
For a second, my balance slipped. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, and I staggered slightly backward. But before I could fall, his hands wrapped firmly around my waist, pulling me back toward him, holding me.
My breath caught in my throat as I looked up at him, my heart racing uncontrollably now. I didn’t know what to believe. I didn’t know if this was real or just another illusion my mind was creating because I wanted it so badly. But if it was a dream.
Then I didn’t want to wake up.Not when everything I had ever wanted was standing right in front of me, holding me like I already belonged to him. And for the first time in a long while I allowed myself to believe it might finally be happening.