This has to be a nightmare. Maria. Unconscious. Hospital. The words hammer into my skull, looping over and over like a curse I can’t escape.
Fresh off the plane, I had planned to surprise her. A nice dinner, just the two of us, where we could sit and talk—just be us.
She swore she’d rest, and take care of herself. So why the fuck is she behind those doors, fighting for her life?
“Matteo, you need to sit down.” Valerio has been trying to calm me for the past hour. “They are doing all that they can for her.”
“Don’t tell me to fucking calm down, my wife collapsed in the middle of the damn street and I don’t know why.” My eyes dart to a crying Ginny, who sits in her seat somberly. “Why did you even take her from the penthouse? What were you thinking?”
Ginny’s head snaps up, her eyes burning with fury, a storm raging behind them. “There is no way you are putting the blame on me for this one, Matteo. How about you take some damn accountability and ask yourself why your wife was even that sick in the first place? You didn’t even care to check on her or take her to the doctor.”
My fists clench at my sides, rage boiling through my veins. How dare she speak to me that way? I take a menacing step toward Ginny, but Valerio’s hand on my shoulder stops me.
“Boss,” he murmurs, “now’s not the time.”
I shake him off, my eyes never leaving Ginny’s defiant face. “You have no right to insinuate that I do not care about my wife,” I snarl. “You have no idea what I do or don’t do for her.”
Ginny stands, matching my aggressive stance. “I know enough. I know she’s been miserable, lonely, and apparently sick enough to collapse. Where were you, Matteo? Where have you been all this time?”
The words hit me like a physical blow.
I don’t respond. She is correct to some extent; there is a certain level of self-blame that I need to apply. I saw how pale Maria looked. Up until this point, I had been unkind to her. I acted like she didn’t exist in my life.
“I was only trying to get her some fresh air. You, as her husband, should have seen that she was unwell. And your idiot son didn’t make it any better, either.”
Valerio and I snap our heads in her direction.
“What did you say? Daniele was with you guys?”
She nods. “He came out of nowhere and basically told her a bunch of bullshit that didn’t even make sense. She was going to give him the middle finger when she fainted. It was weird and I think if he hadn’t said that shit, she may not have collapsed.”
My blood runs cold at the mention of Daniele. What the hell was he doing there? And what could he have possibly said to Maria to provoke such a reaction?
Would he have? No—he couldn’t have. Because if he did, then Ginny wouldn’t even be looking at me. She’s loyal to a fault, and I know she would take my wife’s side.
“Tell me exactly what happened,” I demand, my voice low and dangerous. “Every detail.”
“There isn’t much to it. He came to us after we left the cafe and then he started talking about how she looks near death and how her new name carries a lot of blood—even the blood of her family.”
That idiot. Daniele has taken it a step too far. My jaw clenches, rage coursing through me. Daniele has always been reckless, but this… this is obscene.
I turn to Valerio, my voice clinging to every ounce of rage I have. “Find him. Now.”
Valerio nods, already pulling out his phone as he steps away. I run a hand through my hair, my mind racing. This is exactly what I want to avoid. He could ignite a war and all for what?
I open my mouth to ask more questions when the door bursts open and out walks a doctor in scrubs. My heart lurches as the doctor approaches, his face unreadable. I step forward, my voice hoarse as I demand, “How is she?”
The doctor’s eyes flick between me and Ginny before settling on me. “Mr. Davacalli, your wife is stable now. We’ve managed to stop the internal bleeding and address the immediate concerns.”
Relief floods through me, but it’s short-lived as the doctor continues, his tone grave. “However, there are… complications we need to discuss. Perhaps in private?”
I nod curtly, following him to a secluded corner of the waiting room. Ginny tries to follow, but Valerio holds her back with a gentle but firm hand.
“What complications?” I ask, my voice low and tense.
The doctor hesitates, then speaks softly. “Mr. Davacalli… your wife wasn’t just sick. Someone has been poisoning her—for a long time.”
My blood turns to ice. “Poisoning?” I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper.
He nods gravely. “Yes. It appears to be a slow-acting toxin, administered over time. It’s caused significant damage to her liver and kidneys. We’re doing everything we can, but…” He pauses, his eyes meeting mine. “Mr. Davacalli, I have to be honest with you. Your wife’s prognosis is not good. The next forty-eight hours will be critical.”
I feel the world tilting beneath my feet. Poisoning. Someone has been poisoning my Maria. Four years ago, I watched Beatrice waste away from the exact same thing. And now, it’s happening again. History isn’t just repeating itself—it’s hunting me.
I feel the walls cave over me. My vision blurs as memories of Beatrice’s final days flood my mind. The same haunted look in her eyes, the gradual weakening, the helplessness I felt as I watched her slip away. And now, history seems determined to repeat itself with Maria.
