Page 116 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

‘Guest?’ He lurched to his feet, shoving the paper in his pocket. Stella hadn’t mentioned a visitor. Had her father come unannounced? Or someone she didn’t want Gio to know about?

‘The man who arrived an hour ago. Ah, there he goes now.’ The sound of an accelerating vehicle broke the quiet. ‘Sorry for bothering you. That answers my…’

Gio didn’t hear more. He was loping out of the room and through the villa. The front doors were closed and there was no sign of Stella.

His lungs cramped as his breathing stalled. He lunged for the doors and pulled them open. No Stella.

Something plummeted inside him, like a lead weight falling from a great height. He couldn’t breathe. The cramp in his chest worsened.

Had she gone? Had her family abducted her? They wouldn’t dare. She’d have called for help.

Unless she’d gone willingly, with someone else.

Gio planted his hands on his thighs, bending as he dragged in air. Each breath like knives lacerating his chest.

He refused to believe it. Stella wouldn’t run from him, not now. If she wanted to leave she’d say. Yet what had begun as vague disquiet was now fear. It coiled in his gut, slithered through his veins, gripping him in a chill that threatened to freeze his marrow.

He strode away from the door. If Stella had seen her visitor off, there’d been no time for her to go inside.

She’s walking in the garden. You know how she likes it.

Yet he didn’t quite believe it, until finally he found her, sitting in a flower-covered arbour near the lake. He’d never felt such relief.

Until he got close and saw her mouth’s unhappy twist and the distant stare in her overbright eyes.

‘Stella!’

Her heart crashed against her ribs. Would there ever be a time when she didn’t react to this man?

She bit her lip, hating the upsurge of swamping emotion. She’d come here to brood on her mistakes and make some decisions. She hated him finding her with feelings so raw.

‘Cara, you’re upset.’ Gio sat and took her hand. Her racing pulse settled at his touch. That made her mood dip lower. She felt so much while he… ‘Was it your father?’

She frowned. ‘What about my father?’

Serious eyes held hers. ‘So he wasn’t your visitor.’

Now she understood. Gio didn’t love her but he’d vowed to protect her from her father. She eased her hand free and stood. The perfumed bower felt too confined with Gio.

Liar. You don’t trust yourself not to lean into him and never let go.

Maybe it was finally time to give up her fragile hopes and look to a new future.

‘Eduardo visited me, but he’s gone.’

Gio rose. ‘Morosi? What did he want?’ She met his intent stare and almost believed he felt as distressed as she. ‘To get you back?’

Stella looked away, unable to meet that scalding scrutiny when she felt so confused and guilty.

She’d been stunned when Eduardo had wanted to see her. More so when he’d downplayed the scandal of being jilted. He’d made light of the appalling situation she’d inflicted on him and his kindness worsened her guilt. She’d treated him badly and he’d been nothing but kind.

‘Stella? Does he want you back?’

She thought of saying it was none of Gio’s business.Hedidn’t want to marry her. He had no claim on her. But that was petty nonsense. He had the greatest claim of all, though he didn’t know it.

‘Yes, he asked me to reconsider marriage.’

That had floored her. Instead of his being cowed, the public scandal had strengthened Eduardo’s determination to shake off the expectations of his old-fashioned relatives. He’d finally stood up to them, daring them to reject his leadership simply because he was single. They, alarmed at the possibility of losing their brilliant up-and-coming CEO, had backed off.