The countdown begins. 8 chapters left.

♥️

Emilia

Aiden's acting weird.

Like really weird.

"If you don't get out of this kitchen, I'm going to take you on the counter and I'll never get dinner done." That was him, he's kicking out of the kitchen.

Candles are lit, light music plays throughout our home, and Aiden is cooking.

He never cooks.

We're both wearing formal clothes, his request. Me in a Scarlett red dress, him in a black suit.

The guards are all outside, even though it's freezing. I keep popping out to tell them to stay in the greenhouse or the guard post, but they keep telling me no. At least their taking shifts so they don't freeze to death.

Aiden's been acting off all day, so now I'm going to tease him. "You know I can help you," I say, jumping onto the counter to sit. He gives me his best-crooked grin, it's freeing no one being in the home besides us. We can... do whatever we want.

I twirl a glass of red wine in my hands as he stirs something ... I peek over, "What are you making?"

I can tell his concentration is faltering. Where I jumped on the counter, my dress is slightly riding up. "I won't be making anything if I have to stare at those legs any longer." He grunts, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. "Well, I'll be making you scream my name but unfortunately we need to eat."

"Seriously Aiden." I take a deep breath, "It smells lovely. But I can't figure out what all you're doing?"

He wipes his hands on a kitchen towel, "This was a family meal." He sets his wooden spoon down to refill my wine glass. "Before things went to shit with my dad." He looks around, "Or maybe it was always fucked, the lines blur easily." He waves his hands in the air.

He takes a piece of French bread and dips it into the pot, bringing the bite to my mouth. It's a stew, and it's delicious. "It's the only tradition I've ever kept. And I eat it on my mom's birthday."

It dawns on me. "Her birthday was today."

He nods, "She would have been 45 today." He goes somewhere else, his mind transporting him to the past.

I grab his large hands, trying to cover them with my small ones. "Thank you for sharing it with me." The mood is too serious, "I didn't know you knew how to cook, that bite was delicious!"

He cracks a grin, "Don't get used to it. This is the only thing I know how to make." He continues prepping our meal. "Go sit, my love."

I walk into the dining room alone to wait for him and my breath catches in my throat. I don't think tonight is just about his mom's birthday tradition, from the looks of the dripping candles and dozens of roses -red roses, no yellow in sight- lining the room and tables this seems... is he going to?

"Dinners ready." Aiden smiles, walking in with two plated bowls. I look down at my plate as he exits, he even garnished the stew. He returns seconds later with the sliced French bread.

I take a bite, it's perfect. My mind races with the possibilities of how tonight could go as we eat and drink wine, he's kind of quiet and his left leg is shaking. Is he nervous?

I need to talk, because he's gone radio silent. "You did wonderful with dinner." I say, placing my napkin on the table.

He shrugs, his fingers trailing my cheek down to my locket necklace. "You do so much for me, Emilia. And I do so little for you, it's the least I could do. After everything I've put you through..." he looks away.

I kiss his cheek, "Don't be silly. Look at our home, my bakery." I grin from ear to ear. "Everything will be okay, Aiden." My eyes burn into his and with as much truth as my voice can manage, "Your mom would be so proud of you." I tell him, and watch as his eyes gloss over.

"Thank y-"

My phone rings from the kitchen, halting our conversation. Why didn't I put it on silent?

"Just ignore it." I smile, taking a sip of wine. Trying to talk over the ringing, it finally goes away as we laugh. Talking over each other on accident in an awkward dance.

He brings his hand to cover mine. The intensity of his stare causes my heart to thunder inside my chest. "Emilia, listen-" My phone cuts him off again. He throws his head back and stands, going to grab it.

"I'm sorry!" I tell him as he exits the room, he turns back giving me a smile too let me know it's okay.

When he's out of view, I take in a deep breath. I think he's going to propose, I swear I do.

He walks back in, looking devilishly handsome while twirling my phone in his hand. "Your mom's called three times." He hands it to me.

"I'll call her back later." I say, gesturing for him to sit.

With a shake of his head he points to my hand, "Call her now, I have something I have to do anyways." He kisses me and walks towards the living room.

By the time I walk into our bedroom the phone rings once more. She really doesn't quit.

"Hey, Mom." My voice is too excited, I really think Aiden is about to propose. Should I tell her?

"I hate that it's Winter right now. I just love roses in the summertime, don't you Emilia?" The voice isn't familiar, but the accent is. I pull the phone away to make sure it's my mom who called in, it is.

"Who is this?" I stutter through the phone.

A maniacal laugh sounds on the other end, it's like the fear in my voice set off his laughter. "I thought it was so brave how you saved your boyfriend." I shiver in our warm room. Quietly, I pull the balcony handle and step into the frigid air. My thin dress leaving no room for warmth.

A lump forms in my throat as I listen to the man ramble on the other end. "My men had him. I was so close and so excited to get to him and when I arrived back in Campania he was just, gone. Poof." He sighs, "I want to kill someone. She'll do." He laughs as tears streak down my face.

"You have my mom?" I dreadfully ask the truth I already know in my heart.

I decide that as soon as my shaking hands hang up the phone I will run to Aiden and tell him everything. Until he says this...

"Come alone or I'll kill your mother." I'm frozen, paralyzed. But I have to thaw out. I have to help her. I look across the courtyard and spot a familiar head of salt and pepper hair. Howard is here. I remember Aiden telling me he was coming by to grab some of his things, we got too comfortable. This is it.

"Where do I go?" I ask, my voice at a steady tremble.

"Our location has been sent to you." a beat of silence passes through the phone as I attempt to speak.

"And Emilia." He sneers, "I'm a man of my word, you come alone and I will set your mother free. Your Aiden took something that was mine, I will take something of his. You." his heavy italian accent bleeds through the speakers and into my soul.

I have no other choice but to trust him. "Whatever you want. Just please... please don't hurt her." I beg.

I can hear him sucking his teeth on the other end, "This won't be something you return from, you understand that right?"

"Yes." I let out a breath. "Yes." I give in.

"Good girl." he laughs, "And Emilia, if I think even for a moment you have told anyone or brought anyone with you I will slit her throat and kill everyone you've ever loved."

He found it. Whoever he is. The one thing that would break us apart, that would make me back down. My mom.

I try to put on a brave face when the line disconnects. I wipe away my silent tears and turn the handle back to our room. The classical music is louder now, as I head towards Aiden. I can't tell him; I can't risk it. And he won't let me leave unless I do something drastic.

I'm going to have to break his heart to save her.

💔

See y'all Thursday 🥺

Sorry for all of the authors notes, there's only limited chapters left and oh so much I need to say to all of you!

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. I never imagined so many of you would purchase Aiden and within one week of sales we are SO close to being able to publish Emilia and I never thought I would be able to say that. We're not there yet, so keep sharing this story but we're close. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart for your support. 🥺