I grip the edge of a nearby chair, my knuckles turning white. “Someone is going to pay for this.”
The anger completely takes me over but I push it all down.
“Can I see her?”
The doctor nods. “She is in and out of consciousness. Follow me.”
As I follow the doctor down the sterile hospital corridor, my mind races. The rhythmic beeping of machines and the hushed voices of medical staff fade into the background as I struggle to process what’s happening. Maria, my Maria, poisoned. Just like Beatrice.
The doctor pauses outside a room, his hand on the door handle. “Mr. Davacalli,” he says softly, “I must warn you. Your wife is in a fragile state. Don’t be alarmed by all the machines and the tubes, they are there to keep her alive.”
I nod, steeling myself for what I’m about to see. As the door swings open, my breath catches in my throat. Maria lies there, pale and small against the stark white sheets. Tubes and wires connect her to various machines, their steady hum a grim reminder of how close I came to losing her.
I approach the bed slowly, my eyes never leaving her face. Even in this state, she’s beautiful. Her perfect hair fans out on the pillow, framing her delicate features. Her chest rises and falls with shallow breaths, each one a small victory and a sign that she is still alive.
I sink into the chair beside her bed, gently taking her hand in mine. It’s cool to the touch, so fragile I’m almost afraid I’ll break it. “Maria,” I whisper, my voice rough with emotion. “I’m here, amore mio. I’m right here.”
Her eyelids flutter at the sound of my voice, and slowly, painfully, she opens her eyes. Those emerald orbs, usually so bright and full of life, are now clouded with pain and confusion.
“Matteo?” she murmurs, her voice barely audible.
“Yes, it’s me,” I say, squeezing her hand.
Maria’s eyes struggle to focus on me, her brow furrowing with effort. “What… happened?” she whispers, each word a clear struggle.
I swallow hard, fighting to keep my voice steady. “You collapsed, amore. But you’re safe now. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
A ghost of a smile flickers across her pale lips. “You came back early,” she murmurs.
“Of course I did,” I say, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “I couldn’t stay away from you.”
My heart clenches as the thickness in the air steals the breath from my lungs.
“Maria,” I whisper, voice trembling with a mixture of fear and remorse, “I’m so sorry. I—I’ve been a terrible husband.”
Maria’s eyes flutter, struggling to stay open. “Matteo,” she breathes, her voice barely audible. “Don’t… don’t blame yourself.”
I lean in closer, desperate to hear her words. My thumb strokes the back of her hand, careful not to disturb the IV line. “How can I not? I should have seen the signs, should have protected you better.”
A weak cough wracks her frame, and I reach for the water glass, gently lifting her head to help her drink. After a few sips, she settles back against the pillows, her gaze more focused now.
“Matteo,” Maria whispers, her voice gaining a hint of strength. “You couldn’t have known. I didn’t even know myself.”
I shake my head, unable to accept her forgiveness I don’t deserve it. “I should have been there. I’ve been so distant, so caught up in…” I trail off, unwilling to burden her. She doesn’t even know that she has been poisoned. I will save that for later. For now, she should rest and heal.
Her fingers twitch in mine, a feeble attempt at a reassuring squeeze. “I don’t feel like you need it but I forgive you, Matteo. I’m not angry with you.”
The selflessness in her words cuts me to the core. Even now, lying in a hospital bed, poisoned and fighting for her life, she’s trying to comfort me. The realization of how much I’ve taken her for granted crashes over me like a tidal wave.
“No,” I say firmly, bringing her hand to my lips. “No more excuses. I want to do this with you, Maria. I want to be all in with you.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “Are you saying…?”
“Yes,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “I’m saying I want us to be real. No more pretending, no more distance.”
Maria’s eyes fill with tears, a mix of hope and disbelief shimmering. “Matteo, I… are you sure? This isn’t just because I’m in the hospital?”
I shake my head. “No, amore. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. Seeing you like this… it’s made me realize how much I could lose. How much I’ve already been losing by keeping you at arm’s length.”
A small, tentative smile curves her lips. “I want that, too,” she whispers. “So much.”
I lean in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Then we’ll make it happen. Together.”
She nods weakly, her eyelids fluttering as exhaustion begins to overtake her. “Matteo,” she murmurs, her voice fading, “I’m so tired…”
“Rest, amore,” I whisper, gently stroking her cheek. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
As Maria drifts off to sleep, I lean back in the chair, my mind racing. Someone has been poisoning her, and I have a sinking feeling I know who’s behind it. Giacomo. But how? How would he have access to her?
Either I have a mole or an enemy from within. Regardless, whoever dared to touch my wife has already sealed their fate. And when I find them… they’ll beg for death before I’m done.
