First, I would like to thank each one of you who has been supporting me in this journey.

Next, I have been getting constant notifications of people adding my book to their reading list since yesterday morning and also of their precious feedbacks, I would like to heartily thank each one of you. I would have personally messaged you but wattpad doesn't allow more than 10-12 messages per day. And I don't want to be partial by messaging some and leaving others... Because each one's effort is truly appreciated.

I didn't expect to receive so much love, but the support of guys has being so amazing that I received this honour...

So a big thank you to each one of you who is reading this.....

And now, coming to the chapter, another drama is at the end...

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It had been a fortnight since Alessandro’s death. But the shock and pain of it was still lingering.

The one who was most affected by it was obviously Ermanno. He was devastated. Alessandro was his only family and he was really close to him. For the first time in my life, I had seem him breaking down like a small kid.

He was unstoppable. His grief and mourning was too much for me to take in. My heart was clenching painfully in my chest, seeing his state, but I was helpless in the situation. I could only stay by his side and offer him some emotional support. But that was also not happening.

Alessandro sudden death had affected him deeply. It had changed him. It seemed like he had lost a part of him. Ermanno had been isolating himself from everyone since then. He interacted only when necessary and ate when I forced him to eat or blackmailed him that I won’t also eat, if he didn’t.

I knew that he was breaking from the inside!

The only thing which he cared for at the moment, was to catch Luca Martinez anyhow and make him pay for everything, he had been through. He had been dedicating all the time of his day and night to find clues about him and his whereabouts. And not to forget the moles hidden in between us.

He was sure that there was someone from among us, who was helping Luca. And to catch that person, he had been trying all the ways he could think of. Because according to him, planting a bomb in Alessandro’s car was impossible for an outsider. It could only be possible for a person who was really close to them.

Each of his men were thoroughly checked along with the staff of the mansion. The security was also tripled in the mansion and more cameras were installed all around the mansion.

No one could enter inside or leave the mansion without his consent and he was being informed of each and every activity that was going around, even if it was the gardener watering the plants or the cook cooking the food.

The food was tested twice before being served and any parcel coming to the mansion, was thoroughly checked. He was trying everything he could to be on the safe side.

Apart from his grief of Alessandro's death, Ermanno was also beating himself up for arguing with him in his last meeting. He regretted that he could not even mend their differences before his death.

It made me feel guilty. Although, I was innocent in the situation, but that didn’t lessen the guilt that I was the reason of their conflict. And now, they would never get the chance to sort out their differences.

If Ermanno had not stood up against his nonno, maybe his pain was a little less. He had been beating himself up for standing up against him for the first time in his life, which turned out to be their last meeting.

When I had discussed about it with him and apologized for the same, he told me, “Don’t be sorry, amore mio. I don’t regret standing up for you. I just regret not getting the chance to prove your innocence in front of him and not getting the chance to mend my issues with him. He left me alone here while he was upset with me. I know that he loved me too much and my actions had hurt him deeply. He was just trying to protect me because he cared for me. He was only looking out for his only family.”

He further continued, “I also know that he loved you and cared for you too. He was really happy after meeting you and was proud of choosing you for me. But after getting those false evidences against you, he was paranoid of loosing me. And in an attempt to protect me, he raised his finger on you. But I am sure that he would have mended all the differences between you two, after knowing the truth.”

My relationship with Ermanno was also on a hiatus. We were not getting any time to spend together, due to him investing all his time to catch Luca. I couldn’t even be there for him properly in his mourning.

After that one time I had caught him breaking down in the middle of the night of Alessandro’s funeral, he had buried all his emotions deep inside himself and put up a facade of cold and emotionless expression.

But his expressive eyes could not hide anything from me. They were openly displaying the pain and agony he was going through. But he refused to share it with me.

But it was high time now. It was not good for his emotional as well as mental health to suppress his pain inside him. It would eat him alive. And I was not going to let that happen to him.

I decided to go to him and confess my love for him. I knew that it was not the ideal time for it, but he needed to know it at that moment. He needed to know that he was not alone and I was with him. He needed to know that I would be always there for him and would never leave his side. He needed to know that he still had someone, that he still had a family. He needed love the most at that moment and I was going to confess mine to him.

With determined steps, I left the confines of my room to go to his office, where he had been cooped up all day long. I was going to help him to get over his pain and bring him back to life.

I was on my way when Adele came to me rushing with a goofy smile plastered on her face. She seemed to be really happy about something as she flung her arms around me and hugged the life out of me as soon as she came into my reach and began squealing.

I was confused at her behavior, but nonetheless returned her hug with a smile of my own.

She parted from me and spoke excitedly, “Oh, Lia! I can’t express my happiness today. I am so happy. I have got what I had thought I would never get, but I always wanted to. Finally, my wish is fulfilled and I can’t contain my happiness. You are my close friend, so I decided to share it with you first.”

I goofily smiled at her enthusiasm and spoke, “I am also happy for you, Adele. I guess that you have got something really big. Please share it fast. I can’t keep up with the curiosity any longer.”

She shyly tucked the loose strand of her hair behind her ear and told me, “ Well, someone confessed his love for me and proposed me for marriage.”

“Really?! I am so happy. Just tell me the name of that lucky guy already. You are really killing me with the suspense,” I said to her in elation.

But her next words not only shattered my heart, but also my dreams. I had never expected to hear it from her mouth.

She cheekily grinned at me and spoke, “The lucky guy is none other than Ermanno D’Amelio himself.”

Hello my lovely readers!

How was the chapter?

Ermanno is really affected by his nonno's death...

And Adele's confession!!! What?? Ermanno loves her??? How???

Just when Lia tries to confess her love for him, someone ruins it... Now what step do you think will she take???

And I hope this twist was unexpected!!